Deer Tick: Tornado of Hate (& Interview)
In anticipation of their new album, Divine Providence, John McCauley and the guys created a full-length hip-hop album and leaked it as the real thing. Seriously. It’s pretty fucking crazy. Here, listen for yourself:
PLUS: John McCauley did an hour-long live “chat” (message board style) on reddit.com today. I asked as many questions as I could, some general journalistic-type, some personal or curious…Not everything was answered, and when it was, not always answered seriously or fully. Regardless, here’s what I got back:
Z: Are you going to bring back the box of silly string for your next Denver show on the 10th?
John McCauley: Roman Candles are the new silly string.
Z: Do you think that music (or art in general) is more powerful to the artist as its being created and performed, or to the listener as its being received and interpreted?
JM: That’s a great question. Music has different meanings for different people… that’s one of the great things about it. Sometimes a song I write can have a very different meaning to me than to a listener. But that doesn’t make the song any less valuable as long as the listener is taking something meaningful from it.
Z: If someone were to hear you for the first time, would you rather they hear you live or on record?
JM: Depends on their own preferences, I guess.
Z: Do you have a personal favorite song you’ve written? Not necessarily your “best” song, but rather the one that’s closest to you?
JM: Nah, that’s like picking a favorite kid.
Z: All-time, top 3-5 favorite songwriters?
JM: Paul Westerburg, John Prine, Kurt Cobain, Weird Al
Z: If you died tomorrow, would you be satisfied with what you’ve accomplished musically?
JM: No, not until Weird Al parodies one of our songs.
Z: Ever plan on releasing a covers LP?
JM: Maybe, we’ll see.
Z: Any smaller bands that you’re a fan of that you’d like to see get the exposure that they deserve? Any RI locals?
JM: Rafay Rashid, The Shivers, Liz Isenberg, Atlantic Thrills, Dead People, Virgin Forest
Z: After your last show in Aspen, I jumped on stage and stole your setlist, entitled “Deer Tick And Deer Ticker”…then, as we were cleaning up silly string, I asked you to sign it and I couldn’t tell if you were amused or pissed off at me for having done that. Care to clarify?
JM: We were probably just really drunk.
