What inspired you to first start making music? And how did you come to be in your current incarnation? Or if you prefer, a brief bio about you.
Andrew: Aaron and I were working at my friend’s and his cousin’s video agency. He was brought on as an intern to do sound and make music with me for corporate videos, branded content, even a shady political campaign once. Eventually we had a bunch of sketches that were a bit too weird or intense for background music, so we started developing them and hanging out more. After working with a few hired guns for a couple years, we felt the need to collaborate with another electronic-minded person. I was introduced to Nolan shortly after. He really liked the same classical music I loved, so I was sold on that. Biggest mistake ever! 😉
Provide us with some info about your latest release…
Andrew: Mad Liquid Space is really the first and best culmination of our collaborative efforts as the three of us. It’s the most organic approach we had to date and the most patient. We were supposed to release it a year ago, but decided to take an extra year to really do it right, under less pressure so that we could enjoy the process and each others’ company more. I think we really nailed something unique in the process, which is an interesting blend of various styles and genres that we love.
Aaron: It always seems to be a long process for us but this time was definitely more justified & rewarding than it had been in the past. Despite the diverse range of genres on Mad Liquid Space, we saw the songs evolve into a sound that was more consistent and identifiably Fried Dough. And although there’s still plenty of overlap, it also saw the three of us settle into more specialized roles within the creation process based on our strengths. All of this is the result of plenty of trial and error. And time. Always lots of time.
Which ones would you consider your main influences both music-wise & non-music-wise?
Andrew: They constantly change for me. They used to be Peter Gabriel, Bjork, Tom Waits, DJ Shadow. Then they became Thom Yorke and Nick Cave. Right now I’m really influenced by Ryuichi Sakamoto. Phish will always be my biggest influence beyond just musically.
Aaron: Compared to our previous releases, there was more focus on electronic inspirations this time around. Artists like Moderat, Jon Hopkins, Four Tet & Nicolas Jaar probably had the most direct influence on production aesthetics.
Nolan: Radiohead, Beatles, Nick Drake, Dawn of Midi, Stravinsky, early 20th century classical music in general, and basically everything my compatriots just listed.
In what way does your sound differ from the rest genre-related artists/bands and why should we listen to your music? In other words, how would you describe your sound?
Andrew: We really don’t think about that stuff. We just write songs and have a great time experimenting with different tools and genres. I think there are people out there that might have some similar tastes and might relate a bit. Maybe they’ll like this stuff too.
Please name your 3 desert islands albums, movies & books…
Andrew:
Music: St Germain: St Germain, Arthur Rubinstein: Chopin Nocturnes, Phish: Live Phish 11
Movies. There’s nothing I’d care to watch repeatedly
Books: The Trial, The Untethered Soul, and maybe a book on building stuff with bamboo
Aaron:
Music: Radiohead: Kid A, Burial: Tunes 2011-2019, Miles Davis: Bitches Brew
Movies: OG Blade Runner, There Will Be Blood; does a Radiohead live concert count? If not, then Space Jam.
Books: Carl Sagan: Cosmos, Milan Kundera: The Unbearable Lightness Of Being, Haruki Murakami: The Wind Up Bird Chronicle
Nolan:
Music: Radiohead: Amnesiac, Stravinsky: Rite of Spring, Dawn of Midi: Dysnomia
Movies: There Will Be Blood, Werckmeister Harmonies, The Assassination of Jesse James
Books: Crime & Punishment, Kafka’s Short Stories, Don Quixote
Do you prefer studio or performing live and why?
Andrew: I’d say a live performance can get me to a higher high when it clicks, but playing alone in a studio is instantly therapeutic and more necessary.
Aaron: They both have their moments but I feel like the studio is my most natural & comfortable environment.. I love spending hours sculpting sounds until they are just what I had in mind. It allows us to move at our own pace and not settle until it’s something that we’re ready to share. Live performances bring energy, a connection with the crowd and the rush of everything happening in real time. It’s a more pure & unrefined feel. Of course my opinion often changes when we’re saturated by one or the other.
Nolan: Anything that involves the act of creating. I like live less if it’s simply just performing the songs, but it can be a lot of fun when it incorporates improvisation. Also a lot more terrifying.
Is there any funny-unique story you would like to share with us, always in relation to your music ‘career’?
Andrew: It was the first night of our tour and we were trying to park our tour van in the parking lot of our Airbnb in Prague. To do so we had to drive through a narrow corridor that was clearly meant for a horse and carriage, not an 8 seater touring van. It literally had about 2 inches of space on each side of the car. It was a very intense and slow process trying to get through, constantly having the guys check both sides and say “now just a tiny bit this way!”
Nolan: Ya, we got him to the very end of the narrow corridor unscathed, and the moment I turned my back on him to clear out of the way so he could make it the last couple feet – with plenty of room – I heard the screeching sound of metal against brick. We put a 3 foot beauty mark on that van and ended up with $1000 in damages on night one.
Which track of your own would you point out as the most unique and why?
Andrew: I think Mad Liquid Space wins that one. It’s like a catchy band sounding tune that transforms into this IDM and techno thing at the end. But it really flows well in doing so.
Nolan: Maybe ‘Who is the Dreamer‽’. It was sort of deliberately done in a very self limiting way that violates a lot of my own principles of structure, thematic content, and rhythm – basically all of the elements that make music interesting. It has no real melody, a weirdly off balance structure, and virtually no rhythm to speak of for the first 3 minutes. Sometimes it’s great to force yourself into a corner though.
Aaron: I don’t often agree with Andrew, but we’ll settle on this one. Mad Liquid Space is the result of the most collaborative effort between the three of us to date and really helped define what I perceive as the Fried Dough sound. It’s a long journey that goes through various moods & dynamics. It was also one of the most difficult and consequently rewarding songs we’ve finished.
Would you like to share with our readers your future plans?
Andrew: Yeah! We’re looking forward to some new releases and touring.
Nolan: What he said. We’re anxious to get back to work and on to the next album!
Free question!!! (Ask yourself a question) you wish to answer and haven’t been given the opportunity…
–
Curated by: Christos Doukakis
Recommended listening:
.
.
.
Connect with Fried Dough: