Alex Church Returns to L.A. and His Band Sea Wolf Dive In

By Paul T. Bradley Fri., Jul. 13 2012 at 3:30 AM

Categories: Indie Rock and Stuff

Courtesy Sea Wolf

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Since his 2007 debut as Sea Wolf, Los Angeles native Alex Church has been compared to no fewer than 5 million other singer-songwriters with guitars flying under the vague banner of "indie rock," those bastards of Elliott Smith whose songs go on break-up mixes. After a few years touring and a cold three-year stint with his girlfriend in Montreal, he returned to settle back home with a new album and a more mature sound. His latest, Old World Romance, out in September, represents a departure from the sap reliquary; in the meantime he's performing at the Skirball Center tonight, loosening up for an album-supporting fall tour.

We chatted with him as he cleaned out his Eagle Rock studio for band practice, and he spoke on topics including maturity, Sea Wolf's contribution to the multiplatinum 2009 New Moon soundtrack and Richie Sambora.

Are you still feeling the effects from your contribution to the Twilight series?
I haven't really felt it. There've probably been just a few more people that have discovered Sea Wolf through it, but I don't think it's anything significant. To be honest, I don't know that much about Twilight. It just helped me pay the bills while I was making this record. We usually play 18-and-over or 21-plus shows, so I don't really see a lot of those fans.

It allows you to keep working with an independent label like Dangerbird?
Yeah. They've been great. They've never stopped me from doing something that I really want to do. Which is not usually the case on a risk-averse major label.

Even though signee Richie Sambora is kind of stealing the Dangerbird limelight?
Uh, yeah, that is ... funny. I dunno, I was never really into ... what was he in? Bon Jovi. At the time all their stuff was coming out, I was getting more into rap. Hopefully it will be fun, maybe like a flamenco record or something?