… Northern Liberties Interview by Kevin McKeon “If we could do a national tour of insane asylums” says Northern Liberties’ drummer Mark Duerr, “we’d be huge”. It seems like the people that are right on the edge are the ones telling us, ‘I get it, man!'”
“I am sure that a large percentage of people consistently interested in what we’re doing have been through the mental health system,” adds vocalist and brother, Justin Duerr.
… Mark continues, “It’s more the fact that people who have been misunderstood by the world as a whole have spent a large portion of their lives looking for something to make them feel normal about the different way they view things. When they see us take on music in a non-traditional way, I think that’s the thing that makes us accessible. “
… Indeed, listening to Northern Liberties is not a sign of mental illness. It just means that one is able to appreciate something out of the ordinary.Hypnotic, other-worldly melodies are propelled by bassist Kevin (who goes solely by his first name) with no other instruments outside of the rhythm section. Well, that is unless you count the delay pedal Justin uses on his vocals as an instrument, as the band does. It certainly adds another dimension to his strangely poetic lyrics.
… At the same time, the band’s brand of “ghost punk” is not a million miles away from most blues-based rock. There are times when they sounds as straightforward and rowdy as any punk band, or as catchy as any pop band.
“I don’t really think of us as experimental,” Justin explains. “We pretty much know how things are gonna go down when we start. The songs are pretty much the length that Western music has followed for the past eighty years. Our intention was never to focus on any preconceived genre or sound. ‘Ghost punk’ is a good genre name.”
… “If we were totally experimental,” he states, “we wouldn’t have [general] appeal; it’d be too off the grid. But a lot of the times, it’s the older Vietnam vets that… get what we were doing. I don’t think they would if we were just playing noise. We’re just enough like The Eagles, but then totally different.
… ” Live performances are just as strange and engaging as their music. Justin can sometimes get up close and personal with the audience. He might also decide to put on a dress. Actually, there’s no real way to describe all the things he might do, but whatever they are, they’re certainly exciting.
… “I’m just trying to engage people in an actual event,” he says. “It’s like, ‘well, you’re here with us now, so lets all have this experience together,’ and it’s gonna be real. I’d like to think of it as cathartic and humanistic, but in this way where everybody can participate… even if that means they’re just standing there. If they want to stay in the back, they’re free to do that, but I will walk over to them. If they want to be with me, they can. If they want to punch me, they can. If they want to leave, they can. I just want to engage them.
Having formed back in 2000 and released two albums, Northern Liberties has honed their craft in a most unlikely way; by not trying too hard to do so. Their songwriting process is every bit as spontaneous and unpredictable as their performances.
“Most song writing is by inspiration, “explains Kevin. “There’s not really a lot of math involved. If we don’t have the vocals, or if we try too much studio trickery, we get confused.
… “We play it ’til it feels like it should change, “Mark chimes in, “and that’s based on when one of us gives an eye symbol.” While he says this with a laugh, it’s unclear to what extent he is joking.
… Northern Liberties has adopted a similarly impulsive attitude in the studio. “On our first CD, ” Mark recounts, ” we tried to do the bass and drums separately, and then the vocals and everything. That didn’t work out as well. It [is] so much better for us to all be in the room when we record because we play off each other. The way Justin sings, he never does it exactly the same way twice. “
And exactly what is he singing about? “The words themselves are pretty abstract. [They] are kind of like a garden, but the seeds that are grown are randomly gathered. I don’t know what they’re gonna be, and then certain weeds choke out other flowers. I’m not as interested in something that’s… overtly message-based. I like things that have a spiritual or religious connotation, but if it becomes very specific, it’s a bit of a turn-off.”
… Don’t look for anything specific in Northern Liberties’ long-term goals, either. They intend to have an album out in the near future (as well as another collaborative album) and an 18 day cross-country tour. Their ultimate goal is simply to keep chugging along.
Kevin points to the longevity of their personal relationships. “Those two [are] brothers and [I went] to high school with them and have known them since I was 12. It’s pretty much just [a question of] how long will we physically be interested in playing music together or how long will our bodies physically allow us to do it. “
… Northern Liberties is highly optimistic toward the Philadelphia music scene, in particular, the multitude of basement shows in West Philly. Especially that they’re run by younger people, most of whom have learned to accept different kinds of music and look outside the confines of MTV and record companies.
… “These kids have this support network that consists of the internet and people they never met in other cities… so their tastes have become way more diverse,” says Mark. “What we’re doing, it’s not really that weird to them.”
… ” Philly’s always been the underdog, “explains Justin. “Like Rocky. [He]tries his very best and in the end, it kicks ass. He still doesn’t win, but he’s the true Philly hero.
…”I really feel like Philly is poised to almost win. There’s an incredible amount of bands around now. “
The times are getting stranger and for Northern Liberties, that is a very good thing.