reporter Sean Scanlan
interviews
Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite
1) It's the tenth anniversary of "Young Team" which saw the release of the deluxe edition. What's it like re-visiting this album which introduced your music to many fans and created a whole generation of post-rock bands.
Stuart: It was quite strange as i hadn't listened to the record in a very long time. I was quite surprised how good it sounded though, especially as i remember we were disappointed in the record at the time.
2) For the "Hawk is Howling", you reunited with "Young Team" producer, Andy Miller. How did he contribute to the album? Was it a return to an earlier sound or something different. I love the heavy sound on "Batcat."
Stuart: We recorded with Andy for two reasons. !: because we enjoyed working with him on New Paths To Helicon and our old singles and 2: because we thought he has been doing great work recently with bands like De rosa who we like.
3) I read the unedited Pitchfork review posted on your website, and in hindsight, do you regret naming the first track of the album, "I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead"? I know you've made references to other rock icons in the past, such as an Iggy Pop interview on the song "Punk Rock."
Stuart: Well i'm sorry to tell you that that Pitchfork review was a joke! We don't have any regrets about that song title at all!
4) Your music demands a certain degree of attention from listeners. For example, I imagine most people listen to the "Hawk is Howling" in its entirety with album tracks complementing and building upon each other. Do you think of this when you are recording or is it something that just happens when you put the whole album together?
Stuart: Its something that we definitely consider when we are sequencing the songs but not while we are recording. I definitely think of an album as something that should be listed to in one sitting (or standing!).
5) Do you enjoy playing the new songs on tour, I've seen recent set lists and just about half of the show is new material. Is this pretty standard when you're on tour. And do you still get a kick out of old classics which the fans love?
Stuart: I have really enjoyed playing the songs from the new record especially Batcat and Thank You Space Expert. Its good to play old songs too though, we usually play a few songs from each record we've released.
6) Are you influenced by other bands and the new sounds they are creating. For instance, I heard that John Cummings recorded Fuck Buttons last album, Street Horrrsing, which is sort of mind blowing. Also, I've heard you are big fans of Japanese bands such as Mono and Envy.
Stuart: Of course we are influenced by new music. We have a record label Rock Action records and we put out new bands music al the time on our label. We release the Envy records in europe on our label.
2) For the "Hawk is Howling", you reunited with "Young Team" producer, Andy Miller. How did he contribute to the album? Was it a return to an earlier sound or something different. I love the heavy sound on "Batcat."
Stuart: We recorded with Andy for two reasons. !: because we enjoyed working with him on New Paths To Helicon and our old singles and 2: because we thought he has been doing great work recently with bands like De rosa who we like.
3) I read the unedited Pitchfork review posted on your website, and in hindsight, do you regret naming the first track of the album, "I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead"? I know you've made references to other rock icons in the past, such as an Iggy Pop interview on the song "Punk Rock."
Stuart: Well i'm sorry to tell you that that Pitchfork review was a joke! We don't have any regrets about that song title at all!
4) Your music demands a certain degree of attention from listeners. For example, I imagine most people listen to the "Hawk is Howling" in its entirety with album tracks complementing and building upon each other. Do you think of this when you are recording or is it something that just happens when you put the whole album together?
Stuart: Its something that we definitely consider when we are sequencing the songs but not while we are recording. I definitely think of an album as something that should be listed to in one sitting (or standing!).
5) Do you enjoy playing the new songs on tour, I've seen recent set lists and just about half of the show is new material. Is this pretty standard when you're on tour. And do you still get a kick out of old classics which the fans love?
Stuart: I have really enjoyed playing the songs from the new record especially Batcat and Thank You Space Expert. Its good to play old songs too though, we usually play a few songs from each record we've released.
6) Are you influenced by other bands and the new sounds they are creating. For instance, I heard that John Cummings recorded Fuck Buttons last album, Street Horrrsing, which is sort of mind blowing. Also, I've heard you are big fans of Japanese bands such as Mono and Envy.
Stuart: Of course we are influenced by new music. We have a record label Rock Action records and we put out new bands music al the time on our label. We release the Envy records in europe on our label.
