Home » Music » Salem's Lot

Salem's Lot

Salem are a bit of an elusive bunch of musicians. It’s hard to find out much about them from the usual sources so we hunted them down.

Salem's Lot

James Cooper

What they have done is make some of the most exciting and interesting electronic music to come out of the US in ages.

If we call their sound goth-step it’ll sound rubbish and probably put you off listening to it, but that’s pretty much their sound. It’s a bit like Burial had grown up an emo in suburban America, rather than as a bit of a townie in Croydon. Anyway, it’s really good; you should go listen to it. Maybe read this interview with the trio while you’re doing it…

Hi Salem, how are you today, and who's actually answering these questions?

H: Jack Donoghue, John Holland and Heather Marlatt are answering these questions.

Your MySpace page is pretty devoid of information and hard to use. Are you deliberately trying to make yourselves obscure or is it that you're just not that bothered about promoting yourselves in the traditional ways? Like the way your EPs have been really hard to get hold of and you don't seem to be doing much in the way of touring. Are you bothered about becoming successful and/or famous?

H: Our EPs have been hard to find because we are just starting out and they are in limited release. We are planning on playing more this spring and summer.

JO: I feel like there is a lot of information regarding who we are and what our music is like on the Myspace pages- it’s just through imagery not text.

JA: we are focusing more on the music and art that we make, if that attracts people including people who will help us and work with us, and then everyone can make a little money.

You've said before that the Mid-West of the US is 'a pretty bleak, sad place'. Was growing up there one of the influences that have made your music so dark?

H: The region where we are from definitely has an influence on our whole perception which translates to everything we do. I don't know if it is dark but it’s overcast. The Sun don’t shine in Michigan.

JO: It is maybe a little bleak but there are some nice places there. There are dark places too. There are dark places everywhere.

You've also talked about feeling like you're outsiders who can't really participate in the current world. Is that a position you're happy with or would you like things to change so you can join in?

H: I don't feel like an outsider because John and Jack and I communicate so well and understand one another. I don't think I necessarily want to join in with a lot of things people are doing at the moment.

JO: We join in the current world as much as we want to. I don’t want it to change - we connect with each other in a way that makes it so I don’t need too much of anything else going on.

JA: I don’t feel like an outsider more just disappointed by a lot of things to the point that I don’t care. We would like to get some money so we can do more large scale projects and a dirt bike.

If you feel alienated from the world does it mean that you don't really care how people react to your music? Is it more of a case of doing it for yourselves and if other people like it then that's a bonus?

H: I don't think we feel alienated from the world. Sometimes we are disappointed but that is different. There will always be people who don't like what we are making, I am just happy that people listen to it. We didn't really consider that when we started working together. Pretty much we just make music because we want to.

JA: It is made for us but it is nice that other people like our music too

Do you think suffering makes you more alive? Is pain and hardship a necessity for humanity to be at its best?

H: Yes.

JO: Yes- at least it makes you feel something

Let's get back to your music. You've said that the music that you make when you are all together is different from the stuff you each work on individually. Why's that and which do you think is better?

H: It is better when we are together, we balance each other. We all like the same things but each of us has a different strength when it comes to composing.

JO: We all bring to the music different things that work together better than when we work on our own.

JA: They are both good, but they are different. No one can pull the song too far in their own direction. It is forced and watched over that it stays within our shared aesthetic circle

You were named in Drowned in Sound as one of its hot tips for 2009. Does that make you feel happy or under pressure or couldn't you care less about what people are writing about you?

H: I think we are surprised people have had such a strong reaction to what we are doing. It is nice to be recognised.

JA: It’s a nice thing to say, we will see what happens.

Do you ever listen to some of the darker dubstep stuff coming out of the UK? Your music certainly seems to echo or reference the isolation that's present in some of Burial's productions. Was that conscious or just a happy coincidence?

H: We don’t hear something and think, "We should sound like that." We are aware of the genre but I wouldn't say it’s an influence.

JO: I like dubstep

JA: We are unconscious...in all ways

Your remix of Radiohead's ‘Reckoner’ track is really good. How did it come about? Did Thom and the rest call you up or was it not really official in any way? Is remixing someone else's music different from creating your own?

H: Our manager and label asked us to do it. It was not at all like when the three of us compose something because there was already a structure and progression in place but it was not on a set tempo. We always start with the beat and then build the song so that was different. We did it because we wanted money.

Finally, is there any chance you're going to be in the UK any time soon?

H: Maybe, we are going to Rome in May and we may stop some other places.

myspace - Salem

Salem's Lot

James Cooper

OTHER ARTICLES