Interview: HEALTH

Noise-Synth-Rock paradigm shifters HEALTH are easily the future of modern music soundscapes. Fresh off the heels of a tour with NIN, they are working on a new album and are in the thick of the mixing-mastering process. In anticipation of the March 28th performance at the Westheimer Block Party, we managed to get John from the band to answer a few 'questions'?

1. Your in the midst of mixing and mastering your new album. In terms
of protocol and process, what differs from your previous album?

JOHN: Um this time instead of four dicks in the room (us). There's
now a 5th dick engineering and mixing, with his own ideas about what
music should be. Its frustrating. There are pros and cons to the
situation. In everything we like to have total control, and now we
have to fight with an outsider every step on this one. But everything
is mostly going faster and definitely sounds much better actually
running through real gear and recorded by someone with experience.
Next time we might have to go back to doing it ourselves.

2. How was touring with Nails? Any funny Reznor stories?

JOHN: Nails was AWESOME. Tons of fun. Reznor was SUPER awesome, let
us use his multimillion dollar display while we played! Lets
see...the funniest things were the NIN fans..who very often really
fucking hated us. "IF YOU GOT BLOOD ITS PINK MOTHERFUCKER!" stuff
like that.

3. In a strange way, HEALTH has a way of being both organic and
electronic. It almost seems as though ya'll bastardize the effects and
few non-traditional instruments you use.Do you see this balance
changing or it is a modus operandi?

JOHN: God I dunno. Its mostly about getting new sounds or making
something work thats going to sound cool and special, there's not a
specific philosophy or anything about it. Doing whatever works to
make it sound what we think is new or exciting.

4. Please describe your earliest memories of your first erection.

JOHN: Erection? Who remembers the first? My earliest erection
related memory is I was peeing with one at a very young age and my
grandma opened the door and pointed to it and said the korean word for
penis. She would do that alot.

5. Your live show is always a clutch-fest. Does this new album entail
a different live atmosphere?

JOHN: Um...no. Maybe a song or two. There are a lot of different
sonic textures and vibes on this album, but when played live, despite
our best efforts it is still the...clutch-fest.

6. We can't wait for ya'll to play the Block Party. Tell us why
Houston is the next 'Live Music Capital of the Universe'.

JOHN: The kids. The vibe and enthusiasm about music of the kids here
is awesome and totally real. Keep Houston doughnut!
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