Interview by Ryan Pangilinan
Tagged 2006 desoto records indie pop indie rock maritime the dismemberment plan the promise ring
It seems that most bands comprised of members from formerly great bands usually coming running out of the gates with hype and money following them like kids after an ice cream truck. Maritime is a completely different story, though.
Shortly after the near simultaneous break-ups of Jade Tree stalwarts the Promise Ring and D.C. post-punk outfit the Dismemberment plan, the trio of Davey von Bohlen, Dan Didier, and Eric Axleson formed Maritime, whose debut
Glass Floor was a bit more subdued than what fans of their previous bands were expecting.
“We sort of had to get
Glass Floor out of our system,” said drummer Dan Didier. “It was upbeat, but [they were] not rock songs.”
Since the release of that album, Maritime has had a bit of a line-up change with a road-worn Axleson leaving, but not before finishing up their latest record,
We, the Vehicles, out on Flameshovel.
Upon hearing
We, the Vehicles, it’s easy to get caught up in Davey von Bohlen’s gentle voice and the melody it carries. As a result, many longtime fans may liken the record to the Promise Ring’s opus,
Nothing Feels Good, but Maritime would rather not get bogged down by the “featuring-ex-members-of” mark. In fact, they hope that
We, the Vehicles distances the band from that tag.
“I hope that this record does [distance us from that tag], but you can’t control that,” said Didier. “The Promise Ring tried to shed the ‘emo’ tag. All you can do is write better songs and whatever happens, happens.”
While Maritime’s debut full-length was layered with strings and keyboards over the band’s core guitar-bass-drum combination, their sophomore record is a back-to-basics fanfare.
“When we started writing for the new album, we tried to make it [for] three or four guys,” Didier explained. “It happened organically in the studio… The only intentional thing was that we tried to make it so it could translate easily to a live setting.”
This is a notion that will no doubt be tested on the road for Maritime’s upcoming tour. But don’t expect Didier and von Bohlen to renew the trucker-esque lifestyle they endured during their years in the Promise Ring.
“Touring will be more concise, because I’m going to have a child in April,” Didier said. All of Maritime’s members are fathers and as any parent will tell you, it’s infinitely harder to raise a child than to hop in a van, hit the road, and play rock songs. “[Touring] will be more structured. We’re getting older now, so we have to do it smartly.”
As Maritime gears up to take their new album on the road, they’ve also made some new additions to their line-up with Justin Klug on bass and Dan Hiss on guitar, taking the band back to square one. “We spent time rehearsing. It’s been more like playing catch up,” said Didier.
Though they’re still in a bit of an awkward transitioning phase between new members, a new album and a new label, Dan Didier also looks to the future of Maritime. “I’m excited for the next record because [everyone has] separate ways to write.”
Although Didier admits that they “haven’t gotten ‘there’ with writing,” fans should not expect a
Chinese Democracy situation with Maritime. But if
We, the Vehicles is any indication of what’s to come, perhaps a
Use Your Illusion I & II are not far off either.
what do you think?
