| Though they've been delivering their distinctive mix of cute, crazy music for over 10 years now, San Francisco's Deerhoof seem in some ways like they're just getting started. Their 2005 release, The Runners Four, found them subduing their sound ever so slightly, resulting in more mainstream attention than ever before, as well as tours with Radiohead and The Flaming Lips. I recently had the chance to chat with singer Satomi Matsuzaki about the band’s upcoming album Friend Opportunity, the film score they're working on and the ballet based on their songs. Just like her lyrics, she speaks in slightly broken English, happy, hyper and hilarious.Fast Forward: You've recently completed a new album. How would you describe it?Satomi Matsuzaki: It sounds like a fun party or festival where friends meet and greet. Fireworks, balloons hopping around, snacking, chit-chatting, baby crying, bumping into friends you haven't seen for many years and get introduced to their friends and turns out they have mutual friends.FFWD: Are there any sort of concepts or themes that tie the lyrics of the album together? I'm curious, for example, what is the song "Choco Fight" about?SM: I wrote the lyrics for that song. It's about the tiger and the sailor fight for chocolate under mirror ball spinning in a discotheque and the lady singer manipulates them. She tries to reveal their greeds.FFWD: What sorts of things, musical or otherwise, would you say inspired you in the making of the record?SM: We were touring with Radiohead right before we recorded. They inspired us in many ways. They can play any songs from their albums, which is surprising because they use monstrous amount of effects and instruments. It must be so difficult to recreate the sounds from their super-produced album but they did! I liked the fact Radiohead doesn't have a limitation. They are adventurous and perfectionists. Then, I realized we shouldn't fear anything so I went crazy to use lots of sounds.FFWD: Can you compare Friend Opportunity with your previous work? Is it in a slightly subdued style like The Runners Four, or more fractured and frenzied like your earlier output?SM: Friend Opportunity sounds like it has one personality. Also, we were conscious to make sounds very close up and hi-fi. The Runners Four sounds like more collaborative quality both in music and production. It sounds like you are peeping our practice from the small hole. Intimate feeling.FFWD: The Runners Four found you more mainstream attention than ever before, with positive reviews and articles in nearly every major music publication. How has that made the band feel? Did you ever expect anything like that to happen?SM: We didn't know what people would think of The Runners Four because we worked on it so long. We were like cavemen. We always hoped people would like our music. We'd love to connect to them musically. I appreciate that writers liked The Runners Four. That helped us reach to new audiences. And with this new album I hope we reach more people.FFWD: You're also currently recording a score for the film Dedication. How did that project originally come to be?SM: We are friends with the director of the movie – Justin Theroux. He is a great actor, too. He is in the new David Lynch movie. He told us he'd like to use our music for Dedication and we saw it and loved it immediately.FFWD: How is it going so far? And what kind of music can we expect for that, in comparison to your normal album output?SM: Actually it's all done now. I think the music is quite different. On our albums, we aren't making music for any reason, and we don't have any rules. In the movie, you are making music to fit into a certain scene. But actually there are songs from our albums in the movie, too.FFWD: How do you feel about contributing to something Mandy Moore is connected to? Can we expect a collaboration any time soon?SM: The first time seeing her was this movie. She is a good actor. Let's see how we can collaborate. She holds a 100-pound cat on her chest and I can play a keyboard with cat's voice.FFWD: The Milk Man ballet is also an interesting project, especially since it will be performed by elementary school students. How did that come to be?
SM: A teacher at the school decided she wanted to make a ballet out of Milk Man. We couldn't believe it! She has arranged the music for a small ensemble and for kids to sing. It feels like our music can take on a life of its own, which is a dream come true.FFWD: Your website is a pretty great place to waste a lot of time, with features like the remix maker, tons of videos and even a free, downloadable covers EP. What inspired you to make the site so interactive?SM: It came from everywhere. It was the Kill Rock Stars label owner's idea to do remixes. Free stuff is always great and we'd like a lot of people to listen to our music. FFWD: I know the covers EP is in commemoration of Chris Cohen's departure. How would you say the band has changed now that he's no longer in it?SM: We miss his companionship. He is very funny person. The band's music changed quite a bit as a live band. I think we sound sparse now. We travel super small too. We show up to venues in economy car with all the equipments and us in it. The loading people often ask us "where is your van?" They love it. We love it. We make people happy.FFWD: Greg and John both have plenty of side-projects to keep them busy, but what sorts of things do you do when you're not playing in the band? Do you have any hobbies?SM: I have lots of hobbies. I meet my friends, giving hugs, going back to Tokyo and seeing bands there which is really fun and inspiring, cooking, travelling to other countries. I went to Argentina recently with my friend. It was so fun. We went hiking on glaciers in Patagonia and got showered on a boat in Iguazu Fall. I saw a tiny alligator. I do street watching from my apartment. People around here are unique.FFWD: You've filled some fairly high-profile opening spots over the past few months, playing with Radiohead in August, and The Flaming Lips earlier in September. What have those shows been like?SM: They both were amazing as musical bands and persons. Radiohead sounds great live. Their presentaion of live music is very figured out and confident. I couldn't believe their abilities to play music so emotional and beautiful. English gentlemen. Actually they are all big jokers! Everyone in the Flaming Lips were super super nice. Sweetest human beings you've ever met. They are the same off the stage or on the stage.The Flaming Lips shows were like neverending fun parties. The end of the night felt terrible, like a nightmare. Everybody at the show wishes they never stop playing. I love that their songs are singalong catchy songs. They both inspired us and influenced us in the course of making this album. We gave Radiohead our unmastered version of the album during the Europe tour and got some comments from them. Also, we got help from The Flaming Lips, too. The drummer, Kliph, gave us suggestions, especially song order, etc. This album is called "Friend Opportunity." That's exactly where it's coming from!
FFWD: In December, you're playing in England with Iggy Pop. Can you see yourself still fronting a band when you're his age?SM: I think he's a great performer. How old is he? I heard he eats a steak after the shows. Tough guy. Well, I think I have a different role in a band comparing to Iggy. He is the core of the band. I am not a core of the band. I am one-third of the band. I don't consider myself as a front person. |
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