PubliCola: How’s block party been so far?
Tony: It’s cool. To even be playing at the same event as Sonic Youth is unbelievable.
PubliCola: How do you think your show went?
Braydn: Great!
Eric: I think Seattle is still getting acquainted to us
PubliCola: You guys have been in a band together since high school right?
Eric: Well, no, not really
John: We’re all from Anacortes, we all grew up within a half mile radius of each other
Braydn: But we were in different high school bands. My band used to hate [John's] band
Publicola: Why?
John: Because we were better
PubliCola: So did you guys write all your songs together [in Anacortes]?
John: Well, I’ve written lyrics in a bunch of different places. In Canada, in Kenya
PubliCola: Kenya?
John: I volunteered at an orphanage there for a while. I was there when Obama was elected and the night of the election I had to stay in a hotel because if he lost there would have been riots, but he won and it was like Jesus came back, people were waving palm fronds. I’d like to go back someday.
Eric: We can go back together and ride bikes at night without helmets
John: At night? No not at night, there are hippos on the roads then
PubliCola: Hippos are really dangerous
Eric: Can you out run a hippo?
John: They will destroy you
John: Where I stayed at night I could hear the hippos outside and these, like, alien insects and I was there, in my bed under a mosquito net with a headlamp on, just scrawling lyrics in a notepad.
PubliCola: You guys met [super producer/ Deathcab for Cutie member] Chris Walla?
Eric: He was really grounded
John: It was nice, we touched base about our record, what he liked what he thought we should change. He basically said he liked our core sound.
Tony: Which is nice to hear from someone you really respect
John: We just got a new manager, a new booking agent. It’s really a family feel. Everyone is from the Seattle area or Washington or whatever. I feel like we’re building something, we’re trying to master our craft and we’ve got a team of supportive people. Hopefully we’re growing into something.
Eric: (smiling) Things are happening.
Tweet
Hippos are really dangerous.
Hippos are like the most dangerous animal on the planet. Partially because they are so adorable, and partially because they are so deadly, but mostly because of a combination of the two.
♫ The More You Know ♫
John Van Deusen is one of the most talented musicians I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. If you haven’t already, check out his solo stuff:
http://www.myspace.com/andthemoonbestillasbright
Download the free album he’s posted. There are a ton of songs but it is well worth the time.
John Van Deusen is one of the most talented musicians I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. If you haven't already, check out his solo stuff:
http://www.myspace.com/andthemoonbestillasbright
Download the free album he's posted. There are a ton of songs but it is well worth the time.