Talking with the mortal behind Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Despite being a relatively small island nation sitting southeast of Australia in the Tasman Sea, New Zealand has made a big impact in global pop culture.
The island has given us brilliant Kiwis like directors Tolkien channel Peter Jackson and “Thor: Ragnarok” helmer Taika Waititi, genius comedy duo Flight of the Conchords and mononymous musicians Lorde and Kimbra. A rising New Zealand standout is Unknown Mortal Orchestra, a musical act known for its spacey psych-rock sound.
Lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Ruban Nielson takes influence from a diverse group of artists, ranging from Stevie Wonder to punk act the Buzzcocks to musical iconoclast Frank Zappa. And strangely, his sound reflects this. With a keen sense of melody, Nielson is able to emulate some of Wonder’s magic. Nielson’s pulse-pushing, fuzzed-out guitars and heavy basslines honor the Buzzcocks. A self-professed “Frank Zappa ripoff,” Nielson takes from Zappa’s guitar virtuosity and the man’s general weirdness and ambition. And he does this all while maintaining an original sound.
On Thursday, Unknown Mortal Orchestra will be performing at the White Oak Music Hall in downtown Houston.
Ahead of its performance, Nielson used an email exchange to discuss life on tour, art and his favorite Kiwi musicians.
Q: While on tour, what do you enjoy doing with your free time?
A: I like eating delicious food and drinking booze, I guess, ha ha. I try to get as much reading done as I can, too.
Q: Do you tend to work on music while touring or do you square that away after touring?
A: I’m collecting lyrics and experiences while I’m on tour, but I like to have some reflective time to write, so I wait to do that when I’m off the road, usually. Sometimes, I like to sit around for a couple of hours waiting for the next idea, and that can get weird with other people around. Nobody wants to hear me play the same guitar riff over and over for hours.
Q: Which is the most difficult song to perform live?
A: At the moment, “Everyone Acts Crazy Nowadays” is a challenge. It’s one of the most complicated guitar parts and one of the hardest vocals I’ve ever written, and I have to do those two things at the same time.
Q: I, myself, have two brothers and know that collaborating with family can be increasingly irritating, while at the same time fulfilling and a great bonding experience. With that being said, what does it mean to you to be able to travel the world with your brother, Kody (a musician, himself, who performed in the band the Mint Chicks)?
A: It’s a great time to be doing it, I think. I feel like I need my brother around at the moment. We’ve been a touring band for about eight years, and it’s good to have family around during the really crazy times.
Q: I read that you went to art school for painting. Is this activity still a part of your life?
A: I still really like visual arts, but I don’t have the time or space for painting these days. I’ll definitely pick it back up when I’m older, I bet. These days, I’m more of an art fanboy. I look at artwork on Instagram a lot.
Q: I find the artwork of “Sex & Food” particularly interesting because it seems to have nothing to do with the name of the album. Can you tell me a little bit more about why you chose this piece and who created it?
A: It’s by Neil Krug, the photographer. I talked to Neil about creating a cover before I started recording the album. Originally, I wanted him to make a cover that I would respond to or be inspired by when making the album. Like I wanted to imagine it was already an album with a name and a cover and then work backwards or reverse engineer what the music should sound like, if that makes sense. We had a lot of conversations about the record and sent visual references back and forth, and Neil was constantly taking pictures and sending me stuff. That image was something that jumped out. I felt like everything I was hoping for was there.
Q: Since you are from New Zealand, who is your favorite artist — musical, or otherwise — from New Zealand?
A: The name that comes to mind is Jed Town. He’s kind of a goth, punk guy from New Zealand who had a band called Fetus Productions. He’s so interesting. When he was really young, he sharpened his teeth to points. He’s one of the artists affiliated with Flying Nun that never got his proper due. Chris Knox is also a big hero for me. My love of DIY recording and stuff like that comes from his influence. The Flying Nun Records legacy really had a big impact on me as a kid.