Zoom-in Online

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.

Camera Obscura have endured. This Glaswegian troupe have been around for over 13 years, not only surviving line-up changes, expansions and contractions, but also winning the approval of everybody from fellow Scots Belle & Sebastian to deceased music legend John Peel along the way. 

For this week's installment of These Questions, we spoke with Gavin Dunbar, Camera Obscura's bassist, who reveals the profound effects of film on the group's lush sound, a deep, unashamed love of Queen, and his life as a DJ.

1.  What music was played in your home while you were growing up?
 
Anything from classic pop that was around at the time, to '60s bands to classical and choral. My mum was a bit of a singer, in a few choirs, so she'd always be playing away at the piano and singing in the house. 

2.  Who is the best artist we have probably never heard of?
 
Whilst they are not really unheard of now, Herman Dune are well worth listening to. From the lo-fi, early albums to the more polished Not on Top, Giant and the recent Next Year in Zion they write catchy folky pop songs and they did one of the best live shows I've seen in recent years, really captivating. 

3.  What is your favorite song lyric?
 
I've recently rediscovered Badly Drawn Boy's Hour of The Bewilderbeast which i loved when it came out. "The Shining" has such a beautiful, simple lyric combined with great melodies and arrangement, it always gets you.

4.  What song do you want played at your funeral?
 
As long as the 70's version of the Doctor Who theme gets an airing I can die a happy man.

5.  What is your favorite b-side?
 
Rod Stewart - "Maggie May." It's crazy to think now that this was a b-side at the time, before DJs started flipping it and playing it instead.

6.  Which medium do you prefer: vinyl, cd, or download?
 
It used to be vinyl. I had a fairly ridiculous amount of it. I love the sound of vinyl and it's the best way to appreciate sleeve art. These days it's CDs, I'm afraid. I do a bit of DJing and it's far easier to carry a couple of bags of CDs around rather than records. I've not really got into downloading too much. I like having the actual physical product.

7.  Which artist would your fans be surprised to find out you like?
 
Queen. I have a long standing love of Queen. They are probably my only concession to ROCK bands. Kenny Obscura is a massive fan too, although he went as far as to get Clogs like Brian May used to wear, which I always thought was a step too far. At least he didn't go the whole hog and get a kaftan too.

8.  What musician would you choose to cover one of your songs?
 
I always think that covers are more interesting when they are done by someone with a different style, properly re-interpreted. I'd like to hear the Beastie Boys doing "If Looks Could Kill." I think that would be fairly interesting.

9.  Who is the most overrated artist?
 
I've never been a fan of overblown rock (with the exception of Queen) and I've never seen the point in Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd (certainly post-Barrett), and the Who in the '70s depress me enormously.

10. What musician or band do you wish you’d seen play live, in their prime?
 
Joy Division. I'm a massive fan of New Order, and I got to see them play live in 2001, but I think to have seen Joy Division in their prime must have been an amazing live experience, they were totally on fire when they were on form. I'd love to have seen New Order in the 80's too, when they were pushing back the boundaries on Factory.

11. What non-musical influences do you have?
 
Film has always been a massive influence on the band. Especially films by directors like Ken Loach, Mike Leigh, Pedro Almodovar and David Lynch. They have such a fresh approach, and are always very atmospheric and look fantastic.

Read Camera Obscura's multi-media blog.

Watch (almost) all of their videos.

Read a thoughtful interview with Carey, one of C.O.'s newer members, at The State.

Discover the delightfully upbeat Swede, Herman Dune, on Myspace.

Check out more installments of THESE QUESTIONS GO TO ELEVEN:

Adam Green
Art Brut
Chin Chin
The Cribs
Darlings
Dead River Company
Fool's Gold
Fujiya & Miyagi
Golem
Jukebox the Ghost
Talib Kweli
Ben Kweller
Jeffrey Lewis
The Low Miffs
Lights
M83
Man Like Me
Marina & The Diamonds
Meg & Dia
A.C. Newman
Cale Parks
Silvery
Tapes 'n Tapes
Tiny Animals
The Von Bondies
White Rabbits
Wild Light
Yo Majesty!

To keep up with Zoom In Music news, blogs, and videos, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.