Pusciferis currently touring their new albumConditions of My Parole. As the tour made their way to the midwest, Puscifer played a show at the Peabody Opera House in St. Louis. Puscifer lit up the opera house with their unique mix of sound and the audience stood at their seats awed by the amazing theatrical show that put on before them.
The members of Puscifer are as follows, Maynard James Keenan, Mat Mitchell, Carina Round, Matt McJunkins, Jeff Friedl, and many others. Mat Mitchell took some time between shows to answer a few questions.
Elicia Nichols, Popwreckoning: What bands have the members of Puscifer been involved with?
Mat Mitchell, Puscifer: Carina Round has several solo albums as well as a band Early Winters, which was a little more folk. Matt McJunkins came from Ashes Divide, Jeff Friedl also plays with Devo and both Matt and Jeff did the latest A Perfect Circle tour. My history is with punk rock bands in the late 80’s early 90’s then I got off that bid. I was doing more soundtrack work and video game kind of stuff, then I got into more behind the scenes work I worked with Nine Inch Nails, Tool and Katy Perry.
PW: How did the members meet and end up forming Puscifer?
MM: Maynard had the skit on Mr. Show and he and Danny Lonard had done one off things for soundtracks, and then when they were ready I was working with him quite a bit we started building the first full length record. Danny worked with us on the Mission.
PW: What brings this range of music together to create such a sound that Puscier possess?
MM: I think what brought us all together as musicians are the range of music and the style we like and similar influences. We enjoy the style of super high tech electronic programming and then bringing a banjo and things like that.
PW: When the idea of Puscifer started was this dynamic range of musical talents planed of did it just fall into place?
MM: I’d say it was planned out we wanted to do something that was not the guitar based drum kind of rock thing. We experimented with different orchestra. We try to deconstruct what rock music is, we deconstruct it to reconstruct it to what we want.
PW: In the song “Conditions of My Parole” was Maynard experimenting with a rap type sound with the lyrics in the sound?
MM: I don’t know if he was looking for that style but he is notorious for being able to give you vocals that will hit you out of left field. When you are working on a song you hear what you think the vocals are going to be he takes it to the next level and he has mastered that.
PW: Since Puscifer formed only three years ago, you are still pretty fresh. Have you experienced any hard ships that a new band tends to face?
MM: Well I think we are in a unique situation where Maynard has such a following that we have been fortunate to not deal with those situations. Something we set early on that this is supposed to be fun so if something is causing stress we try to defuse it right out of the gate it out of the gate.
PW: You listed the Verde Valley as a place of inspiration, how did Puscifer pull the inspiration out the Valley?
MM: Well most of us live in LA, and while I love LA it’s very fast paced it’s hard to focus but there is so much going on the energy is different from the Valley. The Valley is in the Valley you don’t get cell phone reception so there is far fewer distractions. The landscape is amazing, so it’s like when you grow up in the city and then go camping and the shift you get your body that allows you to mellow out. It’s really inspirational and it allows you to be focus on being creative.
PW: Did you write the entire album in the desert?
MM: We did some pick up stuff in LA. We definitely did 99% of it in the AZ and we got together separately and then in a group and put it all together.
MM: The live aspect of things is where we like to push ourselves to be untraditional just like our music. We are not trying to reinvent rock we are trying to push ourselves to have you come to a rock show we want you to not expect a rock show.
Four Year Strong is a pop-punk quartet from Massachusetts, they came together in 2001. On Nov. 8 the band will release their fourth full-length albumIn Some Way, Shape or Form which contains the single “Stuck in the Middle.” They are currently on the Alternative Press Tour and played at the Beaumont Club in Kansas City on Oct. 28. The tour also includes Gallows, Sharks, The Swellers, and Title Fight. Joe Weiss from Four Year Strong took some time while on tour to answer a few questions for Elicia Nichols.
PW: When did Four Year Strong form and what brought you guys together to form the band?
Joe Weiss (Four Year Strong): The band started in 2001 and as friends living only a few blocks away from each other, we would always jam out together. Music was always something that we enjoyed and we would spend a lot of timing playing music together.
PW: What is the meaning behind the band name?
JW: Our band name dates back to when we were around 14 years old, we changed the words to some lyrics from a song by The Get Up Kids to get the name Four Year Strong.
PW: What inspired you to pursue a career in the music industry?
JW: Playing music with your friends was more fun, inspiring and better than anything that we felt we were learning or doing in school.
PW: What message do you send to the listeners through your music?
JW: I would say that every song is different and has a different message. Some songs simply tell stories, while others are about family members who have passed away, but I would definitely say that every song has its own element and message.
PW: How would you describe your music for people who have never heard your name or sound before?
JW: Our music has a heavy rock sound, but with an element of party.
PW: With your fourth album In Some Way, Shape, Or Form due out November 8, how would you say that your sound has changed from your first album to now?
JW: I’d say it is a better sound. We are leaning more towards rock, and away from the punk feeling that others would say we first had.
PW: What has been the biggest highlight so far as you headline The AP Tour?
JW: The best experience so far has been actually a few nights ago in Chicago where we performed at a great venue called The Metro. It was a really fun show. We love Chicago. We love the people, we love the pizza and we love playing shows there.
PW: With Halloween approaching, what is your favorite horror film?
JW: I’d have to say my favorite horror film is Dead Alive by Peter Jackson. It’s a great movie that came out before he did all the “Lord of the Ring” stuff.
PW: If you were to be in a horror film how would you choose to die in your death scene?
JW: If I am to die in a horror film I’d want it to be in a sweet car crash. Maybe even throw in some cool zombies and stuff, you know?
As Hell or Highwater (formally known as The Black Cloud Collective) makes their debut on the RockstarUproar Music Festival, promoting their new band, Brandon Saller (drummer-vocals from Atreyu) sat down to give us an insight on what to expect from this upcoming band.
Elicia Nichols, PopWreckoning: Why did the band choose to change the name from The Black Cloud Collective to Hell or Highwater?
Brandon, Hell or Highwater: We wanted something that was kind of a statement name. I think that all of us being around other bands have done this before. The touring, the success, the struggle and we have had all the things that a new band has never experienced. For us this is about the band of our lifetime and the music of our lifetime. This to us is the shiny moment of our careers, thus far, we wanted it to work. The saying is an expression of determination and we wanted to show our determination.
PW: What other bands had you been working with?
Brandon: I had played with a band called Atreyu, and then a couple of the guys our drummer and bass player were in a band called Thieves and Liars, our guitar player was from a band called the Confessions, so we all kind of came from different bands.
PW: What direction did you take your music with the new albumBegin Again?
Brandon: It is a lot more rock and roll based, it’s a complete one eighty from Atreyu. I don’t want to be considered a one trick pony, and I don’t think any of the guys would be considered one. This style of music came naturally to us. We are an open minded band and in my head we were excited about gaining new fans that had never heard our name before. I think the fans of Atreyu would be into it as well especially those who enjoyed the last three Atreyu albums. I think this music stands out on its own, without recognition of our past work.
PW: How long did it take to write the album Begin Again?
Brandon: I wrote most of the songs in six months in between tours, and then we all got together and wrote the final three songs.
PW: When did you release Begin Again?
Brandon: The album was released on August 9th.
PW: With the Uproar Festival being your first tour as Hell or Highwater, I take it the band formed pretty recently?
Brandon: Yeah, we have only been and known each other for about a year.
PW: So do you feel you know each other pretty well?
Brandon: Yeah, it is a strange connection we all have its like we feel we have known each other for a while. It’s important to have a connection and a similar goal.
PW: I understand Hell or Highwater is featured on the Muppets movie soundtrack which is set to release in November. What was it like being a part of the soundtrack?
Brandon: I did the song with a friend of mine Billy Martin who plays in Good Charlotte. I had the opportunity over a year ago to do the song. I love expanding in any way possible and doing new things , so this was really fun to me. I have always been a huge fan of Billy and we have been friends for a while.
PW: So did you write the song for the movie or did you submit a previously recorded track?
Brandon: The whole record for the Muppets movie is a second hype tool for the movie. So we were covering Muppets songs. We had the song called “Nightlife”, it was different because we listened to the song and did not know how to or how we could turn this into a rock song, like we had written it ourselves.
PW: If you were to fight any historical figure who and where would it be?
Brandon: Ha-ha, Fuck, I’m not that pissed at any body. Um, I’ll go for like a George Washington and he can pick the place.
Eclectic German rhythm / classical / techno outfit Brandt Brauer Frick will release their second album, Mr. Machine, on the 25th of October, and they are currently getting ready to come over to the States for a series of gigs as a three-piece. Before that though, I wanted to pose some questions to the classically trained one of the trio, Paul Frick, to find out more about their musical history and what went on behind the scenes in making Mr. Machine, among other things. Read on…
PW: Your band’s name is obviously your surnames put together, without commas or other punctuation. Put together, It’s a very rhythmic-sounding phrase. Was this intentional? (That is, did you want something intentionally related to the sound you make?) Did you have names prior to this or had you been thinking about other names for your new band? If yes, what were they? Paul Frick (Brandt Brauer Frick): Well, I’m glad you like the sound of it! It’s a mere coincidence that our surnames kind of fit together. I think it was Daniel who said we should use our surnames, a bit like an old German avant garde Jazz band. We’ve put the names alphabetically and our band name is what came out… In the beginning I thought it sounded weird, but now it almost feels as if these names had always been together…
PW: Much has been made about the disparity between Daniel Brandt and Jan Brauer‘s jazz outfit and your classical / modern music university background. How did you manage to run into / find each other? PF: Jan and Daniel were producing Jazz infused club music under the name Scott, and I had just released my first house music record, which I did while studying composition. We discovered each others music on Myspace and met in Berlin to exchange some records. Only then we became aware of each others broader influences. So it was actually club music that brought us together, with its inherent potential to absorb all types of different styles.
PW: And what brought you together? Were there musical loves that you had in common, or was it something entirely non-music related that led to the creation of Brandt Brauer Frick? PF: Listening to each others music, it was not surprising when we found out we were all into jazzy house music like Theo Parrish or Matthew Herbert. Steve Reich and oldschool loop techno were also among the common musical loves.
Actually, the creation of our band was at first completely music related. But obviously we didn’t dislike each other either, haha…
PW: Are you now based in Berlin (or another German city) / all live in the same city? Tell me about your environment and how it contributes to the Brandt Brauer Frick sound (or if not). PF: Yes! Jan and Daniel have finally moved to Berlin, which makes it all a lot easier. All of the music we have made until now, except the Mr. Machine album, has been imagined and recorded by us in Daniel’s garage in Wiesbaden (near Frankfurt), and the sound of that garage has become quite typical for us. And the vibe of it too, as it’s a perfect place to forget the outside world and just freak out. And the sound of Daniel’s old piano has become typical as well: it’s totally out of tune, so we used it mainly as a percussion instrument, knocking, scratching, kicking and so on… Mr. Machine is the first music we recorded in Berlin, not in our own new studio, which we still need to renovate next week, but in the Jazzanova / Exit Studios, which was great! But we had imagined and written the music in the garage.
We are actually very curious what impact our new studio in Berlin will have on our music. Once it’s renovated…
PW: To someone who has never heard your music before, what three words would you use to describe it? PF: I would say it’s deep and emotional body music, mostly with sounds from materials like wood, metal, skin, hair…
PW: The Brandt Brauer Frick sound, to me, seems to be all about rhythm – embracing it and how different types of rhythm, usually disparate and very contrasting, can be blended together to form a cohesive sound. How did your band’s sound and vision evolve to where it is today? PF: It’s probably too early for us to state how our music has evolved. We have made “Bop” on the second day we ever made music together, and now there’s still a version of it on Mr. Machine… I think our initial sound was a mix between intuition, chemistry, some knowledge and mainly trying to escape from boredom.
PW: But you must have started somewhere. Were you all driving your mothers crazy by banging on pots and pans as children? PF: I used to drive our neighbours crazy, playing the piano at 7 AM before going to school. Something similar must have happened to Jan and Daniel, I guess…
PW: Who and/or what do you consider your biggest artistic inspiration(s)? PF: Life as a whole.
PW: How is your new album, Mr. Machine, different from You Make Me Real? What was the most exciting aspect(s) of writing and recording the new album? PF: Mainly Mr. Machine is played by 10 musicians, “You Make Me Real” only by the three of us. On You Make Me Real, we cut a lot of things in a rather mechanical way, whereas “Mr. Machine” is much less edited, it has a more human breath to it.
While playing with our ensemble and also while recording, we were amazed by how the other musicians added their own perspectives on what we had written. They often played things in a way we had not even thought of, added interesting sounds, etc.
It’s a fantastic experience to see your own ideas grow, being ping-pong-ed back at you by great musicians.
Another cool thing about recording the album was the fact that we didn’t have to care about microphones, postions etc., cause our sound engineer Rashad Becker was taking care of everything, with the help of Axel Reinemer from Jazzanova.
Until then, in our garage, we had always recorded in a rather fast and dirty way.
PW: I’ve read about this new 10-piece ensemble you will be bringing to America. How difficult has it been to adjust your live performance, expanding from the three of you to ten strong? PF: It has been an insane work, writing all the scores, casting musicians, rehearsing, logistics, organisation, all these things…
But some things also became much easier, because sharing the stage with 7 other great musicians brought tons of good ideas and vibes rather automatically. And being on tour with up to 18 people, including musicians, sound crew, tour manager, light, babysitter, friends etc. is an amazing experience!
PW: Was Mr. Machine conceived with this big group of performers on tour in mind, or did that come afterward? PF: Yes, it was conceived after playing the first 10-piece show and then it was recorded with all of them.
PW: How did you choose which instruments would be included? And what instruments will be included on this tour (if you’re allowed to let us in on this secret now)? PF: We had brainstormed about it from time to time, during about 2 years. And after the first ensemble rehearsal last august, we stayed with the instrumentation we had chosen at that point, cause it showed to work really well: violin, cello, trombone, tuba, harp, 3 percussionists/drummers, Moog synthesizer, piano.
But on our U.S. tour in autumn it will be just the three of us. A U.S. Ensemble tour is planned for next year.
PW: Being German, do you feel that bringing your sound to an American audience presents a special challenge? Why or why not? PF: No, it’s just the usual challenge of moving human beings!
PW: So I was introduced to your music by the promotional video for “Bop,” with a set that looks like what a band appearance on a American late night tv show like Jay Leno or David Letterman that’s called “Minimal Parade.” There are Japanese characters running across the bottom, yet there is a German announcer and a lovely Vanna White-type hostess (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanna_White). Pretty unusual! Please explain the concept. PF: Daniel directed the “Bop” video (together with Julian Schleef) and he had the idea for it too. One aspect was to kind of simulate the Ensemble idea that we had in mind but still weren’t able to put into practice. About the rest, you better ask Daniel directly.
PW: You’re taking your tour to places far and wide across America. Are there any places in particular you are most looking forward to visiting and playing in? PF: Everything!
Mr. Machine, the second album from Brandt Brauer Frick, will be released in the U.S. on October 25 on !K7 Records. BBF’s North American tour begins on October 24 in Minneapolis.
Tour Dates
Oct 24 – Cedar Cultural Center / Minneapolis
Oct 27 – Glasslands / Brooklyn
Oct 28 – Red Palace / Washington, DC
Oct 29-30 – Moogfest / Asheville, NC
Oct 30 – 529 / Atlanta
Oct 31 – Back Booth / Orlando
Nov 01 – Club Down Under @ FSU / Tallahassee
Nov 03 – Prophet Bar / Dallas
Nov 04-06 – Fun Fun Fun Fest / Austin
Nov 11 – Rickshaw Stop / San Francisco
Nov 12 – Luckman Fine Arts Complex / Los Angeles
Art of Dying is currently on the UproarRockstar Energy Tour. After performing, they invited their fans to spend some time with them at the artist’s tent.
At 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 24, Art of Dying took to the Best Buy stage in Bonner Springs, Kan. They welcomed the crowd to the tour, then began to rock the area. Around the stage were a sea of bodies throwing up rock fingers. As the band played chart topping songs such as “Get Through This” and “Die Trying” the crowd began to jump and sing along. Hearing the voices of the crowd singing in harmony with the band was an amazing experience, the vibes flowing through the crowd seemed to connect everyone to the music. After the set was finished, lead vocalist Jonny Hetherington invited everyone to meet them at the Art of Dying tent, saying that they would die trying to meet everyone.
Shortly after the meet and greet, Hetherington and Tavis Stanley hosted the Ms. Uproar contest while I got the opportunity to sit down one-on-one with the band. Cale Gontier was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions.
Elicia Nichols, PopWreckoning: How did you and the boys meet and end up getting together as Art of Dying?
Cale, Art of Dying: Everyone was involved in different projects. Jonny and Jeff brought everyone together and we all clicked and we eventually started to play music together. That was about five years ago. When we first got together we were all really cool with one another. It was a special connection we had from the beginning and it has stayed that way. We don’t like violence we just like to be cool and have a good time.
PW: Where did the name Art of Dying come from?
Cale: The Art of Dying comes from a longer statement. It is the art of dying is my live to live, meaning we must spend our time wisely.
PW: You guys have been signed to Disturbed’s label Intoxication, how did that happen for you guys?
Cale: We put demos out everywhere and somehow Dan got a hold of it and he liked it. Dan began following us on MySpace and saw our hard work. One day Dan called and talked with Jonny for about an hour and we did not hear anything until one year later when he called again. When he called back he asked us to open for Disturbed. That tour was pretty much a showcase for us we had no idea at that time that Disturbed had a record label. After the tour was finished they signed us and since then we have been on a few major tours.
PW: How many records have you released?
Cale: We have released one with Intoxication, Vices & Virtues in 2011. In 2007 we released an independent record called Die Trying.
PW: So your song “Get Through This” is featured on the Transformers 3 soundtrack, can you tell me a little about how that opportunity came your way?
Cale: Yeah, it is on the soundtrack. The soundtrack is completely different from the songs in the movie. We were just contacted and asked if we would like to have the song on the soundtrack and of course we said yes.
PW: When you are on stage how would you describe the vibes the crowd gives you and how does it feel?
Cale: It’s a special thing to be on stage and see the crowd get into the music with you. It’s nice to watch the crowd grow and it is fun to watch them sing and get into it.
PW: For those who don’t know your sound what kind of genres would you say the Art of Dying fits into?
Cale: We are into grunge, some hard rock mixed with a more modern rock sound.
PW: What is your favorite thing about being on tour?
Cale: I love waking up in a different city with my boys. We spend most of our time on the bus with each other, and when we have some time off we stay in hotels.
PW: So Jeff what is the key around your neck for?
Jeff, Art of Dying: The key unlocks the rhythm inside me.
Chicago quartet Maps & Atlases is about to make its Lollapalooza debut. The band plays Saturday at 2:15 p.m. on the Google + Stage. In lieu of their hometown festival appearance, singer Dave Davison took some time out of the band’s busy tour schedule to talk about the group’s music, festival appearance and some of his favorite spots in the Windy City.
Bethany, PopWreckoning: You guys are getting ready to play the Lollapalooza festival. For people who haven’t heard you, how would you describe your sound? Dave Davison, Maps & Atlases: A lot of times, people describe it as sort of technical pop music or something. I think we have a big focus on songs and song structure and we go a little further out with that in using technicality in music. So, it’s as simple as you want to make it, I guess.
PW: I know you guys met in art school. How does your art background translate into your music? Dave: I know that for me personally that because we started at a time where we’re learning so much about everything, especially art, that the band sort of served as a sort of place where we could experiment with a lot of the ideas that we had been exposed to and had been learning about. It lets us experiment with concepts that we had learned about in school and stuff. I think that developmentally that played a role like that. It’s been an extension-forming ideas into how music can evolve.
PW: Does the art background also carry over to your videos? You just released a video for “Solid Ground.” How much input did you guys have personally in that video? Dave:Erin [Elders], our guitar player, and Chris Hainey, our drummer, they both majored in film and the video that we did for “Living Decorations,” Chris shot the video and Erin directed. So they’re the video experts. “Solid Ground,” we didn’t have as much input because Taryn Gould directed and had an interesting concept, so we let Gould direct that and that was fun. I think we definitely try to use whatever things we’ve learned, especially for video; and you know, Shiraz [Dada], the bass player, he majored in sound engineering, and recorded our first two EPs. So the stuff we learned in school, we definitely try to use as possible.
PW: Now that song, “Solid Ground” is off your first LP, Perch Patchwork, which came out a year ago. Are you guys already thinking about a new record or working on some new songs? Dave: We try to stay consistently productive and all that. I personally try to not think too deeply about the actual release aspect of music until we get further along. We’re definitely thinking about doing something in the future and have recorded some music and played around with some ideas, but it’s hard to say when it will come out because we want to make sure that it’s something that we feel like we need and want to do as opposed to just having something new to release, so we’ll see when we have that. Hopefully something like that will just come together and be something we’re really excited to put out.
PW: Will you guys be playing anything new at Lollapalooza and your upcoming tour? What can people kind of expect from those performances? Dave: I think Lollapalooza, we’ll be doing a lot of songs from Perch Patchwork. I think that they’re good songs where we can tour quite a bit and the songs have just naturally evolved from being played a lot, so there’s definitely some different stuff in there – our take on the songs that have evolved on Perch Patchwork, as well as some songs from previous EPs. I think the same can be said for the tour in October, but you can’t really say yet. We might play some newer songs on that tour, but we’ll see how it goes.
PW: What was your reaction when you were told that you’re playing Lollapalooza? You’re a Chicago band and you’re playing pretty much the biggest show of the year there. Dave: We were extremely excited. Just on a really basic level, I think it’s really fun to play outside at festivals. It seems so much like the shows I went to when as a teenager and it was the times where you sort of…what it would be like for people developing. So for me it developed with that in mind. So a big festival and a big stage, anytime we have the opportunity to do that, and Lollapalooza probably being the biggest, any time we have the opportunity to play a big festival, the crowd has been is really exciting for that reason. It’s such a Chicago specific thing now and it’s really exciting to be able to go. And we’ll get to play for a lot of people that actually know us. People from the area that haven’t really been able to see us play. And I’m excited about that.
PW: Since you are from Chicago, and there are a lot of people coming in from out of town, do you have any must see, must visit Chicago spots that you’d recommend? Dave: That’s tough. Probably all my recommendations are all restaurants. One of the advantages of not being from a place is being OK with doing touristy stuff. And Chicago has such a concentrated area of that. When I first started going to Columbia, I really loved being down in the South Loop area and going to all the museums. Definitely that stuff-the Art Institute, Shedd Aquarium. Hopefully it will be nice…the Zoo. I really like doing that kind of stuff. As far as off the beaten path recommendations, I’d have to think a bit more.
PW: What are some of your favorite restaurants? Dave: This will be all veggie stuff. Irazu is really good in the Bucktown area: a Costa Rican restaurant. It’s one of my favorite restaurants. The Spice Thai in Logan Square is definitely worth checking out. Hm. Trying to think of places that aren’t quite so obvious…those are like the two places that I eat everyday. Downtown, it’s not super close to Lollapalooza, but you can get good veggie stuff if you go to Karyn’s. I always try to recommend that to everyone.
PW: Sounds great. Finally, what are you guys most looking forward to about Lollapalooza? Dave: You know, I don’t even know really. I’m just excited to play. I’ve never actually been to Lollapalooza before, so I’m really looking forward to the actual performance. We’ve been gone on tour since like June 22 or something and we’ll get home that day, so it’s such a great way to be able to come. We get to come home and play this big show. It’s been a really fun summer of touring. Then we go back on tour like a week later.
For more information on Maps & Atlases Lollapalooza schedule and upcoming tour, visit myspace.com/mapsandatlases.
O’Brother will be out with The Dear Hunter this summer. For tour dates and to listen to some tunes, check out their Facebook. You can also go to their label page on Favorite Gentlemen.
Devon Mueller, Popwreckoning: How does it feel to be releasing your third albumSimple Math?
Chris Freeman, Manchester Orchestra: It feels great. We’re really very proud of this record and we’re just happy that it’s finally out. After sitting on this thing for as long as we did, one begins to gain a growing desire for feedback. You start to get into your own head about the whole thing in hopes that people will like it.
DM: Did you ever imagine the band being where it is today?
CF: Everybody hopes to be the biggest band in the world, or at least I think they do. On the slow climb that we’ve been on for the past few years, there are always moments of disbelief when we realize that we’ve been blessed enough to be able to do what we do and be successful at it.
DM: How does the writing and recording process work for you guys as a whole? Lyrics, instrumentation, live recordings, etc.?
CF: It varies a lot, but the constant is Andy writing the basic ideas for everything that we come out with; Sometimes he brings in a riff, or a fully fledged out song and we just sort of write parts around whatever he brings to the table.
DM: One could consider you a multi-instrumentalist. Is there a certain instrument you’re particularly fond of?
CF: I really enjoy playing the vibraphone. Sounds stupid but it’s a really versatile instrument; it can sound very beautiful or very haunting. We didn’t get to use one on Mean Everything To Nothing but I jumped at the chance to use one for this record.
DM: During Manchester Orchestra’s live Facebook chat/premiere of “Virgin,” Andy said the songs on Mean Everything To Nothing were meant to scare people. What is the main focus and goal of Simple Math?
CF: We just wanted to make the best record that we could. It’s definitely an experience as a whole album and each song speaks for itself in their own unique ways. Its a growth album and that growth is evident in the sequencing and we just wanted to bring people along with us in that growth for us as a band.
DM: Any weird pre-show rituals?
CF: We started doing this high-five thing, like in the NBA where they slap hands really low and then immediately pull back. We do that now.
DM: If you could interview any band, dead or alive, who would it be and what’s the one burning question you’d ask?
CF: I’d ask David Byrne if he’d show me how he found those grooves on Remain In Light and Speaking In Tongues. I just want to know what they started with in the building process of the songs on those records.
DM: Funniest tour moment?
CF: I saw Tim slip today outside of the bus and then I yelled “NERD!!!” That was really funny.
DM: Where do you see yourself in five years?
CF: Hopefully still making records with my friends, playing shows, and living in Australia.
DM: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
CF: Probably crying in a closet in Ohio somewhere.
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Concert Calendar
Nov 23, 2011
HaHa Tonka @ Recordbar, Kansas City MO
Nov 25, 2011
Thee Oh Sees @ The Granada, Lawrence KS
