These Questions Go To Eleven: A.C. Newman
Each week ZIO asks a different musician the same 11 questions via email. Visit Zoom In Music every Wednesday for a new installment or subscribe to the RSS feed.
**You may notice that I've changed Question #3. See, I love a good lyric, and the previous question wasn't quite getting at what I'd hoped it would. However, I am keeping #9 in the mix. I think that people are defined by what they don't like as well as by what they do like. Plus, I have to admit that I really enjoy seeing everyone's reactions to the question, whether they choose to answer it or not.
Do you disagree? Then send me an email to change my mind.
Canadian born A.C. Newman is a busy man. Between solo projects and his work with The New Pornographers, he has released five albums in the last six years. Taking a break from his craft, Carl answers the questions for us.
His music is often described as "power pop," which is apt, but there is more depth than that label suggests. Things get a little bit too twisted to fit neatly into such a limited box. Considering he even draws inspiration from his radiator, you can see how the influences would be hard to track. Fortunately, his answers below give us some clues.
A.C. Newman sets out on tour starting in Vancouver a few days from now. For more details, check out his website.
1. What music was played in your home while you were growing up?
My parents listened to nothing but country music. There were K-Tel country collections and some Charlie Pride and Freddy Fender albums. My older brother brought in the rock and roll, like 'ChangesOneBowie' and Talking Heads' '77' and the Beatles and Stones. My sister was into Pat Benatar and REO Speedwagon. And then there was the radio.
2. Who is the best artist we have probably never heard of?
My favorite underdog band is Sex Clark Five, a band from Alabama that has been around since the 80s. Their first album 'Strum And Drum' is still one of my favorite albums. They sounded like a more revved up and folky Guided By Voices, but before GBV did it.
3. What is your favorite song lyric?
The line from "Pale Blue Eyes": 'I thought of you as my mountaintop, I thought of you as my peak, I thought of you as everything I had but couldn't keep'. It is so simple, so plainly spoken, and yet so powerful.
4. What song do you want played at your funeral?
'Se Telefonando' by MiNa. It communicates an epic beauty and sadness, even without understanding any of the Italian in which it is sung.
5. What is your favorite b-side?
'Keep The Glove' by Dinosaur Jr. I think that is what it's called. The Smiths also had a massive amount of amazing b-sides, too many to name.
6. Which medium do you prefer: vinyl, cd, or download?
Vinyl is best because it is the easiest to fetishize. That being said, it has been years since I have listened to an album on vinyl.
7. Which artist would your fans be surprised to find out you like?
Although I own none of her records, I am fascinated by Enya. You cannot deny the power of 'Orinoco Flow'. Is that the right name of that song? You know the one.
8. What musician would you choose to cover one of your songs?
The Beatles
9. Who is the most overrated artist?
I am the most overrated artist. There is no other answer that would be PC.
10. What musician or band do you wish you'd seen play live in their prime?
The Violent Femmes, The Who, Love, Roxy Music (with Eno) and Cheap Trick. That would be the bill.
11. What non-musical influences do you have?
A lot of writers influence me, or if not influence me, they inspire me. When I read Thomas Pynchon or William Gaddis, I feel humbled to be in the presence of the work of masters. I would hope that some small percentage of it sticks with me and makes me a better writer. Also, the noise that my radiator makes is quite inspiring. It's like a random note generator. Sometimes it is one note for a long time but you can learn a lot from the phrasing and the dynamics.
Check the MySpace pages of A.C. Newman and The New Pornographers.
Watch A.C. Newman and Will Sheff perform "Lost Coastlines."
Discover Sex Clark Five's underground gem Strum and Drum! and listen to them cover The Clash's "Career Opportunities".
Pretend you were at early Violent Femmes concerts on YouTube.
Check out more installments of THESE QUESTIONS GO TO ELEVEN:
Adam Green
Art Brut
Camera Obscura
Chin Chin
The Cribs
Darlings
Dead River Company
Fool's Gold
Fujiya & Miyagi
Golem
Jukebox the Ghost
Talib Kweli
Ben Kweller
Jeffrey Lewis
Lights
The Low Miffs
M83
Man Like Me
Marina & The Diamonds
Meg & Dia
Cale Parks
Silvery
Tapes 'n Tapes
Tiny Animals
The Von Bondies
White Rabbits
Wild Light
Yo Majesty!
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