THU., APRIL 17, 2008
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Ask the Artist: Destroyer's Dan Bejar Answers Your Questions
by eMusic Users
You asked, he answered. Last month we asked you to write in your questions for Destroyer's Dan Bejar, whose Trouble in Dreams was recently released by Merge Records. Now, Dan talks back about his inspiration, his approach to songwriting, his collaborations with Swan Lake, the New Pornographers and Hello Blue Roses, and which Dylan albums are his favorites. You may be surprised at his answers but, like every great Destroyer record, you'll never be able to predict 'em.
Considering the deep mythology and recurring "characters" spread across all of Destroyer's albums (and, to a certain extent, the satellite works with Swan Lake and the New Pornographers), have you ever had the desire to create a more classical-narrative rock opera? – Ryan M.
I don’t think a good rock opera has ever been written, and I am not a trailblazer, so I’m scared off. I’m not even sure there’s such a thing as a good opera, as I’m assuming the libretto is probably always completely pointless. I’m not sure if there are any recurring characters in the songs I write — I’m not even sure there are any characters, just what’s left of characters. Except for maybe Jackie. There’s no real mythology in Destroyer songs, because they’re all super-modern, and I don’t think I’m into modern mythologies. We probably lost that ability a while back.
Is there a song or album that you can pinpoint as the one that got you thinking “I want to do that. I want to be a musican”? – Doreen D.
“Summer Babe.” Just kidding. No, “Summer Babe.”
I must say that I gather a lot of inspiration from your music. I am currently writing a novel, and I find that listening to your music propels me forward. When I first listened to Rubies, it gave me this feeling of, "Where has this music been all my life? This is how music should be made." It has such a feminine quality about it, as if it was written about a woman, to a woman or for a woman or all women. Could you please expound on this? Also, I was wondering if you could describe your creative process and if you find that with each album, the process changes? – Shannon J.
Is it because of the register of my voice, the timbre? I read somewhere it was asexual, which isn’t really the same as being feminine I guess (maybe the complete opposite of that, depending). I was listening to lots of Christian-era Dylan and Van Morrison when we made that record, two pretty macho little dudes, so it’s funny that I got it so wrong. Probably for the best. I'm not sure, during Rubies, who the person on the other end of each line was, male or female. Probably not for me to say. I can’t say I really write like that. As for the process it is always changing, it’s maybe changing now more than it ever has. But more on that later.
Hi Dan. It was a real treat seeing you perform with the New Pornographers in Seattle last fall. I also enjoy your Destroyer work, and I wonder: how do you approach the process of directing your musical ideas to one band or the other? In other words, do you set out to write a song for a specific project — whether Destroyer or Swan Lake or Hello, Blue Roses — or does the nature of the song dictate where it may end up being expressed? Thanks for considering my question. – David F.
I don’t write Hello, Blue Roses songs, Sydney writes all of those. I only write specifically for the New Pornographers, and that’s only as recent as Challengers. And I think they worked out the best for that. Destroyer, it depends on who I am collaborating with. There are songs on Your Blues or City Of Daughters that the people who played on This Night or Trouble In Dreams would have very, very little interest in. I’m guessing.
My four year-old daughter is also a big fan of your music, but there's a few too many "fuck"s in the new record. Any interest in recording an album for the kiddie crowd? – Dean B.
I already do that.
I saw the New Pornographers live, and you came out and did your songs and they were great. Then, you left the stage after your song was done. Why is it that you don't help out the band as a backup performer? Your vocals would certainly round out what the rest have to offer. – The Js
Your question makes me think that you’ve never heard me sing a song before. Which is cool.
I've had this particular e-mail address since the release of Your Blues; I was wondering: what was the inspiration for the song "Notorious Lightning"? Also, I was wondering if you're a vegetarian. It seemed like there was some indication that you were, but nothing definitive. – "Notoriouslightning@....com"
Vegetarian: No. "Notorious Lightning" was the first song in the second age of Destroyer music, the age that’s just wrapping up. It was the first song I wrote after making an album called Streethawk: A Seduction and leaving Vancouver, the city I’m from. The inspiration for it came at me from all sides at once, but also pretty slowly, so it’s kinda hard to describe.
I always think your music is very strong lyrically. Lyrics seem to be the toughest part for me when I write songs. I wanted to know how you approach lyric writing — what inspires you? And, to repeat the oft-asked question: Do you put music to the words, or words to the music? – Bryan B.
I usually put words to music, but there’s usually some kind of melody embedded in there already or else I’d tend not to even bother. This used to not be the case. Ten years ago I would sit down and strum the guitar and write a song in real time; a three minute song in three minutes, 90-second song in 90 seconds, etc… More or less… I think that’s a youth thing.
Who do you identify as being the "wealthy American underground," mentioned a few times on your Destroyer's Rubies album? Is it the wealthy elite from New Hampshire? Karl Rove, Cheney, et al.? The authors at McSweeney's? None of the above? Just curious... – Drew V.
Rhode Island School of Design.
What role does the place you live play in your compositions? Or are they placeless? – Paul K.
I like this question, but I never really know how to answer it. I like music that conjures up a specific time and place. There’s a very specific and romance-heavy melodrama that I will never be stripped of that occurred, in my head, in “Cabbagetown” GA in the '90s. But who knows if how much I'm stoked on a Rock*a*teens song bears any resemblance to the drudgery that might very well be the reality of the situation?
Is your new album named after "Wrap Your Trouble in Dreams," a song John Cale of the Velvet Underground wrote for Nico way back when, or is it just a coincidence? If so, what qualities do that song and your album share? – Jonathan K.
There’s an even older, way more famous song, kind of an American Songbook Standard. It’s also called "Wrap Your Trouble in Dreams," I think. I love that song from the Nico record, though. I was thinking of all her records lots when we were making Your Blues. I don’t think it has much bearing on this last one, aside from the specter of John Cale that hangs over me always, however mildly.
I would like to know who your biggest influences are, both musically and lyrically. Also, what are you currently listening to? – Gerardo M.
The music and lyrical influences would be one and the same, 'cause that’s how I’m coming at this thing. Huge influences are too many to list. When I first started, I was sick under the spell of Syd Barrett — and to a certain degree I still think his approach might come closest to how I see melody and language hooking up. Not so much with Pink Floyd, cause there’s only a couple songs he did with them that I have any real interest in, but on his solo records definitely. But I’ve found that as you get older, it’s harder to learn from those two Syd albums. Which is kind of where Dylan stepped in for me, especially the stuff from Street Legal onwards. But generally there’s not a lot of American songwriters I can really get behind, besides David Thomas and some of Jim Morrison’s work with the Doors. I’m mostly into Morrissey, Mark E. Smith, the Apartments. Stuff like that.
Got a suggestion for an artist you'd like to see interviewed? Drop a line to asktheartist@emusic.com and we'll see what we can do..
Considering the deep mythology and recurring "characters" spread across all of Destroyer's albums (and, to a certain extent, the satellite works with Swan Lake and the New Pornographers), have you ever had the desire to create a more classical-narrative rock opera? – Ryan M.
I don’t think a good rock opera has ever been written, and I am not a trailblazer, so I’m scared off. I’m not even sure there’s such a thing as a good opera, as I’m assuming the libretto is probably always completely pointless. I’m not sure if there are any recurring characters in the songs I write — I’m not even sure there are any characters, just what’s left of characters. Except for maybe Jackie. There’s no real mythology in Destroyer songs, because they’re all super-modern, and I don’t think I’m into modern mythologies. We probably lost that ability a while back.
Is there a song or album that you can pinpoint as the one that got you thinking “I want to do that. I want to be a musican”? – Doreen D.
“Summer Babe.” Just kidding. No, “Summer Babe.”
I must say that I gather a lot of inspiration from your music. I am currently writing a novel, and I find that listening to your music propels me forward. When I first listened to Rubies, it gave me this feeling of, "Where has this music been all my life? This is how music should be made." It has such a feminine quality about it, as if it was written about a woman, to a woman or for a woman or all women. Could you please expound on this? Also, I was wondering if you could describe your creative process and if you find that with each album, the process changes? – Shannon J.
Is it because of the register of my voice, the timbre? I read somewhere it was asexual, which isn’t really the same as being feminine I guess (maybe the complete opposite of that, depending). I was listening to lots of Christian-era Dylan and Van Morrison when we made that record, two pretty macho little dudes, so it’s funny that I got it so wrong. Probably for the best. I'm not sure, during Rubies, who the person on the other end of each line was, male or female. Probably not for me to say. I can’t say I really write like that. As for the process it is always changing, it’s maybe changing now more than it ever has. But more on that later.
Hi Dan. It was a real treat seeing you perform with the New Pornographers in Seattle last fall. I also enjoy your Destroyer work, and I wonder: how do you approach the process of directing your musical ideas to one band or the other? In other words, do you set out to write a song for a specific project — whether Destroyer or Swan Lake or Hello, Blue Roses — or does the nature of the song dictate where it may end up being expressed? Thanks for considering my question. – David F.
I don’t write Hello, Blue Roses songs, Sydney writes all of those. I only write specifically for the New Pornographers, and that’s only as recent as Challengers. And I think they worked out the best for that. Destroyer, it depends on who I am collaborating with. There are songs on Your Blues or City Of Daughters that the people who played on This Night or Trouble In Dreams would have very, very little interest in. I’m guessing.
My four year-old daughter is also a big fan of your music, but there's a few too many "fuck"s in the new record. Any interest in recording an album for the kiddie crowd? – Dean B.
I already do that.
I saw the New Pornographers live, and you came out and did your songs and they were great. Then, you left the stage after your song was done. Why is it that you don't help out the band as a backup performer? Your vocals would certainly round out what the rest have to offer. – The Js
Your question makes me think that you’ve never heard me sing a song before. Which is cool.
I've had this particular e-mail address since the release of Your Blues; I was wondering: what was the inspiration for the song "Notorious Lightning"? Also, I was wondering if you're a vegetarian. It seemed like there was some indication that you were, but nothing definitive. – "Notoriouslightning@....com"
Vegetarian: No. "Notorious Lightning" was the first song in the second age of Destroyer music, the age that’s just wrapping up. It was the first song I wrote after making an album called Streethawk: A Seduction and leaving Vancouver, the city I’m from. The inspiration for it came at me from all sides at once, but also pretty slowly, so it’s kinda hard to describe.
I always think your music is very strong lyrically. Lyrics seem to be the toughest part for me when I write songs. I wanted to know how you approach lyric writing — what inspires you? And, to repeat the oft-asked question: Do you put music to the words, or words to the music? – Bryan B.
I usually put words to music, but there’s usually some kind of melody embedded in there already or else I’d tend not to even bother. This used to not be the case. Ten years ago I would sit down and strum the guitar and write a song in real time; a three minute song in three minutes, 90-second song in 90 seconds, etc… More or less… I think that’s a youth thing.
Who do you identify as being the "wealthy American underground," mentioned a few times on your Destroyer's Rubies album? Is it the wealthy elite from New Hampshire? Karl Rove, Cheney, et al.? The authors at McSweeney's? None of the above? Just curious... – Drew V.
Rhode Island School of Design.
What role does the place you live play in your compositions? Or are they placeless? – Paul K.
I like this question, but I never really know how to answer it. I like music that conjures up a specific time and place. There’s a very specific and romance-heavy melodrama that I will never be stripped of that occurred, in my head, in “Cabbagetown” GA in the '90s. But who knows if how much I'm stoked on a Rock*a*teens song bears any resemblance to the drudgery that might very well be the reality of the situation?
Is your new album named after "Wrap Your Trouble in Dreams," a song John Cale of the Velvet Underground wrote for Nico way back when, or is it just a coincidence? If so, what qualities do that song and your album share? – Jonathan K.
There’s an even older, way more famous song, kind of an American Songbook Standard. It’s also called "Wrap Your Trouble in Dreams," I think. I love that song from the Nico record, though. I was thinking of all her records lots when we were making Your Blues. I don’t think it has much bearing on this last one, aside from the specter of John Cale that hangs over me always, however mildly.
I would like to know who your biggest influences are, both musically and lyrically. Also, what are you currently listening to? – Gerardo M.
The music and lyrical influences would be one and the same, 'cause that’s how I’m coming at this thing. Huge influences are too many to list. When I first started, I was sick under the spell of Syd Barrett — and to a certain degree I still think his approach might come closest to how I see melody and language hooking up. Not so much with Pink Floyd, cause there’s only a couple songs he did with them that I have any real interest in, but on his solo records definitely. But I’ve found that as you get older, it’s harder to learn from those two Syd albums. Which is kind of where Dylan stepped in for me, especially the stuff from Street Legal onwards. But generally there’s not a lot of American songwriters I can really get behind, besides David Thomas and some of Jim Morrison’s work with the Doors. I’m mostly into Morrissey, Mark E. Smith, the Apartments. Stuff like that.
Got a suggestion for an artist you'd like to see interviewed? Drop a line to asktheartist@emusic.com and we'll see what we can do..
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