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| Flying Saucer Attack Interview with Pitchfork Interview conducted via fax November, 1997 by Ryan Schreiber If you've heard of Flying Saucer Attack, you're among the elite few who've already been graced with the reverberating, lo-fi electronic sound of a band with their own distinct genre. FSA is extremely prolific, their latest release, New Lands, being their seventh album in about half as many years-- which isn't even to mention their billions of EPs, seven-inches and compilation appearances in between full-lengths. Of course, Flying Saucer Attack is now more of a 'him' than a 'them,' since Rachel Brook left Dave Pearce's side before this record was recorded. We wanted the low down on how things are going for FSA as a project, so we called up the good guys down at Drag City Records and got the fax ball rolling. Everything went as planned, and the questionnaire we'd penned specifically for Mr. Pearce arrived. Now they're on the Internet, and you're reading them. Odd how much work goes into this stuff, innit? 1) Who, David, are you? I'm a 31-year-old Cockney-accented, tall, skinny English dude whose teeth have already started to fall out. I got into making music at far too late an age, and I'm pretty close to becoming an old bore already-- I've got an over-obsessive mania for collecting music, and dislike Oasis with a passion. 2) What exactly is Flying Saucer Attack? FSA is basically my baby, or monster, depending on your point of view. It certainly would never have started without Rachel [Brooks, former other member of FSA] and her contributions, and wouldn't still be going now without the help of people, e.g. Rocker, Dave Mercer (who is 'Light') Sandra and Acoustic Jon. 3) Flying Saucer Attack has recently arrived at "Phase Two." For this, your music has changed somewhat. Has your mindset? If so, how? My mindset is all over the place at the moment! Yeah, I think the music's changing (even more obviously on the tracks I've done since New Lands that haven't been released yet). But at the same time I still have the same desires I've always had musically, e.g. the talent of Nick Drake, or to have been in early Can or Ash Ra Tempel. Maybe I'm changing a lot in myself (away from my musical obsessions). I certainly feel older! 4) We have noticed the absence of Rachel Brooks' name from the liner notes of New Lands. Has she been permanently abducted or is it only temporary? Rachel has left-- as I say, her contributions made FSA happen, and should never be underestimated. Still, she's a main member of Movietone, and I guess she'll be doing her own stuff, too. You'll still hear her. 5) You, David, are very prolific in the musical arts, especially under the FSA moniker. What is it about creating music that you enjoy? What drives you to be as prolific as you are? I enjoy the magic of it, coming up with things I never thought I could do, or surprises out of thin air. It's a compulsion, driven by the sounds in my head that I'm never able to get (something that sounds like A.R. Kane's god-like Up Home record). Whenever I'm doing the music it feels like the right thing I should be doing-- that's not to say it's easy or the music sounds right all the time! It's a journey, as more records get done-- hopefully, a journey into the unknown. But I never forget it's a privilege to have stuff released, not a right. I try not to let the listener down. 6) It's been rumored that you will 'quit the band' if New Lands doesn't sell. Is this terrible lie, in honestly, a truth? Bad joke for the press release! There's four tracks already done (either a new EP or another LP). It's music that drives me, not the trappings. 7) Living in Bristol, just up the road from Stonehenge, what's your theory about the place? Have you ever considered setting up and recording there? Stonehenge is really something-- magic, sacred, a mystery. In fact, that whole area is strange... a barren, exposed plain. For me, the really strange and compelling place is the very end of Cornwall-- the last few miles to Land's End. Suddenly, there's this flat plain and sheer cliffs-- it really feels like the end! Lots of stone circles, etc., too. Straw Dogs was filmed there, need I say more? 8) What model Flying Saucer is your favorite? The ones in the 1970 TV series "UFO"-- very compact, silvery, like bottletops, with a spinning centre disc. In many ways the opposite to the works of art in Close Encounters, etc. "UFO" is my favourite TV programme, after "The Prisoner." Very British of me, I know. The UFOs also made an amazing ringing and screeching sound (very early electronic!) 9) Draw a Flying Saucer Attack. |
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