Salem: Getting To The Root

 It's been what feels like ages (but is in fact a year) since we sat down with Salem during 2010's South By Southwest festival. In that time, they've released a stunning debut record--one of our favorites of the last year--and continued to amass controversy.In anticipation of their forthcoming NYC show at Santos Party House (if we were into labeling things in a fashion akin to Lil' B, someone who actually finds a kindred spirit in the weird earnestness of Salem's Jack Donoghue, John Holland and Heather Marlatt, we'd call this a #rare #based performance), we caught up with Jack, John and Heather via email to discuss music critics (particularly Chris Weingarten), song lyrics and being the poster children for a scene. And what we found out...was amazing. These guys, after everything, are just three friends who enjoy making music. Sharing it with the world? They're cool with that, also. The fact that some people like it? That's just a plus. Strip away the ascribed image and you'll find what we did: there's no manipulation, no metaphor, no ulterior motive behind these words. Read them for yourself and realize: S4LEM: they're just like you and I.

soldout: Did you guys ever get the chance to watch the video interview we did with you at last SXSW?

John Holland: i saw part of it but i dont like to watch press stuff about us.

Jack Donoghue: I watch a few seconds then felt uncomfortable and stopped

Heather:  No, I don't like to watch video interviews.

soldout: In the time since we last spoke, Salem has gone from near-anonymity to

being featured by many, many prominent publications. did you guys prefer making music without all the press, or are you enjoying the attention...or does it not matter?

JH: all that matters is that we can continue to express ourselves creatively, and that we can continue to create music.  it is nice though that people are responing to what we are doing.  

JD: I think that since we have decided to share SALEM with people that the more exposure we get the better. I think its nice that people like our music.

H:  I don't mind doing press, sometimes we find out things about each other we didn't realize before.  It is a struggle to maintain a balance between industry expectations and creativity though.  Before we just hung out and made things, now there is more pressure to appear and perform, I think it is a learning process.  

soldout: Now that salem is playing live more often, how far back into your back

catalog of music do you go? You guys have a LOT of songs unreleased, do you play many of them live these days or do you stick to King Night stuff?

JH: we play a mix of unreleased and released songs.  we wanna do more sets that are more performative or non-traditional, maybe put on a rave of hard trace music we will make/have made on an abandon cruise ship or big warehouse or in the woods. 

H:  We mainly play things from King Night but we create preludes and outros for the live show.  The songs live are not going to be exactly like on the record, we like to create an experience for the audience when we perform it's always a work in progress. 

 

soldout: what's your favorite live show that you've played so far?

JH: alot of shows i've liked more than others, the lighting and enviornment was more exciting and in sync with what compliments our sound.

JD: it depends some shows look beautiful and some have good energy both types can be nice 

H:  We played at shoreditch church in london which was an amazing venue.  we also played in a ship in bristol and the audience was really energetic.  I like to play to audiences who give back. 

soldout: when we last spoke, you guys were still in the process of making an

album...since the album has come out, we've become fascinated by the song "sick". can you talk about how that song came to be--musically and lyrically?

JH: alot of our lyrics we like to keep secret but my favorite line in that song is "cars inna circlr little lamb inda middle"

JD: ... "Im looking for teeth in the reeds and the rushes"

soldout: will you ever make your lyrics readily available?  We've seen a lot of variations on lyrics, especially to "Trapdoor" (if you guys haven't seen them, google them, they're hilariously wrong), but none look right...we'd love to see a definitive version.

JH:  no i dont think we will.  its nice for people to interpret them in their own ways.

JD: IDK  

H:  I never really pay attention to things on the internet but it's not important to us if people get it wrong.

  

soldout: certain music critics, particularly chris weingarten, have accused salem of being racist for the pitched-down vocals jack uses on album. we think that's ridiculous, but we'd love to know how you respond to that.

  

JD: Im not even trying to be in a dialog with angry/upset 40 year olds but... that guy is an ass :(   . We all use effects on our vocals. Chris should probably eat a salad and go to bed. Its an intense and serious accusation to say someone is racist, its clear he doesnt understand our work but to be so negative as to say all that is very sad. Sometimes I think older people can be intimidated when something new gets attention, I just googled him and it looks like he is tryna be in a band....maybe he is jelix???? I pray 4 him.

JH: is chris weingarten white?  Racial interpretation is in the ear of the beholder.  i pitch down my vocals too, i wonder if he thinks thats racist too even though i dont rap? 

H:  He's probably just another angry white man.  We get a lot of reactionary responses to our music, putting energy into hating something is still giving your energy to it, it doesn't bother us.  

soldout: salem is being credited with starting an entire genre of music ("witch house"). how does that feel, to be credited with an entire musical scene?

JH: i dont think of us making music as starting or not starting a new genre of music. but if we have contributed to the expansion of the musical spectrum, than there is value in that and am honored.

JD: I like what john said...     

 H:  We didn't set out to start anything, we just wanted to make music for each other.  A lot of folks seem inspired by what we are doing and thats cool.

soldout: what's the last thing that has inspired any of you?

JH: walking the dog and seeing how orange and pink the sunset was a few weeks ago.  it made the snow piles and even reflecting puddles turn colors.  

JD: I was in a room with an old red paper Chinese lantern and the light it gave off was very nice.

H:  The other day the lake was frozen but the ice got all chopped up by waves.  In the sun it looked like crystal stalagmites.   

soldout: the album's out, you're touring...what's next?

JH: to keep working on music and following our passions

JD: just taking things as they come...one day at a time