An Interview with Joey Burns

Calexico escape Irvine.

Calexico are becoming veterans of the alt-country world and are currently at the height of their powers after releasing a heartrending EP with Iron and Wine in 2005 and the majestic Garden Ruin last year. .ISM asks pivotal member Joey Burns a few questions he has probably answered hundreds of times.

.ISM: What is your ultimate objective in making music? What are you aiming for?

JB: I don't normally have such a specific thought when making music. I tend to work more intuitively, but if I was to muster up a direct response it would be to make a positive and engaging scope of songs and sounds that stand the test of time.

.ISM: How does the ever-changing band operate in terms of song composition? Did this process have to change when collaborating with Iron and Wine?

JB: Some of our very permanent band members would be offended by your "ever-changing" comment. Martin Wenk, Volker Zander are from Berlin and Munich, Germany respectively and have been playing with our band since 1998, Paul Niehaus, Nashville TN, we also met and played with in 1998 but he joined in the year 2000. Jelle Kuiper our front of house soundman who is practically a band member is from Utrecht Holland and is on every tour of ours. Last but not least, Jacob Valenzuela is born and raised in Tucson and has been with us since 2000 as well.
There is no formula to the song writing process. I usually get my bets work done sitting with a guitar and playing with John Convertino on drums. Then we normally fill out the parts one step at a time. On the last album, Garden Ruin, we changed that process to having everyone present at the time of constructing songs and arrangements. It was a lot of fun and I think you can hear a difference. In regards to working with Iron and Wine, Sam Beam brought in the songs already written and we all worked together on the arrangements.

.ISM: How do you deal with the pressure of constantly being expected to produce new and interesting music? Do you read reviews of your albums?

JB: Making music is propelling, traveling helps to meet a lot of other musicians and inspire collaborations. If I feel pressure then I usually try to allow things to happen as opposed to forcing them. We all enjoy what we do and feel lucky to be doing it. There is a definite musical community that spreads across the world and meeting other musicians, labels, journalists, artists helps keep the focus on the positive aspects when the long hours of travel can wear down spirits. As far as reviews, I do read some of them, especially the ones where I felt there was an interesting discussion exchanged.

.ISM: How do you feel that the South Western desert of America has shaped you as people and shaped your sound?

JB: This is a question that is asked many times, and everyone in the band, both the American and European band members, feel an inspiration from the Southwest especially the connection of Tucson and the cultural diversity. However, I feel there is more influence from the massive spaces that make up its landscape. I think it was our first visit to Japan when we went to the Zen Rock Garden of Kyoto. I was overwhelmed by the beauty and depth of experience sitting in front of this garden that was about space and minimalism and it is in the four corners or on the Pacific Coast that there is a similar feel one gets being surrounded by nothing but nature.

.ISM: Most Southern Californians reading this magazine don’t rate the music scene of Irvine, California very highly. What does Irvine mean to you after all these years?

JB: Wow, this is a question I've never been asked. Going to school at UC Irvine was a good incubation time for digesting musical ideas. I was involved in their classical music department and at the same time was playing with a garage band and an experimental jazz trio in Los Angeles. So there was a lot of driving back and forth listening to music in the car thinking about studies and seeing the reality of what it might take to play music after studies. At the university there was a good radio station where I spent a lot of time listening to albums and talking about music. I took as many opportunities as possible while living in Irvine to do creative projects or perform on campus. I recall writing a fugue for sitar that I bought and invited some of the members of the school symphony to accompany me. Unfortunately, the sitar is tuned in the key of F# which made it very difficult for the violin section.

.ISM: Sticking with the theme of geography, you are a band that seems very comfortable traveling the world. To me, your music always evokes that atmosphere of the highways between Southern California and Arizona. How do you feel that your sound translates to audiences worldwide?

JB: I suppose that our music generates some references to the Southwest, there are others as well, like Eastern European gypsy, jazz, Cuban son, indie rock, experimental and atmospheric, and maybe this diversity of sounds is what intriguing to audiences both at home and abroad. It's a tough question, one that I am never certain of the answer only can guess.

.ISM: If you were put in charge of a major record label today, what would be the first change you would make?

JB: Exclusivity and perpetuity.

.ISM: What question do you wish interviewers would ask?

JB: What is a good book you read?

Check out Calexico's archive of live shows for loads of great free downloads.