trumpet – Weirdo Shrine

19 October 202318 October 2023

Q&A: Aaron Dooley – The International Disassociation of (2023, Centripetal Force/Island House)

As I slipped into my personal rabbit hole the past months, I found myself feeling more and more attracted to free jazz in all its unfathomable forms and appearances. Take this wonderful new album by Denver’s Aaron Dooley and his International Disassociation: it is mindbogglingly intricate, yet soothing, and danceable all at the same time. It is an album you can take a good while to fully wrap your head around, and it will still show you new angles from time to time. A great record for people with full heads like mine. We got the please to talk to Aaron, who introduced his band and his plans for the future…

Hi Aaron! How are you doing? Can you give us a peek into your life as a musician?

Hey! I’m pretty tired to be honest, but my spirits are high! I just got back home from a two week tour promoting the new album. It has been quite the experience. Went to some great places, met some amazing people. Meeting people is the best part. I’m pretty sure it was my mom who told me this back when I first started playing music, but success as a musician is all about who you know, so I’ve always done my best not to be a stranger, especially since moving to Denver.

Can you introduce your band? How did you get together?

Yes, there are quite a few people on the album to introduce. I suppose I should start with Aesop Adams on guitar. I’ve known him since I was 16, and we’ve played together for most of that time. We also play in a cool rock band called Totem Pocket. Then there’s Zuri Lee on vox and violin, who I met in music school. She’s always been a supporter of the pulled-out stuff we like to play, and we love her for it. Next I met #1 drummer Diego Lucero shortly after rooting into the Denver music scene. We’ve played in a number of bands together including a neo-soul group called Dog Tags. That’s how I met trumpeter Gavin Susalski. It’s good having him in the neighborhood. Cooper Dickerson on the pedal steel is also a friend from music school. A true gnar dawg on steelies and 6-strings, he just moved to Nashville. And finally, we have supreme saxophonist Gabriella Zelek who I met via Denver’s music scene. She just moved to Paris to continue her ascension to the top and we truly miss her.

Also, there’s Eric Welty-Rodriguez, who joined me, Aesop, and Gavin on tour as the drummer. He’s a true powerhouse of musical energy, and his spirit helped drive us forward during our weeks on the road.

Where do you live and what is the music scene like there?

Denver, Colorado, Queen City on the plains. Or so I’ve heard. To be honest, the music scene feels pretty small here. It feels like everyone somehow knows everybody else out here, no matter what genre they play. I’d be a fool to say there’s a lack of outsider and/or progressive music in the city, but the love and attention for it seems few and far between. Denver is also a bit far from other major US cities, so it seems that if touring artists aren’t at the level of playing Red Rocks or one of the major venues in Denver, we usually get skipped. Bummer!

What is your musical background? How did you become such a good player?

Aw shucks, you’re making me blush. Really tho, I appreciate it. I like to think I’m pretty decent on the bass. Yes, there’s cats out there that can probably smoke me in a bass-off, but I’ll say this: I’ve got my own style and I try to sound like myself when I play. Since I started playing when I was 14, I always wanted to do the bass justice. I’ve never seen it as a lesser instrument. It’s like playing drums with strings; a conduit between rhythm and melody. A musical harmony that is not purely tonal.

I’ve gotta give credit to my first bass teacher, Brandon Mooberry. A true master of the bass, he taught me how to be disciplined in my approach to learning bass, and gave me the knowledge I needed to be an expressive player. He somehow knew exactly the right dosage and grade of music theory to teach a stony teenage me how to be creative and jam with people, and I’ve not stopped since.

What is your opinion of the freejazz tag? Would you consider yourself a jazz artist and why/why not?

I guess you could say I’m a supporter of free jazz, free rock, and free musical expression in general. It’s certainly a Rorschachian approach, open to heavy interpretation, and while some interpretations of musical splatting are more appealing than others, it is the best method for traveling wormholes into musical dimensions you hadn’t imagined.

I hesitate to call myself a jazz artist, as I embrace the textures of jazz more than the techniques, but it has always been the genre I am most curious about, which inevitably has tinged my sound.

When do you consider a piece of music yours? Do you consider that question when composing?

It’s hard to say. The music I record is so heavily based in improvisational collaboration, I hesitate to take credit for it as my own. The songs start as bass lines and parts that I come up with, but aside from explaining to the other players what key and dynamics/feel to use, it’s pretty open to interpretation. I guess it’s somewhat of a jazz bandleader approach wherein I assemble the players for the secession, presenting to them the musical roadmap upon which we will improvise, and letting expression take its course. For instance, the song “Jamais Vu” began as a bass line and a loose, swing-like drum beat from me, but the way Diego expanded the beat, and the fantastic melody Gabi created on the spot is entirely of their doing. I am but a catalyst for inspiration.

What role does improv or jamming play in your life?

Shit, I guess a pretty big one. I’ve always liked improvising and spontaneously creating with others and I guess that comes through in my music. In most every project I’ve played in, I make room for improvisation. Improvisations are like sparks that can ignite the vapors of inspiration into a full blown compositions, but even those compositions still need to leave a little room for chance.

What is the highlight of your career so far?

Releasing this album is certainly a highlight. I’ve always dreamed of releasing an LP, and I couldn’t be more grateful to Centripetal Force for making that dream come true. And I can’t express how grateful I am for how much love Trapped In Purgatory received last year. I’m incredibly grateful that Island House put it in people’s ears. Landing a 4-star review in MOJO Magazine? Ecstatic.

What are you looking forward to most this year (or the next)?

More music. Especially after this tour, I’m feeling inspired, looking forward to new possibilities. I’m really hoping to get back into the studio and lay down some new material with The Disassociation. Totem Pocket is working with David Baker, formerly of Mercury Rev, on our next album. It’s sounding really nice. The state of independent music is in constant turmoil, but I am hopeful for myself and my contemporaries.

What should the Weirdo Shrine readers do immediately after reading this interview?

Go buy the album! It’s flippin great, dammit! Centripetal Force still has LPs! Island House still has cassettes! Don’t be denied! Oh, and give me a follow on Instagram and whatever remains of bandcamp and the site formerly known as twitter. I’ll keep you in the loop. And if you’re into cool, noisy rock music, go show Totem Pocket some love as well.

And be well. And do good to one another.

17 April 202315 April 2023

Review + Q&A: Tetrao Urogallus – Gulo Gulo (2023, Sulatron Records/Waterfall Records)

The western capercaillie (Tetrao Urogallus), also known as the Eurasian capercaillie, wood grouse, heather cock, cock-of-the-woods, or simply capercaillie /ˌkæpərˈkeɪl(j)i/, is a heavy member of the grouse family and the largest of all extant grouse species.

But right now, it is a cooler-than-you doom funk band, ready to -literally- blow your mind. Wait, literally? Yes, that’s right. Gulo Gulo, or Wolverine in common English, is a heavy funky beast, lathered in a thick tasty kraut sauce, and served on doom toast. And it will rip your head right off your rump, even while your body is slowmotion-shaking to their infectious doom stompers.

The music is instrumental, a potent mixture of horn (trumpet and saxophone) drenched funk and fuzzed out doom kraut, with nods to oldschool dub and just a pinch of stoner rock grime. The band wouldn’t be out of place opening for fellow horn blowers Coogans Bluff or kraut funk godfathers Kraan.

But of course Tetrao Urogallus is also perfectly able to throw a party by themselves, even for audiences that have just had their head removed by a real life wolverine. That’s right; your headless body will spasmodically wriggle along to the beat of Gulo Gulo, whether you like it or not!

I found guitarist Dennis Rux and bassist David Nesselhauf holed up in their hide out in Hamburg, where they were teaching grouses to dance the tango, and sometimes also record and produce music. The music for the new Tetrao Urogallus for instance, so let’s get acquainted!

How are you? How was the pandemic period for Tetrao Urogallus?

Thank you! I’m doing very well… actually I don’t really know in all this mess of music, dayjob and family. Maybe I can tell you in 20 years haha. Tetrao Urogallus – we tried to use the pandemic as best as possible, I mean, our first album was released during the pandemic, and our second one was recorded during it, so I guess that was quite successful!

Can you introduce the band, and how did you meet, etc, ?

Dennis (Guitar) and I (David, Bass) started working together in 2015 for a solo album I did (Afrokraut, go check that one out). Later, Dennis had the urge to do a “Hamburg Wrecking Crew” kind of soul band, which is now called Angels Of Libra and called me to join. During the songwriting sessions for this band, we now and then realized we were writing far too heavy material for a soul band and excluded these songs (or, really, just the kind of mood) for another project, which later became Tetrao Urogallus. Dennis suggested Corneel Canters for drums – that’s about it. The rest of the people on the recordings are good friends who also play in other projects we are related to.

What can you tell me about your musical backgrounds?

David: I was a teenager in the 90s, so the “cool” music of that time inspired me to pick up my instrument. For example, everything Rick Rubin produced back then, but also lots of Grunge, Funk and Hip Hop. Also, modal jazz and experimental music was hip to me.

Dennis: as far as I know – is more of an old school sixties guy and knows so much about that scene especially when it comes to beat or obscure and psychedelic stuff from the UK.. And as you will know, we both love most of what Black Sabbath did back then.

What does a regular day in your lives look like?

Dennis and I have a very different lifestyle… But we do have things in common, we happen to encounter a lot of very interesting people over the course of a day and we both drink loads of coffee doing so. I’m a 40+ y.o. suburban dad, radiologist and music-enthusiast (I know the picture in your head right now, absolutely nailed it), I do stuff like walking kids to the kindergarden, working in the doctor’s office and practising double bass.

Dennis is a 40+ y.o. nightlife district inhabitant with a vintage recording studio and a professional rock and roll approach to life in general, he certainly will be checking yesterday’s tracks by that cool band XYZ that happens to be in his studio, buy some dinner at the local store and fetch himself a cola-rum (his favorite drink).

What is the best thing about Gulo Gulo?

Gulo Gulo (the latin name for wolverine, you knew that) is a real rascal. He does not care what you think about him, he follows his bloody instincts exclusively. In one word, he’s WILD. He is a rock and roll animal. How could you not like him? Of course you hate him if you happen to be a proud Tetrao Urogallus, and Gulo Gulo is pissing in your territory.

Where do you live and what is the environment like for musicians like you?

We happen to live in Hamburg, Germany – which for me personally is one of the nicer spots to do underground music in Germany. Nobody cares, that’s a good thing if you are into experimenting. For real music professionals like Dennis and some of my other friends, the city offers a lot of work and opportunities (at least in theory). After all, it is cosy and a little provincial in a good way.

Who are some contemporary musical heroes of yours?

Thinking of Tetrao Urogallus, people like The Budos Band or Kadavar are a huge inspiration to us.

Can you tell me about how you go about composing and recording songs?

We are following our instincts – like our totem, we’ll just be in a place and do our thing without much brains involved. This might seem primitive, but results in timeless, sharp and simple music that never wears off. That’s what we are aiming for. We just write and record on the spot. Both of our albums were written and recorded each on a single weekend, only followed by some horns and keys overdubs.

What are your immediate and long term future plans?

We will not leave earth before we make sure that everyone that might like our band has had the chance to hear it at least once. So, thanks to Weirdo Shrine to help us quite a bit!

What should the Weirdo Shrine reader do after reading this interview?

Subscribe to Weirdo Shrine Newsletter, go to concerts, buy some records for your beloved ones and yourself. And be more like Gulo Gulo, if you dare.

23 November 2022

Review + Q&A: River Flows Reverse- The Homing Bird’s Trace (2022, Psychedelic Source Records)

For the true explorer, the exploring is the greatest treasure, not the finding.

It’s why I love to keep myself involved in contemporary music, and try to challenge myself again and again in finding sounds that challenge my brains into wrapping themselves around it. You can imagine the joy I got when discovering Hungary’s River Flows Reverse, albeit somewhat late (this is their second album, after the great and much praised self-titled album that was released last year) . Even better still, through the release of The Homing Bird’s Trace I discovered the project’s home Psychedelic Source Records, and an archive of jams and affiliated bands that would tickle my explorer’s spider senses for many miles.

Exploring is what River Flows Reverse does themselves as well. Exploring misty fields, dreamy conjurations, and ever flowing ambient jams. Stylistically we find ourselves at the ambient, triphop/chill out side of the psychedelic rock spectrum. Songs are allowed to stretch themselves up to ten minutes, or come and go in much shorter time, depending on the way the muse of inspiration presents itself. Beautiful warm production value, and great contributions by various guest musicians enriching the overall sound with their trumpets, zithers, sitar, and slide guitar do the rest. The Homing Bird’s Trace has become a warm blanket I gladly pull over myself to escape the outside world as it gradually becomes colder and darker. You can decide whether you want to completely disappear into it, or just want to walk around in their world every now and then.

It is a safe place, it breathes “do what you want”. For an explorer like me, it’s pure bliss.

I talked with Bence Ambrus, who is not just the guitarist of River Flows Reverse, but also initiator of their “open source” record label Psychedelic Source, and musician in many of their swarm of releases, all of whom can be downloaded for next to nothing on their Bandcamp page. The result is a very interesting conversation with this very powerful underground psychedelic contributor…

Nice to do this interview with you! How are you these days?

I’m ok, thank you Jasper. My life has changed a lot since my daughter was born. Before I did not really care about my health, I traveled a lot, without money etc…

First of all: can you introduce yourself, your music, and your label?

Im Bence Ambrus from Hungary, the founder of Psychedelic Source Records, which grew from Lemurian Folk Songs‘ jam sessions. When we recorded the first jams and gigs, we didn’t have too much equipment. After from the first fan supports we could get mics and cables, other recorder stuff.

How has the past pandemic period been for you as a musician? Did you see upsides next to the downsides?

Honestly I liked it. Empty streets, no people, no work. I had little savings that I spent soon. This was the time when we were in the studio up all nights because we couldn’t get home because of the lockdown. I also spent all days in our garden, people came, we jammed in the little house. In these times we recorded Slow Psychedelic Speedrock with Satorinaut , Melted Lights of Pilot Voyager in the forest house. And also When River Flows Reverse.

What can you tell me about the recording session for River Flows Reverse’s “The Homing Bird’s Trace”?

It Started with the drums in the studio. After that together with Tibor we picked about 40 minutes of drumming, and I recorded some guitar and bass improvisations. Then we decided where to sing, and the people started to come to the house for join the experiment.

Can you tell me what made you start the label?

Honestly I didn’t start a label. Psychedelic Source is more like a band releasing jam sessions and giving them to the people for free, sometimes in different names. Really confusing I know. As a vinyl releasing label it started in Greece, when Dimitris asked me about releasing vinyl. Diviner Blues Sessions and When River Flows Reverse. After we discussed everything, we founded Twisted Flowers as releasing label, and our first two vinyl albums were born within a few months. The following year we released Maro by Lemurian Folk Songs. Nepaal‘s Black Batik was then released on other labels, like Cardinal Fuzz, Acid Test and Tonzonen.

What does a regular day in your life look like?

I just woke up at 5am to finish this interview with you. I’m going to work here in the village to the carpenter workroom, where I’m an employee in a small company. Around 6pm I will get home, play with the baby until she falls asleep, then I speak with my wife and we open a beer, but I will fall asleep too.

Where do you live and how does it affect your art and music?

Before, I lived in the forest, but now I moved to the village because the kid needs heat and water. I don’t know if it effects to the music or not. I built a nice little studio where we can record anything, beginners quality. I got some guitars, sitar, banjo here, but at the moment they are little dusty.

Of all your projects, which is your favorite?

I love Melted Lights by Pilot Voyager, but I don’t play on that album; they are Tibor, Ákos, and Krisztina (from River Flows Reverse) this was their first collab . Diviner Blues Sessions is one of my favourites too, and the old formations like Lemurian Folk Songs and Satorinaut. Honestly I love Pilot Voyager, but River Flows Reverse is the project that is really “mine”.

What is your musical background? And how did you gain your musical network?

I have played in local bands since 2007, in a crust punk band, in a prog pop metal band, in a grunge band, in a sludge band, just for fun. Even if we played some gigs, we never accessed any success. I studied some jazz-bass for a few years when I was a kid, but I’m not a jazzist. To gain a musical network there was Krisztina’s voice in Lemurian Folk Songs when we released Maro, that was the first breakthrough. Maro is now released on vinyl finally, I feel that we closed a circle now.

What is the secret behind jamming and improvising in your music?

Leaving the ego on the public transport, and find the right drummer.

What is something that people should stop doing in your opinion?

Propaganda short video watching and this current form of education. It is crazy here in birdshitty Hungary, the people are fed with complete lies through propaganda. The public really believes (80% of us) that we are better then other countries, that we will be great again etc.. Also this war propaganda, the people don’t realize that there is a disgusting massacre in the neighbourhood, and that Russia is going to destroy the earth. Its crazy, with my wife we are thinking about moving back to Spain with the baby every day. Or just somewhere far from this nightmare state.

What should the Weirdo Shrine readers do after reading this interview?

First of all, sleep longer and smile more. Then go to our merch page and order vinyls, share our jams. Seriously haha.