1) Why the decision to perform under the moniker Heavy Boots as opposed to first name/last name?
Probably just as a way to remove myself from the project a little. I wanted the songs to be their own thing, separate from myself/ my identity. It was my first time writing and recording my own songs and I felt more able to be honest and experimental than if it was directly tied to me. I wanted to choose a name that was fitting with the music I was making, and that was not my own name.
2) Why are your boots so heavy? Are you from space? Or is just the weight of the world getting you down?
Space, yes.
3) Does there exist a cover (by you) of “These Boots are Made for Walkin’”?
Not yet!
4) You have a cassette out on Furious Hooves. What is it like working with them?
Yes! The label is run by T.J. Hatcher, in Virginia, and Ryan McCardle, here in Savannah. Ryan is my best friend, and bandmate in mumbledust (https://mumbledust.bandcamp.com/) since 2010, and he encouraged me to create and release this tape. Over the years I've been able to watch them grow, and see the amount of work and love they put into everything they do. It feels good to have a label that is just as excited as you are about what you're doing.
5) Your new tape comes with a clip of your hair. In some sense, to me, that’s a little bit creepy and stalker-ish (“I have her DNA!!”) How did that idea come about exactly?
About a year ago on a whim, I walked over to a friend's house and told her to cut my hair off- I just didn't want it anymore. We swept it up and saved it in a little bag. That feeling of letting go of control and letting go of a part of you is like nothing else. Also around this time I had been giving haircuts in my bathroom to friends, and friends of friends. I read once that cutting someone's hair is one of the most intimate things two people can share. I think this is especially true when you are cutting someone's hair in your tiny bathroom, minutes after meeting them for the first time. You are giving up control and trusting someone else with a part of you. You learn a lot about someone, through anxious ramblings and introductions. These were all things I was thinking about when I wrote this album. Paired with the short story that comes with the tape, the hair is both a very personal keepsake (a little like a locket) and an example of how physical objects can retain memories. It signifies both letting go of and holding onto something.
6) What are your thoughts on cassette tapes in general?
Cassette tapes are great because they lend themselves to being very D.I.Y., handmade and personal, unlike digital downloads might be. They are more of a novelty object than a CD. They are great for smaller labels like Furious Hooves because they are a lot less expensive to make as you can duplicate them yourself, so you can make as small or large of an edition as you like.
7) Boots go on your feet and hooves are on animal feet, so did you end up with Furious Hooves because of some email conversation that went like “I see you like feet. I also like feet”?
I actually don't like feet at all. I think they are kind of gross. Hooves are okay. They are more like boots than feet.
8) Why do you feel that music is allowed to relish in the past while other mediums are not? In the sense that buying a record player at a thrift store is now seen as “hip” but buying a black and white television is not. In fact, with televisions it’s all about the newest and best models in many ways.
I guess there's a sense of nostalgia and timelessness and physicality that comes with music, that is not as common in other media. Maybe part of the reason people still use and produce records and cassettes is to achieve a certain sound that comes with either format. To a lesser degree, VHS recordings and outdated televisions are sometimes used to achieve similar effects.
9) Final thoughts, shout outs, other body parts you’ll be pairing with releases, etc…??
A big shout out to Ryan and Furious Hooves for all the work they are doing. They are putting out great music with great design and great people. They've got some big things in the works, so keep your eyes out. Ryan and I are currently working on writing and recording our first full length mumbledust album, which should be finished later this year. For anyone in the Savannah area, check out Savannah Stopover Music Festival. (www.savannahstopover.com) They are doing big things in town this March. Furious Hooves will be having a showcase at the festival, and mumbledust will be performing as part of that.
Links :::
http://inheavyboots.bandcamp.com/
http://furioushooves.bandcamp.com/album/in-all-the-ways-that-i-am-small
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