Potatohead People Interview

There’s always a surrealism to meeting people after your perception of them has been pre-informed by a body of work. Even more so after you find yourself shadowing them for a haze filled weekend, connecting the dots to between that and their true selves.

“Yo, I have all this Israeli prog stuff from the late 70’s I have to show you. Incredible stuff”, says Nate, or AstroLogical as he appears in my iTunes library. “There’s something about that time in music, all over the world, like 73-79, there’s great fusion & prog, like this one band Sheshet, so good, what does that mean in Hebrew?” “Six, or Sixth, I think.” I responded. I imagine myself out of body, being tripped out by the scene where I sit, having one of my favorite producers show me gems from my parent’s native land. “Have you heard of Buttering Trio?” I ask, equally tripped in hipping him to my favorite active Israelis going. I pull something up. “Woah, I’m so into this, I can really hear their soul, this is fantastic”. We peruse their YouTube together on Nick Wisdom’s living room couch oriented near a window in such a way as to mimic your typical diner booth, verifying what I previously knew about his fetish with breakfast.

I found myself in Montreal visiting Nick & AstroLogical (together Potatohead People) in the middle of working on their debut LP, respectively their most concentrated effort to date. Astro flew out from their native Vancouver to hammer it out affording me the privilege to be a fly on the wall for their creative process as well as to see the city through their eyes. I arrived off the Chas-Bus (a service catered to Haredi Jews travelling between MTL and Brooklyn) on the day of Nick’s MELT weekly. Seeing the event first hand added credence to an already strong assumption, Montreal’s music fans are first-class.

The night, featuring the likes of friend & affiliate Pomo, as well as Potatohead People’s Montreal debut, was memorable for me for its energy. I’m no stranger to the eclecticism of blending house, funk, & hip hop as MELT does, but it seemed as if the tiny dance floor of Blizzarts could barely contain how wild its patrons wanted to be, a feeling echoed by most I spoke with outside as the night was ending.

Later that weekend, after Nick had started to recover from a stomach virus (almost causing him to miss the show completely if not for downing a clutch last minute Pepto bottle provided by his girlfriend), I sat with the duo to reflect and discuss their upcoming project.

We sit at the living room diner booth as Nick begins piecing something together.

AstroLogical: Making beats, it’s always experimentation at first. For like half and hour you’re just working on something and ever after a while you just scrap it. Rarely right away is it amazing. It’s so experimental for me. That’s why I enjoy it, I don’t know what I’m going to get, I just randomly do things. That’s the fun part. So you don’t know if you’re going to get something cool, you’re just playing around, but that’s how you get to cool-er things, right? Instead of just formulaic stuff.
As a musician, its so easy to get stuck in boxes, because my whole world is based upon these rules. So when I started making beats, it was fun because it was so away from that world. I was just going by my ears, I didn’t have an instrument nearby to make a chord progression. But it helped to liberate me, that’s why i loved it so much.

Cougar Microbes: You come from a less traditional musical background, Nick, so it seems you compliment each other in that way.

Nick Wisdom: One of them definitely compliments the other (laughing)

A: I had this song on Far Far Away, called painting with my feet, and it was this metaphor about making music not using…

CM: (Interrupting) Woah, I have this Logic file on my laptop called “Painting with my Feet” too.

A: (Laughing) No way, where did that come from?

CM: I don’t know, I guess it’s like doing the least natural thing, almost counter-intuitive. So weird (laughing).

A: Exactly like, painting with your hands is going to get you what’s in your head right away. But if you paint with your feet…

CM: So true.

(Astro peers over Nick’s shoulder as he fine tunes the drum’s timing).

N: It’s amazing how much that Snare helps.

A: We used to make hip hop tracks all day like this, but now Nick moved to Montreal and now he’s doing Dance music and stuff, but before it was like only hip hop for like 5 years, and now its changing. But we’d always have one track that was kind of weird and different.

N: Dave P. really influenced me to make more up-tempo stuff.

A: Like even before he was Pomo, he’s always been into disco funk.

N: Just before I started to think about moving out here, was when I started thinking about making house music.

CM: Had you listened to much stuff like that previous to that?

N: No, I kind of got into that music through Kaytranada.

A: Kaytranada is really interesting because he bridged the hip hop “Post-DIlla” crowd, into a more up-tempo dancey thing, It’s very interesting. I’m sure that will be documented in history man. Because there’s a new scene here…

CM: And you think that he’s the pioneer for that?

A: 100%. Kaytra started as a Post-Dilla beatmaker

CM: Kaytradamus yeah?

A: Exactly, crazy hip hop beats. Then he decided to change his name, and make up-tempo stuff. I think it was someone in the UK too that decided to do the same thing, probably happened at the same time.

CM: Interesting that even when every thing’s connected, people can come to their own conclusions separately, isolated from one another. Like Darwin theorizing on evolution from his work in the Galapagos simultaneously as this less known guy who was figuring out the same things in South America.

A: (To Nick) That Yugo shit is working, man. I found this Yugo blog, all Yugoslavian shit. It’s confusing though cause it’s really 6 different countries but you know.

CM: Do you feel like you milk the catalog of certain countries and then you have to move across the map?

A: Sort of, but then you always find more. I definitely milked Italy, and then this like Canterbury stuff. Some scenes are so shallow, but you’re kind of right. That’s why I moved from the UK 70’s prog scene, I did the US 70’s fusion scene, you just get bored of it. There’s so much more, crazier. Like Czechoslavakian fusion, is CRAZY. Luckily I found this record dealer who travels all over Europe collecting, I met him at a vinyl fair. And he had all these East-European vinyls I’ve been looking for, and ever since then I’ve been meeting up with him, he lives in Victoria [BC]. Spent way too much money (laughing). But it feels good to do it, its what I get joy from.

N: [Pleased with what’s coming together] This loop is sick. It’s got something.

A: If you’re going to have a beat that’s loops over and over, the way to make it not boring is to inject real musicality into it. And get a mood that’s not black and white, not happy, not sad, something that’s not clear. The only way I can describe it is mystical. That word has a bad connotation, but it allows your brain to relax, while evoking a deeper emotion that your absorbing.

CM: Reminds me of that Wes Anderson movie we just saw.

A: Yeah (David) Lynch does that a lot too. He lets the brain go. That’s when the best art happens, when its not just handed to you on a plate. Pop music can be like that, its handed to you on a plate, and you just quickly eat it.

N: Finger food.

A: You know it’s still really enjoyable

N: FUCK POP MUSIC (jokingly, laughing). Nah I love Pop, like “Fine China” by Chris Brown. That shit’s so jazzy, but pop.

A: There’s a lot of pop that’s not in the mainstream. Grimes is pop, there’s a distinction.

CM: It’s like the simplest kind of music, but probably requires the most intelligence to make well.

A: Exactly. I’m even a huge fan of the guy who produced for the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears

CM: Who’s that?

A: Max Martin. Did like 100 #1’s in the 90’s

N: Yo, who’s that other guy though?

A: Dr. Luke. He sort of took over the reigns for Max Martin. Martin’s coming back for the new Britney album, crazy. But Max is that dude. There’s this video on YouTube that goes through all of his hits.

CM: So do you make a lot of beats on just a laptop?

N: “Vibe Guru” was made on a laptop.

CM: To clarify not just on the laptop but through the laptop speakers

N: Yeah, just made but not mixed. With no fucking keyboards.

CM: And what do you think doing that informs?

N: I think it wasn’t with intention doing that. I don’t know man that was just a hard time for me, in a bad headspace, stuck on that couch. But slowly by the end of that album I was off the couch. But there’s definitely something about preparing it on laptop speakers.

CM: Like if it can knock on a laptop, it’s going to knock no matter what.

N: So many people, that’s their main way of listening to music, 99% of people listening don’t have fat monitors.

A: And even if you have them you’re not always trying to use them.

N: All your really missing out on is the Bass. and if that’s the main part of your song

A: Then you better have some high frequencies in your bass. Like just doing what Rusko does, putting it all the way up, on like all the kick drums. PSSHTT. Every dub step producer.

N: (Laughing)

A: I used to love that dub step shit.

CM: So what’s it like to be back working together side by side, whens the last time that got to happen?

A: Right when I had moved back from living in Montreal, before Nick moved out here, we had a few months together. That’s when we made the OutKast remix. There’s very few in Vancouver that share a similar vision with me for music in general, which is why I made so music with Nick. The choices he makes I agree with, and that doesn’t happen. Even people who you love and respect their music, you have different visions. It’s important to be on the same level mentally, and not just technically.

CM: It seems that you grew up with a bunch of people from Van who have enjoyed some notoriety recently, and many have made the move to here. Can you describe your view on the relationship between Montreal and Vancouver?

A: Montreal’s more happening for music, coming here allows you to network more, get it heard more, heard with a more critical ear. More young people, people who are hungry for new scenes. Van people are a bit more content with what’s on the radio, less hungry to hear new stuff. But that’s generalizing, there’s tons of people on Vancouver who are on an awesome tip too, but this area of Montreal is crazy. In terms of lour friends, like Dave, when we moved from Vancouver, I never thought Dave would be doing what he was doing, at the time we were in a band together supporting this rapper and we had this vision for the band but it fell apart and Dave was already doing solo beats for the rapper, Panther.

And it was a natural evolution, Dave produced the last tracks we did when we were breaking up, and Josh (Panther) was rapping. So Dave just started making the beat, cause the beats were insane. We were like wow, this guy can really make dance music. And he’s been making dance music for a long time, from like way back. When I first met him in 2008 he was making House music.

N: He was real into Justice.

CM: Since your move to here, do you find what your making is marginally different? Does this place bring out a different side of you?

A: I think it makes you create more, being away from everyone. You have the time, its cold, your inside, there’s so many creative people. When I moved here, same with Nick. There’s way more people here doing it, makes you work harder.

N: There are so many scenes here, and within each scene is a sound lets say, different sounds. The thing about Montreal, everyone is telling each other their secrets. Exchanging info, all these different sounds are building upon each other, combining into new, and pushing the limits. Back home, the Rock, the Funk, the Hip Hop, the rap, the beat scene; everything is more closed off from each other. Like “Oh our thing is the coolest thing”

A: There’s less experimentation. Strictly music, there’s a crazy weird scene [in Vancouver] for free jazz, but its small. Here it seems there’s more boundaries being pushed.

CM: Nick, what’s it like building a following here, working on your weekly night.

N: Numbers, and likes, and plays. Social media stuff is cool and it pushes you and gives you visibility, and makes you feel like it’s working a little bit, its growing. Like a little business. But Montreal is the first place where I came knowing nobody, to everyone here I’m a mystery. But back home, I went to high school, elementary, there’s nothing new about me being around.

A: You see people you know all the time.

N: There’s no mystery. So being an unknown, and playing shows, building Melt, they know me as a musician, as music that they like. Its fucking crazy, people are so nice. They come back every week, writing on the event pages, supporting us. It’s great, and random. I wasn’t trying to get all these people to come out, they just came. Made a flyer, put it on FB, invited the 50 people that we could and it just grew.

A: And that’s a result of people being hungry for new stuff.

N: This was the easiest time I had getting a night going.

CM: Last Thursday was your 8th show, and Kaytranada even showed up for the first time. Was that unexpected?

N: It wasn’t that out of line, because he’s friends with Pomo who was playing.. He’s into similar stuff.

A: Him and Pomo are working on stuff together; he’s there to support him. Knows us collectively, supports us.

CM: Between the both of you, what do you see as the main differences between making your last EP and this one?

A: We made the last one much more leisurely, in the summer, in the fucking solarium!

CM: The what?

N: It’s this room that was my bedroom for one summer. It was amazing.

A: How would you describe it? Like this large wide space with big glass windows.

N: It’s this house I called “Big Shiny House”. I named one of my EP’s after it.

A: In the lushest part of western Van.

N: Yeah this beautiful house, backyard, garage, was such a steal. The downstairs was like a cabin, amazing. My room was this huge thing, 3 times the size of this room we’re in. 3 out of the 4 walls were giant windows that open up with a fucking tree branch growing right into my room.

A: Couches all around. It changed shape so many times.

N: Remember I had the loft bed,

A: With the TV to the left, and all the right was the studio. For last project I’d come over on whatever weekend and just make a track. It wasn’t as if we were making an “album” we just compiled some stuff. And eventually we’d look at each other like “EP?”

N: Yeah, “EP? EP?” and then just wrap it up.

CM: And this time you have this direction and expectation, how do you deal with that?

A: To be honest, the thing with productivity, there’s always things that get in the way. So if you just literally do it, it will turn into something cool. The main problem is that people put stuff in the way, make excuses. But if you just do it, its always going turn into something cool. So the initiative is great. Unfortunately Nick has had a stomach infection, but even through that we’ve made a lot of tracks.

CM: Yeah that’s like some Michael Jordan 4th quarter with the Flu shit.

N: The thing with beats, the best ones, or the best parts all come in a split second. Suddenly.

A: That’s why it’s such a subtle difference, from ok to great.

CM: Speaking of, Illa J was just here today recording with yall. How did that relationship come to be?

N: (Putting on a serious rapper affectation) So yo, way back in the day. Like 2012 or some shit. Maybe even 2013, we was making the Kosmichemusik EP. I somehow came into contact with Frank Nitt.

A: (Off in the kitchen fixing a sandwich) How did that happen again?

N: Facebook

A: Just Facebook?

N: I was just like, “Yo…Whatup”. I don’t even know. He knew Moka [Only] or some shit. I hit him up and asked “what would it be to do a track with you?” And we made it happen. He did a whole song for what he would do a verse cause he was into the music. And then I brought him and Illa J to Vancouver cause we put on a Dilla Day in Van.

A: When was that?

N: 2013. And we combined it with the Potatohead People 7” release, and took care of them when they were here. Blazed, took them out to lunch. And then Illa’s girlfriend hit me up cause Frank Nitt gave her my contact.

A: Was that after the LA Trip.

N: Oh yeah, so I went out to LA, met up with Frank, went to Delicious Vinyl, smoked a bunch of blunts, listened to the unreleased Dilla in the studio. Crazy. And he was just a really nice chill ass dude. So Illa’s girlfriend hit me up because she was trying to get me to bring her boyfriend and Frank to MTL for a show, where she lived. So she could see her boyfriend.

CM: Cute.

N: That didn’t end up happening, but eventually he decided to move out here. And we just kept up the correspondence, and blam blam, started making tracks.

[“Love Song-1” by the Internet plays in the background]

CM: So snow’s melted, winters over. Shits getting more active, what are you guys up to for this Summer?

A: I’m going to be writing music, for my “Claire Mortifee and the Mothership” project. Going to be writing music for my other band Glass Kites, we’re in the process of writing an album, are like 7 songs in on that. We write really long songs, so yeah. Doing that, lots of writing. It has to be that. Also going to be playing at the Vancouver Art Gallery in the summer, Nick is playing Bass Coast, and he’s got some other crazy shit lined up.

N: Yeah Bass Coast, going to Van for a bit. Possible shows in NY, Philly, Toronto, other places. Waiting for this album to drop. Enjoying being outside, living in a new place. Just living.