Interview with Jeremy Messersmith, The Silver City

Today I got the opportunity to chat with Minneapolis songwriter about his new album, The Silver City, which we told you about last week.

What was recording process like for The Silver City? Was it much different than The Alcatraz Kid?
Recording The Silver City was much different than my previous record. I got bored with my current creative process (sitting in my basement and multitracking) and decided I should try to find some musical collaborators. I found two- and Andy Thompson. All three of us have our own studios so we split time between them. Dan produced the record so we spent most of the time recording there. Most of the tracks started with just me and acoustic guitar- some from my basement demos. Then the three of us would sit around and try to think of something cool, or just try to play something that was laying around in the room.

I’m told this is a concept album about the Twin Cities. Do you live near Franklin Avenue (mp3), or how did the idea for that come about?
It’s a concept record in that it is inspired by Twin Cities locales and landmarks. I’ve lived on or around Franklin Avenue for several years now and I always thought it would be a great setting for a song.

Tell me about the track “Welcome to Suburbia.” I’ve got to tell you, I just bought my first house in the burbs, and that song pretty much runs through my head during my commute home every night.
I’m so sorry! I have a friend who can’t listen to the song because she finds it too frightening. I think for a lot of people, a nice house in the suburbs is the culmination of the American dream, or the closest thing to “heaven on earth.” Naturally, I had to write a song about absurd that is.

What are you doing on 9/2 at the Fitz? Is that related to the RNC?
It’s a clever bit of anti-programming organized by Adam Levy, John Munson and Matt Wilson. I think it’ll be a night of good music and some great ideas. I’ll be playing a set of tunes with a band.

Tell me about your upcoming CD Release show on 9/25.
I’m playing a show with and . I’ll be playing a nice long set with a few friends of mine and a somewhat revamped live show. Rachel is a good friend of mine and sang on my new record. She’ll be coming up from Chicago to play. The Owls new record is probably my local favorite of the year or at least the record I’ve listened to the most. I’ve never seen them play live, so I begged them to be on the bill.

What else is new?
Well, I just got taken out to the Star Wars exhibit at the Science Museum. Being the biggest Star Wars nut ever I was pretty excited to ride in the Millennium Falcon. Hmmm. I guess I need to make a Star Wars record or something.

Jeremy Messersmith’s CD Release Show for The Silver City September 25 at The Varsity Theater with and .