Chris Taylor on his new project CANT, Grizzly Bear and other musings

This interview was conducted over the phone by Sara Leavitt on October 7th, 2011 and I am posting it here on her behalf. The introduction in the next paragraph was written by Sara. In the interview, CT is Chris Taylor and BT is Sara.

Chris Taylor recently released his first album, Dreams Come True under the moniker of CANT. In addition to being the bass player in Grizzly Bear, he runs a record label and has produced records for artists including Twin Shadow and Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson. Fans of Grizzly Bear will recognize the lush, layered quality of his music, but this album is a departure from the harmonies of Grizzly Bear. The songs on Dreams Come True are full of hushed vocals and moody, electonic beats and while not full of obvious hooks, they do worm their way into the listener’s head. The Big Takeover caught up with Chris by phone as he began a cross country tour in support of the album.

CT: I like being on the road. It’s been kind of awhile, almost a year or so? I like being in different places every night.

BT: I think that would be fun. Although some people I’ve talked to have said that touring is a drag, that they hate being in a car all day and then having to play at night.

CT: I think that’s really strange. That seems a little bit unappreciative, it’s a pretty cool opportunity to perform and present and express yourself. I can’t really see the downside to that. But yeah, you’re away a lot and that part does hurt a bit after awhile.

BT: Are there shows that you’ve played that sound out as being really great? Grizzly Bear included.

CT: Yeah, of course. There are kind of too many to count. Some cities are consistently really fun and great to play for and some cities are consistently not fun to play for, in a weird way. (laughs) Every time you’re like, “The last like three times we’ve been here it’s been kind of shitty. All right, this time we’re gonna do better. This time it’s gonna be fun.” But you do it and it’s just like clockwork. Then you’re like, “Who am I kidding? This town kind of sucks.” But I would add that’s seldom. There are only a very, very small amount that aren’t fun.

BT: What are you most proud of with Dreams Come True?

CT: First and foremost, I’m most proud that I was able to even do it. Really, really hard. Really scary thing for me to put myself out there like that, lyrically and personally and I’m definitely proud of myself for being able to go through that and finish it in a way that I’m really proud of. I’ve never put so much of myself, personally, into a record. It feels like me in a lot of ways and that part is rewarding to see, in terms of creative expression and output. It’s cool to see what that is for me, in the sense that I work with other people in varying capacities, add my influence there. But, it’s not really the same as doing exactly what I would want. Just from a creative stand point, to put myself out there like that was the scariest thing I’ve probably ever had to do and then to play it.

BT: Since they’re so personal, what’s it like to get on stage every night and perform these songs? Is it different than playing Grizzly Bear songs?

CT: Completely. Playing a show with Grizzly Bear is a totally different part, in a sense that I’m much more worried about various instruments. This is such a different experience. I get off stage and I just feel like a noodle.

BT: Really?

CT: (laughs) Totally, I just need to sit down or something. It’s emotionally such a crazy place to go to, to do the entire record in one sitting. But it’s cool, I like it. I think it’s good for you. It’s like an emotional exercise. It’s very cathartic.

BT: What were your musical influences for Dreams Come True?

CT: Oh, I don’t know! It’s all just whatever is in there. I don’t listen to music when I’m working on records. I don’t like to make music about music. I think that ends up being a little substance-less and aesthetic-driven. I’d much rather go to museums or watch films. It’s an alternative stimulus to music

BT: Oh really? Because most musicians I know will hear a song and take it apart in a way that I wouldn’t be able to take it apart. So it’s interesting that you’re more visually inspired.

CT: Yeah, I try not to think about those sort of clinical, technical aspects because, I’d just much rather do something that causes a reaction. That’s much more interesting to me than calculating it and surgically trying to muscle something into shape by breaking it all down. I used to think like that a lot more often, for example, in doing something like Yellow House. I was very heady about everything and worked on everything a ton. I guess I’ve just been working on music long enough that I’m not really interesting in doing that anymore and I’d rather just keep making things until something creates the kind of best reaction. As opposed to worrying about menial and detailed stuff.

BT: When you’re recording Grizzly Bear, you’ve got four guys on instrument, but Dreams Come True is so much more electronic. Does that affect the process of making the record?

CT: I think people start to use the word electronic to describe music as soon as it has synthetic drums, or at least obviously synthetic drums. Truth be told, George [Lewis Jr.] and I aren’t really drummers, so when we were making the record we just did what we know how to do and used drum machines. So, that would be the only thing I’d really say is an electronic element.

It’s different recording with everybody, writing with everybody. With Grizzly Bear there are four opinions and recording this record there were two opinions, which is me and George, but for most of the time it was just me. That part I don’t really like. I really prefer to have more people around. It always helps to have someone you trust to collaborate with. When George was around it was great, but you know, he has Twin Shadow.

BT: Do you consider Dreams Come True a solo album? Or do you consider this a collaboration with George?

CT: Part of it was a collaboration and then part of it was very solo, so it’s kind of both. That’s not to be annoying. Sixty to seventy percent of the instrumental stuff was laid down by me and George. So in that element, he was a huge part of it. But then vocally and lyrically, he wasn’t there. That would have been the solo element. I would have loved to continue collaborating, if I had a choice, for sure though.

BT: I’ve noticed that you tend to pick really self-deprecating names, for example your band is called CANT and your record label is Terrible Records. What makes you do that?

CT: Terrible is just an endearing nickname. A lot of my friends call me that. So… I guess it’s sarcastic humor? I forget that people might not know me and they’re thinking that, “Wow. This guy seems to be really down on himself.” (laughs)

BT: You can’t be that down on yourself! It’s not like the music is depressing.

CT: Yeah. I guess the meaning behind CANT sort of changed, but initially it was sort of a challenge to myself? Because I couldn’t finish songs. I thought that if I called it that, then I’d have to challenge that. Yeah, it was a challenge. The response being a record.

BT: How is the new Grizzly Bear album coming along?

CT: It’s just getting started. We did some recording in June and we kind of haven’t really worked on it since. We’ve all been busy. My bandmate got married. Other bandmates have been enjoying being at home. I’ve been working on getting this whole thing out the door and so we’re gonna reconvene in December.

BT: I saw Department of Eagles play a couple of years ago and Dan Rossen said if he brought out a banjo while recording a Grizzly Bear album, that you guys would be like, “Put it away,” and not let him play it. But then he got to indulge his banjo playing on the Department of Eagles record. Is there something similar that you got to do for this record that the guys in Grizzly Bear would have been like, “No! No! Put it away!”

CT: (laughs) Yeah, sing main vocals.

BT: What’s your worst fear as a musician?

CT: Making bad music.