A couple of years ago, I got in touch with Austin-based musician Matt Long aka The Narwhal Invasion over the web. Matt is one of a small group of artistic people (together with Bally and Hollis Brown Thornton) I've come in touch with who are more or less obsessed with the Arctic landscape and wildlife. I'm currently working on an acoustic album about the arctic and polar expeditions and Matt has become such a huge inspiration for me. I followed him put together his debut masterpiece If We Were Constellations, released last year by Ethedrone Muzak (US) and Corps-Mort Records (CAN) which contains elements of drone, folk, indie and experimental stuff. One of my top10 favorite releases last year for sure. He also runs the more traditional folk projekt matthew long is: the pale-skinned son of the earth which also is fabulous. A few days ago I spoke with the man himself.
INTERVIEW: MATTHEW LONG
Thomas: Matt, we've been in touch for years, isn't it time that we do something together soon?
Matt: yes sir. i certainly think we should. i have been a poor collaborator in the past but my perception has recently been shifting. i think that a tree standing alone is beautiful but it is also beautiful to find a tree growing into another tree. we should collaborate. i like trees.
T: I know you're active in both The Narwhal Invasion and your folk projekt The pale-skinned son of the earth. I love them both. What's your closest plans for the two projects? Anything else that you're working on?
M: I have so many: for "the narwhal invasion" i would first like to finish "flyways". i have been recording this album for over a year now. all of the work i had done was stolen with my computer last august. i am going to re-record the album this summer and hopefully get it out soon. when that is finished i'd like to do a chapter by chapter musical translation of the book "bury my heart at wounded knee." i also would like to record and perform live a minimalist/experimental/ folk-rock rendition of mozart's requiem. i think the requiem will turn into a twenty year project. along the way i intend to continue the musical documentation of my process as a human being.
my folk project "matthew long: is the pale-skinned son of the earth" is mostly my avenue to just write and perform some good ol' tunes. i have started playing some shows here in texas and plan on recording the debut for this project this weekend.
T: What are you listening to at the moment and what do you count as major influences to your music?
M: well, some of my favorite unknowns are the last dinosaur, vertigo choir, prince edward island, mariee sioux, blood music, sequins and skeletons, as well as your two projects a perfect friend and deer theatre.
i can't very well list all of my influences but this last week i have appreciated the music of tom waits, radiohead, joanna newsom, daniel johnston, woodie guthrie, clara rockmore, and beirut.
i suppose you can hear the influence of all of these in my creations. i really like to interpret things like the earth, water, wind, migration, and seasons. my ultimate ambition is to create something from nothing, like time and space. i don't really now how to do this yet but i just might before i pass. i'm working on it.
The Narwhal Invasion : If We Were Constellations (2007)
T: We both had cd covers made by Hollis Brown Thornton, which one of ours do you think is the coolest?
M: hollis brown thornton is ingenious, that's all.
T: If I ever make it to the SXSW in Austin again, could I hang out at your place then?
M: no, we should pitch a tent and make a fire.
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