I'm sure when Built to Spill frontman Doug Martsch did his solo tour recently many fans were worried that the band would never come back together but this year Built to Spill will be hitting the tour circuit for their album Ancient Melodies of the Future.
Doug or Dug is a very very down to earth type of guy who doesn't give a crap what people say, writes or yell at him. He is perfectly happy just creating his music with our without the band. If people show up, then great and if they don't he'll just go home and paint. Years ago he used to tweak the press and got criticized for tweaking his career in the process but he just don't doesn't give a shit.
Check out Warner Bros website for Built to Spill.
Daniel Robert Epstein: How was the Sundance Festival this year?
Doug Martsch: It was alright. I didn't get the chance to see any films. We got some passes from the ASCAP people. They only had tickets to a few things. My wife and my sound guy Phil went to a couple of movies. I played a couple of shows. It was a nice vacation for the family.
DRE: What's it like to go back to the band after doing a solo album?
DM: It feels like going back to that thing again. It's nice. Mostly we've just been learning old songs again. We haven't gotten around to doing any new material.
DRE: Are the other band members looking at you kind of suspiciously wondering if you're going to leave forever?
DM: No not at all. The solo record was a coincidence that it even came out at the time. I had decided that after we finished the last record that we were going to take some time off anyway because I felt like I needed it and everyone else agreed. Then my solo came out because it had already been done for years. So Warner Bros decided to release it.
DRE: Did the solo record change anything for you?
DM: I had a really good time but I don't know that very much of it will translate over to Built to Spill. The main thing for me to concentrate on was the singing. The guitar playing was all really basic. I did a lot of cover songs. On tour I only did two or three songs off the record. It ended up being a mostly weird acoustic show. Hopefully I'll be a little bit more conscious of my singing now.
DRE: I keep reading that you have a really low opinion of yourself.
DM: [laughs] Well I know what I'm good at and I know my limitations. It's really frustrating when you're recording or listening to something you did live and it's all out of key. I'm not trying to be modest or humble. I just wish I was a more skilled singer.
DRE: I read an article in some paper, I think out of Albuquerque that called you the father and mother of Built to Spill. So if you left the band would they be Built to Spill?
DM: Yeah I don't think they'd do Built to Spill without me. Everyone in the band is people who have been broguht into it. I'm pretty much the leader of this band.
DRE: Is that a lot of responsibility?
DM: No I don't feel much responsibility. The guys I work with are all real nice and they all have other things they do. We're all in our thirties and our lives don't revolve around the band. At certain points they do. For me the band is the most important thing, but our bass player has a family and another job. Our drummer is going to school to be a pastry chef. The guitar player has other bands, is starting a studio and rents our gear.
DRE: That's kind of bizarre. You all just come together to sell out concert venues.
I heard the first day of the new tour is going to be at your hometown is Boise. According to the Simpsons that's the most important show because you see everyone you grew up with. I know you've been doing this for years but is that still fun?
DM: Oh yeah its fun. Its fun to see friends you haven't seen for a long time that are back in town for some reason.
DRE: What about people you don't like?
DM: There aren't very many of those. Well there are but I don't have to deal with them because they don't come see the shows.
DRE: Are you boring when you're not on tour?
DM: Well I don't get bored. I keep myself pretty busy. I have a studio and I'm obsessed with basketball. I watch and play it all the time. Also I have my family. I'm painting a mural in my house. That's a two year project.
DRE: Do you have a plan of what it's going to look like?
DM: I found a picture in an old book of Indian paintings. I'm just copying it and it's really labor intensive. It's detailed and pretty big. I've been working on it for six months and just drew it up.
DRE: After doing your solo shows in a more intimate setting do you feel more of a connection to your audience?
DM: I don't know. I don't really think of things in that way. That was just what I did for a while. I had a really good time. I think I tried a lot of people's patience [laughs]. I'm really glad a lot of people stuck it out and bothered with me. If anything I think it made people excited that Built to Spill is going to get going again.
DRE: You don't do many television appearances. Why is that?
DM: Well I honestly don't really enjoy doing television. Also it doesn't come up that often which I'm glad of. When it does come up I feel an obligation for the record company. They're really good to me. I'm really uncomfortable with the whole idea of it. We did Conan O'Brien and we did the Reverb show on HBO.
DRE: Is it also because of how different you sound live as compared to your studio albums?
DM: That has a lot to with it. When Built to Spill has a concert it takes us six or seven songs to warm up. The first few songs you're kind of adjusting to the sound. I also don't think there is much to look at with our band. We're not very interesting to watch. It makes me really nervous.
DRE: I bet a lot of bands feel that way but they don't say it.
DM: Sure. Again it goes back to if I was a better singer I think I would enjoy it more. Those TV things you can really hear the vocals.
DRE: As opposed to a concert where we can't hear your voice at all.
DM: With a concert the volume is so high and you can feel the instruments. The voice fits into the music in a completely different way. The slight out of tuneness of the voice is covered up by the volume.
DRE: A few years ago you used to like to tweak the press. The whole Rolling Stone photo shoot where you put someone else in posing as you. Are you over that yet? I've been waiting for something to happen while we were talking.
DM: That was nothing to me. I don't really give a shit about Rolling Stone. I don't think it affected our career.
I wanted a picture of me and the rest of the band. At the time Built to Spill still had a rotating lineup. I wanted to make sure it wasn't a photo of me. I don't know what they wanted. We were talking about before the photographer got there. I didn't want Rolling Stone to crop out the rest of the band. So we decided to say [bass player] Brett Netson was me so if they cropped the photo they would get him instead of me.
Then the photographer figured out what was going on and called his editor. They were really pissed off.
DRE: What pisses you off about Rolling Stone?
DM: Nothing. I think it's a rag it doesn't piss me off. I think its garbage. I don't care about it and I don't read it. I have my own opinions. That magazine doesn't reflect my opinions the slightest. I don't think there is anything wrong with appearing in it because any press is good press. In small towns that magazine is the only exposure people will get to a band like us but at the same time it's a total rag.
DRE: Has it been tough to keep Built to Spill's sound consistent with all the different band members over the years? Or do you not care about being consistent?
DM: I don't really care about that. We just do what we do and try to make it sound as good as possible. I don't care about the sound. It's what it makes you feel. You can make country, reggae or whatever as long you're sincere about it. I don't care about the set of instruments you might be using.
DRE: I heard you might be doing a reggae album.
DM: No that's just a joke [laughs].
DRE: See that's the kind of thing I was talking about. So no Boise Idaho inspired reggae albums?
DM: You never know.
DRE: On our site we have three kinds of women punk, emo and Goth. Which kind is your favorite?
DM: I don't really know. I have a wife. She's the only one I'm interested in. She's kind of Goth... No she's punk. No, more emo.
DRE: That takes care of the question, what's your favorite kind of pornography. Your wife again.
DM: Naked Karena.
DRE: Would you ever want Built to Spill to be monstrously popular?
DM: I don't really think about that. I kind of suspect it would be a mixed blessing. I'm really comfortable with where Built to Spill is right now. I can make a living doing it. I think when you get that big you start worrying about a lot of things. Even when I signed to Warner Bros I had a little bit of that, meaning the first time I knew there would be some kind of audience for it. I didn't let it fuck with me too much but you can't avoid feeling certain ways.
by Daniel Robert Epstein.
Doug or Dug is a very very down to earth type of guy who doesn't give a crap what people say, writes or yell at him. He is perfectly happy just creating his music with our without the band. If people show up, then great and if they don't he'll just go home and paint. Years ago he used to tweak the press and got criticized for tweaking his career in the process but he just don't doesn't give a shit.
Check out Warner Bros website for Built to Spill.
Daniel Robert Epstein: How was the Sundance Festival this year?
Doug Martsch: It was alright. I didn't get the chance to see any films. We got some passes from the ASCAP people. They only had tickets to a few things. My wife and my sound guy Phil went to a couple of movies. I played a couple of shows. It was a nice vacation for the family.
DRE: What's it like to go back to the band after doing a solo album?
DM: It feels like going back to that thing again. It's nice. Mostly we've just been learning old songs again. We haven't gotten around to doing any new material.
DRE: Are the other band members looking at you kind of suspiciously wondering if you're going to leave forever?
DM: No not at all. The solo record was a coincidence that it even came out at the time. I had decided that after we finished the last record that we were going to take some time off anyway because I felt like I needed it and everyone else agreed. Then my solo came out because it had already been done for years. So Warner Bros decided to release it.
DRE: Did the solo record change anything for you?
DM: I had a really good time but I don't know that very much of it will translate over to Built to Spill. The main thing for me to concentrate on was the singing. The guitar playing was all really basic. I did a lot of cover songs. On tour I only did two or three songs off the record. It ended up being a mostly weird acoustic show. Hopefully I'll be a little bit more conscious of my singing now.
DRE: I keep reading that you have a really low opinion of yourself.
DM: [laughs] Well I know what I'm good at and I know my limitations. It's really frustrating when you're recording or listening to something you did live and it's all out of key. I'm not trying to be modest or humble. I just wish I was a more skilled singer.
DRE: I read an article in some paper, I think out of Albuquerque that called you the father and mother of Built to Spill. So if you left the band would they be Built to Spill?
DM: Yeah I don't think they'd do Built to Spill without me. Everyone in the band is people who have been broguht into it. I'm pretty much the leader of this band.
DRE: Is that a lot of responsibility?
DM: No I don't feel much responsibility. The guys I work with are all real nice and they all have other things they do. We're all in our thirties and our lives don't revolve around the band. At certain points they do. For me the band is the most important thing, but our bass player has a family and another job. Our drummer is going to school to be a pastry chef. The guitar player has other bands, is starting a studio and rents our gear.
DRE: That's kind of bizarre. You all just come together to sell out concert venues.
I heard the first day of the new tour is going to be at your hometown is Boise. According to the Simpsons that's the most important show because you see everyone you grew up with. I know you've been doing this for years but is that still fun?
DM: Oh yeah its fun. Its fun to see friends you haven't seen for a long time that are back in town for some reason.
DRE: What about people you don't like?
DM: There aren't very many of those. Well there are but I don't have to deal with them because they don't come see the shows.
DRE: Are you boring when you're not on tour?
DM: Well I don't get bored. I keep myself pretty busy. I have a studio and I'm obsessed with basketball. I watch and play it all the time. Also I have my family. I'm painting a mural in my house. That's a two year project.
DRE: Do you have a plan of what it's going to look like?
DM: I found a picture in an old book of Indian paintings. I'm just copying it and it's really labor intensive. It's detailed and pretty big. I've been working on it for six months and just drew it up.
DRE: After doing your solo shows in a more intimate setting do you feel more of a connection to your audience?
DM: I don't know. I don't really think of things in that way. That was just what I did for a while. I had a really good time. I think I tried a lot of people's patience [laughs]. I'm really glad a lot of people stuck it out and bothered with me. If anything I think it made people excited that Built to Spill is going to get going again.
DRE: You don't do many television appearances. Why is that?
DM: Well I honestly don't really enjoy doing television. Also it doesn't come up that often which I'm glad of. When it does come up I feel an obligation for the record company. They're really good to me. I'm really uncomfortable with the whole idea of it. We did Conan O'Brien and we did the Reverb show on HBO.
DRE: Is it also because of how different you sound live as compared to your studio albums?
DM: That has a lot to with it. When Built to Spill has a concert it takes us six or seven songs to warm up. The first few songs you're kind of adjusting to the sound. I also don't think there is much to look at with our band. We're not very interesting to watch. It makes me really nervous.
DRE: I bet a lot of bands feel that way but they don't say it.
DM: Sure. Again it goes back to if I was a better singer I think I would enjoy it more. Those TV things you can really hear the vocals.
DRE: As opposed to a concert where we can't hear your voice at all.
DM: With a concert the volume is so high and you can feel the instruments. The voice fits into the music in a completely different way. The slight out of tuneness of the voice is covered up by the volume.
DRE: A few years ago you used to like to tweak the press. The whole Rolling Stone photo shoot where you put someone else in posing as you. Are you over that yet? I've been waiting for something to happen while we were talking.
DM: That was nothing to me. I don't really give a shit about Rolling Stone. I don't think it affected our career.
I wanted a picture of me and the rest of the band. At the time Built to Spill still had a rotating lineup. I wanted to make sure it wasn't a photo of me. I don't know what they wanted. We were talking about before the photographer got there. I didn't want Rolling Stone to crop out the rest of the band. So we decided to say [bass player] Brett Netson was me so if they cropped the photo they would get him instead of me.
Then the photographer figured out what was going on and called his editor. They were really pissed off.
DRE: What pisses you off about Rolling Stone?
DM: Nothing. I think it's a rag it doesn't piss me off. I think its garbage. I don't care about it and I don't read it. I have my own opinions. That magazine doesn't reflect my opinions the slightest. I don't think there is anything wrong with appearing in it because any press is good press. In small towns that magazine is the only exposure people will get to a band like us but at the same time it's a total rag.
DRE: Has it been tough to keep Built to Spill's sound consistent with all the different band members over the years? Or do you not care about being consistent?
DM: I don't really care about that. We just do what we do and try to make it sound as good as possible. I don't care about the sound. It's what it makes you feel. You can make country, reggae or whatever as long you're sincere about it. I don't care about the set of instruments you might be using.
DRE: I heard you might be doing a reggae album.
DM: No that's just a joke [laughs].
DRE: See that's the kind of thing I was talking about. So no Boise Idaho inspired reggae albums?
DM: You never know.
DRE: On our site we have three kinds of women punk, emo and Goth. Which kind is your favorite?
DM: I don't really know. I have a wife. She's the only one I'm interested in. She's kind of Goth... No she's punk. No, more emo.
DRE: That takes care of the question, what's your favorite kind of pornography. Your wife again.
DM: Naked Karena.
DRE: Would you ever want Built to Spill to be monstrously popular?
DM: I don't really think about that. I kind of suspect it would be a mixed blessing. I'm really comfortable with where Built to Spill is right now. I can make a living doing it. I think when you get that big you start worrying about a lot of things. Even when I signed to Warner Bros I had a little bit of that, meaning the first time I knew there would be some kind of audience for it. I didn't let it fuck with me too much but you can't avoid feeling certain ways.
by Daniel Robert Epstein.
VIEW 11 of 11 COMMENTS
i've seen built to spill many many times and they never disappoint live. one of my favorite bands for many years and one of the nicest, most humble guys ever. running into him around town is always a treat....
yay keith! another great interview!