MOKB 2007 Holiday Interview Series : Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear

My Old Kentucky Blog is starting a Holiday Interview Series to end the year. I don't know if we'll have one every day of December, but we're gonna try. I know this is a day early, but we don't always post on the weekends. Anyway, we've got some great ones lined up...Tapes N Tapes, The Ting Tings, YATCH, Alela Diane, Jonquil, Margot & The Nuclear So & Sos and many many more to come.

I wanted to kick it all off with a band I might have wronged in the past. Maybe I was pissy that they were soooo fawned over so early...I really don't know what my beef was. It was weak whatever it was, and they've proven, over and over, to be one of the best indie bands out there...growing moreso with each passing release - pushing boundries and trying new things all the time. Their live show at Hot Freaks! in Austin, TX during ACL was one of the most enjoyable and moving shows I saw this year. I guess it changed my whole perspective, and I'm happy about that.

So, to kick it all off, here is Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear...

MOKB : So Ed, Friend...pretty badass huh? Head-brotha-in-charge at P'Fork writes the glowing review...how's that feel?!

Ed Droste : It feels great, albeit really surprising. I mean I'm really happy with the EP and proud of what we did, but it is also a between the albums EP and honestly I never really expected it to be reviewed let alone reviewed so positively, so a piece of me wonders does it really deserve it? Naturally I'm thrilled to get such a positive response to it---and it coming from the founder of Pitchfork is particularly flattering. I don't know though, I think it's a bit of a divisive release, some find it pointless, others like it and I welcome really any response to it because I can sort of see everyone's perspective on it.

MOKB : Hot Freaks! or Hot Geeks?

Ed Droste : Am I an idiot because I don't know what Hot Geeks is, just Hot Freaks because that's what we performed at in Austin partly thanks to your blog and the others. That whole event was really fun, would love to play in front of that rock cliff with projections again, was really cool. I think visuals, particularly for a band like us are really helpful/important as we aren't really jumping all over the place. At least we don't sit anymore! Haha. As for would I rather date a hot freak or a hot geek. I'd pick Hot Geek b/c I love glasses and I'd rather have someone really smart than someone "freaky" whatever that means.

MOKB : Any musical plans for the 2007 holiday season?

Ed Droste : No Xmas box sets if that answers your question. Mostly we are just charging forward with writing new material for a follow up album to Yellow House. I think it's going to be really fun to make and interesting to see what happens because I know it's going to be really different but I'm just not entirely sure how yet. Recording a few tracks for some compilations which largely are composed of covers/collaborations, blah blah....

MOKB : What have been your most and least favorite things about the last two years?

Ed Droste : My favorite thing has been performing to an attentive and appreciative audience, it makes all the sleeping on couches, long drives, flat tires, nasty gas station food so worth it! And meeting those people after the show is also really awesome, we aren't the type of band to walk off stage and hide backstage we usually are at the merch table talking with people because it's nice to meet people especially when you are spending 24/7 with your band mates all the time, the last thing you want to do is spend ALL you time with just them. The worst thing is playing to a talkative rude crowd, especially if we get a heckler. I can't imagine anything more uncomfortable than the few times we were heckled (always when we were opening for a larger act). It's excruciating but a rite of passage. I mean if we were a punk band, it's a little easier to just plow through the set and yell and scream and make loud music, but when you are finger picking something really quiet and then suddenly someone yells "you SUCK!", well...it sucks. Haha...it's also sort of funny when I look back at it. Goes to show how easy a tone or mood of a show can change on a pin drop. Funny story, the worst heckler we've had (I'd say we've only had three or four that were really notable) was in Toronto with TVOTR and this guy wouldn't stop yelling shit at us, for a good 20 minutes. It was relentless! Anyhow, suddenly after the show there were all these people that came up to us and were like "hey man so sorry that sucked just so you know, the heckler is that dude at the bar" and all these people policed him. Anyhow, someone got into a confrontation with him (to our defense) and he claimed innocence and I never thought about it again. Flash forward a full year, we are playing our own show in Toronto and this kid sheepishly comes up to me and says "uhhh I'm really sorry but I have to come clean, that heckler at the TVOTR show was me last year, not that other dude and well, now I'm a huge fan and errr, yeah, sorry about that...." I was pretty shocked but it was funny, I guess you can win hecklers over!

MOKB : Where is the best place you've toured over that time? Why?

Ed Droste : Well generally speaking I enjoy touring in the US /Canada much more than Europe but that's largely because we are much more well known here. Of course the big capital cities in Europe are comparable to here, but touring rural Europe while beautiful is sort of a bummer. You don't really get a chance to see the castle you read about in the guide book but instead are in a smokey club in Basel Switzerland with fifty odd people. Haha...but it's all part of the experience. I guess I've always loved playing in Scandinavia, the crowds there are super excited and attentive---also driving around norway we really got to see some of the most spectacular scenery. Least favorite place to tour is England. Terrible venues (at least the ones we got to play) and generally just an NME/annoying music culture/attitude. We attempt to avoid it at all costs. (and it's so expensive!)

MOKB : Where is the best and worst place to eat while touring?

Ed Droste : Best places to eat are big cities with lots of different types of food. Pretty much any big city, europe or America you can get something healthy and great. Worst places to eat are the millions of gas stations we stop at. Ugh....so gross.

MOKB : What's the worst rock n roll injury you've sustained over that time?

Ed Droste : A destroyed liver.

MOKB : Give my your top three hometown hotspots.

Ed Droste : Hmmmm, NYC shows. My favorite show we've done here was the last one we did at the Society for Ehtical Culture, such a beautiful space, big church like atmostphere and I think we played really well. But you have to say Bowery Ballroom , it's such a classic venue with great sound and sight lines. Third favorite spot? I'd say the now deceased Tonic. RIP.

MOKB : What's the best piece of free you received over the last two years?

Ed Droste : We actually don't get that much free stuff - I guess some Nike sneakers.

MOKB : What weather event most terrifies you?

Ed Droste : Snow and hail when we are on the road because it's so dangerous. Once in North Dakota on our first ever tour our car (yes we were touring in a car back then) spun around on the highway and went off the road because of black ice. Normally though if I'm in the mountains or at home snow is my favorite.

MOKB : What do you want for (Christmas/Hanukkah/Insert Your Holiday) this year?

Ed Droste : A vacation to somewhere tropical!

MOKB : What's your best holiday memory?

Ed Droste : I once went skiing in the alps with a friend about six years ago , and it was so magical. His family took me and we got to ride a horse drawn sleigh through hte mountains to a little cottage with a fondue restaurant in it that was run by a family. It was so amazing. On the sled they served you mulled wine. Plus I love to ski but never get to.

MOKB : Give me your best holiday get-away.

Ed Droste : Cape Cod, I've gone every year wtih my family. It's such a relaxing place - perfect temperature for me too (I don't like places too hot)

MOKB : You're snowed-in, who do you want to be stuck with you?

Ed Droste : My dog and boyfriend.

MOKB : What's the best gift to buy for that special someone this holiday season?

Ed Droste : Music!

MOKB : If you were to buy that special someone one CD this holiday season, what would it be and why?

Ed Droste : Josh Groban's holiday hits. Damn he's sold a lot. No really - hmmm, my boyfriend just listens to mostly what I bring home. I guess if I had a friend who was a big radiohead fan, that box set is pretty sweet! (and pricey!)

Grizzly Bear - Easier (Alternate Edit)
Grizzly Bear - Lullabye
CSS - Knife (Grizzly Bear Cover)
Grizzly Bear - Knife

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