The brand new Deerhoof album La Isla Bonita in details with Satomi Matsuzaki
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With the recent 10th anniversary of Bantmag, our retrospective mood has reached its peak with a new release from Deerhoof, one of the first bands we hosted in Istanbul as Bant. Deerhoof manage to surprise and amazed with every album in their discography. Their most recent effort La Isla Bonita has quickly become one of our favorites with impressive songs such as ‘’Last Fad’’, ‘’Exit Only’’ and ‘’Tiny Bubbles’’. The pop feeling in the album is as unique and new as always through their music journey. We had a chance to ask our questions about this brand new record and the 20 years they left behind as Deerhoof to the band's singer and bassist Satomi Matsuzaki.
How has your ambitions as a band changed over the 20 years (if they changed any)?
I don't think we had ambitions as a band. We always wanted to just keep going playing music that we like because we like it very much. Deerhoof never stop having fun. We are like a family who explores the world. I feel lucky that I joined the right band for me.
What makes you feel "La Isla Bonita" is an album for 2014?
We have been D.I.Y rock band for 20 years and it's real deal. We record and manage ourselves. We load our own gear. We sell our merchandizes at shows. After all the economic crisis and natural disasters made people realize what's important in our lives. It's not money. We need to know how to take care of yourself, your family and friends. You should be able to do everything yourselves. D.I.Y. There you go. La Isla Bonita is recorded in Ed's basement with our non-pricy microphones. We were there for only ten days. It was like a guitar camp. We cooked together and ate meals together three times a day. People are talking about being real today. La Isla Bonita is real.
Please walk us through the decision and motivations of naming the album after the Madonna classic.
Ed's wife made up the title. We thought it was funny because it's Madonna's classic song title but also it just means beautiful island in Spanish. I came from the beautiful island called Japan. It's funny that after the album release, someone who is not fond of Deerhoof posted on twitter "#justice for Madonna" that she thought Madonna should sue us for using that title. LOL. Nobody owns the words "the beautiful island".
Two decades into Deerhoof, and there's a sense of celebrating the woman in music in the presentation and content of this album, like a celebration of where you come from and that the energy is still very much alive of course. It surely is still a male dominant world as many contemporary women artists experience and talk about. We want to know how you would compare the musical world today as a woman fronted band with the one you started in, through your performances, and etc..?
When I first moved to San Francisco and joined Deerhoof in 1995, it was right after riot girls prospered. There were many girl bands on west coast. I felt encouraged by meeting lots of female musicians. I want to give encouragement back to young women artists to go forward and go out there to explore. I think it's happening and I am just part of cheerleaders. Our song "Paradise Girls" on the album is made for that campaign!
Your take on pop music have always been very inspiring. How do you define pop today, right now?
Pop can be any thing. It's chameleon music. That's why it's cool. Not really defined as any genre. One day you can sing hip hop then the next day you can sing along to EDM...whatever becomes popular.
How do you feel when people treat your band like a pure sound object?
We welcome people to feel whatever they feel. Feel free!
A lot of acts are mentioned in your press release as influences, and it's an inciting list, and we read that Ramones have been a very evident inspiration in writing "Exit Only". What would be the one album the whole band agrees on that has been on repeat for inspiration for La Is la Bonita?
Deerhoof members all listen to different music and we rarely like same music but when it comes down to making music together, we all seem to agree what sounds good. I have never bought Ramones records but when I was requested to play their cover, I learned how to play their music and turned it into Deerhoof sounds. La Isla Bonita inspiration came from time we toured in US early 2014. We jumped in some college student basement show and we played some other bands instruments. Viking punk rock style. Kids were so into it. Head banging and mosh pit. It was surprisingly fun because we haven't had that kind of show for more than 10 years in the past. We always had nice monitors and our own precious gear. After we played that show, we thought it would be cool to bring that vibe to our next album. Then La Isla Bonita was born.
You worked with the producer Nick Sylvester for producing the vocals. And when you compare La Isla Bonita to other Deerhoof albums, vocals are more present than ever. Why now? Why in this album?
Deerhoof always are willing to try new things. Every album we record we try new things. This time we tried to have a vocal producer. Nick is our old friend and he had a vision for us. It was fun to have him telling me how I could express my vocal expression. Some times I tried to yell at microphone, which I haven't done since "come see the duck" song which came out more than ten years ago. I felt back in 90's!
Can you tell us about the recording span of La Isla Bonita. Have you done anything different and experiential? You recorded the whole album in Ed’s basement in Oregon. What have been the benefits of recording there for Deerhoof?
We were at Ed's house for ten days to record instruments parts and Greg and I recorded our vocals with Nick for a week. The benefits of recording in Ed's house are that Ed can spend time with his toy poodle dog, Oogie and his wife; Satomi can have her own princess bed room with white frame bed; We can walk to the nearby health food store and cook together; Ed has a basement where we can play loud and record anytime of day.
Quite recently Bob Dylan was quoted saying listening to new music gets him nervous. He meant the business side of things has never been this dominant in the creative environment. Compared to the music from the past, you can hear a lot of stuff out there is concerned with its commercial potential, and not much further. What are your feelings on this comment?
We are different from Bob D. We were always D.I.Y about every aspect of survivors of music. We are aware of what's going on and being sensitive about it. We are not nervous about changing of the world and people. We also change with them. We listen to them while they listen to us.
What has been the most recent music that completely blew your mind?
To be honest, nothing has blew my mind recently but I enjoyed touring with White Reaper from Kentucky. They are truly fun teen rock band. Their spirits are awesome!
