In Conversation With Nathan Carson & Rob Wrong Of Witch Mountain

By Andrew Bansal

Hailing from Portland, Oregon, doom metal band Witch Mountain are preparing for a major change with the imminent departure of singer Uta Plotkin, but they’ve delivered one final treat to fans before doing so, in the form of their fourth full-length studio album ‘Mobile Of Angels’ which is set for a September 30 release via Profound Lore Records. Currently they’re out trekking across North America on their final tour with Plotkin as support act to Nik Turner’s Hawkwind, presenting this new material. The second show of this tour was at the Viper Room on August 27, and a few hours before they combined with Turner for a truly mind-bending show, I sat down with drummer Nathan Carson and guitarist Rob Wrong for a detailed chat about touring with Nik Turner, the new album, future plans, van tips and lots more, Enjoy the conversation below and catch Witch Mountain on this unmissable tour.

It’s good to finally do an interview with you. You’ve toured with a lot of great bands, as support act and otherwise, and now you’re with Nik Turner’s Hawkwind. How does that feel? It’s pretty unique in itself as opposed to the other bands you’ve toured with.

NC: Yeah, I think it’s really exciting because it’s such a complimentary pairing. It’s not so obvious, and it’s not just us with another tremendously loud doom metal band. Their history and our current resurgence will hopefully bring in two different crowds to the show! There’s only been one show so far but it seemed to work out last night.

As a touring band, you must be feeling fortunate to be out with so many different bands. You see them, get to learn from them and experience their music. 

RW: Yeah, it is. Every band is a little different, specially when you throw different personalities together. Sharing the stage with every band we got out with is definitely a new experience. Sometimes it so happens that I’m not so interested in some of the bands we’ve toured with, but by the end of the tour I’ve heard them so many times that I start to get it, even though it might not be something that I would normally listen to on a daily basis. So, it’s enjoyable to be introduced to new bands, new music and seeing different parts of this world with these bands, and sharing memories is really cool.

From among the bands that you’ve toured with, were there any that you were surprised to be on the road with or didn’t expect to be touring with, anything totally out of left field in terms of musical style of otherwise?

NC: I think this one is probably the most left-field tour that we’ve done. It seems like most of the other trips we’ve done were a lot more in-genre, and I think because musically we’ve been trying to sort of expand beyond just being a straight-up doom band, it’s really great timing to be out with a band that has a different kind of audience. But I still think that we’re not so abrasive or loud or crazy that their fans won’t be able to handle it, and likewise I think any of our fans that stick and watch Nik Turner’s show are going to have their minds blown.

Talking of Hawkwind, have they been any kind of an influence on your music? How much aware are you of their music and history?

NC: Well, we used to cover ‘Lost Johnny’ back 13 or 14 years ago, so it was certainly something we were listening to. I don’t know that it was a profound influence on us musically, but it was definitely in the diet. I’ve had the ‘Space Ritual’ record since I was in high school, so I have some of those old LPs. Last night was Nik’s 74th birthday and it’s really a treat to be out on the road with a rock legend like that.

RW: I feel the same way. I’m not a huge fan of Hawkwind but I watched them for quite a bit last night and I was pretty blown away. My old band played with Nik Turner back in ’94 and we opened up the show. I’m actually a lot more impressed now with what’s going on. He’s got some top notch musicians playing. He’s a living legend and a really fun guy to just sit there and chat with. I’m looking forward to prying some stories out of him from the 60s and 70s (laughs). I’m just kind of getting to know him right now as we just played the first show yesterday. I chatted with him a little bit outside before we came in and loaded our gear. I’m going to spend some time with him and pick his brain because I’m sure he knows a lot of English bands. I’m a huge classic rock fan and I know he’s played with some of my favorites. I know Hawkwind played with Hendrix at Isle Of Wight and I’m a huge Hendrix fan. So I’m going to wait for the right time to pick his brain about that and squeeze a Hendrix story out of him!

NC: The guy loves to talk, specially after a couple of mushroom caps (laughs).

But seeing a guy like that on stage at the age of 74, you must be thinking that if you’re playing at 74 it would be awesome.

RW: Yeah, if I live to be 74 and I’m still able to play, you can bet your life that I will be playing. And yeah, it actually gives me new hope to keep doing this until the day I die. It’s pretty impressive. We played with Uli Jon Roth not too long ago as well, and it was also impressive to see him play at his age. He was kind of slow moving in to get into play and put his guitar on, and during soundcheck I was wondering what was going to happen. But then he came out and just completely blew everyone away. So, if I’m still doing that at that age of some of these old-time rockers, I’ll be happy.

Coming to the new album ‘Mobile Of Angels’, it’s coming out in late September. How much of it are you playing on this tour and what can the fans coming in to see you at these shows expect in terms of that?

NC: Most of the set is off the new record right now because we feel like we toured the last two record pretty thoroughly, and because Uta is moving on, this is the chance for these songs to have their live definitive versions performed. We played a bunch of the songs in Europe a couple of months ago and dialed them in, and they’re ready for the US audience. So that’s a lot of what you’ll be getting on this trip.

I’m sure people would be wondering, how are you going to play these songs after she leaves? Are you going to get somebody else to sing?

NC: Well, that all remains to be seen. The set list is definitely not written for that yet, whether we end up focussing on brand new music at that time or older songs. There is no way to know yet.

Will you ever be an instrumental band?

NC: I don’t think so. Our music is not really suited for that. We like creating space that is filled up by great singing and great guitar leads, and if we’re instrumental we would have to take up that space in different ways and I don’t think that’s really what’s interesting to Rob and I.

I think with each album you attain more of a balance between the rock and metal elements of your sound, and having listened to the album a few times, I think it’s the most balanced in that sense. Would you agree with that?

NC: Yeah thanks, that’s great! From day one I always wanted there to be a very profound metal element to what we do but I also never wanted us to be boxed into a corner. So, I feel like more than ever, specially in the last couple of records, we’ve been writing songs that’s just rock music in a certain way. Not like Bob Seger’s rock music, but just sort of indefinable beyond that.

From what I understand, you guys have pretty much owned all the music and self-booked and self-managed the band for 17 years now. Has that been a factor in having creative control on everything?

RW: Definitely. I think a lot of the labels that we appeal to wouldn’t really tell us we can’t put out or play certain songs, and I don’t think they’d filter it that much anyways, so as far as creative control I think at this stage of our band history it’s not so much we’re worried about as much as we’re worried out somebody else profiting on our music down the road because we signed some ridiculous contract, had stars in our eyes and thought that we’re going to make a bunch of money or go on tour. It’s never been our agenda to do that. Our agenda has always been to do things at our own pace, creating the music we want to hear that nobody else is doing, and the fact that we own the stuff, no one can tell us what to do and no one can profit from stuff that we’ve already created, it’s a pretty good feeling. I mean, the down side of that is we don’t have bigger labels that would take a bigger cut, we’re not getting promoted as well, so it’s a little bit more of a bigger, steeper incline to climb up as far as trying to get to where we all feel comfortable with. We’re not in it to make money, obviously, otherwise we wouldn’t be running a mini van 17 years later and touring the country. It’s not a glorious lifestyle and it’s not a big party. It’s about just sharing music with people that actually want to hear it. I would be just glad 20 years down the road if I went into a flea market and some kid in there is looking at our record for a couple of bucks, he goes, “Wow, this is a really good record!” and take it home and listen to it. That to me is the most important thing, that people enjoy it and remember it.

Over the years, the band has developed a lot. At this point, is it a full-time commitment for everyone in the band, the departure of the singer aside?

RW: Well it’s always been a full-time commitment for me and Nate, and I think that will probably continue. Even if we do other projects and stuff, we’ll probably always do Witch Mountain one way or another. It’s always been, more or less, I wouldn’t say full-time commitment but definitely right now it is and over the years it’s always been something Nate and I will share until the day we die. The last four years solid, I would say it’s been full-time. I quit the best job I ever had in my life with the best pay, to pursue this (laughs). So yeah, the last four years we’ve been really going for it. It’s pretty obvious, as we’ve put out three records in three years and we’ve been touring a lot. We’ve been to Europe twice and this is our 4th or 5th US tour in this period. So yes, Witch Mountain is always going to exist in one form or another. But it’ll always be me and Nate. If one of us dies, it’s done! (laughs)

I do respect that a lot because I see so many bands that are hobbyist or have the weekend warrior kind of thing going. I know there’s not enough money to be made in this, but with that mentality and unless you commit, there wouldn’t be any money to be made. You have to take that step.

NC: Yeah, and more importantly the band can’t just get that good if you’re only treating it like a hobby. And that’s fine, there’s plenty of room for hobby bands to play locally for their friends and play parties and whatever. That’s great and I wish more bands that are taking up space on the tour circuit could step back and just admit that they’re hobby bands. But as far as bands that are making records and getting out on the road, you have to put a lot of time into it to be a really great band. And if you’re not going to be a really great band, why are you bothering to shove it down anyone’s throat?

Right, and for bands that are making records and trying to get signed onto labels, obviously the label wouldn’t give them any support if they’re not committed to touring.

NC: It’s really important, and I think it’s something that we were very clear about when we really got serious again around 2008-09. I knew that if we were going to get on a decent label we had to do some heavy lifting on our own, so that’s why we self-released an album on vinyl and started going on tour. We went to SXSW, just kept going up and down the coast and at a certain point, there were labels seeing us as a working band. With no help, no support and no funding, we were getting really great reviews and people were talking about us.

One final thing I wanted to ask you is, you guys are pretty experienced with touring in vans across the country and so many bands face trouble with their vans breaking down and stuck on the road not capable of going any further. What tips would you give to such bands, to avoid those situations?

NC: We rented a new vehicle, because we had a tour a couple of years ago where we had 17 vehicles in 12 days. We called it the ‘involuntary van slaughter tour’ (laughs)

RW: We blew up two vans (laughs). But yeah, renting new vehicles for every tour is the way to go and it’s going to pan out. I mean, not necessarily a new vehicle but most rental places have newish vehicles in really good shape. Being in a band, specially a band that’s truly wanting to tour, it’s no mystery that musicians are broke so the kind of vehicles they buy are going to be $1500 vans. If you’re going to go around the country in that, there’s a big chance it’s going to leave you stranded somewhere. For the same amount of money, you could usually rent a vehicle that would accommodate.

NC: There is no way we can count the number of ways we have stood on the side of the road waiting for something to happen, or basically made it to a venue on the back of a tow truck just in time to load on stage and play. People cheer, it’s exciting, there’s amber flashing lights (laughs), but it’s stressful and it’s already stressful enough to tour. So for us, renting a new vehicle just takes that stress out of the equation. But then the added stress is, we’re driving ourselves around and responsible for the vehicle, have to worry about it being broken into, have to find a place to stay every night, get up early in the morning, drive to the show, get there late and get safely to wherever we’re going. On the last US tour I was the designated driver, totally sober. We’d been invited to a party after a show but we said no and we went to stay with our friends in the suburbs in a family home, and stopped at a red light at 3 AM. A taxi cab just drove right into the back of us.

Wow, you should have gone to the party instead!

NC: Yeah, exactly. Oops! Live and learn.

Related: Gig Review: Nik Turner’s Hawkwind, Witch Mountain & Hedersleben Perform At Viper Room

Witch Mountain links: facebook | twitter | bandcamp

Remaining tour dates:
09/03 – Birmingham, AL – Bottletree
09/04 – Memphis, TN – Hi-Tone Cafe
09/05 – Lafayette, GA – Meltasia Fest
09/06 – Raleigh, NC – Hopscotch Fest
09/07 – Richmond, VA – Strange Matter
09/08 – Baltimore, MD – Metro Gallery
09/09 – Philadelphia, PA – Boot and Saddle
09/10 – Sellersville, PA – Sellersville Theater
09/11 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
09/12 – Boston, MA – Middle East
09/14 – Montreal, QC – IL Motore
09/15 – Toronto, On – The Garrison
09/16 – Rochester, NY – Bug Jar
09/17 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
09/18 – Chicago, IL – Beat Kitchen
09/19 – Rock Island, IL – RIBCO
09/20 – Milwaukee, WI – Cactus Club
09/21 – Saint Paul, MN @ Turf Club
09/22 – Winnipeg, MB @ Pyramid Cabaret
09/23 – Saskatoon, SK @ Vangelis Tavern
09/24 – Calgary, AB @ Palomino
09/26 – Vancouver, BC @ Venue (early evening show)
09/27 – Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey
09/28 – Portland, OR @ Star Theater

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