‘Psychedelic music and psychedelic drugs go together real well, but I don’t even remember the last time I did that kind of thing’ — Vancouver’s Black Mountain prefer wine with their psych-rock
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The city of Vancouver has emerged as an eminent hub of psychedelic rock. Although other bands have been more than happy to do some of the heavy lifting, the primary architects of the still-growing scene have been soldiers of the Black Mountain Army. While the collective serves as common ground for several bands, including Pink Mountaintops and Blood Meridian, the main attraction is Black Mountain. In addition to their musical prowess, the band members are known for their erstwhile employment by organizations that strive to make life better for poverty-stricken residents of Vancouver’s notorious Downtown Eastside.
“We all care about the people down there a lot, even though we don’t really like to promote the cause through our music,” explains Amber Webber, whose smooth vocals provide an effective counterpoint to front man Stephen McBean’s gravelly howl. “I think it would be sort of strange to talk about something like that in the middle of a rock show. But it’s a really neat community that works down there, because so many of the people are artists. I don’t think it would be easy to do that kind of work without that kind of back and forth between two very different parts of your life.”
It may be taking a back seat due to the band’s recent successes, but this unusual background adds texture and a sense of authenticity to the music. If the sense of gloom that pervades Black Mountain’s recently released In The Future is any indication, the band has no lack of sombre memories punctuated by moments of hopefulness. While the entire crew still lives in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, the band members have kicked off new chapters in their lives.
“We’re going to take a break later this year, and I think I’m going to get a totally different job,” says Webber, who nevertheless remains undecided about what might come next. “Working the Downtown Eastside is fun, but I’ve been doing it forever. I like to think working with troubled youth is my specialty, so sometimes I think I’d like to go back to school and get my social work degree. Then other days I’d like to be a hairdresser.”
For now, however, her primary concern is a gruelling summer tour, including numerous North American dates, appearances at more than a few major music festivals and a trek across the pond for several shows in the U.K. and continental Europe. The new album has been remarkably well received, which has translated into capacity crowds, rave reviews and even an appearance on Late Night with Conan O’Brien.
“It was cool!” recalls Webber. “Conan did his little run-through of the show, playing guitar the whole time — which is really funny, because he’s really good at guitar. Then we rehearsed a couple of times then played it live. They make the studio look so big on television, but it’s actually really tiny, almost crappy-looking. Still, it was a really fun thing to do.”
With abundant comparisons to classic rock outfits from Sabbath to Bowie, Black Mountain is doing its best to breathe new life into psychedelic music. The music has a definite stoner vibe, with heady extend-a-jams and wink-nudge track titles like “Stormy High” and “Druganaut,” but don’t expect these musicians to repeat the mistakes of the genre’s pioneers.
“Psychedelic music and psychedelic drugs go together real well, but I don’t even remember the last time I did that kind of thing,” says an amused Webber when asked whether mind alteration is a big part of the band’s creative process. “We’re not big druggies or anything like that. We know how people like that turn out. I guess everyone does their own thing, but for me personally, I’d rather drink a glass of wine and write a song.”
