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After making their debut on the Colbert Report, The Mountain Goats are poised to take Chicago by storm. The Phoenix recently caught up with bassist Peter Hughes on the heels of the band’s new album, The Life of the World to Come.
Phoenix: The Mountain Goats just released a new album, The Life of the World To Come. What was the difference in studio approach with this latest album?
Peter Hughes: It was totally different from the way we’ve made records in the past. With all The Mountain Goats albums that I’ve been involved with, which is all the ones starting with Tallahassee, we would go to a studio, always someplace out of the way where it was a studio and living quarters all in one. We would spend the week or two weeks in complete immersion and isolation.
Singer John Darnielle had the idea that rather than make a totally cohesive album where we record everything all in one place, all in one go, it would be cool to do something more in the spirit of earlier Mountain Goats, where it’s more of a patchwork: songs recorded in different places, with different people, and have a more variety of textures on the album.
Phx: How has the addition of drummer Jon Wurster influenced the band’s song writing and studio dynamic?
PH: It’s definitely added to what we can do in the studio but I think the most remarkable thing about Jon Wurster joining us is just how seamless that transition has been. Initially, he was just on tour with us, and that was great. Then we did Heretic Pride, which was awesome, and a lot of those songs were worked up as a band.
In the end, doing this kind of patchwork approach, I feel like the result paradoxically is the most cohesive album we’ve made because despite being in different places and working with different people — it’s the sound of us as a band. Wurster is a very natural and integral part of that now.
Phx: Are you guys working on anything right now?
PH: John’s writing songs, as he always is. Obviously we’re in the middle of the peak energy time for this album, so we kind of got our hands full with that. But even so, at least one day on this tour we’re going to go into a studio to record a demo or two. There’s always new stuff in the pipeline.
Phx: On Nov. 5 you’ll be in Chicago. What have your experiences been like in the city?
PH: Chicago has always been on the short list of really, really great cities to The Mountain Goats. For years we were playing at the Empty Bottle and those shows were always completely off the chain … this time we’ll be playing at the Metro. We’re looking forward to that because we played there a couple years ago with Superchunk and it was super fun.
Phx: The band played on the Colbert Report last week and Stephen Colbert, in a rare moment of sincerity, confessed he was a huge fan. What was that like?
PH: When someone who is a part of your life, a part of your universe in a way that Stephen Colbert has been a part of mine — and your’s too, I’m sure — and all of a sudden you discover you’re equally part of his universe ... it’s such a mind-blowing thing. It was a surreal day.
Phx: Since receiving the “Colbert Bump,” have you noticed a rise in the band’s popularity?
PH: Well the record came out the same day we appeared on Colbert and after just one week, the record, out of the gate, did better than any of the previous records. So I’m sure that’s been a contributing factor. And this is … the least scientific measure of popularity or whatever (laughs). But I’ve noticed that in the last week I’ve gotten a bunch of friend requests on Livejournal after a year where Livejournal has been pretty quiet.
Phx: That’s right, you’re into blogging. Do you use blogging to connect better with your fans?
PH: It’s a way to interact with “fans,” and more importantly to cut through or puncture that fan-artist relationship. To also demystify what we do and to show that we have a job that’s pretty interesting, but it’s also just a job. We’re just ordinary people like everyone else, which is something that’s important to remember. But it’s also kind of a cool job, so it’s exciting to be able to share it with people.
To listen to this week’s streams and check out The Mountain Goats visit www.loyolaphoenix.com .
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