Q&A
Thu 12/11, 8 PM, Metro, 3730 N. Clark, 773-549-0203, $25, 18+.
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I am a big fan of how Kubrick used music. He just understood it so well. You watch the opening of 2001, 14 or 15 minutes, there is no dialogue. He just totally got it. I also really enjoyed the Jonny Greenwood music in There Will Be Blood. It helps paint a picture of the world you’re about to enter.
I’ve heard that Mercury Rev doesn’t plan out a song and lyrics, then go into the studio to record—instead you use an organic group process, and are apt to convene and simply let the tape roll. Can you elaborate on what actually happens in the studio?
Snowflake Midnight is made up of many of these moments, or strange juxtapositions…. We were experimenting with this technique throughout. I do think that it is a valid representation of the way the world can work, though. Even when things look the most ominous, there is always the potential for extreme beauty.
Who is that gorgeous cat in the album art for Snowflake Midnight?
I guess we never considered ourselves in or out of the mainstream. The live show, and the reaction of the audience, can vary wildly from night to night, depending on where we are. Last night we played in Copenhagen, Denmark, and the crowd was very vocal, cheering, singing, and smiling. On other nights, the crowd can be a little more contemplative—some of it has to do with cultural differences, I think. Our show can be pretty intense, though—there’s quite a bit going on both musically and visually. It’s a lot to take in.
