A few days ago it was announced that Modest Mouse will take to BBC Radio 1 stage at the Carling weekender; only singer Isaac Brock didn’t seem to know this until Room Thirteen caught up with him in Portland, Oregon, USA for a general banter about festivals, jaw wiring, and Hecklers.
Rm13: What other festivals have you done?
Rm13: Do you prefer the smaller gigs to the festivals?
Isaac: “Well you know it depends on the situation really. With the small gigs it’s a bit easier to connect with everyone and it can be rowdier and more fun, but it depends… Coachella was set up pretty well.”
Rm13: What would you say was your best festival experience?
Isaac: “I really liked the one in France that was good (laughs) But I would say it was Coachella. The playing part was pretty rough because I had broken my jaw and I unwired it with a pair of pliers the night before (Rm13: Ouch!) and the next day when I was supposed to play I was in so much pain I had a couple of prescribed pain killers. But the hanging out there was great”.
Rm13: Its one you’ll remember at least!
Isaac: “Yeah, its foggy! But I thought it was a fun time!”.
Rm13: Do you find the crowds are different between say, here and the US?
Isaac: “Not totally, I mean I’m not trying to take anything from either crowd, but with people out drinking and to watch the show it’s the same kinda deal. A bit less heckling over there, like there’s always some charming asshole who’s decided that (puts on goofy voice) it’s time to be funny, but its just a waste of everyone’s time, but I love hecklers in my own way because it the only it’s the only kind of good audience interaction I’m good with- throwing shit back at them”.
Rm13: Have you ever met any of your influences?
Isaac: “Yeah, yeah, on quite a few occasions I’m just trying to remember who they were (laughs) fuck! Um… you know, I know I have and it’s not really landing at this point.
Rm13: On your latest album “Good News For People Who Like Bad News” every song on there tells its own story- where do you draw your inspiration from for such individual songs?
Isaac: “No place in particular- some of its taken from real, personal life stuff, some of its from maybe something in a book that really struck me. There’s no one place or way about it”.
Rm13: In some of the vocals, especially in “The Good Times Are Killing Me”, there’s an uncanny resemblance to Lou Reed in there.
Isaac: “Yeah that was accidental. That would have been a case where my inspiration for that would have been fucking over partying. And there’s this book by this lady named Catherine Dunn, oh no.... this is Linda Berry, that I think might have been the same title…. actually it’s funny when Billy Childish had this art exhibit over there and I went to check it out and it was really over, so most of the stuff had either been bought or whatever, so I couldn’t go ogle it. But there’s this record of his there and I’ve been a fan of different Billy Childish for quite a few years now and there this record of his actually and I don’t know whether the record of his was called “The Good Times Are Killing Me” or whether there was a song on it on, but I was like oh fuck! But I’m sure it’s been used quite a few times.
Rm13: Maybe you should party more often because the Lou Reed turn is good.
Isaac: (Laughs) Ok I’ll let it go at Lou Reed
Rm13: We’re looking forward to seeing you.
Isaac: Cool!
So watch out for Modest Mouse on The Carling Weekend as well as other UK appearances over the coming months. Their sound is so different it demands to be heard.
Modest Mouse’s single “Float On” is out now – taken from the album “The Good Times Are Killing Me” which is released next month. Oh, and if you spot a guy with some pliers, then you’ll know what dedication to your art means!