Ox postcard
Ox interview,
Shain Shapiro, Hamilton View Weekly
October 2006
1. Let's talk about the new album...
a. How does it differ from the first one? Did you go in with different expectations, for example, or a drive for a different sound?
we tried some different things this time certainly. i think this record came from much more of a 'band' headspace- 'Dust Bowl Revival' was a solitary themed record and more introspective... 'American Lo Fi' is brash and comes from a band thats been living out of a van on the road for 2 years. its also more tongue-in-cheek than the 1st album, not as 'sweet'. 'American Lo Fi' is a dirty album.
b. Is there a theme presiding throughout the record? Did it come about in the studio or did you have it planned out before you recorded?
i dont clearly understand our records until after they're released. 'American Lo Fi' is a record i really liked as we were making it- it seemed to have a nice sneer once in a while that would creep up... and be creepy, and then go away again in a wash of reverb. we smoked more dope making this album and sonically, that effected how we did things- it became a process of experimentation- very little of this album was done before 2am. lyically and contentwise, i think the theme of 'American Lo Fi' is of the dirtyness of American, NORTH American culture...diner culture, street culture- not the one you see on daytime talk television- more the one that exists in bus stations.
c. When and where was it recorded? With whom?
profile studios, aka Upstairs Sound Laboratory, vancouver bc. with chÙn and i producing. he's a master at sound. everything is always wideopen.
d. How has the press and fan reaction been thusfar? Any specific story/experience worth noting?
generally, people are loving this album. i think we've scared some of the Ox 'dust bowl revival' fans a litte... this record catches us with our armadillos showing- our last was more of a nice but slightly embittered Ex-boyfriend record... this one is cowboy ugly casanova.
e. What does the title signify? What is 'american lo-fi,' both politically and spritually in your opinion? How did american culture, in whatever way, influence the release?
we've been touring a lot over the last 5 years... and when Ox tours, we FEEL the road. we sleep in the van- we stay with strangers... we drive all night. i think in the past 5 years we've spent perhaps only 5 or 6 nights in a hotel room- and thats pretty much ALL in edmonton where the sidetrack puts us up. 'American Lo Fi' is about that existence- and the culture that you see, and live in, when you're a rock & roll band on the road. i think thats the 'Lo Fi' element. i believe in Lo Fi. its raw and real- makes you FEEL your life as you pass through it. thats what this album is about.
2. How do you go about selecting band members for the tour and for the album? Tell me about that process?
friends of friends usually. people have stuff coming up and so, cant make a tour so, we ask round through our pool of musician friends. there's an Ox-core of folks who join us for the tours. rose murphy was our drummer on record, and briefly, josh turnbull. i'm pretty happy with the current lineup, Max Myth (drums), Shawn Dicey(bass) and Ryan Bishops and myself. its a good core. everyday an adventure...
3. What would one expect at an Ox show?
the unexpected i'd say... we're consistent in that we always like to change things from show to show... sometimes we get 'jammy'. it really depends on how much dope we smoked and who smoked it. i dont drink- not into the sloppy randomness of it.
4. Why do you tour so much, especially overseas? Isn't it tiring? What do you hope to accomplish by constantly touring and has it worked out over the years? Do you continue to put touring above all other methods of promotion in the future?
rock & roll bands are defined on the road. i think touring is an essential part of the process of making music. ultimately, i love the travel- i love the adventure of it. i love not knowing what the next day, or the next week will look like. its more than tiring, its exhausting. but, i rest after the tour is over- i'll rest when i'm dead.
5. What are your future plans after this CD Release tour?
i'm producing a record for Brian Dunn- and we're in sessions between christmas and new years in toronto. after that, we gotta look ahead to our UK and US releases and more touring. i think we're going to do shows in southern ontario through January-March... we've been invited to Sackville NB for a fundraiser for CHMA radio so, we may go back to the East Coast for some places we miss on this tour.
6. Your lyrics to me always have a pensive, almost serious atmosphere. Can you comment on that?
i think it depends on the song- Awkward Beauty isnt that way, but, El Camino pt2 is. 'Dust Bowl Revival' is pretty much all that way. Lyrics are a bit of a word game to me- one line can be very direct, the next sets an atmosphere. there are lyrics on 'American Lo Fi' that are reflective- in that WHAT they say isnt important- but the attitude behind them reflects a state of mind that defines the song and ultimately, the record... Miss Idaho's 'sick of foo yung and, moo yoo guy pan... restaurants, laundromats... i'm on pawn...' is that kind of idea. the serious atmosphere stuff is more direct writing- straight from my head. i try to be as direct as possible when i write that way- i'm not very into 'poetic' lyrics because i think they're contrived- people dont talk in clever rhymes etc i dont think anyone is truly reached that way and i dont think that way so, why should my lyrics be that way. i'm not into impressing people with cleverness- i'm just trying to get things out of my head. rock & roll was never meant to be clever, it's meant to be real. i'm more interested in doing that.
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Spring 06 (47.2 Mb)
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Miss Idaho (4.8 Mb)
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American Lo Fi
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