It’s an honor to present an interview with Tobacco covering the dichotomy between Tobacco and Black Moth Super Rainbow, as well as touching upon earlier works and hinting towards the future. As satanstompingcaterpillars, an introduction to lo-fi synth-pop was made and as Black Moth Super Rainbow grew from the ashes, several good men and women stronger, the music has not only gained in appreciators but taken on a unique form of production different from any other music being made today. Without spilling our collective hearts out and continuing with words which do no justice, lets get on with this.
FMLY: I’d like to begin by clearing the fog. Thanks to Impose magazine it’s acknowledged that you, Tobacco, are Black Moth Super Rainbow (outside of live settings). During the time of satanstompingcaterpillars, when was it decided with Power Pill Fist that you would take composition and recording duties? If it wasn’t decided, and you feel comfortable doing so, I’d like to know about the transition into BMSR and what provoked it.
Tobacco: It’s just sort of how it always was. I’m bad at collaborating with people, and I thought it was always easier to work alone. I think I get most inspired alone, and less self conscious of what I’m doing. We’ve written a few songs together as a band back in all the different bands, and it always feels great when it happens, but I never push it to keep happening. I had started off really noisy and abstract with Allegheny White Fish. We were all so happy with ourselves for coming up with that name in 10th grade, but it wasn’t too funny 4 years later. Then ssc [satanstompingcaterpillars] was like my way to be more melodic all the time, and a little more serious. Then when it started to shift again into something I might be a little more comfortable performing live, I brought in the rest of the band and we changed over again. I’ve always felt like these ideas shouldn’t outstay their welcome. 3 or 4 records is enough, because I get really bored, and I like to keep these bands and ideas as pure as I can, in their places in time, until it seems like I’ve finally gotten it right.
FMLY: Your sound evolved tremendously with Falling Through A Field. Was this due to new software, new instruments, new friends to play with, an acid trip or just a new vision of swampy pink meadows and multicolored waterfalls? Do you and PPF continue to make music together on the side? I’m a big fan of his Atari work, were you two into video games when you were young or is it only appreciated as an instrument? Related, why the decision to use many tracks from satanstompingcaterpillars?
Tobacco: Falling Through A Field was like a weird best-of record at the time. Some of my favorite stuff that I thought was still relevant from ssc, mixed with where it was going with the vocoders and analog synths and beats. It was all fueled by the idea that these synths were available and we were figuring out what they did, plus the idea of the vocoder was really appealing because I didn’t have to be so self-conscious about my voice anymore. PPF and I haven’t made anything in awhile, but like I said, I’m just not much of a team player. I think he’s taking the Atari stuff somewhere really interesting for his next record. I’ve only heard one song, but it was definitely different.
FMLY: After speaking with The Octopus Project I was surprised to find out that The House of Apples and Eyeballs was an online project and that you hadn’t actually met before recording. Had you listened to tOP before this collaboration and who initiated the process? Do you still maintain a relationship with them and was the rest of BMSR involved during the recording process or only at your live performance of the album at SXSW?
Tobacco: I had the cd with the mannequins on the cover, and I had no idea how much they’d changed since then. I didn’t know they were more of a rock band, so that was a good surprise. I think Ryan from Graveface just went to a couple shows of theirs and had the idea on his own to put it together. We see them like once a year now, because we usually stay with Toto when we play in Austin.
I had all these random parts recorded with everyone from BMSR over a couple years that we were able to incorporate into that album. The whole point of it was trying to make something out of stuff both bands had lying around and didn’t know what to do with, so it ended up being kind of a good exercise for me in listening to some of the garbage I make and figuring out how to make it work on some level. I think everyone makes at least one appearance.
FMLY: There’s no denying the role that your music has played in many people’s lives, but more specifically those who dabble with acid, shrooms and other mind -altering drugs…or just straight up weed. What you may consider to be a subtle portion of a track could influence one’s entire trip. Do you take this into consideration when crafting an album?
Tobacco: I’m sort of learning this more and more over time, but everything I make is pop to me, and it’s the only way I know how to make it. So drugs have absolutely nothing to do with it for me – it’s just what I think sounds good at the time. I’m not much of a psychedelic music fan, and I’ve never aspired to be psychedelic. I think it’s just my ear being wrong. I really think I’m making hooky pop music, but then it comes out, and everyone’s like, “no, it’s this…”
satanstompingcaterpillars – Goodbye Method (from Flower Slides)
satanstompingcaterpillars – The Autumn Kaleidoscope Now Has Hips (from The Autumn Kaleidoscope Got Changed)
satanstompingcaterpillars – Black Snow (from The Most Wonderfulest Thing)
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Boxphones (from Falling Through A Field)
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Smile Heavy (from Start A People)
Black Moth Super Rainbow + The Octopus Project – Spiracle (from The House Of Apples & Eyeballs)
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Sun Lips (from Dandelion Gum
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Just For The Night (Laura Burhenn, BMSR remix) (from Drippers)
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Eating Us medley
