MP: Keeps it honest.
MD: Yeah. I think so.
DJ: When you mention Alta Mira‚ I know they're on this label Indian Ledge with Palatypus. Can you talk a little bit about what the label does‚ and what they've done for you specifically?
MP: They did that for us. (points to CD)
MD: They introduced us to Taylor‚ who's the guy we recorded with. Made the CD happen for far cheaper than we could have. And uh‚ you know‚ well it's tough. We talk to Nick (Cosimano) about stuff sometimes‚ and sometimes we don't. We go through periods where we don't really know what's going on with him. It's new‚ it's ground up. We're kind of grasping at straws. We're kind of shooting in the dark when it comes to a lot of stuff. It's a good learning experience. I mean‚ we're all taking away a lot from it.
MP: Basically what we're trying to do‚ or at least my understanding of what we're trying to do‚ is strength in numbers‚ so to speak. Learning the business together‚ so we all have a part in it.
DJ: I think it's definitely important to build community. Are you guys both from Albany?
MP: I'm from Albany.
MD: I grew up about 45 minutes away‚ out in Schoharie County.
DJ: Do you think‚ living in Albany‚ which is an urban environment‚ especially over there on Millionaire's Row‚ how does that come into your music? You talked about Ironweed‚ and that's about as deep as you can get into the Albany mythology…
MD: Cityscape…
DJ: Yeah. Does that translate into your music‚ as opposed to a more rural feel‚ or a country feel‚ which is such a part of the music? How do those two synthesize‚ or how do they combine?
MP: I don't know if they combine so well. I know that it's kind of a struggle and a fight. I like living in the city‚ but at times I don't think I want to admit that to myself. And I like‚ or I want to like‚ living in the country‚ or I yearn to live in the country‚ but I don't know if I'm ready for it. So I think a lot of that comes out in the music that I choose to listen to‚ or some of the sounds that come out. There's definitely a country‚ bluegrass‚ folky feel to what we're doing‚ which isn't typically urban‚ so it's more of a struggle for me than any kind of synthesis.
MD: I found it not so much of a struggle. I mean‚ in terms of music‚ I've always had kind of a fuck-it attitude anyway. In terms of‚ I'm gonna do what I want to do. The first band I was ever in was this horrible‚ neo-jazz kind of band‚ and we wrote some really filthy stuff‚ just really filthy. Stuff I couldn't even talk about now.
DJ: You'd probably make a million dollars.
MD: At the time‚ you know‚ it was just a lot of fun. It was a good time to do that. And now‚ too. I was playing bass in bands for a while‚ you know rock 'n' roll bands‚ and it just wasn't getting me where I wanted to get‚ I mean‚ in terms of personal satisfaction. Whereas writing songs on an acoustic guitar‚ you know‚ something more straight-up‚ something with less pretense‚ less ram and jam to it‚ really started to get a hold of me. And even living in the city I don't find it that difficult to enjoy it myself. I play out on my stoop a lot. I get a lot of compliments from people. I get a lot of snide remarks from people too. But for the most part‚ people really enjoy any kind of music‚ I think.
DJ: What is the importance of music‚ musicians‚ and more specifically‚ what is the importance of a song? Just a few observations about what songs have done for you in your life. What's your favorite song? What's the funniest song?
MP: Funniest song? "Mind Your Own Business‚" by Hank Williams.
DJ: She is such a nosy thing.
MP: "Dear Doctor‚" by the Rolling Stones‚ about the wedding. That's a great song.
DJ: Did you guys do a version of that somewhere?
MD: We were playing with it for a while. We played it. We might have played it at the Moon and River.