The Dodos
The Singing Lamb: So tell us a little bit about the new album!
Meric Long: Well, we recorded it in Seattle and we did that in April/May. We were touring basically till January of this year and then we stopped and we had a few months to write the record, we took two months to write the record then we started recording it! It’s kind of weird because we had ten days and we finished at the end of day nine.
Would you have liked more time?
Well in hindsight, I think so. There are a couple of things that I would like to go back and maybe just do more mixes of. But I mean, I’m happy with it. We’re very excited!
Touring and being on the road have always seemed to have influenced the themes of your songs. Is that still relevant on the new record?
I think it’s kind of the opposite. The timing of which we recorded it, having come off just touring for two years straight without any sort of break, I think plays a lot into some of the subject matters of the songs also kind of the pace of which we approached it. The last record, the songs weren’t totally done and we just started recording when we had time between tours. We were just going to record and see what happens. That’s how that record came together. And this was more like: stop touring, didn’t have anything else to do for two months except to write and just get settled and feel like human beings again. And in that regard, it was really nice because it was totally different form any writing, any record we’ve done in the past. It was like a homework assignment!
Is there a specific preference in terms of writing then? Would you rather write and record while on the road or when you’re settling at home?
I definitely say this way is much better. We had more focus and more time to work on the songs. Whether it’s better or not, it’s really your choice but it feels better. It feels better to just not be interrupted with a day job or driving or any stuff like that. It was first time I’ve experienced that; probably the best time I’ve had working on anything.
Speaking of day jobs, you were a line cook once? How was that?
It kind of sucked but it was alright. I’m totally a crazy food enthusiast but when you work in a restaurant, it kind of kills that theory a little bit. Having to work in a line, it’s the same thing over and over again. But it was fun!
Any good or bad work stories working as a line cook?
Well I used to work in this kitchen and their main thing was roasting chicken, which was what they were known for. And the way that they do it, they do it in this brick oven which is really dangerous. Everyone orders this chicken and it takes an hour to cook and you put it in this little platter and all this, and basically by the end of the night, the entire floor is covered in chicken grease and you’re using live fire so there would be so many times when the entire floor of the kitchen oven would just catch on fire! I used to work next to this other cook and I would open the door and fire would just burst out and I would look at him and he would scream! But thankfully, I never got seriously injured or burned.
That’s good! Would you ever consider writing a book about food, like Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand)?
Yeah, I haven’t read that and I want to because I think it’s a really good idea! Just today, we were sitting in Montreal and I had by far the best coffee I’ve ever had at this place called Cafe Rico and it got me thinking. We’ve travelled a lot and eaten a lot of stuff everywhere and thinking what’s the best this, what’s the best that, where’s the best BBQ… it would be fun to compile a list. I don’t know if anyone wants to read it but at least for myself; that would be cool! Yeah, maybe…I don’t know! They kind of beat us to the punch to that concept! I think it’s a really good idea; it’s fun to think about and talk about because it’s pretty endless!
You should blog about it!
Yeah, I just started doing Facebook so…I’m still new to the whole thing. This dude that I haven’t heard from in four years just sent me an e-mail the other day saying, ‘Hey dude, I saw that you weren’t on Twitter so I reserved the Dodos for Twitter. Here’s the password!’ and I was like, ‘Uh okay…’ It seems like a world you can’t turn back from. I don’t know if I would blog about it!
What should one expect from a live Dodos show?
We’re playing a lot of new songs so come with an open heart and a forgiving ear…
How has the reception been so far from audiences?
It’s been good! The first show we played after recording and taking a long break was in May at the Sasquatch Festival in Washington. We were really sick of the old songs, because we were playing them over and over again and we wanted to play a lot of new material but it wasn’t a smart thing to do at a festival! It’s just not the right setting to do that. I was just walking around and as an audience; I was just like, ‘Man I just want to hear the hits!’ But given that, it went well! People stuck around and they clapped!
Is there a reason why you always sit while playing?
Well, I’m not sitting anymore…
Oh no?
No! The reason why was because I play the acoustic guitar and that’s just the style of playing…I don’t know. I guess it was just more comfortable to sit down. But I’m slowly getting used to standing up; it’s like a totally different world! The first couple of shows standing I just didn’t know what to do…I felt naked.
Do you feel more comfortable now?
Yeah, it’s really fun! It’s fun to have the freedom. I kind of feel stupid for not doing it sooner!
Ha! Okay final question: if you were a singing animal, what would you be?
A hyena.
Why?
I don’t know…because they’re annoying! And they giggle all the time!
For more from the Dodos,
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/thedodos
Make sure to catch them tonight at the Phoenix, opening for Beirut! This is a sold out show.
