Avett: All of the enchantment and this mystical vibe and “here’s this legend” were out the window, because we were men on the same level working for something great. Mysticism is such a fabricated and abstract thing; it’s way more about admiration and respect. MC: Speaking of the Peppers, drummer Chad Smith plays on tracks on The Carpenter. It’s always interesting to see a rock drummer who is that versatile, isn’t it? Avett: A great studio drummer can pull off any style. Chad is not tied to any specific genre; that is obvious in what he listens to and his character. Aside from being an amazing performer in a terrific band––and the energy he plays with onstage––he’s a terrific studio drummer. It’s an energy I understand and grew up with and try to bring to the stage. Seeing that energy from someone who has done it 20 years longer than you have and vibing with it––it’s really uplifting and inspiring––it will make you get down! MC: What was it like to play with Dylan? Avett: It was surreal, amazing and a dream come true. And it was a surprising endeavor that when we met for rehearsals out there––maybe
organic endeavor for me. I don’t have sit-down writing sessions; I would be more productive if I did, but I don’t know if I would be writing great songs. I wait, and if they’re great they stick. MC: Is there a specific physical space where you are more productive? Avett: I allow for the natural time to be at the piano, and I have about five different stations that have notebooks and recording devices all over my house, my studio and my vehicle. I try to integrate songwriting into life. MC: So does it then become a part of a larger tapestry? Avett: I was watching a documentary last night about the designers Charles and Ray Eames, and it was saying “Life, work, love, work,” putting it all together: family, life, the things that come with work and integrating it into one big ball. I hope to continue that process. It’s part of the fabric of who I am, and there is no line between the Scott who is writing the song and the Scott who is cleaning up the garbage in the front yard that the dog spread, or is putting the kid to bed, and going out to have beers with a friend who just found out his wife is pregnant. All of those things
Avett: You can only make what you can naturally make; that which is in you. And there’s probably songs that could be on the lighter side and we tried balancing it with sequencing, but once it was said and done it was what it was, our expression as a whole. Consciously or subconsciously, it was our representation of the past couple of years. Maybe it seemed a little heavier, especially when we saw people writing about it. It all happened before Hallie got sick, so presenting it made it seem like even more of a coincidence. MC: “Paul Newman vs The Demon” reflects your rock roots, and in the context of the more acoustic-driven sounds, seems like somewhat of a departure on the record. Avett: Seth brought it to the table. It started as more of a Spanish acoustic thing, and he wanted it to be more straight-up, hard, crunchy electric guitars and distortion. That song is a door that has been opened, because we learned what we’d like to do better and go further. Faster, louder and harder is certainly in our makeup, or slower and harder and more abrasive, maybe even something sludgy.
Quick Facts s The Avett Brothers as we now know them had their origins in Seth Avett’s high school band, Margo, and Scott’s college group, Nemo. s A DIY ethic drove the band’s earliest endeavors as they recorded indie projects and self-booked their tours. s With their 2009 release of I and Love and You, the band became late-night TV mainstays, appearing on shows hosted by David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon and Craig Ferguson. s Scott Avett is an accomplished visual artist influenced by the Italian painter Caravaggio; a Norwegian artist, Odd Nerdrum; and North Carolina printmaker Michael Ehlbeck, who he deems “The Rick Rubin to my visuals.” s The Avetts’ father, Jim, a welder by trade, has released two albums under Ramseur Records, the same Concord-based label that released the Avett Brothers’ music. The group signed with Rick Rubin’s label in 2008. (l-r): Seth Avett, Scott Avett, Bob Crawford, Joe Kwon
Anaheim—it was amazing how quick it went into work mode. “Okay, Bob Dylan is here,” then it switched to we were playing chords, finding keys, seeing what worked and talking to each other. Asking Dylan, “Do you like this seventh chord thing?” And he’d say “Nice,” or “Keep it straight.” In the end Dylan loves to play and so do we. MC: As SESAC songwriters, you and Mumford & Sons and Dylan all share a common performing rights organization. How did you choose SESAC as your PRO home? Avett: We know them. They were a small company when we were a smaller company. We didn’t have anyone else coming to the table. Alongside our other early business connects they were very enthusiastic, and very out there for us, very cool and always willing to facilitate and accommodate what we needed––to answer questions. It was later that the other companies came to us. We’re proud to work with them, and we’ve maintained a relatively personal relationship that is interesting in the business. Nashville is a small town with a lot of big fish––SESAC maintains that. MC: Has the process of songwriting changed for you? Avett: It has changed and it continues to change. It doesn’t reach a stopping point. If it wasn’t changing I would be concerned. The biggest change––and what is hard to go back to––as life has gotten fuller with more family responsibilities, writing has become a more 38 March 2013
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coming together are part of the songwriting, the art-making process and a very colorful life. MC: We are aware of the medical challenges that Bob Crawford’s two-year old daughter, Hallie, has been confronting in her struggle with brain cancer. How is her progress? Avett: It’s an ongoing thing. They are preparing to go to Memphis for their third scan since they stopped chemotherapy. She will be monitored for years to come. It’s one day at a time, and that’s led us to our realization that it’s all so fleeting, and we cherish that time together in the studio, rehearsal and especially on stage more than we’ve ever done. Because we were gifted this glimpse into how fragile it all is in a terrifying way. MC: It is interesting that you reference it as a gift. Avett: That’s taken time. If you think in spiritual terms and you search for something positive in such a challenging thing. Bob’s challenges are 10-fold. I don’t have the same kind of challenges; his duties are unreal, and he’s a real champion. But the word “gift?” I wouldn’t put it past him. The awareness that’s come with this and his presence is huge. MC: The overall theme of The Carpenter seems to illustrate this fragility of life and the inevitably of its passing. Was that present in the original concept for the record, or did it emerge through the songwriting?
MC: You are prepping to tour Europe. How do those folks appreciate the Americana? Avett: The audiences are fun. We went one time in 2007 when six of us rented a van on a very small tour. Since then there has been a lot of growth and it’s very exciting. It’s like rewinding here in the US three or four years ago, we play for 1,000 people and many more at festivals. One to three thousand is a great number because we can get intimate. MC: Let’s talk Grammys. Even though you were nominated, you were performing elsewhere the week of the Grammy Awards. Avett: Two shows in Madison, WI and Ann Arbor, MI, so we were booked. It was a tough call for us to not to be there. We tried really hard, but we realized we couldn’t change the dates and we didn’t know or expect the nomination, so we had three nights of crowds expecting us in the Midwest. MC: There is a wonderful line from the song “The One and Future Carpenter.” It says, “We’re all in this together.” It seems to neatly encapsulate the Avett Brothers and your bond within the band, and certainly with your audience. Avett: We’re all under the same sun here. Confusion is beauty and we’re looking for it and it certainly is at the root of a lot of songs. Contact kimberly.harris@umusic.com