Absofacto (Exclusive Interview)

We finally had the chance to catch up with Jonathan Visger, solo guitarist, vocalist and sound-creator-genius-guy behind Absofacto.  Learn more about the project, what else is on the way, and listen to "Safari" and the brand new acoustic version of "Whose Side Are You On Anyway?"

Absofacto - "Safari"

TN: You've been a member of indie rock band Mason Proper since 2004, when did you start working on this Absofacto solo project and what was the inspiration?

Abso: I started releasing a little music here and there on my own in 2008, but I didn't get serious about it until fall of 2009. As we honed (and continue to hone) the Mason Proper sound, the more of my musical ideas fall outside of that spectrum.  I needed to create an outlet so that I didn't have to shelf two-thirds of my songs!

TN: Which musical artists have influenced your sound and motivated you to put together tracks of your own?
 

Abso: The major influences on my sound these days are probably Radiohead, Beck, the Shins, and tons of old sixties stuff with great vocal harmonies.  I could write a huge list of people though, but that would
be boring.  It is probably worth mentioning that even though it may not always sound like it, I'm really inspired and influenced by more electronic and instrumental hip hop artists like Four Tet, DJ Shadow,
Flying Lotus, and RJD2.

TN: My favorite three of your 20 track compilation thus far are "Whose Side Are You On Anyway? (original and acoustic)," "Safari," and "No Power."  Name your top three. 

Abso: My favorites would have to be everything on "North South Pt. I" because that just came at a time in my life where I felt particularly creative and bold.  My walls were just covered with drawings, lists of

weird things, quotes from books, the lyrics of the songs, and I was just having a really good time finding connections between all of them.  Outside of those, "No Power" is a favorite of mine because it was me stepping out on my own for the first time in a long while, which felt really great.  It really came together to be exactly what I hoped it would be.  And my third favorite is currently "Punch Drunk on Black Mold" because it's the newest one and I always love the newest one the most until I do a newer one.  Plus I think the lyrics are pretty hilarious in that one.

Absofacto - "Whose Side Are You On Anyway?" (new acoustic version)

TN: "Safari" questions (2).  1. What's that noise that you use at the beginning and bring back a few times in the chorus?  It sounds like a hand saw.  2. Great lines in the concluding verse, "blown her daddy's cash on a phil-os-o-phy p.h.d ohhh...."  Who's the lady friend behind the one you're telling to "shake it like it ain't ironic?"

Abso: Honestly, I don't remember exactly what that sound is, but I think it's some kind of drill or saw. It's some sound bite I've had around forever, I think.  It just fit perfectly in the song, and somehow I
realized that.  I wrote "Safari" quite a while ago, and it's a little hazy.  I did at one point cross paths with a girl that was neck-deep in her philosophy studies at the time and she probably inspired that part.  As I recall, she even brought this super dense philosophy book with her to the party.  It was probably just in her purse or something, but it is convenient for me to think she intentionally brought it to the party.

TN: Latest news on your site is that an EP is on the way, when should we expect it and how closely will it resemble your previous Absofacto work?

Before the EP shows up, there will be a split 7" between me and 10k Cities that Dovecote Records is putting out.  It also appears that there will probably be at least a few more singles before then.  As
far as how closely it will resemble my previous work, when it eventually arrives it will likely show a little more focused version of what I'm doing with Absofacto.  I'm trying to become a little more disciplined about it.  Up until now I have done all my singles without much regard for my other work.  It's impulsive, or in some cases even intentionally the opposite of what I created last time.  I have a really strong desire to keep things fresh for myself.  I'm just trying to dial down a framework I can work within for the EP and beyond, something that will help focus my efforts without limiting me.

Props to my pal JG of Greenhouse Records for setting up the interview.

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