Presently, Corey Allender, Daniel Franz, Emmett Kelly, and myself. I'm the only one who has been with the band since the beginning, but I feel that the intent of the music has remained constant, regardless of the shift in personnel and the accompanying shifts in form(s).
Can you give a bit of background information about the band members? i'm aware of a lot of activity with other bands so if you can clear things up...?
I'll take this from reverse order of senority: Emmett Kelly has a band that he leads called the Cairo Gang, was a founding member of Women and Children, and has done work with many others including Azita. I got to know him through his work with Bonnie "prince" Billy, specifically when Human Bell was asked to open for the band for some shows in America's Pacific Northwest about a year ago.
Daniel Franz was new to Baltimore when I met him, and had been and continues to be involved with a band called Frenemies. He'd also been in some bands in college, and performed with the boredoms this past summer in NYC as part of their 7/7/7 performance involving 77 drummers.
I first played with Corey Allender when he and i were both touring with the Cass McCombs band about 3 or 4 years ago. He also played in a band called Stars of the Dogon and another one called Fascist Fascist, which were Baltimore-based.
How was Green Man for you?
Excellent. One of the musical highlights of the year for me, definitely. I felt a real affinity with the vibe and the purpose of the event overall.
With regards to your recording output what has come before 'rites of uncovering'?
There was an earlier Arbouretum record called Long Live the Well-Doer which came out in 2004, a handful of Anomoanon records, a record by a singer named Jodie-Jean Marston, an obscure Bonnie "prince" Billy single called Brother Warrior, a record by a band called Television Hill that I am a part of, and a recording by Human Bell that I am also a part of that we mainly have released ourselves. A full Human Bell LP comes out early next year on Thrill Jockey.
While it's true that I have been listening to some of that classic British Isles folk-rock such as Fairport, I wouldn't read to much into it- I don't believe I've ever sat down and listened to one of their records in its entirety. Mostly it is the spirit of that music that inspires me. I actually rarely listen to music unless I am cleaning the house.
When you wrapped up your set at The Green Man festival you said it was your final song of your first UK tour. What did you make of the UK? Did you get the opportunity to explore anywhere you visited?
I really liked the UK overall- the people we met, the history... We visited Tintern Abbey, which was breathtaking. In general I was struck by the beauty of Cumbria, Wales, and Scotland.
How did your involvement with Thrill Jockey begin?
I met Bettina Richards in Chicago in 2005 at a show we played. She was one of only 5 people who attended, including my uncle. She bought a copy of the first record from us, and when we were shopping an early draft of "rites" around, I wrote her about it, which began a series of emails back and forth about the possibility of doing a record with Thrill Jockey.
Have you had much involvement with fanzines?
I've never dated a fanzine, no.
Who would you fire a Verbal Rocket at?
Quite a few people, really. But I'd rather do the rocket-firing than talk about it, which seems to dissipate the energy and thus waste chances to demonstrate the awesome powers of wit-as-weaponry.