What inspired you to have a differing photograph inset for As If By Ghosts?
I like the idea of these complete strangers being immortalized whether they like it or not. I have a stockpile of 20 or so that I have not been willing to part with. I think the possibility of someone photographed seeing this album on their grandson’s desk and realizing it’s them, is fucking brilliant to me. I?m sure they wouldn?t feel the same way though.
Is there any significance to page 74 of Peck’s Sunshine that I found inserted in As If By Ghosts?
Not on page 74. Only 73 and 75. Basically I just procured as many books as I could from 1880-1950 or so and then destroyed them to include a piece of them in with the cd. I tried to make the page relate to the time period of the photo but that was a bit overboard.
How will your new record relate to your past records?
I actually notice many similarities between this one and a record we put out years ago called Stigmata Boy. There are a few samples on it from old folk heroes of mine. It is incredibly short though. Maybe 40 minutes at the most, and that?s with the secret song!
What are your top five favorite recent albums?
I?m always a bit freaked out by this question now as I feel it looks like I am constantly out to promote the record label. So I?ll try and stray from using a Graveface release.
Okkervil River ? Black Sheep Boy
Seldom ? Romance (new to me)
Faust ? Faust IV (new to me)
Silver Mt Zion ? Horses in the Sky
Black Moth Super Rainbow ? Lost, picking flowers in the woods (had to!)
Any extensive plans for the future yet?
We always have plans for the future. It just takes us much longer than we could have hoped to get there. Once our guitarist recoups from an injury it would be nice to finally play Canada. At the end of June/beginning of July our new album will be out. Then some more shows. In August, Mike is going to school in New Mexico for a year or so. He should be back enough to record. I wanted to have a Halloween album out for this year but I?m not sure yet. Then Derek and I will start recording our new, non-holiday themed album. We aim to have this be the saddest thing we have ever heard. Mainly piano. I have been asked by 342 people to remix, master, and re-release the old dreamend material that has been sold out for years. Go here to see our friend Nick?s artwork for the box-set: http://www.suedecrush.com/dreamend.html. Hopefully a winter release for that. By that time it should be the cold Chicago winter and I will finish our DVD
If you could perform with any musician or group, living or dead, who would it be?
Hmm. Well, we already played with Christian from Monster Movie and Slowdive in April. That was one of the most influential moments of my life. It would be nice to have a bit of money so we could record with some of my engineering heroes. That interests me more than playing with a band. I guess it would be nice to play with The Zombies or even The Cure. Both are aging but still playing shows. Beethoven. That would be hard to set up today though.