“Can’t Stop Winning”
from the single Can’t Stop Winning/Like Ur Killing a Man
2010
iTunes
If self-help guru Tony Robbins collaborated with Phantom Planet, the result might be something like “Can’t Stop Winning,” the latest release by Los Angeles indie-pop foursome Sweaters. Each copy of the 7″ record comes with a 14-page book outlining a certain titular philosophy — an approach to living and succeeding, dreamed up by singer and keyboardist Jordan Benik. In an interview with Spinner, guitarist Jordan “Ladyface” Harkins discusses the genesis of the “Can’t Stop Winning” ethos, the joys of classic California rock, and the genius of Jeff Lynne.
What does the “Can’t Stop Winning” philosophy entail and how did it come about?
The birth of “Can’t Stop Winning” was not entirely my doing, I must admit. Jordan [Benik] and I started the band together, as the outgrowth of another band we were playing in. And, basically at some point in the birth of this new band, we were out partying a lot, trying to figure out our standing, what sort of band we wanted to start — we were reverse-engineering the band. The singer [of the old band] and I were living together and we got locked out of our apartment. We climbed three stories up to try breaking into our balcony door — it was locked. For an hour and a half we tried to pick the lock. We tried to take a screwdriver and drill through the keyhole and nothing worked, until Jordan stood up and got so mad he stomped his foot and the door flew open. It was this insane, strange, unexplained moment of ESP, and he said, right then, “I can’t stop winning.” It became this kind of philosophy and frame of mind, where we could go out and justify all of our blasé drunken antics with this philosophy. And the more and more we embodied it, [the more] it brought really funny, positive experiences to us.
Are you all originally from Los Angeles?
I’m the only one actually from Southern California. I met Jordan because I was playing drums in a band we were [previously] in called Tall Hands. We kind of started writing stuff and out of that other band, we grew into Sweaters. The first night we met Joel [Black], he told us he was the best drummer in L.A. and we’d be fools not to play with him, and we took him up on the offer. We were playing with a good friend of ours on bass, but he split, and we replaced him with a Frenchman named Max [Sokolinski]. Jordan is from New Hampshire and Joel is from Dallas, so I’m the only Southern California native.
How did growing up in California influence your music?
A few people have pointed out our very sunshine-y pop hooks and stuff. One — I think it was a British magazine — said it was music that could only be created by native Southern Californians, which was funny because I’m the only one…and Jordan and I share in writing duties. I think Jordan became a very interested music fan as a result of there not being a ton going on [around him] other than nature. He grew up in Keene, New Hampshire. He was really into the woods and nature and experiencing music that way. I would say wilderness had more of an effect than anything.
With myself, I grew up with my dad blasting Neil Young and the Beach Boys and Billy Joel and the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac and all of this quintessential California rock ‘n’ roll. I’m definitely very influenced by that. I think it fits with the surroundings. Every time we’d go to a Lakers game, we’d hear [Randy Newman’s] “I Love L.A.” It makes sense.
If there was one artist whose career path and approach to business you’d like Sweaters to follow, who would it be?
I would personally say David Bowie because he’s been able to transition. He said he was going to do this — it wasn’t a surprise. He always made it his business to transform and be so obsessed with fads. It became his thing to define the new fad or the new trend. I think that’s really cool how he did that and was able to slip in and out of genres and push genres by messing with them.
Or maybe ELO. Jeff Lynne would go into the studio and write five hit songs in two days and play a game of soccer in between recording, literally. The man was unstoppable.