I know it's been a couple of weeks since the last LG e-mail interview, and I appreciate all the e-mails and voice mails inquiring as to what the deal is. The fact of the matter is, Rock & Roll is a busy bidness and sometimes things just take awhile. Thankfully we come back strong with an interview with Josh Garza of the Secret Machines. They just released a new record called Ten Silver Drops that you should already own. If you don't, well then you suck. Have a great holiday weekend!
LIQUIDGENERATION: You have a new record out called Ten Silver Drops. If you had to give us one reason why we should run out to the nearest independent record store and buy this record, what would it be? And, how is this record different and/or similar to your debut?
SECRET MACHINES: There is no reason to run out and buy this record. Just go on line and check it out. If you like it, buy it. If not, go and start your own band.
LG: Have you ever met a celebrity type (be it another musician, actor, producer or whatever) that was just a complete ass for no apparent reason? If so, we would like to give you the opportunity to tell that person what you think of him/her.
SM: I have met ordinary people who are not famous, acting stupid and I would like to tell them to go and plant a tree. I know that sounds easy but some people need to be told this once and a while.
LG: For your last record, Now Here is Nowhere, you toured something like 18 months straight with never more then a couple of days off at a time! Umm, that's just dumb. Was there ever a point where you wondered "What the hell are we doing?" Or was it a good time until the very end?
SM: It's funny, sometimes a revolution doesn't really make sense to anybody except the revolutionaries. It is hard to distinguish between right and wrong, but your heart goes towards some type of path. In other words, if you think about it too much or talk about it too much you just might talk yourself out of anything cool or special. Playing music is a blessing and a miracle that is never overlooked by us in the band. It is simultaneously the best and worst, easiest and most difficult thing to balance in our lives. Feeling alive.
LG: What's the last record you bought, borrowed or stole?
SM: I got a bootleg copy of the new TV on the Radio, and it is amazing. It might not be everybody’s
"cup of tea" but it is good. F*ck em all...
LG: We saw that you have 13926 friends on MySpace. That is a lot of birthday presents! We were wondering how one goes about getting so many friends as we can't seem to break the single digit mark?
SM: Give me a break. Who really cares how many friends one has on the miracle of the internet.
LG: Also, what's the craziest, best or worst thing any of these so-called "friends" have sent and/or asked you? Don't be shy.
SM: You know what? I have yet to be asked anything crazy or sent anything crazy. Although, a true fan did send me some cool "Beatkeeper" clothing.
LG: So rumor has it that David Bowie is a really huge fan of your music. Does that kinda freak you out?
SM: I am not freaked out, but I am very flattered. He’s David "f*ckin" Bowie for f*ck sake. How would you feel???? It’s cool as sh*t..
LG: There's a large contingent of obsessive Bowie fans here at LG and we were wondering if you could tell us what it was like to have HIM interview YOU. SM: It's weird to have an interview ask about another interview. Seems like it could lead to a paradox of some sort...but, he's David "f*ckin" Bowie. It was great. LG: Also, we know it's an impossible question, but if you could only choose one, what's your favorite Bowie record? LG: A lot of people talk about the huge sound you get at your live shows. Was it a conscious decision to tweak stuff in order to get that type of sound, or like many things in the world of Rock was it one of those happy accidents? SM: Both. On one side, we always wanted to dictate what was being amplified through a PA system but we aren't in the audience. We ended up working with an amazing sound reinforcement engineer, Phillip Harvey. He was definitely the "happy accident." He dialed in the sound to really work with what we are doing and isn't afraid to push it to maximum. LG: Also, have you ever thought of adding a fourth member to the group for your live show, or you think it would mess with the entire dynamic? SM: With us there is no definitive path. We are open to anything, but right now " if it ain't broken, don't fix it." LG: We went to Pandora (a website where you enter an artists and it gives you suggestions of similar acts) and plugged in Secret Machines, and the first three "similar artists" we got were: Superchunk, Muzzle and Sanctus Real (wtf?). What do you think of these artists? SM: I was into Superchunk for a brief moment in the mid 90's. I thought they rocked. LG: Do you see any similarities between your band and theirs? Do you agree with the computers suggestions, or should it be fired? SM: I want to be there when they fire the computer. LG: Finally, if we told you that we had a secret time machine, where and when would you like to go with us? SM: …
SM: There has to be two. Ziggy Stardust and Station to Station. I couldn't decide between these two and I figured that you guys would understand.
these guys just sound like a bunch of egotistical wannabe's, nothing on the popularity of limp bizkit or linkin park, or even true rockers like bon jovi or status quo, i mean heck, they use myspace, one of the biggest pieces of rubbish on the net, and they talk like hard-boys, i bet they got beaten up at school, and never made any friends, meh, i'll give it a year or 2, then buy their albums in the dollar buckets at my local CD stores, lol
Posted by: The Ether Being | September 14, 2006 at 09:49 AM