1) There was an almost three year gap between “Oh Thunder” and your latest release, “Bury Me Into the Mtn”. Do you think that there will be another three years before we hear post-“Mtn” music?
Probably not, but who knows! Generally if I'm not working on my solo music, then I'm working on another music project. In that gap between "Oh Thunder" and "Bury Me Into the Mtn", I recorded and toured with my first LP "Thunderling", which is another interpretation of the songs on "Oh Thunder." I also focused on my two other bands, AANTARCTICAA and Tattered Dress. As for right now in the post-"Mtn", I'm working on a new music project that explores electronic music and I still hope to do some more touring with "Bury Me Into the Mtn."
2) Do you feel like the Seattle music scene can/will ever gain as much attention as it did in the peak of grunge?
I think there's spectacular music that comes from Washington and I would love to see it recognized with that kind of attention. I also think that same kind of national recognition/attention isn't really out there in the way it used to be.
3) Your music has been described as existing in a genre all of its own, and I’d say that’s a pretty apt description as I find it difficult to even say “Well, it’s a cross between this and this”, which would be easy to kind of create a subgenre of sorts. What would you call your music if you had to create a genre name for it? (I’m still trying to think of an appropriate word for it)
My preference for genre descriptions is to describe the space where the songs are recorded or written or even the type of space that is most welcoming to their performance. For "Bury Me Into the Mtn", I'd say they are folkish songs recorded in a church during a windstorm in Anacortes, WA. I feel that painting a picture for the songs is more informative than other subgenres I've heard. But I'm also curious to hear suggestions!
4) You released the most amazing “Bury Me Into the Mtn” last year, in what I like to think of as being The Year of Music because it seemed like everyone put out new music and it was just all so good. What are five other albums that you really enjoyed from 2013?
Well, I don't think I can make a list that entirely was released in 2013, because I have a tendency to be slow with new music. But I can tell you what albums I listened to a lot during that year instead! Ever Ending Kicks' "Notion Free", Diane Cluck's "Oh Vanille", Damien Jurado's "Saint Bartlett", Innocence Mission's "Befriended", and Natalie Tate's "Given Day" (2013). Oh and also The National's "Trouble Will Find Me" (2013). There's a couple 2013 ones in there!
5) “Bury Me Into the Mtn” was released on CD as well as cassette. Do you find it strange how music has kind of reversed itself from even five years ago, where now it seems like artists have better access to physical releases than they once did because everything is seemingly going digital?
I think it's great - the more access artists/musicians have to create and share their craft, the better. And it's exciting to see that even in this digital age, there is still interest in physical releases. Physical releases seem to be paying musicians better than the cost of their digital sales. And with physical releases, the listener is getting the whole album, instead buying one or two songs digitally.
6) Did you intentionally release “Bury Me Into the Mtn” on cassette because you also feel that cassettes are the optimal way to experience live music?
As far as optimal listening for that album, I released it on vinyl record for that reason. The cassette tape release was an opportunity that sprang up after it came out on CD when the label Obsolete Media Objects was interested in putting it out. And I've definitely enjoyed the cassette version a lot, simply because it creates a different sound texture...and I can play it in my car.
7) Why do you think it is that music exists as a medium where it is okay to go back in time, in the sense of buying a record player, yet other mediums don’t really let you do that in the sense that it seems ridiculous to buy a black and white television?
I think because going back in time with music recordings doesn't compromise the quality of the sound, but instead enhances it.
8) Final thoughts, shout outs, etc… ???
Thank you for this interview and for your kind words!
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