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In what way does Universal Truths And Cycles differ from all the previous albums?
"The new record is a combination of all the things we've done before. It's put together in the same way we used to record our earlier records. There are a lot of different types of songs on this record: short up-tempo songs, long ballads, and songs recorded on 8-track. Yet it's all done in a big studio, like our last two albums."
Your last two albums were released on TVT Records, but now you're back on Matador records. What was the main reason for the split with TVT Records?
"We just realized that we were flogging a dead horse, basically. The attempt was to try to sell more records and to get more radio play, but that wasn't happening. So we discovered it doesn't matter if we use famous producers [i.e., Rick Ocasek, Rob Schnapf] and big studios. We would still sell the same amount of records. That's why we decided we wanted to do it ourselves without direct exertion from TVT. They were okay with that, but we could tell they weren't going to be really enthusiastic and supporting. So we were allowed to leave. At Matador they let us do whatever we want. By the way, Matador is now talking about having the 'Best Of Guided By Voices' album next year. But we're not sure about that yet."
With every record you seem to change the album title a couple of times before the release date. This time the record was formerly called "From A Voice Plantation," "All Sinners Welcome," "Invisible Train To Earth," and "Panic Revolution." Why did you choose Universal Truths And Cycles?
"An album is never ready to go until the last minute, when it's mastered. So we've got time to change the title for the better. I think it's a better title. It's more applicable to the way the album feels. It's about daily struggle, daily existence, car rage, riding on a subway, and all that. It's about the things that everybody goes through daily. You're reborn every morning, and you get a new chance to get your shit together."
Your artwork is always very creative and challenging. How important is the total package, music plus artwork?
"The presentation is really important; it's art. Everybody that does something well and takes it seriously considers it to be art. So the packaging is really important. On our last two records with TVT they did not let me do the album covers, and I don't like those covers. They came up with the ideas and we accepted them, but they don't look half as good as the covers I do."
Which music is spinning on your turntables these days? Your label promoter just told me you bought an old Dennis Wilson [drummer of the Beach Boys] record this afternoon.
"Yeah, it's called Pacific Ocean Blue. A really rare record. I love the Beach Boys and all related stuff. Especially later stuff because it's more psychedelic and fucked up."
You just released a record under the name Acid Ranch, which contains a track called Beatles And Stones. Which band do you prefer?
Pollard: "Beatles!"
Farley: "Stones!'
Pollard: "I like them both, a lot. The Rolling Stones are, in my opinion, the third best band of all time. Beatles are first, the Who second."
The Rolling Stones members are almost 60 years old and still rocking. You are in your mid-forties. Would you still be kicking out the jams when you are that old?
Pollard: "I say no, but. . . if I didn't have any money I would probably do it. If I can't find a way to make money, I would be like Mick Jagger when I'm sixty years old. Would I ever retire? Not from making music; maybe from playing live."
How important is playing live, then?
"Very important!! The most important thing is making records, though. I would give that 60 percent, and 40 percent for playing live. The only two things a band needs to be able to do is to make good records and put on a good show. If you can do that, nothing else matters. Playing live is important, because that's when you show them what you got. That's a big part of rock 'n' roll."
Do you like being in a studio, because it's pretty different from your early albums, which were recorded on 4- and 8-track in your basement?
"We like being in a studio, but we don't like to pussyfoot around. Working with Schnapf and Ocasek has changed our recording process. We learned to take our time to get a good take, instead of saying the first take is the best and leaving the small mistakes in there. We still don't' like spending too much time in a studio though. Especially not with an intimidating producer like Ocasek. He's a good guy but he can be really annoying. He didn't allow us to drink in the studio for example. That's bullshit. We don't like people telling us what to do in a studio. That's why we wanted to record this album ourselves. We got help from Todd Tobias. He's Tim's — our bass player's — brother. He became very comfortable with us; he became one of us. He really has a good ear for music and knows what he's doing in a studio."
Any plans for European tour dates?
"Yeah, we're planning to come over here in August. Do some festivals, possibly Lowlands, maybe some club shows as well. We like to play club shows. We're better when we can play for two, five, or three hours, when the drinks start kicking in. Then we start kicking ass."
I heard some wild stories about the show you did with the Strokes on New Year's Eve, 2001. What's the story behind that evening?
"The Strokes are our best buddies. We discovered them. We played a show some time ago, and they threw their demo tape up on the stage. We picked it up. People give us CDs and shit all the time. We play those CDs and tapes when driving to the next venue. Sometimes they only last for five seconds, sometimes one song, and sometimes the entire CD. In the end, either we'll keep it because we like it,
or it goes out the window. So the Strokes were good, and we told our management. Our management told us they wanted to tour with us, so we took them with us as support-act for about a week. After that they went over to England, and all of a sudden they were the biggest thing on earth. Ha-ha, well, maybe not the biggest thing on earth, but the thing is. . . we discovered them! I talked them up in the press, and now they're huge. . . goddamn! I'm ready for some royalties!"
Not jealous that they sell more records than you?
"Ha-ha, no, it's okay. . . because they look better than we do. I used to look that good as well though, when I was in my twenties. We'd rather stay successful, have a cult following, and know we're going to stay that way instead of suddenly being blown to huge proportions. We've been gradually evolving for 20 years. How can we fail? They got the pressure on them. What are they going to do? What's next? But what I like about them: They don't give a fuck about what's next. They drink a lot, like we do, and they just take it day by day. I really like the Strokes."
How do you feel about the Internet? About trading music, keeping in touch with fans, etc.
"If you can't afford our record, I would like you to get it on the Internet. The thing is with most Guided By Voices fans, they will get it on MP3 and then they still buy it. They care about the total package — music and art. The only people that are scared are the big industry people, and the big bands that have no art and suck anyway. The strange thing is that the people with the most money are most worried about losing money. The hardcore fans would still buy it anyway. And if they don't, they would still go to your show and buy a t-shirt. Kids don't have any money. They're going to school, they can't afford to buy all those expensive albums. Let them burn a copy. We're fine with it."
http://www.kindamuzik.net/interview/guided-by-voices/guided-by-voices/1629/
Meer Guided by Voices op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/guided-by-voices
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