Singer-songwriter Kevin Devine and indie-rockers Manchester Orchestra have been making music as separate, and very different, entities for years. This year, Kevin Devine has joined up with the guys from Manchester Orchestra to form a new band called Bad Books. Their self-titled debut album is out now as a digital release and will be available as a physical release on November 9th. Chris Freeman, from Manchester Orchestra and now Bad Books, answered our questions and brought some humor (and sarcasm) to the table.
Kelly: Tell us the story of how the band got together…
Chris Freeman: Manchester Orchestra has toured with Kevin Devine and the rest of the Goddamn Band numerous times in the US and UK. He and Andy had spoken about doing a project together off and on over the years and it just took actually getting Kevin in town and having the time to do it. We like hanging out together and a band is a pretty good excuse to do just that.
K: How would you describe your sound?
CF: Reptar.
K: Who are some of your sonic influences?
CF: The sound of Basketballs bouncing off of trees. And Built to Spill, Pavement, and ambient clocks.
K: What has been your biggest accomplishment as a band so far?
CF: We sold out our first show, which feels cool. The fact that we practiced enough to even get through our first show felt pretty great as well. And whoever did the artwork was fucking brilliant.
K: What are your goals for the upcoming year?
CF: Lose my wallet, wreck my car, find and eliminate a terrorist cell, flip a cop car “mid-riot”, scare my mom while wearing one of those awesome masks from SCREAM and hopefully go on a few more tours and make some more records.
K: What has been your favorite city/venue to play in?
CF: Cambridge was fun because most of the crowd was pretty hammered before the first band even started, so they LOVED it. Philly was really welcoming and fun as well, plus it was interesting to watch an entire city heave a breath of sadness at the same instant when the Phillies lost.
K: What’s on heavy rotation in the tour van/ on your ipod?
CF: Longmont Potion-Castle, Ricky Gervais Podcasts, Oosa Oosa BAD BOOKS New Songs and some Bob Dylan and Neil Young.
K: Who is your favorite new artist?
CF: Oh Land, she’s just so dreamy.
K: What would be your dream collaboration and why?
CF: Mountain Man. I would just be happy to be in the same room with them, let alone be able to sing or play music with them. Either them or Charles Barkley.
K: Tell us your craziest/most embarrassing band story, and make it a good one.
CF: One time, Robert and I walked into a KFC in the UK at 3 in the morning and they were out of chicken. And then Robert was all like, “You’re out of chicken? It’s called Kentucky Fried Chicken.” and I was like, “bro, chill. We gotta get out of here.” so we left and I think we ended up getting chicken elsewhere but I was, like, REALLY REALLY embarrassed.
