Tony Hightowerinterview |
Brad: Tony How are you doing? Tony: Pretty good these days, actually. Tony: I have a new toy. Brad: what kind of stuff have you been up to? Brad: whats teh toy Tony: I've made a couple of records, and they're good and all, but I don't know nothing about engineering or the mechanical parts of it. Tony: I'd go in and record and listen and arrange, but that was abut it. Tony: So I finally broke down last month and started ... acquiring home studio equipment. Tony: Now I've got a little studio here in the apartment, and by god it's overdue. Tony: I've been learning how it works by recording every song I can think of Brad: freebird? Brad: jk Tony: Hey, good idea, no really. I do a decent "Stariway To Heaven," least I think Tony: I have almost a whole album's worth of Duran Duran covers now. Brad: were you dating simon labon? Tony: No, but I get that all the time. Tony: I figure, these are the songs I'm to make all my recording mistakes on. Tony: So when I actually learn how to use the equipment, I can make it sound, whaddyacallit, good. Brad: ahh- has this toy delayed your album finish date? Tony: That's the plan anyway. Brad: You don't think messiahs and angry word sounded good? Tony: Good god, no, they sounded fantastic. Thing is, though, I'm here in New York, and I don't quite have the funds to jet on up to Toronto and talk with all my old buds about making a record for a couple of weeks yet. Tony: We're almost there, just ... not quite. Tony: And actually it hasn't changed the schedule at all. The timetable was to have the recording part done by September, and that's still on track. Tony: What it has changed is the style of the record a little. Brad: ahhh- you said it would be the most antifolk sounding record youve done what does that mean? Tony: See... okay. I moved to New York about 2 1/2 years ago. Brad: about the time I heard of ya Tony: Really? You go that far back? Cool. Brad: yep Tony: And I knew about antifolk before that, but anyway, I moved here with a brand new record under my arm, and I've learned a lot about what I actually know and what I can do and what I've had to learn, but now it's two years later and I haven't made a record since I moved here. Brad: SIngle angry word was one of my fave songs of 2000 along with crazy like an ambush Tony: I love Crazy Like an Ambush too. Damn, Grey is good. (I've heard pieces of his new one, Kamikaze. It smokes.) Tony: Anyway, So, I have a ton of songs and I haven't recorded any of them yet. Tony: And because I'm hanging out with A/F people, I have lots of acoustic stuff that kind of didn't fit with the powerpoppy stuff I was doing before Tony: But I'm still writing powerpoppy stuff too. Tony: My point (I have a point!) is that I'm making two albums in the next year or so. Brad: Lucky us!!! Brad: both sound different> Tony: I hope so... And this one is going to be the A/F record, and the next one ... I'm planning on doing the transnational thing with it, because I know this amazing horn section in Toronto, and I could put together a real orchestra if I wanted to... Tony: I'm drooling just thinking about it. But this one is going to be a lot more personal. Brad: have you started recording? Tony: Yes... I've been down at Dubway studios doing a few percussion and rhythm tracks, and up at this other place in Queens working out guitar stuff. It sounds so large scale, but it's not, really. Tony: And if I can get a song or two out of the home thing, that's a bonus. Brad: You play every intrament? Tony: Yep, I'm Lenny Kravitz. Didn't you know? Tony: I got sent a record last month from Toronto Brad: of what? Tony: where I played a glockenspiel solo on it. Tony: I'm listening to the song, and going, yeah, tht's me, but when the hell did I do that? Tony: So I could play everything, but I'm no musician. Brad: how do you mean? Tony: I can work parts out, and the miracle of multitracking is that then someone can come in and just record over whatever I did and no one is the wiser. Tony: But I don't think of myself as a musician. The recording process bears that out. Brad: How do you see yourself then? Tony: I can sing better than I think I can in my mind's ear, but I'm a writer. That's what I do. That's what I always wanted to be. The whole music thing is almost a sidelight. A fun sidelight, one with immediate and mostly positive feedback, one that gets me over my shyness and gets me to meet with other articulate outsiders, but I didn't get into music until after college. Tony: I was writing record reviews for this magazine in Toronto, and I didn't like anything I saw or heard. 30 bands a week, and I hated them. They were unimaginative, unprepared, they had nothing to say... it was terrible. Tony: So I wrote a column about it, and people basically told me to start my own band, so I did. Tony: And now it's, what, ten years later, and um, here I am. Brad: Are you a journalist? Tony: I majored in it, but journalism school showed me that the meat-and-potatoes stuff of journalism is not what I want. Tony: I don't need to fact check things, I don't want to be that mechanical with my writing. Tony: I just wanted to rant and tell stories, truth be damned. Tony: I always loved the stories that were truer than true. Brad: so you lie a little? Tony: What I am, Brad, is a novelist. I wanted to write books since I was a kid. Tony: Do novelists lie? Tony: Damn right they do. Brad: have you written one> Tony: I wrote one in high school, but ... Tony: see, you have to learn about human nature a little bit if you want to write a good book. Tony: And no teenager has that kind of knowledge. Brad: so your book was no good Tony: It sucked canal water. Brad: what was supposed to be about Tony: I have a printed copy in a box somewhere over my Grandfather's barber shop, and no one will see it. Ever. Brad: just a synopsys here Brad: please Tony: It was a rewrite of "On The Road." I had done some hitch hiking and hoboing around North America, and I though I would impart some wisdom through little tales. Tony: There was supposed to be a continuum through them all. Tony: I shudder even describing it. Brad: I won't torture you any more then Tony: I felt like Jesus writing it. Brad: divine Tony: It's fine, I can laugh now. Brad: or human Tony: It was all part of growing up. Brad: Haven't you started to write a new book? Tony: And I'm a better writer for it. Brad: thats waht is important Tony: Yeah, and even though it's half done, it's already almost readable in places! Brad: can we get a preview---? Tony: I'm excited about it too, but I'm not looking at it until the record is done. Brad: ahhh Tony: Let me see. I'll get back to you. Tony: Probably. Brad: when Tony: By tomorrow? Tony: I haven't read any of it since I put it down in February. Brad: But you wrote it Tony: I'd have to find a passable passage. Brad: ok- that will be ok I will paste it in later- tommorow- this will not be posted til next week Tony: Cool - I was going to give you a chapter, and I just wasn't sure which one. Tony: It's about the local music scene, though. Brad: same as my website Tony: Yep. Like my favorite wrestler from the 80's, Koko B. Ware, always used to say... Tony: You got ta go with what you know! Tony: and then he'd flap his arms and the parrot on his should er would freak out Brad: hahhaha Tony: We both going with what we know. Brad: right. This might sound weird but.... Tony: Just like the record. Tony: mm? Brad: I love the pace of your songs- is that something that you think about when writing them? the pace of them. Brad: Plus i dig the catchyness Tony: Oh yes. Pace is huge with me. Tony: I have a secret for the catchiness, but the speed and rhythm style of a song are the hard parts for me. That's what I work hardest on. Tony: Any monkey can take a sad song and play it faster, but the point of a song is to get something out, to communicate a thought shape, and the feel of a song is vital. Tony: It's like making sure the chair is comfortable so you can read or listen to something in the best frame of mind. Tony: Or something. Brad: Do you really think you could beat Mike Tyson in Chess- are you good- Stupid question -hell i guess the way things have been going for him you might could out box him Tony: I'll take a new song and play it a thousand different ways - like Everclear, like Portishead, like Lunchin, like the Moldy Peaches, like Johnny Cash, whatevr Brad: Luchin- (smile) Tony: I'm a terrible chess player. I have a little computer chess program on this computer and I can't beat the novice setting on it. Tony: I did box for a while, though. Now that's fun. Tony: Poor mike. I hope he gets some help. Tony: But anyway. Pace. I don't have a natural sense, so I have to just try it out in every style I can think of. Tony: That's where the home recording thing is so great. I can work out all this stuff without bothering people until I'm happier with what I've got. Brad: Does it take you a while to record then Tony: No, I'm pretty quick, though I do go through a lot of takes, especially with instruments. I just learned how to record that way. Vaughn Passmore (the producer of the first two records) got me to slow down a lot, by god he was meticulous, and I learned patience in the studio from him. Tony: Now, here, though, I can work out at least rough arrangements and decent tracks fairly quickly. Which is nice. Brad: I see- do you write a lot? Tony: Even now, in the middle of recording all this stuff, I'm writing three songs a week. Tony: Most of them are terrible, but I'm about the underwear theory - Tony: throw enough of it at the wall, and something'll stick. Brad: you gotta send me some tapes!!! im starvin over here for some tony hightower- Being in NC i don't get to see ya live and here any of thenewer stuff Tony: Aw, geezus. Tony: I'll get something to you as soon as it's closer to being done. Brad: you the man Tony: Patience, grasshopper. I'm climbing the walls too, waiting for it to be done, and it's all in my hands.. Brad: I see that- tell me about starting your blog and explain what that is to thise who don't know Tony: Maybe I'll put out a record of just home tapes. I've been thinking about putting out that Duran Duran covers record under a pseudonym. Tony: Okay, the blog. Tony: Weblogs are basically online journals, with links, or rants, or they serve as a place for like-minded people to meet. Tony: They've gained in popularity as various programs and sites have been developed to make publishing them easier for the average schmoe. Tony: I started one, the Evil Twin Theory, in September of 2000, as much to keep myself in practice for writing something other than songs as to promote anything. Tony: Turned out there was a whole nother community of weblogs, and now there's lots of people all over the world who have them. Brad: Have you met a lot of people from it? Tony: In a lot of ways, I think it's the future of the net - it's one of the best ways for people to communicate better ideas and concepts with each other, in a time where more letter writing is going away. Email doesn't have that kind of heft. Tony: Sure. I have almost as many friends online as offline now. Tony: I know these people as well as I know anyone at Sidewalk, mostly. Tony: See... The media is being controlled by fewer and fewer people every year, as companies buy each other out. Blogs are one of the best ways to keep a network of non-corporate thought going. Brad: Hey I am related to a media giant almost Tony: Yeah? Anyone we know? Brad: Myabe Brad: edited Tony: edited Tony: edited Brad: nO I AM NOT- but they paid for my grad school Brad: My aunt married in Tony: They expecting a return on investment, then? Gotta go work for the big machine soon? Tony: Move to Chicago, get involved with the Democratic Party Mafia? Brad: Yeah this fansite thingg better turn a profit soon Tony: You could parlay it into anything you want, you know. Brad: liek what? Tony: It's a great thing, your site, you know. Tony: Oh, I don't know. Tony: Rolling Stone was once a little scene zine. Tony: So was the Village Voice. Tony: I'm just thinking out loud here. Brad: Tony i am not a writter though Tony: You may or may not be a writter, but you are a publisher. Brad: I am not just a poster Tony: What are you,then? Eh? Brad: cut and paste- Having fun at it and gettin to meet artists i admire Tony: Success is supposed to be that easy. Brad: I meant I was just a poster, as in i post it up Tony: Publishing is definitely that easy if you do it right. Tony: All I'm sayiong is, you're doing something good here, and I could see a time where this could maybe make a buck or three for you. Brad: Timothy Dark and i talked once and he was sayin that it should become a magazine Tony: And haveing a clue what would have to happen for that to happen, I'm telling you you've done the hard part already. Brad: I said it to Joe bendik, I an MBA- if someone gets ig I could be a finacial advisor Tony: Hmmmm. Now that's a marketable skill. Brad: You would think, but with this economy- not so much so Brad: I am a consultant Brad: now Tony: With whom are you consulting? Tony: I'm interviewing you now. Brad: Right now Colonial Insurance- I train the managers and supervisors Brad: Just started Tony: Is it alright? Brad: too early to tell really Tony: Pay okay? How's your work space? Brad: Pay could be a lot better- travvel 100% and space I just use their building Tony: Oh. Sounds like a band aid solution. Tony: So you're still looking, then. Brad: Not at this time- I want to give it a fair shake and see if i am any good at it Tony: Okay. As long as you can get somewhere from where you are, and you're not going nuts, then that's what's good. Brad: yeah- do you have a day job or music 100%? Tony: Oh, I temp. Music has been enough in the past, but right now -- Tony: I live alone in Manhattan, and so I temp at a law office. Brad: Best Lawyer joke? Tony: They're cool - I have a big window and a boss who leaves me alone. Tony: You got one? Brad: i was aksin you Tony: What am I, Hammell? I suck at remembering jokes. Tony: If I come up with something I'll let you know. Brad: Ok Tony: But really, I don't know. Tony: Besides, I don't do much law stuff there. Tony: And write songs. Tony: I do the NYT crossword. Brad: Idealy What do you want out of your music- wanna be a star? Tony: You know what I want? Brad: what Tony: I want to write. That's all I ever wanted to do, and that's all I want to do now. Tony: Becoming famous would help that, because I'd have more time a more of an audience. Tony: But it's not the integral thing. Tony: Money would bring the freedom to write about anything I wanted to. Tony: But money's not integral to what I want to do. Tony: So yes, fame? Yeah, great, no question. Money, damn right. Tony: But I'm really happy only when I have something to write about and time to work it out. Brad: Smart ass MBA finacial Advisor - you know it! Tony: Word, boyee! Brad: Are you married or in a relationship currently? Tony: Nope. My last breakup was actually what spurred me to write the new novel. Tony: Now, I probably won't get involved with anyone until I get the record finished. Brad: was it messy? Brad: married to your craft Tony: No. Quite the opposite. She and I are still close. Tony: I guess... It's why I moved here. Brad: Miss Toronto? Tony: Hell yeah, sometimes. I'd have stayed if all I wanted to do was settle into a good life. Toronto's great. I would recommend it to anyone. But I moved to NYC for a reason, and I haven't fulfilled that reason yet. Brad: What kinda things you enjoy outside writting? for fun? Tony: I used to box, and I'd love to get back into that. But these days, I've been riding my boke around the city, taking pictures. It gets me out of the house, and I have something else to show for my day. Brad: ahhh Tony: I'm planning on doing a lot of that this summer. Tony: I went bowling last night, too. Tony: I know a few bowlers now, and that's fun. Brad: Stevie wonder? Tony: Ray Charles, actually. Tony: He's very good. You might not have guessed. Brad: I did Brad: Do you read alot? Tony: Constantly. I'm reading a Will Self book (How The Dead Live) right now, and it's real good, but I fall asleep every time I open it, and I don't know if that's a sign. Brad: ahaha Tony: I read a lot of literature & fiction, though. Tony: The library is on my way home from work, so there's always something in my bag. Brad: what is the secret life of Tony Hightower like? Tony: Well, after I shut off the recording machines, I put on my cape and mask, and I go out in the night to stop crimes. Not only am I a black belt with connections all over town, I have pass cards to all the biggest buildings,and I catch corporate CEOs in the act of cooking books. I shall not rest until peace and good reign across the land, and everyone has all the meats and cheeses they wish for (Tofu and vegetables will also be available.). Tony: Also, I love the night life. I've got to boogie. Tony: Well, you asked. Brad: Are you a booty shaker? Tony: It is my solemn duty to rock the booty. Tony: Sometimes even my own. Brad: anybody recognize a rebel Tony: Holla! Brad: You have any questions for me? Tony: I'm thinking... Tony: Who was the first antifolk person you ever saw? Tony: Or heard. Brad: Roger Manning back in late 94 saw him later in like 98 I have only seen a coupel of artists live especially if you do not count the hoot I went to in June Tony: Yeah, how was NYC? Brad: I saw Roger, Hamell, and then In chapel Hill I saw Adam Brodsky then walked a block and saww moldy peaches Brad: NYC was great Tony: It sounded kind of whirlwind. Brad: Mad (my pal) and I had tons-O-FUN Tony: I bet you did. Brad: It was too short but what can you do. Tony: Well, it's not going away. You can come back any time. Brad: when I got back i did get to go see Chris Chandler Brad: Kick as Brad: ass Tony: How is he? I haven't seen him in literally years. Brad: He is good- in Seattle now and I will interview him most likly next week Brad: Anne Fenney is his partner now Brad: I don'tthink he plays guitar anymore Tony: What? Brad: to what Tony: He stopped playing guitar? Brad: I believe so- I know he did not touch one either time I have seen him live Brad: being 2000 and 2001 Brad: nope wait 2000 and 2002 Tony: Wow. Well, that's recent enough to count as a trend anyway. Brad: Yep Tony: But guitar was his thing back in, gawd, '94? 95? Tony: Damn. Brad: You knew him while in Toronto? Tony: He came up and stayed a little while. Tony: I think he might have beensweet on a friend of mine. Brad: he might have Tony: I have no concrete information eithger way. Do not construe that as dirt. Brad: I can ask him Brad: Any other questions for me? Tony: I don't think so. Not off the top of my head, anyway. Brad: Ok well lets do a fast five questions then and wrap it up Tony: Sure. Brad: How old were you when you had the best sex of your life? Tony: 19. She was 40. Brad: Damn BOY- Brad: What is the worst piece of clothing you own? Tony: It was two weeks in a foreign place with a carefree intellectual. Tony: I own. Brad: yep Tony: I have a cardigan with a New York Giants Logo on it that looks like it passed through a rhinoceros. Tony: I don't even like the Giants. Brad: haaahaahaa-more of a hockey guy? Tony: Well, yeah, but I follow the New Orleans Saints. I like a challenge. Brad: hahah I like teh carolina teams- word up Tony: I bet. Hope the Panthers do better. At least you have the Canes, though. Brad: Yeah- they did great!!! brought hockey to NC this postseason!! Tony: Yeah, laugh it up. This Leafs fan dies a little inside every May. Brad: What is the biggest difference from Canada and the USA? Tony: Sorry about the Hornets, by the way. Tony: The biggest difference? Tony: Canadians have a reserved thing about them that Americans don't. Brad: how so Tony: Canadians, as a rule, under stress, are better at hiding behind whatever they're doing. Americans, for better or worse, tend to let themselves hang out more. Tony: I don't know which is more interesting. Tony: Depends on my mood. Brad: i see Brad: Last one Tony: Okay. Shoot. Brad: What kind of guitars do you play? Tony: I have a Washburn that was a hand me down from Joie DBG, of all people, but that got stolen and I bought a Martin, and then the Washburn came back, so those are my two acoustics. Brad: Cool Tony: I have a Gibson Les Paul that I played on the records, that's my electric, which I play through a Fender twin amp. Tony: That's all. I'm no Nigel Tufnel or anything. I have what I have, and that's all. Brad: Thanks so much for doing this- I hope you had some fun I did Tony: This is great. I hope you got something useable. Thank you too. Tony: I'll send you an excerpt from the book this weekend sometime. Brad: I got a lot and I am looking forward to the chapter Brad: Thanks so much!!! Tony: Cool. I'm going outside now to shoot people in Central Park. Brad: I read about it later Tony: Probasbly. Tony: Ciao. |
the TONY HIGHTOWER interview |
