The Sound Of Animals Fighting: Interview

Some bands don’t do interviews. Groups like Tool and Isis choose who they speak to as carefully as they create their music, they skillfully dodge the spotlight and work on creating an alluring cult of mystery instead. The Sound Of Animals Fighting could do this. Hell, it would make perfect sense for a band where the members rarely meet, never tour, go by code-names and wear masks to hide their identities to conduct themselves just this way. Instead, producer, vocalist, and band mainman The Nightingale (nothing a quick Google won't crack) agreed to speak to us, or at least he didn’t flat-out refuse, only to act like he hated us, like he hated you, like he hated the whole damn thing. And we were going to try and be clever about it too, we were going to be a fucking wise guy right back, but the only way to really show how bratty he was is to present the interview verbatim- no cuts, no clean-up, no polish. So it’s rough, it’s ready, it sure isn’t pretty, but this is exactly how it went down when New-Noise met The Sound Of Animals Fighting.

Hello! My name is Simon T Diplock, one of the writers for New-Noise.Net, and I’d really appreciate some of your time answering a few questions. And I guess it makes sense to start by asking for your name and rank…  Who are you and what do you do for The Sound Of Animals Fighting?
The Nightingale: vocals, production

How does it feel to be getting ‘The Ocean And The Sun’ out? It's an incredible record.
It feels like (and pardon the cliche) the weight of the world is off of my shoulders.

It feels like a darker album than ‘Lover, The Lord Has Left Us’- from cover art to the songs inside- do you hear that? What has brought that on?
Overall, I don't think it is much darker than 'Lover...', but you are right about the aesthetic, it makes the album feel darker.

You’ve had a distinctly different writing process for each album- how did the new record come together? How was it a different to the last?
Same process, same order, only this time, each of us sat with our parts for more than one day.

Do you wait until you have an interesting recording idea- like allowing people only a day to work on their pieces for ‘Lover…’- before you start or do things just come together that way? How does the idea of The Sound Of Animals Fighting working like a normal band sit with you?
We don't work like a normal band. Until the four shows happened (the only ones we ever played) we had put out two albums and nobody had ever been in the same room before. In fact, it wasn't until after the release of 'Lover...' that I wasn't the only one to know everyone involved. We each handle our business and we each collaborate with the parts that we are given. There is no negotiation in the practice room process because there is no practice.

It’s a miracle you find time to record in any way- how do the band’s other musical projects, solo albums, studies, jobs and relationships factor in to the work of The Sound Of Animals Fighting?
Everything affects us and therefore affects our art.

What about the logistics of getting the cast of musicians you’ve worked with together. Who was the most difficult animal to pin down? Who’s contribution surprised you the most? Have you chased anyone that couldn’t commit?
We don't get together. We pass files and force collaboration. That is truly working together.

Was it organizational difficulties or something different that led to the band going back to just four members this time out?
We have always been four. Many guests were involved on the second album and duties and lines were blurred. People began to misinterpret their role and so we had to form lines again, which is unfortunate, and probably my fault in the first place.

Do you think now that the masks are off, in a figurative sense at least, that the band has lost or gained anything? What changes have you seen since your identities became widely known?
The masks are off because we live in a world where people aren't satisfied until they meddle with the unknown. In principle, we are still masked, whether you think you know who we are or you don't.

Every member of the band is so prolific. Is that kind of creativity important for being a part of The Sound Of Animals Fighting?
That is your perception. We certainly don't walk into the studio thinking we are prolific.
 
Is there an element of competition there? A race to see who can come up with the smartest or strangest or most catchy idea?
We are forced to collaborate with the tracks we are given by the artist that recorded before us. We listen, and add. There is no competition.

Do songs just come to you? Do you know certain environments will produce certain songs?
Both.

Are there many tests an idea has to go through before ending up in one of your songs? Does everyone have to agree?
No.

Have you ever fallen out over what to do with an idea?
No.

Have politics ever affected this band? How?
Politics affect our lives, and therefore our band.

Your band covers so many styles and sounds, if someone only had time to listen to one of your songs, which would you pick for them? Why?
The Heretic.

Do you enjoy challenging people?
Yes.

There seems to be a rich visual element to the band that’s just as experimental as the sounds you make. How important is album art for you? Can a record ever be great with horrible or thoughtless art?
…

At the same time as being so experimental and diverse though, you’ve been able to write simple and catchy things as well. Have you ever felt like an idea was too simple to fit with your band? Is there anything stopping more songs like, say, ‘The Heretic’, emerging from The Sound Of Animals Fighting?
That is my favorite song.

Did you take any efforts to stop the new album leaking on the net? What’s your opinion on downloading music? Do leaks mean less sales?
Of course we did. That has nothing to do with money if that is the question. We just have plans that begin on September 9th and don't want the world to have the album until we are ready.

Are you actually under any pressure to shift units?
No.

Is there much about the business of music you enjoy? How has the industry, rather than the fans, the friends and the music itself, treated you?
Nothing about the business is fun.

How did the move to Epitaph come about? Is the relationship with Equal Vision still decent?
EVR is great. I love them. They are honest and hard working. Epitaph is like EVR only it encompasses a slightly bigger and different base, and switching labels as such allows a band that doesn't tour to continue to grow.

Do you like being in the studio or do you wish it was easier to pull together a live show?
No. The studio is where creation happens. Live shows are simply rituals of ego. I stand ten feet above you who paid to see me stand ten feet above you and feel great about myself for an hour. Or I can back my talk and create music in the studio, which is why I do this.

At the shows you played did you stick to set-lists, take requests, or just jam?
We don't tour.

Who would be on your dream tour package?
We don't tour.

Are you hoping to play in the UK at some point? What would you most look forward to about your trip?
No.

Are there any new UK bands on your radar? Anybody you’d be hoping to see when you made the journey here?
No.

Are there any bands from California that we should be listening to here?
The Autumns. Fuck everyone else.

With so many creative outlets at hand, is it easy for you to leave musical projects behind?
We don't leave anything behind to do this.

Can a band go on too long?
Yes. We need to stop. Seven more records would only be for our own egos, since the people would become apathetic eventually.

You’ve talked before about the hard work and stress that goes into The Sound Of Animals Fighting records, and you’ve mentioned a love of trilogies. Is this the last Sound Of Animals Fighting album?
Most likely.

And that, thank god, is it. Now, inevitably some folks will point out that these weren’t the most challenging interview questions ever written but they weren’t the stupidest set either. Research went into this. 'Where did you get your name from?' wasn't asked. But whatever, New-Noise believes The Nightingale would have reacted the same way to any question put before him. Clearly his band don’t want to do press, they don’t want to play this game, but they haven't learned how to step away from it all with any style or tact either. Which, for a group that seem to construct their music so carefully and creatively, is a genuine disappointment. Really, if he didn’t want to do this, 'the Nightingale' could have just said no. Simple really, birdy.