Aerial M is Dave Pajo's band. As you know Dave Pajo used to be in Slint and there's a story that goes that once recording Spiderland was completed the circumstances had become so intense and stressful that the four band members admitted themselves to mental asylums. The idea of interviewing someone from that sounded intimidating to say the least. Thankfully Owen, from San Lorenzo, was around and soon on first name terms with Mr Pajo. Without him this interview wouldn't have happened. An interview with Dave Pajo is technically an interview with an element of Aerial M, Slint, Tortoise, Royal Trux and Stereolab all rolled into one.

Aerial M produced quite frankly, probably the single of the 1998 with Wedding Song No 3. Steve Lamacq made it his priority tune at the time and each time it surfaced on the wireless my entire body filled with goosebumps and made me feel like a 16 year old girl. It also worked a restoration job on Lamacq's faith in rock music he told me. I was in personal despair as I wandered the Earth in search of a copy but finally, fortunately, my efforts were finally fruitful during the week of my life.

In addition to Dave Pajo guitaring, Tony Bailey drums, Tim Furnish also guitars and Cassie Marrett basses.

Dave: You're not stealing those singles are you?
Owen: Yeah, I'll get you one.
Dave: I've got two pounds.
J: No, don't worry, you can just have one.
Dave: No, support the cause.
J: Oh, but you've given us so much joy.
Dave: (laughs) I really enjoyed it tonight, I thought it was great. I really like it here.

J: It is quite good place. How do you like England?
Dave: I like it here. I prefer touring in the UK probably more than other European countries just because I can speak the language.

J: Is it true that you used to live in Norwich?
Dave: Yeah, I did for a year.
J: Did you like it?
Dave: Yeah.

Owen: Were you doing something with art there?
Dave: Yeah, I went to art college there. I studied painting and I was a really crap painter.
Owen: Was it interesting though?
Dave: Erm, not really. I mean I kinda got turned on by the whole art scene I think, the art college thing. There was a lot of snobs and stuff but I got turned on to a lot of good artists that I didn't know about before.

Owen: Did doing art affect the way you look at your covers of your records?
Dave: Yeah, probably.
Owen: I always liked the Slint records because they didn't have any words on.
Dave: Yeah.
Owen: Especially Spiderland didn't have any words on and maybe the ten inch as well.
Dave: That was kind of just because we couldn't agree on what any of the words should say (laughs). You know, I guess when you keep working on something for a long time and eventually you keep taking away all the unnecessary things you end up with nothing (laughs).

J: Are enjoying touring with Mogwai?
Dave: Yeah, they're so great. They blow us away every night. And they're good fun.

J: Have you heard of Jo Brand?
Dave: No.
J: She was at the other building....
Owen: She was on tonight, like next door.
Dave: Oh really, no way. Is she good?
Owen: Yeah, she's funny, well, I don't know.
J: If you'd seen her, you'd remember her.
Dave: Really?
J: She's extreme in a way I suppose.

Owen: Do you like Trans Am?
Dave: Yeah, I like them.

Owen: Didn't John (from Tortoise) do some production?
Dave: He did their first record.
Owen: That records really good, I like that.

J: What other music are you currently into?
Dave: The cassettes I brought are all like country music and world music. There's a band from London called Woodbine that hasn't put anything out yet. They're really great I think.
J: Are they country?
Dave: No, they're just really sparse, I don't think there's any drums in it, just female vocals but its not like its cliched at all.

Owen: Do you like Karate?
Dave: Never heard of them.
Owen: You should check them out, they're really good. They're kinda like really bare, reduced three piece.

J: Is it true you're gonna be playing with Royal Trux?
Dave: Yup, you heard about that?
J: Yes. What are they like?
Dave: As people? They're, I don't know if you've ever seen them, they're like seven feet tall. And super, super cool. They have like a really unique attitude. They never want to do the same thing twice. I saw them, they played twice last year, two tours and the first time they'd stripped down, it was just drums, keyboard and guitar. I think they stripped down the drum kit. And then the second time I saw them he had a full kit but the keyboard player and the guitarist were on the same sound level the whole time and you couldn't tell one song from another except for when she sang. I mean I don't know if it worked or not but the fact that they fucked with it so much was cool.

J: Do you really like Alanis Morrisette?
Dave: (laughs) no I don't. I mean I bought the record out of curiosity because like every song on there has been a hit. I remember hearing her on the radio and just being like could not believe it was mainstream music because her voice is so... its like it kinda reminds me of early Palace records. Its like her voice is all over the place, psychotic. But no I don't like her, I hate her lyrics. I just listened to it once and NME made it sound as if I was a huge fan.

J: Did you like the Stereolab gig here also?
Dave: Yeah, I liked it. I've just seen them so many times.
J: Have you actually played with them?
Dave: Yeah, I played with them for about four months, just on tour.

J: Have you heard of Bob Tilton?
Dave: Just through Mogwai.
J: They're fans of Slint.
Dave: Are they? That's cool.

Owen: You don't mind people keep bringing Slint up?
Dave: I don't care. Its just weird because you want what you're doing currently to be the most important thing.
J: Its amazing because I was looking at a top ten list from a mail order company and Spiderland was like fourth.
Dave: Really?
J: Its going through like a revival
Owen: In England anyway.
J: Especially with like Mogwai and bands like that citing it as an influence.
Dave: Southern Records tell us we don't sell very many records.
J: I shouldn't have said that then. Anyhow thanks, I know you were hassled.
Dave: Oh don't worry. Take care.

Dave's genuinely cool.

Aerial M recently performed a session on John Peel's show. Unfortunately that very same night we all had to attend a Hirameka Hi Fi gig in Chelmsford with Disco Pistol. Oh joy. If anyone taped could I please a copy?

David Pajo
Po Box 7626
Louisville, KY
70257 0626