Features
Conversation with Dana Monteith
by Mike McKinley | photography by Eugene Lehnert
June 7, 2007
Conversation with Dana Monteith
by Mike McKinley | photography by Eugene Lehnert
June 7, 2007
page 4 of 10
MM: Right‚ and now you can move on.
DM: Without this‚ I never could go out and play gigs again or write other songs; and I have a load of songs that I'm ready to whittle down and hone down to new material. I'm excited about that. It's kind of a departure from the subject matter. It's like a whole-new-day type of deal. So it was imperative for myself more than anything else. Even if no more than two people ever listened to it and liked it. Or even if nobody did. I had to make it. It kind of put back together those things that were so broken. Broken mentally and emotionally and spiritually. This album was kind of… I guess love‚ loss and redemption.
MM: Right. That's exactly it.
DM: Yeah‚ it's definitely a lot of redemption and sorting out those emotional issues.
MM: I think in terms of sound‚ it's definitely captured.
DM: Thanks‚ man. I'm glad that it portrays that. In the end‚ I did basically everything myself. Obviously there were other people who played on tracks‚ and I had assistance with some of the early engineering. But then toward the end there was just me sitting there at my Kitchen Table Recording Cooperation of America working it out. I recorded five of the bass tracks and the mandolin. I just said "fuck it‚ man‚ I've got to finish this." I had everybody's help‚ which was immeasurable to have them all with me. They kind of helped me set stage and add some color. Sometimes you run into trouble when you make everything yourself‚ and it is kind of monochrome. It can be that way. That's the true sign of someone who's really got their shit together and they can do that: if they can make it have a lot of depth.
MM: Sure.
DM: So‚ it was fun. The next album‚ I think I'm going to try and do everything. I'm putting together a drum set right now‚ some old vintage drums. I've got this cool old fucking bass guitar‚ and I'm just going to try and go to town like that. I've got to learn how to play drums first‚ (laughter) but I think it will be possible. It was fun. I spent the last couple of years learning how to use Pro Tools and all of that shit and buying gear with the credit card.
MM: (laughter) Ah‚ the next chapter.
DM: Exactly. That will be the next chapter. That's basically it. I'm trying to get out and play more and see what's out there. I'm trying to bust into more of the Americana scene‚ singer-songwriter deal. So‚ we will see what happens with that.
MM: Let me throw this in‚ just as an off-topic: Are you a fan of Jay Farrar?
DM: Oh‚ yeah. I like all that kind of stuff.
MM: I've been listening to him‚ really digging it. We just had a guy who interviewed him.
DM: Oh‚ that's cool. Nice. How did that interview go?
MM: I don't know yet. I just got the tape back from him‚ and he kind of had a few…you know…he pretty much just says what he needs to say. (laughter)
DM: Yeah‚ not as conversational as he ought to be.
MM: Exactly.
DM: (laugher) It's different when you know somebody.
MM: Well‚ that was the other thing. The interviewer said he has been growing more and more into this guy's music as time has gone on and has become a bigger and bigger fan. He was a little bit intimidated by it. Which‚ every once in a while that happens to me‚ too.
DM: You guys are getting some pretty heavy names.
MM: Yeah. Like when I called Ron Carter‚ I was like‚ "What the fuck am I doing?" (laughter)
DM: Yeah‚ exactly.
MM: I found myself stumbling around‚ not making any sense talking to him.
DM: Yeah. Exactly‚ it's a bit crazy. It's a sign of good growth in the magazine business. You know? Because people are happy to take your phone call. They are like‚ "Hey‚ this is a viable interview for me. It's worth my time."
related articles
Features: Staff Picks: Top Photos of 2011
Features: Staff Picks: Best of 2011
Shows: Lo & Aaron (God Street Wine Duo) with Dana Monteith
Shows: moe.down 10
Features: Conversation with Max Verna of the Ominous Seapods
More on: Dana Monteith, Ominous Seapods
Features: Staff Picks: Top Photos of 2011
Features: Staff Picks: Best of 2011
Shows: Lo & Aaron (God Street Wine Duo) with Dana Monteith
Shows: moe.down 10
Features: Conversation with Max Verna of the Ominous Seapods
More on: Dana Monteith, Ominous Seapods
new to state of mind
Shows: moe.
Shows: Yonder Mountain String Band
Shows: Grand Point North 2014
Shows: Catskill Chill 2014
Shows: moe.down 15
Shows: Gov't Mule
Shows: Umphrey's McGee
Shows: Newport Folk Festival 2014
Shows: Widespread Panic
Albums: Phish - Fuego
Shows: moe.
Shows: Yonder Mountain String Band
Shows: Grand Point North 2014
Shows: Catskill Chill 2014
Shows: moe.down 15
Shows: Gov't Mule
Shows: Umphrey's McGee
Shows: Newport Folk Festival 2014
Shows: Widespread Panic
Albums: Phish - Fuego
random awesomeness
Albums: Pat Metheny - What's It All About
Blog: Camp Bisco 10: Five Performances Not to Miss
Blog: From the Grateful Dead to Furthur: The Show Always Goes On (Even if Bobby Face Plants)
Shows: moe. down 8
Blog: Listen: Yellowbirds - "The Rest of My Life"
Shows: Wakarusa 2012
Shows: Dark Star Orchestra
Features: Video: Favorite Albums of 2009
Shows: Cornmeal
Shows: The McLovins
Albums: Pat Metheny - What's It All About
Blog: Camp Bisco 10: Five Performances Not to Miss
Blog: From the Grateful Dead to Furthur: The Show Always Goes On (Even if Bobby Face Plants)
Shows: moe. down 8
Blog: Listen: Yellowbirds - "The Rest of My Life"
Shows: Wakarusa 2012
Shows: Dark Star Orchestra
Features: Video: Favorite Albums of 2009
Shows: Cornmeal
Shows: The McLovins