DeadJournalist.com Exclusive Interviews:
Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele
Chuck Norton, DeadJournalist.com
02.02.09
From time-to-time an artist comes along who has the uncanny knack of mixing the unique with the popular and ending up with a distinctive sound that is unmistakably their own.
Welcome to the music of Dent May.
May isn't your typical indie-flared musician hailing from New York, Portland or Canada. May isn't even from the southern indie hot spots of Nashville, Atlanta or the tobacco roads of North Carolina. He's is from the land of the Blues, Mississippi.
But before you conjure misconceptions base on geography, erase thoughts of a bluegrass player in overhauls and a straw hat. May is signed to Animal Collective's Paw Track label and was in film school at NYU. He was a sensation at last year's SXSW festival for his showmanship and stage presence. And on February 20, 2009, he kicks of his first national tour opening for A.C. Newman of The New Pornographers.
And what of the unique? That would be the ukulele. The instrument native to Hawaii, and known by many from the exploits of 1960's icon Tiny Tim, spent years as more a novelty instrument but has in recent years found favor with musicians such as Zach Condon, Jens Lekman and Patrick Wolf. It is one that May also embraced, so much so, that his band is officially named Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele.
Don't let the guy who sometimes rocks the 1970's era Elton John-esque glasses fool you into thinking he's a one trick pony with his ukulele.
While it is the instrument that takes primary focus on this album it is not an instrument that, in the end, will define him. This is not to discount the seriousness of which he takes the ukulele but to emphasize the range of talents he possesses.
For more information on Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele, visit his Web site: DentMay.com or his MySpace page: www.myspace.com/dentmay.
Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele will release their debut LP The Good Feeling Music of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele on February 3, 2009.
DeadJournalist.com brings you this exclusive interview with Dent May of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele.
Your debut album is released tomorrow, February 3. How does it feel to finally have that day upon you? How long did it take you to write and record The Good Feeling Music of Dent May?
DM: It's an enormous relief. I wrote most of the songs within a relatively short period of time. Perhaps it was several months. I had the whole album written with demos recorded long before recording with Rusty, and it's been seven or eight months since we recorded. So I'm pretty psyched to finally have it available for public consumption.
How did you come to work with the other members of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele? What led to the band signing to Paw Tracks, the label formed by Animal Collective?
DM: When I got involved with Paw Tracks, it was a solo project and still is essentially. There have been many lineup changes in my band, but everyone in the band I've been friends with for a long time. Basically, I just recruited friends. A couple of the bandmates on the record can't tour because of their jobs.
Given the band's distinctive sound, was there a band, or artist, that influence you most a musician? What first inspired you to work with the ukulele? Were you drawn to the novelty of the instrument or did you just happen upon in naturally?
DM: It'd be hard to deny the influence of The Beach Boys and as far as ukulele players go, George Formby. I grew up playing a toy ukulele but didn't perform or write songs with one until about a year and a half ago. I ended up buying a ukulele from a friend and recorded A Brush With Velvet. I'm interested in experimenting with the process of writing and recording pop songs, so who knows whether or not I'll play ukulele on my next record.
In some previous interviews you've done it seems that people find it strange that you prefer living and working in Mississippi than New York. Given the rich musical heritage of the state why do you think that is?
DM: I'm pretty sure if they came to visit they'd understand perfectly why I prefer living here. In the past, artists have moved to the city for practical reasons. New York and Los Angeles are where the "entertainment industry" is, so people move there to get "noticed." That's no longer necessary with the Internet and all that. Sometimes I feel like I'm missing out on all the cultural experiences those cities have to offer, but Mississippi is my home and it allows me to write about a different experience. That said, it's possible that I'll move around a bit before inevitably settling down back here.
What are your thoughts on hitting the road for a tour with A.C. Newman? Will this be the longest tour on which you've been?
DM: I've never really toured. I've also never been to most of the places we're going, so I'm ecstatic about traveling. I'm also a bit nervous because I've never had to play so many shows in such a short time. Hopefully I won't freeze to death or have a nervous breakdown.
Talk a bit about your live shows. For those whom haven't seen you perform, what can someone expect from the band?
DM: We think of our concerts as parties, and we don't take ourselves too seriously. Sometimes we dress up in over the top outfits and chug champagne and other nights it's more subdued.
You have also written and recorded synth-based, dance-tracks as Dent Sweat. Do you think the increased exposure and time commitments to Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele will limit your work on the Dent Sweat project?
DM: Lately I've been thinking about uniting all future musical endeavors under the Dent May name, but I don't feel limited. There's no pressure for me to put out another record of ukulele jams anytime soon. I think it'd be cool to release a record next that surprises people a little bit but still maintains a similar sensibility. I never planned on making a career out of being the ukulele guy, so I'd like to change things up as much as possible.
Which part of the creative process do you enjoy most: performing live or writing and recording?
DM: Well, the live performance and the recording process rely quite heavily on the writing. If the songs aren't there, then there's really no point. Writing is more rewarding in that sense, but performing live is more enjoyable in the sense that I can get all boozed up and flop around on stage in a purple cape and assless pants.
Is there an artist that you've encountered recently that you've been recommending to your friends?
DM: I just got a couple of John Maus's most recent records, and I'm quite taken with them. My new friend Jon Leone who just directed a video for "Meet Me In The Garden" tipped me on Maus who I think was based in L.A. and now teaches philosophy in Hawaii. I think the latest one is called Love is Real.
What were you listening to in 1999?
DM: I was 14, so it's kind of tough to remember. I think I might have gone to Warped Tour that year, so that tells you something. Otherwise, I think my favorite album that year was Beck's Midnite Vultures. It was actually my favorite album of all time there for a while. I also really liked Pavement, The Flaming Lips, and Belle & Sebastian.
Which do you prefer: MP3, CD, Tape or Vinyl?
DM: Cassette tape! It's all that works in my car. Even the radio's busted. I've been listening to the Whitney Houston album Whitney on repeat for a few weeks now. Before that, I played out a tape of Sleeping Bag Records' Greatest Mixers Vol III which I found for 99 cents at a truck stop in Mississippi.
One Drink; One Movie; One Album:
DM: gorilla milk; Sherman's March; Gucci Mane's Hood Classics
Throughout 2009, DeadJournalist.com is running a series called "Music in the 2000s" that looks back at some of artist we enjoyed most or feel had a significant impact on music and/or music culture. Is there an artist or album that you especially enjoyed or were inspirited by?
DM: Animal Collective!