Interview with Elizabeth and the Catapult

5480_98750499593_98559329593_1928783_6740498_n

I admit, it was the name that originally piqued my interest in Elizabeth and the Catapult. But after listening to their Myspace page, I adored the group’s music as much as the thought-provoking moniker. When I got an opportunity for a phone interview with Elizabeth herself, I jumped at the chance. She was delightfully spunky and insightful about her music and band, and we discussed everything from their new album to playing a concert in a barn to keeping the music fresh.

BnB: Elizabeth and the Catapult has had a lot of recent success and good press: you have a been a favorite of both NPR and Perez Hilton, and your song ‘Race You’ has been featured in a Google ad and on MTV. Which event were you most excited about?

Elizabeth: Well, we’re opening for Aimee Mann which is really exciting because I’m a huge fan. We did our last album with Tony Berg who also did her record. But I think out of all the things you mentioned, the NPR love is what we’re the most thrilled about because we actually listen to NPR. We were on ‘All Things Considered’ last year. We were really supported by ‘Sound Check’ with John Schaefer. Before our last album we put out an EP we recorded in our bedroom that he really helped push for us.

How did you gain such a large fanbase in such a short period of time?

In the beginning, it was mostly through the Internet, then NPR, then playing the same clubs in the village week after week and gaining a following. We’d have these residencies, rock them, and start to make friends. And kept going. Any artist I really respect, they’ve got to keep playing live all the time to keep themselves in shape. They’ve got to keep exercising, coming out with as many demos as they can, putting everything online and on YouTube.

With so many tour dates lined up with both Aimee Mann and Jukebox the Ghost, how do you keep your music fresh?

It’s funny you mention that…that’s one of the reasons why I think my band gets mad at me: I keep it too fresh sometimes. I absolutely refuse to play the same songs every night. Now, we’ll be playing our second album but just now, our first album is breaking. We’ll definitely be mixing the two albums. I have a lot of songs that I love to play live, a lot of covers. The basic rule is that we have to do one new song if at all possible most nights. Whether it’s a cover, or another member of the band sings, or it’s a song I wrote 6 years ago. We always like to spice it up. One really great thing about being a small band, you get to play a lot of art spaces; not just theaters and concert halls. One of my favorite experiences was when we showed up to this barn someplace in the South. They had the whole barn decorated and the sound was amazing. We played this really magical show and they just packed the barn. I look forward to the variety of spaces that we play in. We just played Merkin Hall at Lincoln Center in New York, and the acoustics were gorgeous. I also love all outdoor venues and festivals.

 

60215_436526914593_98559329593_4979262_6362046_n

Tell us about your new album The Other Side of Zero. How does it differ from your previous album Taller Children?

One main difference is that Danny and I went to LA to work with Tony Berg. Our last album was recorded by ourselves, about half in our house. For this new record, it was done completely in a studio. Instead of 2 years, it took a few months. A lot of the songs I wrote when I was out there. It’s more raw, and darker all around. Some might be surprised compared to the happy-go-lucky feel of the last record. It’s maybe a little…rougher around the edges.

Your debut album Taller Children came out this time last year. What inspired the title track and lyrics “In the end, we’re all just taller children”?

That was the song that was featured on ‘All Things Considered’. That was the only track that was a collaboration between all members. It was a unique, organic approach. Our bass player was playing the bass line and I started rapping over it, in a really bad Blondie-style rap, early 80’s style. I was kind of unconsciously writing the verses, when I got on my own I flushed it out. It was about adults that are being irresponsible with their money. You know, everything that happened with the stock market: it was just adults acting like children. Being overly indulgent, not thinking about the repercusssions of their actions. It’s funny, everyone’s all ‘It’s so funny and cute’ but I’m like ‘It’s actually fucked up’.

Who would you like to collaborate with in the future?

Wow. There are so many people. My biggest dream would be David Byrne or Tom Waits. It’s a tie. And it would be really neat to write for a dance company. That’s my ultimate dream, to wrtie for the Martha Graham Ballet Company, that’d be super rad.

Look for Elizabeth and the Catapult’s album The Other Side of Zero dropping Ocotber 26th. For more information on their national tour, check out their website here.