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I'll admit, I'm a lazy scumbag. I wrote this entire interview in sweatpants. In fact, a day later, I e-mailed this interview out in these same sweatpants. A week passed by, I finally get a response from this talented New jersey quartet and I got the same damn sweat pants on. That's when it dawns on me it's time to change my pants. Water Under Water washes thier clothes regularly, and you can tell by thier music that it is probably with the really good detergent.
JSG: So who are you guys and where are you from?
Joel Friedrich - Ft. Wayne, Indiana
Ian Thomas - Roxbury, NJ
Chris Brooks – Mississauga, Canada
Max Michaels - Roxbury, NJ Started guitar at 12
J: In 5 words or less describe your music?
MAX: different, not by choice
J: Has your music style changed much since W/U/W first started?
JOEL: It's gotten better.
MAX: Yes, I've definitely become a more aggressive player and learned how
to better use subtlety to build power.
J: What current bands are influencing you and your music?
MAX: Radiohead, The Mars Volta, Death from Above 1979, the list goes
on and on
J: Do you draw inspiration from any literary works, works of fine art? If
so how have these things worked itself into your sound/lyrics?
JOEL: “House of Leaves” by Mark Z. Danielewski, a magnificent book
about a house that is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. The
more the house is explored the bigger it gets. The bigger it gets the
scarier it gets, until you ultimately go insane. I think that is a great
metaphor for the human body/mind. The more you delve in to what makes you
work the more things you uncover that can drive you mad. Our bodies are
definitely to small for our minds and our minds keep growing in an attempt
to devour our vessels. I think the fear of that is a driving force in the
ideas of songs and songs to come. For example, in a song called "Follow
the Firetrucks" there is a line that goes "My thoughts are thinking myself
away". I also love Salvadore Dali's work with time, like “Persistence of
Memory” and “Exploding Clock”.
MAX: I don't write the lyrics, but some of my odd guitar parts might be
born from the novels of Mark Leyner
J: Have any of you ever smoked the Indian ceremonial drug Salvia?
JOEL: I have never experienced Salvia, but if it's anything like my
friend's experience with mescaline where he disappeared for three days and
was found naked by a river, I'm totally in.
CHRIS: No. I’ll probably be found naked by a river on a sober day.
J: Most people in bands I know have day jobs...what do you guys do for
extra cash?
JOEL: Serve millionaires food while they devise more plans to screw
people out of money.
IAN: That is Joel, no respect for the capitalist machine. I am a computer
programmer
CHRIS: Drive around fixing things…
MAX: Systems Administrator (computer geek) at Yahoo
J: I noticed in your myspace profile that your band info looked like it
was written by a Public Relations pro. Fess up, which one of you guys was the
communications major?
IAN: No one majored in communications. We had a very talented person
close to the band, write a bio for us after listening to our demo, and
hanging out with us for a while.
MAX: Ahhh, thanks Ian's Dad.
J: Then I remembered when I wanted to get this interview going in the
first place you guys sent me a disclaimer longer than the Clearing House
Sweepstakes'. Where exactly did you guys go to school?
IAN: There are no lawyers in the band (at least not yet....)
MAX: The College of New Jersey, Ian's still the lawyer.
J: Finish my sentence: You would like Water Under Water if you like.....
JOEL: Whitewater rafting. Or beating yourself up over stupid trivial
things.
MAX: Emotions.
J:. Do you think it is lazy and unprofessional that I did this over
e-mail?
JOEL: No, we understand the fact that you aren't ready to see our
beautiful faces.
J: Alright well I think that about does it. Are there any last words? anyone you want to thank?
JOEL: All you music lovers out there keep your eyes on the lookout
for our upcoming album in the months ahead. It is promising to be an
experience close to that of taking Salvia.
IAN: (maybe no river, but you will end up naked)
MAX: I'd like to thank my band mates for bringing me where I have always
longed to be musically. And I'd like to thank anyone named Larry. - Sex Machine Of The Year
Discography
Water under Water E.P. - Self Released - 2005
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
In just a few moments of close listening, you realize: this is how greatness begins. Think of any band with staying power that’s developed and refined its music over the years. If that band were just starting up today, they’d sound like Water Under Water. It’s all here: the fluid, ethereal guitar of Max Michaels weaving through the complex, driving bass laid down by Chris Brooks, the pulsing driving percussion of Ian Thomas, and the haunting, edgy, melodic yet disturbing vocals of Joel Friedrich.
Unlike the many forgettable local bands on the scene today, this band doesn’t exist to enrich local music stores. These are consummate professionals. With songs such as The Thrill, the band meshes simple harmonies with odd time signatures and a lurking underlay of strange synthesized guitar. Turning a respectful ear to the past with songs like I’m Breathing Fine, the band can be all out rock; from a wall of sound to a melodic bridge to full relaxation terminating in full closure with a proper ending.
What makes the sound all the more remarkable is the relatively brief time the group has had to work together. Yet their individual styles and talents have jelled, pulling from influences as varied as Gorilla Biscuits, Mars Volta, Iron Maiden, and Mr. Bungle, to form a unique musical presence as impressive as it is promising. You cannot wait to see what this self-described group of borderline psychotics bent on musical world domination, will be capable of the more they work together. Like their name, Water under Water is constantly evolving, constantly flowing in new directions. This is one group you’ll want to watch.
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