But the journey that Deal is on is one of sound exploration, lo-fi and a willingness to experiment with different genres, all while maintaining a solid sonic throughline.
For contextual purposes, it should also be noted that both of us were wearing green sweaters during the Zoom call.
I want to talk about this concept of failure, because I love the story behind the artwork. How does the imagery of you floating on that water connect to your own reflections on failure?
KIM DEAL: First of all, the person who told me about that, [Alex De Corte], did the video and the album artwork. We were looking at some books, talking about these aspects of what I was looking at, and I’m just like, He did what now? The guy, [Bas Jan Ader], just took off. The photograph his wife took of him… the last photograph, in search of the miraculous. Then they just found the dinghy, you know. The boat washed up.
With this album being out for a while now, do you feel like you’re still on the voyage, considering the tour is just about to start, or do you feel like you’re on the other side of that idea?
DEAL: I think the cover is… it’s a very good representation of what it takes for me to do stuff. Being in Dayton, a lot of people don’t know the Pixies or the Breeders. Being in this city, I’ve always liked that. I’ve always liked being here. When I’m making music in the city, there’s something about having it, cooking it up and being stranded and isolated. I feel like that’s my boat. I’m on my boat. From the isolation comes the bend of the mind. You know, I think I’m doing great, but it’s doomed. It’s definitely a doomed voyage.
Why do you feel like that? Because the record’s great.
DEAL: Because my dad’s like that, I don’t know, man. Dayton, thinking. We’re all doomed, whatever.
You talk about youth a lot on this record. “Wish I Was” being on the nose about it, then “Coast” talking about kids, too. I’m curious why you decided to reflect on that idea on a few of these songs.
DEAL: I don’t even know if I’m thinking about the youth. I’m mostly just talking about myself. I’m always thinking about myself. You know, aging, failing… slowly, quickly, whatever. There are a couple of moments in both songs. There is a similar thought of looking and desirous, but for different reasons. For “Coast,” I was getting clean on Nantucket, like in 2000. And it was rough. It was nice to see… well, I call them kids, but they were like 25 or 22. They were out in the daytime. In the daytime! They were doing stuff in the day! They were getting in the ocean, in wetsuits. It was a nice change because I had just been in New York City, living in a basement studio cellar for months, just doing drugs. So it was really nice to see people getting out. And then [“Wish I Was”] is just about getting old, which is a failure of the mind, the body.
There’s that line in “Disobedience”: “I go where I want / While I’m still on the planet.” I felt that out of all the great lines on this record, that one sort of defined the whole thing for me.
DEAL: Oh, that’s nice.
You did explore a lot of sounds — indie rock, a little bit of country, electronica, horns. Because some of the album was recorded here, did Dayton have much inspiration on the music itself?
DEAL: Oh yeah, for sure. I was raised on Midwest hard rock. Hara Arena. Scorpions, UFO, Brownsville Station, Sammy Hagar solo, Nugent, Rush, Rush, Rush… the outlaws, like Marshall Tucker Band. Those were playing and we went all the time. That’s who toured. I love Sabbath, I love the guitar sound. Every time I pick up a guitar… I know it’s not appropriate in some songs, so I don’t do it, but it’s the epitome. I was just talking to the guitar player about which is my favorite Black Sabbath record. I decided I wanted to do a playlist, because I’m like, which one has “Supernaut” and “War Pigs.” But it’s two different albums.
I’m a big fan of Black Sabbath’s “Vol. 4.”
DEAL: That was my answer! Then I looked at it, and it didn’t have “War Pigs.”
So how did all that stuff you saw at Hara, all that touring Midwest hard rock, come through in the music on “Nobody Loves You More”?
DEAL: I mean, I got my Les Paul and my Marshall. I don’t know what else you want, sir. [Laughs] But there’s also the disco with the dumb snare.
With this being your first solo record, what are your thoughts going on tour?
DEAL: It’s so exciting. We’ve been rehearsing here in town. We’ve got the string players here. [My sister] Kelley is going to be singing back up with me, with another singer coming from Cincinnati. Then there’s going to be some horn players, a trumpet and a trombone player. They’re coming for the first time today from Cincinnati to rehearse with the band. It’s sounding really good. The basement’s getting very full.
Brandon Berry writes about the Dayton and Southwest Ohio music and art scene. Have a story idea for him? Email branberry100@gmail.com.
More info: Kim Deal’s debut solo album “Nobody Loves You More” is out now. It is available on all streaming platforms and can be purchased at kimdealmusic.com.
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