Black Moth Super Rainbow has the unique ability to bring on an intense nostalgia high, projected atop premonitions of the future. This experience isn't induced with chemicals but with the clever use of analog electronic instruments - Novatron, Rhodes piano and vocoder - and a heavy dose of mysticism.
I spoke with the band's reclusive founder and frontman, Tobacco (Tom Fec), about the new Eating Us, the upcoming show at the High Noon Saloon and the art of jumping rope in a skirt.
How did Black Moth Super Rainbow begin?
It started in 2003 when I wanted to make the kind of music I could put a band together for. I was making four-track noise and then acoustic stuff that I never intended to perform, but one day got the idea to shift the instrumentation and use a vocoder so I wouldn't have to sing.
When you're onstage, you seem pretty immersed in the music rather than looking at the audience. Is it a conscious choice to be focused inward rather than interacting with fans in a more extroverted, obvious way?
It's not about interacting with the people watching you; it's about focusing on what we're doing. Crowds are used to people on stage wanting attention, but we just want to do what we came to do, and there are visuals to distract you from the fact we're not dancing for you.
How is Eating Us different from earlier releases such as Dandelion Gum?
They all start with me taking a long time to write and record at home. This one was different in that I brought my version of a finished album to [The Flaming Lips and MGMT producer] Dave [Fridmann] at Tarbox so we could work on it backwards. I brought my drummer, and Dave rerecorded all the drums with her, then mixed the final record.
Who do you dream about collaborating with?
[Laughs.] I think the older I get, the more of a phobia I develop for collaborating. I guess maybe someone outside the indie-music world who can offer something I wouldn't normally be presented with.
I love the logo for your label, the 70's Gymnastics Recording Company. Has BMSR ever tried to jump rope while wearing dresses?
I'm sure someone has!
