Margot and the Nuclear So and So's
w/ The Lonely Forest & Cameron McGill & What Army
Thursday, October 14
9:30 p.m.
$13
Indianapolis-based local favorite Margot and the Nuclear So and So's are not newcomers to the Bloomington music scene. What's new are the faces behind the name, the label, and the sound. Discarding instruments like the trumpet and tambourine, which made the group so distinguishable in the first place, have given the band's newest album, Buzzard, a harder, edgier sound. Bitingly sarcastic lyrics like "never gonna break your heart until I want to" and "let's have a baby - let's make it evil" perfectly accompany this new sound, introducing Margot's new lineup as a darker version of its previous identity.
Though I suspect this musical makeover was a ploy to draw the attention of fans who previously thought Margot too dreamy for their tastes, I urge old fans to give the new sound a chance. With lead vocalist Richard Edwards' hauntingly beautiful voice one of few constants for the band, the music undeniably holds on to some of the idealistic qualities from The Dust of Retreat and Animal!/Not Animal. So whether you're an original fan or a music junkie looking for something new, tomorrow night's show at The Bishop should not disappoint.
Q&A with frontman of the band, Richard Edwards:
Live Buzz: Let's get right down to it. Where are you now?
Richard: I'm in St. Louis.
Live Buzz: You come to Bloomington pretty often, how would you describe the relationship with Indiana cities versus others? Do you get the best reception back home?
Richard: No, we actually get better reception elsewhere. It changes as time goes on. It doesn't quite feel like 'home' shows anymore. It feels like part of the tour. I've lived in Chicago for a while making music there with the people. But, I love Bloomington; I like the people that come to our shows--always a nice stop on the trip.
Live Buzz: Not too long ago, you were a student. What was playing music like for you in college?
Richard: Same as it is now. We would practice in basements after class.
Live Buzz: Has becoming a father affected your music?
Richard: Probably. It's hard to tell. A couple songs on the record are about my daughter.
Live Buzz: Which ones?
Richard: "My Baby Loves the Animals" and "Tiny Vampire Robot".
Live Buzz: What exactly is a Tiny Vampire Robot?
Richard: I don't know, man--its something different to me than everybody else. I'll let everyone come up with their own.
Live Buzz: Since the band has switched line-ups, there's been less orchestration. Guitar makes much more of an appearance. What were some of the factors that caused Margot to evolve with this new sound?
Richard: I just didn't want to hear fucking strings anymore. It gets fucking old. I don't want to cry in my beer at 26 years old, you know? I don't feel like doing it--I listen to different records. There's nothing that makes me want to vomit more than thinking about strings, you know? Everything I do is based on how I feel at the moment. The next time maybe I'll want to do strings again, maybe I won't-- I'm not sure.
Live Buzz: Why would anyone "paint their teeth green". What does that mean?
Richard: The song is about violence in the world. It's about paranoia-- the whole record is about paranoia. That's why it sounds the way it does. Paranoia doesn't sound like pretty strings, it sounds like grindy guitars. It's hard to say though--I'm a little too close to it to analyze it.
Live Buzz: Who's on the front of the Buzzard cover?
Edwards: A girl named Chris, I don't know her. She's friend of the photographer who's a friend of mine.
Live Buzz: Are you planning another release?
Richard: Yeah, we are making another record in December, we will probably finish it in January or February. We will try and have something out next year. We've got a bunch of songs and a name and everything. A bunch of pals we are going to record with.
Live Buzz: What's the name of it going to be?
Richard: I can't say yet, because I'll probably change my mind in a week.
Live Buzz: We will look forward to it as well as your stop in Bloomington. Finally, how's the world going to end?
Richard: Oh, God. I don't know--Mass, Mass Stupidity: a bunch of idiots in a room put together are going to find a way to end it all.
Introduction by Laura Sibley
Interview by Ryan Martin
