Revolt of the Apes

Being raised for half of our adolescence in a city with the word “beach” in its name, we find it difficult not to reflect on surfing when under the spell of Holy Wave.

But it’s not necessarily the surfing of sport, skill, and tragically-tight corduroy shorts from OP that we’re paddling toward – nor do we believe it to be the destination of Holy Wave, the group of land-locked Texans who find their epic sound-waves to be a part of Austin Psych Fest for two years in a row.

Rather, it’s a sense of spiritual that we reflect upon when sound-surfing on the face of a Holy Wave. It’s a place full of heart and volume, with enough velocity and air pressure present to keep the threat of a total wipe-out real and present, wrapped within the folds of our brain.

Remarkably, Holy Wave keep their sound-waves from cresting and crashing too soon, making for a smooth but crucially loud ride toward enlightenment or fried amplifiers, whichever comes first. On their magnificent recent LP, “Knife Hits,” the band cuts deeply into that sound, offering the listener the sensation of languid levitation.

But to take our typically-tortured surfing analogy even further out to sea, consider “Surfing into Spirituality and a New, Aquatic Nature Religion,” Bron Taylor’s epic essay printed in the Journal of the American Academy of Religion. Taylor makes a compelling case for finding the holy somewhere in the wave. Here, he quotes the author of “The Encyclopedia of Surfing,” who declares:

“When wars and flags and religions and nations and cities and rockets … are gone, there will still be an order of things far beyond the order of power-crazed men. It will be the order of a universe at equilibrium with all natural forces in balance.

And that’s what riding a wave is.”

Replace the act of getting tubed with getting down with vacuum-tube-driven musical amplification, and you’ll have found the wave on which we wish to ride.

Day one of this year’s Austin Psych Fest will get off to an ear-melting start on the Beauty Bar stage, with Holy Wave following the formidable sound-surfing of fellow fry-guy Al Lover. We feel fortunate to be on the same wavelength, and fortunate to share the interview with Holy Wave below. Enjoy.

Is there a single musical experience – first time seeing a certain band, most intense live performance, etc. – that you can pinpoint as being central to your musical evolution? What was it about that experience that makes it so memorable for you? How do you think it continues to inform your music today?

Julian: I think seeing My Bloody Valentine with Spectrum in ’08 was pretty big for me. Kyle and I, along with our old guitarist Ryan, got tickets to both nights in Santa Monica and the whole thing was amazing. We planned the trip to where we would drive to L.A. from El Paso, then the drive back was our move to Austin. So seeing MBV right before we set off to another city to start a band definitely changed us, I think. We all fell in love with the wall of sound that trip. I think we try and maintain that aspect in our sound but change is happening so often I never know what the next tune is gonna be like.

How do you see your musical interests having shifted or expanded over the years? Can you think of something – or some one – within music that you appreciate more now than even a few years ago? What album would the younger you be most surprised to learn that you now really enjoy?

Julian: I think we’ve just been rediscovering all the great stuff we grew up with but have sorta taken for granted. Like the Stones and the Beach Boys and all that great shit. I never thought I would be into Harry Nilsson or E.L.O. but Kyle has developed somewhat of an obsession with both so I’ve developed my own appreciation because of that.

Kyle: Jeff Lynne is a “holy” man.

Music’s connection to the “holy” is nothing new, going back at least as far as the earliest Islamic and early Christian cultures, though perhaps out of favor with many populations of listeners today. What does this word mean to you, as it relates to music? What led you to choose the name for the band? What misconceptions, if any, have arisen about the band with regard to the name?

Kyle: It’s kind of like the “God” particle. Kinetic energy exists in everything, no matter how dense. There is a constant motion to all matter. You could say the ‘holy’ wave is the vibration of the ever-humming universe.

We’re more than a little taken with your “Knife Hits” LP, not least because it sounds absolutely huge pouring out of the stereo speakers. Was there anything in particular you wanted to accomplish with this album? Is there a special significance to the album’s title? How do you feel the band has evolved since recording “The Evil Has Landed”?

Julian: Well, I’m glad you like it, man. The combination of loud and pleasant sounds was something we tried to bring to harmony on the album. We really like playing loud and that’s something that is kinda hard to translate on recording. We were originally going to call it “Hits,” but it just didn’t sound right for our first album. Hash was plentiful throughout that last album for some reason, so naturally we were doing a lot of knife hits. After I said “knife hits” in my mind it just seemed appropriate. I think the next record is coming along super bad-ass. I’m actually pretty excited for other people to hear the new recordings.

What can you tell us about what is possibly our favorite song on the album, the wonderful “Gris”? Was this song influenced more by Dr. John, or by Greg Ashley’s band, Gris Gris? What can you tell us about perhaps our second favorite song on the album, “Arab Spring”? Are we hearing the vocals correctly when we hear them sing, “Laughing in the sun/we are one, one, one, one …”?

Julian: Gris was just us trying to get our MBV on.

Kyle: You are correct on the lyrics. “Arab Spring” is a celebration of shared experience. It’s about the revolutionary feelings that can occur when we, as individuals, can fully comprehend the connections we share with the people, situations and environments we’re surrounded by. Whether it’s at a concert, a movie, an acid trip on an island, or a protest in Tahrir Square, the feeling of oneness is something worth celebrating.

What music have you been listening to lately? If push comes to shove, what’s your favorite Shapes Have Fangs song and why?

Julian: The Beatles.

Kyle: Jimmie “The Singin’ Brakeman” Rodgers.

Would you care to comment on the rumor (the rumor that we are attempting to start right now) that you guys have decided not to play Austin Psych Fest this year, in order to concentrate on your new food truck called “Holy Crave”?

Kyle: We actually have ideas for food trucks all the time. Being from El Paso makes us cook better Mexican food than most people, and we feel like we should exploit these talents for financial gain. We also have great material for sketch comedies, motion pictures, multimedia festivals and Fortune 500 companies. Unfortunately, we have neither the time or overhead to manifest these golden ideas.

What was your experience like at Austin Psych Fest in 2011? Are there any bands in particular playing in 2012 that you are most excited to see?

Julian: It was pretty surreal. Seeing Sonic Boom pass by when you’re just walking around an old power plant is pretty weird.  It felt like a modern day rock-n-roll circus or something. Definitely an honor to be a part of. For this year’s festival I’m quite excited to see The Paperhead. I’ve been digging them a lot recently. I saw Quilt a few weeks ago but I’m still really excited to see them. And BJM of course.

Kyle: Dirty Beaches simply blew my mind off. The Vacant Lots were great last year and I’m excited to see what they’ve been up to. Olivia Tremor Control is very intriguing, and I’m anxious to see what the live show is like. The Black Angels always put on a great show and I’m sure they’ll be introducing some new sounds. And BJM of course.

Albert Schweitzer – a fairly holy German fellow and undoubtedly a huge Ash Ra Tempel fan – wrote the following:

“Just as the wave cannot exist for itself, but is ever a part of the heaving surface of the ocean, so must I never live my life for itself, but always in the experience which is going on around me.”

Your thoughts?

Kyle: People are programmed only by experience whether they like to realize it or not. As an intelligent, compassionate and selfless man, he was hyper aware of this phenomenon.

This sort of philosophy can help lead us to a happiness, unattainable by those doing what they want in favor of what they know inside they’re supposed to do. I guess you could say he’s referring to a “holy” existence based less on our desires and goals and more on the process and the journey.

Julian: I think we’re a stubborn wave that thinks it can exist for itself.

What’s next for Holy Wave?

Julian: Hitting the road in May and finishing another record.

Holy Wave

The Asteroid #4 often feels more like the sun for us – the great source of light around which we orbit, life-giving and damn near eternal.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but coming in to contact with the gravitational pull of The Asteroid #4 for the first time, for us, represented a point of no return, an event horizon – and the event is losing touch with your mind.

Yet while we’re told that our sun will one day come unplugged, The Asteroid #4 shows no signs of going dark – if anything, our chart of the stars shows that their light may be burning brighter than ever before, with the impending release of full-length album number seven from #4, along with the super team-up supernova that represents a huge notch on the astral belt – “The Journey,” a collaboration with Kaleidoscope (UK)’s Peter Daultry.

So the journey is on for The Asteroid #4, as it has been for years and as it should be for some sonically stupendous time to come. Fortunately, its path of orbit includes a stop at the planet known as Austin Psych Fest 2012 and we were able to briefly intercept the planetoid known as Scott Vitt for the interview below. Enjoy.

What would you identify as your first musical obsession – not necessarily the first music that ever appealed to you, but the first artist or album that uncovered the desire to know more, to seek further? What was it about that album or artist that made such an impact on you? Have you feelings toward it evolved in any significant way over the years?

I should mention that the more personally-directed questions are my own responses and I am by no means speaking on behalf of my bandmates.  So … with that said, I guess I would have to say Ride’s “Nowhere.” I know it could be looked at as a very typical answer, but my first gut response would’ve been even more so, as it would’ve been The Beatles. I say Ride because they came at a point in my life where I was ready to move on internally, if you will, and “seek further.”

Earlier on in life, as in childhood, it was always my father’s music, like The Beatles, Stones, Neil Young, the Velvets, etc., playing and creating the freak I’ve been ever since. Then later on in my teenage years, I fell heavy into punk, hardcore or even heavier, with the simultaneous presence of The Smiths, Echo and The Bunnymen, New Order, etc. That all became my music, if you will, but I was still too young to really be looking further and it was more about rebellion from my parent’s music … But shit, when I first heard Ride, and not long after My Bloody Valentine and Spacemen 3, at the age of 17 or something, that was it. This was entering a time when the music I listened to induced me to “seek further” chemically, if you’re picking up what I’m putting down. So in retrospect, it was that early 90’s era that really had an everlasting impact on me. Come to think of it, I’m sure most of my bandmates would concur and actually it was Eric, one of our guitarists, that brought the first Ride EP to my house and said, “Listen to this!” It was a new sound for us … the guitars were being used as soundscape rather than a lead instrument, the drums and bass were heavy as shit and it didn’t matter what the vocals were saying, but how the melody moved you.

What I, or we, listen to now has evolved many times over, especially with what we have access to in terms of worldwide obscure acts from the 60’s and 70’s, but it’s those formidable years of the late 80’s and early 90’s that I still reference as the greatest years of influence.

What was the most frustrating part of trying to get Asteroid #4 into orbit during the earliest stages of the band? How do you think your attitude toward the work that it takes to keep the band moving forward has changed over the years?

Early on the most difficult part was keeping the actual band together and once we did that, trying to find what our sound actually was. When we were just starting out, especially being as young as we were when we started, the egos were aplenty and everyone had a different idea of what we should do. Most regretfully, me. I was very impressionable early on and I wanted to try some different things, which made me lose focus of being ourselves. Luckily the key members stuck it out, but bandmates came and went, outside relationships influenced us for better or for worse and things continuously changed. I think we finally found a groove once we did “An Amazing Dream,” where we took all of our influences and homages that we wore on our sleeves, mixed them up and finally began becoming ourselves. Now, it’s simply all about having fun together as friends first, enjoying being a band, collaborating, and whatever happens, happens. Very rarely are we stressed out together and if we are, it’s “Hey, I’ll see you in a week or two,” and that’s it.

In what ways do you think that your surroundings influence the music you make? Are the “core” members of Asteroid #4 all from Philadelphia originally? Do you think the city has evolved in any significant ways since the band first began? Or would you be more likely to subscribe to the theory of, “the more things change, the more they stay the same”?

Our surroundings play a very big part in influencing the music we write. However, I think having the opportunity to see other parts of the world has had a more profound influence lately. All of us, excluding Ryan, hail from Philadelphia and its immediate suburbs. Ryan is from northern California, which is where we met him while on tour years ago. So the environment he lives in also has a big influence on us as well.

The city itself has changed drastically since we first started playing and I am not sure if it’s been for better or worse. The venues have definitely changed. Maybe we’re more content with being reclusive from what may (or may not) be happening in Philly currently. We were very involved early on and found it to be important to associate with other bands and create a scene, if you will, but now that we’re so many years removed from that, we find it more important to concentrate on our recordings and just do our thing.

We’re not shy in telling you that we’re at least a little bit obsessed with your album, “These Flowers of Ours,” and especially the relation to its subtitle, “A Treasury of Witchcraft and Devilry.” What was the original inspiration or origin for those two titles? What do those titles represent to you, personally? Who is responsible for the album’s beautiful artwork?

Well, thank you! I haven’t listened to that record in a long time. Maybe I should. The title is nothing more than what it is and it’s really pretty literal. The flowers are the songs that grew out of us working together for that year. At that juncture we had recently been to the UK a few times and the traveling experience and the people we had met really had a profound impact on us. Those songs came from those experiences. The “A Treasury of …” part came from a book Ryan had found in a vintage bookshop and we thought it really played well on the more flowery vibe of the title and turned it a little darker, which is what we like to think we do musically. We typically write very straightforward songs, but like to throw in a darker lyrical twist or instrumentation to turn it off the road a bit, if that makes any sense.

The artwork was actually done by a graphic artist we met while in the UK named Chrissie Abbott. We highly recommend you checking out her other work.

What can you tell us about the origin of the song, “Let It Go”? Without hyperbole, we can tell you that it probably ranks within our top ten favorite songs of all time (though we admit, we’re not creating the list anytime soon). Are we hearing the words correctly when we sing along, “London/it’s starting to rain”? Are there any notable differences in the reception of Asteroid #4 receives overseas compared to stateside?

“Let It Go” was one of those songs that just happened as we were writing for the album. I had the chord progression and vocal melody. Adam, our drummer, and I showed up to rehearsal a little early and started playing it and as we were midway through it, Ryan, Eric and Damien, our bassist at the time, happened to walk in, pick up their guitars and just started playing along. It was recorded almost exactly the way we wrote it. Some songs happen like that for us and others can take weeks or longer to develop. The lyrics are pretty much your standard break-up song, because the song just felt like that and it’s actually “Long day/It’s starting to rain”, not “London,” but it’s weird that that’s what you heard considering I first started playing around with those lyrics while in London.

There’s actually noticeable differences on how we’re received city to city. Its just one of those things. Some cities we tend to do very well whether it be overseas or nationally. The reception is always good, which is nice, but without the machine behind us, we cannot reach as many people as we’d like.

We rarely write or ask much about the technical side of music production, mostly since our own knowledge on the subject borders on the laughable. But we can’t help but be fascinated by the way “Flowers” and it’s follow-up, “Hail to the Clear Figurines” seem to leap out of our speakers just a pinch louder, a pinch crisper, a pinch more defined than even those albums by bands with incredibly deep pockets. To what do you attribute this to, or are our ears just playing tricks on us?

Your ears are not playing tricks on you … We are just incredibly lucky to have a professional recording engineer within our ranks. Ryan, our guitarist, is schooled in sound engineering and he’s been at the controls for the last two, and now the third record, which is just about complete. Ryan is also responsible for recording the Dead Skeletons’ record, which he is also a member of. Eric has also done some engineering and between that and Ryan’s mixing/mastering, we tend to have a nice system to demo. That was the situation for the Peter Daltrey (of Kaleidsocope UK) collaboration record, also due out this year, as there we times when Peter was in the UK, we were in Philly and Ryan was in California. Technology has come a long way and made it easier for bands to work together from a distance if need be.

Would you care to comment on the rumor (the rumor we are attempting to start right now) that in addition to taking the stage at Austin Psych Fest this year, the band will spend the remainder of their time charging a small fee of festival attendees to take an instant photograph with the band, standing beneath a giant, hand-painted banner that reads, “ASTEROID #4 POLAROID $4”?

If you make the sign, we’ll happily stand under it. We could use the money …

We were fortunate enough to see Asteroid #4 perform at Austin Psych Fest #2 back in 2009. What are your memories of that weekend? Are there any bands in particular playing this year’s festivities that you are particular enthused to see perform live?

I remember it being cold and rainy, but having some unbelievable Mexican food. That was a strange weekend for us from an internal perspective. It was definitely a whirlwind last time, so I hope to slow it down and take it all in. The best memory is meeting and hanging out with Sky Saxon. That was fucking brilliant! Sadly, he ended up passing away only months after that, so we’re really grateful we got to meet him.

This year I’m really looking forward to seeing the Telescopes, and definitely the Paperhead, Brooklyn Raga Association, Wooden Shijps and it’s always great seeing friends: Spindrift, Dead Meadow, Blue Angel Lounge and, of course, the BJM.

I’m sure they’ll figure it out, but I’m really having a hard time understanding just how the APF gang will ever have a better lineup than this year. It seems to hit on every facet of what modern psychedelic music is today.

French Romantic painter – and huge fan of The Chocolate Watch Band – Eugene Delacroix said the following:

“They say that each generation inherits from those that have gone before; if this were so there would be no limit to man’s improvements or to his power of reaching perfection. But he is very far from receiving intact that storehouse of knowledge which the centuries have piled up before him; he may perfect some inventions, but in others, he lags behind the originators, and a great many inventions have been lost entirely. What he gains on the one hand, he loses on the other.”

Your thoughts?

I couldn’t agree more, especially when related to music, or even more specifically, guitar-driven music. I said I was excited to see the Paperhead because they seem to be a band of younger guys that have somehow figured it out. I think the essence of the song has been terribly overlooked in recent years. Perhaps it’s the inclusion of vocal harmonies and tune-smithing that is seriously lacking.

Many today want their favorite bands to make the same records over and over again, and in many cases, if the band does something different, they’re criticized for it. The originators, in this case, were so much closer in time to the roots of popular music, like folk, country, blues, jazz, etc., that there wasn’t the misfortune of losing sight of what the best ingredients actually are and still had the open landscape to do something new. Today that’s apparently having a laptop on stage with you and singing along to pre-recorded music … not a very warming experience, but what do I know?

What’s next for Asteroid #4?

Next up is a new record … actually two! As mentioned, we just finished a collaboration project with Peter Daltrey of the great, classic, UK psych bands, Kaleidoscope and Fairfield Parlour. That record will hopefully drop soon as we’re putting the finishing touches on the mastering and artwork.

Secondly, is a new A4 record which has also been recently finalized in the studio and we’re now looking for a label interested in putting that out. Know anyone?

Beyond that … playing some shows. We’re hoping The Black Angels take us on the road with them … so hopefully they’re reading this.

Peace.

The Asteroid #4

Original photo of The Asteroid #4 by Sarah Morrison Photography

Failing to come up with the proper words to describe Disappears is not simply a condition of listening to their recent, third album, “Pre-Language.”

Despite the fact that “Pre-Language” causes natural, wordless expressions of pleasure and joy to escape our mouths after its sounds enter our ears, the main difficulty in conveying the sound of Disappears has little to nothing to do with language.

Rather, the sound of Disappears resonates – and remains equally difficult to describe – because of the bands’ preternatural ability to replicate the sensation of vanishing time. Disappears could come from the future, they could come from the past. Theirs is the sound of memories fading, daydreams rising and the challenge we all face in determining which ones to attempt to grasp as we approach the chimera of the horizon.  

In advance of their appearance at next week’s Austin Psych Fest 2012, we invite you to share in our good fortune of having this opportunity to look directly at Disappears, via this interview with Brian Case. Enjoy.

Can you think of a band or artist for whom you had much admiration when you were young, but have experienced your enthusiasm disappear? What was it about that music that you think first captured your imagination? Conversely, is there an artist or band for whom you had little appreciation but have recently seen your resistance disappear? What do you think accounts for this transformation?

Guns and Roses. I got “Appetite for Destruction” in fifth grade and listened to it everyday for a few years. I would listen to a side, flip it, then listen to that side, then flip that side, etc., all day.  I landscaped the year it came out and listened to it every day when I worked. I still know every note of that record and stand by it as the eye opening musical moment in my youth. It was intense – talking about things I’d never ever heard of (and really didn’t understand) and making them accessible through language I knew but had never spoken. That album is its own world, full of actual characters all told through the blunted P.O.V. of someone who seemed like he knew both sides. Plus, the music was tough – not like Poison or whatever, and the guys looked cool – no make up! It was also the first album I had with a warning label on it, so that made it exciting. But G’n’R was also the first band I ever became disillusioned with. I liked “Lies” fine but I knew it was a stop over. I remember pre-ordering “Use Your Illusion” (both of them) at the mall so I was insured to get them both the day they came out. What a disappointment – I felt cheated, waiting years for a bunch of ballads and joke songs. There were good tunes for sure – “Civil War” and the Izzy Stradlin songs – but most of it was garbage. It was so empty compared to the world that “Appetite …” had built.

There are lots of bands I wrote off that now I love or understand. I think that comes from just growing musically – understanding how scenes progress from one to another, of being able to look back and understand the more subtle things that made something significant. It’s that kind of thing where I think a lot of people a certain age will hear Tortoise and not understand that when they first came out it was really significant – they’ve been ripped off so badly, so many times that it lessens their initial impact in some way. I mean, I first heard Modern Lovers and Echo and the Bunnymen in seventh grade but didn’t really “get” it until ten or fifteen years later.

Was there any particular directive or – for lack of a better term – “mission statement” that you had in mind upon the initial formation of Disappears? Was there something different musically that you specifically wished to explore, or was the formation more of a function of circumstance than design? What was the most pleasant, unexpected surprise that you noticed in the early days of Disappears?

Disappears started really organically. It wasn’t even going to be a band – just a project. There were some aesthetic things I knew I wanted – lots of reverb, wash/wall of sound, delayed vocals, blurry – but I wouldn’t say there was a mission statement, per se. Really, we were just having fun and things were clicking. I’d say the real “ah-ha” moment, though, was when we wrote “Old Friend” and “Magics” – those two songs were the beginning of what we still focus on – simple, repetitive, direct songwriting. That opened up a lot of doors for us, knowing what parameters to work in.

We were (and remain) very taken with Disappears debut, “Lux,” completely convincing ourselves that the band and album were the product of British youth, before our tireless research indicated otherwise. What other misconceptions about this album were you made aware of following its release? What are your thoughts on the album today, with a few years worth of distance?

The record didn’t get too much attention at all when it came out, only a few reviews, really. It was the end of a confusing period for us – the record was recorded for a label that ended up folding and we were kind of out in the cold for a while trying to figure out what to do. We’d been lucky in that we got a lot of attention very quickly but once that happened the whole industry went into a downward spiral as one of the pillars of their community, the one that we were going to work with, was calling it a day. At that point no one would touch us, everyone was waiting to see how things were going to pan out. We responded by pushing through with more new music and recording our second album a month after “Lux” finally came out. I don’t think there were too many misconceptions as it really was a very underground release. I like it still – there are definitely better songs than others but I think we really captured a moment with it – we were excited and young (as a band, that is) so there’s an energy and optimism there, even though the songs are pretty dark. It will be remembered well – haha!

The clean lines that inform the cover design of both “Lux” and its follow-up, “Guider,” betray a sense of the two albums being sonic siblings (with “Guider” – if we had to choose – being the slightly stronger, slightly more stoic sibling). Do the two albums share anything beyond an art director – anything as formal as a concept? What is the Disappears secret for avoiding a “sophomore slump,” and when will you sell this secret to other bands?

Well, “Lux” is about death and “Guider” is about protection … I’d say they’re two sides of a coin, maybe? “Guider” was fully fueled out of the frustration of sitting on “Lux” for a year before we found a home for it and needing to feel like we were making progress. “Guider” is more stoic for sure – it doesn’t let you in in the same way “Lux” did – even though the ideas surrounding it are more welcoming. How to avoid a sophomore slump? Just keep working, I guess – don’t wait for the right time to start writing, just keep making music and keep your momentum.

How, if at all, does your  third album fit into the above stated sibling rivalry? Aside from a different design (though still clean!), what other differences do you think listeners may pick up on while listening to “Pre-Language”?

It’s produced much differently and we took a lot more time in the development process. Played the songs a lot, spent a lot of time tracking, mixed with someone outside of the band – it’s not “cleaner” but I think that’s how people will perceive it. We’ve been burying our sound for two albums and are getting away from that now – trying to move forward and not repeat ourselves. Not sure what people will hear in it – that’s the nerve-wracking/exciting part about releasing a record: once it’s out, it belongs to everyone else – you can’t protect it anymore.

Would you care to comment on the rumor (the rumor we are attempting to start right now) that your fourth album will be a children’s album, dedicated to teaching the youth of the English-speaking world about fruits and vegetables, entitled, “Dis-A-Pear, Dis-A-Orange, Dis-A-Carrot”?

Yes, it’s a collaboration with The Residents slated for later this year. They’re still doing the giant eye ball thing, but we’ve gotten a hold of those Fruit of the Loom costumes. The artwork is a real stunner.

What music have you been listening to lately? If push comes to shove, what’s your favorite Sonic Youth album and why?

Hmmmm … lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Throbbing Gristle and Bowie’s “Scary Monsters” – trying to find a way to link the two. Also lots of Echo and The Bunnymen and Nico. I know, kinda bizzare. My go to Sonic Youth record is always “EVOL” – it has its own mood and personality and is the first record that I think they really hit on what they wanted to do (although I love everything before and since). “Sister” is a real special one, too. Lately I’ve been really into “Experimental, Jet Set, Trash, No Star”. I don’t feel it gets mentioned as much as it should … what a great album – it’s perfect for this time of year.

How did you first hear of Austin Psych Fest? Are there any bands in particular on the bill that you’ve not seen before but hope to while you’re in Texas?

I knew it as a festival the guys in The Black Angels started – we did some shows with them and they mentioned us playing it sometime. Unfortunately, we’re only there one day, but I’m really looking forward to seeing Psychic Ills, Peaking Lights, Moon Duo, the Night Beats. I’d love to see SleepOver but they are the same time as us. Will be good to see Dead Meadow and The Black Angels – haven’t seen them in a while. We’re on tour with Lotus Plaza down there, so that’s going to be great. Would like to be there for the whole festival – Thee Oh See’s are a band favorite.

Headband-wearing psych-maniac Noam Chomsky is quoted as having said the following:

“The core problem of human language … I take to be this: having mastered a language, one is able to understand an indefinite number of expressions that are new to one’s experience. They bare no simple physical resemblance and are in no simple way analogous to the expressions that constitute one’s linguistic experience; and one is able, with greater or less facility, to produce such expressions on an appropriate occasion, despite their novelty, and independently of detecting stimulus configurations, and to be understood by others who share this mysterious ability.”

Your thoughts?

Kind of what “Pre-Language” is all about – the fact that there are some “laws” that have existed for ever, that pre-date language as the natural response, rule or way to process or understand, and how those ideas always exist and run through our lives – independent of culture and words.

What’s next for Disappears?

We have an east coast tour that takes us down to Psych Fest, then a second Europe tour in the summer. We’re doing Japan in October and are filling in the rest of the fall now. Hope to be recording a new album in January – already have some new songs we’re really excited about.

Disappears

If there’s anything difficult, perplexing and sometimes puzzling about the music of Sun Araw (and we assert that there is plenty that fits such a description), it certainly doesn’t stem from anything we recognize as mysterious.

Rather, we find Sun Araw to be among the music least indebted to mysteriousness – while at the same time finding it at the very apex of musical exploration and elucidation (and, it should be noted, amplification).

Mystery implies that, despite the cosmic quest inherit in everything burnt by the Sun Araw, there remains something unexplained. Whether it’s last year’s “Ancient Romans” or the more recent, Jamaica-birthed collaborative release with M. Geddes Gengras and The Congos (entitled, “Icon Give Thanks“), we find Sun Araw’s music most explainable, knowable and enjoyable.

What we do find in Sun Araw, however, is music with an almost super-human capacity for not mystery but that close cousin, mystique. In the way that we define mystique – as the application of special knowledge, esoteric skill and heightened interest to a particular calling – there would seem to be few artists that reek of mystique as much as Sun Araw.

It’s no mystery that the recordings of Sun Araw are really the recordings of California’s Cameron Stallone, along with whoever is around and whatever might be the focus. And it should be no mystery to you, gentle reader, that we feel very fortunate to share this interview with Cameron in advance of his appearance at Austin Psych Fest 2012. Enjoy.

One needn’t look far to find references to the sun spread liberally throughout social, cultural and spiritual mythology – nor is the sun any stranger to being referenced by or an influence upon music in general. And sometimes – in the case of Sun Ra, and perhaps Sun Araw – we encounter the two together. What meaning does the sun hold for you from a musical perspective? What did the name Sun Araw mean to you when you originally decided upon it, and how has that meaning evolved over time? Would it be fair to consider Sun Araw to be the star around which your other musical involvements revolve?

I mean, one thought to think is that stars are a model of a certain principle, an energetic principle of nature that I think is somewhat related to us on a scale of concentration, we being the diluted partner. I picked it because I liked the way it looked and sounded, and I dig Sun Ra. It’s sort of something that disappears to me – I don’t really think about it.

What energy or inspiration do you feel you draw by working with other musicians and artists on projects apart from Sun Araw, and do you feel that energy is somehow transferred to your Sun Araw recordings? Can you cite any specific ways a memory of or experience with a collaborative musical effort influenced your approach on “Ancient Romans” – your work with Eternal Tapestry on “Night Gallery,” for example?

Man, the jam zone is just sort of something that happens in the space at the present. That is, of course, influenced by every prior – and also every future – experience, but … yeah, man – I try to really not be conscious in the way you’re describing, though I’m sure it’s all woven up.

“Ancient Romans” strikes us as perhaps your most expansive work to date – not necessarily in the quantifiable areas of song length or pieces of pressed vinyl (though there is that), but in a qualitative sense as well. Sonically, much of the album evokes the feeling of stargazing or otherwise contemplating vast stretches of dark, unknowable things. Was there a conscious goal in mind when recording “Ancient Romans”? How likely are you to revisit a recording like “Ancient Romans” after its been pressed and let loose into our world?

I don’t really listen to things once they are done. I’ve listened to them hundreds upon hundreds of times up to that point. Glad you dig it, man. It has a weird space in it for me, too, but that’s always unconscious. Attempted unconsciousness.

Is there a distinct moment – or a series of events – that you recall as helping you trust your improvisational instincts in creating music? How has the evolving process of trusting and following an improvisational path impacted your life outside of creating or performing music?

There was definitely a point where I stopped trying to write songs and started making music in a different way, but there was a long intervening period where I wasn’t doing music. So it wasn’t based on any particular moment. Working intuitively helps with living intuitively, which is something I’m pretty interested in.

Composer Carl Orff developed a system for music instruction building on an approach that many children gravitate towards naturally – singing, chanting rhymes, clapping, dancing and keeping a beat on whatever is around. Can you recall a time in your youth when you first became intrigued with making your own music? What was the first music you heard that made a truly lasting impression on you in your youth? As you’ve grown older and engaged in more musical experiences, how do you think that nature of your creativity has evolved?

Not really, honestly. Getting a guitar was a big deal. Things have changed significantly since then.

Would you care to comment on the rumor (the rumor that we are attempting to start right now) that your next recording will be a tribute to the pop, rock and legislative efforts of one of the most notable Californians of the 20th century, entitled “Sunny Araw Bono: The Beat Goes On Patrol”?

Whoa.

What are the aspects of live performance that you enjoy most? Can you identify a performer or band whose impact upon you musically came initially and directly from seeing them perform their music live?

Playing in a way that’s building a structure. I think of the songs sort of like environments that have certain principles, and within them you can sort of generate whatever. It’s that generating thing that is what I really enjoy, when I’m playing live and also when I’m composing stuff. Seeing bands in general was inspiring – always made me want to play music.

How did you first hear about Austin Psych Fest? Are there any other bands on the line-up that you are particularly excited about having the chance to see when you’re in Texas?

Man, it’s like a dream-list of homies. I’m really stoked to hang. The entire line up is sweet.

Alan Watts (who loved all Magic Lantern LP’s – we’re sure of it) once said the following:

“A priest once quoted to me the Roman saying that a religion is dead when the priests laugh at each other across the altar. I always laugh at the altar, be it Christian, Hindu, or Buddhist, because real religion is the transformation of anxiety into laughter.”

Your thoughts?

Deep. Organic joy channels. Watts is rad.

What’s next for Sun Araw?

Just finished a new album called “The Inner Treaty” – trying to get it out by summer. Lots of tours.

Sun Araw

We can’t help but accent the wrong syllable whenever we say the words Peaking Lights aloud. It’s seldom a source of public embarrassment, mostly because the music of Peaking Lights more often than not leaves us in a state of wordless, cosmic bliss (and partly because no one ever knows what we’re talking about, anyway).

The more we listen to Peaking Lights, the more appropriate this mispronunciation seems. Our interest in the band’s music seemed to chart a course that mirrors our interest in the myth-theme known as “orientation” – essentially, the Western world’s old habit of assigning the source of sacred power and wisdom to an access point developed long, long ago and far, far away … which often means “in the East,” and always means “somewhere else.”

Mispronunciations aside, the music of Peaking Lights certainly take us somewhere else, carried by the bass-heavy, uncluttered synth shamanism of Aaron Coyes and the cosmic communion offered by the distinctive, divine vocal incantations of Coyes’ Peaking-partner (and wife), Indra Dunis. Thus it’s with great anticipation appreciation that we look forward to experiencing the ritual rites of Peaking Lights as the final vision of the first day of Austin Psych Fest 2012 – after the lights have long gone down, perhaps right at the time when some peaking will occur.

We couldn’t feel more fortunate to share this interview with Aaron and Indra of Peaking Lights on our site. Enjoy.

How would you describe your relationship with music as a whole at this point in your life, and how do you think that relationship has evolved since your adolescent years?

A: I think mainly just being more open to different types of music has been one of the biggest – playing what I wanted to hear and getting more in tune with what I wanted to be doing … at the end of the day, it’s about vibing on what we do, making people stoked and feel good, and to do that,  it’s like I have to have that understanding in myself.

Did either you or your spouse come from musical families and how do you think that defined your early relationship with music?

A: My dad plays a bunch of instruments, but kind of focuses on guitar. He plays in some cover bands, blues stuff … My moms side has a bunch of musicians as well. She was an aerobics and jazzercise instructor for most of my childhood, so there was a lot of groovy and funky stuff gettin’ dumped on mix tapes growing up. My great grandfather was a clarinet/sax player in Paul Whiteman’s big band (same time as Benny Goodman).

I: My grandparents were singers in a Latvian choir, and valued music quite a bit. I studied classical piano as a kid and was expected to perform for them on holidays … My mom and step-dad play in an eastern-inspired chanting and Kiirtan group, and my mom would play piano and sing songs with me a lot as a child. From a young age I always had a lot of feeling for music.

Is it important to you even in a minor way that your own family be directly involved in music? In art in general?

A: Yeah, in music and art. It’s an important piece to the development of inner well being.

What were your earliest flirtations with creating music yourself?

A: After having a kid, the realization that it kind of starts at conception seems super relevant, like music starts with the first beat of the heart … I remember making up songs when I was really little, so I guess it goes as far back as I can remember. I can see it in Mikko, too – he’s always been fascinated with sound.

I: I always wanted to write my own music as a kid, but felt very intimidated by it. Coming from a classical training, I thought you had to be a composer and expert theorist. But when I was about 19, I taught myself to play drums and felt like a whole part of my brain opened up. It was liberating to write punk music and realize I could make up whatever I wanted! My first band was a punk two-piece with my friend Corrina, called Tractorman. I remember I had a hard time hitting the bass drum, so i would come up with these complicated tom parts to overcompensate. It actually sounded kind of cool!

How would you characterize that music today? Can you think of anything from those earliest experiences that you still reflect on today, that you perhaps think of as a well-learned lesson?

A: I definitely think that the earliest experiments are the best in a way. It’s part knowing and realizing I don’t know shit, so being open and free enough to experiment with anything, and keeping in touch with that inner child.

I: Both my early piano training and my years as a drummer have influenced where I’m at today. I came back to the keyboard as my main instrument in Peaking Lights, and feel like my time as a drummer showed me that music comes from the heart – you just have to tune into it.

We were absolutely floored by “936” upon hearing it this past year, not only for the notable songs and tempo of the album altogether, but just as much for the atmosphere and tenor of the album – it does, in our experience, create a very peaceful or mindful feeling for the listener. Was this something that gave much – if any – forethought to when developing the album?

A: We want to make music that makes people feel really good. When we write a record, we write to an LP’s time length (vinyl, 18-21 min.) usually, and like to write records more than songs (although the song is very important). But, yeah, flow – I think we’ve been working on getting into our flow. We didn’t and still don’t have any expectations with what we do – that would kind of ruin the fun.

I: It’s amazing to know people feel that way when listening to our record. It really is the best feedback!

Was there ever a point during the creation of the album that you yourself were surprised by the sounds that were evolving?

A: I think that it was when we recorded it that we could hear everything so clearly! Our earlier experiments were with such primitive gear and a really primitive way of approaching it, we just would blow out the tapes with all these rich sounds, so it was nice to actually share what was going into the tapes.

I: You know, the music just comes out. Some songs we had been working on for awhile, some of it was improvised. We had an idea of how we wanted it, but at the same time, you never know how it will sound until its finished. We felt good about it after it was done, but the real surprise was that other people liked it!

“All the Sun That Shines” is a particular favorite of ours – what can you tell us about the origin of this song?

A: We just decided to start approaching song writing with a real stripped-down sensibility. It was at a point where we were like, “What can we take away?” more than, “What can we add?” We have been trying to get more minimal.

“All the sun that shines/shines for you” can easily be digested as a positive, almost mantra-like affirmation. Was there a particular person in your mind when delivered those vocals and/or constructing the song?

A: We wrote that song together. It was kind of a lovers tune for all those lovers out there. 🙂

Are there unexpected challenges that come from creating music with your spouse? Unexpected benefits?

A: It’s awesome. We get to be with each other so much, we still have to make an effort to spend time on our own outside of music. It’s really intense in a very different way than I’ve ever experienced. We push each other in the right way, kind of make each other better people.

I: Being married and creating together makes the whole experience really intimate. It’s a great feeling to connect on multiple levels. But if we don’t agree on something in the band it can carry over into our personal lives, so that can be challenging. It just forces us to be really honest and open with each other. I think it’s good to challenge each other and yourself – it takes you to a deeper place. And the benefits are huge – being a family that works and tours together, we never have to leave each other behind!

Do you find that your communication when working on music together differs from how you communicate on matters more mundane, like housework or grocery shopping? Are there other husband/wife artists that you look to for inspiration, either consciously or unconsciously?

I: You would think the communication would be different regarding art or mundane stuff, but it’s pretty much all the same! We’re always working on Peaking Lights stuff, and taking care of our son no matter where we are. There’s really no separation between our creative and mundane worlds! I’ve always admired the years Yoko Ono and John Lennon spent together, as well as Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore. Both couples pushed the limits and were creative powerhouses.

Would you care to comment on the rumor (the rumor that we are attempting to start right now) that your next release will recorded entirely in China, released under the name “Peking Lights”?

We ate at a Chinese restaurant called Peking Lights on tour and are working side-by-side on a cook book. Can’t give anymore details.

What music have you been listening to lately? If push comes to shove, what one dub reggae album best exemplifies the genre for you, and why?

A: This question is impossible to answer. There’s so much rich history and so many different styles: roots, digi, steppers, lovers, etc. … I don’t really roll with the push and shove thing, because I don’t have to. There were and are a shit load of great engineers, minds and souls and will continue to be.

How did you come to hear about Austin Psych Fest?

A: Not sure. I just remember when it started awhile back. It’s a small world – all us weirdos are pretty connected in a weirdo kind of way.

Are there any other bands appearing over the weekend that you are particular excited to try and watch yourself?

I: I’d love to see Moon Duo, Quilt, The Black Angels, Woods, Wooden Shjips, Sun Araw and lots more. Seems like a good fest to check out bands I haven’t heard yet, too. But we’ll only be there for one night so I’ll check out what I can!

Marcus Garvey was quoted as having said the following:

“History teaches us no race, no people, no nation has ever been freed through cowardice, through cringing, through bowing and scraping, but all that has been achieved to the glory of mankind, to the glory and honor of races and nations was through the determination and effort of those who lead and those who are led. “

Your thoughts?

A: Every man a king, every woman a queen, every living thing is a star.

Are there specific things that you aim to free yourself from?

A: It’s a lifetime worth of work.

What’s next for Peaking Lights?

A: Hangin’ with our son, a new record called “Lucifer” out on Mexican Summer and Weird World (Domino) in June, touring, building synths and continuing to write music.

Peaking Lights

We’ve taken a weird path to arrive as admirers of the music made by Matt Valentine – whether that music is made with his partner Erika Elder in the long-running MV & EE, with friend Jeremy Earl of Woods (as we were fortunate enough to experience live this past winter) or of the purely solo variety, as is the case with Valentine’s recent solo album, “What I Became.”

That weird path could alternately be described as a path of ignorance (and both long-time readers of this site will know we’ve fit that description more than once in the past). Our original encounters with the different varietals of Matt Valentine’s music all happened independent of one another, and it wasn’t until relatively recently that we were able to see these things as part of Valentine’s larger whole … and ultimately, as something larger than that.

Yet if you’re going to arrive at admiration for a certain music via a weird path, you couldn’t do much better than that of Valentine. Despite – or maybe because of – the variety of his musical experiences, the overarching sentiment revealed to us on songs like “P.K. Dick” and “Ease My Eyes” is a sense of comfort with and acceptance of the weird path. What other path could there be?

In advance of Matt Valentine taking off on his own weird path of a tour (featuring dates with Apes-favs MMoss and Herbcraft), we were fortunate enough to ask a few questions of Valentine and his path. Enjoy.

Do you feel as though you hear acoustic music differently than electric music? Do the two create different reactions in yourself, or is it strictly dependent on song and artist? Do you find you have in yourself a hardwired preference for one or the other?

I’m into all music, sounds … it’s all the same to me.

How is that preference – or the lack thereof – reflected in your listening habits? Not necessarily what you are listening to, but when you are listening to it – are we more likely to find you listening to music for pleasure in the morning or at night? What album are you likely to listen to on a rare, lazy Saturday afternoon?

It’s a moment to moment thing, always has been … much like ragas or a live performance, the time of day and all the factors that sail with it have something to do with what I choose to listen to and how I phrase what I play when performing. Primo lazy Sunday afternoon jam might be the first Dando Shaft LP, or a live “Clementine” from 1968.

There exists a phenomenon among stand-up comedians wherein the develop a tolerance for comedy, rarely able to offer much more than a flat, “That’s funny” to the work of their peers. Have you ever felt yourself feeling more calloused to music’s charms? If you woke tomorrow and found yourself without musical talent, what other creative pursuit do you feel you would pursue?

I’d do the Lew Welch thing.

We’ve little fear of you waking up in such a situation, not least because of the quality of songs contained on your latest solo release, “What I Became.” Where does the album’s title originate from? It’s interesting that the title can be read in a presentational sense (“Here I am – this is what I became”) or perhaps a cautionary sense (“Good thing I changed my life – I didn’t like what I became”). Were either of those thoughts on your mind when titling the album?

It’s just one of the lyrics … there’s a lot-a me in the album – seemed like the right fit.

What can you tell us about the song “PK Dick”? What was your first introduction to the writing of Dick, and how did your knowledge of his life and work impact the song?

I first discovered P.K. Dick in high school. I think the first one I read was either “Man in the High Castle” or “A Scanner Darkly” … at this point, I’ve read nearly everything he has written … in many ways when my scrambler suit is on, I feel the way he wrote books parallels my inspiration/need to make records.

While impossible to pick favorites, we’re pretty taken with the song “Hit the Trails” – the contrast in the guitars is magnificent and the refrain seems to be saying, “Hit the trails – get off of the road.” What do these words mean to you? Do you think of those words as being encouragement to the listener or to yourself? Perhaps neither? Do you believe you are naturally inclined to follow your own trail, so to speak, or is it a characteristic you’ve learned over the years that suits you?

That’s what I’m singin’. The refrain is a holler toward “green living” … my kinda protest song. It’s about me …

Would you care to comment on the rumor (the rumor that we are attempting to start right now) that your next release will serve as a tribute to Scott Valentine, in the form of a limited release CD-R recreation of the soundtrack to the 1987 film, “My Demon Lover”?

Mebbe one of the other Valentine’s will handle that one. I just wrote somethin’ for Barbara Steele.

One of the most intriguing thing about your work, your releases under the MV & EE name, and other releases from your extended family of peers is that the sheer number and frequency of releases constitutes an inspiring example of creative work ethic, for lack of a better term. Do you ever feel that you have created a sort of alternate universe for your music, albeit an alternate universe with many, many entry points for others? Do you reflect on the volume of music you’ve released, and can that volume be seen as perhaps an unending attempt to bridge the gap between your inner vision and your ultimate expression?

I feel it is a space-time continuum of constant change … music is ephemeral, and it seems even more so now in a digital era. I don’t really look back anymore, or think about it … I just make things. It is all fully me, part of my “expression,” certainly part of what I see.

Ethan Allen – known as one of the founders of Vermont, along with being a huge fan of The Clash – famously said the following when confronted with a court order to be subordinate to New York: “The gods of the valley are not the gods of the hills, and you shall understand it.” What do you think was meant by his assertion? Do you feel your surroundings in Vermont influence or even enhance the music your create?

Moving back to Vermont – I lived in Burlington in the late 80’s – sure, it has an effect. The surroundings always have an effect. I believe form and content ultimately become one. It all gets in there. Where I’m at works for me. I live out in the woods … it helps me hear the intervals better. I’ve tapped into the gores. All levels of consciousness exist simultaneously all over the planet. It goes way beyond Vermont. I try to keep that in perspective.

What’s next for Matt Valentine?

Got a new eight-disc deluxe handmade creation coming out on my and Erika’s Child Of Microtones imprint. C.O.M., as it is affectionately called, is a cottage label dedicated to releasing personal ephemera of the highest quality and form. We started in 1999 and have been publishing ever since. This new collection is called “Suub Duub” and it documents our summer 2011 concerts, lovingly remastered with a wild “You Are There” sound and is accompanied by a 16 page book. It is C.O.M. 37!

On May 15th, our new studio record, “Space Homestead,” comes out via Woodsist. It is a rural jammer with a chariot of kelvin. Peace ∞

MV & EE

4/27 Marlboro College / Marlboro, VT
4/28 Free Range Music Festival / Belfast, ME
4/29 Strange Maine / Portland, ME

5/12 The Whitehaus / Jamaica Plain, MA (w/Herbcraft & MMoss)
5/13 285 Kent / Brooklyn, NY (“Woodsist Nite” w/Herbcraft & Steve Gunn)
5/14 Level Room / Philadelphia, PA (w/P.G. Six)
5/15 Golden West Cafe / Baltimore, MD
5/16 DC9 / Washington, DC
5/17 Spotty Dog / Hudson, NY
5/18 The Bookmill / Montague, MA
5/19 The Oak and The Ax / Biddeford, ME (w/BR Garm)

6/03 Dreamaway Lodge / Becket, MA

7/14 Inner Mountain Festival @ The Grey Eagle (acoustic and electric sets) / Asheville, NC (w/Dredd Foole, Willie Lane, Samara Lubelski / Herbcraft)

September -> October 2012: UK/Euro tour

If Mind Spiders didn’t exist, one might posit that they would be created in a lab.

We tend to agree, although when considering the sharply schizophrenic sounds of these Texas-based spectacular spiders of the mind – as represented best on their most recent album, “Meltdown” – we don’t think of a sterile laboratory environment.

Mutated and multiform, the Mind Spiders sound is too infused with chaos, with escape, with the creepy and the crawly to emerge from a controlled environment. Mind Spiders expose the power and explosive potential of science, but science that’s been left in the hands of silly, shy teenagers who spend as much time in the garage as the laboratory, where’s it’s only a matter of time before they’re bitten by a radioactive spider.

But our spider-sense tingles when we think of Mind Spiders – and it might be because of what when we heard in songs like “Fall In Line,” “Join Us Now” and “Wait For Us” while reading the book “Mutants and Mystics: Science Fiction, Superhero Comics, and the Paranormal,” by a fellow Texas-based weirdo, Jeffrey Kripal, the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Rice University. Ruminating on the alien-like eyes of Spider-Man, Kripal writes:

“The slanted alien eye, after all, has been a standard has been a standard feature of sacred art in South Asia for centuries, where it can easily be traced in any number of goddesses, including the sexually aggressive tantric goddess Kali, one of whose classic poses [is] standing on her prostrate husband, Shiva, who is variously portrayed as a corpse, in ecstasy, sexually aroused, or asleep, but always on his back … The black-almond-eyed Kali – known for her violent and redemptive ways, mounting a sleeping Shiva and bonding with her devotees through mystical union – more than resembles the black alien suit taking on the physical form of a sleeping Peter Parker.

And it gets weirder still. That Kali is usually portrayed with six limbs makes her look even more like a spider (okay, a spider has eight). Moreover, in west Bengal, where Kali traditions as especially active, there are actually two major forms of Kali: a blue, gentle, motherly form and a black aggressive sinister form … sound familiar?”

In advance of their appearance at Austin Psych Fest 2012, we feel more than fortunate to present this interview with central spider Mark Ryan, and to be caught in the growing web of Mind Spiders. Enjoy.

Can you recall the first time in your life you can remember concretely thinking that you are a musically-minded person? Not just that you enjoyed music – rather, that your mind wouldn’t operate properly without being able to express yourself musically. Is that even the case? Or do you view your musicality (for lack of a more pompous-sounding term) as an equal among an array of interests?

When I was about five years old, I would carry around a portable record player, play Elvis and Buddy Holly records, pretend I was singing. Also, I was obsessed with “Star Wars” and monster movies. My interests have not changed much since then. I started playing guitar when I was about eleven. From that point on, music was by far the most important thing in my life. I don’t function well without music. I get very depressed, especially if I have not been recording anything new. I have a strange drive. I almost always feel that I should be working on something.

How do you think your mind has evolved since you first became involved in writing and performing music, in ways apart from strictly music-related endeavors? Can the wordless communication necessary for playing with a band make you a better communicator in your outside life?

I think it’s more of a de-evolution, but recently I have developed the power of telepathy which is pretty cool.

In a related question, how do you think your mind has evolved from a musical perspective over perhaps the past decade? Can you think of a musician or band that you hold in very high regard today that you simply didn’t appreciate in the past? What do you think changed in your perspective to allow you to find the enjoyment in that particular music?

To me, music is about mood. I have always loved old rock-n-roll and still do. It’s an attachment that won’t go away because that’s what really turned me on to music in the first place. I picked up the punk bug later. For a long time, I didn’t have much interest in anything else. That was good, I think, because it kept me focused. But that can only last for so long. I’m still very picky, though. Now, I do listen to some things that I would have hated in the past. I love Harmonia and Cluster, for example. I think movies are what changed my taste in music. It goes back to being a kid and loving science fiction and horror movies. It’s the atmosphere, like the score from “Forbidden Planet” or a John Carpenter movie … also, after leaning about Joe Meek and all of his craziness, I fell in love with the album, “I Hear a New World”.

There’s an undeniably infectious energy and sense of controlled chaos throughout “Meltdown,” which led us to wonder about the choice of that word for the album title. Is there anything symbolic to your about the word or perhaps your mind’s state during its creation? Or was it more a matter of its organic connection to the spider-centric, riotous rock-n-roll radioactivity?

I recorded the song “Meltdown” after buying a toy keyboard at a garage sale for five bucks. The batteries were run down, so it made the keyboard sound sick, which I liked. It was a really nice spring day here in Texas. It was March 2011, right after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. My friend Jeff Burke from the Marked Men was in Japan at the time. He lives in Mito, which is pretty close to Fukushima. I was worried about him. On that relaxing, beautiful, spring day, I was imaging a literal nuclear meltdown. That’s what the song sounded like to me. It was originally titled “Springtime Meltdown.” I used the song title for the title of the album because it flowed that way, progressively getting noisier and darker.

What can you tell us about the origin of the shortest song on the album, “On the Radio”? We hear a instantly memorable, “Rocket to Russia”-esque bit of lightning in the song – is it laughable or sad that this is exactly the type of song that we would love to hear on the radio this summer, yet are confident that we will never hear on the radio this summer?

It is sad. Maybe in a different time. It’s just my take on a simple rock-n-roll song with a paranoid twist.

What music have you been listening to lately? If push comes to shove, what is your favorite Buddy Holly song of all-time and why?

Favorite Buddy Holly song is “Dearest” from “The Apartment Tapes.” “The Apartment Tapes” have some of my favorite music of all time. So creepy and sweet. We just got back from tour, so I feel like all I’ve been doing is listening to music … Troggs, Trio, Cluster, Panther-Man, Roy Wood, Dick Hyman, Dow Jones and The Industrials, Sparks …

Would you care to comment on the rumor (the rumor that we are attempting to start right now) that you are going all-out in your effort to attract a new group of musicians to play on the next Mind Spiders release, including but not limited to, Neil “Spider” Geraldo from The Pat Benatar Band, Peter “Spider” Stacy from The Pogues and the re-animated corpse of Mick Ronson, circa leading Bowie’s band, The Spiders from Mars?

Actually, I have been thinking about kicking all of those losers out and flying the Lime Spiders in from Australia to be my backing band.

How did you first hear about Austin Psych Fest? Are there any bands in particular that you are excited about having the chance to see play over the weekend?

When we were asked to play. I hate psychedelic music. Only kidding. I’m from Texas, so of course I know about Psych Fest. I am really excited about being asked to play this year. It’s a different kind of show for us, which I like a lot. I really don’t want to say who I want to see because I know the other bands will get super jealous.

E.B. White – himself a huge fan of “Rocket to Russia,” we’re confident – wrote the following his book, “Charlotte’s Web”:

“After all, what’s a life, anyway? We’re born, we live a little while, we die. A spider’s life can’t help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone’s life can stand a little of that.”

Your thoughts?

Bullshit. No spider has or will ever be that thoughtful. We are cold and calculating. Humans are much too sentimental. A thoughtful spider… Pffff!!

What’s next for Mind Spiders?

A 7″ that should be out very soon. Another album soon after that. Shows … you know – things that bands do.

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If the musical menagerie of sonic weirdness that fuels New Fumes ever starts to sputter and choke – to, in fact, begin running on fumes – Daniel Huffman can at least take comfort in knowing that he will have only himself to blame.

Yet there’s nothing implying any sort of sputter and choke to the sound of New Fumes, the solo, one-mind band project of Huffman. Rather, the New Fumes engine seems to be running smoothly – though hardly quietly – on spark and imagination, as shown on the album “Bump and Assassination.” Combining the techniques of a mad-scientist, home studio wizardry with that of a solitary, mystical, musical guru, New Fumes sounds to our ears like the joyful collision of both, resulting in music that is complex, simple, chaotic and beautiful.

Given Huffman’s past and current musical pedigree (time spent in the 90’s with the bands Comet and Ghostcar, touring and collaborating with his friends in both The Flaming Lips and The Polyphonic Spree – with whom he was opening for on tour at the time of this interview), it’s little wonder New Fumes boasts such a wonderfully robust sound.

And given the break-it-down, build-it-up, take-it-apart, piece-it-back-together nature of the New Fumes sound, it’s little wonder that Daniel Huffman disassembled our typically ridiculous interview questions, before connecting them back to his thoughtful answers. In advance of New Fumes’ appearance at Austin Psych Fest 2012, we feel fortunate to present the interview below. Enjoy.

What would you imagine your music would be like if you were recording 35+ years in the past, before the advent of (relatively) inexpensive 4-tracks for home use?

I like to think it would be like Faust’s “The Faust Tapes” or “IV,” or Silver Apples or some drone folk weirdo stuff … I don’t know … In reality, it would have sounded like a bunch of crying and banging around – I was only 2 back then.

Would you ever be interested – or even able – to turn full control of your New Fumes songs over to someone else to mix and edit?

Hmmm, maybe, but probably not. Depends on the circumstances. If someone I respected wanted to do a mix, I’d let ’em give it a go to see what happened.

If you could choose one living person (apart from yourself) to record your music, who would it be and why?

ONE? Damn. Are there any fourth grade aspiring engineers out there?

Do you think of yourself as a solitary person by nature?

Sometimes, but not always. Mostly yes.

What have you had the opportunity to learn about yourself when working on music alone, different than when collaborating with others on music?

As suspected, I really don’t have all the answers and I don’t need pot. I’ve learned to be a little more free, or how to access more easily that frame of mind that allows me to be free.

What are the parts of the collaborative songwriting/recording/performing process that you feel most positively impacted the path you’ve taken with New Fumes?

Collaborations have always good for helping me expand my scope on many levels. One of the best things I could have done is be in an improv group with people that could really play (because I couldn’t). That band was called Ghostcar. I’ve been fortunate to work with many fantastic musicians, songwriters, engineers etc. I feel like I learn something from everyone I work with, always. Working with David Baker (former vocalist for Mercury Rev) in the mid 90s really opened my mind to a lot of possibilities in the studio.

Making improv music with my trumpet-playing buddy, Karl Poetschke of Sivad and Ghostcar, really made me a little more fearless to just get up there and do it. It’s not always going to be good , but some unique and amazing stuff will happen if you can be in the moment and be willing to sweat sometimes. I could go on and on. Long story short, it made me better, I hope.

What was the first album that captured your imagination based on its sound alone – not necessarily the songs, the image, the artwork, but the sound?

Maybe “Pet Sounds” by The Beach Boys … As a kid my dad would always play Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and early Beach Boys for my brothers and I … so when I heard “Pet Sounds,” it was such a departure from “Help Me Rhonda” – the “sound” of the album just kind of jumped out at me. For the first time, I became aware of the “sound” . It was mesmerizing, haunting. It’s so emotional and strange.

Why do you think that album resonated with you?

Like I said, it’s so emotional and haunting. So warm and strange. It’s got the catchy hooks and the atmosphere.

How have your thoughts in this album evolved over the years, if at all?

Every few years I hear it in a whole new way and have to listen to it twenty times in a row. Watching “The Wrecking Crew” documentary really opened my eyes and ears to it in a new way by making me more aware of the process and the people behind it.

The way that I hear and understand music has changed so much over time … so I’m hearing many albums differently all the time. I love it. The only band I feel more negatively about now from when I was a kid is Credence Clearwater Revival. I loved it as a kid and can’t stand it now. Fucking hate it.

What does the title “Bump and Assassination” represent to you?

Well, it’s not some deep, perplexing thing … I read somewhere that William Shakespeare invented those two words, and I got to thinking about those words and their multiple meanings. It seemed to apply to the music I was making at the time. It’s really meant for you to get your own meaning out of it.

What can you tell us about the sequencing of the album of the same name?

It was originally going to be a 7″ box set. There were pairs of songs that seemed to go together. It was a seven song EP. Then a label I was talking with asked if I could go ahead and make it a full length, so I did. I’m glad it turned out that way. I just went with a sequence that felt right.

We ask here because we find the album to be such a quirky, creative and self-contained release, its difficult for us to consider the songs out of order, or being performed in a live setting.

Ok.

Speaking of a live setting, our intensive research reveals that your approach to live performance with New Fumes is one that relies on visual as well as aural stimulation. In what ways do you approach the visual elements of New Fumes differently than the musical?

I had visions for most of the visuals for each song before I started working on them (the visuals). They are collages of found visual elements and footage I took with telephone cameras. I was a painting and drawing student before I was ever in a band, so audio and visuals go hand-in-hand for me very naturally . Like, I can see music and hear colors and shapes. Both have movement. I’m always trying to marry the two. I hope I’ll get better at it as time goes on.

When I’m making music, many times a song will emerge out of explorations rather than a preconceived vision. But of course, I approach both sound and vision different ways at different times, depending on the inspiration .

What are some of the most compelling live performers you’ve had the fortune of seeing in your life?

I saw Michael Jackson when I was seven years old. I saw Kurt Cobain get punched on stage in Dallas. I decided to REALLY learn to play guitar after seeing The Flaming Lips open for Dinosaur Jr. at Trees in Dallas when I was in high school. Mind blowing! But I still have not figured out how to really play guitar. Ha! The Lips put on a great show with great visuals and stunning audio. I’ve seen them hundreds of times, I think. Ronald Jones used to blow my mind and my ears. Deerhoof is always a pleasure to behold … Greg Saunier’s drumming! The first time I saw Liars, I loved it. More on the local side: Paul Unger, Mike Dillon, Earl Harvin, Pinkish Black, Clay Stinnett, Tim DeLaughter and Polyphonic Spree … the list goes on.

Speaking of your life, at the time of this interview, you’re on tour with The Polyphonic Spree and have previously done time playing guitar live with The Flaming Lips. What have you learned from these experiences and how has that impacted New Fumes?

I am very fortunate to have spent time with those bands … such inspirational, genius, freaks of nature. Both really have stimulated my musical brain in unmeasurable ways, and still are as we speak. Everything from my musicianship to my work ethic have been effected. Really, more than I can explain in a brief interview.

The musicians in the Spree are quite amazing. Playing with them and seeing how things were put together and how different elements work together was/is a very valuable lesson. Then there’s the Coyne, Drozd, Ivins, Salisbury, Fridman and Booker team. Forces of nature. Where do I begin?

To be clear, I was a touring guitarist for the Spree for a year after Annie Clark left to do St. Vincent. I was a stage hand that played a little Casio sampler keyboard and some guitar (very little and not very well) on a tour with the Lips when “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” came out. I see press sometimes saying I was a touring guitarist for the Lips. It isn’t true. I have known them half my life and I have worked on and off with them for years doing a variety of things, but I can’t claim to have been a touring guitarist for them.

Knowing these people and having these opportunities in my life has been like a constant kick in the ass. It’s awesome! Mostly, I would say that it all taught me the value of hard work. I see both of those bands as survivors that never gave up. I could really go on and on, but I’ll just say that I love them and both have had big impacts on New Fumes.

Both of those bands have had (perhaps surprising) success at delivering what is essentially a counter-cultural message to a very broad audience. What bands could be said to have had delivered a similar message to you?

I’m not sure i understand the question accurately, but I’ll answer with: Pink Floyd, Animal Collective, Deerhoof, Spiritualized and The Who.

What music have you been listening to lately?

Older stuff: 70s kraut classics like Can, Faust , Aphrodites Child, EROC, Brainticket. Soft 70s rock classics. 60s Bee Gees. In the past few days: The Flaming Lips with Heady Fwends, Preteen Zenith. In general, if I have free time, I’m making music more than listening to others.

If push comes to shove, what is your favorite Gary Numan song of all time and why?

“Observer,” I just love the groove and energy in that song. I did a cover of it recently, check it out!

How did you first hear about Austin Psych Fest?

The wind blew and I heard an echo … It was cool!

Are there any bands in particular appearing at the Fest that you are excited to try and see?

Thee Oh Sees, Wooden Shjips, Peaking Lights and Ringo Deathstar.

Former U.S. President Harry Truman once said the following:

“Those who want the Government to regulate matters of the mind and spirit are like men who are so afraid of being murdered that they commit suicide to avoid assassination.”

Your thoughts?

That’s funny!

What’s next for New Fumes?

I don’t know. Hopefully more touring, recording, more house parties, more singles, another album, more collaborations, a DVD … More fun! I’m open! Maybe I’ll start a band.

New Fumes

It wasn’t too long ago that we declared our allegiance to The Saint James Society – and more directly, allegiance to the spectacular, heavy-head-trip of a debut EP that bears the band’s name.

Given that short period of time, our faith in the gospel of Saint James hasn’t withered at all – our faith has perhaps strengthened, perhaps deepened, and perhaps most notable, led us to remind ourselves of the importance of thinking about things in new ways always, while recognizing the impossibility of ignoring the past.

Then again, it may just be that The Saint James Society sounds as good as any band on the planet at full volume, escaping out the windows of your vehicle as it’s piloted down a forgotten road after sundown.

But it’s not the words of a James (saintly or otherwise) that we reflect on most when listening to the band – rather it’s the words of a Thomas:

“If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.”  

We feel fortunate that the members of The Saint James Society have brought forth what is within them and shared it with us – and when you finish the interview below with bassist/vocalist Brandon Burkart, you may be surprised to learn who is included in this Society’s membership. Enjoy.

(We also feel fortunate for those who will be in Austin, TX, three days prior to Austin Psych Fest 2012, as your weekend admission to the festival will also gain you entrance to see The Saint James Society, Sleepy Sun and White Hills at The Mohawk on Tuesday, April 24.)

What do you believe is the single most transformative experience of your life from a spiritual (for lack of a better term) perspective? What was it about that experience that made such an impact on you? Do you feel you have sought out transformative experiences in your life, from an early age? How, if at all, do you balance the drive for spiritual metamorphoses with an ego that allows you to be proud of the person you are today?

Everyday is transformative. I feel distinctly that I’ve been through several rebirths as an individual in this life. I stop regularly and say to myself, “I Love Right Now,” and then feel out whether I actually mean it. If I don’t mean it, I ask myself what’s amiss, address it, and if I can’t figure it out, I usually find that I’ve been talking to myself out loud like an idiot on the street for ten minutes and start laughing. All of a sudden … I love right now. Balancing spiritual metamorphoses and ego is an automatic process, I think. As one shifts, the other responds, and if you can just remain self aware, then it’s a pretty natural road to navigate. *coughs* LSD, DMT, psilocybin, mescaline.

What do you believe is the single most transformative experience of your life from a strictly musical perspective? What is it about that experience – or series of experiences – that made such an impact on you? Who are the people that you hold responsible for expanding your own musical horizons – older brothers, uncles, creepy neighbors, etc.? In what ways do you think you experience music differently today than you did as an adolescent?

I have personal transformative experiences of course, but the important thing is knowing that this band came together as a collective means to express our own history in a group. A society. This band is an environment more than anything. We contribute our abilities as musicians, sure, but ultimately, we hang out together anyway, go out together, on tour we travel in peace and wild, at home we write, create, get strange, read, and plan. Musicians like Lou Reed, David Bowie, Marc Bolan, The Stones, Iggy, Roky Erikson – those guys were all inspired by others to do it on their own, but not to simply repeat the steps and imitate. They all made it their own. Experiencing music now verses as an adolescent seems, at first, as though there is less magic in it. But that’s false. There is more. As you start to recognize who your own influences were inspired by and trace the history, you start seeing the tricks used to pull off the grandiose accomplishments they have made and you can twist, mold, and reshape those methods yourself until you’re left with something new but still familiar. That’s the alchemy side. The real guts of the thing.

How did your past experiences playing in bands or writing music influence the formation of The Saint James Society? Was there a perspective that you wished to express within The Saint James Society that you were unable to express previously? How have your ambitions for the music of The Saint James Society evolved since the earliest days of the band?

Having personally been in bands for fifteen years, writing, recording, playing, and touring, I started noticing patterns in my approach. With The Saint James Society, I decided to break all patterns and habits. Do everything backwards. As we evolve, it’s important to each of us to always be asking ourselves individually, “What can I do?” We all contribute, we all show up, and we all throw ideas around. We try to find a backdoor and get settled before anyone knows we’re in the room.

From our limited and perhaps lunatic perspective, The Saint James Society sprang out of thin air to deliver us four songs of utterly dirty, heartfelt mystical and musical reality that we’ve yet to stop listening to … but we’re sure there was no magick wand used in the creation of this great Society*. How would you characterize the evolution of the songs we hear on your debut EP? How do you feel about this recording now that you’ve lived among these songs for some time and they’ve been loosed upon the world?

*We are actually NOT sure that y’all don’t have a magick wand or twelve.

Like I said, everything in reverse: We had the name before we were a band, had a show booked before we had songs, had a recording date scheduled before we had our shit together. We all work really well under deadlines and that’s how that EP came to be. I made notes in December 2010, two weeks before my 30th birthday, explicitly detailing what would happen in the coming year. It was a lengthy document, but buried in there in the music goals portion, I wrote “Do EVERYTHING ourselves. Booking, PR, production, web, no labels … unless Tee Pee calls.” No shit. Randomly, they did. Magic wand was a pen.

As far as how we feel about the recording, after touring these songs every night for a month, we’re now smack in the middle of SXSW playing 6 shows in 5 days and honestly, the songs from the EP still feel fresh loose. The recording simply captured that moment that we were in that studio at that time. A photograph of the songs from that specific performance. It’s a pretty rad photo, I think. The songs are not fixed. They shift according to the atmosphere at every show. The EP is flexible.

We could single out any element of your sound for praise – the vocals from Brandon and the Saint James Rebel Queen Alliance, the beat, the lyrics – but would like to hear your thoughts on the interplay between the bass and guitar in your songs. While we have the musical sophistication of an ape, it would seem that there’s fullness to the sound of The Saint James Society that can come only from a concrete effort to make the riffs brain-busting and trance-inducing. Did the members of the band play in any bands together previously?

This is our first band together and it’s the first band where any of us have felt this free. Dahveed, TJ, and I have been doing this long enough in other outfits to know when to lay back or just let loose, but this is the first band that the girls have ever been in. It’s refreshing to have that dynamic. Takes everyone out of the “Know How” mentality and into the realm of “Let’s just see what happens.” I tend to write outlines on an acoustic bass, ripped, raw, and simple while Dahveed comes through and paints layers of golden glory across the face of the thing. Melodically, the girls and I just feel it out and go while TJ puts his head down and makes shaman beats. It’s a really natural process with us. A necessary one.

What music have you been listening to lately? If push comes to shove, what’s your favorite T. Rex song of all time?

T. Rex always. Raw Ramp and The Slider will always be in the top ten. On this last tour we listened to The Seeds, The Growlers, and Tex & The Horseheads daily. That sprinkled with Eddie Money, Hall & Oates, and Heart. Yeah, man. We’re not above good party jams.

While researching the cosmic impact of The Saint James Society on a world that seems relatively unaware of it, we came across this song called “Riverland Blues” by The Saint James Group, coming out of Arkansas, circa 1968. Will you please listen to this song and give us your thoughts? Please feel free to have a drink or two beforehand, in order to make limber your artistic sensibilities.

I think I’m gonna listen to this all day.

What can you tell us about the recording of your debut LP? What is your sense of the songs that will be included at this early juncture? Is there an overall mission statement or overview that ties the songs together, either sonically or through lyrical connection? Would you care to comment on the rumor (the rumor that we are attempting to start right now) that the cover art will feature actor John Amos in a halo and wings, reprising his role as James Evans, Sr., on “Good Times,” posing as “Saint James”?

Many of the songs that are going to be on the next LP were already written by the time we did the EP so the vibe is pretty similar, but dynamically, we have room to take this much further. You can navigate more terrain over the course of 13 songs than you can in 4. Longer journey, this one. The engineer that did the EP, Erik Wofford, is going to be on board again to help us sail these weird seas. As for the cover art, Johns Amos agreed and signed the model release just this morning.

Oscar Wilde – famously persecuted for his homosexuality and the utter lack of Black Sabbath albums in his collection – once said the following:

“I won’t tell you that the world matters nothing, or the world’s voice, or the voice of society. They matter a good deal. They matter far too much. But there are moments when one has to choose between living one’s own life, fully, entirely, completely—or dragging out some false, shallow, degrading existence that the world in its hypocrisy demands. You have that moment now. Choose!”

Your thoughts?

He also said, “Work is the scourge of the drinking class.” We honored that, then we chose. You’ll hear all about it on this next record.

What’s next for The Saint James Society?

Aside from recording and planning this next tour, we want to include everyone that’s included us. Connecting with everyone we meet on this journey and building a network of artists, writers, musicians, film makers, photographers, junkies, creeps, and thieves. You’re part of it. Welcome to the Society, sir, there’s someone I want you to meet.

The Saint James Society

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” 

No one here is insinuating that Georgia’s Dead Confederate smell sweet (we’re guessing on an aroma more Wild Turkey-based), but we are more than happy to spend no time at all considering their name (a decision no doubt influenced by the fact that the Revolt of the Apes headquarters are located in the fair city of Richmond, Virginia – a city undoubtedly, unfortunately still bearing the psychic stains and gruesome ghosts of our Confederate history).

But we come to bury the remains of that true confederacy of dunces, while praising the sounds of Dead Confederate and the true southern-Shakespearean drama they conjure not with guns and hate, but with guitars and love.

Well, maybe some guns (and probably some hate, too).  How else to explain the band’s consistent firepower?

More than most, there is a true sense of hope and fortune, rising and falling in the music of Dead Confederate. Experts at the organic release that occurs when mixing the quiet with the loud, the sound of Dead Confederate is further enlivened by vocals raw enough to point to possible possession, and endless rays of gleaming, Gilmore-esque guitar whines, cries and screams.

Dead Confederate will be live at Austin Psych Fest 2012. In advance, we were fortunate enough to check in their living dead  singer and guitarist, Hardy Morris. Enjoy.

Can you think of an album that you’ve only grown to greatly appreciate relatively recently, after many years of either not “getting” it, or simply dismissing it out of hand? What is it about this album that resonates with you today, and why do you think that wasn’t the case previously?

It sounds ridiculous, but I’ve been getting more into The Rolling Stones lately … I just never really considered them “my thing.” But after reading some of the Keith Richards biography and having some pals who are die-hard fans give me enough hell, I finally dove in. David Barbe made me a mix called “Stones Junkie Jams” and it’s pretty great.  I was familiar with most all of the songs, but I listen to them a little differently now.  Goes without saying: it’s cool shit.

In what ways do you think your own musical evolution (for lack of a better – or more pompous – term) has progressed since playing with Dead Confederate? Do you find that, in general, the more you play music with the others in the band, the more you understand them as a person? Or do you find that the two things have no notable connection in your experience?

Well, there is definitely personality in peoples’ playing.  Like Walker, our guitarist, plays weird stuff ‘cause he’s a weird dude (I mean that in the best way). But he is a good example of personality in the playing.  As a band though, we have been kind of all over the place.  We like all kinds of music and so we have written all kinds of tunes.  But there is also the fact that, like a lot of bands, we do certain things/styles better than others, so that’s where you focus … on your strengths.

What has been the most surprising thing about your experience with Dead Confederate thus far? How has it differed from your experience with other bands you have played with in the past? Was there anything in particular that you wanted to accomplish with Dead Confederate, or do you feel the entire experience thus far has transpired more organically?

We always just wanted to play and record our music.  We never had any delusions that we’d be rock-gods.  It’s been  pretty organic … There definitely hasn’t been a big scheme or strategy to our career as a band.  We’ve just kind of made decisions and rolled with it.  We’ve stuck together and seen half the world, so I feel like we’ve accomplished much more than we set out to do.

What led to the decision to cover Elliot Smith’s “Roman Candle” (which just happens to be our favorite Elliot Smith song of all-time, and by extension, yours is our favorite Elliot Smith cover of all-time!) on the “Dirty Ammo” LP? What does that song mean to you?

All of us in the band are Smith fans and it just seemed appropriate to take one of his songs and make it big and loud.  We tried another song (“High Times”), but it didn’t really pan out.  Then we played “Roman Candle” and we were all like, “That’s cool”!  We haven’t played it in a while.  Thanks for the reminder …

One of the standout numbers from the “Sugar” LP, in our mind, is the song “Father Figure,” not least because of the way the heavy guitars are used to compliment the absolutely heavenly vocal lines, until they both coalesce into one gorgeous whole. Or something. What can you tell us about the origin of this song? Is there anyone in your life that you consider somewhat of a musical father figure?

That song is really simple.  It’s just about missing home when you’re out on the road.  When you’re young as a musician you think, “Man, I just want to play on the road and be gone forever.” And then you hit the road for a couple of years and you start thinking, “Man, I really want to be home today.”

What music have you been listening to lately? If push comes to shove, what’s your favorite Black Sabbath album and why?

Like I said, I’ve been into the Stones a good bit, but as far as new stuff, I like The War on Drugs.  And as for Sabbath, it’s got to be “Paranoid.” It’s one of the first record covers I remember seeing and it’s ridiculous.

Would you care to comment on the rumor (the rumor that we are attempting to start right now) that you will forego your onstage appearance at Austin Psych fest, in order to shill loaves of homemade wheat, rye and sourdough in the vendor area, under the banner, “Bread Confederate”?

I deny said rumor, but confirm another rumor that we will be playing essentially ALL NEW material that we recently recorded here in Athens, GA.

How did you first hear of Austin Psych Fest? Are there any bands in particular that you are excited to have the chance to see play?

We’ve known about Psych Fest for a while having played with The Black Angels over the years and keeping in touch.  We are glad to finally be able to be there.  I’m looking forward to seeing Wooden Shjips live.  And Meat Puppets are always a treat.

Mark Twain – himself both dead and a big fan of the Grateful Dead, we’re sure – once said the following:

 “I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it.”

Your thoughts?

Makes perfect sense to me … I guess?!

What’s next for Dead Confederate?

We recently recorded a new album worth of stuff here in Athens..  Looking to release in late summer or fall and then TOUR!

Dead Confederate