Let's start with "The Wedding" -- it isn't quite as dark as some of your other albums. There are melancholy songs like "Charlamagne", but even the heavy songs like "Spirits" and "Lavender" seem to have a feel-good energy. Do you think this is true? Was there ever any impulse to consciously make this album different in any way from your other recordings?
There was a definite impulse to make this album different – all along, we were trying for a sound and energy that was unlike other stuff we'd done. In fact, we worked on The Wedding for a number of years, since 2001, concurrent to writing and recording prior albums Each One Teach One and Secret Wars (and a couple EPs as well).
The aim was not necessarily to make it a "feel good" record – in fact, I think it's more melancholy and wistful than our other records, which tend to thrive more on aggression and confusion and externalized energy. But that's beside the point, in a way – we never knew exactly how the record was going to end up, because the PROCESS was the goal. Originally, we wanted to write elegant, beautiful songs like the Left Banke and the Zombies – of course, being Oneida, we hijacked our own ideas along the way and ended up somewhere totally different than we expected, but I think you can still hear that original genesis in the strings and the lyrics, for sure.
How did the collaboration with Brian Coughlin and The Fireworks Ensemble come about?
Kid has been friends with Brian since childhood – they played together in bands way, way back when, and we've just always kept in touch with Brian. It wasn't even a choice, really, when we knew we wanted to get someone to help us out with string arranging – nobody I've ever met has a better simultaneous handle on the casual attitude of rock/pop/whatever and the necessarily formalities of traditional classical music. Brian's amazing.
Has it been difficult adapting songs like "The Eiger" and "Know" that are based around the string arrangements on "The Wedding" to a live setting?
It would be, if we gave a shit. In fact, we performed these songs once live with the string ensemble from the record, which was awesome, but in general Oneida isn't about recreating records we've already made – we just play whatever the hell we feel like, and we're always writing new songs, so we never feel compelled to adapt any particular song just to sell a record. Live, we're more likely to do a bunch of noise improv and play some 4-year-old songs and a bunch of new ones nobody's ever heard. That's the bonus of never being popular – nobody cares what you do!
Did these songs really start out with a giant music box? How did the idea of a giant music box originate? How did this affect the writing process? Did any of those sounds make the final mix of "The Wedding"?
The music box was actually built after the album was completed, contrary to most published reports. It was a result of the sound of the record, not the other way around.
So there are rumors (okay, not rumors…it's on your website http://www.enemyhogs.com that your next album “Thank Your Parents” will be a triple album. My mind is sufficiently blown… Is this really going to happen? Is it still in the writing process or have you started recorded? How will it compare to "The Wedding"?
This is absolutely true – at least, that's the current plan. A ton of music is already recorded, and it's all in various stages – some is completed, some is partly completed, some is rudimentary at best, and some is still unrecorded. We have a pretty good grasp on what's gonna be on there at this point, though – some stolen Scandinavian folk songs, some dancehall, a murder ballad or two, some disco, an epic trip or two, and lots of tiny, precise truths. Basically, a Rough Guide to the universe.
Is it more difficult being a band now that you are bi-citied (Brooklyn and Boston)? Has this changed the way the band does anything, or how often it does it?
Yeah, it's a lot of work. I spend a ton of time on the Chinatown bus. But, you know, Oneida has always been about adapting to changing circumstances; we will find our ways to play together no matter what. It's kind of cool living in Boston away from the other clowns, because I work harder on specific musical ideas and directions on my own, before getting together, which (I think) sends me further along unusual tangents; then, when we get together, the other guys' input is applied at a different point in the process. Sometimes. Nothing's ever predictable with us.
How has being on Jagjaguwar Records been? They are a label with a stable of excellent bands and have a good reputation for releasing quality music. Do these factors influence what labels you work with, or is it also business related?
We work with Jagjag very, very intentionally – we've turned down approaches by other labels, even those we respect a lot, because Jagjaguwar has earned our loyalty and respect by being absolutely, positively honest and upfront in every aspect of their business – financial, artistic, conceptual – they have a vision that is transparent and they stick to it with diehard integrity. I mean, we like to give them a lot of shit in public, just for laughs, but that's true. They've fed an empire of truth on Oneida's blood and sweat…
You guys recently started your own label, Brah Records. How did that develop? How is that going? Will it soon achieve world domination?
Brah is all truth, all the time. It developed out of late-night drunk-dialing from a bar…you never know what consequences your actions might have. Now I run a record label. Huh. It's going great; we're releasing the music we love, and throwing some punches in the process. Can't beat it. Jagjaguwar/Secretly Canadian are totally behind us, which is a huge help as far as manufacture/distribution, obviously.
How has the experience of playing live changed over the time you guys have been a band together? Do you become jaded to the whole thing at some point? Do you do things with the set list or performance that helps keep it
fresh?
It's rarely boring, rarely predictable, and I've never felt jaded. Sometimes I question myself and I question whether there's a POINT to the whole damn thing, and I get all self-searching, but I eventually realize that I have to maintain my own sanity – it's really a mental-health service to myself. We keep it fresh by never giving a shit what other people think of us, and by never feeling compelled to play what other people might think we're supposed to do. I don't think we're self-indulgent – we are always honestly trying to do our best, be entertaining, make music that people can love – but it all starts with a belief that you have to follow your own instincts, trust yourself, not the
whims of other people.
In all of your many shows, who was the best band that you ever played
with?
The most honest band we ever played with was Digibot, in a steakhouse basement in Madison, Wisconsin. They will forever be an inspiration to me as far as why make music, and why not wear Tevas (is that spelled right? eh…) while you do it. I don't personally wear or endorse tevas, or any kind of sandals, but Digibot showed me you can be punk rock and right and funny and awesome and wear sandals all at the same time.
If Oneida were a current or former professional athlete, who would it
be?
Easy one: Charles Oakley. Work hard, kick ass, stare down the motherfucking frauds. You'll get your due in the end.
Oneida plays the Mercury Lounge in New York City on Friday, October 21st with Awesome Color, The Coke Dares, and Big Bear |