Ox
Kristen Cudmore speaks with Mark Browning of Vancouver band Ox.
To get a little history can you tell me little bit about your band and how you guys got together?
Ox is a collective and was from the start. That means, the 'membership' has always been static... I think that’s the way of the modern indie music world now. The Velvet Underground were way ahead of their time in that way. No more John, Paul, George, and Ringo now. In the beginning, Ox was just me. Nathan Lawr of Royal City joined for the recording of Dust Bowl Revival. Then Ryan Bishops and Ruby Loves U joined to tour. We lost Ruby to a baby- we've gone through several drummers, though I think the heart of Ox on the drum kit ended up being Rose Murphy who is on tour with us now in the UK and recorded the new album, American Lo-Fi.
This CD is quite spectacular... I am wondering, where do you reckon I have heard the track, "Surrender"? It's killing me; it sounds like something I have heard on a movie or something... or maybe the radio? You've got to ease me on this one!
Cheap Trick, Heaven Tonight and Live at Budokhan. I’ve seen them twice. They rock.
So you're in the UK right now promoting you're new CD "American Lo-Fi" and really making your mark. I have never heard of some of these cities like: Swansea, Carlisle and Wrecam! How is the tour going?
We’re not really promoting the new album yet as its not officially released anywhere. We've been talking to loose music (UK) and Secretly Canadian (USA, Canada, and the World!) but the official release is still a few months away.
I’ve always believed in touring the heartland of any country. My first Canadian tour included all the smaller towns. I’m from Sudbury, Ontario so perhaps you can put it down to that- we've played Red Deer, Kenora, Thunder Bay, North Bay, Sherbrooke, Prince George... and many more. These are places that often get overlooked by all but shitty mainstream bands with lousy attitudes and crap music... its a shame. To me, its not really a tour unless you go long and hard- suffer a little. Carlisle is northern England... beautiful country up there. Swansea and Wrecam are Wales- the land of my father! Swansea gets a shitty deal- the English talk about it like its some kind of industrial shithole but, I’d put it up against Luton or Bedford any day. Wales is the most beautiful country in the world.
Which cities are really welcoming you?
Our best shows have been wherever the best promoters are. As far as Europe goes, we always love the shows in Swindon, Portsmouth/Eastney, Cork (Eire), Derry(N. Eire), London, Oxford, Wrecam... we just had our first ever show in Swansea and it was among our most enjoyable ever.
How is the UK audience reacting to the show?
We do very well here. UK audiences seem to really get our music and it’s extremely satisfying. There is a lot of space in our music that I believe comes from the Canadian touring we've done- all those empty hours in the van (or greyhound!) between shows. We don’t get hotels and fancy riders- its a lot of couches, floors, trips to the grocery store... value village etc. folks here pick up on that. It’s authentic for them.
If I am not mistaken, the CD is recorded purely in analog? Why did you decide to take this route?
Analog sounds better. Those who say otherwise are fooling themselves for the sake of convenience.
Mixing an analog CD is quite the task as well, where did you find your challenges?
We had to remix a few songs 3-4 times. The old Harrison board at profile sounds great but it doesn’t have recall so- chon had to actually photograph the board for later reference. Some mixes sound great while your mixing them over the course of a week and then a month later they suck. It's something bands have been dealing with for years- its part of the process. We grew up on digital so, we're learning how our mentors worked. In the long run, it makes us stronger I think.
Do you include any cover songs in your shows?
I like to play whatever feels right: Cheap Trick made it onto the new record- so did a Woody Guthrie song. Dust Bowl Revival started as a tribute to his dust bowl ballads in fact. Dust Bowl Revival also had a Julian Cope song on it, "Promised Land". I love Julian Cope.
What has inspired some of your writings? What are some subjects you tend to use in your music?
My writing is geographical. You could call everything I do a trailer trash travel log... I like writing about dirty underbelly- but the real thing- not cliché 'whiskey and cowboys and shit like a lot of so called 'Americana / Alt-Country' acts. I HATE that trite crap. I’m NOT comfortable in sketchy American bus stations and dirty motel rooms- I don't feel safe in some of the dumpy areas I end up touring through- I don’t like being up all night sleeping in the van etc. I’m a middle class kid- these places and experiences fascinate me but at the end of the day, they are not me. I love to write about them because its something that has become part of my life and it interests me- I think it's important to go to many different places and talk to as many people as I can- it makes the world a better place to do that. So in the end, I love to tour and go anywhere because it’s all an adventure and you never know where you'll end up or what will happen. The experience expands consciousness and ends up as music.
Who do you look up to for inspiration in your music?
When I feel crapped out, I listen to Julian Cope. He shakes me up and makes me re-think everything I thought I knew about writing songs. Lou Reed is good for that too. Other than that, friends of mine- Kingsway (Vancouver), Radiogram (Vancouver), Julie Doiron... There are a couple of great bands I love who've disappeared, Sixth Great Lake, Stratotanker.
What do you think about the scene in Vancouver (or Canada in general) compared to other places you have played?
Canada is up and coming at the moment but to be honest, I'm not really that into most of the 'hip' new bands from there. I’m glad for them, and it'll probably end up helping me but most of it just isn’t my thing... to noisy and polished or electronic with beats and stuff. I’m moving in different directions- I think the best music I’ve ever heard is coming from Vancouver right now- Kingsway, Counterrevolutionaries, Octoberman, & Radiogram and frankly, OX. It's inspiring to hear music coming from a community of people that are sharing a pool of creativity. Vancouver seems to be generating music that is totally unrelated to the outside music world and I love that.
What is El Camino (part one and two) all about?
That one is about inner city hooligan gangs... basketball and crack and stuff. And then there is this other cat, 'Vinny Fang' who's like a small town America greaseball homophobic asshole cruising around in his cheeseball car- looking for a 'fag'- but then there's this vampire thing too. It’s an opera really. Part 2 is my favorite song that I’ve ever done.
I am taking a shot in the dark here, but is your label, "Cinnamon Songs" or "Peer Music" or am I way off on this one? Regardless, if you're on a label, how did you hook up with this label?
Cinnamonsongs is my own music publishing name- like Neil Young had Broken Arrow- and Lennon/McCartney had Northern Songs...Peer Music is my co-publisher neither are a label. Dust Bowl Revival came out indie in 2003 then was re-released by Maximum Music in Canada in 2004 and Second Nature in the US in 2005. If all goes well, the new record will be Secretly Canadian- they like the record a lot and I like them a lot. They’ve got Jason Molina who I've always loved.
What are your plans for when you return from your tour in the UK?
We've got to go down to Bloomington for a show in July. I'm making up my mind whether or not to release the record indie in Canada and get it out to the college radio myself- stay independent, or wait to start a new label with a couple of folks from endearing and Ken Beattie, Ox's co-manager. We’re talking about it.
How can the general public get their hands on your new CD?
For now, they can’t. I wish it was out now but that’s the way things go- you make an album- move on with your life... and wait for a label and distributor to catch up with you. It's frustrating because I move fast- I like to make records- prepare everything as I’m recording and then get it out to the press and radio... then release it and tour. We’ve actually got 2 records waiting to be released at the moment so, we're 2 albums ahead and just waiting for the chaps in suits to clear their desks.
Ox's New Friend
watch out wall-e!!
Bombeando o campo
Mayaro Beach
Ox Pair
Ox Set #2
