aStory wanted to know more about Joe Asher, the guitarist from Mock Orange. So we told him we’d print lies about him unless he played nice. And what a nice guy he turned out to be when threatened!
How’s life?
It’s good. Enjoying the summer. Taking a kind of leisurely approach to tracking this new album. It’s taking a little longer than I’d like but we are trying to not stress out about it and hope that vibe comes through in the recording.
Now that we’ve got the tough question out of the way, why do music critics love you so much?
I don’t know, but I’m glad they do. Can’t think about it too much though because we’ve been slammed by them, too.
Does it bum you out that critics don’t buy records?
Ha! Nobody buys records anymore. Nine times out of ten it’s the critics who are leaking the albums because they all get advanced copies.
I promise not to spring a leak. So how did the band come together? Was it fate, luck, or just a really good post on craigslist?
We were in high school, if you can believe that. We all used to skate. Some of us started skating less and playing in awful punk bands. Heath and I met Ryan, who was much better at guitar than anyone we knew. Actually it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Mock Orange has been three separate bands but we have just never changed our name because the core members have stayed the same. Our sound has changed many times, that is no secret. Five years ago, when Zach joined, it was right around the time that we were totally changing our sound again so it felt natural and Zach is well suited to our current sound. I love Zach.
Tell me something interesting about each person in the band.
I am OCD, Heath is insane, Zach is tiny and Ryan is a hermit.
Do you guys get sick of each other? Is making an album tense, or just fun?
We have been sick of each other for a decade. It just depends on the day and the mood of the day. Sometimes we are all on board and sometimes we aren’t. That’s just how it is for us I guess.
Has there been a Yoko incident in the band’s history?
No, no Yoko moments to speak of.
Everyone compares Mock Orange to Pavement. Do you?
Of course we grew up on Pavement and Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth, because that’s just the era of our lives. But that is really hard to answer because all four of us listen to really different things. Heath is probably the most voracious music consumer in the band and he is always turning me on to new stuff. When I find something new that I like and I try to tell him about it, he’s always way ahead of me. Zach is a total Bowie freak. Ryan really likes Sun Kil Moon and Guided By Voices. I’m really into Dungen and Blitzen Trapper. I could go on and on and on.
Let us stop you right there. Finally, what is a Mock Orange?
It’s a shrub. A bush. You can grow one if you want.
Wait, what’s the most important question we forgot to ask you?
What’s your favorite food?
And the answer?
Tomatoes.
Oh. That’s it?
Tags: Interview, Mock Orange, Music
