your question:

09/12/2022 chargus

In 2009 I was browsing through Ear X-tacy record store (RIP) and came upon your MadLove album.
I knew you had a rock album coming out and was excited to hear what that would be.
I was going through a breakup of a long term romantic relationship at the time, and I can say with authority that White With Foam is one of the greatest breakup records.
"Fill this heart with an endless sound like an ocean fills up a room
That's more than I found while staring at walls
The end of the world doesn't matter at all"
So on point, beautiful and brutal!
It's a "time machine" album that takes me back emotionally to sounds, smells, and vibes of the time.
A melancholic lyrical masterpiece of "rock". How long was the writing process for those tunes and were some discarded from the album?
Did you have specific inspirations for it? It's a very unique sound.
Sort of reminds me of the Pale Saints album In Ribbons.
Sunny Kim could have sung on that record.

Looking forward to this new Trio Convulsant.
Curious as to why the previous composed material had been scrapped.
What was the intent while composing it?
What was it about the music that prompted you to can it?

my answer:

I really appreciate this. I’m still quite proud of that record although we never really had a chance to tour and it didn’t do as well as I’d hoped. You’ll be happy to know that Absence & Noise is indeed a breakup song. Originally I thought the record might be about a love/hate relationship with NYC. I think the songs Rats With Wings and Left With Nothing might convey that a bit, but then personal shit got in there.
I spent a couple two years or so writing that record —pretty focused on it exclusively. I think Duane Denison’s writing in Jesus Lizard was definitely an inspiration — I get that kind of guitar writing. Also, The Cars “Candy-O” album from 1979. I have also always loved lead vocals shared by male & female, so the band X from Los Angeles was an inspiration.

The previous trio-convulsant material that I threw out wasn’t up to my standards; I didn’t like what I wrote. I think my approach was misguided and it took my a while to find a stride. Sometimes you have to weed out a lot of bullshit.