How was the concept of the album—the idea of having your guests write about a particular corner—chosen in the first place? Why not have them sing about their favorite teddy bear or NASCAR driver?
We had originally started having a writer friend of ours work on a story where each MC would play a different character. That started to turn into a logistical impossibility so we started to re-examine. There was a book called Intersection New Orleans that inspired us to have each MC write about a corner or corner theme of their choice. This seemed to be a unifying concept without being too restrictive.
How were the artists selected for each release?
House Man was our “permanent special guest” for a long time.
And in particular, for this one?
For this record, we started out by sending a handful of tracks to the MCs we wanted to work with. They all picked different tracks. As things got further down the line, we started crafting tracks for certain MCs. That was definitely the case with Juvenile.
What’s your favorite track on the new record? And why?
I have to say it changes depending on my mood. I think all the MCs did an incredible job, and the great thing about the record is that there’s something on there for everybody. Everyone has a different favorite track.
Any challenging moments in getting the record together?
There were certainly times where things seemed logistically overwhelming and like we were up against a wall. We persevered though and kept working through the challenges we encountered. One of the toughest things was losing our studio to Katrina in the midst of it all and having to do everything in different places.
What’s the typical routine of Galactic’s songwriting process?
For this record, I laid down a lot of different grooves, some on drum set and some with wacky percussion. Ben Ellman then re-mixed what I did and made it different and inspiring for the rest of the guys to write to. After the guys had some time to write and arrange, Ben, Count and I went to Dallas and I re-recorded all the drums, whether they were originally me or a break beat or whatever.
You guys have stated that you’re seeking to “modernize the New Orleans sound.” Could you explain that in a little further detail for the uninitiated? What exactly is the New Orleans sound? And what steps are you taking to update it?
We’re trying to take some of the raw elements of the New Orleans sound, i.e. second line and Mardi Gras, Indian music, and trace it back to its roots. From there we can add contemporary elements, such as experimental production using loops and textures and come up with branches that go off into our own directions.
You’re an incredibly respected drummer. Why does it seem that hip-hop and funk drummers don’t receive the same attention and praise as rock drummers?
I think that hip-hop drummers are starting to garner more attention. I think funk drummers are equally respected. At least it seems that way to me. I’m always hearing Clyde Stubblefield, Jabo Starks, Zigaboo Modeliste and David Garibaldi’s names just as much as most of the rock drummers—maybe not as much as John Bonham, but as much as Mitch Mitchell, Keith Moon, and Dave Grohl.
How do you describe Galactic to others, as a collective? As a band? As a free-for-all?
We’re definitely a collective, more so now than ever. Everyone plays different parts and brings different things in that keep the project fresh and fun.
-Waleed Rashidi
Galactic: www.galacticfunk.com
Anti-: www.anti.com