Meet Sick To The Back Teeth

Not since this whole universe thing has a project been so expansive and all-encompassing. Sick To The Back Teeth takes no conventional shape as a musical endeavor. Bouncing between genres upon genres through its enormous library of works the musician puts out a lot to love. Through the many iterations of their sound, there is constant intriguing darkness pulling a unique identity throughout the work. Check out our latest interview as we chat with the prolific musician.

A Self-Portrait by, Sick To The Back Teeth

Would You Rather

have everything you wear always be four sizes too big or two sizes too small?

Four sizes too big, please. I've been thinking of switching to a tarp anyway.

Some Questions with Sick To The Back Teeth

As a primarily solo project, how important is a collaboration to you?

I do enjoy collaborating with other artists. I haven't done it in a long time except within the context of bands (the current band is Old King Neptune before that was General Motors), but I'm always open to it. if anyone is interested in collaborating on music, by all means, email me.

Do you have a piece of musical gear that you have been really into lately? Why?

I have very little equipment at this point. this year my favorite gear is a SansAmp GT2 and single malt scotch.

Do you collect anything, what is it, and why?

Collecting dust

Your project has an enormous breadth of work ranging through a lot of very different genres. How do you translate it to a live performance of sick to the back teeth?

It doesn't really. I rarely perform live. in the past, I've played a few shows that spanned a few types of music but live performances are always one-off sets built out of what is technically possible for me to do alone. the most recent show I played solo incorporated tape loops, electronic beats and vocals, and improvisation for acoustic guitar over manipulated audio. so, this is really a studio project more than anything. I am open to playing live but I'm not seeking it out.

What was your first job? How did it go?

I worked at a concert venue until Jefferson Starship's roadies had me fired. so I guess it went okay.

The project seems to have no limitations on what sounds and ideas it will take on. Do you find yourself returning to certain styles more than others?

When I started this project eighteen years ago, I decided it would just be whatever I wanted to do under one name. I recommend this strategy to anyone who wants to remain completely unknown even in the most fringe corners of underground music. if you want to have fans and make money, it's clearly the wrong way to go. I'd say in recent years I have developed a certain style I keep returning to which I would describe as “any genre of music but with extreme metal vocals”. Now Napalm Death is covering Sonic Youth so I may have been onto something. There are tons of different styles in my music but in general, it's either genre work filtered through a Surrealist lens and/or experimental composition. I make music based on my dreams.

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

Cultivate your garden.

Sick To The Back Teeth