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Artist
: Drums
and Tuba
(Tony Nozero and Neal McKeeby)
Interviewed By
: Chris
Brooker
Date :
July 07, 2001
Site :
www.drumsandtuba.com |
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 With
the rush of today's music scene to classify artists and their
music almost to the point of absurdity (I mean really, how many
genres of "electronica" are there anyway?), it's nice
to see a band that refuses to be classified. Using a sound that
is truly their own, aptly named, Drums and Tuba is the latest
offering from Righteous Babe Records. Armed with a sampling
machine, a guitarist who plays two guitars at the same time,
and, well…drums and tuba, this NY based (by way of Austin)
trio has been called everything from post-punk instrumental
to jazz-funk to an acid oompah band. Omnizine's Brooker was
fortunate enough to catch up with Tony Nozero (drums) and Neal
McKeeby (guitars) in Tulsa during a show.
B: Your tour schedule now is pretty hectic. You guys are working
almost every day for the next month and a half or so. What's
that like?
T: It's good…We like to play as much as possible while
we're on the road. I mean, we have a few days off, and sometimes
it's good, but usually we're just anxious to play.
B: How do you keep the sets fresh and different from night
to night? Surely you must change things around, if nothing
else to preserve your own sanity.
T: Yeah, we change the setlist around a little from night
to night, switch songs out, throw a little improv in here
and there….
B: The music seems pretty conducive for an improv type of
atmosphere…
T: Yeah, there's lots of structure going on, but then there's
little bits and pieces of songs and things where we can make
stuff up. It really helps a lot. We try not to get too crazy
with it, but it's fun.
B: I saw you guys a couple of years ago opening for Ani Difranco
in Oklahoma City…
T: Yeah, at the Midland Theater?
B: Wow! All week long I couldn't remember the name of that
damn place…and there you go! Anyway, you're playing a
lot of smaller clubs now on your tour. What's it like playing
a venue the size of the Midland Theater and then going to
a club that barely seats 100?
N: It's a lot different!
B: I bet….Like how?
N: Everything is…the crowd, the sound's different…everything.
I like it better playing smaller crowds. They're right there.
You can actually see them; look into their eyes. You know?
B: It's put on a more personal level.
N: Yeah, there's a lot more exchange of stuff going on.
B: Do you ever have to conform to the size of the venue?
Tone yourself down a little?
N: Naaah…we never really try to do that. It might have
been a good idea to sometimes (laughs). There's a lot of stuff
going on, you know!
B: At that OKC show, I remember a manual typewriter being
brought out and the sounds of the keys being looped through
the set. It sounded amazing.
T: Yeah? Thanks.
B: Yeah, somehow you got rhythm out of a typewriter. How
often do you use…umm..well…non-instruments?
T: Well, lately, it's been little to no funny stuff. I think
with all the touring and stuff we're doing and playing….the
typewriter kinda got left at home.
N: Yeah, it just becomes another thing you have to carry
around.
T: (nodding) I think we have come a long way from that, too.
And our sound is different; more rock. Plus we have new songs
that don't really lend themselves to that kind of thing.
B: How did the signing of Righteous Babe Records and working
closely with Ani Difranco come to play?
T: Well, she records a lot in Austin, at a studio called
the Congress House. I think it was actually Goat Boy, our
engineer, who had heard of Drums and Tuba and that we were
interesting or whatever. He went out and bought a record and
then, well, I guess he thought it was cool, and the next thing
you know we got a call that Ani really wanted to do some shows
with us opening. At that point, I had already moved to Chicago
(to Neal) Is that right?
N: Yeah, we were getting sort of spread out.
T: Well, of course we decided to do it!
B: (laughing) How could you not?
T: Exactly! We did those shows and kinda hit it off with
her whole crowd, her whole camp seemed to like us. It was
really nice.
B: Great exposure. I bet lots of doors opened for you then.
T: Yeah…exposure-wise, it was great. And that was really
the beginning of us realizing that we can really make this…and
try to make this a living. Of course being around her (Ani)
at that time was really inspirational and amazing, too.
B: And "Vinyl Killer", your most recent album,
is your 1st album…..
N: (shaking head and vehemently holding up four fingers)
B: ….on Righteous Babe. N: (smiling sheepishly) Yeah…1st
on Righteous Babe and 4th overall.
B: And you next album is coming out when? T: Beginning of
next year…January or mid January sometime, probably.
B: Any ideas for a title?
T: Not really…I mean, we still have to record it.
B: Wow…Will you be putting any live stuff on it? Are
you even taping on the road?
T: (nodding) A little bit. Goat has a little DAT setup that
we've been using. It's funny, there's always tapers at our
shows that tape stuff and then promise to send us the tapes…
N: But they never do.
B: (laughing) It must be nice to know there's bootleg copies
of you floating around.
T&N: Yeah (laughing).
B: On one of your reviews, you were called "the future
of electric music"….How do you feel about being
given that cross to bear?
T: Ummmm…(awkward silence)…That's a little crazy.
N: Yeah, we just do what we can and don't worry about it.
I mean, that's the best you can do.
More information on Drums and Tuba (tour schedule, bios,
discography, etc) can be found at www.drumsandtuba.com. Information
on Righteous Babe Records can be found at www.righteousbabe.com.
Go, read, learn.
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INTERVIEW
- DRUMS AND TUBA by Chris Brooker