Editor’s note: This week’s “Five Questions” is with vocalist and guitarist Galen Disston of Pickwick, a folk-inspired indie rock band from Ballard, Wash. Pickwick will perform with Davis’ Buildings Breeding on Saturday at 10 p.m. at Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, which is located in downtown Davis. For more information on the band, go to myspace.com/pickwickmusic.
Tell us a little bit about what Pickwick is all about.
Pickwick started when I moved to Seattle and met the drummer Matt at a David Bazan show. Everything I hear that’s not rooted in Bob Dylan sounds like a fad to me. So that’s where everything starts. Everybody contributes in their unique way to the sound, and we are exploring writing collaboratively and challenging each other to be better musicians. We blend roots/folk with electronic elements and “found sounds” using whatever’s around. No instrument is off limits as long as the song calls for it.
We just finished our self-made, self-released demo and are working on a full length. We have a CD release show for our demo with Damien Jurado’s new band Hoqiuam on July 19 in Seattle.
Which Dylan era is your favorite, or could you choose one album?
I like the period after he got in the motorcycle accident. Especially John Wesley Harding, when he went down to Nashville as a resurrected corpse to make his most excellent folk/groove record.
Choice flavor from Cupcake Royale in Ballard?
Those cupcakes are so fucking dry. There’s a cupcake shop in Wallingford that’s overpriced, full of soccer moms and socialites that I would car bomb if I could… but their cupcakes are pretty moist.
Do you have any last words for George Carlin?
No disrespect intended, but I’ve had better.
Describe your band’s sound in three words.
Space travel folk.
NICOLE L. BROWNER can be reached at arts@californiaaggie.com.
