Drowningman
You are coming up on 10 years of Drowningman, including the “intermissions”, can you give us a bit of history on the band, how it all started, the line-up changes, why you broke up, and how things got back together?
We started playing together in Oct. of 1995, played our first show on New Years Eve. Yeah, the ten year mark is approaching- if you don’t include the few years taken off to do The Scheme and deal poker. The initial break-up in 2002 was because we were trying to move in a more “rock” direction. I wasn’t so into the resulting material. We had gotten some new members who I wasn’t getting along with terribly well and there were things going on in our personal lives where for all these reasons combined it seemed like time to move on. I moved to SF to do The Scheme and eventually realised I missed playing heavier music, so here we are again. ‘,’
“Don’t Push Us When We’re Hot” will be out in October, how long did it take to record and how did the recording process go? Whats the meaning behind the title, and what do the lyrics deal with?
It took us six weeks to record, the title is a Clash reference that hopefully everyone should get or not bother listening to anything that claims to have any roots in “punk rock.” Lyrically this record is similar to past outings, trouble relating to people and society in general. Some tongue-in-cheek and not-so sarcastic themes throughout, I think this record is more overtly political in ways that past stuff hasn’t. I was pleased to see in a write-up in Decibel that “we’re clearly leftist,” because I am and people in the band for the most part are. There have been past members who weren’t and didn’t share certain punk ideals that found they didn’t fit in the band because of it. So, yes, it’s out in the open that the band is not ALL about the music now.
The new album is coming out on Thorp. They seem to be at the forefront of hardcore labels these days. You must be happy to be part of their family? And how did you hook up with them?
Andy emailed me. I called him after a few email exchanges. Given his past and current roster I had trouble seeing how we fit in. In terms of ideals it made sense to me after thinking about it. He doesn’t limit himself to one style. He seemed straight-forward and honest which is something sorely lacking among label owners so the band and label seemed a perfect match. We are happy with Thorp.
You’ve a pretty unique sound, who and what influences your music. And how would you describe Drowningman if you were writing an album and live review?
What I would write and what influences are pretty divergent from what most anyone else would write. We are influenced by mid-90’s Gravity-Ebullition-style bands, similar era indie-rock (Promise Ring, Sunny Day Real Estate) as well as the more progressive metal-hardcore bands of that time like Deadguy and late Unbroken. Our mixture of hardcore-metal-indie rock etc has left us a pretty broad canvas to paint on and we can pretty much incorporate any rock or punk style into a Drowningman song and have it work. I think the lyrical content and sentiments reflected in them are equally challenging and can sometimes be viewed as confrontational, intensely personal or extremely universal. I think the confrontational and sarcastic elements would be mentioned in a review of any live show. I think a record review would nod to the influences I’ve listed given the time period the band grew up in and would also possibly list Morrissey and the Smiths as an influence on song-titling and lyrical content and the general being adversarial for it’s own sake.
Where will you be touring the new album? Any places you are looking forward to playing?
Europe most definitely. We’ve been talking a lot to the people at Avacado who were supposed to bring us over in the past during less-structured eras of the band. Now that we have a solid line-up, a core of past and present members in the band, new and old blood we’re ready to tour everywhere. We’re playing Mexico City the night before Halloween. We have an Australian tour being lined up after Europe.
Hopefully next year will have us playing abroad as much as at home. But yeah, being a first generation American I am looking very much forward to seeing London and Manchester where I have family connections.
If I were to look thru your CD collection would I find any embarrassing albums?!!
I wouldn’t be embarrased. I think people would be surprised by the diversity of my collection. I like most any kind of music as long as it’s something exceptional that moves me. I listen to a lot of hip-hop which might surprise some people but I think a lot can be learned by a vocalist of any kind about meter and the flow of lyrics when you listen to someone good. I also like old country like Hank Sr. and Patsy Cline. So yeah country and rap the two forms of music that someone into hardcore would be least likely to listen to…
Whats the last CD you listened to/bought, was it any good?
The last record I bought was the new Kanye West, and that was before he said “George Bush hates black people on TV.” That I think is pretty fucking punk rock.
Can you remember the first time you played live? How did it go? Any funny/scary/weird tour stories?!
It was a long time ago. The first “real” band I was in started as kind of a joke but when we first played live it pretty quickly became not a joke. I think I was surprised about the amount of anger and energy that came out of me. I haven’t been able to stop or shut up since.
What are the 3 best things and the 3 worst things about being in a band?!
Three best things- Tour, the people/fans you meet, the girls you meet.
Three worst things- Tour, the people/fans you meet, the girls you meet.
Seriously though. Tour can be wonderful at points and boring and arduous at others. You meet some people that inspire you and make you recall why you are involved in hardcore, you meet people that remind you that people suck in all walks of life. Oh and for the actual third worst thing about being in a band? The “business” aspect of it, the labels and agents and promoters and other people that endup being necessary to involve. You click with some people and with others you don’t. Drowningman has always been a difficult band to be in or to be in “business” with. It’s because we’re
complicated and sometimes demanding but I think we ask as much from ourselves as we do from others so it’s only fair. This is our baby so we’re going to be protective of it.
Whats your earliest hardcore memory? Can you remember what made you think, I want to do that?
I think seeing Verbal Assault in Burlington, VT made me want to be involved. I think seeing friends and peers start bands and thinking ” I could do better than that. I have more and better things to say then that,” startedme on playing in bands.
What do you do away from the band – zines, other bands, work, etc.?
I used to do a zine. Now I do school and write professionally. I also am getting back into doing design work. I also help out bands we’re friends with whenever we can. I JUST moved to NYC and I’m looking for a job. We’re busy pushing the new video Jospeh Patisall just did for us. It came out amazingly and Joseph and his co-workers were amazing and made a truly exceptional video. I think the visuals match the intensity that the music and lyrics are trying to communicate. I would never work with another director again given the choice. When talking about people that things “click”on a creative level, Jospeh was definitely that for us. So yeah, we’re working on haivng that played on MTV2 and Fuse and other channels. I don’t think it’ll be hard to do because Joseph did some beautiful work, I just want to make sure for he and the band that the video
gets the attention it deserves.
Is there any bands you’d like to take out on tour, or tour with?
We toured with the Minor Times this summer. It had some ups and downs, we’d like to do a better planned tour with them. We’re teaming up with Silent Drive for some touring next year since we share a drummer. Boy Sets Fire is back and we used to play with them a lot in the past and I think we compliment each other well musically and content-wise. I like what I’ve heard of a lot of newer EVR bands and would tour with most any of them, particularly Alexisonfire.
Whats your opinion on the Bush administrations handling of the situation in New Orleans?
I think Kanye West already said it.
Whats been the most memorable show you’ve been to / and the most memorable one you played at?
I could never pick just one. Off the top of my head… SF on our tour with Dillinger, the first New England Metal Fest, 2004 Hellfest even though it was a semi-disaster, too many house shows to list.
Describe the difference between metal and hardcore!
Umm wow, the lines are getting blurred in a lot of cases. Metal is traditionally more fantasy-based and the lyrical content can be somewhat testosterone-fueled and a little black and white on the subjects of “good and evil.” Hardcore can be equally as testosterone fueled and black and white on issues of “right and wrong.” I think both genre’s have their downside and are best when mixed with other influences or aproached with the mindset of expanding the playing field. Drowningman would definitely list itself in the ‘hardcore” column because hardcore is a punk-based music, is typically more politically and socially aware and is more allowing of outside influences and has a history of making it’s audience more involved.
Are Drowningman just playing music, or do you have a message/goal?
I think I’ve answered that. Our message is in no way black and white. Yes we are definitely very far left of center, we are mostly all vegetarian subscribe to leftist beliefs, in some cases have socialist leanings and have a history of volunteerism etc.. I think we definitely show our dark-side as well as it relates to our belief in the human race in general and it’s ability to save itself. A lot of our songs and their messages concentrate on relationships between people themselves and their inability to treat each other fairly and with love and respect. Our goal isn’t much clearer either as the questions we’re raising don’t have clear cut answers. A personal goal for myself and for the band in general is to become more vocal about certain issues beyond personal ones.
Thanks for the interview, the last words are yours…
Thank you.