WB: That’s kind of what I was thinking, it’s the city of misfit
citizens. There’s a similar thing there, we don’t fit anywhere else
but for some reason we all kind of fit here and gravitate to this.
So let me talk a little bit about this album, because it’s exciting.
Compared to The Only Way to Kill You which came out in 2012,
what really stands out or makes this LP something that really
represents the band now, or is a little bit
different from your past EP?
It’s like,
You have to picture it from a much larger perspective and
realize that every step along the way, until things are finally
done, there are steps of refinement. It’s not steps of, “Is this good
or is this bad?” That will drive you nuts.
There are probably at least a hundred songs written, there’s
probably 65-70 fully recorded demos where we’d spend lots of
the song has a life of its own and the recording is
just a photograph. You wouldn’t want to take a photograph
DD: I would say that this record more fully
represents the interests and personalities of
of your girlfriend and then just look at that. You want that
all three band members. Whereas The Only
picture, but then you want to go have dinner with her.
Way to Kill You was a record that we recorded
very very early on in the life of the band.
time actually recording. So there are plenty of songs that fell
Andrew had just moved out to Portland and he came out with
back to the earth under their own weight, it was obvious they
a number of songs that he had already written in West Virginia
weren’t the right songs.
and within maybe 2 or 3 months we had planned to make this
record and within 3 or 4 months it was made. It was one of those
I think the easiest way to describe the process is that there
things where we were a new band and we were wanting to be
were a number of songs that were centerpieces; they were sort
taken seriously as a new band, and one of the ways you can get
of the songs that everyone collectively agreed as the strongest
shows and get people interested in what you’re doing is having
songs on the album. They were the songs that you would build
recorded music.
the record around. Once you have those in place, it becomes
easier to see it all in context. It’s easier to see if the songs all
In the ensuing 5 years, we were able to really forge an identity
fit together, if they flow appropriately. Basically, are they all
as a band. So, by taking all that time and writing song after
serving the purpose of making this a great record versus just
song and learning from
great individual songs? At
mistakes, and everything
that point, you can kind of
that happens in that process,
cut off a number of other
we were really able to forge
songs, and then there’s a few
a sound that represented all
songs left and you have to
of us. I think that’s a major
bite the bullet, and sometimes
difference between the first
your favorite song doesn’t get
and the second record; we
on there.
did the hard work to figure
out what we wanted Greylag
WB: With this album, how
to sound like. This is our first
do you know when to take
serious effort where we are
your hands off of it and go,
making an artistic statement
“that’s as good as it’s going
as a band. The EP was just to
to get,” and “I know it’s never
get something out there and
going to get to perfect”?
get the ball rolling. This is our
DD: I would say that
first statement of an album
limitations are a really
that represents all of us.
important part of the creative
WB: So, you spent years,
process.
you must have had like 100
WB: Because you have to let
demos. How do the three of
go eventually, right?
you, with equal stakes, pare it
down to nine songs?
DD: You have to let go,
eventually. Really, I’ve found,
DD: Really, we’ve set this
that when you remove limits
thing up to be as much of
as an artist, it’s actually an
a democracy as possible.
inhibitor of creativity. If
Everyone has their own veto
you’re a painter, at some point
power, basically. If someone
you have to say, “Is this going
is like, “I’m not feeling that,”
to be a water color? Or pastel? What’s my color pallet going to be?
then you get outvoted for your idea. It can be really tough. I
What’s my subject matter going to be?” You have to limit things
would say the main difference between being in a band and
consistently before you can hone in the creativity.
being