A serious band that seriously calls itself Diarrhea Planet?
"Anyone who saw our live shows, they know we're serious," says vocalist and guitarist Jordan Smith by phone from Nashville, Tenn.
FAQ
Diarrhea Planet
WHEN — 10 p.m. Saturday
WHERE — The Lightbulb Club in Fayetteville
COST — $8; tickets available in advance at Block Street Records
INFO — facebook.com/lightb…
And seriously talented, too. The six-piece band formed in 2009 and earned a reputation for its incendiary live shows, where the members -- including four, count 'em, four, guitarists -- often trade licks played with teeth or behind their back. The band tours regularly, and the group's current jaunt brings the musicians to Little Rock later today and on to Fayetteville for a Saturday show. Teenagers open the local event at The Lightbulb Club on Block Avenue. And it will be a "wild and rowdy" affair, Smith promises.
"If you want to see grown men smooch their guitar for an hour, this is your show," Smith says.
As for the playful but serious dynamic, Smith thinks he can explain. If someone needed life advice or comfort, he'd be quick to console them. But he might also attempt to brighten the mood through humor.
"In a super-serious situation, I'll be trying to make them laugh," he says.
That's packaged inside the band's recorded output, too, both in previous albums such as the critically praised "I'm Rich Beyond Your Wildest Dreams" and the forthcoming project, which Smith says the band will begin recording in mid-September. Smith recounts the process of writing one of the songs. He's been tweaking it for a month, and he went back into it to add moments of lightness in an otherwise heavy song. There's also a consideration for live replication. Smith says he writes himself parts he can deliver consistently, cutting down on wordy phrases that are difficult to get out. He's considering not playing guitar during live performances of the same song. He knows this from constant practice, as Diarrhea Planet practices almost every day -- remember, the band is quite serious about the live show.
"It took a month to write. There are so few opportunities to breathe. You have to keep your lungs in shape. I'm thinking about not playing the guitar so it's not pressing against my chest," he says.
Smith knows the band has been tight-lipped about the new record. The songs from "Rich" leaked early, and the musicians tired of playing some of them even before the release of that album, which the band spent another two years supporting on tour. The new recording features a more dynamic sound than any previous Diarrhea Planet recording, "so much more dynamic it's at the point our old songs (need re-recorded)," Smith says.
The five other band members will take over many more of the vocal opportunities and the songwriting duties, too. Smith says the new record will give him a chance to scream less and sing more, saying he's sounding more like Bruce Springsteen now than Laura Jane Grace, the latter of punk band Against Me!
Smith also mentions Springsteen when discussing his inspirations. Like Neil Young and Melissa Ethridge, Smith says writers like Springsteen invest themselves completely in a song, making the difference between something good and something great.
"Everyone has figured out how to place themselves inside a song. It's important to put yourself in a song," he says.
Which in his case means a blend of serious rock and not-so-serious content.
What's in a name, anyway?
NAN What's Up on 08/21/2015