We caught up with The Fiery Furnaces' Matthew Friedberger on the band's current tour and asked him a few questions. He's always got something interesting to say, so enjoy the Q&A below, in which he touches on everything from vuvuzelas and iPads to Dennis Hopper and how the Furnaces probably won't cover the Melvins this weekend. We're still holding out on that last one.
The Fiery Furnaces play three NYC-area dates starting tonight, when they'll be at Maxwell's in Hoboken. On Friday they play Brooklyn Bowl (as part of the Northside Festival) and then they head to Mercury Lounge on Saturday.
Eardrum NYC: You're on the road right now. How's it going?
Matthew Friedberger: I am actually on a road right now. Interstate 71 South. The Weather is very nice. How is it going? It's a privilege to travel around and play music, no?
We saw some references to "TFF'SOFRNRSDP" on your website? What's that?
Thank you for asking. TFF'SOFRNRSDP is the Fiery Furnaces' Old-Fashioned Rock-N-Roll Dance Party. We will be presenting that—'that' meaning TFF'SOFRNRSDP—at our shows in, for instance, the New York City area.
Are you working on new material? We've heard something about sheet music...
Yes, new material. Yes, sheet music. We'll be releasing a record...that we don't record. It will be out just as...the lyrics and notation. And...suggestions.
What's your inspiration for that?
Oh, isn't it ridiculous that bands...hog all the music-playing for themselves? Should they let their fans play sometimes as well? It really is ridiculous that, in a band-fan relationship, the band gets to do all the playing. Seems a bit one-sided to me. Oppressive, even....
Are you following the World Cup? If so, any thoughts on it so far? Do you have a vuvuzela with you on this tour?
We ask people to bring their own vuvuzelas to the shows. We aren't experts on the horn at all. I think there has been a lot of complaining in the media and online about how poor some of the playing has been, and how boring some of the matches have been. I think that that is very tiresome. The thing has to develop, no? These teams have to develop (or regress)—that's part of the fun of it, if you ask me. Jesus.
Are you excited for the Northside Festival? Any shows that you'd like to check out besides your own?
We are going to attend every one of the Northside Festival shows. Why not? Except the one opposite our own.
Do you feel like the video for "Even in the Rain" takes on a different tone following the passing of Dennis Hopper?
I hope it still functions as a tribute to a man that many people think was...a quite far-sighted individual. As opposed to a blinkered near-sighted type.
You're playing at Brooklyn Bowl on the 25th. You went there before it opened for a Village Voice profile, we recall. Are you fans of bowling?
I suppose we're fans of many things you can't do with or on an iPad. I imagine bowling is still in that category.
Who's this John Mulaney character that's opening your New York shows? How did you guys get together?
Oh, he's a famous comedian. He performed at a benefit we played at. I think he lives near Eleanor.
Anything else we should know about your upcoming shows?
That they are going to be a hell of a lot of summertime rock-n-roll fun. I don't think we will manage to play any Melvins or Henry Cow covers, though.
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The Fiery Furnaces - "Even in the Rain":
