Scott Yoder (THE PHARMACY)

The Pharmacy is a great young band from Seattle, USA. I had a chance to see them performing live at Gustaf (KC Pekarna) in Maribor 18.10.2010 and liked them so much that I organized an email interview with the band (answers were provided by singer Scott Yoder). The Pharmacy is originally a trio consisting of Scott Yoder on vocals and guitar, Brendhan Bowers on drums and backing vocals, and Stefan Rubicz on keyboards and back vocals. On their recent concerts they are also accompanied by a bassist.

They recorded their second album "Weekend' after moving together to New Orleans. It is an album full of energy and great melodies which instantly reminds me of American-British mix of the pop-rock sound of the 60s. Nevertheless, band didn't allow themselves to fall into a trap of mere reproduction of that era's sound, but succesfully created something fresh and new. And while we could categorize the album as "lo-fi', its acomplished production ambitions use the raw sounds to the advantage of the songs and the whole album.

1. How was the tour so far? Does it feel different to play here in Europe than back home?
Yeah - the US is full of creeps. But kinda depressing creeps. The creeps in Europe are really fun.

2. After you end this tour, do you already have plans on what you will be doing back in the States?
Trying to have fun indoors in Seattle. It can get pretty boring actually - planning a 24-hour "Animals Run-Amuck movie festival"

3. I read that you all moved together to New Orleans to make the new album, "Weekend'. How did you decide to do it? Was there some particular reason for choosing New Orleans?
New Orleans is the coolest city in America. I don't think i could ever understand people who don't like it.

4. Did the move to the new city influence your sound or the sound of the "Weekend'?
It freed us to write the kind of music we always had in our heads. I don't know what it was about the city, a lot of it had to do with us all living together accelerating the process. But we were definitely listening to a lot of Ernie K-Doe, Fats Domino and country soul like Arthur Alexander.

5. "Weekend' really sounds great and full of energy. I was particulary intrigued by the brief description of the the way you recorded it which I found online: "Leisurely recorded in their house over the summer of 2009 near Bayou St. John with a 4-track, a used microphone and a cheap reverb pedal'. Did the use of 4-track recorder give you a chance to channel the raw energy of your songs in a more spontaneous way or was there some other reason to use it?
Yeah I would just turn it on and record things spontaneously without thinking beforehand at all. That's how i wrote Wait in Vayne. I'd do that at nite, show it to Brendhan in the late morning and then we'd record the drums in a couple takes. 6. Did you record "Weekend' all by yourself or did you have some help? Could you tell us a bit more on how the recording all happened?
We did it all on our own. It got to be pretty complicated to the point where i don't think anyone else could understand what the tapes had on them.

7. Was the way you recorded "Weekend' planned in advanced or did it just happen spontaneously to do it more "lo-fi', more DIY?
We just intended them as demos until we played it for our friends.

8. "Weekend' sounds like a really fresh and modern take on the 60s melodic rock sound. Did you already start writing/rehearsing for the new album?
Yeah well i think we wrote about 30 songs in New Orleans. We'll be going into a studio in Seattle at the end of November.

9. How does it usually looks like when you write new songs? Do you start with a jam and work from there, or does someone comes with a melody, or a "hook' and you just continue together?
I usually write the parts until Stefan & Brendhan come in and finish with the arrangement.

10. You sound really tight on stage, do you rehearse together every day?
We play shows everyday. Uh, i actually remember messing up afingerpicking part on one of our songs that nite.

11. You all seem really immersed in your music together as a group. Do you manage to live from your music or are you forced to finance yourself with some other jobs?
We have very low living standards, I live on a couch.

dario jazbec hrvatin // 05/11/2010