Dave Pirnier (Soul Asylum – vocals)
SPB: Who is your favorite musician you’ve discovered in New Orleans?
Dave: Henry Butler first comes to mind.
I saw him for the first time at the Funky Butt and he was playing the midnight to 4am slot. Seeing that he is blind, I was able to sorta stick my head in his grand piano and listen without him even knowing I was there and made going to his gigs a ritual.
There are so many amazing musicians in New Orleans, but it was pretty much the street parades and Henry's piano playing that ultimately made move there.
We eventually became friends and he came out to LA to do some sessions with us. I haven't seen him in a while as he moved away after Katrina, but I really miss him being in New Orleans.
Jxckxlz
SPB: Which of your songs is hardest to play live?
Nathan (vocals): “Trophic Level,” ‘cause I just scream like a manic dog for 5 minutes plus.
Max (drums): “Solace,” as it’s technical, fast and we play it first quite often. Or “Alpha & Omega,” because I’m usually tired as fuck at that point.
Lachlan (guitar): “Distractions From You.” Stupid difficult riffs.
Serious Beak
SPB: When did you decide that you want to make music for a living?
Andrew Mortensen (bass): When I finished high school. But then I discovered to “make a living” from music, you had to play shit covers, in shitty RSLs, out in the middle of nowhere to pissed arseholes.
So I got a day job and just did original music that I enjoyed.
Lachlan R. Dale (guitar): Morts is on the money there. Making music for a living in Australia is a nightmare, especially if, like us, you play obscure or experimental music.
Every member of Serious Beak has a day job, and we all bleed a lot of money for this band.
The idea of covering pop songs in some drab RSL for the rest of my life just to scrape by makes me want to kill myself.
Georgia Maq
SPB: What song would you want played at your funeral?
Georgia: I'd like “Two Worlds” – Tiger’s Jaw played at my funeral.