NEW GOOD OLD WAR SONG
Flab Mag: Interview with Tim of Good Old War
This summer I’m turning out to be more nostalgic and sensitive in my music obsessions. Last year I couldn’t stop listening to the brooding San Francisco Krautrock/New Wave throw back duo, Fops. And now I can’t stop listening to old bands like The Band and Crosby, Stills and Nash, which is fitting because now I can’t stop listening to the Philadelphia folk trio, Good Old War. Their three-part harmonies remind me of attending church on sweltering Chicago Sundays, in the days when I was forced to attend church, when I would love sitting in the air conditioning listening to the church choir sing what I would later understand to be unnecessarily self-effacing and schmaltzy love songs to Jesus. Kinda creepy when you reflect upon the meaning of some of those hymns.
Bit surely goodness and mercy followed the men of GOW for you will find an absence of schmaltz on their recently released self-titled album! Thank you Jesus. What you will find are gentle harmonies that evoke the purest, rather than puerile, aspects of gospel choirs. Filled with odes to life and death, friendship and commitment packaged in folk guitar strumming and minimalist percussion, Good Old War (the album) is a perfect counter-point to aggravatingly hot summer days. So instead of fussing like a whiney baby because I don’t have air conditioning, I’m carried away on the gentle cooling breeze of the vocal harmonies. This gives me the space to ponder questions such as how long Tim Arnold’s hair is (or was) and if any of the guys of GOW began their singing careers in church choirs.
Below, answers!
FLABmag: At what age did you each determine that folk-style singing, and subsequent instrument strumming, was your calling?
Tim Arnold: I think we always knew we liked to sing, and we love all kinds of music so maybe it was a process of trying different things until you find one that works and you’re comfortable with and go for it. Who knows? Maybe in 10 years we’ll be singing Gregorian chants in a monastery somewhere. Probably not, but you never know where the road of life will take you…
FLABmag: When did you determine you’d be professional musicians?
Tim: The day we got paid for playing music. It was glorious.
FLABmag: What is it about three-part harmonies that turn you on? I mean, is there something physical, spiritual, intangible that compels you toward this style of singing?
Tim: For me, there is a feeling that you get when you listen to three part harmony that fills you up with warm energy and its like something is happening and it is right because it feels right. When you sing a three-part harmony and it all fits and the blend is just right, that warm feeling of goodness is amplified by 100 and it’s a kind of creative rush that feels really good. It’s also very interesting to use three people, each carrying a pitch as their instrument and combining three voices to create one sound; totally blending and becoming an instrument unto itself. Its a bonding experience.
FLABmag: I’m always curious as to how bands get together and solidify into a cohesive/collaborative unit so can you speak to what about GOW works better than your former musical enterprises – for instance, working with former band mates in Days Away?
Tim: I think bands get together and get solid as a result of a couple things. Like hunger, similar tastes and skill level. We just all needed to do something simple, get away from just trying to flex on stage so much, trying to be the best players instead of the best songwriters. I respect both avenues, but we felt like it was time to calm down and write, make it the best we could music we could muster and just make sure we practiced and sounded good and tried our best to keep it real. Turn the volume down as an act of self-preservation and get down to the brass. Maybe a little bit older, a tiny bit wiser, and really poor. We needed to make something good or we would have to work jobs we hate and not be able to make music all day everyday. In my opinion, the only responsibility to have being the one you love is the best thing in the world. I don’t know if that sentence makes sense, but whatever.
FLABmag: In your opinion, which may or may not be objective (one can always try, right?), what makes Good Old War’s style stand out from the recent popularity of folk groups (duos and trios)?
Tim: Hmmmmm….I don’t know…maybe because the combination of the three of us isn’t anyone else.
FLABmag: Looking back at the careers of some of your musical forebears – CSN, Simon & Garfunkel – whose career path would you most like to follow and why?
Tim: he one who had the longest career. i never want to stop doing this
FLABmag: This is a 2-parter:
The first album, Only Way to Be Alone, was such a provocative title, or at least I think so - why self-titled this time around?
And, a few of the songs on the new release border on Christian Hymns, or rather sound hymnal – not the content but the musical arrangement and harmonies, did any of you start off singing in church or were in a church band?Tim: a) We felt like the second one was totally self-made. We wrote the songs, recorded ourselves, produced, directed, wrote, executive produced, so on and so forth. Oh yeah and our bff and soul partner, Jason Cupp, mixed it. Which is extremely important. Anyway, we thought it totally represented us. And we’re lazy. *wink*
b) We’ve all endured church/synagogue but I don’t think we’ve ever sung the good hymns seriously. I think I used to scat in between lines and was reprimanded so I was (sadly) forced to stop or there would lashings involved and no one likes a good lashing besides the lasher. Which is twisted. C’est la vie…
FLABmag: I read Tim all of a sudden started writing and that you have enough material to release another full-length album right away. Is there a consistent theme that runs through those songs?
Tim: It’s all about depression, time travel, and hot air balloons. Just you wait.
FLABmag: You’re about to begin a tour with Alison Krauss and Union Station. How did that come about?
Tim: Our wonderful manager tom gates sent her a video playing acoustic and she “flipped out”. When I read that my life changed. We worship her and union station and Jerry Douglas and are so fucking excited to play these shows let alone watch masters at work every night. We are going to school.
FLABmag: After the summer tour extravaganza I assume you will go back into the studio to work on that full-length album mentioned previously? If so, got a title for it already?
Tim: No title, its almost done, and stop putting pressure on us. We’re fragile.
FLABmag: Last question, did the length of your hair growth correspond to the amount of songs you churned out in a short span of time?
Tim: I lost the hair. Next time you see me I’ll be bald.
