My Morning Jacket: Interviewed By The Fans

[e_wind]

I know this is a bum question... But would anyone be willing to copy and paste what's been answered so far. I'm bored to death stuck with my phone and haven't seen any 3 yet

[BigHerm]

Another week, another member. Mr. Carl Broemel is in the spotlight today!

1. Justin Schaible / Bethlehem, PA

Favorite Neil Young & Crazy Horse song or album?

CB: - its really hard to pick a favorite neil young record or song, but I'll give it a try.  I recently saw him play at the ryman auditorium in nashville, and he played "I believe in you" solo on a big white grand piano, and it was such a beautiful moment.  so right now, if I just had to pick one, that is my favorite neil young song.  as for a favorite record, I might have to say "american stars and bars." I just love ben keith's steel guitar parts on "hey babe"  an "that old country waltz."  there are just too many great records though, "zuma", "tonights the night," "after the goldrush", all the classics.  I love the more recent "silver and gold" as well, and the MTV unplugged version of "like a hurricane" is one of my favoriter performances that he's done.  I always associate his records with autumn, and I love listening to "decade" while taking a long drive with the windows down.

2. Nicholas "Yames" Comaratta / Buffalo, NY

How exactly do you and Jim decide who plays which guitar solos? Do you ever alternate who play what solo when?

CB: we try different approaches on each song.  sometimes, jim will show up and have the guitar solos/ideas already written, and he'll just jump in and start playing them.  like on "lay low" he had both guitar solos pretty much figured out beforehand, so I learned one and he played the other. on other songs, jim will be singing and playing chords, and I'll take over some of the soloing, like in the middle of "im amazed," that is me.  but at the end, he's not singing, so its appropriate that he take that one.  once we establish who is doing which solo, we usually just stick with it.  when we are on tour, some songs will evolve at random times at show. on "steam engine" the ending is pretty open ended. sometimes we will each take a section to improvise on, it just depends on the night. 

3. Braden Bill / Sacramento, CA
Like you, I've got a youngin' at home (a 20 month old son, with one also on the way!). Have you found any songs or albums that your little one really responds well to? Bob Marley's 'Mellow Mood' was an early little lullaby that I'd play really low for him when I was trying to calm him down, and lately the Stones 'Shine a Light' gets hime all crazy and dancing every time we play it. What kind of music (if any) did you play for it while in utero? Congrats on becoming a Dad!

CB: -congrats to you too!  yeah, its been really cool to revisit, and listen to music with a new perspective of a toddler.  when my guy was super young, I would sit and play acoustic guitar for him, and sing "yellow submarine" or "lolipop."  now he requests "yellow submarine" over and over, so I think it sunk in.  we have been listening to lots of records over and over again including the muppet's album, tons of beatles, al green, bill withers, and michael jackson "thriller".  LP's are so great because you can pull the record out, hand the sleeve to the baby and they can get acquainted with the artists picture.  his absolute favorite artist right now is loretta lynn, we listen to "one's on the way" every day.

4. John Yacopucci, a.k.a. johnnYYac / Hillsboro, NH

Carl, your solo efforts, especially the recent All Birds Say, showcase your songwriting and vocal talents, as well as your exceptional instrumental skills.  It is clearly different from most of the MMJ catalog.  Was this intentional or just a natural product of numerous influences and experiences?

CB: I guess its only natural to wonder of the intent of the solo record.  I have been working on songs ever since I was in high school, and playing in tons of bands that may or may not have played my songs.  Eventually, I kind of let the songwriting part of me fall by the wayside, as I discovered that just playing guitar and singing in bands was ultimately what came most naturally to me.  so as a result I always had song ideas laying around gathering dust as I pursued playing. on our breaks I would go and record music with some other buddies, just for fun.  lots of the songs just came to me late at night as I sat with an acoustic guitar, and we just tried to make them sound right to our ears, not really considering how it compared to the band's music, or if that really mattered too much because, at least at first, I had no idea I'd ever release anything.  so I guess this Is a long winded way of saying, yes!  I would say that the solo record isn't so much a reaction to MMJ, but really a natural product of the last 6 or 7 years including my time in MMJ.

5. James Falkingham / Southend-on-Sea, Essex UK.

Apart from the other guys in the band obviously, who's the best musician you have played/worked with?
CB: hands down the best musician I know is my dad.  he spent most of his musical career playing the bassoon in the indianapolis symphony orchestra.  He is now retired and doing lots of composing. Back when he graduated from college with a clarinet degree, there were no clarinet jobs to be had. So he went out and bought a bassoon, learned how to play it in a few months, and got his first symphony job!  when I was growing up I used to hang out at his music studio and listen to him practice for his upcoming concerts.  I don't know anyone who has a more sensitive musical ear than him.   
It has been so great to have his musical guidance and perspective over the years.  he encouraged me to try lots of instruments, and when I wanted to switch from piano, to violin, to saxophone, then to guitar, he supported me, even though I knew he wanted me to stick with classical music!  I'm always excited to play him any music I am working on, just to see his reaction, and we can then talk about how it relates to things he's interested in.

[BigHerm]

Two Tone Tommy's responses!
1. Josh Frisch / Lawrence, KS

Why are beards so incredibly magical?

Two Tone Tommy: They live under my sink, these little guys I wanna tell you about, and their presence will explain the whole thing.  Elves.  I think that's what they are.  It's not like I've seen them because they only come out at night.  One morning I found a hat.  Like, if they made lil' cone shaped hats for big toes, that's what this thing looked like.  So that first morning, when I discovered the big toe hat, I noticed that my facial hair looked incredibly well groomed.  And of course, I'm not actively maintaining this beard.  So, Ohhhh, I thought you asked "How do you keep your beard so magical?" and the answer is: The beard trimming elves that live under my sink.

2. Vespachick / Portland, OR

If you could only have one kind of dessert for the rest of your life what would you choose?

TTT: Toughest question ever!!  Toss up between Red Velvet Cake & Carrot Cake?  But sometimes Red Velvet tastes like the way Play-Doh smells.  And on the other hand, Carrot Cake has that rich cream cheese frosting that makes my tummy hurt after a few bites.  Always liked Oatmeal Creme Pies but now that I think about it, they kinda taste like a pile of unfulfilled sugary dreams.  I don't know why they do. Maybe Little Debbie bakes regrets into all her individually wrapped treats.  No thanks Deb, I've got enough regrets for nightmare fuel as it is.  I'm gonna go with bananas 'cos they're portable & resilient & help prevent muscle cramps & aren't too sweet.  In fact, I carry one on my person at all times just in case I cross paths with Eddie Murphy who would surely love to recreate that banana in the tailpipe scene from Beverly Hills Cop.  Me and Eddie in matching hoodies - that's bananas!

3. Jack Quinn / At Large

Five cats look at you which one is smiling?

TTT: The cats were filed away in their usual order inside the basket, each with his signature color'd bow placed so tightly 'round the neck.  It was old hat to me now, placing the nameless kittens in their order by the color that identified them - brightest to darkest.  But there was that sound again, the tiny thump from the blackness at their paws.. that pail of dark, like a giant gaping maw.  It was louder than the evening before, that time when I had always put them to rest.  Louder yesterday than the day that preceded it.  This occurrence, it was enought now that I felt a tinge of alarm.  And there was a glow before me as the sun that set at my back ran a neon tail reflection in each of the kittens' eyes.. like great globes of racing fire, turning orange to red for those long moments while their faces rose up closer to mine.  And I found none of the cats smiling.  Their hungry eyes ever widening, a fireball gaze that stood me in a panic.  Below, the kittens toes were lined along the edge of the basket as they came forth, so that gaping maw appeared to have grown teeth.  I fell, sure that they and the growing darkness that supported them were intent on consuming me whole.

4. Mary Kathryn Stafford / Little Rock, AK

You're heavy and you've played with Jim since the beginning. I want to know if you ever consider starting a metal band?

TTT: First off, I appreciate that you chose the term "heavy" to describe my current physical state of pushing maximum density.  Secondly, I did play on Danny Cash's excellent untitled 16 minute, one song metal album with the also excellent Kevin Ratterman of Wax Fang fame.  If you happen to run into Danny please urge him to release the album on the internets or some other avenue that insures others may bask in its aural awesomeness.

5. Braden Bill / Sacramento, CA

I think I remember reading somewhere that you're into cars and a pretty competent mechanic. What's your favorite 'classic' car? Have you ever restored any classics?

TTT: Oh man, I wish I were more mechanically inclined or had paid more attention growing up.  My dad restored several cars when I was a kid but my involvement was limited to delivering sweet tea and ham sandwiches to the garage and waiting around to flip the Journey cassette over while he tinkered under the hood.  In any case, here are my top 3 "classic" cars: 

#3 1965 Buick LaSabre, 4 door in Astro Blue:  This was my first car.  Affectionately called "Big Blue", it was 18 feet long and could fit a Marshall 4x12 cabinet in its back seat, a drum kit in the trunk and still have room for the band to ride comfortably.  When I was 16 the master cylinder gave out and I drove it into the side of a gas station to stop it.. which left a small dent in the bumper. 

#2 1983 Honda Civic, 4 door hatchback in Avignon Blue Metallic:  Surely not considered a classic to anyone but myself (not even my mom, and this was one of her favorite vehicles) - an underpowered 5-speed econobox - but it was cute and had a gentle mechanical soul.  Also, its a/c vents cooled hot french fries to a perfect ready-to-eat temperature. 

#1 1971 Buick GS, 2 door hardtop in Red Metallic with a black vinyl top:  The car spent the first few years of its life in Germany where the original owner was stationed in the Army and was bought by my dad in the mid-70s.  It was his daily driver, then my mom's before she purchased the Honda and is now my weekend cruiser.  Still has its factory 8 track player and the huge horseshoe shifter that looks like it'd take the car into light speed.  The original 350 engine was replaced with a 455 and now sounds like a grumpy, centuries old dragon trying to wake up from an all too brief nap.

[kydiddle]

Seriously, that Steam Engine kicks so much ass for putting this together.

[BigHerm]

Today we are focusing on Mr. Bo Koster. Keep your eyes peeled for Two Tone Tommy next week.

1. Jeff Luke / Minneapolis, MN

Songs are often born from small guitar riff or a set of lyrics. At what point in the creative process do you enter the mix?

Bo: Well, it depends really.  Each song is different.  I think as a band, we're all open to any instrument or thing carrying the load.  Often it depends on how the song was written, or where the original idea came from Jim.  Whether its a vocal pattern, a drum idea, a bass line, steal, sax, keys, I think we all see it as a liquid thing.  Everyone is adaptable and open.  For me, I approach it by just sitting down at the piano usually seeing if I have any inspiration, or if I can find something to help pull it together in some way. Then I throw those ideas around and see if any of them stick.  In the end, the song and original creative and emotional intent dictates what the song needs.  That's usually what's most important to me.   But usually, we all come in and kick it around together after Jim has given us the original idea he had.  I love that part of being in a band.  Getting inspired by something someone else does in the moment, and having what they're doing spark some sort of inspiration from me.

2. Justin Schaible / Bethlehem, PA

How did you hook up with Delta Spirit?

Bo: It was serendipitous really.  I was out on tour with my ole pals Everest opening up for Neil Young, and I had been listening to Delta Spirit's first record a lot on my ipod on walks and so forth. One night I had dinner with Eli "The Charles Bronson of bass guitar" Thompson, from Everest and mentioned to him that I was really digging that record, and he was like "I produced and engineered that record!"  And then, we talked for hours like we usually do, and we talked about how it would be cool to work together producing a younger band someday, because we hit it off so well musically and personally.  A few months later Delta Spirit was starting to work on their follow-up record and Eli thought it would be good to bring me on board to lend a hand, and luckily the Delta Spirit guys were open to having me help out.  It was really a great experience on every level, and I'm really proud of the record we made.  It was such a rewarding experience, to be a sort of player/coach by lending some keyboard playing, and any experience I had of having been through the process so many times.   It was one of those times creatively, where everything just came together the way the universe intended it to.  They are such a talented group of musicians and I'm really looking forward to what they do in the future.

3. Keith Koch / Madison, WI

Who are some of your favorite keyboardists?

Bo: In no particular order:

Allen Toussaint, Billy Preston, Garth Hudson, James Booker, Leon Russell, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarret, Brad Mehldau, Jimmy Smith, Tony Banks (Genesis), Oscar Petterson, Rick Wright (Pink Floyd), Brian Eno, Nicky Hopkins, Mike Garson (David Bowie), Benmont Tench, Jon Brion, John Paul Jones.

If you aren't familiar with any of these names, I encourage you to explore all of them!

4. Jonathan & Bridgette Powell / Elizabethtown, KY

Where in the hell did you come up with the "Highly Suspicious" riff on the keyboard? So funky and simple, you could start that riff and people would start shaking their ass at a funeral brother!

Bo: Hah!  I can't remember exactly, but from what I remember, Jim's original demo started with a couple bars of drum machine, then straight into the verse.  The verse was just Jim's vocal and the drums, then the rest of the band came in on the first chorus.  So, I guess that was my little contribution on that song, coming up with the keyboard intro.  Also of note, is the guitar pedal used on the clavinet sound.  Carl has a friend, Aaron, who makes guitar pedals as a hobby and he's always giving us prototypes to try out.  Aaron made this crazy distortion pedal for Carl called "The Broemler."  It only has an on/off switch.  There are no knobs, so you can't change the sound or level of what it does at all.  It just does one thing and one thing only.  It basically creates chaos to any sound that goes through it.  It's a maniacal beast!  What we discovered through trial and error, is that it's kind of too over the top and crazy for guitars, but that it actually sounds great through keyboards!  After being on the road with the pedal for a couple of years, eventually it crapped out, like all good beasts do.  Luckily, Aaron remembered how he made it and made me a new one, which he called "The Koozler" after the nickname "Bart Koozler" that Jim coined for me years ago.  I have to admit, I take a little cute pride in having a guitar pedal named after me! :)

5.  Chris - NEW MUSIC MONDAY

If you could play with one musician, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Bo: Man, that's a tough one.  Can I pick like 30?  How about James Brown?  How amazing would it be to play in his band for one night and be in THAT groove for a couple of hours?

Or Prince.  He's the baddest mutherfucker on the planet at this point.  That would be a psychedelic dream come true.

Neil Young.  I've had the lucky opportunity to tour with him, and I actually had the chance to sing back up with the Everest boys on the song "Change Your Mind" on a few occasions while we were on tour opening for him.  Man, being on stage with Neil is like standing next to a nuclear reactor.  Night in and night out, he channels some of the most powerful energy knowm to man.  It just never gets old being near that energy.  It seems like every note he plays is completely in the moment and played with every ounce of his soul.  He reminds me of Miles Davis in that way.  Just completely focused and in the moment.   

I'd love to go back in time and play with Miles.  It would be tough to pick an era.  Maybe the Bitches Brew era.  To play dueling keyboards with Chick Corea or Keith Jarrett or something?!?  Are you fucking kidding me!  Check this gangster shit out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KxdnID2Vl0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBTM6blPbUQ

[BigHerm]

Mr. Patrick Hallahan's interview questions.

1. Jonathon Childers
MMJ has used drum samples in their live sets. What is your philosophy on the role of electronic drums and samples in the rock world?

I THINK ELECTRONIC DRUMS AND SAMPLES PROVIDE AN INTERESTING TEXTURE TO THE OVERALL SOUND.  NOTHING BEATS THE REAL THING, BUT IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO BRIGHTEN UP THE PALETTE.

2. Nicholas "Yames" Comaratta / Buffalo, NY
I absolutely love your solo at the end of "Steam Engine" as does everyone, just wondering if you know where the title of the song comes from?

WELL THANKS!  THE TITLE USED TO BE "DIESEL ENGINE," BUT VIN DIESEL THREATENED TO SUE SO WE CHANGED IT TO "STEAM."

3. How did you come up with the "clock arms" routine during "Run Thru?"

SINCE I'M SEATED THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME, I CAN ONLY DANCE WITH MY ARMS.  THAT'S HOW THE CLOCK ARMS CAME TO BE.  JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE SITTING DOWN DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T HIT THE DANCE FLOOR.

4. Maria Maria
How was it playing with Dan Auerbach and the Fast Five in general and compared to playing with MMJ specifically?

IT WAS GREAT!  WE TOURED THE WORLD, HAD A LOT OF LAUGHS.  I GAINED A FEW MORE BROTHERS.  TO COMPARE THE TWO BANDS....PLAYING WITH DAN AND THE FAST FIVE WAS LIKE A VACATION, WHEREAS PLAYING WITH MMJ IS LIKE BEING AT HOME.  I LOVE GOING ON VACATION, BUT ITS ALWAYS NICE TO BE HOME.

5. Trish Dooley Budsock / Cranford, NJ
I heard from a lovely little bird that you make the best pulled pork bbq. What is your secret? Have you, or would you ever consider entering a cook-off??

WHAT A NICE LITTLE BIRD.  IF I TOLD YOU THE FAMILY SECRET, IT WOULDN'T BE A SECRET!  I'M ALWAYS DOWN FOR A COOK OFF...BRING IT!
That's it for now! Next week we'll have more from another member and also keep your eyes peeled for additional answers from Patrick, he was kind enough to answers a large batch of questions. If you're submission isn't here it doesn't mean it was not answered!

[tdb810]

Yay me!  They chose my Carl question (#4)

http://www.thesteamengine.net/home/my-morning-jacket-interview-contest-carl-broemel.html

cool beans JY!

[costanika]

Why are all of Patrick's responses in capslock? Makes me feel like he's yelling all his answers at me  ;D
"YES BARBECUE IS GOOD!!!"

[weeniebeenie]

Loved the Carl interview.

[Dillsnufus]

Why are all of Patrick's responses in capslock? Makes me feel like he's yelling all his answers at me  ;D
"YES BARBECUE IS GOOD!!!"

he plays everything hard. including his keyboard on caps lock.

[tdb810]

Why are all of Patrick's responses in capslock? Makes me feel like he's yelling all his answers at me  ;D
"YES BARBECUE IS GOOD!!!"

he plays everything hard. including his keyboard on caps lock.

    ;D ;D

throwdown at MPP!

[sundari]

We had a faculty member at work who thought it was totally appropriate to respond to emails in all caps.  She couldn't understand why that was considered shouting when someone called her out on it.

[e_wind]

Why are all of Patrick's responses in capslock? Makes me feel like he's yelling all his answers at me  ;D
"YES BARBECUE IS GOOD!!!"

he plays everything hard. including his keyboard on caps lock.

    ;D ;D

hahaha

[SaraBananaBear]

Why are all of Patrick's responses in capslock? Makes me feel like he's yelling all his answers at me  ;D
"YES BARBECUE IS GOOD!!!"

he plays everything hard. including his keyboard on caps lock.

    ;D ;D

hahaha

;D ;D