Any plans to do virtual live solo shows? I think it would be cool to do weird themes with your stuff and covers mixed in. For example, songs that include Angels. A little Angels and Angles, some Juice Newton, Calamity Song and who knows? Earth Angel? Drunken Angel?
I wonder if the livestreaming show will be a vestige of our covid experiences -- it doesn't seem to make much financial sense to do them as a one off anymore. I'll pop on instagram one of these days, though, and do some playing. Keep an eye out!
Oh, I think it's very hard to manage all that scary garbage. Hank has mostly had a very good attitude & is leaning into the various queer social groups that he's a part of. I'm mostly flabbergasted, myself, and am really mindful of the people who will be directly effected by these monstrous decisions. We are *all* effected by them, however. I wish Trump et al could see that. But they are so selfish and narrow-sighted.
Not a question, but since you always offer up music/book/movie recommendations for us – if you haven’t heard Arooj Aftab run, don’t walk, to your favorite streaming device!
This isn't really a question, but I'm going to the show on 2/22 (it's my birthday!) and I'd love to hear California One.... just a friendly suggestion! :-)
At your Oakland show I found myself wondering, “What is Colin doing during Joan Space?” (The stage was very dark.) Do you check your email? Update your Instagram account? Do you eat a quick, light snack of a mozzarella cheese stick and raisins that were hidden under a speaker for you? Jot down ideas for future songs? Or do you just soak in the galactic sound bath as Joan’s freed soul ascends to make the interstellar journey to its final destination?
Furthermore, when you released Joan in the Garden, did you have any idea that it might be one of the best songs ever written? The last three syllables when it goes into the harmony with the reverb, followed by the near silence, it feels hymnal, heartbreaking, and haunted and transports me to another dimension. I feel emotional every time.
I don't do any of those things! I exist purely in the moment, making strange noises on a Moog Mother-32. Thank you for such kind words about the song; I am particularly fond of it.
For the three As It Ever Was songs that didn’t get played on tour - did you try them and they didn’t work, or just never found a place in the set, or some other reason? It struck me as funny that the straightforward rock side of the album got the least play on the road, ha.
Too many songs! Inevitably, some had to get short shrift. America Made Me just never quite found its way into the setlist -- and Tell Me What's On Your Mind was always a little too plodding. I'm sure they'll have their day in the sun, though.
I kinda wondered if America Made Me live would be a bit too similar to Sixteen Military Wives and therefore if you were going to do it, you may as well do the one people know
Is that true? Wild. In my mind, there are two possible reasons for the ghost's death in that song -- one, she died of some illness (that's a lot of time spent on a boat in cold, dark waters) or two, he poisoned her. I don't think we're meant to know, since he's the guy narrating the story and isn't inclined to incriminate himself.
Hi Colin, different kind of question.. needs a bit of an intro…
I’ve been listening and re-listening to the Decemberists for years. i sometimes think I can almost’ see’ the songs. It’s been on my wish list for a long time to try and turn one of your songs into I visual story. I’m currently doing a yearlong visual storytelling course, so I thought I’d give it a try for one of the assignments. I picked The Wild Rushes (without Russalka). The whole thing turned into a 2meter wide drawing which I cut up into a fold-out dummy book.
so here is the question: Could I send you one of the dummies I made as a thank you for the inspiration your songs gave me?
Hey: weird question that is going to sound worse than it is, I promise. I'm a huge fan, I came up through Castaways; my wife and I have Hazards lyrics inside our wedding rings. That being said, you all have evolved as artists, and your audience has evolved as listeners. How aware are you of that when creating new music? Is it something that you even think about? I would imagine it wouldn't be useful to dwell on stuff like that, but I've always wondered how you navigate creating new sounds that might be at odds with what has been done in the past.
Oh, it's the great challenge. To make work like no one is expecting anything from you -- that there is no precedent, no existing work that informs or repeats what you're doing at present. I think of myself as a "picker" -- songwriting is just picking the best thing that come next. It's easier to be a picker when you're picking into a vacuum, when there's nothing hanging over you. I've adapted, I think, but still, it's hard.
In "William FitzWilliam," you use a couple of intriguingly anachronistic details (skateboard, star-silver sneakers). What effect were you intending with that imagery?
I've always just liked that in songs, those little bits of anachronism. "As the flames rose to her roman nose / And her walkman started to melt." That kind of stuff. I can't really explain it. I didn't want the song to be a history lesson; I wanted it to be about something bigger.
Hi Colin! Carolina Low is one of my many favorites. How did it come together? The opening riff is perfect, it seems like you work off of that but maybe lyrics came first? Thanks for being so prolific!
That song came out of a weird rush of creativity one afternoon in, I think , 2013 or 2014. I was booked to be on a live radio show in Portland and they asked me if I would play a song. I thought it'd be interesting to just write a song that afternoon to play it in the evening; Carolina Low is what came out. I think it might've taken me all of fifteen minutes to write it. That happens sometimes -- it's kind of wild. As such, I can't really say what it's about or what it came from -- it happened so quickly
Colin, I have to echo Tom. Carolina Low is one of my favorite Drop D songs. It took me a while to get riff into finger memory and to get the hammer-on/pull-off clean. I hope to hear it live at the 2/22 show. I'll be the old guy with a long gray beard in the second row, center!
Any plans to do virtual live solo shows? I think it would be cool to do weird themes with your stuff and covers mixed in. For example, songs that include Angels. A little Angels and Angles, some Juice Newton, Calamity Song and who knows? Earth Angel? Drunken Angel?
Thanks for doing virtual shows in the past!
I wonder if the livestreaming show will be a vestige of our covid experiences -- it doesn't seem to make much financial sense to do them as a one off anymore. I'll pop on instagram one of these days, though, and do some playing. Keep an eye out!
Hello Colin,
Loved the post about the Telepathy Tapes. Thank you for having such a grounded perspective on ASD.
As a parent of someone in the spectrum, how have you been navigating the BS flowing from Washington the past two weeks with that grounded perspective?
Thanks.
Nathan
Oh, I think it's very hard to manage all that scary garbage. Hank has mostly had a very good attitude & is leaning into the various queer social groups that he's a part of. I'm mostly flabbergasted, myself, and am really mindful of the people who will be directly effected by these monstrous decisions. We are *all* effected by them, however. I wish Trump et al could see that. But they are so selfish and narrow-sighted.
Not a question, but since you always offer up music/book/movie recommendations for us – if you haven’t heard Arooj Aftab run, don’t walk, to your favorite streaming device!
Any chance we will hear more Offa Rex in the future?
I don’t like to close doors, but I think that might’ve been a one-off
This isn't really a question, but I'm going to the show on 2/22 (it's my birthday!) and I'd love to hear California One.... just a friendly suggestion! :-)
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! 🙏
At your Oakland show I found myself wondering, “What is Colin doing during Joan Space?” (The stage was very dark.) Do you check your email? Update your Instagram account? Do you eat a quick, light snack of a mozzarella cheese stick and raisins that were hidden under a speaker for you? Jot down ideas for future songs? Or do you just soak in the galactic sound bath as Joan’s freed soul ascends to make the interstellar journey to its final destination?
Furthermore, when you released Joan in the Garden, did you have any idea that it might be one of the best songs ever written? The last three syllables when it goes into the harmony with the reverb, followed by the near silence, it feels hymnal, heartbreaking, and haunted and transports me to another dimension. I feel emotional every time.
I don't do any of those things! I exist purely in the moment, making strange noises on a Moog Mother-32. Thank you for such kind words about the song; I am particularly fond of it.
For the three As It Ever Was songs that didn’t get played on tour - did you try them and they didn’t work, or just never found a place in the set, or some other reason? It struck me as funny that the straightforward rock side of the album got the least play on the road, ha.
Too many songs! Inevitably, some had to get short shrift. America Made Me just never quite found its way into the setlist -- and Tell Me What's On Your Mind was always a little too plodding. I'm sure they'll have their day in the sun, though.
Born To The Morning is a woefully overlooked song. One of my favorites on the album.
I kinda wondered if America Made Me live would be a bit too similar to Sixteen Military Wives and therefore if you were going to do it, you may as well do the one people know
Was the ghost in Long White Veil murdered? And if so, by drowning? If not, I fear there isn’t a single drowning on the new album.
Is that true? Wild. In my mind, there are two possible reasons for the ghost's death in that song -- one, she died of some illness (that's a lot of time spent on a boat in cold, dark waters) or two, he poisoned her. I don't think we're meant to know, since he's the guy narrating the story and isn't inclined to incriminate himself.
Let's say I run into you right after the show. What's the least awkward way to interact? I want to say hi, but I'm not very extroverted.
Say hi! I'm a dyed-in-the-wool introvert myself, but I'm always happy to say hello to a fellow traveler
What do you think is behind the goats in Severance?
like em!
What one song do you want played at your funeral? What one song would you ban from your funeral?
Play: Astral Weeks by Van Morrison and Change by Big Thief. Ban: Live Forever by Oasis
Hi Colin, different kind of question.. needs a bit of an intro…
I’ve been listening and re-listening to the Decemberists for years. i sometimes think I can almost’ see’ the songs. It’s been on my wish list for a long time to try and turn one of your songs into I visual story. I’m currently doing a yearlong visual storytelling course, so I thought I’d give it a try for one of the assignments. I picked The Wild Rushes (without Russalka). The whole thing turned into a 2meter wide drawing which I cut up into a fold-out dummy book.
so here is the question: Could I send you one of the dummies I made as a thank you for the inspiration your songs gave me?
sure! Send to me c/o Red Light Management https://www.redlightmanagement.com/contact-us/
Will do! Please let me know what you think when it’s arrived! Might take a bit, it has to cross an ocean 😃.
Hey: weird question that is going to sound worse than it is, I promise. I'm a huge fan, I came up through Castaways; my wife and I have Hazards lyrics inside our wedding rings. That being said, you all have evolved as artists, and your audience has evolved as listeners. How aware are you of that when creating new music? Is it something that you even think about? I would imagine it wouldn't be useful to dwell on stuff like that, but I've always wondered how you navigate creating new sounds that might be at odds with what has been done in the past.
Oh, it's the great challenge. To make work like no one is expecting anything from you -- that there is no precedent, no existing work that informs or repeats what you're doing at present. I think of myself as a "picker" -- songwriting is just picking the best thing that come next. It's easier to be a picker when you're picking into a vacuum, when there's nothing hanging over you. I've adapted, I think, but still, it's hard.
In "William FitzWilliam," you use a couple of intriguingly anachronistic details (skateboard, star-silver sneakers). What effect were you intending with that imagery?
I've always just liked that in songs, those little bits of anachronism. "As the flames rose to her roman nose / And her walkman started to melt." That kind of stuff. I can't really explain it. I didn't want the song to be a history lesson; I wanted it to be about something bigger.
Hi Colin! Carolina Low is one of my many favorites. How did it come together? The opening riff is perfect, it seems like you work off of that but maybe lyrics came first? Thanks for being so prolific!
That song came out of a weird rush of creativity one afternoon in, I think , 2013 or 2014. I was booked to be on a live radio show in Portland and they asked me if I would play a song. I thought it'd be interesting to just write a song that afternoon to play it in the evening; Carolina Low is what came out. I think it might've taken me all of fifteen minutes to write it. That happens sometimes -- it's kind of wild. As such, I can't really say what it's about or what it came from -- it happened so quickly
Thanks. Interesting and impressive. I’m glad I asked.
Colin, I have to echo Tom. Carolina Low is one of my favorite Drop D songs. It took me a while to get riff into finger memory and to get the hammer-on/pull-off clean. I hope to hear it live at the 2/22 show. I'll be the old guy with a long gray beard in the second row, center!
Would love to know if another Travelers Rest Fest is being organized.
There was lots of talk last year about getting it together, but it never materialized. At this point, I'm not sure when it will happen again.
Me sad. The original was a great weekend. Thanks!