Spring Break
Try a slice of Vanderslice
By: Allison Gianino
Issue date: 9/20/07 Section: Recess
Last update: 9/20/07 at 7:58 AM EST
Last update: 9/20/07 at 7:58 AM EST
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John Vanderslice has been around the block. Since breaking into the indie scene as frontman for the now-defunct mk Ultra, he's worked with pretty much everyone, from Spoon to the Mountain Goats to Sunny Day Real Estate. In addition to running his own recording studio, Vanderslice now boasts an impressive solo career, the most recent addition to which is his sixth album, Emerald City, a moody contemplation on the travails of post Sept. 11 America. recess recently spoke with him about his upcoming Duke Coffeehouse show, David Bowie and the similarities between song writing and pig butchering.
So you're from California, but you were born in Gainesville?
Yea, I was born in Gainesville. That was the first city of my life, and really, it was very influential for me. Especially then, pre-internet, you had a feeling of being very isolated. Florida is a really odd state that I don't think people respect enough, personally. I'm always getting on my friends and people I know in bands that say they don't want to play Florida, or give the usual party lines about it. I think its a great place to play. But, for me, I grew up very isolated, and when I left I realized how much I loved it there.
When did you start playing music?
Pretty much the first band I was in was called mk Ultra. It was in 1994, and it started as a real local band in San Francisco. I mean, we had no traction. We would book our own tours. We went around the country a couple times, mostly because we were asked to tour with Sunny Day Real Estate, and that was like the biggest thing that ever happened to us. When you're opening for another band, its great. We had our own audience, who were mostly there because of Sunny Day. It kind of gave me a taste of touring though, and that never, never went away.
So do you like touring?
Oh God, yeah. I mean it can wear on you like anything, but yeah, I really like being on tour.
You guys are touring pretty hard, something like a show every day.
So you're from California, but you were born in Gainesville?
Yea, I was born in Gainesville. That was the first city of my life, and really, it was very influential for me. Especially then, pre-internet, you had a feeling of being very isolated. Florida is a really odd state that I don't think people respect enough, personally. I'm always getting on my friends and people I know in bands that say they don't want to play Florida, or give the usual party lines about it. I think its a great place to play. But, for me, I grew up very isolated, and when I left I realized how much I loved it there.
When did you start playing music?
Pretty much the first band I was in was called mk Ultra. It was in 1994, and it started as a real local band in San Francisco. I mean, we had no traction. We would book our own tours. We went around the country a couple times, mostly because we were asked to tour with Sunny Day Real Estate, and that was like the biggest thing that ever happened to us. When you're opening for another band, its great. We had our own audience, who were mostly there because of Sunny Day. It kind of gave me a taste of touring though, and that never, never went away.
So do you like touring?
Oh God, yeah. I mean it can wear on you like anything, but yeah, I really like being on tour.
You guys are touring pretty hard, something like a show every day.
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