Solid Built to Spill is 'almost like a new band'
By Chris Nixon
For The San Diego Union-Tribune
June 22, 2006
As guitar heroes go, Doug Martsch doesn't fit the bill. Between tours and albums with his band Built to Spill, the 36-year-old singer and guitarist leads an unassuming life in his hometown of Boise, Idaho.
He raises his kids and does normal household chores. During our recent phone conversation, Martsch is participating in a most un-rock 'n' roll activity: He's doing the dishes.
Soon, the bearded Martsch will be on the road supporting BTS' latest barrage of layered guitars and alt-rock anthems, this year's “You in Reverse.” With his Neil Young falsetto and the J Mascis-inspired fuzzy solos, the guitarist earned an indie, rock-underground rep through constant touring and the band's six studio albums.
“We just sort of do what we do, what comes naturally to us,” says Martsch, who signed a major-label deal with Warner Brothers in 1995. “We never tried to get on a major label, never really pursued this. We never had a manager or sent our records in to people or anything like that. So, we never felt like we needed to do this. It's great, and we're glad it's worked out. But it's not like we were desperate to be on a major label.”
From its inception in 1992, Martsch remained the primary songwriter and main inspiration for Built to Spill's guitar-saturated tunes. Drummer Scott Plouf and bassist Brett Nelson have been core members since the band's early incarnations, along with a loose association of guitarists and keyboardists that have drifted in and out of BTS' lineup.
After 14 years of touring and recording, the dust has settled on Martsch and his band. Along with Plouf and Nelson, Built to Spill added longtime collaborators Jim Roth and Brett Netson.
“In my mind, it's more a band than ever before,” says Martsch, putting away the last of the dishes before settling down to talk about the new album. “It's almost like a new band in a way to me. I'm looking forward the kind of stuff we'll be able to come up with and what our band will be like.”
A solid lineup allowed Martsch to lean more heavily on his bandmates for the recording process of “You in Reverse.” The album evolved out of a year of jamming by the band. Martsch would literally pick riffs or phrasings out of extended jam sessions and mold them into songs.
“A lot of times people will come up with things that I would never dream of coming up with,” says Martsch. “It's more interesting to hear what other people come up with, as opposed to slaving over it myself.”
Beyond “You in Reverse,” Built to Spill plans to tour and record a new studio album in the near future: “We produced enough stuff for another record during that year of jamming. There are a couple of songs that we're either going to finish up or redo for our next record.”
After a span of five years between 2001's “Ancient Melodies of the Future” and “You in Reverse,” BTS' fans can expect a shorter wait for new material from Martsch and company.
“So, it's not going to be a lengthy time between albums this time around,” says Martsch. “In fact, we're going to be recording on this trip. When we're in L.A. playing a few shows, we also have time booked in a studio there. We have six new songs to start recording.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
