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Over a Cup of Coffee with Over the Rhine
from the phantom tollbooth
http://www.tollbooth.org/2001/features/otr.html
Over a Cup of Coffee with Over the Rhine:
Christmas, Films For Radio, Cowboy Junkies and the
X-Files
by Jessica Aguilar Walker
I recently met up with Karin Bergquist and Linford
Detweiler at Kaldi's, a bohemian coffeehouse in
downtown Cincinnati. Over the clatter of servers and
the noise that only one of the best cappuccino
machines can make, they discussed their
accomplishments as musicians and shared glimpses into
their future. Cultivating tradition and mystery, this
is what these core members of the band Over the Rhine
had to say.
Jessica: Every time I've seen Over the Rhine (OtR)
perform as of late, I catch the band with a different
ensemble. Regarding the guest musicians that have have
performed with you, are there any permanent additions
on the horizon?
Linford: That's an ongoing discussion in the band. We
started off as a quartet with four of us that had met
in northeast Ohio. We grew from there. We started
adding players in 1995, messing around with the
line-up. In 1996, Ric Hordinski and Brian Kelley left.
Brian came back for a while. The band has evolved into
something that is primarily about Karin's voice, and
the songwriting collaboration that continues to evolve
with the two of us.
We haven't made up our minds yet if we want to pursue
each tour as its own separate adventure. We may
continue bringing in players that we admire, players
who we find inspiring as both people and musicians to
be a part of a particular tour, depending on the
circumstances. Or we may want to put together a more
permanent, locally-based ensemble comprised of people
who would actually relocate and be available all the
time. We are auditioning a few more people soon to
keep this discussion open.
We're in a position now where we can call up someone
we've heard play on a favorite recording, or someone
we saw performing that moved us, and we can say, "Hey,
would you be interested in playing together sometime?"
I can't tell you how exciting this is for us, to play
with people that we look up to, and I hope that
excitement translates to the audience, and keeps the
songs growing in new ways. So the line-up could be
something that just ebbs and flows depending on the
tour.
Jessica: Who was in your line-up for the shows around
the holidays?
Linford: It was be Jack Henderson, Terri Templeton,
Karin and me, as well as a bass player and a drummer.
Jeff Bird, multi-instrumentalist for the Cowboy
Junkies, joined us for the Cincinnati show and the
concert the night before in Lafayette, Indiana.
Jessica: Within the past year, you've acquired the
backing of a label. How did this relationship with
Virgin/Back Porch develop?
Linford: The Vice President of Virgin Records had seen
us open for the Cowboy Junkies at a couple of shows in
California. Without a bunch of craziness, he and one
other mainstay at Virgin started expressing interest
in the band. About a year later we began to feel good
about the idea. We decided to pick it up where IRS had
left off with the re-release of Good Dog Bad Dog, a
record which had really never been formally
distributed. GDBD was a special record for us. I
thought it was the most honest work musically I had
participated in to date. It was a very personal record
that I cared a lot about and I was happy to see it
finally get distributed. We had already started a
record on our own which we've messed around with some
more. We'll be done with it in a couple of weeks.
Films For Radio is supposed to be out March 13, 2001.
Jessica: How do you see this relationship aiding the
evolution of OtR as artists?
Linford: The've taken a pretty hands off approach so
far. I think Virgin is basically letting us make the
record that we want to make, then we will hand it over
and they will take it from there. Whether that changes
will remain to be seen. They seem pretty open to
giving us a blank canvas and the freedom to evolve as
writers and players. I think they've afforded us a lot
of freedom. Hopefully we will continue letting the
songs lead us where they will, and expand in new and
interesting ways on what we have already done.
Jessica: What is the concept you are trying to portray
with the upcoming album, Films For Radio?
Linford: I don't know if this is a concept album, but
I have noticed that all of the songs are written in
the first person. I didn't really plan on that
happening. I think it is a pretty confessional record,
and it is
probably a bit more up emotionally than Good Dog Bad
Dog. There is a lot more energy in the rhythm
sections. It might be a little less introspective
overall.
Jessica: What are some of the underlying themes within
the songs?
Linford: Well, there is a lot of soul searching going
on about why we continue to pursue something like
music, which is such a wild card. There are quite a
few songs that explore the journey of trying to be
creative without being self-destructive. Most people
our age are starting to settle into a groove. But when
music is your life, there just tends to be no
guarantee about what the future is going to hold. No
security to speak of. (Laughs.) It is more of an
ongoing adventure that you have to continually get up
for.
There are also some songs on the album that talk about
telling the truth and what that might be about. What
it means to truly be honest with yourself and with
other people. Why some people find it more or less
impossible to speak the truth.
(Karin arrives and picks up the thread.)
Karin: Some things on Films For Radio that we did both
musically and lyrically are a little more "devil may
care." Not that it was anything intentional, but just
a natural expression of what's happened to us in the
last four years. That "healthy apathy" thing. There is
still an honesty intact within the work which is
important to us, regardless of what happens with our
career.
Jessica: Your work has been reaching people in unique
ways as of late - the Roaring Lambs compilation, a
tribute album, the TV shows Felicity and Third
Watch... What are your thoughts on being included on
the Roaring Lambs (Squint Entertainment) compilation?
Karin: It's great. Steve Taylor is a great guy with
interesting ideas. He's always warm and supportive.
Linford: I was happy to be included. I hadn't
discovered the book prior to Steve Taylor asking us to
participate. I sort of leafed through the book before
we gave him an answer. I never did actually sit down
and read it front to back, but it seemed to cover some
ground that we had thought about a fair bit. The book
was addressing questions regarding how one's worldview
should affect the art that one makes.
There are some artists on the record that I don't know
a whole lot about. We've hung out with Sixpence None
the Richer on occasion and have struck a pretty good
rapor with them. And of course we know Bill Mallonee
from way back.
Karin: And it's a compliment to be on the same record
with a band like Sixpence. They've done so well in the
past couple of years. I am so proud of them. They got
started about the same time we did. Matt Slocum is
about as humble as it gets. He doesn't seem to be
affected by his success at all. It is good to see
that--very encouraging and inspiring.
Linford: I have a lot of respect for Steve Taylor. If
I had any question mark about the project it would be
that it must have been hard for Steve Taylor and a
partner at his record company (Squint Entertainment)
to pick just a handful of bands that had some
connection to a life of faith and who were also out in
the general music marketplace making an impact of some
kind commercially or artistically. To me it would be
impossible to come up with a concise list of people
who are doing that. If you are going to go to the
Roaring Lambs record, for instance, and say it
represents people that have something to offer
spiritually and artistically, it just seems like such
an incomplete record to me. I think it would be a bit
laughable to try to represent all the numerous,
numerous artists that have compelling spiritual depth.
I thought it was a very casual, very incomplete tip
of the hat to the many people making music who
resonate spiritually and artistically in exciting
ways. It felt very incomplete to me, but then again,
it was only one record.
Jessica: 14 diverse tracks spanning released as well
as unreleased OtR material are being put together on a
tribute album as performed by your fans. The CD's
proceeds will benefit Cincinnati's City Cure and it is
scheduled for a January 2001 release. What are your
thoughts on this unique effort?
Karin: I don't know much about it, really. I just know
that they are doing something. I am curious to hear
what it's going to be like. It is so humbling that
people are thinking of us and wanting to do something
like that. But at the same time I think, "Gee, what
have we done to deserve it? Who are we?"
Linford: I am anxious to hear the project and I am
flattered that people would do something with our
songs. What I have heard so far has definitely
intrigued me. There is a singer named Ashley Peacock
that did a version of "Etcetera Whatever." I haven't
had a chance to talk to him about it, but it
positively destroyed me. I thought it was absolutely
stunning. I'd like to spread that around a little bit,
see if we could get his version into a film or
something. He did a really great job. I heard a track
by Hypersomnia, Jay and Lindsey Harnish's industrial
version of "Murder." I guess that would be two things
I have heard. I was very impressed and humbled. I
can't really discuss the other contributions because I
haven't heard them yet, but what I have heard has very
much interested and intrigued me.
Jessica: One of your songs was recently heard on an
episode of Felicity, what do you think of that?
Karin: Well first of all, you never really know when
something is going to air. Often they say it will and
then it does't. That has happened so many times and we
just take it all with a grain of salt. So when it did
actually happen in this instance, we were happy to see
the music get spread around some more.
We've got a handful of people at the record label that
are just really keen on the record (Good Dog Bad Dog).
We have people at our publishing company that are the
same. They are pretty excited about it and continue
getting the word out. So it was definitely through
somebody's hard work that it was heard. I'm not real
familiar with the show, but we were pleased with the
way they used the song, and they played over four
minutes of it.
Jessica: Over the past two years, you've been
consistently touring with a well known band from
Canada. How have you enjoyed working with the Cowboy
Junkies?
Linford: It has been wonderful. I have learned a lot
from them as musicians and as human beings. I don't
know how specific I can be off the top of my head.
They're very unique and I consider them to be pretty
special people in a lot of ways. I just enjoy their
company and I'll leave it at that.
Karin: I love it. They are so great. Margo Timmons
(lead vocals) and I have become really good friends,
which is something I never expected. We go through
phases where we email each other every day. The most
you can typically hope for is a reasonable,
professional relationship and this just went so much
farther. And it is so much fun when we all get
together. I always look forward to it - it's just a
good time. They are good people to work with and I
can't say enough about them.
And it's been good for me. I just feel like I love
what we have done together, and whenever there is an
opportunity to do more, I hope I can go. I want to do
what I can to continue that relationship. The
recordings that we have been doing together are fun as
well. Maybe there will be more in the future -
working and collaborating on this or that--which is
great. I don't want to put any demands or expectations
on the relationship. It is just what it is. Mike
Timmins did contribute a wonderful guitar solo to
Films For Radio.
Jessica: What has been your most unique experience in
working with them?
Linford: There have been lots of firsts. Experiences
like playing on David Letterman's show, or Sessions.
When OtR toured with the Junkies for four months in
late '98, it was the first tour where we hopped on our
own tour bus and just did all of North America. From
Victoria, British Columbia, to the tip of Florida,
Santa Fe, NM, to Portland, ME, we played pretty much
every major city in between without looking back.
Personally, I feel that the Junkies have brought a lot
out of me musically. In OtR, I tend to be more of a
behind the scenes kind of person. Musically, in terms
of the live show, I started out playing bass and
quietly doing my thing. I have always done a lot of
the writing for the band and oversee the visual vibe
of the band. But even on piano and organ with OtR, I
don't really step forward very often. I sort of help
hold things together. But with Cowboy Junkies, they
really pass the hat around on stage musically. All of
a sudden I was carrying the ball so to speak. They
wanted me to play organ solos and step forward on
various sections. I'll never forget the first time
Mike Timmins played a long solo on a John Lee Hooker
tune, and then Jeff Bird played a long solo, and then
they nodded to me. It was like, "Hey, wait a minute, I
don't play solos!" But I was soon playing out a lot
more. They gave me a different canvas to throw ideas
at. It's been good.
Karin: Every day on tour with the Junkies there is
typically something hysterical that happens that has
me in tears usually thanks to Pete Timmins, their
drummer and the little brother. We did a webcast
with them a couple of weeks ago and people wrote in
questions. One of the questions was, "What is your
favorite cuss word?"and everyone in the band was
pretty cool about it. When they got to Pete, he just
said something that nobody would have ever expected
and nobody would have ever said. It was one of those
Oh-my-gosh-what-did-he-just-do? moments.He wasn't
trying to do anything, he's just ornery. But I thought
to myself, "I wonder who is listening? I hope none of
our parents are!" His wife was in the audience and her
expression was, 'Oh, no!" It's always like that with
them. There is always something that is going to
happen - you just have to brace yourself.
Jessica: Last season on the X-Files, some characters
with your names appeared on an episode. Was this a
surprise to you? What is your connection to the show
and how did you react to this strange phenomenon?
Karin: Jeff Bell is a writer for the X-Files whom we
met through the photographer Michael Wilson and his
wife. I will never forget when we were on the Junkies
tour, sitting on the bus with Jeff Bell's soon-to-be
wife, Trish, and he said, "I got this job writing for
the X-Files." I just flipped. I am such a huge X-Files
fan. I went just bonkers. I said to him, "If you ever
need an extra to die in David Duchovney's arms, with
something disgusting bursting out of their body, let
it be me. I'll do it for nothing." Of course, I was
joking, yet half serious. I didn't know it, but that
planted a seed. Often, when Jeff writes an episode, he
includes the names of his friends or the names of
towns around where he grew up, putting just a little
bit of reality and personal history into everything.
Usually he'll just tell us one of his episodes is
going to air. But we had no idea whatsoever he had
worked our names and various inside jokes about Good
Dog Bad Dog into an episode.
Linford: (Laughs.) Nothing like having your character
take a stake through the heart. I was flattered but
mostly shocked. I found it extremely humorous. We were
watching it cold as it was happening. I had no idea.
When the Dr. Detweiler chraracter came on in that two
minute opening sequence, I thought, "Oh, that's cute."
Then when the whole Karen Berquist thing started
happening, and then the back and forth rivalry between
the two characters, we were on the floor laughing. It
was a total surprise.
Karin: I laughed until I cried. I just couldn't
believe he had done that. It was so funny. Detweiler
was a little odd. And then they brought the Bergquist
character who had lupus and was hooked on Duchovney
(Mulder). There were all these little lines in there
talking about how Bergquist's had a crush on Mulder.
Jeff had Mulder say her name at least half a dozen
times. And Jeff had actually written the story with
the Bergquist character dying in Mulder's arms, but it
got edited out. In his own way, he had me dying in
Mulder's arms. It was hysterical because Jeff has such
a mind and remembers all these goofy things. I called
him afterwards to say, "I can't believe you just did
that. Congratulations, we loved it."
Jessica: Over the years, OtR has built a tradition of
presenting a Christmas shows around the holidays. On
December 9, 2000 at the Taft Theatre in Cincinnati,
the band presented their sixth hometown concert event
to date. What is so special to you as an artist about
presenting a Christmas show in this manner?
Karin: I think it is special because now it has become
a bit of a tradition for everybody in the area and the
people who like to travel in for it. It is just
something that we do now. It is a special time of
year, and I think it is a nice alternative for people
who might be burnt out on the more traditional holiday
fare.
Linford: I guess it would scare some artists off
because Christmas has been so over commercialized and
exploited in every imaginable way, but this is
something that sort of snuck up on us. We started
playing Christmas shows in 1994, and soon people were
asking about getting recordings of some of our
versions of traditional carols. People began asking if
it was something we were going to do every December.
We have always tried to come back and play toward the
end of the year. (We are not real big on New Year's
Eve shows. We tried that once. I don't think we were a
very convincing party band.) There is just something
about those Winter, December evenings that make us
look forward to being on the road. Having people come
in out of the cold to hear some warm music. I think
Christmas and the last few days of any year have a
mysterious element that goes back to my childhood. For
me, it's less about holiday shopping and cheer,
(although I don't mind that part), and more about
something subversive and mysterious.
Jessica: Things are coming along now so quickly after
all these years of work developing what has become
Over the Rhine. I look forward to the new album and to
that anticipated Christmas tour. Thanks for your time
this afternoon.
For more information about Over the Rhine and upcoming
concert dates, visit overtherhine.com.
=====
"All I know is that I am grateful to be where I am,
and I have only a rough idea of how I got here."
Linford Detweiler
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