Micha:
It seems that OdD is a band people either love or hate at least that’s what I gather from StonerRock.com. Why do you think that is?
D. Brown:
I think you have answered part of your own question by mentioning that you are basing your opinion on what you read on StonerRock.com. Don’t get me wrong, I think that the web site is fantastic, and certainly offers a forum for people who want to explore issues and music beyond what major record labels, or even mass media has to offer. I think, though, that if you look behind the premise of StonerRock.com, maybe going back to the beginning, you are going to find a predominance of bands that do not attempt to hide the fact that the emotion behind their art lies in heavily distorted and sludgy riffs. That is where the fan base of StonerRock.com begins, and many of those vestiges still hang around there today. That’s not to take anything away from people who like heavy music, or the bands that play it. There are numerous, actually too many to mention, bands that are mentioned or sell their products there that I admire. I’m certainly a fan of a lot of heavy music as well.
The idea behind Orquesta, though, was to look for a musical outlet that went beyond distorted blues, and perhaps could help to release all of the emotions that the desert brought out of me when I arrived here about five years ago. I certainly didn’t sit down with a guitar and start writing music that I hoped would be loved by everyone. That’s an impossible task anyway. Anyone who attempts to depict his or her art in any medium will certainly attest to the fact that any creation isn’t something that the artist can base upon the emotions of others. It’s always a personal rendition of the artist’s emotions and psyche, sometimes influenced by external conditions and at other times internal circumstances, but something that no one beyond the person who is creating it can ever completely touch or know. It seems to me that art is something that can hopefully connect to a memory, emotion or moment for the person who views, listens, or sees it, but as far as finding an absolutely personal and internal connection to someone else’s art . . . well, that seems beyond the realm of possibility.
Getting back to your question, though, I think that for some people there is never going to be an ability to connect emotionally to what we have tried to achieve through the Orquesta del Desierto releases. It may simply not find a place in their memories, moments, or emotions, and that is definitely valid. Hell, it may be the case that the sounds created by Orquesta just aren’t what some people want to hear. Not liking something simply because it doesn’t appeal to your taste is a totally valid viewpoint as well. That is what makes music so vital anyway . . . the fact that we can find connections to certain types of music, and not find that connection in other types. I’m not out to win the world over with my music, simply to attempt to depict the emotions that are inside of me. If someone can connect with what I am creating, great. If not, then there are thousands of other bands out there to listen to.
Micha:
When I hear the music I vision you as having 100% musical control.
D. Brown:
That’s kind of a funny statement, Micha, because it conjures up images of record label executives popping into the studio giving the thumbs up or thumbs down on a riff or something like that! Really, I think it would be difficult for any independent label to attempt to exert musical control or direction over one of the bands on their roster. We’re not talking about a record that was produced with millions, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. I would almost guarantee that 99% of the bands that produce a record on an independent label have complete musical control over their product. That’s the beauty of independent music, though, and what makes it such an important part of our world. It gives artists the ability to truly portray issues and emotions that are relevant to them without being steered toward what will be commercially viable in the eyes of an executive that has only the ability to connect to the dollar figure at the end of the rainbow.
Micha:
Embracing southwestern culture, I have a saying that when I wake up in the morning and look out my window, I hear (in my mind) the music of Orquesta del Desierto.
D. Brown:
Wow, that is definitely a humbling comment, and I truly appreciate your endorsement of what I have tried to depict in audio. I think that anyone who has had a desert experience, though, could immerse himself or herself in one of the Orquesta releases and see the same thing in the mind’s eye. That’s not to say that the releases aren’t accessible to anyone from anywhere, but for those who have seen the vast stretches of desert sand, or the majesty of the western desert mountain ranges, well, there is truly something that energizes the emotions and psyche after that experience and is carried for the rest of his or her life. I think that anyone who listens to a band who comes from here or has produced a record here will hear the same kind of textures in the music. Certainly, it is there with all of the Kyuss releases, but it doesn’t stop there. That texture is there with releases by Brant Bjork, Fatso Jetson, Desert Sessions, Eagles of Death Metal, Fred Drake, Ted Quinn, Che, earthlings?, and the list goes on and on. Hell, it’s still even there with the last couple of Queens of the Stone Age releases, even though they have definitely entered a more commercial realm with the music they are producing today. It’s just something that is inescapable.
Micha:
I think some of the tracks could appeal to a wider audience, say even jazz or jam band fans.
D. Brown:
Again, thank you very much for the comment. As I mentioned earlier, I really didn’t set out to create a record that would appeal to anyone in particular. I think, though, that behind the music on Dos, there is certainly a blues influence, and, even though it will probably not sit well with many of the visitors to SR.com, some elements of pop. I know, that is an extremely taboo word with many of the folks who enjoy heavy rock more than any other type of music, but that element is certainly present on both Orquesta releases. Maybe, in that essence, there is a broader appeal and wider audience for the music Orquesta has released in comparison to many of the bands that are mentioned or sell their products at SR.com. In my opinion, and let me clarify that my opinion doesn’t mean shit, there is music created in every genre that has integrity and energy, and in the same breath there is crap present in every type or category of music. To infuse elements of pop into blues, Latin music, hard rock, jazz, country, or any other genre of music isn’t necessarily a bad thing if the artist is trying to push the limits of creativity and remain true to artistic expression. It is the people who use hackneyed and cliché pop elements that steer the word ‘pop’ in the wrong direction. I would consider Prince and Sade as ‘pop’ artists who have integrity. I could list a hundred other “pop” artists, though, that have simply been molded by the corporate mill to be force fed to and consumed by the general public.
Micha:
How do you decide which tracks need what type of musical layering (horns, maracas, etc…)?
D. Brown:
Usually, in all of my production experiences, there is a great deal of experimentation . . . and that includes simply trying ideas to see if they work. For every experimental success, there are certainly three ideas that probably didn’t work. It usually just comes down to having a section of a riff already recorded, and visualizing what would work with it. There are certainly writing experiences where I might play a riff and start to hum a horn part that could go along with it, but usually it comes down to having the riff recorded and then trying multiple instruments to see what works with the riff. Really, it’s not rocket science, and is usually just a matter of having the gumption to expand the song by experimenting with it. I can’t say there is just one way that it works. Sometimes there are definitely complete arrangements in my head, and at other times I am pleasantly surprised that an experiment worked.
Micha:
What the most elaborate track you’ve recorded?
D. Brown:
I am going to have to look back a few years for the answer to this one. While almost all of the songs on the Orquesta releases consisted of at least ten instruments and perhaps thirty to thirty five tracks, there were a couple of songs on the first Supafuzz release that turned into huge monsters. I remember that when I was asked to produce that record, I had these extreme visions of taking Supafuzz from a southern, blues band and moving them in the direction of something a little more elaborate. They weren’t completely into the idea, but it did work for a couple of the songs. I can remember one song in particular that had about forty tracks of instrumentation . . . including cello, organ, percussion, horns, vocals, the usual core of drums and bass, and Dave Angstrom’s massive guitar attack which took up at least seven or eight of the tracks! The horns on that song got axed, but I think we ended up with a massive song that was comprised of over thirty five tracks. That alone was a massive undertaking for what is basically a southern blues band at heart.
Micha:
Does everyone bring their own musical vision to the table?
D. Brown:
When I put together the first Orquesta del Desierto release, I basically demoed every riff and drum part on the record except for one song, and presented those demos to the rest of the performers on the session. Hell, there wasn’t a day in the studio for the first sessions that more than three of the performers on the record were present! In hindsight, and while that collection remains an extremely personal depiction of how the desert first moved me, I think that I didn’t allow the songs enough time to seep into all of the performer’s psyches and give each of them a chance to make them personal. At least that’s what I hear when I listen back to that session. Productions are often filled with “what if’s” and in the case of the first release I think that I moved a little too quickly to complete it.
With Dos, though, from the moment I made up my mind to attempt another Orquesta release I knew that in order to come closer to a true rendition of the desert I had to open up the writing process to everyone involved. Actually, how could I not take the amazing writing abilities of Country Mark and Mike Riley and make them present on the release? That would have been ignorant. When I made all of the calls to see if everyone from the first release wanted to come back for another session, one of the first things I asked for was musical collaboration. By the time we stepped into the studio, we had written close to twenty songs between all of us, and it made the process of picking which ones that would appear on the release much more personal to everyone involved. It was also important to me this time around to make sure that the core performers for the release were all present in the studio during the initial tracking, and that everyone had input on the various tones and renditions of the riffs. I believe that is what has made Dos a progression from the first release, and makes me look forward to the next sessions because I know now that everyone feels creatively involved in the production. That is certainly important to the overall cohesiveness of what I am trying to accomplish with Orquesta.
Micha:
I’ve read you’ve only played a handful of shows so far. Is the upcoming European tour going to be a major production and what about the horn section?
D. Brown:
Actually, we’ve only ever played one show with our second one coming up in a few weeks! When I first envisioned taking Orquesta into a live venue, I did have the idea that we would travel with at least ten pieces to make the live show sound extremely reminiscent to the studio versions. In the end, though, once the budget was laid out in front of me, it became obvious that taking a band that large on the road was going to be impossible. Again, there aren’t millions or even hundreds of thousands of dollars at stake here. Orquesta del Desierto is a band on an independent label that has sold, in comparison to major label releases, a nominal number of CDs. My focus then became to produce a live show that could pull off energetic renditions of the songs, but built more around a traditional rock line-up . . . i.e. drums, guitars, bass and vocals. While we won’t be traveling with keys or horns on this tour, I truly believe that we have constructed an extremely entertaining and energetic live show that presents the songs in a slimmer but just as emotive form. I still carry visions, though, of traveling with that ten piece band . . . it’s just a few more months down the road.
Micha:
You’re recording the new Hermano record?
D. Brown:
Anyone who has followed the soap opera known as Hermano knows that we have been through hell . . . not only in getting Only a Suggestion released, but also being able to record the follow up. I’m not going to get into the story behind the hindrances behind releasing Only a Suggestion, or all of the label woes we went through that led us down the path of having to wait until now to do the follow up. I think all of that has already been pretty well documented. I can tell you, though, that most of the songs for the new Hermano record have been written for well over three years now, and that we have just been building up heads full of steam waiting for this moment to come. We are about one month away from finishing the record, and having it on the shelves by October. It has been a long process to get to this point, and there have been a lot of people who have tried to fuck with us for whatever reason, but I believe that when October rolls around and we can finally release these songs that have been brewing within all of us for the last few years it is going to be one hell of a personal moment of achievement and liberation.
Micha:
I hear tale that you’re quite the worldly man. Where’s your favorite spot for vacation, and your favorite food from said place?
D. Brown:
Of all the places I’ve visited and lived, the one that holds the most personal place in my heart would have to be Zutphen in the Netherlands. It’s a quiet city, maybe 35,000 people, that is filled with emotion, romance, and beauty. It has been a few years since I last visited there, and I’m not sure if the restaurant is still in existence, but I would have to say that the Volkshaus was my favorite place to eat while there. It’s not a five star restaurant or anything, but it was certainly a place where the atmosphere was conducive to conversation and personal expression. They have great pancakes too!
Micha:
What do your students think of having a rock star for a teacher?
D. Brown:
First of all, I’m not and nor do I want to be a “rock star.” Really, I don’t wear the fact that I play music like a badge on my sleeve. I occasionally have a student or two ask me about one of the bands, and I think they probably find it a little fascinating that I have the opportunity to get out and make records and tour, but it’s not a part of our everyday conversation . . . nor would I want it to be. Essentially, there are far more important things to discuss in my class than me!
