We continue our tour discovering the best rising new band of the Swiss Indie Rock scene with an interview with an exciting Swiss German band: “Who’s Panda” that we featured already in our Nasty Tuesday a couple of weeks ago. After getting a chance to see them live opening for Palma Violets on April 4th in Zurich (read here our concert review) we managed to exchange some words with one of the band members: Nicolas Streichenberg, bass and organ player.

1. START – When did you start the band? Who’s Panda started in 2010 giving its first concert in hometown Baden.
2. BEGINNING – How did you meet the band members? I knew Tom (Lead) through skateboarding back in the good old days.
3. MUSIC – What pushed you to play music or start a band? By myself I was playing already a long time Piano so I somehow came to the rock’n’roll side of life and we all we’re fine with that, that I’m gonna rock the Organ and Bass lastly.
4. INFLUENCES – Which band influenced your style, sound and lyrics? Personally I was listening very often to CCR, KoL, and The Doors because of the Nasty Southern Styles of the late 60’s. After that we all grew in listening much to other Indie/Pop/Rock stuff.
5. SWISS ROCK – What do you think of the Swiss musical scene? Personally I can tell you I observe it as a very talented and growing scene. Especially Pop and Rock bands are psyching me up or giving me the same feelings as from bands from other countries. 
6. VENUES – What are the best venue and festival of Switzerland you played so far? One of the coolest venue I ever played is Plaza Club in Zurich. Everyone played there from Chris Martin (come on man he’s a ledge :-)), TOY, Jake Bugg, Maxïmo Park and many, many more. So it was an honor to smell the dirtiness in the backstage sofas where we hung out that evening.
7. PAST – What was your band’s favorite moment til now? My personal highlight I’d say was going to Germany recording our album between December ’11 – March ’12. That was hard fun-making work. Haha Jesus, could tell you stuff you would cry your whole life from up now, so I better leave that part out hahaha 😉
8. FUTURE – What are your band’s next plans? Tour dates? Albums? We have big plans as always and gonna set feet after feet. We just had something like a little Spring Tour with a few concerts in German part of Switzerland. Appreciated that you were crashing at Exil club with Palma Violets. Next thing is also we are working on our new album. You know, can’t say anything concretely because, we are writing and fooling around in our new rehearsing room to gather all our thoughts feelings ideas and shit. We also have good contacts now and I hope ’14 will be “ours” (;-))
9. DREAMS – What’s your band’s dream? Everyone has dreams in Switzerland and what I can tell, and I know I speak for every lad in the band: We wanna make it. WHATEVER it takes. I think our music has enough to survive in the big music industry and we are working on it day by day practicing giving the best on our concerts and even the better on the next ones. So we live already our dream: making music all week-long actually. And in the end we all believe that we gonna make more and more people happy with our music. It’s what we wanna achieve. Sooner or later.
10. RECOMMENDATION – Do you have any local upcoming band to recommend to us? Now I’m talking of myself: I really recommend you Wet Moss, they are one of the most talented Psych/Epic Pop band I know around here. We are good friends and although they’re still young they are doing everything correctly. Don’t forget Dinner 4/5 I love their attitude and the bass player is a cool guy. If you like jazzpop, digg ’em.

As somebody sings: “It’s a long way to the top…”, but if you are hungry for rock’n’roll and you have the musical talent that this bunch of lads has, you are off for a good start toward your objectives, as “Who’s Panda” are too. Thanking Mr Streichenberg for the interview we wish them all the best for their musical career! Hope to see them around soon live this side of Switzerland.

Follow Who’s Panda on:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whospanda
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/whospandamusic

Hey Hey, My My, Swiss Indie rock to spice up your life!

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