words by Michael Todd | interview by Ingrid Holmquist
Eli Mardock's forthcoming EP — out this Thursday, Feb. 14 — begins with a lovely duet called "Hamburg."
Over major chords strummed on an acoustic guitar, Mardock and his wife, Carrie, trade lines about their early romance. "I knew I wanted you," Carrie sings. Eli replies, "And I knew I wanted you, too, but you were always with him."
And thus the autobiographical drama is set before they sing together: "Every time we talk, everybody whispers." This opening song off the EP, also titled Hamburg, is a not-so-subtle ode to the days when Eli and Carrie played in Eagle Seagull. As far as the music goes, what followed was a band breakup and a transition to Eli's solo project.
"Old friends spit and shit on us," Eli says. "And that made the transition difficult. But, you know, we don't focus on that. We don't really ever think about it or feel bitter about it."
Listen to the song, premiering here, and read the interview further below to learn more about Hamburg, Eli's thoughts on his lyrics and more:
Hear Nebraska: Looking forward to showing off your new EP?
Eli Mardock: Yeah, I'm really excited for fans to hear it.
HN: How was transitioning into Eli Mardock from Eagle Seagull?
EM: It's been an adventure. I never really think about it until I do an interview, but this question always comes up.
It hasn't been easy on the local level. You know, Carrie (Mardock) and I have been smeared so many times… and right from the start. And that's all right. You've got to expect that from some people. And we knew we would bring that on ourselves. Just the other day some random guy I don't know posted on the Eagle Seagull Facebook wall that I should do everyone a favor and just kill myself. And we just had a good laugh about it. For Christ's sake, if we didn't we'd lose it, you know? But it's weird that stuff like that still happens often enough that we're used to it and just kind of laugh about it.
And for what, though? There still seems to be all this anger and resentment. And why? Because a fucking band broke up? Because of Carrie and I? I mean, Jesus Christ. Get a grip. Grow up.
If I want to answer your question honestly, I have to say that a lot of people in the local scene spit and shit on us. Old friends spit and shit on us. And that made the transition difficult. But, you know, we don't focus on that. We don't really ever think about it or feel bitter about it. We're too busy being happy and preparing for our baby boy.
We set out in the very beginning to just ignore the local drama and social posturing and just go over their heads directly to a larger public. It's essentially the same thing we did with Eagle Seagull. And that's exactly what we did. We focused the majority of our marketing efforts on the UK — and that really paid off. We focused on getting non-traditional syncs that would allow for maximum exposure — and that really worked well.
So many bands, especially on the local level, aim for small things. They play shows to impress their drunk friends. They play shows for a local ego massage. Fuck that. I've always wanted a larger audience, a larger scene — not some let's-make-a-record-and-hope-we-can-sell-100-of-'em-to-our-friends-and-family sort of thing.
And, like I said, it's worked well. My first EP, NE Sorrow is Born, has 7,500-plus downloads in more than 40 countries. So, while it's been annoying that some local people just can't seem to move on with their lives, does it really matter? No, it doesn't. Besides, Carrie and I don't have time to go out every night and suck everyone's dicks to make them like like us again.
It's just human nature. Everybody wants everyone to stay in their place. And if you try to break out, they'll try to put you back where they think you belong. Your parents do it. So do schools, your close friends… everyone has an idea of what you are and what you should be doing. And they get angry when you don't do it. I think some people are just upset that, you know, we didn't stay in our place, or the place they thought we should be.
HN: How would you describe Eli Mardock?
EM: I guess I would describe it as kind of DIY. It's a solo project in every way. Post E*S, it's just been really important to me that I do everything myself. I don't want any sort of dependency on anyone. So, I just started learning/absorbing as much as I could. I'm no longer a voyeur to the process of producing, releasing and marketing a record. I'm hands-on with everything.
HN: What is the chemistry within your current bandmates?
EM: Ian (Aeillo, guitar) and Joey (Manthey, guitar) are two of my favorite people, great friends and incredible musicians, too. They were both really there for me when not a lot of other people were. And I'll never forget that.
Ian is kind of like my ambassador to the local scene. I don't really bother with it too much and he's always putting in a good word for me. Karrington (Drake Moudry-Cooper, drums) is kind of new to the band. We like to tease him since he's a bit of a kid still. He's a good kid, though. And Carrie, you know, she teaches me things every day.
HN: What’s the story behind the conceptualization of your pending second EP, Hamburg?
EM: Like the last EP, it's odds and ends that didn't really fit well on my full-length (soon to be released on April 29, 2012). The lyrics to "Hamburg" were co-written with Carrie over drinks at a bar. The song "Paradise Lost" was co-written with Mike Overfield when Eagle Seagull was still around. "We Don't Know the Time Has Come" was a song that was originally intended for an Eagle Seagull EP. "Butterfly" was written in my early 20s, and I just never got around to recording until now.
HN: How do you think it stacks up to the music on debut EP, NE Sorrow is Born?
EM: You tell me. It's all the same to me.
HN: How do you feel about yourself as a lyricist?
EM: Lyrics are torture. They cause me nothing but pain. I suffer over them. I'm always re-writing and editing lyrics. I always think they're total shit, trash. I don't even like to write them out because I hate the way they look on the page. They always look stupid.
And then even when I do finally finish 'em, it's never without regrets. I'm always like, "I should have said this or that instead." It kind of drives me crazy actually.
HN: How do you emotionally attach to music?
EM: Most music is complete shit. It's moronic. I like music that is cathartic, that forces a physical sensation, a powerful emotion, or sense of longing on me.
HN: Do you think the stage or music in general can provide a means of public catharsis?
EM: That's what it's all about, isn't it?
HN: Why is music important to you?
EM: It's just part of me. It's part of my Self. I love songs that (and try to write songs) that are honest — no bullshit, no fluff, no posturing, no airs. I write songs about what I care about, what I think about — no more, no less. I cannot live up to other people's expectations of me because they're illusionary. It's about being myself.
HN: How is planning going for your first full-length album, Everything Happens For The First Time?
EM: The go date is in April. And I'm excited to be working with a label that is kind of a return to my roots — and kind of like working with an old friend at this point. Anyway, I don't want to say anything until they make the announcement themselves. More on this soon.
Michael Todd is Hear Nebraska's managing editor. He looks forward to hearing that announcement. Reach Michael at michaeltodd@hearnebraska.org.