7 Questions with Liars

Saturday night's Liars show at the Gypsy Tea Room is probably the most highly anticipated show so far this year around WSJR HQ, and due to that excitement (and the fact that the Obvserver does not appear to have done a feature on the band that has put out 2006's best record so far) we decided to ask, um, I don't know what to call him these days... I guess "lead singer" Angus Andrew some questions about the band via email. Sounds like they have some interesting plans for after their tour, and its the first I've heard of it. Anyway, here are the results:

There is a lot of talk around our town about how bad local music is, and how difficult it is for good artists and musicians to make it in the Dallas area due to a variety of things: lack of a talent pool, lack of good venues, media, etc. You have had the experience of living and working as musicians in two international art/music hotspots: Berlin and Brooklyn. How do you think those surroundings have affected your music, and how would you imagine your music might be affected by living in a place like Dallas?

We base many of our living decisions on financial and practical terms. Berlin is not only super cheap but nicely positioned geographically for touring in Europe. We are quite an insular band in that we dont really require much social support - so as long as the place is cheap then i think we could make anything happen there.. As for Dallas, It really is necessary to have some people in the community who enjoy putting on fun shows in strange places..Promoters can make a "scene" happen by becoming excited about local bands and shows.

It seems that you guys also had the experience of being lumped in, at least at the beginning of your career, with a certain sound or scene, namely the New York dancepunk scene. What kind of effect did that labeling have on your approach to music? What was your initial reaction to it?

Initially it was a little difficult to swallow, having your music pigeonholed so readily. But we began to learn that really we were very lucky to be wrapped up in the NY scene and it allowed us the opportunity to further develop our ideas with the audience. Its funny to look back at that time and imagine if we stayed there and continued with same type of music.

We hear that you like to focus on noise and improv during live shows. What will you be concentrating on for this tour? Songs that you have recorded, new songs, improv?

When we tour we like to play new material because it keeps the evening fun and challenging for us. In turn i think this makes its way to the audience who sometimes enjoy wathcing us make mistakes like normal human beings.

What are some noteworthy records that you've been listening to lately? Anything new?

Deerhunter, System of a Down, Oneida, T-rex, Rhiana, Pink, GoGoGoAirheart.

Have you spent much or any time in texas in your lives? Do you have any impressions of our state?

On our first tour i was caught reliving myself in a paddock by a policeman. He got very mad and called all his mates with dogs to search our van. He told me that in Australia they may pee anywhere they want but not in Texas! Anyway, i was really scared cause we did have some weed with us but the silly police dog hounds didnt sniff it out!!Generally i guess im a bit frightened onf the lone star state for reasons im sure we're all familiar with.

We see that visual art is a big part of what you're interested in, considering the bonus disk that was released with your new album. What visual artists do you take inspiration from? What excites you about combining images with your music?

The exciting part is picking up a brand new medium and trying to learn new tools to express with. Video is fun cheap and easy so we took up the challenge of further expanding our palettes. Wew get inspired a lot by modern day pop culture. Hot dogs, reality TV, bad movies, good books. For us the opportunity to combine our music with viuals we made as a band is much more enticing than paying someone heaps of money to make a clip with a hot girl in a clean room that doesnt relate to the band at all.

Do you have any plans for the band in the immediate future, after the tour?

Back to Work. We hope to make a narrative film that incorporates a bonus disc of music. Our plan is to shoot it in Argentina record it in Australia.

We're really looking forward to this show. The brilliance of Drums Not Dead becomes more and more apparent with every listen. Oh, and part of the reason that we really didn't ask them much about recording their new album is because it was already covered in a great Pitchfork interview that you can read here.