DON CABALLERO
New Faces Old Places
By:
For over ten years Don Caballero have been the standard by which all other instrumental ³math rock² bands have measured themselves. Formed in Pittsburgh in the early 90s, Don Cab have released four full length albums, and a slew of singles (which are collected on the Buzzcocks referencing ŒSingles Breaking Up¹), all of which have demonstrated an unparalleled level of musical dexterity and creativity, which will forever leave them heads above their peers. Don Caballero¹s sound is something like a heavy cross between King Crimson and Slint, with some of the most mind boggling time signatures and
sickest percussion performances ever put to tape. Led by drumming virtuoso
Damon Che, Don Caballero have joined the Relapse roster and will be dropping their fifth full length album on Relapse in early 2006. I caught up with Damon recently, who brought me up to speed on what the band¹s been up to lately, and what we can expect from them in the forthcoming months:
Firstly, I¹d like to take this chance to say, both personally and on behalf of everyone at Relapse, that we are so psyched that Don Caballero, one of our favorite bands of the past decade has joined the Relapse roster. We¹re all huge fans of the band, and are all very excited to be involved in the future of Don Caballero. I know you guys have been steadily touring over the past two or three years, but it¹s been a while since the last Don Cab record came out. How long has it been? What can we expect from the new Don Cab record?
Well thank you very much! That is both appreciated and encouraging. Yes, there has been some time pass since there has been a new record out. Of course we could say exactly how long, but I don¹t think that will be something anyone is focused on once the new one arrives. You can expect plenty though. One thing you will definitely get is a truly heightened musical ability which you will be able to witness in real time.
Al Sutton, our recording engineer, told us he had not recorded anyone for two years before us that could actually play their music in the studio. So, you will probably be able to get a sense of us not just reintroducing this craft, but also trying to share it with a larger crowd that may have been previously unexposed. Not to sound cliché, but this could quite possibly be the widest variety of musical styling ever stretched out to make up a Don Caballero release, than ever before.
There¹s a few new faces in the Don Cab lineup these days. Can you tell us a bit about who¹s rounding out the band these days?
Yes! There have been these three absolutely fabulous guys named ³Earl² that have been known to make an appearance from time to time, but most importantly would be the additions of Lieutenant Corporal Eugene Doyle (Secretary of Guitar, stage left), Colonel Jeffrey Ellsworth (Tactical and Special Opps, guitar stage right) and Major Jason Jouver (Rhythm Section First Officer).
How is it going back to a two guitar lineup?
Stellar!
Is this the first new Don Caballero record since you moved back to Pittsburgh from Chicago? Despite Don Cab¹s huge influence over the Chicago/math-rock scene, I always found that there was something distinctly ŒPittsburgh¹ about Don Cab¹s sound. How does your relationship to your city influence the music you create, if at all?
Yes, it will be the first Don Cab record since coming back, and I do have to say that the Pittsburgh music audience can be very hard to please. I hope that doesn¹t offend anyone from said region, but it¹s the truth. I even personally know more than one touring band that have lied about being injured to avoid playing their Pittsburgh show, that was already booked.
What it is, I think, might be feeling like you will have set yourself on fire to get a response out of the crowd. The fact that we¹re from here could be very responsible for feeling like you almost have to actually go that far, because if we can get an audience going here, we can do it anywhere.
But you don¹t live in Pittsburgh proper, right? You live an hour or so outside the city, in the county, correct? What¹s that like?
Yeah, that¹s it. It¹s completely different with one exception‹if you live in a city sometimes you may notice a double decker tour bus going by as a tour guide announces facts and details about what can be observed out to the left and out to the right of the vehicle, to the seemingly mindless occupants. This very bus drives down the road in front of my house too. I¹ve never heard a tour guide make any comments as they pass by my abode, but I wonder what they would say if somebody askedŠ¹Oh yes, and if you¹ll look right here on your left you can see the only guy who isn¹t Amish¹.
Do the rest of the guys live in the city? How does that work out for you, in regards to writing new material and practicing?
Yes, the other three guys all live in the city of Pittsburgh. It works out just like touring. Gasoline is becoming an enormous burden for anyone who has to use it. If I could travel with helium balloonsŠ.well, maybe I just will.
Asides from the Don Caballero Œsound¹, another Don Cab peculiarity is your amazing penchant for naming songs. Some personal favorites being ŒNor More Peace and Quiet for the Warlike¹, ŒSlice Where You Live Like Pie¹ and ŒAndandandandandand¹. Is it safe to assume that the song titles have absolutely nothing to do with the songs for which thy represent?
If I¹m wrong, I¹m very curious to hear what the song ŒDick Suffers is Furious With You¹ is about.
Well, they are the names of the songs, just like people have names. Does your name have nothing to do with you? Or does it? The song ŒDick Suffers is Furious With You¹ is about rivalry in the corporate ladder world. Could you imagine how stressful your day could be if there was a guy named Dick Suffers and he was furious with you?
Can you give us a sampling of some of the names for a few of the new songs?
ŒAnd And And, He Lowered The Twin Down¹ (a sequel of sorts), ŒSure, We Had Knives Around¹ and ŒWorld Class Listening Problem¹ are some of the new ones.
You guys have always shown slight metal leanings throughout the years, and most of Don Caballero¹s recorded output is inarguably Œheavy¹, but by no means are you guys a typical heavy metal band. Your sound is so unique though, that its not really that easy for an outsider to figure out what you guys are into. Some bands wear their influences on their sleeves, but it¹s not so easy to figure out where you guys are coming from. Do you have any outside musical influences?
Wow, I always would have sworn we had ours on our sleeves as well, but I guess I could be wrong, but then again there are lots of things that inspire us that wouldn¹t necessarily have a trait that could easily be detected in our music. I personally really like The Darkness, Switchfoot and Meshuggah.
Can you hear those
influences? I doubt you can, except maybe Meshuggah.
Thanks Damon! Lastly before we go, the question everyone wants answered, when¹s the new record coming out?
2006, when and wherever very fine records are sold.
|
|
|