Smally of DAYDREAM GENERATION talks with
THE SPACE BETWEEN THINGS
I love all the new bands and artists that we stumble across on the adventure of making new compilations, but from time to time somebody pops up that is something of an enigma. And like most puzzles, I just can’t resist trying to put it altogether. Toronto’s “The Space Between Things” are one such enigma. With “Bare Hands” due to appear on the next DG compilation, a conversation with the man behind it all - Chris Hobson – quickly morphed into a full-blown interview and some inpirational words & ideas for you to hoover up with your heads…
Smally: So “Bare Hands” is the first time you’ve contributed a song to the Daydream Generation compilations – any chance of an intro? Who you are? Where you’re from? How long you’ve been playing/writing music?
Chris: I live in Toronto but left here in the 90’s and lived all over the place; Vancouver, San Francisco, Seattle and eventually NYC before moving back. I was pretty transient for a lot of years. Along the way I made a film called The Last Hit which I shot in British Columbia. I was hell bent on being a filmmaker for a while and was in debt up to my eyeballs doing it. It’s hard to say whether I’ll make another. I got Phil Elverum (Mount Eerie/The Microphones) to do the score for it and then I got sidetracked with music.I always played guitar and met this jazz singer who had an absolutely incredible voice. Anyway she sang this song for me and suddenly it was like she cast a spell or something because I started writing songs like a madman. A bunch of things were going on at the time and I wanted to capture it all so I would play and sing completely off the top of my head and record it. It’s changed a bit since then. Now everything is somewhat polished, more instruments, and I know more about production but most of it is still off the cuff.
Smally: So is there anywhere we can see some of the films you’ve made? And I guess the obvious question is have you made any music videos?
Chris: The Last Hit will will be entered into festivals soon hopefully. I think the trailer is on youtube somewhere. I’ve made a bunch of short films and music videos over the years…I find filmmaking and music to be one and the same. When I’m editing I just love how something shifts here or there by a millimeter and the moment can change entirely, the same happens with music. It’s storytelling.
Smally: How would you describe your music to someone who has lost their headphones and can’t hear the songs?
Chris: I’d say guttural, truthful, psychedelic, improvisational, folksy, a lot of things. I can’t really put my finger on it. Categories are weird because they work against you, they limit you. I’d like to remain in that grey area. That space between so to speak. There are definite stories and moments that I’m attracted to but most times I just say whatever is on my mind and record it. Sometimes if I listen a year later I’ll hear exactly what was going on at the time. I’m not generally clear about what it is I’m creating in the moment or why, but later I find it to be revealing as hell.
Smally: ”The Space Between Things” – that’s one of the best band names I’ve ever heard. Where did you get the inspiration? What does it mean?
Chris: There’s a gravestone in Japan where the director Yasujiro Ozu rests and on it is a single character that roughly interpreted means “nothing.” The intent, at least for me, is to say we’re always heading one direction or another however it’s the mundane in-between moments that matter. A glance between two people, a fleeting feeling or being lost somewhere. There’s a scene in Last Tango in Paris where Brando puts chewing gum under a railing before he falls to his death. That’s what I love. It’s those little things. Which is why I love photography so much because it allows you to capture a story with something as insignificant as a newspaper in a puddle.
Smally: Man I love this because I know exactly where you’re coming from – it actually explains why I increasingly listen to low-fi/DIY music over the big budget stuff, because there’s more of a story there in the hiss, the laugh, the fluffed note. Is this quite Buddhist sounding philosophy you’re talking about the kind of stuff that goes into your lyrics? What sort of things do you find yourself singing about?
Chris: Imperfection is a wonderful isn’t it? The minute you overwork something it can suck out the emotion. At times I get carried away and end up right back where I started. It’s about knowing when to let something go.I’m into Zen Buddhism but I’m not a full-on Buddhist. I try to follow certain principles I’ve learned and it’s very useful. It keeps me humble. I find it’s a great way of simplifying things.My songs are about the most disparate subjects, like things I’ve seen or been a part of, or just a feeling I had about something or someone. I don’t get too descriptive and I find that a lot of things mix together in there quite naturally. I like ambiguity. I met a writer once named Yoshi, it was pouring rain and we were under this umbrella, anyway he talked about how we’re all a bunch of puppets on strings and how he writes about those strings. I love that.
Smally: What bands/artists have influenced/continue to influence you?
Chris: Jim O’Rourke, producers like DJ Premier, Da Beatminerz, Pete Rock, I like Rick White’s work a lot, early Guided by Voices – Robert Pollard is prolific as hell, Bevis Frond…I draw from a so many random places. A lot of film directors have influenced me like Godard, Wim Wenders, Ozu, Stan Brakhage. Photographers Jeff Wall, Chris Buck, Stephen Shore…my grandfather inspires me, he always tells these fantastic stories. I honestly can’t even begin to do this list justice.
Smally: Haha – from that whole list I’ve only ever heard (and recently) of Bob Pollard so that’s a whole load of searching for me when I finally get the chance. What about more immediately (not including your grandfather) – do you work with any friends on your musical projects, or are you happy to be a solo artist?
Chris: I had a band. I found these guys who were really talented. We practiced together one time and It was magic. But for whatever reason it never happened again. It took time to organize and I didn’t have it in me to start over so I went back to doing it all myself. I always have someone in mind I’d like to collaborate with. My friend Tobias Winberg (Death Valley Sleepers) brings a cool sensibility to music, I’d like to do a track with him. The jazz singer I mentioned earlier Suzana Da Camara, I’m working with her on a song right now called The Light. Her voice is just so incredible I can’t wait to hear what she brings to it. It’s really a thrill being able to create with someone I admire.
Smally: Toronto seems to be a pretty happening place with regards to music right now – you’re the third artist from there to contribute after The Hoa Hoa’s and The Invisible Mouth. Is it really as happening as it appears to be? Anyone else we should look out for?
Chris: I like Action Makes a lot. The Disraelis are good. Who else…The Mark Inside can really rock out. Davy Love has a record label here called Magnificent Sevens and does vinyl only singles of local bands that he likes. A lot of them are quite great.
Smally: If you could be any animal what would you be and why… haha, no, I’m just kidding – moment of journalistic tourettes. I mean what plans have you got for The Space Between Things? Where can we hear more of your music? And what’s your favourite colour?
Chris: I’d be a cat. Mine has it made.From the beginning I wanted The Space Between Things to be a platform for a collective of musicians I would collaborate with. Today my plan is no plan. I’m excited to see where it goes. Obviously if I could get paid for what I do that would be great but it’s never been my goal. Money changes everything. I make music because I love to and because if I don’t I’d go crazy. I’ve got a huge backlog of songs and about three albums worth of music that nobody has even heard. I’m finishing one as we speak which will be available this summer and I’m pretty excited about that. If people connect with what I do that’s great. If they don’t that’s great too. Favorite colour?…definitely red.
