Interview
with MARK PIRRO
of
and
By OZGUR COKYUCE
Mark
Pirro……a
Dallas-based musician, bass player
in the
magnificent and magical band The
Polyphonic Spree
and former member of
Tripping
Daisy
He is also the inventor and
manufacturer of the
copperphone,
which is a hand crafted
specialty
microphone.
It’s
a pleasure for me having the chance to do this interview with Mark…
my
friend and the former member of two of my all-time favourite bands…
So let’s start…
PUNK GLOBE:
Mark, as The Polyphonic Spree, you toured during 2007 for
your latest album
“Fragile Army." How is the touring going compared to
the previous tours?
(It seems like the the feedback gets better and
better with every new album?:)
What are the plans for the rest of 2008
and 2009?
MARK: Well
the most recent tours for the Fragile Army
have been going well...
This time we've been fortunate to get two tour
buses instead of the regular one.
I'm grateful when we have one tour
bus, but having two really
takes the stress off while on the road!
Can't
say what are plans are for 2009 as that is too far in the future,
but
looks like we might have some interesting opportunities for 2008.
It is
still in the works, but there might be a chance for us to play the
opening
of fashion designer Oscar de la Renta's new store at Red Square
in Russia.
We got to play for one of his fashion shows last year and it
was
one of the most unique things we have ever done.
PUNK GLOBE: Please
tell us a bit about the early days. Where did the
name come from?
MARK: Well
the whole thing started as an idea that our singer Tim had.
He
knew he wanted a lot of musicians to be able to perform the
multi-instrumental sound
he had in his head. I suppose the name came from
describing the sound...
Polyphonic,
meaning many sounds and Spree,
meaning an extravaganza of sorts.
PUNK GLOBE: Also as
Tripping Daisy, during the 90s you performed under different names like
“Hulla Poppers or “Gasper-Goo” or “Flare Hair Jig." Is that right?
MARK: Yeah,
those are names of classic fishing lures. For a brief time, we
had a rehearsal place
in a farm house out in the country. We liked to
fish and there were plenty of fishing spots on the land
where the house
was. We got that rehearsal place to be a bit more secluded and work on
new material.
Ironically we spend more time fishing than rehearsing!
Anyway, when when all was said and done
we had a bunch of new songs and
we wanted to showcase them live, but we didn't have them
recorded on a
record yet. In order to keep a low profile while playing out with this
new material, we played under those assumed names so that only our
true
fans would know and be able to come and hear us play our new stuff.
PUNK GLOBE: When
did you start music? Was it your plan or thought to
be a bass player in a rock band
when you were young? What was the most
important thing that made you decide to start making music?
MARK: Yeah,
I knew from a young age I wanted to be in a rock band.
However,
at that time I didn't know what instrument.
Ironically, I remember
being asked by my 4 grade teacher in front of the whole class what I
wanted to be
when I grew up. I of course announced with confidence that
I wanted to be in a rock and roll band
and the whole class laughed at
me. Funny how things worked out.
PUNK GLOBE: In
forums,we see
some rare/unreleased Tripping Daisy song names
(mentioned by fans) like
“Dinosaurs And Feet Don't Fail Me Now,” ”Foolish Game,” "Too Much For
Me,”
”Get Off My Case,” and more. Please tell us about these songs, if they
were recorded or when,
to which albums they were planned to be included,
etc?? Are
there any other unreleased songs that exist?
MARK: I
remember the dinosaur song, but I'm not sure I recall the other ones...
If I heard the music I could probably recognize them. Anyway, none of
those songs,
among many others, every got recorded properly. There
might be some live recordings or
rehearsal recordings of them out
there. In fact I have a shoe boxes full of demo recordings and whatnot
that
I need to go through. However, it seems like a daunting task as
there is probably
over 100 hours of tape to go through. One day I will
get to it...
PUNK GLOBE: There
was a talk of a Tripping Daisy
Anthology box-set. Both Spree and Tripping Daisy fans
are waiting to
hear about that.When will it exactly see the light of the day and which
hidden treasures
(demos, b-sides
And…Tripping Daisy Gum Product Video…is
there a possibility that it can be a part of the Anthology box set?
MARK: This
has been a project talked about many times in our camp, however,
at this time we are too consumed with Polyphonic Spree. When will it
see the light of day
and what sorts of unreleased things will be
included? Those are good questions I don't have answers for.
I would
assume this project will become more of a reality once thing
with the
Spree die down and we can go through those shoe boxes of tapes.
Polyphonic Spree in White
PUNK GLOBE: As we
continue talking about Tripping Daisy,The Polyphonic
Spree song called
“Fields Glide Without Motion”... was it an old Tripping
Daisy song from the 1998-1999 era?
People mention the Tripping Daisy
christmas shows at trees like legendary..
For the ones who missed
them, can you tell us a little of what you remember from those days?
MARK: Yes,
the spree version of 'Fields...' was a rendition on a
Tripping Daisy song.
Trying
to remember details of the Tripping Daisy Christmas show...
well I
remember it being a packed house and probably well over the fire code
capacity.
One thing that really stuck out in my mind was that one of
the
opening bands doused a
cymbal with lighter fluid and lit it up.
The
singer would hit the cymbal and cause a ten foot flame to shoot up in
the
air.
I remember we had one of our backdrops on stage and the flames
were getting really close.
What a potentially disastrous situation! Oh
yeah, and the show was good too.
PUNK GLOBE: The
Polyphonic
Spree has covered old songs
like “Sonic Bloom” and Foot Dance as
“Debate Montage.” Tripping Daisy
also re-recorded the song “One Through
Four” for the last album.
Will this cool tradition continue in the
future Spree releases,what can we expect?
MARK: Don't
know for
sure, but maybe one day a Tripping Daisy reunion?
Actually there is a
few local musicians here in Dallas that want to do a "Jesus Hits Like
the Atom Bomb'"
tribute where they perform the whole record live from
front to back.
I told them let me know when, I'll be on the front row!
PUNK GLOBE: My last
question about Tripping Daisy.
Has there been any
video released or made to “Sonic Bloom” for the "Jesus Hits Like The
Atom Bomb" album
and if Tripping Daisy had continued to this day, (maybe
with a possibility of increasing number of members)
would the sound be
the same or very similar to The Polyphonic Spree?
MARK: No
videos were ever done for "...Atom Bomb." If Tripping Daisy had
continued
I
don't thing we would have increased the size of the band.
I do thing
the recorded sound would have kept expanding though.
I'm sure we would
have gotten session players and like.
PUNK GLOBE: A
question I would like to ask the most: you released many albums
in your
career and I'm sure everyone of them is a great experience for you
but
which one is your favourite album and which song is the most special
for you amongst others ?
MARK: My
favorite album by far is
Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb.
It was an incredible experience to make,
but I think a more impressionable experience
was the making of "Elastic
Firecracker." I think that is because it was the first 'real' record
we
did on a major label. We took a few months to do it, lived at the
studio
and just plain had a great time. It was then that I really found
my passion with the recording process.
PUNK GLOBE: Which
bands -- can we say -- had most influence on the general
sound & melodies
of The Polyphonic Spree? This may give an idea also to new listeners
who
made
a great mistake of not knowing your band before.
MARK: The
Beatles.
PUNK GLOBE:
Mark,you played in two wonderful bands until today. But, if
you were
to create your all time dream band,who would be the members of
this heroic army? :)
MARK: John
on vocals/guitar, George on
lead guitar, Ringo on drums, then me on bass?
Where would Paul be?
Hanging out with Pete Best of course.
PUNK GLOBE: What
were you listening to in late 70s+80s and what are
you listening to nowadays?
MARK
: Mainly classic rock - The Who, The Rolling Stones,
Boston, The
Beatles, AC/DC, Yes, Rush, The Eagles.
Who am I listening to nowadays?
The same of course! Oh... I have also been listening to a lot of
classic Motown too.
PUNK GLOBE: Last
question : If someone
puts an album up on their wall, are they doing it
because it looks cool
or because they love the music on that record? What's your opinion?
MARK: I have
no idea, but I could say for me it would be a little bit
of both.
PUNK GLOBE: Any
last words for Punk Globe Readers???
MARK: Yes, buy Polyphonic Spree's "The Fragile Army."
Punk
Globe would like to wish the best to The Polyphonic Spree
and thank
Mark Pirro for taking the time to do this great interview....