If I were to make a top 5 of favourite lyricists, Brad Hamers would most definitely be one of them. Ever since I first heard him as a part of Phlegm back in 2002-2003 I’ve been following him closely. Since he released Post No Dreams, so far the best album of 2011, I have been wanting to ask him some questions. And here they are.
Would you mind telling us a little bit about yourself and your career so far?
Hmmmm...
me: clinically misdiagnosed, cynically an optimist, every foot forward off every cliff, schizophrenic mythologist, extinct bi-polar bear, head in the most local honey jar, the most recently scratched off serial number, on the last stolen piece of candy, its removed censor, the shirt tag that gets up the most, a hand-cuff-tan-line, the beached up sure, the whale held in mid smile. me: half free...half with a kind slave owner, really only the gutter running over. My career sits like a double parked car on a highway in a flood. I don't really like the word ‘career’...it sits wrong in me...reminds me too much of why I don't do this...my output is about putting it out there, plain and simple...or better yet, Getting it out!
Do you still have contact with Nobs and if so, any plans on doing something together again?
Christopher is my brother...we came up together in this (food-fight)mess they call a serious game...I absolutely still do have contact with him...actually still have his house cat's claw marks in my hand from when I last slept on his couch a few weeks ago..(I caught that small monster chewing muffins in his cabinet...it got me good)....as far as plans on doing something together....well, time will tell...Nobs and I stay busy on our own ish...but are also always throwing around ideas...so we'll see...
Can you tell us about your process when it comes to writing lyrics? What inspires you in your creating?
My process has become ritual...not writing is like not eating...I do it for my health...so inspiration is everything...as long as i can imagine the finger to put on it...I don't believe in writers block...it's like believing you don't have a subconscious...writing is the best medicine...and addiction is my inspiration. (my spoon - my pen)
I know that you and Big Pauper still do things together, but will we get to see another album from Two Ton Sloth?
yes yes...Big Pauper and I are brothers as well...he is the most talented individual I know...and we stay building (skyscrapers and sand-castles) together...(some see sunshine, some don't)......but yes, we most definitely do have another Two Ton Sloth project in the works...this one will be much different..in the sense that it will not be an audio release...but an audio/video project...the album will be available in video format only...featuring lots of Big Pauper's self-made video-bending instruments, lots of strange VHS footage and/or shot film by us, coupled with an upturned cat-burglars ski-mask full of new Sloth songs...I promise it will burn (just right) going down....there's no set release date for this yet.
What purpose do you have with your music?
The only purpose I have is to let my (proverbial) hair down... (and maybe help others remove their wigs in the process...or at least get mine in their eye) ....as far as surviving on this shit...well I’ve survived on less...whatever fruit it allows me to eat has been imported from somewhere I never could have been myself...I’m happy just to make someone angry.......or cry.
You are also doing a bit of collage art, is that something that you’ve always been doing?
When I was younger I was into drawing and vandalism...writing took over in my teens...then making music...and now...years later...I’ve arrived back at visual art once again...but really to me it's all the same thing...whether its sound collaging...word collaging...idea collaging...or found paper collaging...it's all about assembling symbol..And speaking through tools... (images)....I enjoy doing it and find reward in having another outlet...and am happy that I’ve had the opportunity to show my work in some galleries around Portland as of late...
Are there any other musical artists that inspire you in your own creative process?
Sure...of course it changes with time (though some remain the same) ...but let's see...I’ll name a few artists off the top of my head that I really dig on:
xiu xiu
doseone
Bill Callahan
Joanna Newsom
Jónsi & Alex
eluvium
why?
Set Fire to Flames...and almost every other Godspeed off-shoot
sole
Animal Collective
paleo
Tyler, the Creator
Radiohead
Tom Waits
Beach House
Big Pauper
What can we look forward to, from you, in the near future?
oh man...I’m working on way too many things right now...okay let's see....the next thing from me to be released is an EP with Frietboer (producer from The Netherlands)..together we go under Dust On Snow...that project will be out before Big Pauper and I head out for our May 2011 Europe Tour...and it will be sick, dirty, completely attractive and completely disgusting...you can hear our debut track together here:
...this year will also see the release of my ‘side-project’ solo album, Communiques...a collection of many tracks made for other people (over the last 4 years) sent thru the post, each created in one or two drunken evenings or less with little takes and lots of spunk...very lo-fi and extremely personal...
...of course there's also the next Two Ton Sloth a/v project I spoke of earlier...
..and I’ve also had a (hefty) new book completed for a couple years now...but still haven't shopped it around for publishing....it is tentatively titled: Brand Name Yachay
...and Big Pauper and I will be touring Europe and the US this May and June….so for that upcoming adventure, we have a slew of new 'Only Children' made for the occasion (not to mention the Only Children for our Kickstarter Fundraiser and all that)..Plus some exclusive tour isht to sell of course....plus some...and plus some
I remember hearing, a couple of years ago, about a collaboration with the Australian band Just Like Us. What happened there?
I still love the track we did together for Cut-Ups-Of-A-Paper-Woman...they had sent me a few more instrumentals over the following years...and I’m now sorry I never recorded anything…because I liked what those guys did......I don’t know...we've lost touch over the last 5 or 6 years unfortunately...I’d love to hear what they're up to now....it's my fault really that nothing ever came to fruition....I’ve been all over the place (mentally and physically) since we’ve last spoken....always too many unfinished projects...always too much on my plate..
Any finishing words?
I am honored to share this cliff with all of you....these are amazing times....fuck political correctness…..we are amongst the gods...always......let your milk hang out....please...........and rename art...while you support it.........we lack the proper mythology.
May 2011 Euro Tour - Kickstarter
Back catalog of musical releases including the NEW album
An art collective featuring the works of Brad Hamers
Press release - one sheet
Label
College art
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