EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH GREG ANDERSON OF SUNN O))) AND SOUTHERN LORD RECORDS
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009 at 12:51pm by Vince Neilstein
Legendary dronesters Sunn o))) and record label Southern Lord share not just a penchant for original, outside-the-box thinking but a man by the name of Greg Anderson, who splits his time between playing guitar for the former and running all operations of the latter. In the interest of full disclosure I’m not really much of a fan of either the band or the label for no other reason than it’s just not my thing, but I have the utmost respect for the legacy of Sunn o))) and the business acumen, foresight and individuality of Southern Lord and all the bands thereon. I was recently given an opportunity to email a few questions to Mr. Anderson himself, and the man was so kind as to respond with his thoughts on the roles the band and label play in the metal community, his thoughts on the metal community at large, and what’s in store for both Sunn o))) and Southern Lord in 2009. Our chat transcript, after the jump.
Sunn o))) has enjoyed something of a legendary reputation in certain circles. How do you feel about the heaps of praise donned upon you by the indie press?
Yes we have been very fortunate in that regard. I think writers/journalists and readers in general are interested in learning or reading about something that is out of the ordinary. Honestly how interesting is it to hear about how the lyrics and riffs came about for the 12th Cannibal Corpse album that is exactly like the 11 before it? No offense meant to CC, I like them and what they do serves an important purpose, but what I’m getting at is that music and art that pushes boundaries and progresses is often times more interesting to read/learn about then how many ways you can talk about disemboweling and then eating a corpse while riffing alternate versions of Angel of Death.
Similarly, Southern Lord seems to be something of a “cult” label. What do you think it is about the label that appeals to a certain type of music fan?
Again I think what we offer is something unique and a worthy alternative to the generic shit that is continually pooped out by the majority of labels. I think our consistent commitment to releasing albums that are stimulating to both the ears AND eyes has resonated with some.
Did Southern Lord rise out of a passion to sign and distribute cool bands to the world, or out of necessity for a label for sunn o)))?
Southern Lord is an artist run platform to release music/art that is passionate, intense and heavy.
What’s it like to live the dual life of a working musician and a record label owner? Do you ever find those two things to be at odds with each other? How do you balance the needs of the label with life on the road?
I actually think that potentially it can be the best way a label is run. As a musician who is running a label I have empathy for other artists/musicians and try to treat bands on the label how I would want a label to treat me. I think many other labels do not have this insight into the minds of their bands. These days I don’t do much touring but when I’m out on the road I have a kick ass staff that takes care of business while I’m away.
So you have any other sources of income outside of these two projects?
Not at this time.
What do you think of the terms “hipster metal” and “beard metal”? Do you think they apply to Southern Lord?
I DON’T think of those terms! Seems silly to equate facial hair or body parts with a style of music. I think genre tags are restrictive and I don’t want my music to be limited in any way.
What do you think of the state of the overall metal scene today? Any new bands that are impressing you?
It is very rare that a new band catches my interest these days. Part of the problem is that there are simply too many bands out there and it becomes harder to separate the wheat from the chaff. Eagle Twin and Black Cobra are 2 exceptions to this. Both bands’ vigilant heaviness resonated immediately with me. Eagle Twin is comprised of one of my favorite guitar players: Gentry Densley, whom I met in the late eighties, and his work with Iceburn and other groups has always been a favorite of mine. Black Cobra to me embody several elements that a lot of bands lack these days. Their DIY ethos and relentless battering set them apart from many. I have also been enjoying: Thou and Black Breath as of late.
Metallica’s Death Magnetic: a return to form, or a return to bore?
I have not heard it and am not really interested. I lost interest after Master of Puppets. It does give me hope that when I’m in my late fourties I’m still plugging away in front of stacks of amplifiers!
We hear your tour riders are pretty crazy. Care to elaborate?
I don’t care to elaborate but just say in the words of Oren Ambarchis’ grandma: “You don’t know if you don’t ask”.
What’s in the near future for both Sunn o))) and Southern Lord?
2009 is going to be an exciting year for both Southern Lord and sunn 0))). Southern Lord has several killer releases coming in the first half of the year. The debut solo album from Scott “Wino” Weinrich (Saint Vitus, Obsessed, The Hidden Hand) entitled: “Punctuated Equilibrium,” [read the MetalSucks review], the debut album from Norwegian black metal band Orcustus (featuring members of Enslaved, Gorgoroth). The third studio album from Northwest Black Metal band Wolves In The Throne Room. And the albums from the two bands mentioned above: Eagle Twin and Black Cobra. The seventh Sunn 0))) studio album “Monoliths/Dimensions” will be released in April or May. The second half of the year is also starting to take shape and this may go down as our most prolific and eclectic year as a label yet!
-VN
I saw these guys open up for Celtic Frost and Goatwhore in 06 I think? I really can’t even pull together enough words to describe what I saw that night. I had never heard of the group until that night, and suffice it to say it was an interesting one.
I kept waiting for what I thought would be a song to pop up, that maybe they just had a really cool, long intro but then it just kept going and going and going and….
They set the fire alarms off numerous times, and I literally felt like the bass and reverb was going to smash me into the ground. When it was all over, the crowd response was like none I had ever seen. Usually a crowd will be amped, loud and raucous. This time, people were dumbstruck, everyone was walking around like they had been released from a hypnotic state. Not sure I would want to see it again, but it was definitely cool shit, very memorable.
Heavy metal: The knight rides in, slays the dragon, and rides off with the princess.
Death metal: The knight rides in, slays the dragon, butchers the princess and fucks her eviscerated body.
Black metal: The knight rides in, summons an ancient Sumerian god of death and plagues, brings ruin to the land, causes the destruction of all life as we know it and becomes the emperor of hell.
Power metal: The knight rides in, golden locks flowing in the breeze, defeats the dragon with the power of spirit and heart, and rides off into the sunset with the beautiful and gracious princess.
Drone metal: The knight never gets there.
but he’ll ride that…..horse…..forever……………………
he was probably high and stopped to admire the wildlife
Old Mother Fucker
She was a cocksucker
To give her poor family a home
Went down on their ding song
And drank for a sing song
But ended her sad life alone.
(maybe) a stupid question: how the fuck do you pronounce Sunn o))) ???? anyone?
It’s pronounce “sun”
*pronounced
Named after the amp company
I personally haven’t been able to get into Sunn o)))’s work (though my tastes have been leaning towards drone more and more lately, so who knows). That said, I enjoy a majority of the bands on the Southern Lord label and a lot of Greg Anderson’s other bands. It’s nice to see he’s just a regular guy.
I wish I could be there the day everyone involved with drone metal sobers up and realizes they’ve never finished writing a song.
I really can’t stand when someone just drops the names of bands signed to their label when asked what they find interesting. I mean really, you signed every band you found interesting? Bullshit, you just used the question as free ad space. Fucking slob needs to learn to write a song, you can only record so much amp worship.
actually, i think Sunn O))) should be pronounced “sun” – pause – “OOOOOOOOOOOO”. make sure to put lots of bass and reverb into that O.
i love how he chides other music forms for not pushing boundries, yet all Snnnnorrre >><:L:L_))’s been doing is the same variation on tuning their guitars for 75 records now.
I hate this shit.
New Wolves In The Throne Room album this year!!! Best news all day
Not a huge fan of Sunn0))), although I enjoy some of it, but I LOVE Southern Lord, so many good bands. Wolves In The Throne Room, Weedeater, Lair Of The Minotaur, Om, Pentagram, Wino, Goatsnake… shit is raw. And big ups for doing an interview with a guy whose work you are admittedly not a fan of.
Southern Lord is a cool label. No doubt about it, and Greg Anderson is a cool guy.
I dont mind SunnO)) but I can see why people dont like it at all. It’s ok – I find them boring at times anyway. I dont buyyy this pushing boundries thing though. What I mean is that I believe that he likes music that does, but that his music does not. Theyre just re-hashing what The Melvins and ultimately Earth innovated some fucking billion years ago.
Having said that, I’ve not seen them live, and can only imagine it would be pretty gooddd…
The albuim “Altar” that they did with Boris was fuckin badasssss}}}.
When I first heard SunnO))) they made me think, this is what hells sounds like… but not in a good way. A disturbing sound, but not one I care to return to.
thanks Eluveitie.. every day we can learn something new… still, not quite into the band.. but it’s always intersting seeing someone tying to go farther in music
Seveword.
That is classic.
No problem Vlad…I think there should be a whole topic devoted to the correct way to pronounce band names, I know there are quite a few that I have problems with
As for Sunn O))), lately I’ve been pushing my tastes more into the doom, drone, and noise sectors of metal…and I think I hit my limit with Sunn O))) Down with Intronaut, Kylesa, Isis, I can deal with Giant Squid…but Sunn O))) just kinda pushes it out of my listenable range. I’m good with stoner rock and metal as long as it retains a little bit of rock and roll amidst the skull crushing.
I liked Goatsnake, Khanate , Burning Witch or evern Thorrs Hammer better than Sunn o))) – But then I like drums.
when i was younger i was into metal, i suppose. i slowly over the years discovered alot about music that i did not conceptualize. music is art, whether you like that comment or not. to any musician that writes music, whether it be drone or doom or heavy metal or even rock.. they consider their music as an artform.
i love sunn 0))), and a majority of southern lord bands. i do not lke cannibal corpse. But i wont slander CC, because they have been doing thier thing for years, and they enjoy it. same as stephen and greg from sunn.. they enjoy what they do too. Personal taste in music is exactly what it is. if i had a record label, i would sign bands i like too. i would not sign bands i did not like just because they sound similar.
i definately understand why someone would not like sunn 0))) .But would they understand why someone does like sunn o)))?
in response to anyone who feels that there is no innovation in drone or sunn O))) as an example, yes the melvins and earth were more of the originators of that style. in perspective you could say that nearly every stoner band was not innovative, but more of a rehash of black sabbath. i do not believe that myself being a pretty big fan of a big bunch of stoner bands.. but i can see why people would assume that.
there is alot to learn when it comes to music, art and the boundaries that surround both. im just glad that thereae peple out there exploring those boundaries. or even removing them.