Frantik Interview: Elizabeth & The Catapult “It Was Kind Of Like Beatle Mania”

5 Jan, 2010

Under a sunny unnatural weather condition this time of year for California, my mid-day coffee was nice and hot, my windows were open flowing and my spirit was in high gear in anticipation of Christmas. After all, it is the holiday of which I get the most love from friends and family via expensive gifts so my spirit was well into heaven. 75˚degrees outside and waiting to call Elizabeth & The Catapult for an interview, it was going to be a good day. I dial the number, get an answer and a resounding noise struck my ear on the other line. Elizabeth & the Catapult were in the midst of a snow storm, the complete opposite of the beautiful sunny weather I’m in. Bummer. I braced myself as I knew that interviews over the phone did not bode so well in a storm or in spotty areas of the U.S. but to my surprise, Elizabeth, who was not only patient but also a trooper, answered my questions as dilligently as she could regardless of the noise crackle, patchy dialogues and the snow storm they were facing. The phone crackled, died, came alive, buzzed and sometimes sounded like alien transmissions but Elizabeth and I got some good material and got through it regardless of the phone situation. Whew! Talking about their awesome album, writing lyrics and what’s next for the band, we got to know the awesome indie alternative folk rock sensation that is, Elizabeth & The Catapult.

Hey Elizabeth, what’s going on and what’s current?

We just finished our tour and we’re actually on the very last day. It‘s been fun on this 35 day tour since we went all over the place. We just came from California and started off in New York City, Webster Hall, and went South. We we’re traveling with this Canadian pop star, Justin Nozuka, so it was pretty wonderful and we didn’t get into any snowy madness until today so we’re doing our best to finish in one piece!

Awesome. Sorry about the snowy madness though? So speaking of your tour schedule, like you said it’s the last day today, How were the shows and what are the plans for touring in 2010?

We’ve been on tour almost non-stop since July and I think the actual next plan is to sit at home, write some more and get started on recording the next record. I don’t know, we’ve been running around a lot and I think we’d all like to settle and get started on the next recording. So I think that’s what we’ve got planned for December but the actual tour itself has been really really fun! The interesting thing was that a lot of these places that we’ve never been to before had these beautiful clubs to justify a huge following so it was kind of like Beatle mania. There was a lot of teenage girls there. So the crowds were pretty huge and it that was pretty surreal.

That sounds awesome! You said Beatle mania.

It was! Every time I did a duet with him every night and the amount of people that would record it on their iPhone’s was pretty ridiculous. It was a sea of iPhone’s recording video because everyone is so enamored with him so it was kind of cool to jump on that kind of friend’s beat.

Now do you guys constantly write songs or do you guys like to take a break in between records or is it basically one never ending writing session for you guys?

Well I write the songs. It’s interesting because I am always writing about stuff and I don’t usually write when something’s wrong with my life. It’s different on tour because usually I pull the piano out and if I don’t have any idea for a song, I usually write the lyrics and then write the music after. So I’ve got all these lyrics and I can’t wait to get back to Brooklyn and kind of take all of these lyrics and weave them with something concrete.

Let’s talk about the record, “Taller Children.” Can you please tell me a bit about what transpired in the studio during that time and what were some of the things that sparked the creative fire inside of you guys?

It started off in terms of our home recordings. We’ve just been recording Danny on our Pro Tools rig and recording at home in Brooklyn and we would have string players and horn players come in and kind of just get all of our friends involved. We were really fast with the recordings that we did on our own so they said why don’t you finish this record off with a producer. We got to pick out our favorite producers and the one that we wanted to record with the most, Mike Mogis who’s worked with M. Ward and Bright Eyes, happened to be free so we went in and finished the record with him.

What was the main goal for this album by the way and how has the band musically grown in certain aspects in your opinion?

I think that the main goal for the album, especially since there’s so many different outlets, using different equipment over a couple of years, is to try to have it back together in kind of a coherent way. I think that we’ve done that on “Taller Children” and I picked a lot of the songs that either had to do with struggling with the idea of growing up, giving into it or looking back at childhood. A lot of the songs have that feel so we kind of worked around it. We actually have a lot more songs that we recorded that we never included. I think that the band agreed that when we went in the studio with Mike, we were going to finally be able to record something live. We’ve never had the need to do that. We were also able to get out of the cerebral aspect of it and just leave it all to the producer and just kind of let go in a way. I think that was a real great experience for us.

Let’s talk about your lyrics. You’ve got some pretty personal lyrics on this record that truly came out awesome! We’re you reading or watching anything in particular while writing the lyrics for this record and how serious did you take yourself while writing the lyrics?

I read a lot and watch a lot of movies in the course of the recording. You know this record was written over the course of four years.

Wow! Really?

Yes. I mean there are specific songs on “Taller Children” that I talked about on NPR’s All Things Considered that were sparked by the financial crisis. The song “Taller Children” in particular is about challenging irresponsible adults that are really selfish and blind with their money and the way they treat others.

“We actually have a lot more songs that we recorded that we never included…We were also able to get out of the cerebral aspect of it and just leave it all to the producer and just kind of let go in a way. I think that was a real great experience for us.”

There’s that more serious aspect of being responsible and not just being ‘gimme gimme gimme’ all about yourself. But then there are other songs on the album that are really playful and whimsical that just kind of make fun of certain things like momma’s boys, obviously, and making fun of the fact that I can’t cook.

I’m sure you can. But now on the other side of your lyrics, where do you typically write lyrics? Is it all in the studio or are you constantly jotting down ideas?

None of it is in the studio. I don’t really write lyrics while recording unless the studio means when I’m recording in my bedroom, which sometimes happens. I like writing in moving vehicles, in cars, the train or something more visual changing in thought where I just kind of space out. I end up writing a lot on the train in New York. I have a little pad where I write down lyrics and see which ones develop.

Cool. Hey Elizabeth you still there?

[ phone crackles, goes silent ]

Yeah, still here!

Man, I thought I lost you for a second there! Now, you guys have been gaining some good press lately from your live shows and your CD and you guys seem to be edging closer to where you guys want to be. Is all of your hard work finally getting a break and do you feel like the band is coming out of obscurity and getting more into focus?

I don’t know if we are? I can’t really tell? I’m not really sure what to answer to the question but I hope so? I think it’s all very suggestive. I think that being exposed to more people has a lot to do with it, especially PR and Radio. For me it’s just going to be keeping on as I can for as long as I can, hopefully something will work out.

Alright now Perez Hilton gave you guys a good boost, do you guys go to his site?

No. We actually don’t but we heard from our Facebook and Myspace fans that weren’t his fans.

[both laugh]

Cool, let’s skip out right now and chat about a few other things here. The 25th Anniversary of The Rock N’ Roll Hall Of Fame just concluded and it pretty much rocked. If I was to give you the power to induct any band into The Rock Hall Of Fame, who would you induct and why?

David Byrne, Rufus Wainwright….

Good picks! H1N1 vaccine, take it or skip it?

Skip it!

How do you feel about social networking in general and what do you think would happen to music if social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and Myspace shut-down?

It’s a little necessary. I think everyone’s over the idea of necessarily making a living off record sales, it’s all about touring and just getting on the road. I think that it’s really something that you’re really open to do because it’s obviously the future of music. It’s also a really good way to keep in touch with your fans personally. So I think in order to stay grateful, you have to be online writing to your fans everyday or when you can.

That’s kind of you guys by the way cause there’s still a few bands out there who are really resistant to being online.

Yeah I know, it’s silly.

What would you love to see or experience in 2010?

I would love to be on the road with the home that I really love and respect again. Keep doing what we do and be able to eat.

[both laugh]

What’s next for Elizabeth & The Catapult?

We try to make it as much as we can and book early summer and what’s next is more recording and more writing.

Thank You Elizabeth! Be safe out there in the snow storm.

Thank you, I think we’re good. We’re going to make it!

Awesome, well I just wanted to tell you before I let you go that I love your music and hope to see you guys out on the road next year and happy holidays!

Thank you! You too!