You don't expect people to go, "music has just been reinvented!" But the hope is that people won't say, "this is the most boring clichรฉ." I mean, that's one of my pursuits, is trying to not become a clichรฉ, or get stuck in that. But even that's a clichรฉ in itself! It's difficult! But I think it's worth it.... It's a real vicious circle there.
Carey MercerLive is best. You have movement, and I think we should do as much as we can to put that sense of movement in the recorded music.
Carey MercerOne thing I've always been proud of is that vicious dichotomy between the pretty controlled, angular playing of the band, and my - I don't want to talk about myself as a 'wild man' or anything, but I have trouble staying on the beat.
Carey MercerIt's sort of cheesy to introduce that to the drums - those dings and dongs and bell sounds. That's definitely one of the reasons people are like 'oh yeah, they sound like Tom Waits, with those trashcan drums.' But at the same time, it sounds so good! And it introduces this... I mean, it's not tuned, but somehow it adds this extra layer of melodic texture.
Carey MercerThe whole idea of civilization as an understandable narrative is a bit nuts. It's the most problematic of delusions.
Carey MercerIt's like, symbolic language, the way that people approach dense poetry... it always bugs me, because that approach suggests that it's like a mystery novel, and that if you can put together the clues, you can come up with one singular answer.
Carey MercerYou don't expect people to go, "music has just been reinvented!" But the hope is that people won't say, "this is the most boring clichรฉ." I mean, that's one of my pursuits, is trying to not become a clichรฉ, or get stuck in that. But even that's a clichรฉ in itself! It's difficult! But I think it's worth it.... It's a real vicious circle there.
Carey Mercer