Stereo Embers The Podcast 0064: Parker Gispert (The Whigs)

“Keeping Your Eyes On Athens” As a teenager in Atlanta, Parker Gispert grew up listening to Built To Spill, Modest Mouse and the Velvet Underground. But everything changed once he discovered the Athens, Georgia Elephant 6 Label. Mesmerized by bands like Elf Power, Olivia Tremor Control and Neutral Milk Hotel, Gispert was not only drawn to their sound, he was drawn to their geography. So much so, that when it came time to choose a college, the University of Georgia in Athens was the most logical choice. Inspired by the artistic community of the town and its legendary musical DNA, it didn’t take long for Gispert to get a band together and it didn’t take long for that band to start crushing it. The Whigs tore through the local live circuit and went on to release five albums, play repeatedly on Letterman and Conan and tour the world several times over. In this conversation Gispert talks to Alex about his first solo album Sunlight Tonight, what it was like to live on a hemp farm for a year and the pleasures of driving alone across the country. He also talks about his parents’ take on his rock and roll career, how geography influences art and the current state of the Whigs.