Musikalische Reife ist nicht lediglich eine Frage der spielerischen Weiterentwicklung, sondern auch der philosophischen Tiefe, die eine Band zu erzeugen imstande ist. Einer Band wie Pelican, die in den letzten Jahren tourte wie kaum eine zweite Band ihren Schlages, möchte man diese musikalische Reife nur allzu gerne attestieren. Mit "What We All Come To Need", dem nunmehr vierten Album der Band, rechtfertigen Pelican die Tatsache, dass man ihnen dieser Tage bereits die Qualitäten und Fertigkeiten von Bands wie Isis und Red Sparowes unterstellt.
In gewisser Weise ist "What We All Come To Need" sogar wieder ein Konzeptalbum geworden, befasst sich die Band doch über weite Strecken mit dem Fremden und Vertrauten und den kulturellen Barrieren, die eben diese beiden Komponenten maßgeblich definieren. Wir sprachen bereits im Vorfeld der Veröffentlichung von "What We All Come To Need" mit Pelican-Drummer Larry Herweg:


SJM: Your new album "What We All Come To Need" has been two years in the making. So I'm asking this particular question before everyone will ask for that: Why did it take you so long to write the songs for this album? As for Pelican – what especially happened in the meantime?

Larry Herweg / Pelican: Actually it always takes us about this long to write and record our full lengths. If you look at our discography Australasia was 2003, Fire In Our Throats was 2005, City of Echoes 2007, now WWACTN 2009. In the meantime, we've been touring our asses off. Since City of Echoes, we've toured with worldwide High on Fire, Torche, Wolves in the Throne Room, Black Cobra, Isis, etc.

SJM: Who am I talking to? Could you please shortly introduce yourself to our readers?

Larry Herweg / Pelican: I am Larry Herweg. I play drums in Pelican. And I love German women.

SJM: When a band writes all the songs for a record within a year, I'd say that these songs can easily stand for a certain period in a band's career? Would you say that "What We All Come To Need" is representative for what Pelican wants to stand for in 2009?

Larry Herweg / Pelican: We actually started writing these songs right after our European tour with High on Fire, winter on 2007. So yeah it takes us a bit of time to finish up tracks. We do believe its our stongest lp to date. And is pretty representative of the current times.

SJM: What are you doing in days like these when your new album "What We All Come To Need" is about to be released worldwide? Are you already busy with promoting the album? Do you like answering questions about your new album or is promotion something that - to some extent - "has to be done"?

Larry Herweg / Pelican: Currently we're in Portland on tour with Black Cobra and Sweet Cobra. We're half way into the West Coast portion of the tour. We are currently hosting a dj set at a indie record store before heading over to the theater for show time. This tour goes into December to promote the new cd. We'll hopefully make it over to Europe in spring or summer of 2010?

SJM: "City Of Echoes" was kinda like a concept album where you adressed certain topics that related to one another. Is "What We All Come To Need" a concept album, too? If yes, could you please tell us what this album is all about?

Larry Herweg / Pelican: "What We All Come to Need" is about the current state of the planet. Times are rough and dark right now. There are so many problems, too many to get into, wars, recession, global warming, etc. The record is about finding strength in your friends and family and trying to get through hard times. Its about love, hope, and human strength.

SJM: Many of todays' bands seem to miss passion. Pelican has lots of it and that's why I enjoy "What We All Come To Need" so much. Is it just a question of the right attitude? In my mind "What We All Come To Need" is one of the most courageous records I ever heard. It´s intense and really shows what the band wants to do, no matter what their fans say. What would you retort to that?

Larry Herweg / Pelican: I think we've always tried to be brave enough to do our own thing and never do the same record twice. "City of Echoes" was received with mixed reviews. We really wanted the new record to be our best and blow the last one away.

SJM: From your personal point of view: Is it such an exception in these days that bands play the music they really want to without focussing on what the fans might expect? Are we really that far?

Larry Herweg / Pelican: I think its hard to say. I know a lot of bands start to get signed, get big, and get paid. We started Pelican in my bedroom, with hope of jamming once a week and playing the occasional weekend show. We were very lucky for our songs and style to catch on and we could do this full time for the last few years. As for the new cd, I think us adding vocals to the last song is more proof of us doing exactly what we want to do, regardless of whatever backlash may come from it.

SJM: As for Pelican and especially "What We All Come To Need" - how important are compromises in things like music? Should this play a major role at all? To me it seems that Pelican are not willing to take compromises into consideration at all.

Larry Herweg / Pelican: I would say the only compromises we make are inner band when it comes to song writing and band decisions. We've always tried to do things democratic and go with the bands majority vote on things. But to have a band function for 9 years, you always have to make compromises and sacrifices. Otherwise your band doesn't get along and you break up.

SJM: "What We All Come To Need" is a record that consists of different layers and extremes. On the one hand side, it consists of rude arrangements that remind me of tybands like Isis and Neurosis, on the other hand side there's longer interludes that create an incompareable atmosphere. Do you think that this diversity makes "What We All Come To Need" even more diverse and strong?

Larry Herweg / Pelican: We've always tried to be a dynamic and varied stylistic band. Heaviness is just important and the melodic. I feel like bands that are super heavy and never change it up, lose their effectiveness. But when you pull back and quite down and bring in a softer side, its gonna make the heaviness that much more powerful when you bring it back. I feel it makes for more interesting songs.

SJM: It is quite impossible to describe your style in a few sentences. You definitely mix up styles like progressive stuff, and somehow indie rock etc. It´s quite interesting to think about the influences of your band. There have to quite a lot that differ from one another. What influences are we talking about? Do these vary within the band?

Larry Herweg / Pelican: Ha ha too many bands to list. We are all music lovers and collectors. Too many styles to cover :) But yeah, we love everything from Radiohead to Obituary to ACDC.

SJM: My second to last questions is all about downloading music illegally. Do you as a band care about an issue like this. Does it make you angry that people download your new release weeks before it's officially released. Do you honestly care about the money that gets lost for you as a band and your label Southern Lord etc.?

Larry Herweg / Pelican: Yeah its kinda a bummer but what can you do. Its a new era of being in a band. You can't make money on cd sales anymore. Its either you tour your ass off or try and get your music licensed to make $ I feel like downloaded can be helpful for instance when a band like us starts a tour before the cd is in stores. It can build hype and get people out to your shows if they dig the new cd?

SJM: Will there be a chance to see Pelican perform live over here in Europe? What about future plans with the band?

Larry Herweg / Pelican: Yep, making plans as we speak. Mid 2010 we'll be in your neck of the woods.

SJM: I always leave the last statement to the band. Is there anything you´d like to say or just add what has not been mentioned yet?

Larry Herweg / Pelican: Thanks for the interview and we look forward to being back to Germany soon! We always love playing there and we hope you all love our new cd!?

(Dennis Grenzel)