Earth Interview

Earth's main-man and drone pioneer Dylan Carlson opens the lid on the bands new ground breaking album, Hex; Or Printing In The Infernal Method and the reasons behind his return after 9 years away.


How are things with you guys right now?
We are in the process of getting ready for a 6 week tour with sunn0))) of the UK/Europe. It is supposed to run from the 7th of Feb. thru the 14th of March. We recently recorded a new song, 'plague of angels', it will be on the split 12" that we are doing with Sunn0))), and will only be available on the tour. We will be touring as a four piece, with Steve Moore on trombone and wurlitzer, Adrienne Davies on drums, and the first 9 or 10 dates Don McGreevy on 4 string bass, and starting with the Paris show, Jonas Haskins on baritone guitar.
2005 saw the release of the first Earth album in 9 years, what has been the reaction to the record so far?
So far the reaction to the record has been astonishing. Everyone seems really into it, and the new direction that earth is heading.
After a 9-year hiatus what factors lead you to reform Earth as an active entity?
During my long hiatus I was always planning to continue with music, I wasn't certain it was going to be earth. Then Mike Quinn/NoQuarter re-issued sunn amps..... And people began approaching me for live shows, and they were expecting earth to play, so I asked Adrienne to play drums, and earth was a going concern again.
Why return with a completely new line-up rather than reform with previous members?
Most of the former members of earth are no longer on speaking terms with me, for reasons only known to themselves. Plus I feel like earth is a constantly evolving process, more a way of doing things, than a band playing greatest hits night after night. The older members would not really have a place in the new scheme of things even if they were interested.
Given the undoubted influence Earth has had one the current crop of drone / distortion bands, did you feel any external pressure when it came time to writing / releasing “Hex (Or Printing in the Infernal Method)”?
I have felt pressure from earth fans on every record since earth2, and also from myself to constantly strive for improvement as a musician and guitarist. Also having been gone for a long time there is always pressure to prove oneself again.
How did you approach the writing and recording of “Hex”, did this differ at all from previous Earth offerings?
My song writing approach is a lot different now. Before I would come up with riffs on my own then string them together once I figured out which ones seem to go together. Now they evolve out of improvising at practice with just me and Adrienne, playing and then they are arranged at the studio or in practice with the full band. The next album I will be working closely with Steve Moore to arrange parts for horns and possibly strings.
Where you more focused on the recording of “Hex” than previous Earth recordings?
This is the most focused that I have ever been on music, I no longer have other things interfering with my consciousness, distracting me from playing and writing to the best of my abilities, and its nice having a foil to help with arranging and counter melodies.
How did the concept of using Cormac McCarthy’s novel “Blood Meridian” come about?
I have always been drawn to American history and American forms of music, this book was the strongest invocation of the real American west I had ever encountered outside of a straight historical text. It is actually drawn from some historic texts, hence its piercing insight on the frontier and its inhabitants behaviors. Plus I just really like the book, and they way McCarthy writes. I also like the other books of his border trilogy, such as "all the Pretty Horses", and "Cities of the Plain". I hate all the revisionist and incorrect portrayal of the western U.S. and American history and experience in general.
Those familiar with Earth’s earlier work will notice that “Hex (Or Printing in the Infernal Method)” has a different vibe and melody to your back catalogue. To what do you attribute this change in styles?
I think that there are certain things that will always be a part of the way earth does things. Those include slower tempos, repetition and the drone. With those three "filters", as it were, I can put anything that I am interested in or passionate about musically and come up with something that is 'earth'. Also I rekindled my interests in music of a specifically American character.
“Hex (Or Printing in the Infernal Method)” is the first release via Southern Lord. How did the deal come about and how important were Stephen O’Malley and Greg Anderson to your decision to sign on with the label?
The decision to go with Southern Lord had everything to do with Greg and Stephen. They are both great human beings, relentlessly supportive and incredibly passionate about music. Greg made it clear that he supported the direction Earth was moving towards, and made it clear that he was interested in investing in the future of Earth rather than trying to profit off the past. The previous people we dealt with, most notably autofact's Josh Hunt, were interested in making quick money off the legacy of Earth, now that it suddenly is ok to drone, play slow, etc.
	Stephen O’Malley also had a hand in designing the imagery that accompanies the album. How did Stephen come to contribute to the album?
	I have always admired Stephen's sense of design. With this record he was listening to the rough mixes constantly while coming up with the artwork. It really grew out of his organic response to the musical stimuli of the album. We also had many discussions about imagery and the idea of the hex sign, and the immigrants response to the entity that is the American continent.
	There is rumour of an impending European tour with Sunn0))) is in the works. Is there any truth to the rumours, any details you could give us?
	We are in the process of organizing the tour. I spoke at more length about it above.
	Given the improvisational nature of your music how do you find Earth translates to the live forum?
	Live , much like the studio, we create a definitive arrangement of the song and then improvise within the structure of the arrangement, or we will have a section in the arrangement that calls for an improvisatory response.
Thanks for taking the time to do the interview, is there a message to your Earth fans out there?
The main thing I guess that I want to say to earth fans is thank you. Thank you for enjoying and being inspired by something I have done. Thanks for the patience when I was gone, and for moving forward with the new direction that Earth has been working on. Everything good in my life has been the result of playing guitar, and Earth wouldn't be able to continue to tour and make records without your support and response to the process of Earth.

All photographs and images used with kind permission of Southern Lord Records.