Monday, June 4, 2012

EIC's 10Q's w/ Phil Elverum

"..for the average music worshiper that's looking for a bit of a "challenge" in their listening experience.."



Phil Elverum
Domestic Dexterity

Phil Elverum Bio:
Phil Elverum (born Phil Elvrum May 26, 1978) is the sole permanent member of the Anacortes, Washington-based Indie Rock bands The Microphones and Mount Eerie. Phil Elverum manipulates analog recording devices in his work. Most of the Microphones catalog was recorded on a broken 16 track reel to reel tape machine while his recent material has been recorded on an 8 track reel to reel. Elverum currently operates P. W. Elverum & Sun, Ltd., from which he sells records by Mount Eerie and the Microphones as well as Thanksgiving, Woelv and The Spectacle. Phil Elverum used to drum for the Olympia, Washington-based band Old Time Relijun. He is also a founding member of the band D+, and has produced and engineered recordings for other artists including Beat Happening, Mirah, Little Wings, Karl Blau, and Jason Anderson.


Hello, how are you?
I am fine.

What are you currently listening to?
Es, Adrian Orange, David Lynch..

Care to tell us about the meaning/reasoning behind releasing two separate albums this year, rather than a double/single release?
The last 2 records I made were double albums and I have started to feel like that's just too much music to be able to wrap one's mind around at once. I had this larger pile of songs which worked well as 2 groups that were communicating with each other, making references to each other across a divide, rather than just one big chunk. It's 2 angles of view on the same idea.

Did you have a clear idea of what you were going for when you began writing for them?
No. The project started as a long period of super abstract recording experimentation. Not even songs, just recording different sound ideas, making drones, etc.

Whats your favorite track(s) from said albums?
At the moment my favorite is the first song from Ocean Roar which is called "Pale Lights". It is barely classifiable as a song. It's pretty long, and it does these weird things to my mind when I'm listening to it. It's like a neurological experiment.

Will you be extensively touring (hopefully the US) for these releases?
Yes, a US tour is being planned for September.

In your opinion who is the most underrated artist of all time?
It's a 3 way tie between Adrian Orange/Katy Davidson/Nicholas Krgovich

What movie would work best on mute while listening to your music?
That's a tough one. There are so many good candidates. I think about images and movie ideas so much when I'm recording. I guess maybe slow motion aerial nordic landscape footage would work well. Boring and meditative and spacious enough for an idea to sit there. If not that, "Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise"

You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?
The music of G.I. Gurdjieff played by Thomas de Hartmann

Are you living your dream?
Yes, and I am dreaming my life.

Thanx Phil!

Phil Elverum is currently plotting out a Fall tour as well as putting together the final pieces for the second part to his latest opus 'Clear Moon' (which is probably one of the best releases the year so far)...

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