In less than two weeks, Pinback will finally be making it down to Australia. A couple of weeks ago Larry caught up briefly with Zach Smith of the famed indie rock band to discuss their debut appearance in Australia, the decline of the physical album, beaches, recording their new album and more!
What are you working on at the moment? Are you working on the new record?
Yeah, working on the new Pinback record so we’re just laying down some tracks! [laughs]
It sounds like a good way to spend an afternoon. Are you laying it down in San Diego?
Yeah, I’m in San Diego.
It’s been a while since your last album. What’s inspiring you for this record? What can we expect from the long awaited return of Pinback?
It’s a good question. I don’t know. We’re just putting things down and letting it fly, whatever seems good and it’s just sort of random right now. This is the point where you just write a bunch of different ideas and not really judge anything and not worry about anything. You just throw it all together and start seeing what sticks out the best and what you gravitate towards the most.
But I don’t know, as far as what’s influencing me, I mean I just had a kid, a boy, and he turned one yesterday, so he’s influencing me. I mean, that’s probably the reason we had 5 years, or whatever it’s been, since our last album. Just all kinds of transitions in our lives. So we’re finally are getting back together and going forward.
Yes I had a feeling there might be something like that, that kept you guys away for a few years. But you did pop up earlier this year. You had a record store day release.
That was part one of this album, probably one of the songs that will be in the album, but there’s a whole thing behind that. The quick, short answer is the record store day release was done in the way that we grew up listening to albums. It just seems dead with the way iTunes works now. It’s pretty depressing that it seems like the younger generation, at least the majority, that are downloading songs, one song from this band, one song from that, and maybe skipping out on the experience of listening to an entire album. Which is what we love… the story, the dynamic of an album. We work really hard at that. So to have it released in three parts was a way to ask people who are interested in Pinback to join and follow along as they piece this thing together, and then maybe at the end in its entirety, then there will be more of an appreciation and understanding of an album brought together. That’s one of the reasons we’re doing it.
Hopefully that works a treat. It’s such a different time now, where people used to buy records and get the inserts and read all the lyrics and learn every word. And now everyone is such a casual fan when it comes to music.
Yeah, I mean it’s understandable too. I mean with the boom of the computer, now everyone can record… there’s just that many more bands. It’s the way the world works. Just grab one from here… like you say, casual. It’s disappointing because they’re missing some of the deeper things you get from a whole album. Not everyone, but it’s definitely the trend. It’s just important for us to be able to tell stories.
And then there’s the flip side of it, of course, where the Internet does spread the word and just trying to balance between the two is a bit of a mess.
It’s like a smorgasbord! It’s very hard to focus on things. Hopefully this will help you focus. [Sarcastically] Here’s part one… here’s part two. Concentrate now, don’t get lost. This one leads to the end… the little bread crumbs, all the way.
It’s not exactly a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’… but one thing that is happening is you’re finally making it down to Australia. I guess the question everyone’s asking is, what took you so long?
[Laughs] Money! It’s just so damn expensive to get there. We’ve been wanting to go there for so long and honestly, it’s just been like: who’s going to book it? Handsome Tours just happened to get in contact with us and made it really easy and we’re just really grateful that we can get there because we’ve wanted to go for a really long time.
I imagine it will be a good opportunity for you to play some of the new material.
Yeah, definitely. I think we’ll probably do three or four [songs].
Yeah! Sneak ‘em in!
[Laughs] Who knows, who knows. We’re going to go down as a trio too this time so that’ll be new for us, a little bit. It’s just going to be Rob and I, and then Chris Prescott will play drums, so that ought to be kind of cool to do it that way.
Well, we’re very excited to finally see you down here. It’s not long now, it’s just a month and a half away. Have you, yourself, ever come to Australia?
No, and like I said, it’s one of the places in the world that I’ve always wanted to go. Just everything you see and read about, it just seems like a really beautiful spot, so this is that time [mimics] “Get on the plane, we finally get to go!” [laughs].
Living in San Diego, are you the sort of person that jumps out into the water at all or are you very much ‘I’m going to record my albums’ kind of guy?
It’s kind of funny I’m both! I grew up going to the beach every day, and then the beach was only a block or two away from where I grew up. And then I moved downtown San Diego and the beach was a whole mile away or two miles away and I was like, “Ugh, I’m never going there, that’s just too far.” And for the second half of my life, I’ve been “nope…”. I’d definitely go in the water but if we ever get a chance. We’re going to be flying from one city to the next, constantly on the move. So, we’ll see.
You’re here in winter, which is one problem. But it’s still beautiful weather. We’re upside down, down here. Or right side up, depending on how you look at it.
[Laughs]
It’s exciting to see that you’re back in the studio. How many people are working on the record? Is it just you and Rob or have you got a group together for the record?
It’s just Rob and I, like always. We just piece these things together and form them and mould them and what not, and then at the end we’ll have Chris come in and do some drums or something, but that’s about the extent of an extra person.
You said there will be a trio in Australia – but you’re usually a five person crew aren’t you?
Yeah, this time there will only be three of us. So it will just be Rob and I, and the live drums. There should be a trio, which is something I’ve always wanted to do, so I’m really looking forward to it that way. We’re going to be practicing on how to do that at the end of the month here, but it shouldn’t be too difficult.
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Don’t miss Pinback when they tour Australia later this month!
TOUR DATES:
Perth 17/08 @ the bakery
Brisbane 18/08 @ the zoo
Sydney 20/08 @ manning bar
Melbourne 21/08 @ the corner
Here’s a taste of what to expect from the shows, with Pinback’s “Information Retrieved A” 7” (released exclusively on vinyl on Record Store Day 2011).
Transcription by Christine Khalil and Larry Heath.
