(Part of The Weekly Check In series)
Here is the Weekly Check In with Mark Harrison. It’s probably one of the longest ones ever.
Mark plays many instruments in the band Capybara (who I’ve talked about a lot lately and if you haven’t listened yet, you should right now.) He lives in Kansas City, MO and he’s a very talented guy. I recently got to meet him in person when Capybara played in San Francisco last week and it was great. How good is that photo of him?
(Here’s a video of the first song of their show in SF shot terribly on my digital camera)
Find out more about them at http://capybaramusic.com and here’s a new video they just put up yesterday.
Rubin: What are you currently working on or just finished that you’re excited about?
Harrison: Excitement is weird. Being on my first tour with our band Capybara for the past 8 weeks – booking, managing, and performing – provides confusing amounts of excitement. As I stop momentarily to search for instances of this one feeling, I am conflicted. Every day provides exciting new challenges, and when I speak about my life on the road to friends, family, and strangers, I hear excitement in my voice that contrasts my old routine, working a 40 or 60 or 70 hour a week job in NYC, and I know: My life is exciting. But as I sit here at 4:17, surrounded by 8 timid cats in the living room of an acquaintance’s house in Pasadena, CA with Gattaca playing as a soundtrack to this e-mail, and this is the first time this week I have been able to sit down to collect my thoughts, I am definitely caught off guard by this question.
Opportunity brings excitement, and tour equals constant opportunity. Tourpportunity. Therefore, I am full of excitement, excitement is my life, and I smile. A lot, everyday.
Between recording in the beautiful mountains of Taos, NM, releasing our debut album Try Brother, establishing relationships with friends like The Record Machine, Mushpot, and Team Clermont to help broaden our base of support, traveling with Range Life Entertainment’s amazing films, playing in old funeral homes, waffle carts, and potluck parties live-on-air in the middle of a forest, or staying up all night to get on the Price is Right, my mind still wanders to what is next for Capybara. And I can’t wait to see what happens – more music, more friends, more opportunities to learn about music as a career, the list goes on. And yeah, I am excited.
Rubin: Where have you traveled so far this month?
Harrison: Of the 25 cities we have visited so far this tour, I will choose to talk a bit about Portland. My first real experience in this city was earlier this year, but it was ambiguous at best. Traveling from Boulder to Portland, bonding with my new van, “Martan Van Buren,” bandmate Jared Horne sleepily tried to convince me that I didn’t have to drive the whole 24 hours in one go, but still we arrived safe and sound, and then I slept. I woke up and was physically in Portland, but mentally somewhere else as we ate, packed up the van, and headed for New Mexico.
This time, I had the pleasure of staying with Sarah and Dirk Marshall, two of the kindest, most unique and enjoyable friends I have met on this tour — coincidentally the sister and brother-in-law of our amazing content producer on tour, Dave Drusky. I tried (several) cheap Vietnamese sandwiches for the first time in my life, we played in front of incredibly accepting audiences, met wonderfully talented bands Paper Brain and Patterns, and had a genuinely amazing time. Beautiful people, beautiful city. Gives Kansas City a run for its money.
Rubin: What’s your favorite music right now?
Harrison: Right now, I have been listening to Paul Simon’s Graceland and Still Crazy After All These Years on repeat, Bon Iver, Loney Dear, The Dodo’s Visiter album, and Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk. I am excited to dive into Royal Osprey’s Treasure, Paper Brain’s Ain’t Nobody Cares, Builders and the Butchers, and Casiotone for the Painfully Alone.
Rubin: Best food you’ve had in your neighborhood lately or while you were traveling?
Harrison: Oh man. Vietnamese sandwiches. Cannot believe I have gone 24 years without having a Vietnamese sandwich. And of course, Pine State Biscuits, Cricket, Flavour Spot, Potato Champion, Grilled Cheese cart (all in Portland!) and I CANNOT WAIT TO HAVE COUNTER CULTURE CAFE in Santa Fe. My favorite soup / sandwich place ever. Oh geez, and Orlando’s in Taos – increeeeeedible green chile. Dangit, now I am hungry.
Rubin: Anything else you want to mention?
Harrison: I should probably just go to bed. We have to play in San Diego tomorrow. I mean later today.
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