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dark smith
from Issue 17
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Written by Sami Loy Photo by Alley Rutzel
When thinking of the band Dark Smith, I think of a tidal wave—a great, gleaming wall of black ink, and layered melodies, something to absorb in a nightclub corner, a cruising car, or, as it should happen, quarantine. After listening to their 2019 sophomore album, Degressive, I found it wasn’t just the seamless rise and fall in tone— which takes one on an emotive trip from the dystopian “Waiting” to the more straightforwardly punk of “Sadfluid,” named after the band’s coined term for interchanging ‘sad-xuality’—, or even singer Danny Denial’s grade-A gothic croon that makes up the music’s best moments. It wasn’t the incisive guitar-work of Ashe Tempest, or the music’s rhythmic river-bed, born of bassist Lia Lovecraft and drummer Nozomi Momo. It’s truthfully none and all of these things. Rather, it’s the resulting impact. Dark Smith’s place in Seattle’s musical sphere is a touch of the ethereal, surely. But as the past month’s social revolution (and its particular effect on the city) continues to wax and wane, it can be said that a special place in the cosmos has been assigned for the resonating line from their track, “Waiting,” “The world is ending and I’m so happy.” At the very least, I was happy to get to ask these four a few questions.
Hey guys! I wanted to start by saying how much I appreciate you taking the time to indulge this interview. How’s everyone doing?
Danny: It’s been a pretty crazy past few months, from starting
shows again to lockdown to protests in Seattle...it’s just been a lot of adapting and rolling with the tide. The band hasn’t fully seen each other since our last show, sadly, but we have some plans for later this year we’re hoping can come to fruition— namely, some new songs we recorded right before COVID-19 that we want to come out!
I’m sure it’s no surprise just how much light has been put on local artists of color lately, and deservedly so. Personally, when I found your music, it just stood out for its haunting honesty. It’s just larger-than-life. With everything happening in the city, all of its radical changes, how has your creative process been?
Danny: Thank you! My creative process is kind of all over the place; I can’t help when I’m
inspired and, to be honest, I haven’t been able to write since the start of all this. But after the last few weeks of fighting the SPD, I’m starting to be inspired by some new feelings, whether that is channeled into solo music or Dark Smith or film work, I’m still not sure yet...but I’m feeling excited.
Is everyone originally from Seattle?
Ashe: I grew up in Texas and Oregon, [which are] vastly different in so many ways. I don’t think
I would have become a musician if I hadn’t moved to Eugene. I moved there right around the grunge era; that’s what sparked my interest in Seattle. I didn’t end up getting here until 2009 and I joined a band as soon as I could get up the courage.
Lia: I’m originally from a tiny, rural Kentucky town, not far from Nashville, TN. I moved to
Seattle when I was very young, during the grunge years, but ended up moving back to Nashville for some time, eventually getting pretty involved in the music scene there. I moved back to Seattle in late 2016, and have never felt happier than when I drove across the Washington state line. I knew I was home- as in, back to my true home.
Danny: I’m from Los Angeles, unfortunately!
Nozomi: I’m originally from Tokyo, [but] lived in England for 10 years- most of the time in London, hence, why my accent is so bizarre now.
Was there trouble during the band’s formation regarding agreeing on a sound? Were there any conflicting influences? You’ve said that Prehysteria [Dark Smith’s debut record] is atmospheric; Degressive, raw...Have you been thinking about the next music-baby at all?
Danny: Ashe and I started the project around the idea of
“dream punk,” and I don’t think we had any fucking idea what they really meant. Genre has always been a funny thing for us. Mostly, I think the thing we all agree on is the mood and we build from there. Lia: The only trouble for me was when Danny tried to get me to use a distorted bass tone, lol. I’ve been pretty much anti-effects pedals my whole career, though I tried to make myself use some in the early days of Dark Smith. I’m actually playing around with some effects again now, during quarantine, though. Danny: I’m curious where we go next because I’m a big fan of each record being distinctly it’s own...but on that topic, we have some new songs we’re adding to Degressive for something of a reissue/reboot of the record, hopefully coming soon! Mostly because we had just a few things we wanted to add to that thesis before moving onto a new story.
On a related note, I stumbled on your mini-mockumentary, and it was a lot of fun to watch—it’s clear that you guys know how to make fun of yourselves. Do you think that that’s really helped to keep a “sadfluid” band alive?
Ashe: The best thing about the mockumentary is [that] parts of it are authentic. I think we all come from struggle to a certain level, and I feel that breeds humor and creativity.
Danny, you’ve also done some beautiful solo work in the last few years. Aside from the obvious, how would you say your style differs? Is it a more freeing experience?
Danny: It’s definitely a very different animal. For my solo work, it’s me pulling at my own journals and innermost thoughts and painting very finely with them. It’s more cerebral and in my head. For Dark Smith, it’s all about collaboration and about painting broad strokes, engulfing the world around us, and creating something bigger than the four of us. I find that the projects provoke different reactions from people, although there are many who don’t look very closely and assume Danny Denial and Dark Smith are the same thing. I actually feel like, of the two, Dark Smith will always be more freeing because it’s an escape from my own head and I’m getting to play in a musical sandbox with three other voices I love and admire so much.
Tell me a little about the uniqueness of this city’s scene, and your take on it. As someone trying to break in myself, would you have any advice to give?
Ashe: I really love the house scene in Seattle. It feels like a community as opposed to the venues. I feel disposable, replaceable, and almost excluded from some of them; this includes the press, as well. It’s almost like high school cliques—same level of pettiness. The house scene is inclusive, organized, and innovative. Sometimes, they bleed into each other so it’s strange, depending on the bands and venues.
Umm, advice...keep playing shows even though it’s very difficult, sometimes, for so many reasons, and be unquestionably genuine to yourself in your approach to everything... really. I’m a bad person to be giving advice after wanting to give up every other show.
Lastly.... if you could be a nut, which nut would it be?
Nozomi: I AM a nut.
Danny: Me too; the really hard kind you can’t crack.
