Decoy Music sat down with DREDG to find out what is on the mind of the singer of the band.
With its ambient and dreamy pop, Chuckles and Mr. Squeezy may have turned out to be the most controversial Dredg record to date. Looking back at it now, how do you feel about this record? What makes you most proud about Chuckles and Mr. Squeezy?
I think it was a bold but necessary move on our part. We really didn’t want to go into the studio and regurgitate another Pariah or El Cielo so we felt like it was a good time for collaborative effort. We have always, and will continue to, take chances with our music. The day we stagnate is the day we stop.
How much of a challenge has it been to play the new songs live?
It presented some challenges but I feel like they have translated very well in a live setting. I think they’ve helped create a much more diverse setlist and show.
Dan The Automator and Chris DeGarmo: two musicians who were involved in the making of two of Dredg’s most song-focused albums. How would you compare their artistic contributions to the records they were involved with?
Well, they come from completely different backgrounds and that was apparent when we worked with them. Chris is rock guitarist; Dan comes from the hip hop world. Chris mainly worked with us during pre-production on structuring and some writing. His guitar playing skills and sense of melody were really beneficial, not to mention his role as mediator. Dan was involved from the very beginning to the end. He was in there with us during pre-production, he co-wrote some tracks, recorded the record, and mixed it. His hip-hop roots are very apparent on the record.
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