BIRTHGIVING TOAD
Questions asked by Jon Wilde, added to Rock Realms 19th September 2011.
Danish band Birthgiving Toad are unleashing their debut album "For Awkward Company". We caught up with main man Lasse to find out more about this heavy psychedelic prog rock band.
Hi Lasse, thanks for taking a moment to answer these questions. How long have you been performing music and when did you start creating your own original material?
Lasse: Well.. I started out playing some guitar in the years of elementary school. Soon I went to the drumkit, bass then the vocals. But what seemed more interesting to me was the composing in general really. So I did little melodies, ditties, christmas medleys on my PC . Later on I began writing music for the now disbanded Psychewalks of Eternal Karma which was my first real band. And at last Birthgiving Toad, which is the project I spend most of my time doing these days. Besides that I'm doing some electro-pop actually. With my good friend Jeppe. Tin Kite it's called.
How did “Birthgiving Toad” start?
Lasse: It started back at the Danish school Oure at fyn. I did the music on my own in my room there. And some fellow musicians enjoyed it, and we quickly formed a band to perform those songs live.
Where did the band’s name come from and what’s the meaning behind it?
Lasse: I don't know really. It sounds and looks great to me. And then I guess the music could sound a bit like the offspring of a toad giving birth sometimes.
Did you know what sort of sound and style you wanted at the start, or have you let it find its own way?
Lasse: No. Not really. I did the first song (Waxtipede) from just jamming with myself and recording it. Then it turned in to a beautiful song at last. And the rest of the songs followed in the somewhat same style.
Who were your early artistic inspirations?
Lasse: I watched the Swedish cartoon "lfons åberg" a lot as a kid. Now when i watched it lately, not seeing it ever since, I remembered all the little melodies going on in the background. along with the amazing intro-theme. A bit later I started digging Soundgarden, Led Zeppelin, Tool, Primus and such stuff. and at last I got into some more progressive, alternative and jazzy stuff like Aksak Maboul, Gentle Giant, King Crimson and Deerhoof.
You new album is called “For Awkward Company”. Why did you decide to play all instruments yourself when you do actually have a full live band?
Lasse: I guess I had them around me. Why not fool around with them and reach to the core of your very ideals and preferences. Picking up the guitar. recording a few notes, type in some temporary computer drums, sing a line or an entire verse and so forth.
Where do you look for your lyrical and musical inspirations?
Lasse: For lyrics I don't care too much really. Sometimes I write some down. most of the time it's just random words and gibberish. music-wise I live with three other people and the music is playing from the living room most of the time. So everything from Astrud Gilberto to death grips to Danish now-adays-radio to postal service.
How do you go about writing songs? Talk us through the construction of a typical track...
Lasse: First off I have a melody-line, guitar-riff or drum-beat. When that's recorded I pick the next instrument. Figure out what to play if any. Record a part lasting from between 2 sec to I minute. Maybe record an improvised vocal line to throw away just to figure out that it has to go in another direction. Little parts like that mostly.
Do you do anything special or unusual during the recording process to get your sound?
Lasse: Well...not really. I have different equipment. My D*A*M Meathead is on most of the guitar tracks.
What are your favourite moments on the album?
Lasse: I don't know. I think it all went pretty well. But maybe the whole intro part to eyes fixed ahead or the first verse in waxtipede.
What have been the highlights of your musical life so far?
Lasse: Hmm.. I don't really know if there's been any peaks like that. Can't tell
Any question you love being asked that I’ve missed? If so, what’s the answer?
Lasse: I guess not. No. It's okay
What are you up to once you’ve finished answering these questions?
Lasse: I'm on to do some chillin' and work on the third album which doesn't have a title yet and which by now has three songs on it.
Anything else you would like to mention?
Lasse: Yeah. The first album "For Awkward Company" just went for sale on the iTunes store. And the second one is being mixed at the moment. In Poland. Guess that's it...
Thanks again to Lasse for his time.
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