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Home , Isaac Brock (musician), Modest Mouse, Tiny Cities

6 SCENE FRIDAY NOVEMBER 18 2005

THE BIG Hemade his name with the and INTERVIEW now releases music under the name . The multi-talented tells Scene about reworking the songs of ...

BY BRIAN CAMPBELL ON THE MARK AGAIN

OCOVER AC/DC isn’t unheard of,but it was something of a T shock when Red House Painters’ singer Mark Kozelek decided to recordhis own versions of Bon Scott- era songs. Kozelek, knownfor his delicate vocals and intricateguitar playing, further surprised everyone with what were brilliant reworkings of the material. Hehas also covered Neil Diamond and John Denver and has now gone one better by taking on aband that’s barely been around for a decade – the excellent Modest Mouse. That band is fronted by ,a man with a fierce and unique vocal delivery,but Kozelek has taken songs from a selection of their , slowed them down and transformed them into stunning strummed classics that could easily bemistaken for his own. The albumis called – taken from the Modest Mouse song Tiny Cities Made of Ashes (from their The Moon &Antarctica ) – and the singer has released it under his Sun Kil Moon moniker. The closing trackis , from the band’s latest record– their breakthrough – Good News For People Who Love Bad News,and the Kozelek version is sublime. Far from being aModest Mousefan from their earliest days,Kozelek insists he stumbled upon the band. “I was just kind of indifferent to them. I had a girlfriend that liked them at one point but I just kind of dismissed them as one of thesenew trendy bands that come and go,”he said. “Then I kind of started tonotice that everywhere I went theseguys were doing three and four nights, so then I went to see one night acouple of years ago and they were opening for Modest Mouse. “Soit was an opportunity to see them and I stuck around and a few years later I did this album, so they definitely soifit wasn’t for that I probably “The main thing is that I want tomake left an impression on me.” wouldn’t be coming over but it’s good music, so I think if I were to Have the Modest Mouseguys heard a long way for me to come toplay emulate the original and sing album? one festival. melody the same and play the “That’s like the question of the year for “So we’ve booked these shows in part the same, there’s not much point. me. I know that they haveit and I sort Greece and I’m over in Europe for a “And I’m obsessive and I get pretty of vaguely heard that the drummer likes while and I have the new recordout, passionate about artists like Bon Scott it or something but I’venot definitively so I might as well go and play some or Isaac Brock so Ican’t get enough heard anything. shows.” out of just covering one song. “For me this was just another project Kozelek said he didn’t feel the need to “I know the body of workis so vast and that I did and I’vegot tolive withit now. cover Float On , the anthemic single I know Icandoa good job withit and “It’s a little embarrassing. It’s one thing from the latest Modest Mouse album, really make something of it. todoan all-AC/DC covers record– saying he felt moreofachemistry with “It’s just about having chemistry with I was horrified enough when I did it albums such as The Lonesome lyrics and the stuff I’ve done works well but Bon Scott was gone and wasn’t Crowded West. with the musicIplay.” around to watchit. He said some of the engineers and “This is a little morehorrifying because musicians he worked withonTiny I Mark Kozelek plays Whelan’s in this guy’s about 10 years younger than Cities didn’t even realise the songs Dublin on Wednesday November 30. me and could probably kickmy ass, were Modest Mouse covers. Tickets G 20,available from Road you know?! As for the listening publicand critics, Records,Soundcellar and via “So you do something like this and it’s he thinks the reaction will bemixed. Ticketmaster. Tiny Cities is out abit like getting a tattoo when you’re “I think in a lot of cases, with stuff like now on Rough Trade. drunk. this, people make their minds up about “It’s like, ‘Well I did it and I’m going to it before they even hear it. live withit’ but I’m not going togoout “So I think if it wasn’t spelled out for I’m obsessive and I get pretty and do a full-on Modest Mouse covers them a lot of people wouldn’t tour. That would be ridiculous.” recognise them as Modest Mouse passionate about artists like Bon Scott Kozelek plays a one-off Irishdatein covers.” Dublin on November 30 and it’s one Did he think it was important to or Isaac Brock so Ican’t get enough out not tomiss. completely rework a song and put his “I’m not really promoting Tiny Cities as spin on it when doing acover? of just covering one song. such. I got asked to bepart of the 25th “For the most part that’s what I want to anniversary shows in London for 4AD, do, to bring myself intoit a little bit. “ MARK KOZELEK