Paging Mr. Brock

Dec. 17, 2009

Glacial Pace Recordings
c/o Isaac K. Brock
4110 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
PO Box No. 448
Portland, OR 97214

Isaac:

I would like to write a Modest Mouse compendium, with your permission.
Obviously, you didn't prefer the liberties a previous writer took when attempting to "document" the band's story by piecing together a book from questionable, if not wholly inaccurate, articles.
That is not what I am proposing.
The compendium would simply be a print companion for Modest Mouse fans, musicologists, and guitar nuts. It would include, with permission, session notes from: the shed, Dub Narcotic, Moon, Clava, Sweet Tea, Glacial Pace - among other studios - and any other home studio recording notes you would be willing to provide.
The Modest Mouse-like compendium would also include album release dates, any permissible artwork I can track down, Pat and Naheed photos, and notes on the approach the band took before, during and after the works' release.
It would be the kind of book that I scour the music section of book stores for - detailed, accurate and concise. It would shed light on the more technical aspects of your recording career.
Topics would include: Why you first screamed into your pick-ups; use of Floyd Rose and the delay; the shed recordings; Eric's bass technique and foray into other stringed instruments; Jeremiah and Joe's progressive drumming approach; Tom and Johnny's composition additions and would include some of your favorite production techniques and tricks.
Ultimately, I also envision it as a way for true friends and fans to better understand your guys' work, your personal influence and a brief history behind and somewhat beyond the records.
I don't want it to get too personal beyond inclusion of some selected lyrics and three of your favorite culinary recipes to close the book.
For now, this is a developing idea. I am prepared to take my time and wait for your ideas and edits that would better mold the compendium any way you see fit.

Thank you for thinking about this. I think the compendium would tandem nicely with the planned re-release of MM works on Glacial Pace. And I look forward to hearing from you.



Steve

Self-addressed stamped envelope enclosed.

Trimming the edges - A Modest Mouse-like compendium.

A compendium: is a concise, yet comprehensive compilation of a body of knowledge. A compendium may summarize a larger work.

And this is the idea I've been kicking around: A Modest Mouse-like Compendium.

A short book that would work in tandem with the group's music catalog. It would give dates and back stories to their recordings. It would, in all likelihood, not include any input from the band. Which, I have to say, is unfortunate. But, I'm going to write Isaac a letter, asking him what he thinks, and if it's OK.

While I don't need his permission, I'd certainly appreciate it.

Jeremiah Green

Jeremiah Green's drumming is comparable to an out-of-work habachi chef.
He feels comfortable - at home even - with fire at his fingertips. He deftly manages to balance workmanlike performances with brash flashes of creativity.
You can tell he's in the pocket when he brandishes an outlaw, bank-robbin' bandana look.

The chef is constantly in preparation - dicing and slicing his musical cuisine - but still in synchronized symbiosis with fellow drummer Joe Plummer. Green oftentimes matches his sous chef beat-for-beat, producing a cauchopnous display of percusssion not seen or heard since the days of The Dead.
Green, however, is a bit more free and wild-eyed than the placid Plummer. His creations are a delight; wild, spicy and served on time.

So that'sssssss what he was talking about

In an earlier post MM guitar tech Brian Watson referred to the Dirty Dozen Brass Band's contribution to the new Modest Mouse tunes.
At first I had no idea what he was talking about. Until I heard this, the latest single "Perpetual Motion Machine".
More Cosby intro than vintage MM, the single features the eight-piece brass ensemble Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
I have preordered the single (which features the as-of yet unreleased track "History Sticks To Your Feet") just like 4,000 of my friends and am anticipating the final 7-inch vinyl's release, due July 21.

Re-vid

Great video, decent fidelity. Check it.

Taking in the recycling

Isaac's guitar tech of the last three years, Brian Watson, has been kind to this site.

Most recently, we asked him what effects, if any, Isaac was using on the band's recent release "Whale Song". Here's his nearly unedited reply.

"those pedals are pretty much the same as used on these recent live tours; the boss PS-5 is one of the only pedals being used in that song. i think he recorded some overdubs with a '64 fender deluxe, but not sure, and don't know what johnny was using on that. for as much as is going on in that song, there aren't that many effects on isaac's parts. that part and maybe 1-2 others were recorded in the studio, the rest were tracked in isaac's home studio. many of the songs on the new EP feature outtakes from the "good news" sessions that have been re-written, including some recycled DDBB [Dirty Dozen Brass Band?] parts."

Some rad video of PS-5 in action.
Good to know ... wondering if Isaac's "home studio" is actually home to Glacial Pace Recordings. One has to assume ...

He's in the band, and he's not in the band

Johnny Marr is a great guitarist whose skills are always in demand.
But in this June 13 interview w/BBC, Marr hinted that he'll be spending the forseeable future playing guitar out of the back of a Cribs van.
Marr was also quoted as saying Modest Mouse was on a "vague hiatus" due to Isacc's involvement on what is, presumably, a music soundtrack.
Hmmm ... I know Isaac was involved with The Flaming Lips' "Christmas on Mars", a recent surf documentary "180 Degrees South" and, most recently, the music documentary "The Heart Is A Drum Machine" ... but a nice block of tour dates that begins in August goes against Marr's comments that Modest Mouse is being vague or on hiatus.
Isaac's really diggin' on film projects lately. I've been meaning to see them, but as of yet have been unable to do so ...
Nonetheless, Sounds like Marr ain't going to show up with the band anytime soon. Jim Fairchild will, no doubt, provide solid backing as he did on the last tour.
Hat tip: Johnny's comments were first reported by www.interstate-8.com.

The final vinyl (CD)

It's here (almost).
The true, full-length version of Modest Mouse's latest studio album will be released Aug. 4 on CD and Aug. 17 on vinyl according to the fine folks over at Interstate-8.com
Have to say that after luke-warm initial impressions of the live versions, the alubum is shaping up to be/become an expansive rock statement.
As usual - you've got the somewhat quiet ones (Autumn Beds) which devolve into loud ones (again, Autumn Beds and Guilty Cocker Spaniels), among others.
In another positive move IMO, the band's corp. site www.modestmousemusic.com has inserted what appears to be your own personal, iTunes style player that delves into the band's catalog as far back as Nasty Parlour Tricks (a truly great roadtrip album just like all the early records).
Currently I'm diggin' on "Baron Von Bullshit Rides Again" a snapshot of the band's live performance. If you don't own this album (or any live MM for that matter) it comes highly recommended. It's a much better purchase than The Moon & Antarctica's reissue (which contains only two live songs, w/bleeped lyrics).
I know Isaac wanted to remix and reissue the Moon with his own money and Sony eventually agreed to reissue the classic indie album, w/the addition of a few songs recorded during BBC radio sessions.
But again - not worth it. Go with the Baron.

MoMoPhotos

These are a few select photos from Twin Cities photographer Kyle Dreher, who shot the Mouse at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul when the band opened for R.E.M. this past winter. Show was a little flat, but the pics are pretty good.
On a related topic, I sent some questions to Modest Mouse photographer Pat Graham ...

Banjomama: Isaac and crew run through Satin in a Coffin

Isaac and the sunray:
Oi! Tom Peloso (multi-instrumentalist) and Eric Judy (multi-instrumentalist) run through a tune.

Hey.

With the impeding release of the new Modest Mouse EP, and its prerequisite single containing "Satellite Skin" and "Guilty Cocker Spaniels", it got me thinking:
What are the best back-to-back Modest Mouse songs?
For my money, "Positive Negative (You Breathe Out, I Breathe In)" and "Other People's Lives" off of Building Nothing Out of Something are, perhaps, the best one-two punch in the Modest Mouse catalog.
The tunes drip with a general malaise of melancholia. Isaac's guitar has never sounded better, and his doubled vocals sound young and fresh.
Granted, these tunes weren't released as singles, and they are the final two songs on the album. However, it's worth noting that nothing Modest Mouse has released before or since has been as stellar and originally heart-breaking as these two songs.
Check them out, let me know what you think ...

A surf. Rock. Band.

Electric guitarist Isaac K. Brock, multi-instrumentalist Tom Peloso, and multi-instrumentalist Eric Judy collaborated with Shins' lead singer James Mercer (probable payback for Mercer's vocal additions on We Were Dead ...) last spring, apparently adding some grooves to a soon-to-be released and striking surf flick "180 Degrees South".
Chances are the Surf Rock Band From The Land of Plenty aren't going to sound much like Jack Johnson. Probably just a shake of Floyd Rose and a dab of accordian and violin.

Here's a relavant excerpt from the Pitchfork (James Mercer) interview (in lieu of link):

However, one collaboration with another famous indie band that he would talk about was a film soundtrack he worked on with Modest Mouse. It's for the film 180 Degrees South, a documentary by surfing filmmakers the Malloy Brothers. Mercer explained, "Early last spring I went to Chile with a production company that was doing a documentary about a guy who travels to Chile and he runs in with these people who are doing some environmental work down there. So I was invited to come down to Chile while they were filming it because they thought that I might be able to write some music for it. I worked with Isaac Brock on it. We just kind of watched footage after I came back and got inspired and we put together some music."

In addition to Brock, Mercer worked on the soundtrack with Modest Mouse members Plummer, Eric Judy, and Tom Peloso. Mercer described the soundtrack as, "Definitely more soundscapes. I did a lot of acoustic guitar work, Isaac did some electric guitar, Eric Judy has like an accordion thing he was doing and of course playing bass, and then violin." You can hear a snippet of the mostly instrumental soundtrack in the film's trailer here.

Oh, yeah. Interview says Joe "The" Plummer is now a member of The Shins. MM Photog Pat Graham says, however, he's still a member of Modest Mouse. As is Johnny Marr. And Isaac K. Brock.
Full interview if you really want it.

Do you really live in a VW Bus?

No One's First And You're Next August

Happy St. Pat's!

Brooklyn Vegan is reporting that Modest Mouse will release an eight-song EP "No One's First And You're Next" in August.
Update: Interstate 8 says its Aug. 4.
But first, a 7-inch vinyl with "Satellite Skin" and "Guilty Cocker Spaniels" is likely to be released April 18 (out digitally April 21), the site reports. It will be the first of four 7-in vinyls containing the singles before the EP is released.

Sounds like the Mouse is maximizing its profits here ...

Though the band hasn't confirmed any other releases, New Jersey record store Vintage Vinyl reports MM will offer three more singles before releasing the eight-song EP.
"Modest Mouse will be releasing four 7-inch singles, 2 songs on each single, all leading up to the 8-song EP No One’s First and You’re Next in early August. The first 7” will be on orange vinyl, is housed in a three-panel embossed sleeve and arrives just in time for Record Store Day."

Modest Mouse will also perform on Letterman on Wednesday, Feb. 18.

Modest Mouse's previous EPs (Interstate 8, Building Nothing Out of Something, Everywhere and His Nasty Parlor Tricks) have arguably outdone their full-length studio records, so I'm interested to hear this BECAUSE it's an EP.

Interstate-8.com reports likely tracks:
1. Satellite Skin
2. Guilty Cocker Spaniels
3. Whale Song
4. King Rat
5. I've Got It All (Most)
6. Tie The Lake Down?
7. History?
8. Something else?


Others?

Brock appears on Mimicking Birds' latest?

Modest Mouse lead singer/guitarist sneaks his way on to Mimicking Birds lead singer/guitarists latest song "The Loop".

Perhaps by now you have heard of Mimicking Birds, the Portland-based easy-indie band that has seemingly appropriated a Brockian guitar part for "The Loop's" main hook. But what you may not have heard is the subtle vocal additions to the song on the Glacial Pace site.
For one reason or another, Brock's vocals show up in the form of a faint howl. Later, a creeky door closes and a few subtly textured Wicks Guitar parts seem to work their way into the mix.

Did Brock add them? I'm assuming so. Does Lacy know? I'm sure he does. What does this mean? Who the eff knows. But one thing's for sure: The Loop streaming on Glacial Pace is different than the version on MySpace. Just enjoy the music. It is my hope that Isaac Brock and the meaning of life will soon reveal themselves.

The Dude: on the road with Modest Mouse roadie

Isaac Brock's "half moon" guitar pedal set-up. Shown here at Visalia Fox Theatre soundcheck.

If you haven't seen it yet, perhaps the best "inside look" at the Modest Mouse stage show can be seen from MM guitar tech Brian's road blog. His smooth, concise writing and capable pictures already make it more interesting than A Pretty Good (HA!) Read.
Whether he's lifting weights on a mic box or trading Big Lebowski quotes with fellow roadeyes, Brian manages to deftly allow the average fan/guitar nerd close access to a notoriously closed-door band.

News Cut: Modest Mouse news and notes

Modest Mouse photog all a-Twitter:
Standout photog and all-around cool guy Pat Graham has begun posting blow-by-blow accounts of the latest Modest Mouse mini tour on Twitter. No, Isaac Brock hasn't been picking fights this tour ... yet. But Graham has done a Yeoman's work, posting tidbits from the bus and links to his latest shots (The Londoner has been shooting the band since the 90s).

This is in addition to Graham's sweet Modest Mouse concert prints available for purchase on ImageKind.
And you can see his work, of course, on the mimimalist band site, which Graham all but owns.
On top of ALL of this, Graham's "photo zine" documenting Modest Mouse's 2008 tour arrived Saturday at my office (apartment).

He's been a busy man and we hope he keeps up the good Tweets (God, I hate that word).

In other news I just sent questions to the Mimicking Birds' Nate Lacy ...

Adam Sandler vs. Isaac Brock

So I have to get this off my chest: I'm assuming Isaac was watching "The Wedding Singer" on the bus when he came up with "Satellite Skin". Let me know if you agree.
First, Adam Sandler

Next, Isaac Brock


Hmm ... intros sounds quite alike ... thoughts?

Modest Mouse v. 4.5

Note new "member" Jim Fairchild.
Photo illustration by yours truly.

Great success!

I've been added to Modest Mouse's press release list. So hopefully more news is good news for people who love bad news.
News.

Mouse scratch tour date, seek more cheese

The Mouse's scheduled performance at Langerado Festival has been cancelled, along with every band's performances, due to "dismal ticket sales." No word yet on whether the tour stop will made up, scrapped all together. Still haven't heard back from MM publicist world world weekly. Thinking about cancelling my subscription.
I wonder if the EP will be released before tour? Or at all?
P.S. Looks like the band is now planning a 20-date tour that starts in Eugune, Ore. Friday, Feb. 20 and ends in NYC March 15.
But will they pick up Johnny along the way? Let's hope not. Will they stop in the great Midwest on their way back to the ORE? Why not.

Mouse and the Birds head south

Pitchfork is announcing a 12-date Modest Mouse bus tour from early Feb.-early March.
The tour starts in Oakland and ends in Atlanta. Heads south.
Not surprisingly, the tour is without Johnny Marr, busy working on The Cribs's new record.
In his sted will be former Grandaddy guitarist and fellow Oregonian Jim Fairchild, Pitchfork reports. That rhymed.
Mimicking Birds will provide tour support. I'm assuming the fans will dig him/them, much as they did when Isaac had Mason Jennings open up a few years back.
More later ...

Isaac's haberdashery

Photo by Pat Graham. www.modestmouse.com

Welcome. You may have seen him wear this hat. Pretty sweet. Water fowl proof.

Brock signs Mimicking Birds

Isaac Brock's own label, Glacial Pace Recordings, has reportedly signed yet another band, Mimicking Birds, to its growing canon of Love As Laughter (who released "Holy," in 2008) and former label-mate Mason Jennings (whose one-and-done "Boneclouds," was released in 2006).

The latest signing (apparently, the 'Birds were signed earlier this year) was not announced on Glacial Pace's website, or really even discussed in the blogosphere, as best I can tell.

Initial reaction to the 'Birds' EP "Not an album, just songs": lead singer, songwriter, composer Nate Lacy (pictured) sounds like a more barren Shannon Hoon, his lyrics dreamy, rich, and his delivery quite dry. Lacy, who layed down the sparce recordings on a four-track, has added a few backups for live shows. Tim Skellenger provides "supplementary/lead guitar" and Aaron Hanson, drums.

Not a whole lot more information is available on the Portland-based Mimicking Birds. Will update when I receive more info from Isaac's publicist.