Dr. Manhattan was at once, a rising band in the post hardcore scene. Touring with big name acts like Fear Before (The March Of Flames) and Heavy Heavy Low Low. Their self-titled debut on Vagrant Records, contained most of the essentials for post-hardcore, but strayed away from screaming. They found a comfortable spot where even though the music was heavy, the vocals did not have to be. With a sound that was raw and in your face, they swept kids off their feet, plunging them deep into a maelstrom of distorted guitars and heavy drums.
Most fans were expecting their next effort to be just as heavy, but Dr. Manhattan had a better idea. Dr. Manhattan released the 12 track experimental/progressive album Jam Dreams. Totally throwing away their old style, they infused different genres to create something completely unique that spans all the way from punk rock (Texas), to a jazzy groove (After All), and even spiced it up with a little 80’s hip hop (Misses Stewart). It was shocking to say the least, but filled a void in the post-hardcore scene. Jam Dreams is a terrifically exciting album worth picking up immediately.
Hot Indie Artists got the opportunity to ask the band some questions. The humorous answers we received back were questionable, but pretty awesome. Enjoy!
Written by: Xan Mandell
Note: All answers provided by the conjoined minds of the band in full sitting cozily in a Lansing, MI coffee stop named Deckers. -Dr. Manhattan
Do you guys have a definition of your sound?
Four guys in a basement laughing their asses off at their own music.
Do you think your music fits into one type of ‘scene’?
We should hope not. The word or idea of “scene” is very limiting. There’s a world of culture out there to indulge in. We want to dip our tips in all of it and encourage everyone to do the same.
What music influences you?
In outerspace, there is a proper way to answer this question. But we will attempt to answer it here on Earth. Music that makes our bums hum. its very difficult to pinpoint genres because there’s good stuff in it all. We’re influenced when we start listening and our bulbs light up. The band Tune-yards is a perfect example of this.
How do you guys write songs? As a band, one person comes to you with an idea and it grows, etc…?
Finger gestures in the thin air. It grows when the gestures harden. A song idea can come from anywhere. Sometimes an idea starts out as a joke. These usually become our best tunes.
What is your opinion on the success of your self-titled?
Success?
How does it feel to have Jam Dreams released?
Wonderful. We felt like there couldn’t have been better vibes going around the room during its creation. It represents our personalities much better than the self-titled did. It’s a more pure sensation of sensie pennies.
There is a pretty clear genre switch from your-self titled and Jam Dreams, what prompted that?
It’s like how in junior high I considered listening to guttermouth a good time. Now, I consider throwing up on my feet a better time. Do you feel me, brother? It’s not that we think the self-titled isn’t a great album, IT IS, it’s just that we’re not in 7th grade anymore.
What expectations do you have for Jam Dreams? Since it is very different from your self titled, do you worry about losing fans or think you can appeal to a new audience?
We want it to bring good times for anyone looking. We weren’t sure what to expect, but all of the feedback from fans has been positive, and everyone seems to enjoy Jam Dreams. Now we’re even more confident when it comes to experimenting with new ideas. It’s a good feeling to know that our fans are willing to embrace changes in musical direction.
You were signed with Vagrant records, but on your myspace, it says you’ve moved to Cassette deck, what prompted the change? Has it benefited you?
After we split from Vagrant we weren’t sure what we were going to do with Jammie D. Our friend, Jim Miller, approached us and offered to release Jam Dreams on Cassette Deck. It made sense. Besides all the bricklaying and landscaping we are enslaved to do for Jim’s detention camps, we’ve been somewhat happy (kinda) working with Cassette Deck, for now at least, until we get picked up by Wal-Mart or Disney.
Is this band just for fun, or do you see yourselves continuing on with it for as long as possible?
Both. Please. Yes.
I read once somewhere that you guys would play any venue; house party, roller rink, is this still true? Where do you enjoy playing most?
True to the tooth. We’re down to play anywhere there are enthusiastic folks who enjoy participating. A good show isn’t necessarily based on the club so much as the energy floating around the room.
You’ve played with some pretty hardcore bands (fear before, Heavy heavy low low) do you think you are/were easily accepted in the scene, or did it take work from your (from what I’ve watched and read) aggressive shows?
We’ve played with all kinds of different bands that may not seem to fit and the Fear Before/Heavy Heavy Low Low shows in particular where some of the best we’ve had and didn’t seem to deter people’s enthusiasm. In fact, the lyrics in “Mailman” are based on those times we spent on tour with those two bands.
What do you guys do during your downtime?
Here’s a good example of a night at home. Last weekend, our friend Hannah came over with a bag of records, a tub of legos, two bottles of wine and some pita bread. Adam spent an hour and a half in the kitchen preparing a meal we’ve dubbed, “Monk-Dalai Moon Delight” while we sat in the basement building “saw chambers” and company cars and a dream station center-piece out of legos. Andrew set the table using napkins with false names written on them. DELICIOUS!!
Any funny tour stories?
One fine tour night, we found ourselves frolicking about Jacksonville Beach, at the time of year when the only strangers walking around are those who sell $2 boxes of wine. When things really started moving, all of us were butt naked running in and out of the ocean. We joined arm over shoulder in a circle for a quick ceremonial tip tap. Butt naked. Then we each took the sacred time necessary for inseminating the Atlantic ocean.
So what is next for Dr. Manhattan?
We’re gonna continue bringing our strange entertainment to cities across this great land. We’ll be touring south to Texas and back with our pals Bald Eagle Refugees all through March and we’re getting fun new songs together so we can record a new album, but that probably won’t be for a little while.
Check Them Out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0ZNDCmRLVA
http://www.myspace.com/drmanhattan
