The four members of Enablers are long-time accomplished musicians: one play in Swans,one in Tarnation and another one in Timco. Enablers are redefining music with spoken word, mixing perfectly post-rock elements with classic song structure, creating the perfect background for the tales of their singer/narrator. We are very lucky to have a triple interview from them including one with their legendary part-time drummer Doug Scharin (Codeine, Him, June Of 44, Rex…) + their playlists on top.

The interview:

What are you up to at the moment?
Kevin Thomson : Drinking coffee. Writing new songs and imagining what my next “job” should be.
Pete Simonelli : Stabilizing.
Doug Scharin : Answering these questions. Packing and attempting to be somewhat prepared to leave the country again.

How was the european tour?
KT : Well, our fans really made it fun for us. I think we worked hard and managed to come out of it feeling like a new band in a lot of ways. Obviously, we have a new drummer, Doug Scharin, and that is responsible for a lot of that “new” feeling but something else happened as well. It is hard to pin down, but a new type of togetherness came over us. Sorry, I am mushy.
PS : They keep getting better, no doubt about that. New rituals, a new drummer, and new faces. Fantastic.
DS : Haven’t been spending too much time in Europe over the past few years, so i suppose it was nice to watch it pass by everyday.
Met good people everywhere we went and as for the tour, it was refreshingly dirty.

What are your main musical influences?
KT : American punk/alternative from 1977 to 1990, like Butthole Surfers, Minor threat, Ramones, Devo, Hickoids, Husker Du. UK post punk, ‘78 to ‘83, like PIL, Joy Division, Gang of Four. Pop music, as in Roxy Music, The Pretenders, Young Marble Giants or Fleetwood Mac. The old downtown NYC, “No Wave” scene. Hard bop from the 60’s. All country/acoustic blues. Country AND western. Lately I have been opening up to stuff from the Dominican Republic and some African music as well…anything with a soul that is there for the world to see
PS : Delta Blues, Punk, anything weird and inspired by a life lived independently and without constraints.
DS : Plants and birds, no… plants and birds that rock.

Do you think the music of Enablers should ‘belong’ or ‘fit in’ to a particular musical family or genre?
KT : Honestly, I don’t think any music has to “belong” or “fit”. By consequence of style, time period, or public opinion these associations get made. I would put this question to our fans, they are the ones who will ultimately decide if we belong to any sort of genre or “scene”.
PS : Not at all, though for some reason I do like the term “post-rock” for some reason.
DS : Yes; not designated as secret.

You are releasing records in a difficult time for the music industry: how do you see the future for it?
KT : Difficult? I disagree. Everything is relative. Things have never been easier if you ask me. So many formats, so many ways to reach fans. We are entertainers as well as artists. As long as there are people who are entertained and/or interested in what we are doing then there is a future. As far as formats go, vinyl is more entertaining and it sounds better than a CD. I think the CD is going to go the way of the 8-track tape.
PS : Vinyl. Live shows. Performance-based recordings to sell at the end of shows.
DS : Donations for the ones who persevere.

As an artist, how do you use & see the web today? How important is it for you and how do you see it evolving in the coming years?
KT : The web is important but I think that it’s importance is overemphasized in the name of profiteering. Person to person, live performance, word of mouth will always trump the web experience. Lately, I have been blogging as a way to experiment with opening up a slice of personal life and musical experience with anyone who might be interested. You can check it out at . So far it is fun, so I will keep it up for a bit longer. If I feel interest is not there I will stop.
PS : It has to be embraced regardless of how vast it is. Good things always stick out and can be shared immediately. The Web provides for a great word of mouth connection between people.
DS : I use it for it’s immediacy, for writing and exchanging new song ideas. Great for adding new tracks or overdubs to records when the musician is in another city or country and certainly helpful for saving your ass in mastering.

As an artist, what would be your dream online music service?
KT : One that did not take half of what they charge for my music.
PS : I think online music services have ventured beyond dreams. Everything is already there.
DS : The one where you get paid in full.

What do you expect from a label in 2009?
KT : The same thing I expect from my butcher: honesty and fairness.
PS : Compassion.
DS : A little love.

What’s your favourite digital and physical format and why?
KT : The vinyl LP sounds nicer and has more to look at and hold. It has a presence and it demands a physical interaction with the listening experience. Digital formats are merely a matter of convenience and for that they cannot beat. Just shuffling someone else’s ipod can be a great education.
PS : Vinyl. Why did it ever leave? The more you have to care for a product the more you get out of it. And nothing sounds better.
DS : Of course I am always into the LP format because that’s what i grew up with. There’s some nice packaging possibilities happening with CDs, (Enablers- Tundra for example) but a scratched LP and a scratched CD are two very different things.
I will say that the digital realm with its inherent conveniences is great and I also think there are powerful things at work within the shuffle option.

Recommended music site
KT : Drowned in Sound
PS : Drowned in Sound and for a blog: The Boogie Woogie Flu

How’s the scene in Enablers Ville?
KT : Quiet, cooking good food, drinking wine, writing music
PS : Up and up.
DS : Bloody, dirty and sweaty…. sweet.

Places of interest in Enablers Ville?
KT : My bath tub, the Berkeley skateboard park.
PS : Lille, Baltic Sea, Leipzig, fireworks exploding behind the Manhattan skyline. Looked like the buildings were dreaming.
DS : Lille, Berlin, Poland, the architecture of Wroclaw’s old city center, the way it’s lit at night filtered through the intention of vodka eyes. (don’t wave at cops), the Andante/ Le Havre (watch your neck), smoked fish on the Baltic, French toll booths.

Best thing that happened to you recently?
KT : A kiss.
PS : Sex.
DS : Hummingbirds circling my head.

Number one junk food?
KT : Green and Blacks, organic %85 dark chocolate: I’d like a sponsorship, please.
PS : Red licorice chunks from Australia (I think).
DS : 4:00 am Berlin imbiss.

Best venue?
KT : Ut Connewitz in Leipzig…absolutely beautiful.
PS : UT Connewitz.
DS : Le Malterie, UT Connewitz, Schakoladen or O-Nest.

A movie you would like to watch now, right now?
KT : The Party.
PS : The Taking of Pelham 123 * the original one!!!!!
DS : Meetings With Remarkable Men.

Best place to live?
KT : Stickin’ with what I call home…the SF bay area.
PS : Spain.
DS : Japan

Last album you enjoyed listening?
KT : Freedy Johnston: Live at 33 1/3 .
PS : Alexander Hacke Soundtracks.
DS : MAx Roach- Drums Unlimited.

Best TV shows (current and ever)?
KT : Chico and the Man.
PS : Johnny Cash Show, Barnie Miller, Columbo, Carnivale.
DS : Basketball season, The Mod Squad, Basketball season, the Uncle Floyd show.

Last book you enjoyed reading?
KT : “Veronica” by Mary Gaitskill.
PS : The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis by Jose´Saramago.
DS : Breaking Open the Head by Daniel Pinchbeck.

How do you know what time it is?
KT : The sun or the stars, and strangers.
PS : Sex.
DS : Internally.

Fave night drink and morning beverage?
KT : Dry gin martini at night…hot coffee in the morning; strong, with milk, no sugar.
PS : Homemade Margarita/ Coffee (and cigarette).
DS : Wine (pink, white and red) or vodka (russian standard), oh, sometimes whisky and beer/ shochu works well too/ morning beverage/ emergen-C and Coffee (black if it’s good).

Smoking or non-smoking clubs?
KT : Non-smoking.
PS : Doesn’t matter.
DS : It’s nice when you come home from tour and your drum hardware doesn’t smell like an ashtray. however, i find it convenient to smoke in the club.

Your joke of the moment?
KT : Inventing hilarious dances with my bff.
PS : What’s the difference between a singer-songwriter and a puppy? The puppy eventually stops whining.
DS : Reality.

The Playlists:

The Enablers’ Kevin Thomson’s Playlist (listen to the mix via Fairtilizer:

“This is an everchanging mix of influential tunes and stuff I am listening to right now!”

Brian Eno: “Here come the warm jets”
Maybe the best example of a constant theme being layered into a heath-like state

Gun Club: “Jack on Fire”
There is more passion in one syllable of Jeffrey Lee’s than most people express their entire lives

Joe Henderson: “Inner Urge”
Between Mc Coy Tyner and Elvin Jones, the rhythm here is both infective and challenging

Sufjan Stevens: “All good naysayers, speak up!”
I don’t care if this guy never wrote another song. This is pop genius

New Order: “Temptation”
These guys certainly showed us how to disintegrate, but this song still makes me shake all over

Joy Division: “Ceremony”
No explanation necessary…goosebumps everytime!

Sonic Youth: “Brave Men Run”
Definitive in every way, Kim’s sexy voice, manic guitars and a whole new sonic palette

Mission of Burma: “Academy Fight Song”
Toss up between this and revolver but I reach for fight song every time

Gang of Four: “Cheeseburger”
The live 12″ version of this song is guitar fucking 101

Mississippi Fred Mc Dowell: “Long Line Skinner”
A certain front porch lazy lope that is a guitar lesson in and of itself

Pete Simonelli’s playlist

Staff Banda Bilili
Album: Tres Tres Fort
Handicapped street musicians from Kinshasa who make their own instruments. A friend who’s been staying at my place turned me onto them a couple of nights ago. One-stringed guitars, lots of rain-pellet-like, poly-rhythmic percussion, wind instruments, and voices like downed angels. Really, really great.

Christian Dautresme
Songs: I Want to Thank You for Breaking Up with Me ÷ Spaceman
All you need to know is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk0qn6u9rFI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFj2iOjG17Q
Amazing.

Dave Van Ronk
Song: Twelve Gates to the City
I’m not sure if he wrote this number but if he did, I doff two hats. Dylan called him frightening, and he’s right. Few musicians— to my ear— can sound so menacing and charmed at once: “Great Gawd!”

Tinariwen
Album: Amam Iman: Water Is Life
Another friend of mine turned me on to this band from Mali (pretty sure). Great guitar tone and an impassioned, though quietly so, appeal to some fucked up shit. I’d put this guy’s singing voice in the ring with that guy from the Gutter Twins any day of the week and like my odds on a happy return.

Misissippi Fred McDowell
Song: Get Right Church
The live version, taken from a double CD set recorded at the Gaslight in New York City, 1970 or 1971. I listen to this song repetitively—always three, four times in a row. Nobody played like him, and his musical lineage (namely, Son House) is not to be questioned. Ever. His voice is brass. A virtuoso, poet, farmer, and master performer. One of the few who can truly bring tears to your eyes even if you don’t really understand what he’s saying. You just know he means it.

Charley Patton
Song: Tom Rushen Blues
There will be an Enablers song about him and this song on the next record. I’m working on it now. “Not one voice like that voice rising// now whumping low in the register, demystified….” A tremendous song about Black life in America circa late 20s. A jail song.

The Jesus Lizard
Song: Mouth Breather
I can still feel the same thrill I felt the first time I heard it: bombing down Leavenworth St. in San Francisco, middle of the night, drunk, my old friend who passed away years later grinning from ear to ear as he looked back at me from the front seat. Worship the riff, indeed, and definitely one of Yow’s greatest recorded performances. The other two guys ain’t too shabby neither.

John Coltrane
Song: My Favorite Things (live in Japan)
I don’t know the year, I’ve only heard it once, on a great SF station: KPOO. I’m putting it on this list because I continually think about it. As anguished and liberating as any performance can be when it simply HAS to be done.

Johnathan Kane
Album: Jet Ear Party
Frankly, it’s not a great album title but the music more than makes up for it— especially live. Kane was the drummer (maybe the first) for early Swans. A great guy and a great band.

Otis Spann
Song: Must Have Been the Devil
“The devil can be anything from soup to nuts.” So said Otis. Muddy Waters’ longtime piano player. A powerhouse, early R&R song from 1953. Makes you move!!

Doug Scharin’s Playlist

Bembeya Jazz National-Authenticite ‘73 “Paya Paya”
Top Guinean band formed during the fervor of nationalism after the ‘58 revolution.
the band leader and guitarist is called Diamond Fingers for good reason.
I love a good rhumba. killer groove.

Pharoah Sanders-Thembi “Love”
Cecil Mcbee 5:13 bass solo track.

Fripp and Eno “Evening Star”
1975 ambient music lp. primitive looping techniques resulting in serene randomness.

Roberta Flack “First Take”
Intensely moving and minimalist reinterpretation of Scottish folkie Ewan MacColl’s The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.

Max Roach’s Drums Unlimited “The Drum Also Waltzes”
Exactly.

Toumani Diabate and Ali Farka Toure “In The Heart Of The Moon”
Two three-hour recording sessions in Hotel Mandé in Bamako with no rehearsals resulting in 12 songs that are right anytime.

and this too…..Christian Dautresme “I Want to Thank You for Breaking Up with Me ÷ Spaceman”

All you need to know is here:

Always a few moments ahead of his time!

Gregory Isaacs “Extra Classic”
The title speaks for itself.

Miles Davis “Bitches Brew (box set)”
With detailed liner notes indicating edit points, it’s a great lesson in production.
I listened to this record nearly everyday for about a year.

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