October 31st, 2008 
James Shotwell In intense anticipation of the 11/11 release of their album, Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Altair and Vega[UTG James’ album of the year!], La Dispute is being kind enough to grant UTG an in depth interview with the boys that will quite soon be taking over the scene. Last week we brought you part one and now we bring you part two and the conclusion to this monumental interview. The band’s cd release shows begin on November 8th. Go to their Myspace, find a show, and get ready to have the time of your life!
UTG: There are a lot of atmospheric sounds and interesting drum parts on the record, how do you plan to bring this into the live setting?
Brad: We hope to bring everything possible into the live setting. There’s lots of parts that I recorded on the album that Jordan will be helping me with live. The kids got rhythm, so I’m thankful for that!
UTG: Speaking of the live show, how many of the new songs can we expect to see infused into your already chaotic set?
Jordan: All of them eventually, in varying degrees of frequency.
UTG: Are you worried about cutting up the album for a live setting since everything kind of run together on the record?
Jordan: Not at all. We wanted the album to sound both good as a whole, and as individual songs. More of a “Sgt. Peppers” and less of a “Jerusalem.” Not to draw any sort of comparisons to either The Beatles or Sleep. Merely an analogy.
UTG: You took your first large scale tour this past summer. Any crazy tour antics you can share with us?
Jordan: We played a show in San Antonio, TX with this rad band called Sohns. Before the show started, while we we’re all chatting with the dudes in Sohns, someone suggested that, rather than set up and play separately, we set up on opposite sides of this tiny room and take turns playing songs. Or, as they say, play a “Battle Set.” We had known the dudes for all of 30 minutes probably, but we went ahead and did it. It turned out to be one of the most fun experiences of our life as a band, and we’ve since gotten to be good friends with the guys in Sohns. Other than that, we mostly just played board games and browsed Facebook before we cashed in for the night at around 9:00PM.
Kidding, of course. We had a really great time. I’ll leave it at that.
UTG: We know you have such a great love for fellow bands in the West Michigan scene. Can we expect you to be taking them out with you on tour in the future?
Jordan: Hopefully. If all works out. Brothers/La Dis? Paucity/La Dis? We’ll see.
UTG: In fact, what tour plans do you have for the foreseeable future?
Jordan: We’re going out again at the end of December and will be gone till February or so. Looking forward to it. After that, who knows? Europe?
All I know is that we want to be out a lot. Touring is the best.
UTG: You’re doing a series of CD release shows throughout Michigan. What can we expect at these gigs?
Jordan: Lots of fun stuff. New songs, guest appearances, really great bands, videos, paintings, circus animals, fire-breathing, etc. Come to the shows and find out. Grand Rapids will be doubly special.
UTG: So many bands are struggling to take to the road. How does La Dispute keep it together?
Jordan: Through the undying hospitality and generosity of others, mostly. People are generally really great to us in regards to finances and finding a place to stay and some food to eat. We don’t always make money, but people always get us to the next town at least. And that’s really the only thing that matters to us.
UTG: Along with the album release is the release of the second, “Here, Hear,” EP, can you give us a little background on these?
Jordan: The “Here, Hear” mini-CD was conceived as a way of showing our individual influences as musicians and artists. Each member of the band wrote and recorded a song, and, on those songs, they’re own distinct playing style, influences, and a lot of their character as individuals is given a chance to show more directly. All of the words over top are taken from pieces of literature that have had a profound effect on me, either for some time or very recently. On the mini-CD, my thought process writing-wise and in general was very fixed on the themes that would later appear on “Somewhere…” So, the songs on the first “Here, Hear” foreshadow the themes present on the new album. Sometimes very directly, sometimes very vaguely. Examining the works we used for those songs serves as a great way of further understanding the ideas behind the new songs by giving it further context. The new “Here, Hear” features influences that reflect what will very likely be discussed in a later release, and I hope the same idea applies.
UTG: Why name all the tracks after whichever number they are?
Jordan: No particular reason.
UTG: It would seem that there is a lot of reading in the world of LaDispute, as you use so many references on these EPs, what would some favorite works of yours be?
Jordan: Kurt Vonnegut, Vladimir Nabokov, W.B. Yeats, Tom Robbins, Ernest Hemingway, Flannery O’Connor, Charles Bukowski, Ray Bradbury, e.e. cummings, etc. etc.
The list goes on.
UTG: Now, just to clarify: Some label you as a Christian band based on the events and places you play. Do you as a band take a religious stance?
Jordan: No. Some of us consider themselves to be Christian, some consider themselves to be in the middle, and some are on the complete opposite side of the spectrum.
There are religious aspects lyrically, and references to religion specifically, but not in a way that endorses or condemns it.
So to clarify, we are not a Christian band. And we are not an anti-Christian band.
UTG: If people only take one thing away from the album, what would you want it to be?
Jordan: Be good to one another.
UTG: I know this has been quite an interview, but if there’s anything else to share, please share it here as you know we don’t have closing questions, just an open floor:
Jordan: Thanks for the interview, James. And thanks to every individual who has supported us or the community we are a part of in any way, shape, or form. You’re support means more than I can quantify with words alone.
All the love in the world, Jordan and La Dispute.
*Written By: James Shotwell*
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