The Shackeltons E-Interview Pt. 2: Dan

Here's part two of the five-part e-interview of The Shackeltons

(Click to view Part 1: Eric's interview)

Here are the answers you've been looking for typed by the very fingers of Dan himself!

When did the band form and how did you all meet?
We formed sometime in late 2004. Justin’s brother was our original bass player. Justin took his place when he went away to University of North Carolina, Ashville. And Sean replaced our other drummer in late 2005.

We were in different bands in the area and we decided to make good music, or what we though to be good music, and even though influentially we were different in music we all shared the same respect for the art and shared a common bond with our understanding of it’s purpose and power.

Where does the name of the band come from?
Sir Ernest Shackleton.

An explorer who sought to walk across Antarctica with 27 men and failed to do so, but brought hope to a country ravaged by a world war with their story of endurance through the cold and the cruel. All 27 men survived, but ironically died in the next world war (WW2).

Who are your biggest musical influences?
Mine?

Music:
Radiohead
Arab on Radar
Damien Jurado
Weasel Walter
The Make-Up
Black Angels
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Beck
The Lowdown


Do you have any other major influences?
Covert biological warfare experiments on American citizens by our own government :)


Thought:
Walter Benjamin
Ken Kesey
Albert Camus
Noam Chomsky
Charles Bukowski


Personal?
My mom and grandfather


Political?
Noam Chomsky
Walter Benjamin


Literary?
Daniel Pinchbeck
Albert Camus
Ray Bradbury


Is this something you've all always wanted to do, or were there other things you were set on becoming, like a pilot or an acrobat?
Be the Jesus Christ of New Jersey freestyle hand jive.

Make wicker baskets in New Mexico.

Have my own breakfast cereal.

Kick someone’s ass Shaft style.

Have a reality tv show called ‘Bigger than Bono’. I don’t know what I’d do I just like that title.


What was the weirdest thing to ever happen to you guys on tour?
Drunk ladies.

Border Patrol.

Half naked, pumping gas.

Some dude playing the didgeridoo while I’m trying to sleep.


Any creepy, crazy or stalker-ey fans yet?
Hannah Montana keeps calling for my dick. I said hold on, bitch.


Have you ever written any songs that you are truly embarrassed by now?
Mayonnaise, mustard, sour-cream.


If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Maybe Saxon Shore’s Four Months of Darkness album.

Or the new Black Angels album.

Or the new Sigur Ros album


If your music was a shape what would it be?
A Circle like Zen.


If you were to do some crazy unrelated side project, what would it sound like?
Psychedelic noise folk

Something like black moth super rainbow, but trashier and tribal.


Favorite band that you've played a show with?
Clinic
Fleet Foxes


If you could have any superpower, what would it be, and why?
Shape shifting…like the wonder twins…but I want to be more than just water.

You get every super power in one…you can fly…be invisible, and invincible…turn into a transparent eagle with nuclear warheads in your claws


What is your dream show to play (who would you play with, and where)?
The line up would be Damien Jurado, Lake of Dracula, and Sigur Ros. Either Ian Svenonius, or Henry Rollins would open up with their spoken word, and we, the shackeltons, would just play one song, that would be a combination of all of our songs, but it’d be only 5 minutes long.

Is there anything else you would like to declare to your public?
Stop being hip, start being useful.