interview with Toby.
What is the current status of Kayo Dot?
"In flux."
Meaning what, exactly?
Well, our longtime drummer just quit, so we're looking for someone new. The band is unable to do much until we find someone. I mean, I'm writing new material but it's hard to work on it without a drummer.
What happened to cause your drummer to quit?
I'm not really sure, I think he's just burnt out. He's not the type of person to be completely open about what's bugging him.
I read that Kayo Dot was recently signed put out an album on Robotic Empire, so I assume "label-shopping" proved to be successful. Was there any particular reason or reason the band decided to go with Robotic Empire?
Andy, the guy who runs that label, was so extremely psyched to do a record with us, and his deal was good. We chose him over the others because he seemed to be the most excited about it.
Has anything new been written/recorded since Choirs of the Eye?
We're working on the new material now. It's not finished, but we'll be recording it in August. Aside from that i'm finishing up a solo CD, which is kind of related I guess. Also, Greg has been working on a solo record, and a couple of the other guys have been doing a drone album. Forbes has been doing some of his own stuff too.
Can you share any information about the new material, such as titles, or changes in style, or how it compares to Choirs of the Eye?
There aren't any titles yet. A lot of the stylistic changes will depend on the new drummer. But I don't know, it's not all that similar to Choirs of the Eye. It's hard to say, really. It's a bit different. I can't really think of a way to explain it. It's the same, but different, but not too far out. Maybe a little closer in, in fact. Choirs of the Eye is kind of huge and cosmic, and this new one is a little more earthy. Choirs of the Eye was really introverted. The new one is extroverted.
It sounds like its going to be an amazing album.
It's hard to live up to the praise of the last one though. I think people's expectations will be way too high. Like, before Choirs of the Eye came out, people were expecting more maudlin of the Well, and now people are going to be expecting more Choirs of the Eye. It's a dumb predicament which we're just trying to ignore. The new album will be a different thing altogether, so that Choirs of the Eye still has its own value and doesn't end up being a superior or inferior version of its successor.
It seems like your situation is similar to that of The Mars Volta.
Possibly, except they're like super rich?
What I was making reference to is how their fans expect something based on one album, and get something totally different, and with each fan they lose with new material, they gain one or two new fans...
I guess on that level. But they wrote a radio song. It seems like they were thinking, "How can we stay on MTV?," and thus wrote a really shitty and accessible ballad. I mean it's got to be a totally different thing when you're taking your livelihood into account.
And the MTV/radio kids dont seem like the type to be open to the kind of music you write.
Well, you know, they want to rock. That's a totally different world than what I'm interested in. I don't feel it's relevant anymore. Radio, MTV, the whole pop world, it's a completely different realm that i don't want to have anything to do with. I think that artists in our scene have to stop thinking of radio and mtv as a goal to be attained. It's just like, "Forget about that shit!" Not to say that it's not possible to get there, but why would you want to? The scene that our band and our friends exist in is much more exciting and vibrant. The point is, you can be successful without radio and MTV. You can make a living off music without that crap. To believe otherwise is brainwashing. I think a lot of people in my generation have been taught that to their detriment, and it's something that we all need to unlearn.
How and where is your solo project going to be released?
Hmm..Tzadik is going to put it out. Where...the whole world? Actually, maybe we won't release it in Texas...I'm joking, of course. It will also be released in Texas.
"Where..." was actually regarding where it was going to be released...on CD or online...and what label it would be released on.
Oh, on CD. That's the only way the label can recoup their production costs, which then allows me to get paid, hopefully. I mean I think there's a way to do it like you pay for the album to download, but what fun is that? It takes away from the experience. I just like the whole package. I know a lot of people feel that way. Plus mp3s sound like shit, and some people have dialup.
What bands or albums have you been listening to? Do you have anything you'd like to recommend?
To be honest, I haven't been listening to much of anything. I've just been working on my stuff. I guess I recently got Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time. Zorn's Duras: Duchamp has been awesome, and the latest Antony and the Johnsons, I Am a Bird Now...
