Lightning Bolt
Interview by Ryan
LotsOfNoise: What’s up?
Brian Gibson (bass): You should know Ryan, you’re my boss.
Brian Chippendale (drums): I have been riding my bike in the slush all day and now answering emails and eating these chocolate pretzels of Laura Mullen’s that have given me a headache
LON: Who is/was your favorite providence band of all time… during your stay in this fine city?
G: Wak Attak the puppet rap band. They died with fort thunder.
BC: Lets see, my stay in this fine city, back in like 92 or 93 at RISD the band Glory Hole blew me away, of course they were a short lived RISD band but man, I was so young so impressionable and they had delay and fireworks and giant puppets and shit, the first providence band to kick and really strike me was Von Ryan’s Express. I would say, I loved those guys, I didn’t understand them at the time, so free and open, so maybe they are my favorite all time band, but damn, Dropdead you know, those guys are serious noise I love it.
LON: How do you feel about volume? What does being really loud bring to the shows and recordings?
BG: Feel? I think our volume comes mostly from in-band competition. Brian and I think we have something important to say as ‘individuals’, so we do battle. It makes recording difficult because everything bleeds together, and Microphones can’t deal with it. And our engineer Dave Auchenbach hides in other rooms.
BC: It hurts your ears and makes them ring forevermore. My drums have been loud for years now, it brings a certain physical presence into the music. I remember an interview with the Dinosaur Jr guitarist whiny guy talking about how he could actually feel the wind from the speakers on his back while he played. Also when shit is loud it gives the impression, and perhaps the reality that it is melting down, bringing in distortion in the sound, this equipment is on the edge of destruction. It’s loud, unavoidable, you can't hide from loud... can you?
LON: Load Records’ website refers to Slayer when describing you. Has Slayer made any impact on you musically?
BG: No. How could they? I’m a bass player- that band is all guitars. They’re evil.
BC: I just noticed that Slayer thing, I love Slayer, well, Reign In Blood and South Of Heaven specifically, I like evil sounds, and I like the intensity, it drives you, so it has made an impression on me, but I’m not so sure it comes out in our music.
LON: It seems that each record brings you closer and closer to riffage. Is this intentional or just a sort of natural progression?
BG: Hmmm. I suppose it has worked out that way. Its not entirely intentional. And I’m ready to go back to non-“riffage”(as you call it) soon. I thought ride the skies didn’t take riffage as far as it could go. We needed to hear a record that was more about the power of rock, and less sonic experimentation. I’m satisfied ,but now I don’t want to overkill our rock side- there’s a lot of uncharted sonic/frenzied ground to cover. I just bought a delay pedal.
BC: Riffage is Brian Gibson, I am falling from drum riffage, and we do nothing intentionally, we are all natural.
LON: · Sigmund and the Sea Monsters or H.R.Puffnstuff?
BG: They both do the trick. Sigmund is psychedelic in a way that is nausea inducing. Its bright and sunny and happy- yet so wrong. People we’re probably drugged up and dying of heat sickness in those costumes, and there was probably sand in them.
BC: I like the word Puffnstuff and am scared of sea monsters.
LON: · How has touring effected the band?
BG: Every year touring affects LB in different ways. It’s an equation that that is something like, shows per week times equipment problems minus financial compensation. A good thing touring can do is make us sick of our songs so we want to write new ones. Also It forces us to deal with personality differences that we can otherwise ignore. I want to quit after a long tour, but a year later I want to tour again.
BC: Touring makes us hyper-tight, somewhat less creative as people and it used to really grate on our relationship, but now by including such characters as Ben McOsker on our tour Brian and I have a common place to put all our bad vibes. It is important to know you are facing the world and not each other when touring, but it is very hard to remember that when you are in the middle of it. The Providence band The Daughters who I am very fond of are about to embark on a 105 day tour.
LON: · In the beginning, what started the tradition of playing on the floor?
BG: We started off playing mostly on the floor at parties- and we’ve tried to keep that intimate fun party feel. Which is way more fun than the boring club stage act feel This is a better question for Brian C though because he has been the most insistant about playing on the floor.
BC: We played our first floor show at as220, maybe after two Met Cafe stage shows, and it was wonderful, i was impressed by the little known band Phleg Camp and Million Moons Ago who came to the Richmond street AS220 and since the room was practically empty save for me and Brinkman and a few others the kick-ass heavy fukin’ drummer set up right on my toes and I was
hooked on the floor forever. Dictating the setup of the show allows us to design the room for the night and provide people hopefully with a memory that sticks out in a possibly bland hard to remember stream of shows in the same place.
LON: · What is the worst injury that you know of, band or fan, which has occurred during a live Lightning Bolt show?
BG: Nothing bad has happened yet thank god. One injury that worries me is the brian’s drumstick –breaking- flying splinter to the eye -injury. we barely escape this by centimeters at many shows. I kid you not Ryan, much blood has been spilt at LB shows.
But people are smiling.
BC: Shit, I think people have come off pretty well so far, bad shit happened during a Brian Gibson drum session with that Cara Dwyer Rosenburg band Krang but I think we are actually doing fairly well, a little blood here and there, no broken bones to note, no unconscious fans I think. I once was walking through my parents house in the middle of the night during a Christmas visit and I tripped in the dark because they had moved the couch from when I was a kid and I slammed my nose and bloodied it…but that was not LB related.
LON: · Heavy Metal or Punk Rock?
BG: Punk to me is about politics, Metal is about spirituality (and Lord of the Rings). I think the language of music is more qualified, by nature, to make effective statements regarding spirituality (and lotr) than it is politics. I’ll go with heavy Metal. Although in todays desperate political climate I suppose I may be more receptive to punk than usual.
BC: Heavy Metal, but its close, I’m open.
LON: · Being visual artists, do you think that your visual art influences your aural art and vice-versa? Do you think that RISD influenced your music?
BG: Music has taught me a lot about art. LB in particular has showed me the power of an extremely limited palette. And persistence… and open collaboration.
BC: I think obsessive compulsive tendencies in both arenas have taken over everything and glue it all together.
LON: · What is the absolute best thing about Providence? (You can no longer say Buddy)
BG: In providence live some of the best artists and musicians and best all around people anywhere. And I won’t name names because it would be embarrassing for everyone.
BC: Well the best stuff is getting slimmer around here, man, that blizzard ruled..........paper rodeo. Hahhahhahaaha
LON: · What are you guys doing outside of Lightning Bolt?
BG: You’re my boss Ryan. And I help you make video games, which I’m supposed to be doing right now. I also am making the ‘Barkley’s Barnyard Critters’ animated series. And doing ‘Critters’ performances.
BC: Too much, I have a gazebo that I made in the risd museum till April 20th and Ninja Comics and Mindflayer and Jamoputs and decorating my place and …
LON: · Superfly Jimmy Snuka or Rowdy Roddy Piper?
BG: This is dumb.
BC: They Live
LON: · How did it feel to have the legendary Sonic Youth gazing from their stage upon your live show at Lupo’s?
BG: I usually assume the ‘If I can’t see you then you can’t see me’ rule and I never saw them looking at me. I saw about ten people in the front row during that show and they were all good friends. So I imagine about ten good friends got to enjoy our performance. I also imagine from your perspective it looked like sonic youth were gazing at us, but in reality they were gazing at the backs of the heads of ten of my good friends… An honor nonetheless.
BC: It felt like maybe I was in the wrong place, I’m just glad they played INhuman before us in New York, that song is awesome inhuman inhuman, we belong hidden , you cant hide in
lupos...
LON: or
BG: Another one of these. Green. Burn less oil. Every gallon of gas is a vote for unending war, and environmental collapse. Ride more bikes and walk and get exercise. Thanks for the interview Ryan.
BC: or all hell will break loose and all the good things in life will be lost, but man Ben and Laura at Load Records are listening to the new Friends Forever record and it rules. Yes!!!!!!
LotsOfNoise: What’s up?
Brian Gibson (bass): You should know Ryan, you’re my boss.
Brian Chippendale (drums): I have been riding my bike in the slush all day and now answering emails and eating these chocolate pretzels of Laura Mullen’s that have given me a headache
LON: Who is/was your favorite providence band of all time… during your stay in this fine city?
G: Wak Attak the puppet rap band. They died with fort thunder.
BC: Lets see, my stay in this fine city, back in like 92 or 93 at RISD the band Glory Hole blew me away, of course they were a short lived RISD band but man, I was so young so impressionable and they had delay and fireworks and giant puppets and shit, the first providence band to kick and really strike me was Von Ryan’s Express. I would say, I loved those guys, I didn’t understand them at the time, so free and open, so maybe they are my favorite all time band, but damn, Dropdead you know, those guys are serious noise I love it.
LON: How do you feel about volume? What does being really loud bring to the shows and recordings?
BG: Feel? I think our volume comes mostly from in-band competition. Brian and I think we have something important to say as ‘individuals’, so we do battle. It makes recording difficult because everything bleeds together, and Microphones can’t deal with it. And our engineer Dave Auchenbach hides in other rooms.
BC: It hurts your ears and makes them ring forevermore. My drums have been loud for years now, it brings a certain physical presence into the music. I remember an interview with the Dinosaur Jr guitarist whiny guy talking about how he could actually feel the wind from the speakers on his back while he played. Also when shit is loud it gives the impression, and perhaps the reality that it is melting down, bringing in distortion in the sound, this equipment is on the edge of destruction. It’s loud, unavoidable, you can't hide from loud... can you?
LON: Load Records’ website refers to Slayer when describing you. Has Slayer made any impact on you musically?
BG: No. How could they? I’m a bass player- that band is all guitars. They’re evil.
BC: I just noticed that Slayer thing, I love Slayer, well, Reign In Blood and South Of Heaven specifically, I like evil sounds, and I like the intensity, it drives you, so it has made an impression on me, but I’m not so sure it comes out in our music.
LON: It seems that each record brings you closer and closer to riffage. Is this intentional or just a sort of natural progression?
BG: Hmmm. I suppose it has worked out that way. Its not entirely intentional. And I’m ready to go back to non-“riffage”(as you call it) soon. I thought ride the skies didn’t take riffage as far as it could go. We needed to hear a record that was more about the power of rock, and less sonic experimentation. I’m satisfied ,but now I don’t want to overkill our rock side- there’s a lot of uncharted sonic/frenzied ground to cover. I just bought a delay pedal.
BC: Riffage is Brian Gibson, I am falling from drum riffage, and we do nothing intentionally, we are all natural.
LON: · Sigmund and the Sea Monsters or H.R.Puffnstuff?
BG: They both do the trick. Sigmund is psychedelic in a way that is nausea inducing. Its bright and sunny and happy- yet so wrong. People we’re probably drugged up and dying of heat sickness in those costumes, and there was probably sand in them.
BC: I like the word Puffnstuff and am scared of sea monsters.
LON: · How has touring effected the band?
BG: Every year touring affects LB in different ways. It’s an equation that that is something like, shows per week times equipment problems minus financial compensation. A good thing touring can do is make us sick of our songs so we want to write new ones. Also It forces us to deal with personality differences that we can otherwise ignore. I want to quit after a long tour, but a year later I want to tour again.
BC: Touring makes us hyper-tight, somewhat less creative as people and it used to really grate on our relationship, but now by including such characters as Ben McOsker on our tour Brian and I have a common place to put all our bad vibes. It is important to know you are facing the world and not each other when touring, but it is very hard to remember that when you are in the middle of it. The Providence band The Daughters who I am very fond of are about to embark on a 105 day tour.
LON: · In the beginning, what started the tradition of playing on the floor?
BG: We started off playing mostly on the floor at parties- and we’ve tried to keep that intimate fun party feel. Which is way more fun than the boring club stage act feel This is a better question for Brian C though because he has been the most insistant about playing on the floor.
BC: We played our first floor show at as220, maybe after two Met Cafe stage shows, and it was wonderful, i was impressed by the little known band Phleg Camp and Million Moons Ago who came to the Richmond street AS220 and since the room was practically empty save for me and Brinkman and a few others the kick-ass heavy fukin’ drummer set up right on my toes and I was
hooked on the floor forever. Dictating the setup of the show allows us to design the room for the night and provide people hopefully with a memory that sticks out in a possibly bland hard to remember stream of shows in the same place.
LON: · What is the worst injury that you know of, band or fan, which has occurred during a live Lightning Bolt show?
BG: Nothing bad has happened yet thank god. One injury that worries me is the brian’s drumstick –breaking- flying splinter to the eye -injury. we barely escape this by centimeters at many shows. I kid you not Ryan, much blood has been spilt at LB shows.
But people are smiling.
BC: Shit, I think people have come off pretty well so far, bad shit happened during a Brian Gibson drum session with that Cara Dwyer Rosenburg band Krang but I think we are actually doing fairly well, a little blood here and there, no broken bones to note, no unconscious fans I think. I once was walking through my parents house in the middle of the night during a Christmas visit and I tripped in the dark because they had moved the couch from when I was a kid and I slammed my nose and bloodied it…but that was not LB related.
LON: · Heavy Metal or Punk Rock?
BG: Punk to me is about politics, Metal is about spirituality (and Lord of the Rings). I think the language of music is more qualified, by nature, to make effective statements regarding spirituality (and lotr) than it is politics. I’ll go with heavy Metal. Although in todays desperate political climate I suppose I may be more receptive to punk than usual.
BC: Heavy Metal, but its close, I’m open.
LON: · Being visual artists, do you think that your visual art influences your aural art and vice-versa? Do you think that RISD influenced your music?
BG: Music has taught me a lot about art. LB in particular has showed me the power of an extremely limited palette. And persistence… and open collaboration.
BC: I think obsessive compulsive tendencies in both arenas have taken over everything and glue it all together.
LON: · What is the absolute best thing about Providence? (You can no longer say Buddy)
BG: In providence live some of the best artists and musicians and best all around people anywhere. And I won’t name names because it would be embarrassing for everyone.
BC: Well the best stuff is getting slimmer around here, man, that blizzard ruled..........paper rodeo. Hahhahhahaaha
LON: · What are you guys doing outside of Lightning Bolt?
BG: You’re my boss Ryan. And I help you make video games, which I’m supposed to be doing right now. I also am making the ‘Barkley’s Barnyard Critters’ animated series. And doing ‘Critters’ performances.
BC: Too much, I have a gazebo that I made in the risd museum till April 20th and Ninja Comics and Mindflayer and Jamoputs and decorating my place and …
LON: · Superfly Jimmy Snuka or Rowdy Roddy Piper?
BG: This is dumb.
BC: They Live
LON: · How did it feel to have the legendary Sonic Youth gazing from their stage upon your live show at Lupo’s?
BG: I usually assume the ‘If I can’t see you then you can’t see me’ rule and I never saw them looking at me. I saw about ten people in the front row during that show and they were all good friends. So I imagine about ten good friends got to enjoy our performance. I also imagine from your perspective it looked like sonic youth were gazing at us, but in reality they were gazing at the backs of the heads of ten of my good friends… An honor nonetheless.
BC: It felt like maybe I was in the wrong place, I’m just glad they played INhuman before us in New York, that song is awesome inhuman inhuman, we belong hidden , you cant hide in
lupos...
LON: or
BG: Another one of these. Green. Burn less oil. Every gallon of gas is a vote for unending war, and environmental collapse. Ride more bikes and walk and get exercise. Thanks for the interview Ryan.
BC: or all hell will break loose and all the good things in life will be lost, but man Ben and Laura at Load Records are listening to the new Friends Forever record and it rules. Yes!!!!!!
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