Last week I reviewed X by Super XX Man, a HUSH Records album I thoroughly enjoy. I then had an opportunity to interview Scott Garred of Super XX Man by email, and our conversation is posted below. I want to thank Scott for his time and answers, which are thoughtful and straightforward, much like his music.
I'm sure it can be odd or surreal reading reviews about your work. That said, if you'd like to correct, expound upon or comment on anything in my post about your album, please do.
First off, thanks for the review. I appreciate it, as does the team that makes Super XX Man so great today. I feel it is flattering to be referenced to a great literary icon such as Thoreau too... "simplify simplify simplify" is right. I look for the most direct approach as often as possible. I would consider myself a minimalist in that I take simple motifs and repeat them often. The lyric from Usual Way that you quote is important to me in that it sort of offers a resting point for that particular song and expands upon just what my usual way means. I don't want to take lyrics too far out of context though. I write pretty subconsciously and lyrics tend to just flow out of the melody. Sometimes words can become compromised if the melody does not allow room for inclusion.
Final important point in reference to the posting... I really love a good fruit smoothie.
I'm curious about your work "as a music therapist at The Oregon State Hospital maximum security wing." It sounds rewarding and challenging, to say the least. Can you tell me a little about your work and what drew you to this profession?
What drew me to the profession was a desire to do something with my music and people skills that was bigger than I would imagine doing while working as an audio engineer and touring to little avail. I thought to myself... "I can still play my own music... I can also make music with other people and help them accomplish nonmusical goals they are striving to achieve." I have my wife to thank. Michelle introduced me to the idea of being a music therapist.
I work with adult psychiatric patients because they are incredibly creative, and beautiful individuals who often get tagged with a negative rap. I make music with patients who have issues with substance abuse, lean towards aggression to solve problems, who have difficulties relating to other people, and who are also coping with severe mental illness such as Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Music Therapy is using music as a tool to accomplish nonmusical goals such as gaining insight and awareness into one's own life as affected by x, y, or z mental illness. Currently I'm building a rock band, which is designed to promote effective communication such as making eye contact and listening to one another's points of view.
What was the first song that you wrote, and what were the circumstances surrounding its creation?
Let's see... as Super XX Man it was a song that didn't get released and then Hearts and Stars, which made it on Vol. I. I had been playing in some of my first bands in Pullman, WA, while attending college at Wash. St. Univ. and discovered the beauty of a four track like loads of other folks. Sebadoh, Portastatic -- all very inspiring artists to me at the time. It was the first time I discovered what my voice sounded like, that a song could be like all by myself, etc...
On your MySpace page you list following influences: Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Muppet Movie, having a baby, Eric Metronome, life, decaf coffee, Tom Hudson, Peek-a-Boo Records mogul Travis Higdon, Shawn Camp's beautiful artwork, any body of water, my wife Michelle... Will you expound on a few and what's your favorite Willie Nelson album?
Favorite Willie album has to be Willie Nelson Sings Kris Kristofferson, simply because it's one of the greatest singers and songwriters interpreting the songs of one of the greatest songwriters I have musically known in my life. To hear Willie sing, "... He's a poet, he's a prophet... he's a walkin' contradiction partly truth and partly fiction... takin' every wrong direction on his lonely way back home..." is just priceless. Willie really understands the characters of songs he sings and his guitar playing is otherworldly if that's truly a word even. My good friend Dave McNair calls him the Buddha of Country music.
As far as the influences as listed on MySpace... just fun stuff really. The Muppet Movie is an all-time favorite. That scene where Gonzo rides off with the balloons and sings whatever song he does is really fun and all about freedom. Kermit is just a genius and his optimism is unmatched.
The friends I listed are all really close to me. Eric Metronome is a great person and songwriter. If you haven't heard Lime Green then you really need to find it, especially the first cassette version (sorry Eric! the new version is great but not as nostalgic for me as the tape you gave me long ago).
What art has been influencing you lately? Do you have a new favorite album or book you'd like to share with others?
Art? Hmm... I'm not sure. Shawn Camp is working on a painting right now to help us welcome our first child into this life. Just thinking about it is nice. I don't think I have a favorite book. I really love the new East River Pipe album and I think Lou Barlow's last one was great. Oh, it just came on the stereo! The new Smog.
My wife and I work on this blog together, so I'm curious about how you and your wife work together in Super XX Man.
My wife and I work great together. She genuinely loves the music and of course loves me. Michelle is the most humble musician I know. She's also generous beyond words. She will play totally to support the needs of the songs and she really understands what the songs need. I couldn't ask for a better helper musically. It's really fun to look her way when we play.
Leah and I have a guilty pleasure and its name is American Idol - what's yours?
Guilty pleasure... hmm... I would have to say Weird Al in 3D or bowling.
Your songs sound autobiographical - are most of your songs rooted in fact or fiction? If fact, can you tell me a little about the garage apartment and the phone number? Also, about the bottle caps, because I think I may have been there once.
They are mostly made up of personal experiences, sometimes putting myself in other peoples' shoes though. Vol. VI is all about my grandfather. The Garage Apartment song came out of a lonely period in Austin when I was moving out of a bad situation. I was riding around on my bike and passed by a garage apartment for rent. The only way I could remember the number was to put a melody to it, which is often how I write a lot of songs. I think you should call the number and see what's up.
The bottle caps song is of a fun personal experience Tom Hudson and I experienced in Austin while living in our first apartment. We watched the movie The Lonely Guy and joked about getting ferns. We drank beer on the weekends when we played music and recorded that song. The lyrics are mostly the answers to the puzzles under the caps.
Downloads:
Super XX Man | Garage Apartment [MP3]
Super XX Man | It's Simple [MP3]
Super XX Man | Stroll on Through New Orleans [MP3]
I'm sure it can be odd or surreal reading reviews about your work. That said, if you'd like to correct, expound upon or comment on anything in my post about your album, please do.
First off, thanks for the review. I appreciate it, as does the team that makes Super XX Man so great today. I feel it is flattering to be referenced to a great literary icon such as Thoreau too... "simplify simplify simplify" is right. I look for the most direct approach as often as possible. I would consider myself a minimalist in that I take simple motifs and repeat them often. The lyric from Usual Way that you quote is important to me in that it sort of offers a resting point for that particular song and expands upon just what my usual way means. I don't want to take lyrics too far out of context though. I write pretty subconsciously and lyrics tend to just flow out of the melody. Sometimes words can become compromised if the melody does not allow room for inclusion.
Final important point in reference to the posting... I really love a good fruit smoothie.
I'm curious about your work "as a music therapist at The Oregon State Hospital maximum security wing." It sounds rewarding and challenging, to say the least. Can you tell me a little about your work and what drew you to this profession?
What drew me to the profession was a desire to do something with my music and people skills that was bigger than I would imagine doing while working as an audio engineer and touring to little avail. I thought to myself... "I can still play my own music... I can also make music with other people and help them accomplish nonmusical goals they are striving to achieve." I have my wife to thank. Michelle introduced me to the idea of being a music therapist.
I work with adult psychiatric patients because they are incredibly creative, and beautiful individuals who often get tagged with a negative rap. I make music with patients who have issues with substance abuse, lean towards aggression to solve problems, who have difficulties relating to other people, and who are also coping with severe mental illness such as Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Music Therapy is using music as a tool to accomplish nonmusical goals such as gaining insight and awareness into one's own life as affected by x, y, or z mental illness. Currently I'm building a rock band, which is designed to promote effective communication such as making eye contact and listening to one another's points of view.
What was the first song that you wrote, and what were the circumstances surrounding its creation?
Let's see... as Super XX Man it was a song that didn't get released and then Hearts and Stars, which made it on Vol. I. I had been playing in some of my first bands in Pullman, WA, while attending college at Wash. St. Univ. and discovered the beauty of a four track like loads of other folks. Sebadoh, Portastatic -- all very inspiring artists to me at the time. It was the first time I discovered what my voice sounded like, that a song could be like all by myself, etc...
On your MySpace page you list following influences: Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Muppet Movie, having a baby, Eric Metronome, life, decaf coffee, Tom Hudson, Peek-a-Boo Records mogul Travis Higdon, Shawn Camp's beautiful artwork, any body of water, my wife Michelle... Will you expound on a few and what's your favorite Willie Nelson album?
Favorite Willie album has to be Willie Nelson Sings Kris Kristofferson, simply because it's one of the greatest singers and songwriters interpreting the songs of one of the greatest songwriters I have musically known in my life. To hear Willie sing, "... He's a poet, he's a prophet... he's a walkin' contradiction partly truth and partly fiction... takin' every wrong direction on his lonely way back home..." is just priceless. Willie really understands the characters of songs he sings and his guitar playing is otherworldly if that's truly a word even. My good friend Dave McNair calls him the Buddha of Country music.
As far as the influences as listed on MySpace... just fun stuff really. The Muppet Movie is an all-time favorite. That scene where Gonzo rides off with the balloons and sings whatever song he does is really fun and all about freedom. Kermit is just a genius and his optimism is unmatched.
The friends I listed are all really close to me. Eric Metronome is a great person and songwriter. If you haven't heard Lime Green then you really need to find it, especially the first cassette version (sorry Eric! the new version is great but not as nostalgic for me as the tape you gave me long ago).
What art has been influencing you lately? Do you have a new favorite album or book you'd like to share with others?
Art? Hmm... I'm not sure. Shawn Camp is working on a painting right now to help us welcome our first child into this life. Just thinking about it is nice. I don't think I have a favorite book. I really love the new East River Pipe album and I think Lou Barlow's last one was great. Oh, it just came on the stereo! The new Smog.
My wife and I work on this blog together, so I'm curious about how you and your wife work together in Super XX Man.
My wife and I work great together. She genuinely loves the music and of course loves me. Michelle is the most humble musician I know. She's also generous beyond words. She will play totally to support the needs of the songs and she really understands what the songs need. I couldn't ask for a better helper musically. It's really fun to look her way when we play.
Leah and I have a guilty pleasure and its name is American Idol - what's yours?
Guilty pleasure... hmm... I would have to say Weird Al in 3D or bowling.
Your songs sound autobiographical - are most of your songs rooted in fact or fiction? If fact, can you tell me a little about the garage apartment and the phone number? Also, about the bottle caps, because I think I may have been there once.
They are mostly made up of personal experiences, sometimes putting myself in other peoples' shoes though. Vol. VI is all about my grandfather. The Garage Apartment song came out of a lonely period in Austin when I was moving out of a bad situation. I was riding around on my bike and passed by a garage apartment for rent. The only way I could remember the number was to put a melody to it, which is often how I write a lot of songs. I think you should call the number and see what's up.
The bottle caps song is of a fun personal experience Tom Hudson and I experienced in Austin while living in our first apartment. We watched the movie The Lonely Guy and joked about getting ferns. We drank beer on the weekends when we played music and recorded that song. The lyrics are mostly the answers to the puzzles under the caps.
Downloads:
Super XX Man | Garage Apartment [MP3]
Super XX Man | It's Simple [MP3]
Super XX Man | Stroll on Through New Orleans [MP3]
