Bubbles&Gutz

Anonymous asked: Brian, being of an experienced ilk when it comes to being in a band, what advice would you give to someone dealing with a wayward band member? Not answering texts, showing up drunk, not showing up, very defensive, not much creative input, yet gets a pass for being an awesome player and general lack of any replacement. I ask because I realize this type of behavior does not simply stop once success or bigger things come a long and having heart to hearts seem to render fruitless. Thank you kind sir

That’s a tough one. I’ve never asked a bandmate to leave.

I will say this—no band is a utopia. We all know about famous rivalries between band members (Fleetwood Mac, Husker Du, Spinal Tap, etc.) but there’s a tendency to assume that if there isn’t any public friction between band members, then their relations are idyllic. That’s not the case. Bands are like marriages or workplaces: even the most functional arrangements have some issues.

Except for Russian Circles, of course. We’re like Ozzie & Harriet. 

But you’re absolutely right: success does not cure behavior problems. A musician friend of mine once noted that the bigger bands he toured with always seemed more miserable around each other, while the opening bands always seemed to enjoy each other’s company. If you’re having issues with someone now, those issues are sure to get worse as you spend more time around each other and as your art/careers/lives become further entwined.

Honestly, if the guy isn’t showing up, not responding to texts, and not offering input, it sounds like he’s not interested in the band anyway. That’s not the kind of person you want to make big commitments with.

Anonymous asked: What happened to the rest of the "Empros Live Studio Sessions" videos? There is one part online that says "1 of 3". (Also, you guys were great in Glasgow Stereo on the Empros tour)

We did three songs in the studio: Schiphol, 309, and Mladek. Unfortunately, the process wasn’t really thought out thoroughly. We did a couple of passes of each song, picked the version where we played best, and did a proper mix of the audio. When it came time to edit the footage, we realized that none of the video had been timecoded to sync up with the music. We don’t play to click, so the tempos from the different takes didn’t always match up. It was a long process just to get one song where all the components matched up. Hopefully we’ll get around to wrapping up the other two songs at some point.

Thanks for the kind words. Hopefully we’ll be back to Glasgow in the fall.

lumberjacket asked: Hey Dude! Just wanted to say nice job at RC's recent show at Northeastern. It was a good time, I enjoyed Native's set as well. My band is about to officially release our first full length (currently without a label) we have a few tracks from the album up on our band camp currently -- sparhawk_bandcamp_com , I was just wondering if you had any tips or pointers on the best ways to interact/get noticed by labels in the early stages of a band. Take care!

Thanks for the kind words. Most labels I’ve worked with sign bands based on the strength of their live shows. Sending demos doesn’t really do a lot these days. Labels receive too many of them and recordings aren’t always a good indication of a band’s strength anymore. As a small time freelance writer I still wind up with at least a dozen emails with mp3 links in my inbox every day; imagine how it must be for a label. My advice would be to play out as much as possible and allow your band’s reputation to grow organically. I know it’s a slow path, but that’s the best advice I have in the label department. 

I saw Ian MacKaye do a Q&A thing years back and he mentioned that Dischord only picked up bands that had already self-released a record. I thought that was a pretty smart tactic. Self-releasing a record gives the band a good idea of what they can reasonably expect out of a label. I imagine it also shows labels that the band is motivated and willing to invest in themselves. Don’t rule out the option of releasing that full-length on your own!

robertdeansworld asked: Since everyone is in the business of nostalgia these days, can Botch get together and do a summer tour in the future? You don't have to write new stuff if you don't want to, but at least just bbq it up and play some new towns. I have the suspicious feeling people would attend and drink a lot of beer considering we're all 30+ now.

hey Robert,

there have been offers over the years, but I don’t think my body could endure a Botch tour at this point in my life. 

iputholesintrees asked: Hey Brian, lately when I visited my parents and went through my old CD´s, I stumbled over my old Botch - American Nervoso Copy. So whats up with the "Dali´s Praying Mantis" Lyrics...???

I don’t remember the exact line of reasoning for not including the lyrics for that one in the artwork. I do remember that the title was a reference to a story I’d heard about Salvador Dali. Apparently Dali did a critical analysis of a Manet painting. I don’t remember which painting it was, and my internet searches on the subject seem to imply that the story is more fiction than fact. Anyway, this Manet painting was a harmless rendering of a couple standing in a field on a farm. But through some weird free-association thought-process involving a random sighting of a praying mantis, Dali arrived at the conclusion that the painting was actually a depiction of sexual indiscretion and infanticide. Oh Dali, you so crazy! But years later, when a museum was restoring the painting, they did an x-ray of the canvas and saw that Manet had originally painted a baby buried beneath the feet of the man and woman.

I know the lyrics have zero to do with this tale. But I think we might have thought that, like Dali, people could arrive at a more interesting and perhaps even more truthful interpretation just by using their imaginations. 

Anonymous asked: Hey Brian, how many effects pedals do you own? Which pedals are your favorites?

I have no idea how many I own. Between the stuff I have on my board, the numerous backup pedals we bring on tour (be prepared!), the glitchy worn out stuff that needs to get serviced but probably never will, and the various toys that only get pulled out when we play older material, there’s quite a bit of gear.

Favorites: Tonebutcher Blue Wail, Fuzzrocious Rat Tail, EHX POG2

Anonymous asked: Two part question: who are some bassists you admire for tone reasons? And secondly, I know you play a lot of guitar, who are some of of your favorite guitarists?

I’m a bit of a broken record when it comes to bands and artists I admire. In terms of bass tone, I gotta go with Rob Wright from Nomeansno. The guy has a distinctive sound with a perfect balance of grit and clarity. I also love a few obvious tone icons, like Bob Weston from Shellac and David Sims from Jesus Lizard. I think Caleb from Cave In/Zozobra/Old Man Gloom should get more notice for having an excellent sound. Then there’s also the blown out distorted tones of Joe Preston from Thrones and Mike from Godheadsilo/Enemymine… good stuff.

Favorite guitar players? I’d have to go with D. Boon, Keith Huckins, and Andy Moore.

Anonymous asked: Hi, have you ever thought about adding a BBE SonicStomp to your effect chain?

I have not. But now you’ve piqued my interest.

Anonymous asked: what's the story behind the these arms break up?

That’s a long story that’s probably better suited for a private conversation over a couple of beers. I wouldn’t feel comfortable discussing it in a public forum without giving the other guys a chance to throw in their two cents. That said, I still love those dudes.