RISING
INVENTIVE, STRANGE & ADDICTIVE
Stillicide describes the continual dripping of water. A rhythmic pattern which leaves an imprint whereve song title and also the title of the latest Helms Alee record, is suited perfectly for the band whose mas unforgettable. We sat down with Ben Verellen and Dana James and talked about their oceanic inspira Words & Photo: Teddie Taylor
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hat specifically about water [draws you to use it for album covers, lyrics, etc.]? Ben Verellen: The first thing that comes to mind is just where we live. Seattle/Tacoma is surrounded by the Puget Sound and the ocean and all that, so it’s in our face every day. At some point, you get a little older and you start to appreciate it and get inspired by it. All of the stuff that doesn’t matter when you’re a kid. Then at some point it’s like, this is actually incredible and it’s right here and it’s been here the whole time and has probably had something to do with your outlook, your perception of things. Especially when you travel around the country and you see all the people who live in landlocked places. It’s just different. It’s a different feeling. You can’t put your finger on
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what it is and why. It’s just a subtle, different thing. It gets in you and it’s interesting. Does the water inspire your sound at all? Do you hear waves and think, I need to make a song that sounds like this? Ben: I wouldn’t say that literally... Dana James: I think so. I think that Hozoji [Margullis] would, if she was here, that she would say yes. Ben: Now she would. Absolutely. Dana: I mean, she listens to the sound of bubbles. Like diving. The bubbles that rise from the apparatus. She listens to that to go to sleep at night. And whales and stuff like that. I would say directly. Ben: And she’ll talk about a drum beat and be like, I just want to make it sound like rolling waves. It blows my mind. Dana: She is the sea. She is the sound.
The Puget Sound. Wasn’t it just about two weeks ago that you got finished with the Melvins tour? Or a week ago? Dana: Exactly two weeks ago. Okay, so after you’re done with this tour, are you going on another one? Or taking a break? What are you doing after this next thing? Dana: We’re definitely taking a break for a minute. I mean, we’ve got nothing on the books. Ben: We’re going home. We’ve all got things, other life aspirations, waiting for us at home. It’s a good time to not be on tour in the dead of winter and get home and try to get back at all of the other things going on. Dana: Paying off the bills and saving more money to go on tour again.