Chris(Fake Problems), Caleb(NSN) and Me in the middle of Fake Problems set
What would you do if you weren’t a musician?
-I have no idea. I have been thinking about that a lot lately though. I would want to do something where i wasn’t thinking all the time. I like mowing a lot.
Who are some of your nonmusical inspirations?
-Tons of stuff, i think a list is the best way to go
This American Life (podcast)
The Twilight Zone
The Moth (podcast)
Books (heres a few)
“On Writing” – Stephen King
“Songwriters on Songwriting” – Paul Zollo
“Pride and Prejudice” – Jane Austin
Anything by Vonnegut or Salinger
I’m curious as to if you or Scott have read any of C.S. Lewis’ works? If so what do you think of them?
-I am not sure about Scott but i have read several. “Mere Christianity”, “A Grief Observed”, “The Screwtape Letters”, “Narnia”, “A Year with C.S. Lewis”, “Letters to Children” . I’m sure there are more i just cant think of them right now. I love Clive. “A Grief Observed” is my favorite. It’s someone who is a respected man of faith having real issues and problems. It’s honest. The Bible is honest too, people just don’t read those parts as much.
I was wondering about how you write your songs, when you get and idea, do you like have to sit there and finish the whole song in one sitting? Or do you just write some lyrics, and get back to it later? Also, do lyrics or music come to you first? Or do you write them together?
-Great question. For me it is different every time. I feel i like songs best that happen all at once but that is not always the case. I usually sit down with an idea and my guitar and see if it will happen. Writing is a funny thing for me. Sometimes i can, sometimes i can’t. My muse is hard to find a lot of times. He is always leaving town i feel. Going to Mexico or something until i assure him im trying to write.
“im reading, im writing, im practicing, i swear”
I can go months without writing a full song, it is very normal for me.
I like songs that happen all at once, usually between 3 and 4am, when everything is asleep and quiet and my phone is off.
You have to be patient with the song but fervent with the tools to write the song. You have to read, you have to write…all the time. You have to take it seriously. Dylan wasn’t goofing around in the 60′s. He was absorbing everything around him, taking it all in and then forming it into the best 3 chord song you ever heard.
read “on writing” by stephen king, he basically says what i am trying to, only better, and with more accurate punctuation.
Has it been worth it, chasing you dream?
-Yes, the whole time. No matter what happens. We are only here for a moment ya know? Why not run.
Do you remember me?
-Of course!
What are your favorite modern bands?
-The Lawrence Arms
-Alkaline Trio
-Electric President
-mewithoutyou
-Jimmy Eat World
-Death Cab for Cutie
-Ryan Adams
-Nickel Creek
-Jon Foreman
-Wilco
-Iron and Wine
Hey Carter, I listen many times to “everything falls apart” before the tornado that ripped through Joplin. Listening to it I could almost see you walking around the town all of these places where things had happen like “Jackson st.” and “4th and main”. So post tornado when I listen to the song I see you still walking around but in the debris filled streets and land it almost has the feeling it could’ve been written post tornado with the everything falls apart theme. So I guess that was a long way of asking if the devastation that y’all have recently faced has made you look at your songs youve previously written in a new light or from a different place
-Amazing question. After a disaster i think you look at everything different. I actually pulled up “everything falls apart” and listened to it a couple nights after the tornado and the feeling was very eerie. I remember calling Tof right after and we had both been listing to the record thinking those things. That’s part of the reason i am so attracted to music, it can relate in so many ways to so many people, and change as you change.
Do you like sweet tea?
-Not really. Or unsweet. I like water though.
Will I actually see you before we head back to WA on Saturday. And if you could sing just one last song before you died…what would it be.
-Yes! Meet me at the Black Thorn at 4? And “The Man Comes Around” – Cash
Are you still planning on doing the Young and Useless tour?
-Yes we are!
I would like to know who recorded/mixed/mastered your new record. What company pressed your record?
-We recorded “What You Carry” in Springfield, Mo at Studio 2100 with Jeff Smith. The record was mixed and mastered there as well. For the pressing of our vinyl we used Brooklyn Phono.
Are you going to be doing m&g when you’re on tour in july/august? Or at least hang out afterwards?
-We sell our own merch so you should be able to find us all at some point during the night.
If I wanted to get in contact with you, say to book you for a show, what email would be the most appropriate?
Tdralle@gmail.com
Hey Carter, I was wondering if there’s ever a possibility that you’d tour in the UK? More specifically Scotland.
-We are! I can’t give out any details yet, but very soon we will be there.
Will there be a Missouri tour date on the This Century tour?
-I sure hope so! I know we are gonna put up some more dates soon and i am hoping it’s on there!
