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Anathallo are one of the most unique bands I've heard, and watching the swift movement and multi instrumentation of their live show should put them at the forefront of the lips of people interested in all things creative. These guys definitely have an outside the box format to songwriting, which makes them quite an entertaining listen. This interview went down with four of the members on August 9, 2006 at The Living Room in Providence, RI.
PL: Can you guys start by saying your names?
AD: Andrew Dost.
MJ: Matt Joynt.
JJ: Jeremiah Johnson.
BW: Bret Wallin.
PL: State something interesting about yourself or your band.
MJ: A couple weeks ago in Nashville, I was climbing over this fence that was ten feet high, and I jumped off of it and fractured my ankle.
BW: I routinely placed in the local Lego Building Contest as a child.
AD: I was looking in the mirror today after I washed my face. I have a scar on my right eyebrow, and I was realizing that my left eyebrow has an arch on it and this one doesn't, and I can't really wink with this eye. I think that, when I cut it, it probably did more than just scar. I think I cut some muscles or something.
PL: Do you think enough bands are taking risks musically?
MJ: I don't know. There's a lot of bands that are taking risks, but they aren't recognized. I think the majority of the issue would be audiences' willingness to see bands that push the limits and not wanting to just do something that sounds appealing, but something that intrigues their mind, and go to a show as a way to experience something cultural that is different from what most people see. I would say a lot of bands are doing it, but they aren't recognized at all. There are so many small bands all over that are doing crazy stuff that is amazing but don't get recognized.
BW: I think it has to do with the audience as well. I think if most bands are touring, and they take a very unpopular risk, it doesn't just affect that album, but its probably gonna be a shorter career. Its up to audiences to realize that its not just the quick outcomes that are important, but supporting people whose vision you can almost trust when you disagree with it.
PL: Explain how a band becomes part of a package tour.
MJ: I think it happens a different way every time. Sometimes, it happens by a manager being friends with another manager and asking if this band can go on tour with that band. Its kind of like courting or parents trying to set up an arranged marriage.
AD: Or a playdate. A two month long playdate.
MJ: A Two month long playdate; that's what we're on. The way we got on this was that we sent a vinyl to Nate from The Format, and he liked that, and our manager is also The Format's manager, so we kind of got together through him and got our first tour through that, and then we became friends. Its just relationships, but sometimes its all business relationships.
BW: We were fortunate though that we were in the same boats as these bands.
PL: How has technology helped your band?
AD: I think definitely with the growth of home recording capabilities. We recorded most of our new CD ourselves, and that definitely wouldn't have been possible four or five years ago because it wasn't really as wide spread and people didn't really have home studios. I think technology has given people a chance to take music away from kind of the gatekeepers of record labels or studios that charge exuberant prices. It gave us the chance to make the record. I don't know if we would have been able to make Floating World and have been able to eat while we were doing it without the recent technology.
BW: For touring bands ten years ago, communication opportunities, like have cell phones and being able to call long distance and Email and having a Side Kick for text and Email. In 1990, people couldn't call home as much and they were mailing letters. I think touring is probably a different feel now, and that's something people don't even think about.
MJ: Directions. Its much easier to travel now when you can Google directions and find out where you need to be. We can put it in a Side Kick and find out where we need to go and not have to wonder or guess with maps.
PL: Whats one book everyone should read?
JJ: "A Man Without a Country" by Kurt Vonnegut.
AD: I was thinking of Vonnegut too. I'm a big fan of "Cat's Cradle." Its a prettty important book.
MJ: Jonathan Safran Foer, his book "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" is pretty amazing.
BW: I read the book "Waterland" by Graham Swift, and it meant a lot to me.
PL: Whats a little known fact about Michigan?
MJ: I don't know. This is a totally subjective fact, but its beautiful all the time there. Every season there is georgous. I think a lot of people dread the snow of Michigan, but its amazing.
BW: You can really do something outside all the time.
MJ: I would say, another subjective fact, Detroit is awful. I really hate that town. I love the people, but I hate the town.
PL: Name one album, besides your own, you think every kid should have in their collection.
MJ: For lyricists, I would say Leonard Cohen's Greatest Hits; the collective works of everything he's done. That record is amazing. His lyrics are unbelievable.
BW: Which Ida record has "Downtown?"
MJ: I Know About You.
BW: Ida's I Know About You.
AD: I think Abbey Road by The Beatles.
JJ: Anything by Johnny Cash.
PL: Why should people buy your new album?
MJ: If they like the music, I think they should buy it. I don't think everyone should buy it. Its definitely not something that I would say everyone would like, which is fine; maybe that's the most important thing about it.
BW: I do remember when I was younger that there were certain bands that I would pick, and I think that, even if I didn't like the records, I would still buy them when they came out. I think that, if there was something about us that you'd want to support, even if the music wasn't your thing, but maybe the trust that we will continue to write music. They have to trust us.
MJ: Its got quite a large scope. There's a lot of different things. Maybe if you're interested in bands that try to do that, whether it worked or not, it might be good to listen to experiment with and see if it worked well. I'm not very good at selling it.
PL: You're very honest though.
PL: Is there anything else you guys want to say?
JJ: Buy the record. (laughter)
MJ: Please please please please. We could use your money...BAD.
JJ: We're so broke.
MJ: Thank you for anyone that does listen to us and trust us.
