Bradford Cox Interview

Deerhunter are an ambient punk band from Atlanta. Bradford Cox is the lead singer of aforementioned band. We decided to go down to Deaf Institute and interview the man before Deerhunter’s gig for Now Wave, y’know, because they make bitchin’ music and what not.

JG: Is it important to be able to lose yourself in something as emotionally raw as music?

BC: I think so. I think it would help probably to vent emotions that people tend to suppress, so I would say yes.

JG: Do you think music is a good platform for honesty?

BC: I would replace the word ‘honesty’ with cathartic. Sometimes there’s no truth or falsehood, it’s more just raw. Honesty tends to relate to translation, whereas catharsis is just like, explosions.

JG: In today’s industry what current recording artists do you think set a good example to both new bands and bands trying to carve a path?

BC: That’s a good question, let me think on it. Er, I don’t know. I have so many different ideas about that. Sometimes I’m really into independents then other times I understand the need for distribution and there are several bands that have challenged the conventional approaches to that sort of thing. I don’t know that there’s a single band that I would say have laid the path for me.

JG: What is it about making music that you love the most?

BC: That’s hard to pinpoint, I mean I love everything about it. Music is such a primordial thing for me; it’s the most basic part of my existence.

JG: Do you think it’s important to be wholly serious about music, or do you think it’s better to be more open to jest?

BC: Oh definitely, I’d be the first to laugh at certain jokes, you know? I don’t think you can take yourself too seriously.

JG: Does your music possess a lot of private jokes?

BC: I mean I think more references, but yeah I think there’s a sense of humour there. In the artwork you know? There can be references. Sometimes they’re not even conscious, sometimes I realise later.

JG: What’s your favourite flavour ice cream?

BC: I don’t like sweets, isn’t that weird? I’ll occasionally have a little taste of something. My Mom didn’t really raise me to like sweets that much. If I had to choose I’d probably say a generic flavour like Cookies & Cream.

JG: When it comes to Atlanta, the city is able to boast a rich musical heritage, what is it about the city that enables it to birth so many popular musicians?

BC: Probably cheap rent. And a lack of competition. A lot of the time when you go to bigger cities it’s really competitive and people don’t really get to form their own identity ‘cause they’re competing with other bands.

JG: You mentioned the lack of “competition” then, are there any bands from Atlanta that you would recommend to our readers?

BC: There’s a band called The Balkans that are great, they’re real young, they’re still in high school. They have a great sound though.

JG: If you had the opportunity to spend the day with Jimi Hendrix or Jim Morrison, which would it be?

BC: Jimi Hendrix.

JG: Why?

BC: He’s not Jim Morrison. The only thing he ever did that was worth a shit was ‘Spanish Caravan’. He’s kind of like a skeezy beaver Jim Morrison. Couldn’t I just hang out with Neil Young instead?

JG: Finally, what are your thoughts on the weather over here?

BC: Interesting you should ask. I was just talking today about how much I hate the weather over here. I don’t understand why this geographical location hasn’t been vacated for sunnier climates. I hope that doesn’t make me sound rude?

To be fair to Bradford, the weather is shit over here. Deerhunter’s music is not. The man says it’s “quite OK” for me to stay and hang out backstage, but tells me he’s going to take a quick nap. I take that as my cue to leave and meander back up Oxford Road cursing the raindrops as they soak me to the bone, wishing that I’d taken Bradford up on his offer.