Artist Interview: Bobby Birdman

Last week I had the honor of chatting with Bobby Birdman (AKA Robert Kieswetter) for an hour about a whole bunch of fun stuff. We waxed on and off about Serato and the current trends in DJing, his forthcoming album New Moods, and most importantly - just WHAT makes him so damn creative.

We have been a steadfast supporter and advocate for Mr. Birdman's music for years, and we think this interview's timing coincides with Mr. Birdman standing on the cusp of super-stardom in the indie and dance-rock genres.

*** If you are new to the Birdman sound, I recommend first picking up the album Heart Caves and then diving into Born Free Forever. These 2 LPs showcase Bobby Birdman's depth as an artist - he can deliver a heart-wrenching acoustic ballad over sun-drenched piano chords, or just as easily slam you in the chest with a dubby synth-pop melody. ***

The first single off the album "Only For a While" is available through RCRDLBL.com (see previous post/scroll down the page). Download it and pass it on- it's a jam.

So here it is, and I hope you all enjoy getting to know this super-nice, ultra-cool artist with a fresh new sound just as much as I fell in love his music when I first heard "I Will Come Again."

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So your album New Moods drops a month from now (10 November 2009). What are your feelings about that?

BOBBY BIRDMAN: Wow, yeah. Stoked! It's been a while. I'm excited to get it out there

What was the hardest part getting from Giraffes & Jackals to New Moods? and how is the new LP diff from anything you've done before?

BB: Hmm. The hardest part, I guess was just calling it finished...getting it "done" while living my life. I spent a lot of time tweaking and tuning and reworking pretty minute details on the record...but then again I spent a lot of time surfing and gardening and whatever

Oh you're a gardener too? Awesome. I have quite the rooftop garden. I'll send you some pics

BB: I wouldn't call myself a gardener, just yet... Mostly I mean I'm trying to keep plants alive. I've been taking a lot of clippings of native succulents and trying to keep em going.

Both gardening and surfing could be seen as 'zen' hobbies. I've always taken you to be very spiritual/tapped into the 'other' realm. "Centering" perhaps is a better word for the feeling you get from doing those kinds of things in Nature?

BB: Rad! Yeah, I think I approach gardening like I approach music making...learning by doing... without the aid of formal training or study, in an attempt to find some reward. I guess some 'center'. Same goes with surfing.

I've never surfed - always been fascinated. LOVE snowboarding/skating though. But I'm a Midwestern boy (Milwaukee) so surfing wasn't really an option!

BB: Yeah. I spent most of my childhood inland, so my surfing development was pretty arrested; skateboarding and later snowboarding became default substitutes.

LOVE the first single from New Moods "Only For a While". It's VERY cool. What's the next single going to sound like/do you know yet?

BB: Oh thanks! Hmm. I'm trying to remember what the next single is... we're making a video for a track that is much different in tone. Much slower pace, much more atmospheric.

You're unintentionally answering a kind of question I had.

BB: Then there's a couple jams coming up

LOVE the jams. But I have to say "Born Free" is one of my absolute favorite songs ever. From anyone. I really like that atmospheric molasses-sounding stuff too. But the question I wasn't even going to ask was how much control do you have over what gets released/cut/promoted/etc.

BB: Ah, thanks. Yeah, I really enjoy making that stuff. I think this record finds a nice balance between those poles - jam and molasses.

Most artists seem to not have too much control. Would you say 50/50 control between you and the label after you birth your baby and hand it over to the authorities?

BB: Uh, I have a lot of control, I'd say.

That's great!

BB: I've always worked with people/labels who I respect and get along with. Everyone I've worked with has been fully supportive and encouraging. Presently, I'm working with [the label] Fryk Beat, run by Eric "E*Rock" Mast. He and I are good friends and we share a pretty similar sense of humor. Which is pretty crucial, I think, to getting something done right.

Is there a video for "Only For a While?"

BB: There will be. We shot a bunch of footage a few months ago; there's still a lot of post stuff to be done.

Any idea when it'll drop? Any teasers you can tell me about it?

BB: I'm actually heading to Portland this weekend to edit with Eric. Hopefully it'll drop soon! As far as teasers go....it's "comedic". HA how's that for vague?

HA

BB: I'll say it's influenced by the Marx brothers... and Marmaduke

???? OK. Rad! Fair enough. If there is one message you want to get across with your music what is it?

BB: Wow. There is not one message I want to get across.

I guess wrapped up in that question is the implied question - why do you DO what you DO? Why aren't you a plumber for instance?

BB: I mean, I don't think I'm qualified to broadcast a "message".

... by message i mean feeling, wish, desire, dream. See I can be vague too!

BB: I think that I'm always doing the same thing record after record, in that I'm broadcasting an exaggerated or extrapolated version of themes in my life, ideas I'm grappling with in some attempt to make sense. I think each with each record I'm trying to articulate something, as a means to make it clear to myself. I guess that's an odd way to go about it, make something for others to consume as a means to do some personal "work"... but it's fun for me.

No, that makes sense. I think any writer of music or prose will tell you that while they write for an audience, they are really writing for inner-catharsis. I know you're kind of involved with the fashion world, right?

BB: What are you referring to? I think I know, but just to be clear...

The Band of Outsiders connection?

BB: Yeah.

I even remember back in the Heart Caves days there was talk about you, and I think t-shirts or something in the LA fashion scene?

BB: I like fashion, I guess! I like aesthetics, and clothing and design and objects... I can't afford most of it.

Likewise hehe. Why is it that the people who can't afford the nice shit are the ones who actually appreciate it?!

BB: Band Of Outsiders approached me and asked me to model for their website. I was super flattered. I'm a fan of Scott's [Sternberg] clothing for sure.

Nice. Well you certainly do have that model-esque physique

BB: Ha.

OK so now for some Tiger Beat questions. They'll be painless I promise.

BB: HA. Let's do this.

OK. Are you a coffee or tea person?

BB: I am a coffee drinker for sure. LA has pretty poor coffee.

Next. Movies? See them often? Faves?

BB: Wow. Yeah, I love movies. I have been watching an Australian surf movie by Paul Witzig called Evolution, from I think 1969 or '70. It's really beautiful. All film, no speaking. Some free music. Some pretty bad bluesy jams, too. Oh, I watched Time Bandits the other night. I really like interviews I've read with Terry Gilliam lately.

I think his career went from amazeballs - to shitballs. But I think Time Bandits is awesome.

BB: My friend [artist/musician] Matthew Chambers has turned me onto some great Cassavetes and Marx brothers films. I also love Caddyshack.

The Brothers Grimm movie he came out with a few years ago? Barforama! Even Monica Bellucci who is BEAUTIFUL couldn't save that movie. Sorry, but Terry Gilliam is a source of contention between me and a good friend hehe. Caddyshack is very Tao-ist.

BB: Ha. I'm super uninformed about Gilliam. I knew his Python animation and knew of his movies...I was mostly into the way he spoke in interviews. I think he's pretty free.

THAT I will agree with. He's very fascinating as a person. OK. So you're not a musician these days if you're not a DJ. As a DJ, I don't know how I feel about this yet, but where do you stand on this current phenomenon?
A) Do you DJ?
B) vinyl or MP3s.

BB: I have DJ'd several times. I can't say that I love it. I love it when my friends DJ. I respect the craft. I think E*Rock is great at it - vinyl, MP3, Serato or whatever... Also the legendary Juice Team DJ Crew which is States Rights Records' Steve Schroeder and YACHT's Claire L. Evans, with contributions from White Rainbow's Adam Forkner, tweaking some knobs. Sometimes I'll get involved, usually as moral support or vibe suggestion. If I'm Djing right now you might be getting some newer Lindsey Buckingham shit and the dance floor gets cleared.

Cool. I'm a vinyl purist at heart but since moving to NYC where there's no room for records in anyone's apartments, I have been moving more towards CDs/MP3s, and I'm about to pick up Serato I think.

BB: Yeah, seems like that's [Serato] what the kids are using these days. Vinyl is great.

I know. I feel so old in the scene here. It's run by 21-year-olds! So what are you listening to lately?

BB: Aside from that newest [Lindsey ]Buckingham record, Adam Forkner turned me onto this jerk music from LA, via this Jerkin with Jayhawk mixtape. That might be the only new music I'm really listening to today... oh and of course White Rainbow's new record [New Clouds] that drops next week, I believe.

OK who's the old girlfriend you always run back to when your new girlfriend dumps you? For me - it's the Smiths.

BB: Maybe it's been the Smiths for me at times....Fleetwood Mac, lately.

Last time I saw you was at this little tiny gallery thing in Brooklyn [Cinders]. And before that, the Cake Shop performance which was SOOO GOOOD if I can gush for a moment. Are you coming to new york any time soon!?

BB: I love that place [Cinders]. I hope so. Nothing set in stone right now, but tentatively maybe February or March. What's your favorite venue there right now?

Hmmm. For BIG shows, Town Hall is awesome because of the acoustics. Grizzly Bear for instance was SOOO amazing. Same with Jenny Lewis. Just GREAT sound. Rich sound. For small/smaller venues, I really like the Cake Shop. I liked Studio B a lot but it's closed now. That place was great. Some other newer places that deserve mention would be Le Poisson Rouge and Santos Party House.

BB: Cool



ARTIST: Bobby Birdman
ALBUM: New Moods
LABRL: Fryk Beat
CAT#: FRYK04
FORMAT: CD/LP/MP3
RELEASE DATE: Nov.10, 2009

TRACK LISTING:
01 Only For A While 3:41
02 Dust Design 2:42
03 What You Say 3:08
04 Weighty Wait 3:58
05 Victory At Sea 2:20
06 Bloody Mess 3:19
07 Silent But Violent 3:14
08 You'd Be Surprised 4:33
09 Setting Sun 4:17
10 Truth Be Told 3:29
11 Well Sprung 3:04
12 Back and Forth 2:41

Official Bobby Birdman Website

Bobby Birdman Myspace

PDF One-sheet / Press Release for New Moods

MP3: "Only For a While" via RCRDLBL.com