An interview with Morgan Garrett, an up and comer in the American Noise Rock Underground
by Zack Kouns
ZK:HOW COME YOU HAVEN'T DOWNLOADED ME AND RICK'S NEW CHRISTMAS ALBUM?
MG: HEY MAN I SAW 18 TRACKS I NEED TO GET TO A LAPTOP BEFORE I MAKE ANY MOVES HERE.
ZK: C'MON DON'T PULL THAT CRAP ON ME, YOUR PHONE HAS PLENTY OF DATA STORAGE AND THEN YOU CAN PLAY IT FOR YOUR BOBCAT BUDDIES TO MAKE ME AND RICK AND OVERNIGHT SENSATION.
MG: DROPBOX AIN'T SO EASY ON A NICE SMART PHONE.
ZK: How did you get so tall anyway?
MG: I think from lifting weights in 7th grade.
ZK: Any plans for a tour?
MG: I'd book a tour up Rick's ass and not show up. I knew a lot more about touring before I was a teen before Rick who is now honestly probably 30. I'm about to pay for my plane tickets to get me, Rick and anyone he'd love to have travel the world with and drive them straight. God, man just drive them straight under ground, pissed he deleted Stardaddy, once again this is MY ACT.
ZK: Tell me about this new act that you and no one else invented: "Stardaddy Dixie"
MG: I created Stardaddy Dixie a few weeks ago when I was jamming bass through a couple amps of mine. Lately, I've been influenced by more experimental music so I thought it was time to start combining some really weird stuff like a contact mic, drum machine and some pedals. Like I said, I've been listening to some really out there stuff and I knew I could play my bass guitar through a couple of amps. I wanted to bring something new to the table. I love playing bass loud and through pitch shifters man so I thought using my bass guitar through some effects with electronics could get pretty wild. I had even played a couple shows here and there with Rick and I think people liked it quite a bit. I played a few gigs under "Chicago, Illinois" and it was pretty stripped down (drum machine, mic with delay) Honestly that was just me phoning it in. I just can't believe I'm getting a show at doing EXACTLY what I want to do...I don't care what the crowds think, this is all about me: Stardaddy, stardaddy.
ZK: Do you like romance?
MG: I know I'm no romancer...I wish I had it in me.
ZK: Who's playing bass for Weasel Walter? I mean I'm talking about right this second.
MG: I remember Weasel Walter. My friend from OU and Small Steps played in Sonic Youth for a while, Grant Engstrom but I'm pretty sure Weasel Walter is in Small Steps with Kim.
ZK: How tall is Grant getting to be, would you say?
MG: I'd give Grantie 6'4"
ZK: Who's really calling the shots, in your opinion?
MG: I have a friend with a label called Human Conduct Records named Rick Weaver and he's been getting some of my releases out. Rick hasn't tried me or any of my friends recently so it's hard to say really but I think Tick tells me how to run my own gigs, you know?
ZK: What's all the hubbub about caffeine? It's not so hot in my book.
MG: Funny you ask that because I've been drinking a bottle of Mountain Dew before I jam. I think Mountain Dew Game Fuel is my favorite caffeine flavored soda, you should try it.
ZK: What's All Day Records in Carrboro like?
MG: That was the first show I ever played under "Chicago". Honestly, the experience could have been better. I was hangin with a few of my friends and one of them took a dump in the bathroom which is for artists, musicians and employees. Jeremy was working who is the Human Contact records golden boy and he really didn't even give the shop a once over before all the Out of Towners showed up. It was like he didn't even care about people hangin. He heard me talking to someone about an experimental rock vinyl and got out from behind his desk, got in my face and said "look man, if you want to play...ok, play. If you want a record, buy one, but get that rock attitude out of my store." So, I pretty much shut right up and played my set. I think there's a pretty neat window there but man if you don't have a clean store and you don't accommodate artists or label owners then that's plain wrong and I wouldn't run a business like that. Also, I thought I would get paid because I had a pretty good draw but I guess not.
ZK: Do you follow Francis A. Buffalo on Facebook?
MG: No.
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