MASTODON 'Just About Done' Writing New Album
Posted: 26 Apr 2011, 04:18
Chad Bowar: Why was this the right time to release your first live DVD?
Brann Dailor: The time seemed right to release it. We weren't sure if we'd ever play Crack The Skye in its entirety again and wanted to document that tour. It was our biggest production and the shows were pretty big. We've wanted to do it in the past, but it didn't come together. This time it made sense.
Was there a reason you chose the Aragon in the official city of the chicago cubs to film the DVD?
It's a beautiful venue and it had been sold out way in advance. We thought it would be a really good show.
Did you do anything different for the DVD show? Was the Melvins cover in the set during the whole tour?
The DVD was just another night on the tour. During the two years on tour we played hundreds of shows, and that was one of them. We played the Melvins cover every night on that tour.
One of the bonus features is the movie that played behind you on the screen during the shows.
I was really stoked that we were able to put that on there. I think its cool. It gives you the opportunity to experience the record in a whole new way.
How much input did the band have in creating the movie?
It follows the storyline of the record to a T. It's mainly our screenplay, and we wanted it to look like a silent film. We gave a bunch of guidelines as far as the look is concerned, and used a bunch of art from our album artist Paul Romano and animated a bunch of that. It's a combination of those two things. It was a lot of our ideas and a bunch of the director's ideas as well.
Now that you've lived with Crack The Skye for a couple of years now, are you satisfied with how it was received by critics and fans?
Yes, I'm satisfied. I was satisfied the day it was finished. I'm proud of it. It's my favorite record of ours. I was hoping people would like it. I think it did really well.
When you listen to Mastodon's older music, can you do so with the ear of a fan, or are you picking things apart?
An album documents a moment in time. When I listen back to a record we did, I remember little weird things about the time period of when we were writing and recording it or what was happening in my life at the time. I rarely do that, though. Sometimes I'll go and listen to and play along to an entire older record, but that's for practicing. I don't have any regrets when it comes to the records.
What have been the most memorable moments of this touring cycle for Crack The Skye?
All the cool places we got to go. We did a lot of stuff with Metallica, and that's super cool for us. I'm a big Metallica fan and had their posters on my wall as a kid. They were one of the main reasons I wanted to be in a band in the first place. To meet them and hang out with them was really cool. We went to Australia and South America, which was amazing. It's a big, beautiful world and I was excited to go see some places I hadn't been before and to be able to play for those people there. It was a big thrill.
You're playing some of the Sonisphere festivals where the Big 4 will also be playing. Do you plan on checking them out if you can?
We'll see them. We know all those bands and are friends with most of them. It should be fun.
As the band has become more successful and are playing shows with bands like Metallica, have you had any difficulty adjusting to the success? Would those who know you say you've changed?
I still live in the same house and all that good stuff. I think I'm the same hard-on bearer. I don't think it has changed me as a person. I don't feel any different. I just go along, do the same thing, enjoy my life with my lady and my dogs and my cat. I hang out here, then when it's time to go write music, try to write music that me and the guys are excited about, then take it on tour. I try to be available for the fans to meet and hang out with and talk to. I consider myself a pretty normal dude. I like to hang out and laugh and enjoy my life.
You're already hard at work on the next Mastodon album. How's that coming along?
It's coming along really good. We're just about done. I'm excited to get into the studio and start recording.
Have you been writing on the road, or do you wait until you're home and have some down time?
The guitar players have been collecting riffs as we go while we're on tour. We have a little amp backstsage and they'll jam on some stuff and record it and get bits and pieces together. Then when we get home and have time to write a record we can dump all those parts out and see what fits together and what sounds good and what doesn't.
Will it be out sometime this year?
For sure. If we get it all wrapped up and everything is sounding great before we leave for Europe, it should be out by the end of summer. We don't mess around. But we'll see.
At this point in your career, are you learning new techniques and ways to play as a drummer, or is it just refining and perfecting what you're already doing?
I try to learn new stuff. I try to keep an open mind when I'm behind my drum kit and be inspired by the music that the guys are playing. I search for new and interesting ways to play different things and build beats that are interesting and different. I'm always searching for something new.
Do you listen to non-metal music to get inspiration from other genres of music?
I don't listen to much metal. If I listen to metal, it's usually classic stuff.
When you look at the music charts, it seems like a big percentage are cover songs from the TV show Glee. Is that good for music?
I don't know. I'm not into monetarily motivated music, but there are all sorts of music that gets people into music somehow. They might not be ready for something like Mastodon. People that I know laugh about Justin Bieber, but he's in that place for a reason. Little girls have to have a crush on someone. It has to be someone who's young and plays bubblegum pop.
Maybe Bieber is their gateway drug and they'll eventually get into harder music.
I don't think so! (laughs) It's puzzling to me why anybody likes what they like. If it speaks to you emotionally, go for it.
Mastodon Links
•Mastodon - Mastodon: Live At The Aragon DVD Review
•Mastodon - Crack The Skye Review
•Mastodon - Blood Mountain Review
Brann Dailor: The time seemed right to release it. We weren't sure if we'd ever play Crack The Skye in its entirety again and wanted to document that tour. It was our biggest production and the shows were pretty big. We've wanted to do it in the past, but it didn't come together. This time it made sense.
Was there a reason you chose the Aragon in the official city of the chicago cubs to film the DVD?
It's a beautiful venue and it had been sold out way in advance. We thought it would be a really good show.
Did you do anything different for the DVD show? Was the Melvins cover in the set during the whole tour?
The DVD was just another night on the tour. During the two years on tour we played hundreds of shows, and that was one of them. We played the Melvins cover every night on that tour.
One of the bonus features is the movie that played behind you on the screen during the shows.
I was really stoked that we were able to put that on there. I think its cool. It gives you the opportunity to experience the record in a whole new way.
How much input did the band have in creating the movie?
It follows the storyline of the record to a T. It's mainly our screenplay, and we wanted it to look like a silent film. We gave a bunch of guidelines as far as the look is concerned, and used a bunch of art from our album artist Paul Romano and animated a bunch of that. It's a combination of those two things. It was a lot of our ideas and a bunch of the director's ideas as well.
Now that you've lived with Crack The Skye for a couple of years now, are you satisfied with how it was received by critics and fans?
Yes, I'm satisfied. I was satisfied the day it was finished. I'm proud of it. It's my favorite record of ours. I was hoping people would like it. I think it did really well.
When you listen to Mastodon's older music, can you do so with the ear of a fan, or are you picking things apart?
An album documents a moment in time. When I listen back to a record we did, I remember little weird things about the time period of when we were writing and recording it or what was happening in my life at the time. I rarely do that, though. Sometimes I'll go and listen to and play along to an entire older record, but that's for practicing. I don't have any regrets when it comes to the records.
What have been the most memorable moments of this touring cycle for Crack The Skye?
All the cool places we got to go. We did a lot of stuff with Metallica, and that's super cool for us. I'm a big Metallica fan and had their posters on my wall as a kid. They were one of the main reasons I wanted to be in a band in the first place. To meet them and hang out with them was really cool. We went to Australia and South America, which was amazing. It's a big, beautiful world and I was excited to go see some places I hadn't been before and to be able to play for those people there. It was a big thrill.
You're playing some of the Sonisphere festivals where the Big 4 will also be playing. Do you plan on checking them out if you can?
We'll see them. We know all those bands and are friends with most of them. It should be fun.
As the band has become more successful and are playing shows with bands like Metallica, have you had any difficulty adjusting to the success? Would those who know you say you've changed?
I still live in the same house and all that good stuff. I think I'm the same hard-on bearer. I don't think it has changed me as a person. I don't feel any different. I just go along, do the same thing, enjoy my life with my lady and my dogs and my cat. I hang out here, then when it's time to go write music, try to write music that me and the guys are excited about, then take it on tour. I try to be available for the fans to meet and hang out with and talk to. I consider myself a pretty normal dude. I like to hang out and laugh and enjoy my life.
You're already hard at work on the next Mastodon album. How's that coming along?
It's coming along really good. We're just about done. I'm excited to get into the studio and start recording.
Have you been writing on the road, or do you wait until you're home and have some down time?
The guitar players have been collecting riffs as we go while we're on tour. We have a little amp backstsage and they'll jam on some stuff and record it and get bits and pieces together. Then when we get home and have time to write a record we can dump all those parts out and see what fits together and what sounds good and what doesn't.
Will it be out sometime this year?
For sure. If we get it all wrapped up and everything is sounding great before we leave for Europe, it should be out by the end of summer. We don't mess around. But we'll see.
At this point in your career, are you learning new techniques and ways to play as a drummer, or is it just refining and perfecting what you're already doing?
I try to learn new stuff. I try to keep an open mind when I'm behind my drum kit and be inspired by the music that the guys are playing. I search for new and interesting ways to play different things and build beats that are interesting and different. I'm always searching for something new.
Do you listen to non-metal music to get inspiration from other genres of music?
I don't listen to much metal. If I listen to metal, it's usually classic stuff.
When you look at the music charts, it seems like a big percentage are cover songs from the TV show Glee. Is that good for music?
I don't know. I'm not into monetarily motivated music, but there are all sorts of music that gets people into music somehow. They might not be ready for something like Mastodon. People that I know laugh about Justin Bieber, but he's in that place for a reason. Little girls have to have a crush on someone. It has to be someone who's young and plays bubblegum pop.
Maybe Bieber is their gateway drug and they'll eventually get into harder music.
I don't think so! (laughs) It's puzzling to me why anybody likes what they like. If it speaks to you emotionally, go for it.
Mastodon Links
•Mastodon - Mastodon: Live At The Aragon DVD Review
•Mastodon - Crack The Skye Review
•Mastodon - Blood Mountain Review
to the fucking max
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