Q&A with Detroit's Zoos of Berlin, Creators of Good Music

I first heard about Zoos of Berlin from Zoos of Berlin. Keyboardist Will Yates emailed me through this blog with some music on their newest release, Taxis. I was typically behind and it took me a while to play it through, but I'm really glad I did! Their music is very upbeat and slightly chaotic in structure (which is nice for my A.D.D.) and the rounded, laid-back vocals pull everything together just perfectly. It's a polished and sophisticated sound, and I am a fan. Head to their MySpace page HERE to check them out.

Have a read below to learn more about their DIY production and release methods, childhood influences, their take on today's music industry, some of their favorite bands in Detroit, and more.

This classy, lounge-pop act is heading to the Empty Bottle on Thursday, March 25. Hopefully I will see you there!

Music Per Diem: Zoos of Berlin have a uniquely familiar sound. There's no one direction I could point someone when trying to describe your music; however, I believe mentioning the likes of Bowie, Jens Lekman, Sufjan Stevens and Of Montreal should give someone a relatively close place to start. It's a big-band, lounge-pop sound that feels like receiving a long hug in the warm sun while slightly intoxicated. In an interview with Motor City Rocks, keyboardist Will Yates mentioned that ZOB tries to keep the sound "weird and fresh without getting too far away from being a pop band." Who did you all listen to growing up that likely influenced today's ZOB sound? I love that there's a trumpet in your songs, how did that instrument get involved? I hear you're writing new music, how different is the sound you're making now from Taxis?

COLLIN: (drums) I grew up on the classic and prog rock of the 60s, 70s and 80s since I had a mother who was quite young when she had me and loved to listen to rock and roll loud and dance around. Stuff like Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, The Beatles, Elton John, The Who, Bowie. Then when I got older I got into crazy metal bands like Slayer and hardcore punk like the Dead Kennedys and Bad Brains. But over the last twenty years my tastes have evolved from working on many records with a diverse range of artists, including Carl Craig, Denaun Porter and Erase Errata.

DANIEL: (vocals, bass) My taste in music was formed by listening to my father's record collection, which ranged from the familiar to the obscure. As a kid I listened most to the Beatles and classical recordings. The decision to start making my own music was made chiefly under the influence of Guided by Voices, however much my methods now differ from Robert Pollard's. His example showed me where to start.

TREVOR: (vocals, guitar) My father used to sing me to sleep by playing Cat Stevens songs on an acoustic guitar. My parents had a record collection stacked tightly on a low shelf and I remember having access to Mason Williams, Fleetwood Mac, ABBA, the 2001: A Space Odyssey soundtrack. TV music was a big influence as well. My father loved PBS and science fiction and I'd get a thrill from the intro to "Doctor Who." I think it's still one of my all-time favorite pieces of music. "Magic Shadows" was another one. (Along with the music, the artwork in the intro was visually influential for me.)

WILL: (keyboards) I grew up playing classical piano. As a young child I absolutely loved (still do) Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker ballet, and then later on I got heavily into playing Debussy on the piano. I got into rock listening to the radio in middle school, and I fell head over heels in love with Smashing Pumpkins' "Siamese Dream" album, and then Radiohead's "OK Computer". Some other major influences for me were the pop-rock of Sloan, Elliott Smith and Ben Folds Five, and some abstract electronic stuff like Autechre and Plastikman.

DANIEL: I might hazard the guess that our new material will be somewhat sparser and darker, but it's hard to say how it will all turn out. We spent many years tightening our playing before we recorded "Taxis." Our new studio allows us to be more spontaneous, and I think the songs will sound much fresher, more cohesive. We won't be covering the same ground again.

TREVOR: The new record... there's a feeling of confidence and joy that's going into the music.

MPD: I really admire the effort put into self-recording and releasing your album, Taxis. The album sounds amazing, and the promotional support has certainly captured people’s attention. It obviously helps having a recording engineer in the band, drummer Collin Dupuis, but I’d like to understand more of how the self-recording process went. Did Collin manage all the recording process, or did other members contribute specific skills? What were the band’s priorities in terms of sound quality? I read in a previous interview with Real Detroit Weekly that some of these songs originated six years ago – how much did the songs change from creation to recording? How much are you able to replicate your recorded sound in your live performances?

COLLIN: Yes, I did most of the engineering. Since I have been making records professionally for a while, it made sense to delegate the engineering stuff to me. Plus we used all of my equipment so I know it better than anyone. Sound quality is always important to us but not to the point where it gets in the way of experimentation. I do like lo-fi sounds used in the middle of really good sounding recordings. I love distortion but blended in so that it is not completely obvious that you are listening to a distorted sound.

DAN: Collin deserves much of the credit for the recordings, but we're all detail-oriented, perfectionist types with a surplus of opinions - finding a way to incorporate the input of every member has sometimes slowed us down, but that has always been the aim of the band. With "Taxis," we strove for a sound that was both polished and natural, but the performances were those we'd spent years honing in concert. With our new record, we may find ourselves learning to play songs after having written and recorded them.

MPD: I understand that Zoos of Berlin also took a DIY strategy to releasing the music. As someone who sends and receives a good deal of press releases and music samples, I can understand the amount of work sometimes required to get attention. In an interview with Motor City Rocks, Will mentions he actually enjoys the work involved in releasing and promoting the music. What types of things do Will and the band do themselves to spread the music? Are there any aspects of the release process you outsourced? Your efforts successfully attracted the attention of Pitchfork and Brooklyn Vegan, what promotion would you consider the most influential to date? Your upcoming Chicago show is part of tour covering 18 cities, was the tour logistics handled in-house by Zoos of Berlin too? Lastly, you released a music video for “Black in the Sun Room,” what role did the band play in the concept and visual creation?

WILL: I started working on promoting this band a couple years ago, when we released our first EP. I had never tried doing promo before, but I've been really enjoying it. I started just with our Detroit networks, talking to musicians we knew and writers who had covered them, and I've built up my Rolodex from there. We've done almost everything ourselves, but we did use the promo company AAM for mailing "Taxis" CDs out to college radio, just to get our foot in some doors. They mailed the CDs, and I did all the follow-ups.

Our upcoming tour is with another Detroit band called Child Bite. Shawn from Child Bite and I put together this tour for the most part, but Shawn gets most of the credit.

For the "Black in the Sun Room" video, Trevor (our de facto art director) found a video director (Chicago-based Adam Lonczynski) he liked whose style meshes well with ours, and we let Adam take it from there.

MPD: Something I love hearing from artists is their opinion on how to best release new music in today’s environment. There are so many variables to consider, and I don’t think we’ve discovered the hands-down best strategy yet. What are your thoughts on releasing music for free, versus for a price? As a physical CD or digital format? Should music be released in a full-length, EP or single format? On a label or independently distributed? Personally, I believe in general that releasing free content regularly is one of the best things an artist can do – whether it be blog posts, video diaries, pictures, tweets or new music. As an artist, where do you see the industry heading?

TREVOR: Art, on the internet, is like sand. It slips so easily through the hands of those that try to control it. It's an infinite place and there are always people who will find a way to be smarter and faster than the corporations/controllers... they'll get what they want for free and with no hassle. There's a beauty to that kind of freedom and access. On the other hand, I am a major fan of album art and I am concerned that it could go away. I need that physical object. But ultimately, I just want people to hear everything without a limit or a price tag. Truthfully, I was really happy to see "Taxis" leak on Rapidshare and Megaupload.

WILL: There's no question that to be a musician these days you've got to be OK with giving your music away for free. It's not the 90s anymore. On the other hand, we do actually see sales on online services like iTunes, despite the fact that you could find our album for free somewhere if you tried hard enough, so that's heartening.

Now that cassettes have become cool again I think it's only a matter of time before the CD gets an ironic revival, haha. But seriously, we have CDs because people still buy them, and they seem to still be the standard when it comes to doing promo. Personally I still buy CDs because the quality is still better than your average download.

I think indie bands are best served by releasing full-lengths, since that's what their fans are generally most interested in. For mainstream pop though, I think it would be awesome if they just gave up on albums and switched back to the business model where artists had to have a hit single every month instead of a hit album every four years.

I think no one is really sure where the music industry is headed, but personally I'm excited about what the future holds for Zoos of Berlin. We're happy to just hang out in our studio and record ourselves, so anything else that comes along -- e.g., a tour, this interview -- is just icing on the cake.

MPD: For everyone who has yet to experience a Zoos of Berlin show, including myself, how would you describe the live experience? Do you have any superstitions or routines before each show? How different is the crowd reaction in Detroit versus when you’re on the road? What is your favorite part of your live show?

DAN: The rare moments when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

TREVOR: When I see us smiling, when I hear us really clicking, then I know it's all worth it. Will does some great headbanging during one song.

MPD: Name three things you’re loyal to (i.e. a brand of vodka, a coffee shop, a sports team, recycling, etc)

COLLIN: Family, friends, and music.

MPD: Let’s play word association.

DAN:
Broken: String
Spring:Tiger
Chicago: Wind Hand
Sleep: Blue Hotel
The Beatles: Alpha and Omega

MPD: Tell me about the Detroit music scene. What bands do you recommend checking out? What are your favorite venues to play? To see a live show? How has the Detroit scene changed since when you first started writing Taxis songs six years ago? Outside of Detroit, what are some of your favorite cities to play in?

TREVOR: Bands or artists to see: Aran Ruth, Outrageous Cherry, Oscillating Fan Club, Computer Perfection. Venues: CAID, Crofoot, Majestic Cafe. Detroit is a freer spirit now, less bogged down by the garage fever. NYC is a favorite city.

WILL: I agree with Trevor. My favorite Detroit acts are Great Lakes Myth Society, Lightning Love, Javelins and Child Bite.

MPD: If you could build your dream line-up, who would be on it and at what venue?

WILL: We opened for Field Music in Ann Arbor last week, and I'd say they were definitely on our short list of bands to play with. We'd love to open for Broadcast someday. Longer shots would include Radiohead, Portishead, and Stereolab.

Zoos of Berlin are playing at Chicago's Empty Bottle on Thursday, 3/25, with Child Bite, Old Fake, and Dylan Posa & Three Cheers for One Dead Man.
I will be there.

Before SXSW, Chicago's My Gold Mask Offers a FREE Empty Bottle Show & Some Conversation

I am a fan of My Gold Mask's music. I first heard them on January 6, and have listened to their latest EP A Thousand Voices countless times since. I was incredibly excited to learn that before this Chicago duo heads to SXSW, they're playing a FREE show at Empty Bottle on Monday, March 15. Assuming your hangover from the weekend's St. Patrick's Day festivities has subsided, I strongly encourage you to attend the show. It'll be a great way to burn all those alcoholic calories.

Over the past few months, My Gold Mask music has spread like wildfire. They have an electronically tribal sound, with a driving energy that encourages dancing. The lyrics are deep and fleeting, accompanied by a single guitar and a minimalist use of percussion. Many bloggers, including myself, are calling My Gold Mask a top Chicago act to watch in 2010.

My incessant googling lead to several questions, and MGM welcomed my invitation to share some conversation online. As a music lover and promoter, my questions ebb and flow between random points of interest. Read on to hear what Jack and Gretta from My Gold Mask have to say about SXSW, their dream line-up, and releasing new music.

Music Per Diem: I admire your approach to making music. In past interviews you expressed a desire to continuously challenge yourself, and to have your music be a product of your abilities and not your influences. In January to the Chicagoist, Gretta mentioned that adding a cymbal to more songs is one way she plans to challenge herself in 2010, but I’m curious to know what’s next. How do you plan to keep the process new? Do you see any other instruments on the horizon? Any collaborations? Do you think My Gold Mask will ever make the conscious decision to head in a completely new direction?

J: As you said, we're all for challenging ourselves and keeping things interesting to us. We basically have no set rules. We may add more, we may not. Our philosophy is to let the music, the songs, decide where we go next.

G: Well, since the Chicagoist interview, I've already added a cymbal. As for what's next? I don't know, I'd like to learn Braille. It doesn't necessarily have to be added instrumentation. It can be a language, or how to sew. When I was 13, I learned Morse Code for no reason other than it seemed interesting.

MPD: Music is certainly my favorite form of art. While I respect your choice to write in seclusion, purposefully avoiding any form of outside influence, I usually like the concept of artistic influences. The idea that one person’s art is responsible for the outcome of another person’s art is exciting to me, and seems slightly inevitable. Recently, your music was used by two other artists, Chicago musician The Hood Internet "Bitches," and fashion designer Phillip Lim used “Violet Eyes” and “Your Coo Ka Choo” in his Fall/Winter 2010/2011 fashion show. As an artist trying to avoid all influences, how do you feel when other artists integrate your work into theirs? Do you think you’ll ever hear someone else’s music and choose to integrate it into your work? Do other forms of art influence your sound?

J: Well, it's not so much that I'm trying to "avoid all influence", we of course have influences. It's more like an effort to leave those influences in the subconscious while we write songs. As far as other artists integrating our work that's always a thrill as well because it causes you to look at your own art in a different way.

G: And we have integrated someone else's music, in a way. We covered "Betty Davis Eyes" last year. We integrate all forms of art when it comes to music. It would be hard not to. We are sponges to the vibrations of all kinds of art and I hope that comes across in our music.

J: Though, when it comes to doing a cover song, it's only interesting to us if we feel like we do something different with it.

MPD: Up next for MGM is SXSW. If I were in a band offered to play SXSW, I’d be beyond fantastically excited. On a scale of 1 to 10, how fantastically excited are you? What part of the SXSW experience are you most looking forward to? Who tops your list of must-see shows? Was there a specific event that put MGM on SXSW’s radar, or would you accredit a broader situation?

G: We are very excited! Neither of us have ever been to SXSW, and we feel extremely lucky to get to play 3 amazing showcases with tons of amazing new bands. I just want to slip into it and ride the wave until someone tells me it's time to leave.

J: As to what led us to this....I don't really know if there was a specific event that led to us playing, I think it's just been about a few nice people who appreciate our music and are giving us a chance to share with even more people. That's what it's all about.

MPD: When describing your writing process, the words organic, collaborative and emotion often come up. For MGM, you’ve explained that a song generally starts with Jack exploring guitar riffs and Gretta throwing lyrics around, followed by adding drums and the occasional cymbal. It doesn’t seem like there’s a point where you decide to “create an album,” but rather once a few songs are penned, performed and polished you release them to the world. Is that accurate? Was there any conversation regarding how MGM is going to release music?

I find this discussion particularly interesting as the hands-down best strategy to release music hasn’t been determined yet. The jury’s still out on whether or not music today should be released for free or at a price? As a physical CD or digital format? Should the release be full-length or an EP? On a label or independently distributed? Personally, I believe in general that releasing free content regularly is one of the best things an artist can do – whether it be blog posts, video diaries, pictures, tweets or new music. As an artist, where do you see the industry heading?

G: I guess our only plan on how we release music is that when we have something finished, we just get it out there. It can be an EP or full length or just a single, it doesn't matter. It's whatever we feel like.

J: But, we will always have free mp3's out there because really, we just want people to hear our music. And that's the easiest way to get people to listen. And we will still make physical copies for people who like to hold something in their hands too. We would love to do a vinyl next.

MPD: In previous interviews you stated that MGM just “puts the music out there” and hopes people like it. From a business perspective, I’m curious where you “put it.” MySpace? Bandcamp? Where else? What medium provided your first traffic surge? What outlet has helped you best maintain the momentum this far? What types of things, if any, have you done proactively to get on someone’s radar? Based on your experiences thus far, what is your top recommendation to other artists?

J: Well, as an unsigned musician, sites like Bandcamp have been very helpful. It's easy to use and people can download straight from the site. It's also nice because you can embed the MP3's with your art, info, etc. I'm sort of a freak about having artwork attached to my mp3's. I actually have artwork on everything in my iPod. So, it drives me crazy when I download something and it's like "track 1" and has no art attached.

G: Our advice to another band would be, just give some songs away, don't be too possessive.

MPD: Name three things you’re loyal to (ie a brand of vodka, a Chicago coffee shop, a sports team, recycling, etc)

J: Comic Books, My Pug, Making music

G: Same for me, except switch comics for chocolate

MPD: Let’s play word association.

• Conan O’Brien - rad
• Lo-fi - warm
• The Midwest - cold
• MySpace - necessary evil
• History - repeats

MPD: Last November, MGM was featured on a Pretty Much Amazing podcast with some pretty amazing artists, including Yeasayer, Girls, Hot Chip, Junior Boys, Department of Eagles, Sia and Four Tet. How does it feel to see your song Violet Eyes featured with that crowd? Of all the artists on the playlist, included below, who is your favorite? Beyond that list, who are some of your favorite artists today?

Artists on pmaCAST #21 include Four Tet, Karen O and the Kids, Ellie Goulding, Bloodgroup, Sia, The xx, Fyfe Dangerfield, Girls, Yeasayer, Maps, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Department of Eagles, Junior Boys, Peter Bjorn and John, and Hot Chip.

J: It's kinda weird to see our song next to all those names. But good weird! Some new stuff I'm digging lately: Shapers, Hussle Club, Cloud Nothings.

G: Well, the new Charlotte Gainsbourg record is amazing.

MPD: If you could build your dream line-up, who would be on it and at what venue?

Line up: Klaus Nomi, Run DMC, The Ramones, US

Venue: Saturn

My Gold Mask is playing Monday, March 15, at Empty Bottle. The show is FREE, 21+, and begins at 9pm.

I will see you there.