When the band do enter the studio to begin work on their follow-up to 2009’s Outside Love they will have had more than enough time to hone their chops on the road. They’ve been on the road almost constantly since the release of Outside Love, long enough now that on this current leg of the tour they’re playing live just for the sake of it, without an album to promote.
“It’s just nice to go out on tour without having to push product, so to speak,” says McBean. “And to go out with Pink Mountaintops as a three-piece, it’s certainly a lot easier to do that. And yet we’ve recently had the opportunity to go places we’ve never gone, like Portugal for example. Even without a new record or whatever, we’re still trying to reach new people. And it’s been a good time.”
“We’re doing stuff from all three records,” he continues after being asked about current setlists, and if his approach to touring changes when they’re not “pushing a product.” He hints that it might even be more liberating.
“This lineup’s a little different from ones in the past. It’s good to change things up. Once and awhile people might get annoyed, but you can’t please everyone. It’s about being in it for yourself hopefully that’ll translate to people listening.”
There’s no doubt that people are listening. Throughout the nine years since their inception, Pink Mountaintops have built a loyal following of fans privy to their lush yet punchy psychedelic vibe. McBean and the Mountaintops build a wall of sound onstage by allowing their songs to bend and shape. The experimentation that McBean has become so adept at creates the perfect headspace to write new music.
McBean admits that it’s not uncommon for a great show to inspire him to begin writing new music.
“There are so many things that need to happen for a good show,” he says. ‘You can have the band playing great but there might be no one in the audience. On the other hand, you can play in front of 1000 people and have a bad show. But sometimes it all lines up nicely and gives you chills. It feels great. And sometimes I’m able to go back to wherever I’m staying, pick up a guitar and fiddle around with something new. I’m still quite alive with the experience of the evening and the idea of traveling, so the ball keeps rolling. We can take these new ideas, work on them rather quickly and figure out how to play them live right away.”
The process McBean describes sounds decidedly organic and unrushed. His relaxed demeanour now begins to make a hell of a lot more sense. Still, there are challenges for McBean as a songwriter. As the brains behind Pink Mountaintops and Black Mountain, he must differentiate the ambiance which each act is going for (and often simultaneously) and separate his songs accordingly. McBean’s an old pro, however. For him, it’s all about finding a vibe.
“Once and awhile, a song like Stay Free off the second Black Mountain record, that was originally a Pink Mountaintops song. It changed a bit. It suited Black Mountain in a way that didn’t suit the Mountaintops. Other times it’ll happen the other way. A lot of times it’ll be a lyrical thing to, as we’re searching for a certain vibe.”
When it comes to playing live, McBean and Pink Mountaintops have certainly mastered the vibe. By the end of our conversation, he sounds considerably more upbeat, especially when asked about a recent string of shows supporting legendary fuzz-rockers Dinosaur Jr. These shows reaffirmed his faith in the places he can take the music of Pink Mountaintops, and his enthusiasm is tangible.
“When we were playing with Dinosaur Jr., it was kind of a trip. I grew up on a steady diet of those guys, back when I was watching a lot of skateboard videos and stuff. To tour with them and become friends with them, it certainly makes my life more complete. To see how they function as a band and to see that they’re still vital after all these years, what with their new records still kicking ass and to see that they still destroy things live is inspiring. Proves that the game goes on a lot longer than people usually think it does.”
BY JOSHUA KLOKE
