CHRIS WALKER VS. BANDS AND BOOZE. THE SECOND ROUND: GRIZZLY BEAR

The Grizzly Bear/Bands and Booze saga is an interesting one.

Okay, so not really but here’s the story, anyway: Grizzly Bear band member Chris Taylor answered the Bands and Booze questions, originally. His responses were good but some were vague so I tried to follow-up in hopes of expanding on potentially great stories. Unfortunately, Taylor never replied.

I tried to contact Taylor for about a month, unsuccessfully. Just as I was about to give up and scrap the Grizzly Bear interview Grizzly Bear mastermind and founder, Ed Droste, came through like a…how about like a shining beacon of alcohol-fueled light?

Works for me.

Grizzly Bear is a fantastic band; they create very atmospheric, almost low-fi, indie rock and roll. It’s music I love, like the Band of Horses, whiskey drenched, sunset coated, sitting on the back porch surrounded by good friends kind of music. Only difference is (and no disrespect) Grizzly Bear’s music feels a little warmer and a little more complex.

The new album, Yellow House – much like Grizzly Bear’s debut, Horn of Plenty – is not a quick listen jam packed with hit singles and summer anthems. Rather, it is an experience, a journey; a sonic landscape for you to explore, learn to appreciate, and enjoy for years to come. In other words: it’s a classic.

Initially Droste’s solo effort, Grizzly Bear has since become a full band including Ed Droste (of course), the aforementioned Chris Taylor (electronics, woodwinds, bass, vocals), Daniel Rossen (guitar, vocals, songwriting), and Christopher Bear (drums, production) whose last name is entirely coincidental. Today on Bands and Booze, Droste is kind enough to share his love of all things alcoholic (minus red wine); explain the Grizzly Bear album experience as opposed to the Grizzly Bear live experience, and tell stories about fat guys buying the band shots in Denmark.

Welcome to Bands and Booze. What is your favorite alcoholic beverage whether on tour or in general settings?

Ed Droste: Oh wow, you really must know me or something. Alcohol is my life blood. Wait, that sounds depressing and creepy, but I do love me some booze. I change my thoughts on what I love all the time; I think I’m enjoying too much beer because my stomach is getting a little bloated from it all (sad internet face here). But through thick and thin I love white wine. Yeah, it’s pretty faggy of me but honestly it’s great, especially Sancerre. I love Red too but am allergic, it makes my throat itch. I also like Jameson.

Well, that pretty much covers the spectrum. Everyone’s got a certain type of alcohol they won’t drink, what’s yours?

ED: Oh, aside from red wine, gin. It’s a psychotic, isn’t it? Reminds me of being young and drinking Gin and Tonics and feeling sick.

Yeah, gin is fucking nasty. So, I thoroughly enjoyed Horn of Plenty and thought the Horn of Plenty remix album was a great way to showcase different interpretations of the album. Do you have any plans to offer up a remixed version of Yellow House?

ED: Well, I sort of think once you do a remix album, you’d done one. Like, you are only allowed to do that once, otherwise it gets a little “what the fuck”, I think. Not that I’m opposed, but I think it would be a bit redundant however; that said we will release some remixes on a 7 inch or something, just not a full remix album.

Understandable. What is your favorite bar in your hometown, Brooklyn?

ED: Irene’s Social Club in Greenpoint.

If I was at Irene’s Social Club and wanted to order a “Grizzly Bear” how would I make one; what would the ingredients be?

ED: Hmmm, I have to make one up right now. I’m not sure, I think it would involve lemon, whiskey, mint...shit that’s already a drink but, damn I love that combo. Maybe throw in some unsweetened ice tea, perhaps a touch of soda water.

Sounds delicious. Which band member holds their liquor the best/worst in the band?

ED: I think Chris Bear holds his alcohol the best. Even when he’s “wasted” he doesn’t seem wasted. The rest of us can all look like drunk fools at times, in various forms, but we try not to.

So far “On A Neck, On A Spit” is probably my favorite Grizzly Bear song off the new album. What is your favorite song to play live?

ED: I love playing “Lullabye” and “Colorado” live. I just like all the ups and downs in it and the harmonies a lot, the clarinet break down in Colorado (which actually is where I do nothing, I just enjoy hearing it). The thing is, depending on the venue, or who we are playing with, we create various sets. For instance, last night, and for most of this tour, we are trying to play our more upbeat songs, or versions of songs, because when you are an opening band for a rock band and regardless of whether or not there are some people there to see you, you still are trying to win over people and captivate them, and well, a room full of 1500 people who just want to rock out to TV on the Radio is not the best place to bust out the acoustic and play shift. Now, if we were supporting Sufjan Stevens, well, then that would be a different story. Ha. Ha. Anyhow, I look forward to coming back and playing a full set because what I like most about our live show when we are headlining is the dynamics, soft songs meld into loud ones, etc. We’ve spent so much time working them out live and coming up with acoustic versions/rocking versions it’s just nice to be able to play them all. That said, I couldn’t ask for a better band to support other than TV on the Radio and, much to our happiness, their fans are really kind and receptive. And if they hate it, luckily, they don’t jeer in our faces, but rather just blog it the next day. Ha. Ha. Ha.

Those goddamned bloggers, I tell you. You guys have seen your fair share of travel, what city have you had the rowdiest/drunkest time in?

ED: We got pretty insanely wasted and festive in a town called Kolding, Denmark where we all got drunk drinking cryptic shots of some Danish liquor that these fat dudes were buying us. We have funny pictures of the evening on our blog. Other than that, I would say Europe tends to be rowdier nights.

I assume people are pretty mellow at a Grizzly Bear show but has a fan, male or female, ever done anything absolutely crazy at a show?

ED: Yeah, it’s usually just head bobbing. What are you going to do? We don’t have dance beats – and I always find it frustrating when people complain that we/the crowd isn’t moving more. I sort of don’t know what to say? I mean, I could fake dance around in a hippie “holding the sphere” burning man way, but that’d be pretty stupid. Ha. Ha. Crazy things. A drunk guy in Denmark got up on stage and fell over and his girlfriend had to take him out of the club. We’ve been asked to sign breasts which I thought was funny because I thought that didn’t happen anymore.

Do you ever drink with fans after shows?

ED: I most certainly do! Depends on where, though. This tour, it’s a little different because the clubs are so big. But when we tour on our own we sell our own merch, linger at the venue, drink with whoever is around. It’s great.

What do you need to maintain good spirits/sanity while touring on the road?

ED: We need our tour manager, Simon Guzylack. He keeps us all happy. His Frenchness and love for red haired boys keeps us amused and cheery when things get bleak. Plus, he’s so wide eyed this is the first time for him traveling through much of America and he’s like (in a french accent), “Look! More strip malls, this is so America!”

Have you ever played Guitar Hero for the Playstation 2? A friend recently convinced me to buy it – it’s great. You’re guaranteed to lose days playing it. I spent an entire day trying to master “Ziggy Stardust” by David Bowie. It’s ridiculous.

ED: Whoa, I haven’t! We have Game Cube in our van. I’m into racing games like Mario Kart. We buy other games, but none get played except Mario Kart and now Pac Man Rally. Those games are so much fun.

I love Mario Kart, personally. Good shit. Okay, so the incredibly fantastic Yellow House just came out – what’s next from Grizzly Bear?

ED: Touring forever. Then sleeping. Then probably writing new material. We played a new song last night actually in the middle of the set. It’s the super fast one that we decided to play on this tour.

All right, that about does it; thanks for playing along. Are there any other more fun stories, tales, words of wisdom, imparting gifts you’d like to share before we finish up?

ED: I would like to say a big props to “da blogz”. I like them, I read them as much as I can. I also would like to say I’m very sick of nuts because all there is to eat at gas stations that’s REMOTELY healthy is nuts. I guess beef jerky isn’t too fatty but damn it’s loaded with salt. I’m sick of gas stations. I wish there was better, healthier food out there.

And finally, which are better: ninjas, pirates, or Vikings?

ED: Vikings, for sure. They were so cool, that they no longer exist! That’s some serious Dinosaur levels of coolness.*

* Droste obviously knows his history (if you’ve read Chris Walker Vs. The Fuckin’ A).

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For free downloads, tour dates, links to personal profiles, current ongoings and more, more, more regarding Grizzly Bear visit the links below:

Grizzly Bear Official Site.

Grizzly Bear on MySpace.

In addition: make sure to get on iTunes and download Grizzly Bear’s interview and performance on the AOL Music – The Interface podcast. It’s 100% free and 100% worth hearing (I’d link to iTunes but I think we all know that never works).