David Pajo
Listen To 'Papa'
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NATN: For fans who might not be entirely up to date, what is the current status of Aerial M?
David Pajo: Aerial M is surely more distant now than ever, I can barely see it anymore. But in it's place is a much more exciting focus, Papa M, for this age that we're in (whatever it's called). Like any good romance, it's all held under the same umbrella.
NATN: Can you describe Papa M in a few sentences? What is the primary musical difference between this project and Aerial M?
DP: Papa M isn't based on limitation and intuition, which Aerial M was as far as instrumentation, songwriting, recording, release procedure, etc., but unlimitation and intuition. Every step is exciting and a little scary, and hopefully the music reflects that. I wrote an Aerial M manifesto once that I more or less adhered to, whether I liked it or not. The Papa M manifesto is simple: divided we stand.
NATN: Are you pleased with the remix project? Which of the four tracks do you find the most surprising?
DP: I'm very happy with it, especially the vinyl format. I think all the songs are cool and representative of the artists involved. I was especially surprised by Bundy's mix. Any song that references Cheech Wizard is fine by me. It seems like his 20-minute opus has three main sections, each with their own character. He seemed to pick up on the Aerial M aesthetic where your attention is free to drift and wander to be returned to the moment.
NATN: On the upcoming tour with Sam Prekop, will you be performing solo or with a band? Will you be performing any Aerial M material?
DP: No, I don't think I'll play those songs again. I have no idea what the live show will be, except that it won't be premeditated. Yeah, right now it is just me solo, maybe I will add low-key percussion as it goes on. But it's starting to sound like Aerial M again, in a Brokeback medium, if that makes any sense (editor's note: Brokeback is the solo project of Tortoise bassist Doug McCombs).
NATN: Sure. I like Brokeback. Is Will Oldham involved in this project in any way? Some people on the Internet had heard you'd be singing lyrics that he'd written.
DP: That's so weird. I remember telling somebody once that I'd be into doing another Continental OP song and that was one of the scenarios, but I've never talked to Will about it. He is involved only in the sense that he has this effect pedal that I flipped over and am basing the songs around.
NATN: Who are some Louisville bands you enjoy right now?
DP: I like Zig Zag Way, Paden, The Party Girls, Bo Deco, King Kong, and anything Tim Ruth or Britt Walford does. To be honest, I don't know what's happening in Louisville right now. I try to stay out of the loop.
NATN: Do you anticipate working with Tortoise again in the future?
DP: My New Year's resolution was that I won't do any music that's not M-related. So if they want to do some music with Papa M I'd be really into it. The biggest drag of not being in Tortoise anymore is that I don't get to see them enough.
NATN: I'd imagine you don't get to take too many vacations. Is this trip the first chance you've had to escape for awhile?
DP: My girlfriend and I went to Mexico last year, it was the first time I'd traveled without any other purpose but to check out a place and have fun. I usually don't go anywhere if I don't have a reason. The Mexico trip was awesome. We later hooked up with Will (Oldham) and Bob Arellano in Oaxaca and rented a convertible VW bug. We swam a lot and ate fried crickets. This trip is probably the most impulsive thing I've done in a long time. I built a bed in my jeep. I'm avoiding hotels and fast food. I have my guitar, a busted car stereo, a sleeping bag, and 5000 miles of driving ahead of me. What's the point? Time and space, I guess.
JONATHAN COHEN | Jonathan Cohen co-created Nude As The News with his Indiana University mates Troy Carpenter and Ben French. When not traversing the globe for business and pleasure, he holds down the fort as a senior editor for Billboard in New York. Stop him and he just may ask, "what for lunch?"