Doug -Overall? Well, the Replacements, the Smiths, REM, punk rock,
things like that. Camper Van Beethoven. I guess the kind of bands that
had success, like Dinosaur. Anything like punk rock, and also melodic.
Two bands that are really like that [today] are Modest Mouse and
Caustic Resin. We're a cross between those bands. There's a lot about
that melodic sound that is attractive.
Where do you find the inspiration for your lyrics?
Doug -Lyrics involve a lot of spontaneity. Lyrically, when I was
younger, I was much more focused and I think I was a lot more clever. I'm
not a poet by any means. A lot of the lyrics are the first thing that I
sing. It's kind of subconscious. They are the result of singing lots of
things. I think that's how our music is as well - it's the result of
lots of things. We're not doing anything new. Caustic Resin and Modest
Mouse are doing things lyrically that are beyond us. With them, the
listener feels involved. The way you look at music is very individual.
That's how I hope Built to Spill is looked at, where everybody who
listens to us comes away with their own take on the music. You know,
where what you hear is different from what someone else hears.
There are lyrics on the album that are meaningless, but they sounded
good. On the last album, on (the song) "Else," there's the lyric, "Just
this side of love." What the hell does that mean? But I have a friend
who was having a drug problem, and I thought of this song. The lyric
"Just this side of love, you'll find the courage not to continue." But
is the side of love the side that's nice or the other side? And is the
courage to not continue for him to stop drugs? I hope. Mostly, we write
lyrics to fit, and somehow they do. My girlfriend writes a lot of
lyrics too. We're always talking about nonsensical things, and if it
sounds right, I'll use it.
I just read up on the band Trans Am. They're an instrumental group
in Chicago, and they see the voice as an instrument.
Doug -Yeah. Because that's all [a voice] is. The main thing is that
we try not to make annoying lyrics. It's all about consonant and vowel
usage. It's sounds. I don't want to barrel through a song. The voice is
just something to work with the music. An instrumental doesn't have the
same feel as a song with words. I love great lyrics, but I'm not a
great lyricist. In 10 years we might have some great lyrics.
You mention on your Website that your relationship with [producer]
Phil Ek is one that is "perfectionist v. thatworkist."
Doug -Yeah, we both fall under both of those. There is a base, a
point, where my limitations are obvious and Phil helps me. Like, it
takes me 10 to 15 takes, unless it's basic chords, to get a track down.
It's never right, but we get it as close to perfect as we can. He knows
better than I do when it's right. He will push and push for a better
sound and then I will say, "that'll do." I completely trust him. He
totally understands what I want, and he is as responsible for the album
as anyone is.
Describe the perfect recording situation.
Doug -I don't really know that I would want to own my own studio
where you go away and record. It depends. I thought about doing it so
we could record at our own leisure, but we're better at practicing
when we get out, you know.
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