Margot & the Nuclear So and So's are scaling the slopes of Mount Success despite doing many things wrong.
Their name doesn't follow "The [plural noun]" conventions, and there's not even anyone named Margot in the band. Their debut with Epic is actually a potentially confusing pair of albums. With eight members, they're also crowding your typical bar stage and using instruments typically found in an orchestra or big band.
But with a MySpace page fast approaching a millions views, they're clearly doing some things right. And among them is music — soothing folk ballads that often swing through rock territory — and the variety of instruments sets them apart from the mainstream pop musical pack and in the good company of bands like the Arcade Fire.
Hailing from Indianapolis, they've put in years of touring since forming a few years ago, and are set to make their major label debuts on Oct. 7, just a few days after their Reno show tonight at Tonic Lounge. And they've got great support from David Vandervelde, Judgment Day, and Buster Blue, a Reno act that also puts many players and instruments to work.
Andy Fry, the self-described "tall guitar player" of Margot & the Nuclear So and So's took some time to talk to Metromix about the imminent albums and other unusual facets of the band.
Can you explain the reasoning behind the dual release of "Animal!" and "Not Animal"? How much, if any, of the albums overlap with each other?
It was a feud with Epic. Basically "Animal!" is the record we turned in to Epic for release and 'Not Animal' is a record of songs selected and sequenced by Epic and not by us. Each record is composed from the same pool of around 20 songs, but there are only 4 songs in common between "Animal!" and "Not Animal." (List to songs from the new albums at the band's MySpace page and preorder the albums on Amazon.)
I think, really, "Not Animal" is the record that would have come out in a typical major-label scenario (though it is still a bizarre
major-label debut to my ears). They hold the upper hand when they can just shelve a record you spent two years on. So, in that light, it's a miracle that we get to release our record as-is, ‘cause how often does that happen?
The other thing I like is that some of the songs I really wanted to be on "Animal!" are being released. We were honestly having a lot of
trouble paring all that music down to one record.
The only same time bemoaning downside is that music industry-type people tend to react negatively when anything is not immediately understandable. I have already seen some serious curmudgeonry from reviewers, who will harrumph about how weird it is to release two records while at the lack of creativity and variety in modern music.
Personally, I think it's badass. I know of no other band that's ever done this.
In addition to the LP, are there plans to release "Animal!" as a CD along with "Not Animal?" Will both be available digitally?
No plans for an "Animal!" CD. CDs are obsolete. A waste of petroleum. "Not Animal" will be available as a CD, though.
Both records will be available digitally. People who buy the vinyl get the MP3s free. There's a download code in every record.
Would you recommend fans get one over the other?
I think if you buy one, you'll end up buying the other. I would recommend "Animal!" to start, unless you don't have a record player because "Animal!" is going to have a week or two delay before the digital files are made available.
If you don't have a record player, though, you need to quit messing around and go get one.
Does having a higher-than-usual number of band members (eight) make arranging tours difficult, and do any of them have to miss out sometimes because life intrudes? (In contrast to a three-piece punk act where one person can't make it and the deal is off.)
No, we have never played a show short a person. If we thought we could, we would be a seven-piece. The difficulty in making it happen turns out to be the entire point sometimes. Think of it this way: We actually chose our name.
... Our name is so long — we have to say it, write it and type it out so often — and so from the very start, we knew we were going to have to put in extra effort, and hopefully do things the wrong way beautifully.
