Listener: Interview (Live Photos)

Some weeks ago, Ivo and I had the opportunity to go to a Listener gig here in Berlin. Obviously, I caught some moments of the concert with my camera and later he had the chance of asking them few questions about "talk music" and... other interesting stuff.

Both of us highly recommend paying attention to their lyrics. These guys have something to tell. You can see all the pictures at the bottom of the interview. Enjoy!

Ivo: My first introduction to the term 'talk music' was when I stumbled upon your music few years back. Did you come up with that term or it originates from somewhere else? I know lots of musicians don’t like being labeled as this and that, are you?

Dan: I was making hip hop music before Chris and I had gotten together, and we wanted to make something different, and so I had started calling what we made Talk Music so at least we called it something different. As far as being labeled goes....I guess it comes with the territory of being an artist.

Kris: It's nice to create a label where you can kind of do whatever you want and no one will say you're breaking the rules of the genre.

I: Over the years, the band evolved from a one-man project to a “full fledged rock and roll power trio”. How did this roll out? What was the drive behind that change and did it reflect on the way you create music?

Dan: It's completely changed the way we make music....it's a collaborative effort instead of myself just making a thing. Like I mentioned before I made different kinds of music before Listener, and when we got together we wanted to make something new, and see where the songs would go. I asked Chris to come out on the road and play drums, and from there we started working on Return to Struggleville and then Wooden Heart and a ton of shows and then our latest record, last year we asked Kris to join and we wrote Time in a Machine together and have toured all over the place with Kris.

I: I saw you few days ago in Berlin. Great gig, quite emotional and personal in my opinion, just like your music. I’m curious what do you think of the crowd in Europe? A while back we had an interview with Two Gallants who said that they prefer touring over that side of the ocean as bands in general are treated nicely and somehow with more attention. Your two cents on that?

D: Berlin was a really special show. I've always enjoyed touring and playing shows in Europe. I guess there's no real discernible difference for me....people are people everywhere. I certainly take inventory of a room if it's dead silent or there is something weird going on, or too much talking or what have you.....but there are good and bad audiences everywhere, and I try to not let that get in the way of what I'm doing.....usually the things that I take notice of are the conversations I have after our shows or the friends I get to see. Certainly good sound systems and performances fill my heart and make a night very special too, but that can happen anywhere in the world with people.

K: It seems to me that we get taken care of a little better (as far as hospitality goes) in Europe, but that's not really why we do what we do. People seem to smile and laugh and cry the same all over the world, so connecting with the people isn't so different from continent to continent. Which is a good thing.

I: What are you guys currently listening to? Any good albums/bands we should be checking out?

D: Chris showed me Tame Impala last year and I've been listening to them a lot. Chad Vangaalen is a singer I always listen to. Ryan Adams, We Are Augustines, the Avett Brothers, Brand New. Not too many new bands there, but those are some bands I like to listen to.

K: I've been listening to Figure 8, the Elliott Smith album, and a lot of Graveyard and Witchcraft lately...maybe too much?

I: If you face a situation (I hope not!) where you have to give up either the ability to see or (listen) which one would you choose?

D: I think I'd rather be able to listen. I think.

K: Sight for sure. Gotta have ears man.

I: Internet is changing the roles in music industry, do you think nowadays independent/small record labels and artists have more power as opposed to the major players in the business?

D: The Internet of course changed all kinds of things. You can't make good art on the internet though, but computers certainly have given a lot more people the opportunity to make music personally and when they want to, and then publish that music to people who could potentially listen to it all over the world instantly. It is all at the same time the best and worst thing for music. You can make something, and put it out "market it" basically for free. It gives the artist complete control. The downside is that you can spend a ton of time and money making a project, but then it can just be taken for free and that's not a great way to make a living.....but artists are resilient and figure out new ways to survive.

K: It all depends on your motive, I think. The Internet has made is to where bands aren't selling many records, just look at the deals record labels are screwing artists with. So a lot of the "bigger" artists these days are spreading more and more into other things like TV and movies and weird shows and reality TV and it's just kind of a big marketing mind fuck, which is a total bummer. So, if you're looking to become a famous rock star, you should probably focus more on getting a deal with Disney rather than making good music and putting it on the Internet. If you're just trying to make good music and tour and touch people's lives and support that end of independent music, then the internet can be a great tool. I think we all have a ton of opinions on this that can't be captured in an interview though.

I: If the 3 of you participate in The Hunger Games, who would be the winner and why?

D: we all love to eat.

K: ...(nervous sigh)...

I: Where do you guys find inspiration from? Music, lyric and life-wise? I know honesty and being personal are quite important for you not only as a band but as people. Is it something you kind of…  try to inspire in others?

D: Everything can be inspirational in life if you let it....if you listen to it, or it doesn't have to. There's no secret formula for that. It's not a thought I have while I'm writing that what we make may inspire other people. I just write the thoughts in my mind.

K: Just come from the heart and do your best.

If you want to follow the latest with those great guys, check out their website, Facebook or Twitter accounts!

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