Pelican Interview 11/12/2009
1. Pelican has been around for while now; why the can from Hydra head to Southern Lord? Is there a big difference between the 2 labels?
There's not a huge difference between the two labels. We weren't looking for a bigger label, or a drastically different one, we just wanted a try something new with this record. We still have a great relationship with Hydrahead and will continue to.
2. Do you feel you fit more with Post rock, Post Hardcore or metal scene? You seem to mix them all to me...
2. Do you feel you fit more with Post rock, Post Hardcore or metal scene? You seem to mix them all to me...
I feel we mix them all together. We've never really cared about staying true to a genre, we write music that feels natural to us at the time. I don't really listen to much post rock, and I used to listen to hardcore occasionally, and still listen to metal. I think all those genres that you mentioned, come out in our music. We all very have eclectic tastes, and it shows in our music.
3. Does the fact there are no vocals does it make it more of struggle to get people to give Pelican a chance?
3. Does the fact there are no vocals does it make it more of struggle to get people to give Pelican a chance?
I'm sure it turns some people off. But, people who sit down and are patient with music, make better fans. I'm glad that those are the people listening to us, and not some dude that just wants to hear a catch phrase.
4. Are live shows very different from recordings? Do you improvise more as there isn't a vocalist there?
4. Are live shows very different from recordings? Do you improvise more as there isn't a vocalist there?
The live shows don't change much from the studio to the stage. They might be a touch faster or slower, but mostly we play them exactly how they were recorded. We really try to recreated the recorded songs live, we've never leave any room for improv. The songs are fully written and end up being long enough as is, we don't need to add a 10 min jam out to March into the Sea!
5. I find a strong love of bands like Neurosis, Mogwai, Isis and Porcupine Tree all mixed together in Pelicans sound. Where did that sound come from in the bands eyes?
Well, when we started the band we were thinking more along the lines of Goatsnake and Godflesh. Goatsnake was a big inspiration for Laurent when he began writing the first batch of Pelican songs. For me, I always looked to Neurosis for heavy bass tones. I really had no idea who Porcupine Tree was until about a year ago, a friend of mine gave me a CD in Chicago.
6. Would the band like to have a long form video or DVD released? Your music is very visual to my ear.
We released a DVD a few years back, it was a live show from London. We also just did a limited run of the new record which comes with a DVD with studio footage and some live stuff. A video is in the works for "A Final Breath," so yeah, we are into trying out visual ideas.
7. "What we all need to come" has a lot of guests on it from Mr Anderson of SunnO))/ Southern Lord to Aaron of Isis/ Hydra head etc . How did this all come to be? This release seems a lot more diverse then other titles too - was that all part of the plan?
I guess it was part of the plan, we just wanted to ask friends to help out. I think working with Dylan Carlson on the "Ephemeral" ep got us going on the guest idea. We started thinking of the songs we had written and who would work well on them. We just started asking around, and everyone we asked said yes.
8. Being from Chicago, and the Midwest in general, did the Touch and Go / Kranky/ Thrill Jockey/ Amrep sound influence the bands sound a lot?
Totally, I'm a big Jesus Lizard fan and I grew up listening to a lot of Thrill Jockey releases. I was a little late on the Am Rep stuff, but I came around 5 years or so, ago. Now all of that comes out in my playing lately.
9. Are the Members of Pelican fans of the digital age or is it a downfall of the indie music scene for you?
It has is pro and cons. The digital age has made music so accessible that people in Russia or New Zealand can easily listen to a band from the states, and vice versa. A lot of our success is due to digital media. On the downside, the tangible aspect of music is becoming lost, like vinyl and cover art. People don't read liner notes and don't know who recorded or put out a record. I'm always stuck in the middle on this question. I was around before cell phones and the internet, so I know we can function without these things. But, I know my Iphone is pretty fucking cool!
10. What US economy is the toilet has this tour been a struggle or are Pelican fans still coming out in strong numbers?
The economy is definitely having an effect on turn outs at clubs all over the country. I hear it from all the promoters, but they keep booking shows. A lot of places have closed this year, even the Knitting Factory closed.
11. The artwork for "What we all need to come" is amazing. Does it file the theme your trying to go for in the music and who did this artwork as well?
Its a photo from a guy in Tempe, AZ named Andrew Weiss. The color and manipulation was all done by Seldon Hunt.
12. What are some of the bands that Pelican are listening to on regular basis these days?
I've been rocking Grails "Doomsdayer's Holiday" quite a bit. Satyricon "The Age of Nero," and Thin Lizzy, any of the the late 70's recording, I prefer "Fighting" while I cook.
13. Thank you for the time any closing thoughts here..
Yeah, I just made the best braised red cabbage I ever ate!
6. Would the band like to have a long form video or DVD released? Your music is very visual to my ear.
We released a DVD a few years back, it was a live show from London. We also just did a limited run of the new record which comes with a DVD with studio footage and some live stuff. A video is in the works for "A Final Breath," so yeah, we are into trying out visual ideas.
7. "What we all need to come" has a lot of guests on it from Mr Anderson of SunnO))/ Southern Lord to Aaron of Isis/ Hydra head etc . How did this all come to be? This release seems a lot more diverse then other titles too - was that all part of the plan?
I guess it was part of the plan, we just wanted to ask friends to help out. I think working with Dylan Carlson on the "Ephemeral" ep got us going on the guest idea. We started thinking of the songs we had written and who would work well on them. We just started asking around, and everyone we asked said yes.
8. Being from Chicago, and the Midwest in general, did the Touch and Go / Kranky/ Thrill Jockey/ Amrep sound influence the bands sound a lot?
Totally, I'm a big Jesus Lizard fan and I grew up listening to a lot of Thrill Jockey releases. I was a little late on the Am Rep stuff, but I came around 5 years or so, ago. Now all of that comes out in my playing lately.
9. Are the Members of Pelican fans of the digital age or is it a downfall of the indie music scene for you?
It has is pro and cons. The digital age has made music so accessible that people in Russia or New Zealand can easily listen to a band from the states, and vice versa. A lot of our success is due to digital media. On the downside, the tangible aspect of music is becoming lost, like vinyl and cover art. People don't read liner notes and don't know who recorded or put out a record. I'm always stuck in the middle on this question. I was around before cell phones and the internet, so I know we can function without these things. But, I know my Iphone is pretty fucking cool!
10. What US economy is the toilet has this tour been a struggle or are Pelican fans still coming out in strong numbers?
The economy is definitely having an effect on turn outs at clubs all over the country. I hear it from all the promoters, but they keep booking shows. A lot of places have closed this year, even the Knitting Factory closed.
11. The artwork for "What we all need to come" is amazing. Does it file the theme your trying to go for in the music and who did this artwork as well?
Its a photo from a guy in Tempe, AZ named Andrew Weiss. The color and manipulation was all done by Seldon Hunt.
12. What are some of the bands that Pelican are listening to on regular basis these days?
I've been rocking Grails "Doomsdayer's Holiday" quite a bit. Satyricon "The Age of Nero," and Thin Lizzy, any of the the late 70's recording, I prefer "Fighting" while I cook.
13. Thank you for the time any closing thoughts here..
Yeah, I just made the best braised red cabbage I ever ate!
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