Centro-matic

6/ 7 – Austin TX – Frank w/ Kingdom of Suicide Lovers

6/8 – Dallas TX – Foundry w/ Kingdom of Suicide Lovers – FREE SHOW!

As 2012 and a busy year that found us each working on various projects comes to an end we couldn’t be happier to be back together to record our next Centro-matic album! We are currently in the studio and while we work hard to get the new album ready to share with all of you we are also excited to announce a few Texas dates at the end of Jan/early Feb…tickets on sale Thursday Dec 13! Hope to see you there!

Thu Jan 31 – Denton TX – Dan’s Silverleaf
Fri Feb 01 – Austin TX – The Mohawk Austin
Sat Feb 02 – Ft Worth TX – Live Oak Music Hall & Lounge

Will takes interviews seriously. He wants to give thoughtful answers to folks who are kind enough to write about Centro-matic and South San Gabriel. On one occasion a little while back, however, the combination of the faulty translations of emailed questions and an unreasonable deadline forced him to respond in a less direct manner than usual. Ladies and Gentlemen, here’s one of our favorite WJ interviews ever gave:

When we talk about Will Johnson, we refer to one of the most versatile rock scene. An artist with many projects at the same time. Work published almost an album per year.

How do you organize your musical hyperactivity?

Organizationally, chemically, and thematically, I am Will Johnson, so
I don’t have much say on that. I do organize my musical activity by
arranging my caresses in a room near the tested/abused edges like a sun, sighing in the key of Harm. I said “sighing”, not “singing”. You probably thought I meant “singing.” Anyway, some things get written at speed of an East County vandal. Some while driving. Like spackle candies or more specifically, the known stink of a familiar tomb. Depends on LanZad futures of course, face paint availability, and horse. So, no set way. (The) Best way for me. Me being Lil Squallz.

To understand the figure of Will Johnson one could use the figure of the great American hero. Someone who can give wings to reply and a normal person with ordinary life. What are differences between Centro-Matic and South San Gabriel?

The Greatest American Hero was one of my favorite TV shows. Giant
helpings. I have given wings to a small child once, but never a puppy. The differences between Centro-matic and South San Gabriel are like heavy wooden bats versus sleepy sheets on a laundry line. But again, not up for me to decide. There is no sense in me posturing the two against each other in silky trunks for any length of time. I want that Bod.

In these two bands mentioned, Will portrays his creativity. Centro-Matic is the formal and intimate side of Will, and is expressed through the rock. And South San Gabriel is perhaps their most versatile, open. Do you need these two projects to express your creativity?

I need these two projects mostly because I need rides to place(s).
Our van is the only world where I can get some good middle class air
conditioning, maybe meet a friend, and get a little time with all these Car
and Drivers. As far as the race, Centro-matic tends to look the speeding bus down, instead of board it. Whereas South San Gabriel carefully raises its Sails of Concern in summer’s caramel heat. Like a compassionate, thorough penguin. The two projects are desired by our troops in order to fulfill the musical and spiritual needs of our collective lives in waiting. We cannot afford counseling. Or rye. No hot tub, so we approach our wells of aural satisfaction with familiar bayonets of reverence and care.

Within your course surprised us your previous work double LP Dual Hawk, the rock on one side of Centro-matic and the other with its more relaxed in South San Gabriel. Was this work the attempt to unify criteria and contained in a only job?

The attempt to unify criteria and contained in a only job is by
masturbating quietly, but very diligently at work. On the clock. Lots.
Bossman in hall, Wokka Bee happy in stall. Think about that. Blam blam.
Blamm… sssssssssssssss, then.. Powwowowowow!!

Why this had to take a toll under the umbrella of South San Gabriel?

What’s taken its toll under the umbrella of South San Gabriel is the
potency of oils. This almost broke the band up, leaving us in a desert of
burning, nearly breathless decay. It is like bleeding from the knees with a
head full of static on an empty, quiet little shingle. All while emitting
spark and rumble in our FresshyPantz. Say that to yourself. In a whisper. FresshyPantz.

What is the approach to this tribute? Revise and redo their songs or else pay tribute remembering and engaging more partners from the experience?

If we engage more partners from the experience, we take a chance on disease. That’s not worth it.

Centro Matic as soon going to publish your next job, “Candidate Walt”. What are we going to find in it?

We met Walt. In/at Childress County Lotion Party.

Instrumentally, what predominates in your “Candidate Walt”? How is it made?

Was not made. (Was..) Dreamed.

The first issue we show is “Double Only In My Mind,” which starts strong to let us live KO from the second one. But at the same time vital sounds cool, almost even pop. Do open this topic to a dead center complex Matic, in which openly do and undo as you please topics without any pressure?

I am always living KO from the second one, but as far as vital might
go, or even the complex Matic part.. there are time constraints and out and out problems with us not hanging out enough together. Really, we’ve been trying to go on a camping trip with this fucking band for years. The shit keeps getting delayed. I think we all know we’d be a better band if we just took the time to go camping. It’s so simple, and we can’t fucking get it done. I’m pretty available. For camping or whatever that game is where you throw the beanbag about ten yards into a hole on a board. Bunghole, is it? Bung-bowls? I think it’s got some various regional names. Or just riding around town, for shit’s sake. Fuck. Anyway, as far as the reference to “openly do and undo as you please”, we usually take full advantage of that so long as it does not flirt with the reality of injury. Or disease (see earlier answer). After all our time together, there is still zero pressure with our band(s). That comes with the very weird and sometimes painful and/or joyous freedom of historically flying under the radar of the public’s conscience. There’s a defiance that lives in our relative anonymity, and we are sovereign because of it. When the vast majority of the listening public isn’t listening, who cares if you walk the streets stark naked with little bitty dry-rub, Skittle nipples? So what? Well, I’ll tell you what.. Here we are, after 1/6th of a century, with our original lineup happily intact, strong as all fuck, still making records the we really love. Not going fucking camping.

In AGAINST THE LINE you talk about what we can expect and how we build as a mute. Where do as escaped or where or how you felt trapped?

Yeah.

Recently, you were in our contry to presents some issues of this latest “Candidate Walt”. How do you expect to be receiving this by the public?

My dad like “contry”. He knew Walt.

Do you feel a bit of nervousness or concern about the outcome?

Hell yes I do. Bath time.

Matt Pence recently recorded the series of Deschutes River Recordings and played drums on the below version of “Up on Cripple Creek” with Eric Earley and Michael Van Pelt from Blitzen Trapper.

The series is for sale through Bandcamp. Proceeds benefit the Deschutes River Conservancy.

Find out more here and on the Deschutes River website.