Formed in Washington, D.C. in 1998, Dead Meadow has since become one of the most respected, critically acclaimed bands in the U.S. psychedelic stoner rock scene. On the heels of their late 2013 release, Warble Womb, Dead Meadow has embarked on a U.S. tour that makes a stop in Cincinnati this Friday night, 2/21, at Northside Tavern. I caught up with singer/guitarist Jason Simon to discuss the new album, among other things.
What can Cincinnatians expect from a Dead Meadow performance?
Jason Simon: A trippy good time with some jammin' tunes. Mark will be laying down the stoned out grooves to keep the crowd swaying. Steve will be drinking whiskey and kicking the deep, deep down bass. I'll be freaking on some far-out raga type shit.
How did having the original line-up back together influence the Warble Womb sessions?
JS: Mark has a looser more swinging feel to his playing. Other than that, I don't even know how to answer this question really. Warble Womb was Mark, Steve, and I making a record together. I don't know how having the original line-up influenced it because I can't imagine this record any other way. Does that make sense?
Was there a conscious effort to move away from some of the reverb-heavy sounds of past albums?
JS: No. I usually bring in a song or a song idea with some chords and melodies and the band just takes it from there. We all play around with an idea until it grows into something that catches us as being interesting and cool. Songs often develop in unexpected ways and therein lays the fun. We never consciously attempt to make a certain type of record or a certain sounding record. Rather, the record just develops in a natural way that sounds cool to us at that moment.
Did you have a chance to mess with any unique equipment on the new album?
JS: Let's see, we're always using tape echoes and running things to a Tascam reel to reel. We're using an early 80's Tascam board that's adding some nice color as well as 1950's Ampex tube preamps that give it a nice classic old sound. It was all mixed down to a Studer two track reel-to-reel, adding to the tape feel. It's gotta hit that tape! There's a bit of Farfisa and a few unique pedals; a Dead Meadow pedal that Tym's Guitar out of Australia will be releasing, as well as a custom built fuzz that Catalinbread Pedals put together for me called the Dead Merkin, basically a take on their Merkin Pedal with an added blend feature.
How has the fan reaction to Warble Womb been so far? Are the songs going over well in a live setting?
JS: We've been playing about five or six of these songs regularly in our sets and they've been going over great. We throw in a few more here and there. As to the fans overall reaction, I think they be digging it. Some probably wish it sounded like one of the older records; it always seems the newest Dead Meadow record takes a minute to catch on. The next one will come out and the same people will wonder why it doesn't sound like Warble Womb. You just gotta keep pressing onward, ya know?
What can Cincinnatians expect from a Dead Meadow performance?
Jason Simon: A trippy good time with some jammin' tunes. Mark will be laying down the stoned out grooves to keep the crowd swaying. Steve will be drinking whiskey and kicking the deep, deep down bass. I'll be freaking on some far-out raga type shit.
How did having the original line-up back together influence the Warble Womb sessions?
JS: Mark has a looser more swinging feel to his playing. Other than that, I don't even know how to answer this question really. Warble Womb was Mark, Steve, and I making a record together. I don't know how having the original line-up influenced it because I can't imagine this record any other way. Does that make sense?
Was there a conscious effort to move away from some of the reverb-heavy sounds of past albums?
JS: No. I usually bring in a song or a song idea with some chords and melodies and the band just takes it from there. We all play around with an idea until it grows into something that catches us as being interesting and cool. Songs often develop in unexpected ways and therein lays the fun. We never consciously attempt to make a certain type of record or a certain sounding record. Rather, the record just develops in a natural way that sounds cool to us at that moment.
Did you have a chance to mess with any unique equipment on the new album?
JS: Let's see, we're always using tape echoes and running things to a Tascam reel to reel. We're using an early 80's Tascam board that's adding some nice color as well as 1950's Ampex tube preamps that give it a nice classic old sound. It was all mixed down to a Studer two track reel-to-reel, adding to the tape feel. It's gotta hit that tape! There's a bit of Farfisa and a few unique pedals; a Dead Meadow pedal that Tym's Guitar out of Australia will be releasing, as well as a custom built fuzz that Catalinbread Pedals put together for me called the Dead Merkin, basically a take on their Merkin Pedal with an added blend feature.
How has the fan reaction to Warble Womb been so far? Are the songs going over well in a live setting?
JS: We've been playing about five or six of these songs regularly in our sets and they've been going over great. We throw in a few more here and there. As to the fans overall reaction, I think they be digging it. Some probably wish it sounded like one of the older records; it always seems the newest Dead Meadow record takes a minute to catch on. The next one will come out and the same people will wonder why it doesn't sound like Warble Womb. You just gotta keep pressing onward, ya know?
Editor's Note: Be sure to check out Dead Meadow this Friday night, Feb 21, at Northside Tavern. Local psych-masters Electric Citizen are also on the bill, so this should be one hell of a show. For all things Dead Meadow, check out the links below. - JO
RSS Feed
