Interview with Calla guitarist Peter Gannon from April 2005.
What is your inspiration for making music?
"As a band we have shared experiences and tastes in music and film. Other art and music is certainly inspiring. I think a real motivation for me is to create music that makes people react the way I react to my favorite music. Hopefully, it's giving back in a way. I can be inspired by different things. It could be just from the day and mood I'm in to establishing some sort of challenge for myself, doing something I've never tried before. There are no set conditions for making music. Sometimes you make it when you are not inspired, but that helps to weed out bad ideas and options and can be just as important to the process."
From album to album the sound of Calla's music keeps changing. Is that the way the future releases will be or is that something permanent?
"I've been in Calla full-time since January 2003, but have had small contributions to each of the previous records. On "Collisions" I was a full contributor. I know that with each album Calla has tried to progress and take new steps forwards; never to repeat ourselves. I think the lineage of albums traces the bands experiences. The first is much more experimental and isolationist, "Scavengers" explores some more formal songwriting, and "Televise" is more of a band album. "Collisions" (new album due out this summer) is another step in that direction, more "song"orientated aimed at getting the listeners attention immediately. I think the challenge for the future is to sum up all the parts while still keeping things fresh. We are very conscious of not repeating ourselves."
Can you attribute any imagery to your songs?
"I've always seen Calla's music as a opposition of urban and rural. Not opposed in a violent way, but that the music represents both and agnologes both."
What are some of the bands coming out of New York at the moment that you feel are unsung?
"It's not like New York is being over looked by the music community or anything. I haven't seen many shows lately, but I'm planning on checking out AnimalCollective, The Winter Pageant, Gang Gang Dance,Akron:Family, and Inouk when they play next....."
