an arts & culture magazine for discriminating smart asses
Image: Courtesy David Isen
Horse the Band is known primarily for their experimental hardcore sound mixing shredding guitars with soaring keyboard solos and screamo-style lyrics. They’re also known for something called Nintendo-core which is just a silly way of saying they use keyboards that sound vaguely like the soundtrack to War of Warcraft or whatever the kids are playing these days.
What I find most appealing about the band though, besides the screaming opaque lyrics, is their sense of irony and willingness to make interesting style and artistic choices that may seem gimmicky to some but are actually sincere efforts to expand their musical style. They also have a “take us or leave us (but please take us)!’ vibe that is too sincere to overlook – I’m a sucker for sensitive dicks. Actually their whole shtick is appealing because it mixes barely concealed sensitivity with extreme macho bravado. It seems like a put on probably because it is. It’s a slightly schizo approach, but at least it makes for interesting sounds, and even more interesting tour stories.
They’re about to embark on a nine-day tour in South Africa and Mozambique to promote their latest release Desperate Living (Vagrant Records) and are launching their pre-order campaign for the Earth Tour 6 CD Documentary and photobook available for purchase through their website beginning March 22nd.
I had the opportunity to speak at length with guitarist, David Isen, about the Earth Tour DVD/photobook project, 48 Hours in the Ukraine (which was as insane as it sounds), alternative distribution channels, rejection, perceptions and made him tell me how my favorite songs on the new CD came about and what they mean. Turns out what I thought they meant and what they actually mean are (no surprise) not even remotely related.
Listen:
And if you must, become a fan on Facebook: horsetheband
FLABmag is a monthly arts & culture magazine for discriminating smart asses.
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you have a bad habit of talking over people, beating everyone over the head with your misinterpretations of the lyrics then not giving the band member a chance to correct you, and finishing peoples sentences for them with further misinterpretation
Nick,
1. I used Skype to call a cellphone. It’s difficult to hear sometimes. So i agree that I did talk over him some thinking he had paused. It’s kinda imprecise but what can you do. Also, there is this thing called “conversation” people sometimes talk over each other when they are conversing. It happens.
2. This was a more of a “conversation” than a straight dry ass “interview.”
3. Who cares if I misinterpreted the songs? I liked them. They were my favorites on the cd. I bought the cd. I supported the band because I liked the music. I asked to discuss a few topics with a band member and that is what I did. David didn’t seem to put out by my interpretations. And if he did, who cares?
Once put out for consumption all artists lose control over how the work will be interpreted or understood. That’s part of the process, and in my opinion, part of the more interesting aspects of engaging an audience.
But thank you for your comment. I agree I did talk over David and yes, I misinterpreted the songs. But, enjoy them nonetheless.