Not many bands can claim to combine rap, rock, nu-metal and hip hop successfully, but Silly Goose does just that.
Lead vocalist Jackson Foster shared that its niche was developed based on his interest in rapping over a heavy metal band. Silly Goose is a culmination of Foster chasing his dreams and creating his ideal performance atmosphere.
Performing at Lollapalooza was a pinnacle of his journey with the band, but it is by no means a stopping point. This fall, Silly Goose will release a new album, “Keys to the City,” embark on a U.S. tour and make the trip across the big pond for European show dates.
The Daily Illini sat down with Foster to discuss the development he and the band have gone through to be in their current position.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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The Daily Illini: What was it like performing at Lollapalooza?
Foster: The performance was awesome. It was so cool to be here. We, as a band, play a lot of rock festivals, but this is the first type of festival that’s more pop that we played. So it’s really cool to just play to a whole new group of people.
The DI: You have a very specific and unique genre. How did you guys find that?
Foster: I grew up listening to bands like Rage Against the Machine and Biscuit. So that’s kind of like, I just wanted to rap over like heavy, like a band behind me. So I’m definitely into rap music, but I’m also very into rock, and it just kind of made sense.
The DI: Could you describe your music in one word?
Foster: Either crazy or a party. So I guess there’s two you can choose from.
The DI: Could you describe your journey individually and as a band to get here to Lollapalooza, and what it means to perform here?
Foster: For me, I’ve worked my whole life, I’m about to be 24 years old, and ever since I was in high school, I’ve just been chasing this dream. I’ve played a lot of shows to nobody in my life, but I haven’t given up. And now I got to play this festival and it just feels like a really big deal. It’s really cool.
The DI: Looking towards the future after performing at Lolla, are there any lessons or skills you’re going to take away from this experience?
Foster: I feel like with every show we play, it’s an opportunity to get better, and a lot of what makes a good show for me is how well I can communicate with the crowd and work the crowd. So every show is an opportunity for me to get better as an artist.
The DI: I know you have a new album coming up. Can you talk me through your future plans?
Foster: We’ve got a new record called “Keys to the City.” It comes out in October … I love it. I might be biased, but I think it’s the best thing we’ve done. So, I’m very excited for that. And then in the fall, this fall, we’ve got a tour with this band called Landmarks, this cool U.S. tour. Then, in November, we go to Europe for the first time. We’re playing with this band called Hot Milk, and it’s just gonna be awesome. I’m really looking forward to it.
