Interview by Matthew Perpetua.

q: Have you noticed any difference in how people in general respond to your band after having seen Jem's film? In my own experience, I've noticed that most if not everyone I've met who's seen it has not only left with a better understanding of you all as people and as a band, specifically on issues of politics and business practices. Even more than that, most everyone I know who've seen it who are musicians or artists (and this is actually a good number of people) find themselves incredibly inspired not just to make music, but to do it on a DIY level. Personally, I think that this is a triumph in and of itself, particularly in today's media environment which I think is discouraging for a great many people, they feel like they can't do these things, but the film is a shining example of how you can. Especially in contrast with Grant Gee's Radiohead film from last year, Instrument makes a good case for the DIY spirit. There isn't really any point in Instrument where you get the sense that any of you are unhappy with what you're doing, but all through the Radiohead film, they are dealing with the media and their record company and seem incredibly unhappy.

guy: While we were working on Instrument I think all of us kind of lost perspective on it. It was such a long, protracted process of editing and re-editing that for a long time I wasn't really sure what we had come up with - it was a very Frankenstein type situation, thinking, "Will this stitched up monster really be able to walk around?" But when I finally saw it screened in a room full of people, I realized that it really did serve to kind of offer up some perspectives on the band that maybe hadn't come across before. The primary thing for me was that people actually laughed through a good bit of the movie which I thought was really important cause being in this group is not a sour exercise in grim discipline and deprivement - its actually a blast and we laugh our asses off all the time. Before the film I don't think people had any access to that side of things. I think it's important for people to realize that creative autonomy and political action are not a brain dulling drag. I actually am a big fan of a lot of Radiohead's music but I agree that their film was a bit of a put-on. They really drummed into you how supposedly powerless the band was in the face of all the media assault and market co-option etc, etc, and that's a false message to send out because in point of fact those guys have incredible power and a huge potential for greater autonomy. The movie really made you feel deflated - I mean all that energy to just say "Touring's a bit hellish" - it seemed like a waste to me. It looked good, though.

q: In December, I attended your show at the Roxy in New York City, and was very impressed with the new songs you played, "Oh" and "The Argument." Are these new songs a good indicator of where the band is headed musically, or is it still too early to tell? Where do you, as one fourth of the band, want to go with this next record? Should we expect more songs in the same vein as "Floating Boy" or "Closed Captioned," or perhaps something else entirely? Are there any issues you are considering addressing in your lyrics?

guy: Quite honestly, we never have any idea where we're going musically - we are not a very considered band in that respect. We just get together and play and eventually the music gets ironed out. We are merciless re-arrangers and we'll play songs live a bit than completely rework them - we tear shit up and start all over all the time. Right now we have a few new songs like "Oh" and "The Argument" plus about six other things that are still just instrumentals waiting for lyrics to surface. We have been working our second drummer and trumpet playing roadie Jerry into a lot more of the new songs so that should make the next record quite a bit different sonically. In terms of lyrics and themes - its a bit too early to tell. We are notoriously slow lyricists so we are kind of just waiting on the muse.

q: I remember that you had mentioned the Seattle WTO riots before performing "Oh" in New York, that you said that you were incredibly happy to see that something like that had happened and had received mass media attention, something that is increasingly rare for protests. Do you find it kind of disheartening that protest has to come to rioting and vandalism to reach people now? On one hand, it's very good that some dissenting voice is being heard in some way, but I think that to many people, the intellectual argument against something like the WTO is entirely lost, and the protesters end up looking foolish to many of the people who they should be trying to reach. Do you think that there is a possibility that the constant consolidation of economic power on a domestic and global level will scare the average citizen into some form of action, or do you think that people will continue to become cynical and / or apathetic, and just accept things as they happen?

guy: I try never to be too cynical or too hopeful in regards to the political situation. I think things are incredibly fucked on the large scale but I also have to believe that people are capable of making enormous differences if they consolidate their energy. The deal in Seattle was cool because it brought together a lot of coalitions that had not previously been known to work together (anarchists, trade unions, environmentalists, etc.). A lot of people got freaked out by the window smashings etc., but I don't think that was really the legacy that will carry over from that episode - I think the powers that be were a little more startled by the actual organizing abilities on display - it's been awhile since progressive forces had their shit so completely together. It was very heartening and hopefully its just the beginning.

q: Lastly, what visual art, music, books, and films have you been interested in lately? Has anything in particular been inspiring for you?

guy: I am kind of a local at heart so I still draw a lot of inspiration from bands in my hometown. Right now there is a lot of good stuff happening here with some new groups like Quix-o-tic, Dead Meadow, the Long Goodbye and Panax. Art-wise, we are really excited that the Fugazi film got accepted into this year's Whitney Biennial in NYC where we get to share some space with one of my favorite artists Hans Haacke. And in films I am still in the afterglow of an incredible Robert Bresson retrospective they did at the National Gallery here in DC - he recently passed away unfortunately but he left behind an incredible legacy of work - I totally encourage people to check out his movies particularly " The Man Condemned to Death has Escaped", "Pickpocket", "L'argent" and "Diary of a Country Priest."