10 Questions with Drunken Prayer

Americana act Drunken Prayer is the brainchild of Portland, OR’s Morgan Christopher Geer.  His sophomore album, Into the Missionfield, will be released in February on Fluff & Gravy Records (read my review here). 

This interview was conducted via email with Morgan Christopher Geer January 7-16. 

For more information on Drunken Prayer check out their official website, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, ReverbNation, Last.fm, YouTube, SonicBids, BandCamp, CD Baby, Yahoo Music, Rhapsody, and iTunes pages. 

Dave:  Drunken Prayer seems to essentially be a solo project.  Why do you play under that moniker instead of your name? 

Morgan Christopher Geer:  It’s what the project is called. I’m more comfortable working behind the curtain.

Dave:  When did you first start playing and writing music? 

Morgan:  I come from a musical family so there were always instruments around and records playing. The first instrument I took up seriously was the drums; I was I guess 6 or so. Then I got excited about the bass which inevitably led to the guitar.

Dave:  Your sophomore album, Into the Missionfield, is coming out next month on Fluff and Gravy Records.  What’s the story behind the record? 

Morgan:  This record was born from the ashes of some rough relationships. There’s a lot of movement, a lot of questions and uncertainty. It’s a nervous work.

Dave:  How did you get hooked up with Fluff and Gravy Records? 

Morgan:  John, Chad, the whole gang are great friends. They believe in what I do and my commitment to the process. This is all I’ve ever wanted to do and they get that. They’re evangelists spreading the word.

Dave:  For those who have never heard Drunken Prayer, how do you describe your music? 

Morgan:  That’s like trying to describe your crazy child. It’s big and brassy in themes and changes; schizophrenic and dreamy making tenuous connections in real and imagined truths.

Dave:  Do you have any specific type of songwriting process?  What are the types of things that influence your songs? 

Morgan:  You can find the seeds of a song in nearly every instant of everyday; to take advantage of that I can only write effectively when my antennae are up and paying attention. Deadlines are a huge motivator.

Dave:  How is the music scene in Portland, OR?

Morgan:  It’s pretty rich. There’s at least one of everything and the bar is set pretty high, so it’s a great place to learn. Their musical history isn’t as deep or entrenched as where I’m from: Appalachia and the Gulf Coast. The NW perspective on popular and folk music is more innocent and open and a little less intense.

Dave:  This is a High Fidelity inspired question.  What are your top 5 favorite bands/artists, albums, movies, television shows, books/authors?

Morgan:  I can’t do the music questions properly or this interview would never end. What I’ve been listing to lately: Phosphorescent, Eels, the new Tom Waits, Negativland, George Jones, Mugison.

Movies: Raising Arizona, The Wrecking Crew, Devil’s Rejects, Monty Python’s Holy Grail, The Blues Brothers

Teevee: Carnival, Deadwood, Sons of Anarchy, Breaking Bad, Battle Star Galactica (the new one)

Authors: Nick Tosches, W. Somerset Maugham, Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

Books: “The Strange Life of Ivan Osokin” by P.D. Ouspensky, “Things the Grandchildren Should Know” by Mark Oliver Everett

Dave:  What’s next for you? 

Morgan:  I’ll be touring all over for the next year and trying to find the time to write and record the next record. 

Dave:  Any final thoughts? 

Morgan:  Tune in, turn on, drop out. Thanks for listening.