An Interview with Plant Tribe

In these days of the radio friendly bland pop and inane R&B that is constantly regurgitated by the hegemony of major record labels, it is the small, independent labels that provide us more discerning listeners with the intelligent, heartfelt music that we love and thrive on. So, when a new such label announces itself, it is a thing to be celebrated...and so welcome Space Chant Records! Run by, and the brain child of, a top bloke by the name of Doug, it's mission statement is "Mind expanding music for the psychedelic space explorers. Space Chant Records focuses on putting out unique psychedelic spacey groove music on vinyl" - all good so far!! Drawing inspiration from labels such as Beyond Beyond is Beyond, Captcha, Cardinal Fuzz and Nasoni, Doug has channeled his love of music into a project that will help "unique and talented" bands get some well deserved exposure.

Well, if it's unique and talented they're after then Space Chant has nailed it straight from the off; as it's maiden release Space Chant are bringing us the debut long player from Long Beach denizens Plant Tribe, and that is a very fine way of kicking things off. Those who have heard Plant Tribe's 'Loose Marbles' EP from 2012 or last year's 'Eternal Villiany' single will know what a big deal this is. Plant Tribe play the jazzy, groovy but hard rockin' type of psychedelia that is as at home in the California sun as it is flying around the stars on a warm, moonlit night. A group of consumate musicians as well as a spring of psychedelic creativity, Plant Tribe are pretty much the epitome of 21st century West Coast psychedelic rock. I was lucky enough to catch up with the guys in the band and touch base before the release of the 'Late Noon' (and top guys they are too!)



First of all, thanks for agreeing to do the interview, how are you all doing?

PT: Great! Thanks for the interview

'Late Noon', like your earlier releases, has a very strong sixties/seventies vibe going on, does this reflect your collective influences? What are your influences?

Jeff: I don't think the intention was to make a retro sounding album as much as we just try to write music that feels natural and exciting for us to play. However with Plant Tribe, there was a direct intention from the beginning to make exotic groove-based music combining different styles.

Phil: For instance, we founded the band on records like Head Hunters, City Life by The Blackbyrds, That first Mandrill album, Where It All Began by Bo Diddley, Ginger Baker's Airforce, as well as Not Not Fun label bands like Magic Lantern, Pocahaunted, Predator Vision, and also Hawkwind, Spacemen 3, Dead Meadow, Comets on Fire... yeah. We just wanted to take the sounds we groove on, and interpret them in our own way.

Jon: All of the above, but also for guitar, there's the newer psych/hard rock bands like Graveyard, Kadavar, and Wooden Shjips.

Eric: For drumming, I love Ginger Baker, Mitch Mitchell, and Carl Palmer.

Pat: When I'm playing in the band, I draw from jam band, hard rock, and ska influences.

California has been associated with the psych movement since the start...what is it about the place? Is it important to you as a band?

Jeff: You can probably thank Owsley Stanley for that, man! That dude was the first to mass produce LSD as early as 1965, I think... and he did it in Berkeley and in LA, so California was kinda on the cutting edge of the psychedelic experience. It does give a sort of sense of purpose for me to be playing this music and being from California. Having such a rich musical legacy from our own backyard with artists like, Captain Beefheart, Blue Cheer, Iron Butterfly, CCR, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Buffalo Springfield, The Rising Sons, and The Minutemen is definitely inspiring!

What do you make of the current renaissance in psychedelic music? Do you subscribe to the theory that music reflects society? The first psych movement exploded during the whole Vietnam / civil rights situations in the US, now we have ISIS etc.

Jeff: I think people are always looking for a way to get out of their own heads. The desire for escapism is universal, and can be exacerbated by any number of reasons; economic struggles, wartime, personal alienation, ect. What appeals to me about writing psychedelic music is the freedom to indulge in surreal imagery and lush soundscapes that serve to hopefully pull the listener out of their personal daily struggle for a little while, whatever that may be.

On a lighter note...how did you guys get together?

Jeff: We have all known each other in some form for years now. Phil and I had played in a previous band and were looking to start a new group with a new direction. Soon after we joined forces with Jon, creating the core of the original members.

Pat: I joined the band on a trip to the Bay Area for a few shows in the summer of 2012. When we got back I was invited to play saxophone on the Loose Marbles EP, and then joined the band full time on keys and sax.

Eric: I had played a few shows with Plant Tribe with my previous band. When that gig ended it turned out that they were also looking for a new drummer. The timing was right, and I've been playing with them ever since.

Plant Tribe - 'Dealings In Astra' (from 'Loose Marbles EP', 2012)



Am I right in thinking 'Late Noon' is your first vinyl release LP....you must be psyched?

Jeff: Late Noon is our first full-length album and our first 12" LP. Prior to this we have one other vinyl release, our self-released 7" EP, Saturation. We can't wait to have the LP in our hands in the coming months! Jon did a great job with the album art, and Doug from Space Chant has some really cool things in store for the vinyl release!

How did the hook up with Doug and Space Chant come about?

Jeff: We got an email from Doug introducing himself as a huge music and vinyl fan who was looking to start his own label. He was a fan of our releases and noticed that we mentioned an upcoming full-length and offered to put it out. After a few emails and phone calls back and forth, we struck up a deal.

Is songwriting a collective exercise or are there clearly defined roles?

PT: Almost all of our music comes out of jamming that we later refine into songs. Jeff writes most of the lyrics himself, but occasionally collaborates with Phil on lyrics and melody. Everybody brings something to the table, so it's a pretty collaborative process.

Just for the techheads out there, what gear do you use?

Phil: Acoustic 200 watt combo amp. A bass muff for effect. My axe is a used squire p bass. I rewired it and added Seymour Duncan pickups.

Pat: I play a Selmer Series II Baritone saxophone and a Korg SV-1 though a Leslie rotary pedal.

Eric: Ludwig Vistalite drums (yellow), Sabian cymbals, Aquarian drumheads, Vater drumsticks, and DW hardware

Jon: Orange AD30 head, vox cabinet, fender strat, crybaby wah, boss delay, holy grail reverb, EH Worm, MXR Fuzz

Any new bands to keep an eye out for ?

Jeff: Lots of rad bands coming out of California right now. Our buds in Banquet, Buffalo Tooth, Glitter Wizard, JOY, Queen Crescent, Mondo Drag, Occult Wisdom, Sacri Monti, Loom, Time & Energy, and Babylon all rip! Also - outside of CA, we dig Fogg, The Golden Grass, and Danava!

What's next for the band after the LP release?

Jeff: More releases! We actually have a few things lined up but I'm not sure we can give details quite yet. Currently, we're working on our next album.

Finally.....you are about to embark on a headling stadium tour...which three bands/artists, dead or alive, would you like supporting?

Jon: Pink Floyd (mid to late 70's era)

Jeff: The Allman Brothers Band (with Duane)

Pat: Herbie Hancock

Thanks a lot guys...and all the best for the album

'Late Noon' will be released by Space Chant Records very soon! Watch this space for a review