Interviews: Call It Arson
Call It Arson is yet another in a lone line of emerging forces from the Connecticut music scene. Their post-hardcore indie rock sound was perfected as they worked with famed producer Kurt Ballou at God City Studios for their self-titled debut album. Read our review.
Smother: Let’s start with the basics, how did the band form?
James: Ryan and I (James) were on tour with For All It's Worth (CT Hardcore). Ry was playing drums, and I was doing merch. While in San Francisco, we crashed the van- shit out of luck totaled. The rest of the guys flew home, but Ry and I decided to stay in CA, for some adventure also we had a lack of funds. We brought some acoustic demo tapes (under the name Plaster Over Protein) on the road to hand out or sell for food money. After the crash, we bummed our way down to Los Angeles to stay with family for a bit and pass out tapes. While there, we met up with a good friend of Ryan's (and now mine too), Stephen Short. Stephen records in lots of studios out there and upon hearing the horrible quality of our tape, out of pity was able to get us two hours in a studio to re-cut the demo. The experience was quite uplifting and after hearing the outcome, we were inspired to get home right away and start up a group.
Smother: Why the name, “Call It Arson”?
Ryan: James had a song with that title and we chose it right away, we hadn't planned on starting anything serious, Arson, as the metaphor,is the symbol for tearing down and starting over.
Smother: If someone came up to you guys before you hit the stage, how would you prepare them for your show and what would you tell them you sounded like?
Ryan: I would say we sound like a rock band who loves and needs to play
Smother: What would you say influences your songwriting most?
Ryan: For me anyways, I would have to say Crosby,Stills and Nash, also, strange as it may sound, Earth Crisis to the Cure, because I rob from all of them.
James: And me (James), I would have to say Niel Young, John Lennon, and Rivers Cuomo (pre-1997).
Smother: The final mix and mastering job is incredible with the heavier parts just astounding and blistering as if the mixing engineer turned all the sliders all the way up. How did you guys set about to craft the sound and feel of this album?
Ryan: The first rough sound from the studio, I believe none of us cared for,although we knew what we needed was there. Once we got back to New England we decided to bring it to Kurt at God City to give it the essence we wanted. Warm and a little gritty, we wanted more then anything not to lose the dynamics, cuz we feel that shit. And Kurt is the masta-killa in that department. The mastering just gave it all a nice breath.
Smother: What kind of gear do you guys use live and in the studio?
Ryan: James plays a Gretsch thru a Mesa Boogie triple rectifier, and Jeff has a spaceship, I feel like an idiot not knowing exactly what he has,I am sure he plays a fuckin P-Bass though, and it sounds miraculous. I use a Trace Elliot Acoustic amp, and play a Takemine Acoustic, Brian has a Sonor kit and switches between a Ludwig and Pearl snare, again I am ignorant of the details. But I love his K-Ride...although he doesn't use it all the time.
Smother: “Butterflies Rape the Sound” is amazing and my favorite song with its tender harmonies and vocals. What’s the song about and how was written?
Ryan: The song was written in Portland, Oregon almost 2 years ago..it's a 3 part story about how music has allowed me and I feel I can speak for James as well, to live a truly happy and positively active life amidst the vile shit-storm the people of this world inflict on themselves. The first line "Butterflies rape the sound that I lent you when you were down" is about wanting to sing for a friend and being so selfishly nervous that my voice couldn't convey what I was trying to say,it was horrible, hence "rape the sound". The song ends with a synopsis of the day I found out that a best friend of mine had died the night before from an overdose.The cops shook me out of bed at about 6:00 am asking if I had given him any substances and I was sober at the time...once again the music allows to get the disaeses out of the brain, and friends are the most vital blood in these endeavors, sometimes even more so than immediate family, sorry mom, there is a lot of gray area, but you see what I mean?
Smother: Thus far, what’s been your favorite show or tour that you guys have been involved with?
Ryan: For me, a show last March in Connecticut with the Appleseed Cast...the tours though, just can't even be compared with one another. Touring is the only thing to do...can't get enough.
Smother: Connecticut seems like it has an amazing scene, whether it’s hardcore, punk, or rock. Would you agree? What bands from your area do you guys like?
Ryan: We all grew up and dove right into the Hardcore scene..right now The Risk Taken, Our Final Say, Pale Horse among a few more just for Hardcore. And as for the rock, Titles and the Quiet Life are two great bands for the 203 lands..there are too many to mention. We just played in VT with Wrench in the Works on September 16th, I have been listening to them play since the were in Groundzero when I was a little punk ass. CT is my favorite music ses-pool. I have yet to find better, and I hate to compare, but I always am ready to accept it. Some scenes might come close. Maybe...
Smother: What do you guys think of the way the government handled the Hurricane Katrina aftermath in New Orleans and elsewhere?
Ryan: It is an absolute fucking fiasco of misinformation and misappropriation of funds. I am afraid of what the aftermath will bring for the residents of the affected communities. Our government must think we are braindead to believe television, and all of it's distractions. The people know the deal though, the ones that can face the truth know something needs to change. The shit has hit the fan, what follows is undetermined. This sort of incompetence is nothing new from our government, and those of us who REALLY love this land should be outraged. Whew, enough out of me...
Smother: What's currently rocking your Playstation/Xbox/Gamecube?
Ryan: I don't own any, I don't think any of us do.
Smother: Any movie recommendations or music that you’d like to tell others about?
Ryan: Any music I could suggest I am sure many have heard of. Although we all do love Crowbar's record. As far as movies go, there is one coming out next year called "Blood Descendants", it's a horror flick, straight to DVD that James and I just finished a soundtrack for. Horror music is a dream come true for us. Also, if you don't own "Meet the Feebles" and "Mortal Kombat" (the first one) you may wanna check 'em out. I guess the Godfather Trilogy is alright too.
Smother: We always ask this one question of all the people we interview to see who gives us the funniest or most interesting response--What would do/say if you met a guy named Carbomb?
Ryan: I'd ask him if he was a freedom fighter or a terrorist to see what he said. Then maybe I'd ask if he writes graffiti and if his name was CAR.
Smother: Anything else you’d like to add?
Ryan: We appreciate all the support we have gotten from gangsters at WinLose/Killnormal records, they iz like family to us yo.
Links:
Official Site
Win/Lose Records