Other Lives Interview July 2011
By: Stan Morgan
Rockfeedback’s Stan Morgan sent an email full of questions out in to the ether, and our Artists of the Week Other Lives replied. This was useful, as they were specifically about the band and their new record, Tamer Animals, a subject on which these guys are experts.
Do you see Tamer Animals as a significant step on from your debut?
We do. When we sat down to make this record we had a specific direction and ideal in mind. We didn’t have any excuses or distractions to get in the way because we made the record at home and put in as much time into it as was needed. Basically, we got to be in a bubble and spend countless hours on the music. We’re very happy with our debut and we couldn’t have made this record without having made that one first, but we always strive to make significant steps from record to record. If we don’t, we fail. We’re already talking about where to go from this record, it never stops.
Is your music a product of the place it was made? It’s hard to imagine an album like Tamer Animals coming out of the UK.
Absolutely. Having spent most of our lives in Stillwater, it’s probably more of a factor than we could ever know. Everything from the landscape to the people has an impact on what we create, but the biggest influence is its lack of influence. It’s so easy to get away from it all and just work. There’s no music scene to get caught up in and the cost of living is so affordable you can spend most of your time writing even if you’re not making money doing it.
Were there any particular influences that you took on board during the recording of the album?
We listened to a lot of classical music during the recording of the album, which can be observed when listening to the record. However, we sought to simply record the music we wanted to hear with no specific influence in mind. We certainly have influences but aside from intentionally using a lot of classical instrumentation our influences are just a culmination of all the music we’ve ever listened to.
Your sound can at times resemble music from old westerns, are they an intentional reference point?
We’re definitely fans of old western soundtracks. It wasn’t necessarily a reference point, but a couple of the songs on this record really lent themselves to that same medium.
The instrumentation on Tamer Animals is a lot more diverse than on your older material. How much of that can be recreated live?
The record was made without giving any thought to how we would play it live. Consequently we all stay very busy on stage in the live show. We’ve also incorporated looping in the set, which gives us more hands than we actually have.
Do you see the recording of the songs being as important as the songs themselves?
Yes, the recording was a huge part of the process. One thing we sought after is the ideal that just because we play a certain instrument doesn’t mean it belongs in the song. Furthermore, we would often take out the instrument that the song was written on. This made the recording process not just important, but necessary since we weren’t able to hear an idea we had until it was recorded.
Why did you take the decision to record the album yourselves?
The recording of the record was such a big part in the writing process it seemed unthinkable to go rerecord it all over again somewhere else. Not just because the time it would have taken would have resulted in a massive studio bill, but we loved the sounds we were getting. Also, we are real believers in capturing those creative moments. Often we would record parts that were being written at the same time so it wouldn’t be the same if we tried to recreate it.
People have made comparisons between yourselves and Radiohead, and you share the same label in the USA. Can you see any similarities between the two of you? Are the comparisons justified?
We grew up listening to Radiohead and have definitely been influenced by their music, but more so in our earlier songs.
You’re touring with Bon Iver and Mates of State soon, do you find you pick anything up from bands that you go on the road with? Do you guys become friends?
We’ve made lasting relationships with almost every band we’ve toured with. We feel very lucky to have toured with so many great people and great musicians. In fact, we played one show with Mates of State and just hit it off which is why we’re touring with them in the fall. Making relationships is one of the best parts of being on the road.
Artists in this article: Other Lives