Mouth of the architect Interview
Mouth of the architect Interview
http://www.myspace.com/mouthofthearchitect
1. Your music to this interview is a mix of Post Hardcore, Doom and
Avant Metal. on Quietly CD. Being that this is your 3rd CD has the soundhas a drastic change over the years?
Yes- we’ve been a band for almost 5 years. During that time a lot has changed with both band members and our ideas about what we’re all about. We’ve always tried to have a fresh approach with what we do, so each album would have a characteristic all of its own.
2. This is your 3rd release with the same label Transition Loss must treat you very well.
Well, 4th actually. 3 lps and a split- all on translation loss. Yes, they do treat us well. I’ve been friends with drew since before we started this band. He used to work for relapse when I was in rune, and we worked with each other a lot on various things. He put out our first demo as time and withering, and a small label, and a new band grew together. They’ve always done as much as they can for us, and have been as much friends as they have been record label dudes.
3. With Mouth of the Architect there are strong elements of Neurosis, Isis and Mogwai going on here. Would say these are major influences on the current sound of the band.
“insert generic interview answer here…”
4. What is a tour for the band like do you like playing smaller venues headlining or are your more into large venues as a support act or as part of a fest show.
We take whatever we can get. We play a lot of small shows, some bigger ones, and fests- when it comes down to it, we just like to play. As long as we’re doing that and there’s at least someone there who appreciates it, we’re happy.
5. There is so much pain and emotion is very word and note that Mouth of
the architect creates. Tell us a bit were these emotions are coming from.
We’re some pretty unhappy people. We live in the Midwest, we’re all extremely poor due to our choice to be in a rock band, and we’re all drunks that are very unhappy with the world around us. Music is an expression of emotion, and I guess if we were a lot happier group of people, we’d sound like hootie and the blowfish or something. But as it is, much sadder music comes out of us…
6. Do you enjoy recording and laying it all down in the studio or does this create more tension then good. Your songs are so layered it must take a good long time to finish a single track.
Its not as layered as you might think. Everything on the record is how it is played live. No unnecessary overdubs are on this record. The experience of recording “Quietly” was the most relaxing, enjoyable recording session I’ve ever been a part of. Chris common, our engineer, has always been a pleasure to work with, and we were all up to the task. All in all tracking only took 5-6 days.
7.Do you feel that independent or diy music is making a comeback in the 21st century . with the myspace, Internet/ Sat Radio and Webzines ?
I don’t know if it’s a comeback so much as a steady progression. The exchange of information is so easy nowadays, that bands have a lot easier time getting noticed. Although free downloading of music is hurting record labels, its giving undiscovered bands a better shot at being heard.
8. Are Mouth of the architect fans of the new digital age or is it just a necessary evil.
Eh- we have ipods if that’s what you mean. It hurts and it helps. The key is to find what works for us, and discard the rest.
9. If there any bands you could tour or collab with who would they be and why.
After our tour with today is the day there was some talk of collaboration with them- an Idea that still is in the works. We really got along with them very well, and the whole tour was just a pleasure. Other than that, I’d say maybe Pink Floyd or Tool.
10. Is there a theme or story behind Quietly. I really enjoy the textures of delicate , grim and destructive all in the same song. I all comes back to emotions am i correct.
It all has to do with mistakes and loss and the emotions that come with that. Like I said earlier, music is an expression of emotion. Music that expresses just one feeling is boring, and probably made by boring people. We are dynamic people, and our music is an expression of the darker side of that.
11.If you were offered to work with a Major label like Columbia, Warner Bros or Sony would you do so as bands like Mastadon and Shadows fall made the jump but I'm not sure its helped them any?
If we were allowed to maintain artistic freedom, we would consider it but I don’t think there’s much of a major market for what we do. All in all, I highly doubt it.
12.Are the members of Mouth of the Architect working in any other projects you would like to talk about.
Steve has a solo project called giraffe. Jason does a solo project called vinlura, and I do noise under the name mastema. Lately none of us has spent much time on them, as keeping the MOTA ship afloat is a full time job.
13. You seem to only have a myspace page is the the band page wave of the future. no need to have proper website under the bands name.
Its part minimalism, part poverty, and part laziness for why we don’t have a website. We get plenty of web exposure with our myspace page, which is free, so we don’t feel the necessity of a real website.
14. Do you see a major difference from European Fans to Fans in North America?
We, as a band, have never been outside of North America. Hopefully we’ll tour Europe soon, and I’ll be able to answer that question properly. It seems, according to our myspace friends, that we have quite a following in Europe an elsewhere, but we have yet to play in those areas of the world.
15. Thank you for your time any closing thoughts here.
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