Phantogram Speaks of Melting Pots, Dreams, and the Internet

Phantogram is a duo formed in 2007 by Joshua Carter and Sarah Barthel in Saratoga Springs, New York. Their music could be labeled ‘trip-hop/electronic/experimental.’ Their music could be described as yo yo yo meets ooh la la. They are playing at Misssissippi Studios in Portland, Wednesday the 13th at 9pm. I interviewed Josh over the phone and asked a few non-conventional questions. He was enthralled I wasn’t going to ask where ‘the band’ was from.

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Did you prefer music while growing up as opposed to other art forms such as movies, paintings, theater and dance? Why?

I always had an appreciation for art, especially drawing and painting when I was younger. We didn’t start working on music until we were a little older. I was more into skateboarding as a teenager and Sarah was into…being a girl, you know, jumping on a trampoline and snowboarding.

Do you know why kids usually like music more than other art forms?

For me, music can strike a nerve in people that a lot of other art forms can’t really do in the same way. This might sound cheesy but it’s almost the closest thing to a kind of spirituality without practicing any kind of religion. It’s just universal. And it touches people in that way.

Do you think the youth have become divided on music genres, putting us in separate groups with identities and ideologies that compete with each other?

All politics and movements aside, people who identify themselves with certain types of music can alienate themselves from other people. Like, “I’m not going to hang out with any kid who listens to Dave Mathews” or “I’m not going to hang out with this kid because he listens to rap.” But what I see is that a lot of people listen to all kinds of music. We’re a band that has many different influences, and I see that in so many bands now. In a way it is kind of bringing people together because it’s a melting pot of genres and styles in connecting other people to certain sounds that they might not consider listening to, to begin with. And I think it kind of unites people more than anything. And if anybody has a problem or feels divided with somebody else because of their taste of music then they’re just ignorant. They lack any kind of forward thinking mind for creativity. And people are entitled to listen to whatever kind of music they want to, that doesn’t make them a bad person.

I was reading your Running from the Cops lyrics. Do you think dreams have any meaning?

Dreams are really powerful. Most of the inspiration behind the lyrics on the album comes from dreams. I don’t always think you should take dreams too seriously all the time. But I definitely find them very interesting and meaningful.

Do you like to write them down right after you have them?

Often I do. I have a lot of friends that are like “Man, I can never remember my dreams.” But luckily I’m pretty good at remembering my dreams. And if I’m afraid of forgetting them then I’ll write them down.

I think people should all share and read each other’s dream logs. Too bad there’s not some website that offers that.

That’d be great. You should start a website like that.

Yea maybe I will. Maybe I’ll invite you 10 years in the future. The song also refers to someone who is responsible for this master plan? Is that a spiritual reference?

It could be, but it could also be like shaking hands with yourself.

What motivates you to write songs? Is it heartbreak? Love? Why do you think so many songs are about those two things? I don’t see many songs about scissors, electrical tape, or data analysis.

I don’t think most people connect with stuff like that. And it’s not like when we write songs we try to appeal to people. I’ve heard lots of interesting songs about electrical tape or data. Actually maybe not data, or any of that. This might sound kind of vain but that’s more like information. And I think music that interests people the most is emotional, and metaphorical. You can read a textbook, you can read a manual and you can bore yourself to tears or you can read poetry or a good novel.

And is that why you started writing songs, you wanted to express emotion?

Yeah I think so. I got interested in writing in high school. Not writing music but just writing in a journal. I just found it to be very cathartic. And once I got into music when I was about 18 it just kind of became a natural progression.

What motivated you to start a band?

In the beginning I never wanted to start a band per se, I was just really into recording on my own. I was kind of obsessed with recording weird short songs and beats and all kinds of things. It was a way to exercise my own personal issues in a cathartic way. And it was fun, and something I always found very entertaining. When I started a band with Sarah, I knew she had a great voice and was really good at piano. So I asked her to help finish up with some ideas that I had, and they turned out to be really fantastic. So I asked her if she wanted to start a band, and then we sort of went full steam ahead.

Do you think you got a lot more out of it when you noticed people started picking up on your music or was it just as important to you when no one else really knew about your music and you were just doing it for yourself?

It was just as important when nobody else knew about my music. I can’t complain. Sarah and me are both really excited we get to do this. We never thought that it would pick up the way it has. [In the past] I didn’t have any sort of pressure of knowing that other people were even going to hear it, you know? It was just for me. And sometimes I miss that a little bit. But like I said I really can’t complain I’m having a lot of fun.

What do you think of record companies? Making music more of a business and less of an artistic endeavor? Do you see the Internet as a tool for obtaining that creative freedom?

I see the Internet as a really positive thing. It’s exposing the general public to music they might not hear. Most people listen to top 40 radio and bullshit like that, kick back and eat what they’re fed. But I think people living in an Internet generation are more apt to explore new things. I feel like people are a little more open-minded in finding new stuff, because the Internet provides that avenue. And it’s something that regular radio can’t do. As far as the music industry and labels go, I do know that I hear a lot of crap. And I do know that a lot of bands that become really big aren’t usually that good…to me. And it’s sad that these big record labels are just looking to cash in on bands. Like “No, you guys gotta write more hits.” It kind of sucks the soul out of creativity for bands. As far as the indie side goes, I’m pretty happy about our record label. They give us full creative control of our music. So I don’t even need to worry about that. I’m sure they’d be a little disappointed if we put out a record where I fart into a microphone for 45 minutes. But if I did that, and they saw that I was totally into farting for 45 minutes, they might take a chance, you know? That’s kind of ridiculous but you know what I mean.

Where’s the line between ‘Independent record companies’ and corporate ones?

I think the main difference between indie labels and big corporate labels is that indie labels tend to put out music that they believe in. They take risks, and they hope that it sells. And big labels are expecting to cash in on you. And if you don’t do as good as they expect you to, they’ll just drop you like that. And that’s a total bummer, but that’s how it is. I suspect that the line between corporate labels and indie labels is becoming a bit blurred these days. With the hype of indie music in general with blogs like Pitchfork and The Hype Machine and shit like that, indie music and different music in general is starting to turn into a kind of strange pop machine. But I really don’t know I try not to pay too much attention [to all that].

Do you know of any cool websites to check out for discovering new music?

SweetThunder.com. You can listen to random tapes that people find in dumpsters or on the sidewalk, etc. It’s really cool. You can listen to people’s answering machines tapes or little kids birthday parties circa 1979. And there’s links to other websites where you can listen to like old soul records from the 60’s. There’s also obscure music at Found.com. It’s interesting what you can stumble upon.

What do you think of the phrase: BE HERE NOW?

It sounds very Zen to me. I like the phrase ‘Be Here Now.’ I often find myself not being here. I think everybody should be in the moment. Live your life day by day and enjoy everything around you. I’m completely guilty of not [being here now], but when I am I’m a much happier person.

What’s your favorite time period that you would like to live in?

When I was a kid I wanted to live in the medieval times because I thought dragons and wizards existed. That movie Hudson Hawk is so awesome. I don’t know, probably maybe the 60’s would have been kind of cool. But honestly I’m pretty happy living my life as it is now, you know, because I don’t know anything different. I’m okay with right now. I’m being here now.

Do you think the world is becoming more interesting? I think the 80’s and the 90’s were kind of boring. Do you think music and culture and things and general are gathering speed, so to say?

Everything is getting really interesting. My grandfather is in his 90’s. He saw everything happen. From television to wireless phones to cell phones to the Internet. That’s gotta be pretty mind blowing. Right now I can’t really wrap my head around how much is going on with technology and what you can do with technology. But at the same time it’s a little bit scary too. I dunno, just take it in stride.

Thank you, that’s all the questions I have really.

Thanks man, I’m glad to do an interview that wasn’t boring.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 12th, 2010 at 9:39 pm. It is filed under Interview, Music, Oregon Voice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.