The Decemberists Interview (it's a bit old...)

Quite a while ahead of the proposed date of October third, The Crane Wife has leaked (more or less - some songs are apparently missing). I'm not sure if this is a good thing or bad - one the one hand, hurray, I don't really have to wait anymore! But on the other, poor Decemberists, tricked by the medium without a master. They're so nice to the internet, they even allow us to download a scruffy-collared demo of the Tain (part 1) from their MySpace. Maybe they're now happy to be signed to Capitol, who shall trample (probably) on people intent on passing it on. But if the band are unhappy about it, maybe that's okay.

Engine Driver
Bridges & Balloons (Joanna Newsom)

Anyway, here for your reading pleasure is an email interview with Chris Funk (pictured with a red apron), guitarist and Decemberist, which I did almost a year ago and have never yet shared with you. It's old, and a bit rushed, but interesting enough - he does give his opinion on downloading, and their early plans for the new album. Maybe the questions are a bit amateurish too, as it was my first interview. But you might like it...

You've sold out the Bowery in NY, but you'll be playing smaller venues in Europe - the stage in the Berlin venue is the size of a small bedroom - which do prefer? Is your music more suited to grand venues, or more intimate settings?
Playing smaller rooms is great as we can really connect with the audience and the sound is usually really good. However it can also be a pain as we have so much gear and hardly fit on these stages as it is.

If you weren't with the Decemberists, who would you most like to play with?
Probably a local Portland, Oregon bar band you've never heard of, which is what the Decemberists were for many years.

As a musician trying to make living, what do you think of music downloading?
Well, I am making a living doing it, so to say folks should stop doing it would appear a bit greedy, wouldn't it? I'm happy with my living, and in fact honored that I can do this. I'm not the feds, so I guess I don't care to much about it at this point.

The Tain is based on an old Irish myth. How did it come to be the basis for an Decemberists EP?
I believe it started with the opening riff. At the time it was sort of odd for a band like us to even consider cranking up an amp. We just kept playing with the riff, added parts and soon had something that resembled a prog-metal anthem. I guess minds went wandering for source material to support such a foolish guitar wank. Turned out pretty cool, no?

What's the best new band you've seen?
Kind of a silly question...there is this great band from London called Atakku...AMAZING!

Lyrically, your music is often rooted in the vocabulary and literature of the nineteenth century, and to put it simply, no one else is doing anything quite like it. Do you think this has helped or hindered your popularity? Do you think you've helped any fans discover Nabokov or Dylan Thomas?
I believe initially it has set us apart from other touring rock bands, or bands in our "indie" world. I believe it could hinder us a bit if we decide to go into another direction, we'll see. I don't think anyone who hasn't read Thomas or Nabokov by the time they discover us will go out and find these authors, no, though I have no idea.

You're firmly established as part of the American indie scene, but with Picaresque receiving very positive reviews over here, do you think you could make a similar impact in Europe?
Good reviews? Oh, I didn't know, that's nice to hear. Sure, I guess so. Reviews sure help folks find us. I'd like to think the shows have to be good, moreover the music. We would love to continue touring in Europe, so sure, that would be great.

Your albums have grown in scale and ambition as you've become more successful. Will the next album be even more grandiose?
We'll have to wait and see. One really doesn't know what will come of sound until it's created and you are locked into a room and creating. I know we are ready to grow again, whatever that means. Probably a step in the direction of Justin Timberlake, we've been talking to the Neptunes about working with them. That was a joke.

Do you wish you could go back to songs on Castaways & Cutouts and record them again, now that you have more money to do what you want?
No, no way. I love that record and listening back to it, thinking about tour lives then. I had "officially" just joined the band during that record and I remember being just blown away by the music and wondering why nobody like the band that much. Funny. It stands as a time piece for progression and also I just love the record.

What do you do for fun on tour, and what cities do you enjoy visiting the most?
Fun? Well the shows are the most fun. Most of touring is waiting around, trying to catch up on sleep, doing laundry, nothing glamorous. We usually have a laugh after shows with each other and our crew, we are all great friends. The best cities for us are San Francisco, Austin, New York, North Hampton...

Given your relative outsider status, do you think the Decemberists will ever become a truly radio-friendly, accessible band? Do you think that you'll ever make an album of 'July, July's?
It's funny, in the States we really don't feel like outsiders. It's hard to feel underground when you are selling out 1,000 cap shows. Radio friendly, well, I feel like we already are. Getting on the radio is more about label status, money and corporations and not about the music isn't it? And no, I don't think we'll make just a singles record if that is what you are suggesting, what fun would that be?

Do you feel positive about the current state of music?
Of course I do. There is always great music being released. I've never been one of those folks who gives up on music. I wouldn't want to miss anything.

What can we expect to see at the Berlin show? How should we prepare?
Bring rain coats. We are incorporating some stage antics somewhere between Gallagher and ICP....