J. Johnson: We know how long it took you to make "Two Years and Thirty Minutes", your first solo album. And "The Killing Card" was a powerful sophomore slaying. Do you have a title for your third solo album currently in progress?
Mark Schwaber: I've had a few ideas floating around, but nothing has stuck yet. I just finished reading Michael Chabon's "The amazing adventures of Kavalier and Clay" and there was a scene in that book that had my hair standing on end. When an old war criminal from WW2 is asked 20 years after the fact if he, as captain of his air command, would still strike an area in which several hundred children were mistakenly killed he answered, without any bit of emotion "They were children. We were wolves." I like that statement for many reasons. I think it paints a poetic portrait of the hell we're all facing right now globally (with Darfur and Iraq amongst several others) and the problems that we face in this country with the gaps getting wider and wider between the rich and poor. The eradication of the middle class.
It's not that my next record is even remotely politically orientated, but I suppose that I'm more magnetically drawn to the obtuse and the dark. But I really don't know yet. I'm not sure I want something so negative attached to this record.
JJ: Is there a common thread in this new collection of songs? When do you hope to release this new record?
MS: There isn't a common thread to this record that's as obvious as "The Killing Card". With that record, I had in mind right from the start that I wanted to shape it after an anxiety attack. I had been very deeply suffering from hideous anxieties during the time I was writing for that record. And although all of the lyrical content isn't about that one topic, at least 80% of it is. I even went to great lengths to find the right soundscape elements to create a real buildup and crescendo-esque crash to be followed by the gentle, lilting fall back to earth. As to emmulate a panic attack.
So this record has none of those elements. "The Killing Card" took a lot out of me, mentally. I think I reacted to that by stripping away all of those similar thought processes of recording and writing. I had been playing many shows with Spouse and had started doing 3 piece shows with my band (JJ and Paul) and there was a decidely more electric spirit in the air for me. Matt Bachand gave me a digital 12 track, which is the first time I've ever owned my own home recording unit, and I had finally bought a drumset. So I would spend many a late night flushing out songs in my head. I think the combination of both playing more aggresively live, and having the capability of getting more tracks of sound on tape (rather than remaining in my head) really led me to want to write a straight up rock record. For the first time in years I was writing songs based around the electric guitar rather than the acoustic. So that's what we've done. Lyrically, it's based around some religious backdrops. Which was hard for me to come to terms with. I'm not a religious person at all, but a lot of Catholicism's imagery was consistently floating around in my head. Maybe I'm searching for something. I don't know. There are also some really positive and uplifting sentiments on the record. Fighting through the anxiety, I suppose. And there are 2 songs about our friend Nicole. It was one of the ways to help me deal with her passing last year.
It's all recorded in the same place (Slaughterhouse) which is a first for me. I've previously enjoyed recording in different rooms as to play around with different tones and shapes. This time I just wanted to go in with my old friend Mark Miller and just hit one out. Of course, I think it's a rock record, but it's still filled with fucked up sounds and experiemental soundscape stuff that would make those skinny tie-afro-Brooklyn assholes melt into their 200 dollar sneakers.
I'm hoping it will be out this fall, but there's some beurocratic stuff that is a little out of my hands at this point. So we'll see. Won't be any later than next spring though.
JJ: You've reunited with old bands "home" and "hospital" for live shows in the last year. Any thoughts of making new albums with those bands, and how, if at all, has revisiting those old songs influenced your third solo album (album name)?
MS: Funny you should ask that. I was just thinking about how reuniting with Rob and Josh (home.) made me re-connect with the simple, unbridled passion for just laying it all on the line. The days when you just needed a guitar, amp and chord. And a mic with duct tape all over it plugged into an old guitar amp. Earplugs were mandatory. Bleeding body parts were a constant. There's something about just letting yourself go. I've never really been one to worry about the "right" notes and whatnot, but home. really flushed all of those momentary elements of precision right down the toilet. It was all about laying it all on the floor at every moment. Most times, quite literally. I think that playing with those guys again definitely helped influence the more aggresive sound of this next record. Besides, they're without a doubt two of the most creative musicians I've ever worked with.
Hospital was a different animal. Whispered, constrained and simple. I had a great time hanging and playing one show with those guys (and gal) again. I wrote a song with them in mind that we actually played as our first song the night of the reunion. But as for this next record of mine, it was already too far along to feel any sort of influence from Hospital.
The home. guys and I have definitely talked about doing another record together. Maybe late this year or early next we'll get to it. Josh Churchill (drums) just had a beautiful daughter this past Saturday and Rob Connelly (bass/guitar/vocals) and I have been working on some other musical things together. I'm excited to get to it, it's just a matter of waiting until our lives are all a little less pre-occupied.
The Hospital gang spoke of doing more shows and possible re-recording our third record that never saw the light of day. I'm not sure that it's going to happen, because of the schedules in everyone's life. But if we get the chance, I'd be interested in at least revisiting some of those old maps.
JJ: Hospital played shows with The Frames (Glen Hansard & co.) at Fire & Water Cafe in Northampton back in 2001. Rumor has it you may join Glen and The Swell Season on stage for a song when they play The Pines Theater in Look Park August 10. Is that a go? Also, can you name one other tall, redheaded, "sensitive", indie singer-songwriter? (I humbly request a back-to-back, guitar-faced, tongues-out, open-tuned assault for the sonicly-satisfying crescendo at the end of The Frames "Headlong" if you haven't already chosen another number. If you have chosen another song, can you tell us which?)
MS: Yeah. It looks like a go. Glen asked me to join them on stage for a song. He desperately tried to get me the opening slot but they're so huge at the moment that all of the business thing is a little out of his hands. I think it's great of him to offer me a moment with them on stage though. I'm really looking forward to it. You can't wish success on a better guy. Glen is one of the nicest guys ever. I wish I could tell you what song we're doing together, but we're still trying to figure that out. I would assume it would be a cover.
I'm thinking that if Carrot Top listened to SSD then maybe he would be my answer.
JJ: Lou Barlow, a fellow Westfield, MA, songwriter/musician and brother of hospital band mate Abby, is heading out on a solo tour late this year after Dinosaur Jr. tour ends and you're slated to tour as opening act. First, congrats! That's awesome. Will you play solo or with a band? When does life on the road begin and where are some of the stops along the way in the U.S. and Europe?
MS: Actually, it looks like it will be the Spring of '09 at this point. And I'm not locked in yet, but things look pretty good. I'm not sure how long or how far, but I'm really excited about it regardless. I'll be doing the tour solo and then I'll be playing with Lou in his band each night. Not sure which instrument yet. So as you can see, there's still a lot to figure out.
JJ: Your record store, Night Owl, is closing August 1 of this year after five wonderful years of bringing music to Easthampton, MA, and beyond. We'll all miss the store's presence on Cottage Street and all that it has added to the community. As a local musician, I want to thank you and co-owner Jen Campbell for all you've done and continue to do to support local music. You've featured albums by local bands in your store, you’ve let bands post flyers all over the front windows, and you’ve hosted several great in-store performances. We hear you're having a big celebration/sale at the store on July 26, 2008. Can you tell us a little about what's in store for Night Owl's final "in-store"?
MS: You know, I'm not sure!?! And I think we're going to keep it that way. There will definitely be instruments set up and tons of folks have already said that they'd love to come down and play. But I'm really staying away from any kind of map. Just want to let it be what it is. A great community of friends and artists hanging together, creating together and eating and drinking together. Should be a great time. And thanks so much for the kind words, man. I really appreciate it.
JJ: Thanks for taking the time to chat Mark. Just one final question. Your very cool beagle, Scooter, loves Will Smith. An unnamed source sent a correspondence to Neverheardofthem HQ stating that you are able to communicate with Scooter telepathically. So we have to ask, what are Scooter's thoughts on Will Smith's latest film "Hancock" which opened in theaters very recently?
MS: Well, he's only seen the trailer thusfar. But as with anything that Will Smith puts his stamp on, he's pretty excited. After we first watched the trailer together I asked him
"Well, what do you think?"
"I like whales, he saved one." Scooter responded. Then he said something about wanting to go look for crumbs in the kitchen.
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