Dan Cribb & The Isolated launch their debut album, As We Drift Apart, this Saturday, May 23, at Amplifier with Scalphunter, The Disappointed, Apollo’s Son and Total Waste. BOB GORDON has a chat with the man himself.
For a debut album that has your name out front, it’s very collaborative in nature. It seems an interesting state of affairs, would you agree?
I guess the idea of this project was to surround myself with friends who like to write and play the same kind of music as me. I’ve played music with people who aren’t happy with what they’re doing and it can suck the life and fun out of it. The core of The Isolated is guitarist Scott Connor and The Swellers’ Nick Diener, and the way we write music together works so well. I commit a lot of time and resources to the project, and Scott and our drummer, Tom, and new guitarist, Clay, can have as much or as little involvement as they want – depending on what other commitments they have. The more they’re involved the better, obviously, but the way we work it now, there’s just such a casual vibe. We’re just a bunch of friends hanging out.
Following on from the EP what were your intentions for a full-length album? Have they stayed true?
The EP was mostly acoustic, and since it came out and The Isolated formed, the band has developed a new sound. We knew what we wanted going into the studio because we spent months writing and demoing. We wanted to write an album that had big choruses, awesome riffs and ultimately enjoy playing live, and I think we achieved that.
The musical chemistry with Nick Diener must be amazing, even via long-distance?
I love his band, The Swellers, and we both write similar music. It’s probably because we’re both heavily influenced by bands like No Use For A Name, Weezer and other ‘90s bands. The long-distance thing works well. If I write something I’m unsure about, or it doesn’t have the right vibe, I’ll leave space for Nick to put a sweet lead or solo.
And Darren Cordeux contributes also. I dare say you were a fan of Kisschasy as a younger chap, what’s it like to have him on board?
I’m a massive Kisschasy fan. I used to go see them before I turned 18, so they were one of the first bands I got to see live. The poppy side of our music is definitely influenced by them, and I love the way Darren writes lyrics. I played a show with Darren in Melbourne in February and it was great hanging out. It’s funny, on the track he sings there’s parts where it’s just him and Nick singing without me.
Given your departure from The Decline, what does The Isolated mean to you now in terms of identity and creativity?
I feel the music I’m producing now better represents where I’m at. It’s also closer to the sort of music I want to be playing, and the way the band is structured is good for everyone. Nick is a studio member, and he lives in Michigan. The Isolated and I all have a lot of other things on the go, so for me, being able to play shows or tour with the band, as an acoustic duo or solo means I can do so many different things. I just want to be making music.
What are your plans for rest of 2015?
I’ve been in the studio with my acoustic guitar working on something else that will be announced in the coming months. The album release is just the beginning!
