I'm really happy that people are starting to hear my band, and we are so happy to be conduits for all this other happiness, and this emotional response. So, I can't be like, "that doesn't matter to me, I'm an artist, I exist apart from that!" But on the other hand, if you buy into that too much, you're setting yourself up... if I start thinking, "well, people at the show really liked one song, maybe I should write more songs like that," then I'm in trouble.
Carey MercerWe're a live band. Some bands write their songs in the studio - we don't do that. We're playing songs on this tour that were written three days before the tour. And it feels good to try these songs.
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 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 MercerThe whole idea of civilization as an understandable narrative is a bit nuts. It's the most problematic of delusions.
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 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