Celebration, Florida is very different, what made you do this?
It was mostly a pretty natural, gradual process. We'd been touring for a couple of years since recording ‘Yonder is the Clock’, and during those times it's easy to get restless, so a lot of new sounds started creeping into our sets. By the time we started recording Celebration I think we'd grown a lot without realizing it and were feeling really inspired to try new things. The writing and recording had a very ‘no rules apply’ sort of feeling and we made a conscious decision to approach everything from a new angle, to really challenge ourselves and keep the process fresh; not to take the easy route. It made for a lot more work but also a lot of growth which hopefully you can hear on the record. We also had access to some new instruments and a really great space for recording so we taught ourselves to use those too.
Is changing your sound something you have always wanted to do?
I think that every record has sounded significantly different than the last and that there have always been subtle (and not-so-subtle) shifts in the songwriting and instrumentation from release to release. People have really noted the change in sound on this record which makes sense, but I think the band has always been in flux. The goal has always been to be as honest and expressive to a particular moment in time as possible rather than to make a specific set of sounds. That makes for a band that is always changing in some way or another.
Where did you record the new album?
We recorded in an abandoned high school in Beacon, NY. We had a library, an auditorium, hallways and stairwells to make as much noise in as we wanted, at any time of day or night. This gave us a lot of different room sounds to work with as well as lots of new percussive sounds (lockers slamming, chairs being thrown, fingernails on chalkboards, dishes being broken, etc). It was also the dead of winter and had a pretty creepy ambiance at about 4 AM, which didn't hurt.
Will you continue to explore different avenues?
Absolutely, sometimes you have to surprise yourself to see what you're capable of.
Do you have any favorite moments/tracks on the album?
Lots! The vocal (and last couple of minutes, in general) of River Jordan give me chills pretty much every time I hear it. Hearing Ponzi and Fire at the Pageant for the first time really blew me away. The horns on Honda Civic and the beat on Back in the Dancehalls were pretty exciting as well. Oliver Stone is one of the more understated tracks on the album but I think it's one of the best songs Ian has ever written. We spent a lot of time with the record, so after a while it started to feel like someone else's album entirely and was surprising all over again.
Simone features on the album, was it good to be working together again?
Definitely. Simone is family and someone with a very singular artistic presence so it's always nice to work with him again.
You’re amazing story tellers, where do your tales come from?
I don't write the lyrics so I can't say for sure but I think the stories are affected by a few things. Life experience, folks we've met on the road, literature and folklore. This record especially seemed to be impacted a lot by the surreal and by tapping into some of the more bizarre corners of the subconscious. It also gets pretty cold and lonely up here in the winter and that can affect your imagination in pretty strange ways.
You’ve shared a stage with many artists, any particular favourites?
It's always good to see Bright Eyes, Deer Tick, Taylor Hollingsworth and The Diamond Doves. Pretty much every band we've played with really. Once Benmont Tench from the Heartbreakers sat in for a few songs, that was pretty amazing too.
Why are the British so fond of the Felice Brothers?
That's a hell of a question! I should probably be asking you. Not sure, but glad that you're into it.
Often in the past you have been compared to Dylan and The Band, what do you think about that?
I've always thought those comparisons were exaggerated and particularly with the last few releases a little lazy. People will always compare you to something, though, there could definitely be much worse.
Where would you say you draw your influences from?
Right now, as a drummer? Max Weinberg, 1976-78. Darkness on the Edge of town. He killed it on that record.
What are you listening to at the moment?
At this moment, Miles Davis ‘Bitches Brew’ before that Mississippi Fred McDowell and Nirvana.
Will we be seeing you in the UK?
Yes. This winter. Get ready.
What’s next for the Felice Brothers?
Touring to exhaustion. Probably some mental decay. A long winter and lots of toil. But hopefully a lot of good times in the process and some new releases as well. Stick around, it should be good.
