He answers!
1. In the song "A Good Living", the chorus line "If you can't make a good living" can be misheard as "If you can't let go completely". Was this intentional?
1. Interesting, no it was not intentional...I just listened to it and I guess it could sound like I'm singing that...Who knew..
2. I love the Fashion Focus and it's a good title but why did the working title "The Sad Lives of the Hollywood Lovers" get dropped?
2. Just one of those things where you change your mind. I thought the Fashion Focus fit in better with the lyrics and the overall feel of the record. I always intended to make another record and use that as a title, but just never found one that I thought would fit it.
3. Do you have any pets? And if so what?
3. Ya, we bought our daughter a pug and named her Francis.
4. What exactly inspired the islandy/beach/surfy vibe on the album My Island?
4. I have always loved the tone and style of "surf music", and have had bits of it on every album we have made, just some more than others.
5. The B-side of The Fashion Focus bonus disc has two names: the record jacket calls it "Never Had a Name" and the record label calls it "Never Had One." Which one is correct?
5. Not to sure which one was first, I think it was just a misprint between the working title and the final title of the song.
6. Your vocals sound quite different on your later records; they sound a lot deeper and stronger from Old onwards. Did you just change your recording technique for vocals, or have you had some kind of vocal training?
6. When we first started making records the kind of music I was into was inspired by bands like the Boo Radleys, Chapterhouse, MBV etc, where it was was a lot of washed out guitars with layers of vocals sung in a soft high register. Thru time I just wasn't really into that vibe any more and started singing a lower register which was more comfortable for me to do. As far as vocal training, I have never had any, but if I did and heard myself on the records I think I would ask for a refund.
7. How did you get into singing to begin with?
7. I just wanted to be a guitar player but at the time there was no one else to "sing" so I just started doing it...I had no intentions of being the front man for a band, and still consider myself to be a guitar player first who reluctantly gets stuck singing on records.
8. Who plays bass on "Dial M"?
8. Steve Dail who also played on My Island, and pretty much everything else I have recorded in the last few years.
9. Who is the Daniel Brigham that remixed "Pearl of Great Price" for Ghosts of the Future?
9. He is a buddy of mine from Nashville who does remixes and was kind enough to do that track for the Ghosts series.
10. What do you think about some band returns, such as New Order, Jesus and Mary Chain, Dinosaur Jr and, most recently, My Bloody Valentine? Would you like to see the concerts of these bands nowadays?
10. I think it is really cool, those are some of my favorite bands...If I could see them at a small enough venue where I could actually see the show I would be totally into it.
11. What's Andrew Larson up to these days?
11. I have been talking to him quite a bit lately. He is a building inspector for a construction company.
12. How much do I have to pay to: a) Get you to play in England? b) Get Old on vinyl?
12. Three plane tickets, enough money to cover expenses and time off work, and a way to not have me sit on a plane for 12 hours to get there
As far as the Old album, that might happen at some point so that would probably be only about $15
13. Speaking of which, do you know why the planned Old double-10" vinyl was cancelled?
13. Not too sure what happened, but it is the goal to at some point have all of the Sf albums available on vinyl
14. Can't get the link to work....sorry.
15. Are there any plans for a Brothers Martin encore album?
15. No plans as of right now, but it would be fun to do another round of songs.
16. What comes first, lyrics or music?
16. I am always writing music, so when it comes time to do a record I start putting vocal on songs after the music is done and decide from there which ones should go on the record.
17. Who is the girl on the back and inside cover of the "she's the queen" e.p.?
17. That is the owner of Tooth and Nail records mother at her prom in the 60's.
Thanks a lot for taking the time to answer these.
Glad to do it, thanks for the questions.
