European Countryside

The lush variety of cuisine surrounding Andy Cabic’s San Francisco home is anxiously awaiting the return of their regular scruffy customer.  Of course when a journalist from New York City and a musician from the Bay Area have time to chat the first thing on the mind is food.   For me it’s ‘The Excellent Dumping House’ on Mott Street in the heart of New York’s Chinatown, which provides the fix to my indescribable midnight craving.  But as Cabic quickly explains, I shouldn’t step up to the champion’s platform just yet.

“San Francisco has so much good food it’s nearly ridiculous. Settling on your favorite taqueria is a subject of much discussion and deliberation,” as Cabic refers to his tooth for the music industry staple of Mexican delights.  “On the blocks surrounding my house there are two amazing Burmese restaurants, a couple of incredible Thai restaurants, really good sushi, two French restaurants, some Korean BBQ, and a Russian bakery.  It’s always a delicious dilemma.”

Since the release of Vetiver’s To Fine Me Gone in May of 2006 Andy Cabic and his roaming brotherhood of almost nomadic folk ambassadors have been spreading themselves out over numerous recording projects before plans for a follow-up are formally made public. 

A record alongside Jayhawks front man Gary Louris, as well as a pressing of covers, entitled Things Of The Past, sustained the folk darlings through increasingly expansive touring schedules of the States, as well as abroad. 

Gearing for two nights in New York City during the first week of August, Andy Cabic graciously takes the time from a small Internet café tucked deep within the European countryside to discuss recent projects.                       

Andy Cabic's cure for a hangover: ssdffffffffffffff ff ff ffff dDrinking water before going to bed.  If I get up in the early morning I will usually drink more water then and take a couple of asprin.  A decent breakfast and slow movements to follow throughout the day seem to make the whole fiasco more bearable.

“There are inroads on the west coast to just about anything you would want to ally yourself with musically,” says Cabic in homage to his home state of California. “If someone out there feels we fill a niche or a void in the scene that is their own determination.  I have always written songs of the kind that I would want to listen to; those that are consistent to what is going on in my life at any given point.  I view life and music as a continuum of experiences.  I try and reconcile the past and the present towards some kind of helpful alignment.”

With Cabic fronting a project that is the very foundation of the ideology buried within the hearts of folk movement, he shares a glimpse into the world of perceived mainstream commercialism.

“The lines between the mainstream culture and the underground and very blurry to me,” he offers, “to a point where I’m not really certain what it means anymore.  I’m not sure I have a good idea of what people find interesting in the mainstream. I’m not even sure I understand what they find prevalent in culture to begin with; other then maybe the same spellbinding revulsions that make you stare at car accidents.  Different strokes for different folks,” Cabic says in always friendly off the cuff candor.  “I am just trying to stay positive in the midst of it all. I read widely from writers who seem informed and present those ideas eloquently.  I feel like I participate where I can and take great care with what I put forth in the world.”

_________________________________ “I would suggest that the songs and liner notes express the statement of the album.  The impulse to do this and the performances that were captured were not orchestrated with some grand scheme.   We just did it to do it, because it was fun..” - Andy Cabic on Things Of the Past _________________________________

Their most recent pressing Things Of the Past, released in May of 2008,showcase some of Vetiver’s favorite covers songs by influential tunesmiths.   

“It seemed like a fun thing to do, and I thought we could bring something new to the songs,” Cabic says. “It also seemed like a good opportunity to bring my friends together and record in a way I hadn’t done before; that being tracking live.  Many of the songs we recorded were ones we had been performing at shows.  That really pointed me in the direction for what followed.”

“I would suggest that the songs and liner notes express the statement of the album.  The impulse to do this and the performances that were captured were not orchestrated with some grand scheme.   We just did it to do it, because it was fun.  The temptation to define and characterize the whole experience comes later and in this regard, changes upon how you want to look at it.  It’s just music, just songs I love, and thought others would as well.”
           
With Thing Of The Past being produced by Thom Monahan, the recording ozzes the engineering grace that subsequently brought together Andy Cabic and Gary Louis through friend Chris Robinson.

“Thom always contributes tremendously to any Vetiver project,” Cabic says.  “He captures what we are doing sonically and we all look to him for his insight on how successfully we put across what we are going for.  We practically finish each other’s thoughts.  We have a very special rapport in life and music.”

This was all after a recoding session and tour leg with Gary Louris.

“I think Gary’s strengths as a songwriter are encapsulated in the phrasing of his chords and the simplicity of his lyrics.  He writes great bridges and has a strong feel for harmony.  In addition to be a fine guitar player he has a very pure and special voice, particularly his falsetto.  I still think his work with Mark Olson is somewhat undervalued and it was an unexpected surprise to find myself onstage with him singing songs in front of others that sung at home in front of the stereo long ago,” Cabic concludes before disappearing back into the shadows.