LYDIA GAMMILL OF GUSTAF
The Brookyln based five piece have served up their latest batch of art rock gems all neatly wrapped up in Package Pt.2 Having cut their teeth by performing alongside acts such as Idles and Osees, the NYC act have been receiving high praise from high places and Lydia Gammill joins us to share her insights about touring, performing and the foundation of the new record.
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Hi Lydia and thanks for taking the time out to speak with us at Musicology. Firstly, congratulations on your latest release. Another epic addition and there is a lot to unpack. Beginning with the lyrical delivery across the twelve tracks, was there an overarching theme threading the songs together or are they very much stand-alone pieces?
All the songs tie together in my mind. The album is about someone processing the ways in which their thinking has been constricting themself and the people in their orbit. It’s about someone de-conditioning a possessive mindset and working through their need to blame others for their own problems and the pacing of the album is meant to reflect the stages of that process. At the end of the day though we encourage our listeners to enjoy the songs however and in whatever context works best for them.
The vocal / bass dualism is a fundamental element to the Gustaf sound and in formulating most tracks, is it equally the case or does one tend to lead the other to the final destination on any given work?
They evolve adjacently and inform one another. For a lot of our songs we start with a basic idea and then develop the bones by playing new material out live. Usually whatever decisions we find ourselves repeating are the ones that stick.
On a technical level, what instruments do you use and fx do you employ to produce your signature sound?
Tarra’s (Thiessen) vocal effect is from a Behringer multi fx pedal that I had when the band started. We have dabbled with other pitch shifting pedals but something about that one just hits the spot. She also plays a Bustelo coffee can that is a staple in our percussion lineup—just like the pedal, we’ve tried other cans but nothing beats the Bustelo.
There is an observational quality to your lyricism and how much does what you see and hear in Brooklyn impact what you are producing?
I think whatever environment you are in subconsciously seeps in whether intentional or not. For me it is never a direct effort to incorporate that but looking back on the work I can see its influence. One of my favorite things to do is take long walks around the city and whenever I do that ideas tend to pop into my head. NYC definitely has its own rhythm and I enjoy getting lost in the speedy flow of the sidewalks and the casual chit chat at the corner stores.
In the localised scene, who are you digging right now and are you looking deeper into the possible direction of where you see the genre going?
When the band started there was definitely a post punk bug going around Brooklyn but one of the great things about New York is that there so many bands that span across a lot of genres and all the musical pockets of the scene intersect. Tarra and Mel both have their own great bands (Tea Eater and Francie Moon) and those are much more guitar driven than what we do. I love the variety of music you can get on any given night. No one wants to go to a show to see three versions of the same band…or at least I don’t haha.
Known for your frenetic and high-octane performances, when it comes to your shows, are they in part guided by what you weren’t seeing at other shows and what you felt was lacking in stage craft by other musicians?
I think everyone has a style that works for them. For us one of our goals as live performers is to be as in the moment as possible which I think compliments the nature of the music. It’s a live interaction that is flexible whereas I think certain bands work better when its them in their own world letting the music wash over you. Audiences also have different vibes. Some crowds really want to be right there with you and other people want to soak in the music in the shadows. It’s all valid, this is just what works for us.
Having toured with the likes of Idles, Sleaford Mods, and Yard Act, does it now feel like you have firmly rooted yourselves in the musical landscape and as an extension to that, feel emboldened to take Gustaf in any direction you see fit?
We’ve been fortunate that all of their fans have been really receptive to us and like what we put out there. That has been really validating and I’m grateful for those experiences because when you are starting out, you never really know what people are going to think of what you’re doing. The band started with a specific sonic and thematic framework that we try to push the boundaries of with every release. We do feel emboldened to take the band in any direction we see fit but also enjoy doing that incrementally. There is something fun in finding the subtle evolutions rather than bold strokes. Who knows, maybe for the next record we will start completely shaking things up.
As fellow artists begin to seek you out and work on projects together, as Beck has done when remixing one of your tracks, have there been some definitive moments which particularly impactful and have since that time altered the way you approach your trade?
Meeting Beck was definitely a life changing occurrence. He is also just a genuine fan of the band which was really encouraging especially in the early days. We also all pick up little tricks and tips with every support run we do and we’ve been fortunate to have been able to open up for some of our favorite bands. Our tour with Idles was eye opening just to see how a band at that level operates and then in contrast it was fun to do a run of shows with the OSEES because they’re at the same level but prefer to have a smaller front of house/touring team. It mostly taught us that there isn’t one set way you have to operate your band and you can pick and choose what works best for you.
