MATT DRISCOLL: YOUR PRESCRIPTION IS FILLED >>>
Like indie rock migrants, unshaven and unforgiving, the Pharmacy bumble about this country of ours prescribing messy amounts of psych-pop-punk like doctors slinging elixirs out of the back of a horse drawn cart to wide eye and hopeful pioneers. Having originated in the Northwest - Seattle, at least according to the records - and having moved to New Orleans via seemingly every stop in between, the Pharmacy is more like a travelling church of distortion and disobedience than your prototypical American Apparel indie band.
It suits the Pharmacy well. A three-piece, Stefan Rubicz, Scott Yoder and Brendhan Bowers - in a cloud of hair and no-alarm-clock-rock - where their inspirations well and deserve each other.
The Weekly Volcano caught up with the Pharmacy singer Scott Yodder this week prior to the band's two upcoming shows in the area, tonight at Northern in Olympia, and Thursday at the Den in Tacoma.
Here's how it went
WEEKLY VOLCANO: I guess a natural, if not obvious, place to start would be the band's move from Seattle to New Orleans. Fill our readers in on the details, why you decided to make the move, and how it's panned out.
SCOTT YODDER: It was great! We spent a lot of time just writing and recording everything on an old 4 track in our house by Bayou St. John. We had never really done that before, but we'd write some ideas, play it together in the livingroom once or twice and then tape it. All in all ended up with about 40 demos that way and whittled it down to this new album.
WV: What are some of the biggest differences you've noticed between New Orleans and Seattle - musically and otherwise?
YODDER: New Orleans is so much more of a small town really. Though, it's a bit hard to compare the two as we only lived there for about 8 months. Lots of super positive/friendly people making music though. Also, really hard to stay sober.
WV: Then again, you guys tour like crazy. Seriously - the schedule looks nuts, and it seems like you guys are always down to play. As a band, you must have the whole tour van life thing mastered. I take it you enjoy life on the road? What are some of the little things people might not realize that make it enjoyable for you?
YODDER: Yeah, well that's the thing. We're on tour too much to really justify having some house with, like dishes and furniture to deal with. So we're up in Seattle for a couple months before five months of touring next year with SXSW, Europe, etc...
WV: Talk records. Our fine readership is probably listening to a few of the tunes you sent us at this very moment. What's the story with album they came off of, and what can people expect in the future?
YODDER: Probably a lot more 4-track recording, I'm sure. We've got a barn on Vashon Island to record in this winter. Kind of the complete opposite of our humid / stuffy house in nola...
WV: The band is playing Tacoma and Olympia. What are you expecting out of our little neck of the woods? Do you have prior Tacoma or Oly experiences from your time in Seattle? Where will you be sleeping after these shows, and should we ask the people reading this if you guys can crash on their couches?
YODDER: Uh, we've definitely spent plenty of time in Olympia. Brendhan went to Evergreen... we were maybe thinking of squatting Old School Pizza? If only All Freakin' Night was happening...
PICTURE CREDIT: MYSPACE/KYLE JOHNSON