Falken: Dan, thanks for taking the time to work on this with me.
Let's start things off right and give the readers a little bit of a history lesson on Dark Clan. Who's in it? where did the idea come from? That kind of thing.
Dan: Hey, thanks for asking me, man! I really appreciate it.
The Dark Clan started in 1998 with a really simple mission, and it's honestly never changed; it's a place for me to write whatever the heck I feel like. Like lots of musicians, I've always been involved with multiple bands/projects simultaneously, and so TDC was intended to be the place where -- regardless of whatever else was happening in life -- I could get my freak on writing stuff that I just had to get out but which wouldn't work within the parameters of whatever other groups I was in at a given time.
In terms of personnel the band was just me goofing around in the studio for the longest time, until 2007 when Matt Fanale asked me if I'd do a TDC set for that year's Reverence Festival, which of course I said I would. So I hired some folks and worked that way for a bit, just having ringers for every gig, but that gets kind of exhausting after a while, always swapping people in and out, so eventually, in 2009, I ditched that process and asked Mercy Skye and Lane Ellen, both of whom had joined in late 2008, to become permanent members. I'm still trying to get a permanent drummer but that'll happen when it happens, I guess. Some day. I've had a ton of great experiences with various talented folks on that axe, most notably our touring drummer Thor Bremer, but so far no one has been in the right circumstances to be able to stick around and commit.
At its core the bulk of the studio work in TDC is still done by me, though that's honestly mostly just for technical and technological reasons; Lane and Mercy are both terrifically gifted musicians and lyricists who contribute regularly to the band's output and I hope to continue to get more and more from them as we continue. It takes time for creative relationships to build, as I know you're well aware.
Thor has been a great contributor, too, though he had to leave on his current gig before we got to do too much with that. When he's home on break we'll be working on a bunch of new material together.
Also, I gotta say that on the road Mercy and Lane are absolute powerhouses. When we're touring those two are much more the heart and soul of the band than I am; people would always rather talk to pretty girls than my hairy, beardy self, so they tend to do a lot of the meet-n-greet type stuff. They also are just really great at keeping things together and doing what needs doing on time, and quickly. They're honestly probably the best band I've ever toured with, and that's saying something.
Falken: Great transition to the burning question everyone wants to ask but never does... What's up with the beard? People have asked me before "Who is Dan Clark" and the best description I can give them is "Well, if he's on stage, Sammy Hagar and Dimebag had a love child that went and stole Colonel Sander's clothes." So, is there a story about the beard? Will it be staying for a while or have you thought about just taking the razor to it?
Dan: Rusty. It's time I told you. I have this beard because I am a Super-Wizard
The Dark Clan started in 1998 with a really simple mission, and it's honestly never changed; it's a place for me to write whatever the heck I feel like. Like lots of musicians, I've always been involved with multiple bands/projects simultaneously, and so TDC was intended to be the place where -- regardless of whatever else was happening in life -- I could get my freak on writing stuff that I just had to get out but which wouldn't work within the parameters of whatever other groups I was in at a given time.
In terms of personnel the band was just me goofing around in the studio for the longest time, until 2007 when Matt Fanale asked me if I'd do a TDC set for that year's Reverence Festival, which of course I said I would. So I hired some folks and worked that way for a bit, just having ringers for every gig, but that gets kind of exhausting after a while, always swapping people in and out, so eventually, in 2009, I ditched that process and asked Mercy Skye and Lane Ellen, both of whom had joined in late 2008, to become permanent members. I'm still trying to get a permanent drummer but that'll happen when it happens, I guess. Some day. I've had a ton of great experiences with various talented folks on that axe, most notably our touring drummer Thor Bremer, but so far no one has been in the right circumstances to be able to stick around and commit.
At its core the bulk of the studio work in TDC is still done by me, though that's honestly mostly just for technical and technological reasons; Lane and Mercy are both terrifically gifted musicians and lyricists who contribute regularly to the band's output and I hope to continue to get more and more from them as we continue. It takes time for creative relationships to build, as I know you're well aware.
Thor has been a great contributor, too, though he had to leave on his current gig before we got to do too much with that. When he's home on break we'll be working on a bunch of new material together. Also, I gotta say that on the road Mercy and Lane are absolute powerhouses. When we're touring those two are much more the heart and soul of the band than I am; people would always rather talk to pretty girls than my hairy, beardy self, so they tend to do a lot of the meet-n-greet type stuff. They also are just really great at keeping things together and doing what needs doing on time, and quickly. They're honestly probably the best band I've ever toured with, and that's saying something.
Falken: Great transition to the burning question everyone wants to ask but never does... What's up with the beard? People have asked me before "Who is Dan Clark" and the best description I can give them is "Well, if he's on stage, Sammy Hagar and Dimebag had a love child that went and stole Colonel Sander's clothes." So, is there a story about the beard? Will it be staying for a while or have you thought about just taking the razor to it?
Dan: Rusty. It's time I told you. I have this beard because I am a Super-Wizard
 |
| Dan sends me this picture... |
Falken: oh my god. That is awesome. So, back to the music. You're known by a lot of artists around here. Not only are you the man behind the beard in The Dark Clan, but you also are the man behind Listless Works as well. We've used your services. It's quite amazing. Who else has come to you and said, "Dan, make us awesome!"
Dan: Hey thanks, man. And yeah; love me some am.psych music, for sure!
Let's see. I don't think my client list is too huge, but I do feel crazy lucky to get to work with so many ridiculously talented people. The fact folks trust me -- to any extent -- with helping them make their music awesome is a huge honor and compliment. Here's hoping I can continue to do good work for everybody and continue earning that chance.
Here's my best shot at a client list, off the top of my head. This includes production and mixing and mastering clients, some folks use me for all three, some for one or the other or a combo. I hope I'm not forgetting anybody 'cos I'll feel terrible if I do. So, yeah;
XUBERX
Ego Likeness
Spider Lilies
Rein[Forced]
Patricia Wake
Men Kill Spiders
The Causticles
Zondustrial
Reaver
Silent Nightmare
Firing Solution
Sensuous Enemy
The Gothsicles
Caustic
am.psych
Thor Bremer
Prude
WTII Records
That's the majority, if not all, of the folks I've worked with over the last couple years, and that does NOT include people who I did remixes for, or any of my own stuff.
Falken: Playing in am.psych I can't even imagine working on other people's music when it seems I don't have time for ours. What got you in to doing work on other's music?
Dan: That's a great question. I've always enjoyed collaborating with other musicians, but just straight-up producing people is really a more recent phenomenon for me. And really, kinda the main guy who got the ball rolling is my good friend Cheetah Dave, of XuberX/Men Kill Spiders/Firing Solution (which by the way, the new Firing Solution EP is smoking hott and everyone should get it), who asked me sort of out of the blue if I would produce the first Xuberx full-length. I did, it was great, and he recommended me to others, and the ball just kept rolling from there. So really, a big thanks to him for taking a chance on me 'cos it's been ever upward from there.
I don't have any illusions about doing music as a full-time gig, I don't think it'll ever happen for me, but if I could keep it going enough to at least climb up a couple more tiers and branch out more into other genres -- all while maintaining a high quality of work -- that would be amazing. I'd be really happy with that, 'cos I just love doing this and love hearing others' ideas and working to make them sound as fantastic as possible.
Falken: Cheetah Dave is awesome. I got to see and meet him with XuberX when they rolled through Milwaukee. Great guy, great band.
I have to admit, when I first met you I had no idea who you were in the scene. All I kept hearing from John was "Dan is an amazing guitar player". Then at the benefit show a couple years back, you played with Dark Clan and then you were on stage with Stromkern... up until that day, I had no idea you worked with Sega and Ned. How did that all come about?
Dan: Oh hey, that's super cool. It's really humbling and awesome when people appreciate what I do as a player, especially in a genre that can often be guitar-averse. Thanks.
It's kinda convoluted, like a lot of "how-i-met-so-and-so" stories tend to be, but lessee if I can condense it.
I met Ned when I was living in Madison. I was in Rattbelly and Siv at the time, which were punk and metal bands, respectively. We shared studio space with a band called Polymorphous Perverse that did electronic-y stuff, and Ned...I think he was buddies with their bass player. And he came by once, and we chatted really briefly. No biggie. Then he came to a Siv show and I remember him really liking our set, so we talked a lot about possibly working together. Then I saw a Stromkern show and was really blown away by his writing and by his stage presence, so we had pretty much the same conversation we had earlier, all over again.
Finally, I think it was after Null Device and Stromkern played Freaks United IV in DC together in 2004 that I think Ned started thinking about asking me to tour with him. I can't say for sure. I know we talked a lot on that road trip and Matt Berger (Stromkern's drummer) and I hit it off pretty well, so maybe there was enough momentum to make it happen. Whatever the reason, I got asked to do the 2005 Light It Up tour and it's been full guns ever since then. I'm really glad because Stromkern is insanely fun to be a part of; we've done some terrific tours in the states and europe, met so many wonderful people, played so many cool shows, just a blast. And in that band now I get to share the stage with Matt, Ned, and since late 2006 Andrew Sega of Iris, who does live keys, and it's just a terrific live line-up. I've enjoyed every live line-up of :sk:, but I have a special affinity for this one for various reasons, not least of which is the propensity Andrew and I have for engaging in headcutting duels and Bach duets during downtime in band practice.
Andrew and I are also working on an EP together and we have a track on the upcoming Electronic Saviors 2 compilation coming out next year. Our project is called The Mighty Chouffe if anyone is interested in keeping an eye out for it. (Pardon my blatant plug.)
Falken: Shit, plug away. This whole interview is a giant plug for you and the WTII Minifest 2 as it is!
I'm going to throw you in to the lightning round now. (It's my favorite. I like to get crazy answers to crazy questions.)
7 questions, 7 answers.
1) Favorite guitar maker and why?
2) Battle of the Beards - Gandalf or Gimli?
3) Mac or PC?
4) You are told everything you do for one month must be non computer or electricity based except for one thing. What would that one thing be?
5) Your ultimate comfort food is?
6) Band you are most excited to see at the WTII Minifest 2?
7) Number one reason you roll a d6 is?
Dan:
1. Ibanez because duh.
2. Gandalf. Us Super-Wizards have to stick together.
3. Mac.
4. Sex because I am a level 20 Sexomancer.
5. Sex because I am a level 20 Sexomancer.
6. Sex becau- oh wait. Uhhh...everyone, really, but expecially the people I haven't seen before, so Patricia Wake, Rein[Forced], Die Warzau, etc.
7. Well, I wouldn't, because I do waaayyyy more damage than that.
Falken: I like your style, Dan. Thanks for the interview. And we'll be seeing you in the studio very soon.
Dan: Thank YOU, sir! Everyone go buy am.psych products! And GO TO THE MINIFEST IT WILL MINI-BLOW YOUR MINI-MIND!
THAT SOUNDS DIRTY BUT OH WELL.
Check out Dan and the rest of The Dark Clan at the WTII Minifest II on Sunday June 12th at The Abbey in Chicago, IL. For a super special dose of The Dark Clan, check them out this Friday, May 20th at Club Anything in Milwaukee with Sensuous Enemy and oncethesun!
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