How to go
Who: Soul Asylum with special guests the Meat Puppets and local openers A Shade of Red and Able Danger
Where: Oddbody’s Music Room, 5418 Burkhardt Road, Dayton
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7
Cost: $25-$30
More info: 937-813-4272 or www.oddbodys.com
Artist info: www.soulasylum.com
Dave Pirner is a self-confessed Luddite, but that didn’t stop the Soul Asylum frontman from being convinced to employ online crowdfunding for the band’s next album, “Change of Fortune.”
Pirner recently took a few minutes to discuss the new album, PledgeMusic and performing with tour mates the Meat Puppets at Oddbody’s Music Room in Dayton on Saturday, Nov. 7.
Q: What made you decide to go with PledgeMusic for the new album?
A: "It took a little bit of persuading on my part. I didn't really understand it. What are we doing, panhandling to our fans? I'm a bit of Luddite, and I struggle with the Internet and figuring out how to apply it to the band. I talked to a couple of guys from PledgeMusic about it on the phone and they seemed like really smart people, and that convinced me. There are some nice creative parts about this, so it has been a little bit of an education as far as what you can do."
Q: How does the new album compare sonically with more recent Soul Asylum albums?
A: "I think the band is at its very best right now. Writing for Soul Asylum for me has always been about testing the limitations of what the band can do, and to that effect it is pretty limitless right now. The guys are really open-minded. A lot of times in bands people's tastes are sort of dictated by their abilities, and these guys can play anything. It has really freed me up to go in a lot of different directions that may have been clumsy in the past."
Q: What makes Soul Asylum and the Meat Puppets a good fit for a tour?
A: "I've been a lifelong fan of the Meat Puppets. We're kind of from the same period musically, so there is some history there, and we've crossed paths many times. We did some tours of Europe together back in the day. We ended up on a bill with them quite a few times, and we always had fun hanging out. They're incredibly good. I love the guitar playing and I love the songwriting, and we all really get along."
Q: What can folks expect at Oddbody’s in Dayton?
A: "People will be getting a face full of rock. Everybody has come to play, and we've all done it long enough that we know what we're doing. There's no bones about it: It's just down and dirty rock 'n' roll."
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