Interview with Landon Christensen of the Davis Enterprise

You’ve been well received around the world. What country digs Anton Barbeau the most?

Anton: I think the easy answer is England, though my two fans in Brazil might beg to differ! Yeah, in England Ant songs like "Please Sir I've Got A Wooden Leg" make much more sense than they do elsewhere. There's such a sense of appreciation for the history of music, nothing is off limits. And my own music doesn't seem to confound people as much over there... there's more of a context for it, probably partly to do with the fact that I'm an avowed anglophile and I sing about cups of tea all the time. Audiences in England like to be engaged, they like me hassling them because it means they get to hassle back. I get lots of detailed assessments after my gigs there too, why someone liked this song but not that one.

There's a lot of thought that goes into people's opinions. Here, It seems like audiences are a bit more wary and it feels like everyone is sneaking glances around the room, trying to decide of something is cool. I'm NOT cool, by the way, just to save time!

You’re very prolific. How many songs have you written?

Hundreds, I'm sure. I keep finding lost songs, too, songs I'd completely forgotten. I found one on a dusty cd-r last night called "Forever This Moment Right Now," which was my attempt at writing a straight-forward country ballad, as an exercise kinda. Man, it was really a terrible song, but it was hilarious to hear myself trying to keep a straight face as the recording dragged on. Anyway, I used to write almost compulsively, but now go through periods where I try not to write, to take a break, just let myself catch up a bit. And I've been teaching song-writing at a few music stores, which keeps my brain in writing mode all the time.

Do you think there will ever come a point where you won’t have anymore music to write, or will you always have that drive?

Well, like I was saying, I'm a little more deliberate about writing now, but those moments when pure inspiration hits, there's nothing like that. It's an incredible rush when you think, I'm really on to something here! I hope that will always happen for me. But even if I stopped doing songs, I'm so in love with recording and playing with sounds that I doubt I could stop making records. The kitchen fan in my house spins at B-flat, you know? I used it to augment a backing vocal track on one song, and I can see myself in the same kitchen years from now making silverware symphonies or whatever.

Your music is labeled ‘psychedelic’ (and rightly so). I think the word is thrown around too often to describe music, even if it isn’t the correct adjective. Agree?

Well, it's always the case that certain words catch on, you know, become trendy. There's not much we can do about this and eventually the words in question get bumped aside for whatever else comes along. I've also been recently described as snarky and lysergic. Very hip words right now. And I'm still "quirky," which I think is a lazy word choice. To be fair, I suppose it's hard for journalists and bands alike to really sum up the sound of music, uh, in this day and age of multi-genre-mish-mash-blah-blah-blah! There's truth in that we're becoming a culture that is really open to a wider and wider range of influences. It's as groovy to say you like Air Supply as it is to say you're into Air. So, maybe "psychedelic" can mean simply something that comes from places we can't easily name, even if it's a lazy way of putting it. In my own case, however, I suppose I agree with you that the word is accurate to a degree and it certainly saves me time in line at the Homeland Security Head Shop.

In your opinion- can a musician play truly psychedelic music if they’ve never taken psychedelics?

Of course. Music is a pretty powerfully transcendent force, I think it comes from the same deep place as all other spiritual energies, mother, and there are indeed many musicians who can access this deep place without any outside assistance. And I've heard a lot of truly BAD psychedelic music that makes me wish Britney Spears would hurry up and get her act together again!

In your bio it says you’ve shared the stage with Mono. As in the Japanese instrumental post-rock band? (I saw Mono at Harlows in Sac and was blown away). Has anything blown your mind lately?

Yeah, it was that very Mono. The gig was in Berkeley and while we were honestly no match for them, sonically or otherwise, I was knocked out of my head with the sound they made. When the physical force of volume is able to support moments of such delicate beauty, yow! I saw the Nothing People at the Blue Lamp in Sacramento and thought they were brilliant. There's a band in Oxford called Stornoway that had the best vocal arrangements I'd heard live in ages, plus great songs. I don't see too many bands unless I'm doing a show with them. One album that really did me in recently was "666" by Aphrodite's Child. They were a Greek band and the album is from 1971 I think. It's one of those records that should be ridiculous and cheesy but is instead marvelous and charming. And it rocks hard, dog!

Is music your full time gig, or do you have to support yourself in other ways?

Well, it is, sorta/barely. I live with my Dad when I'm in Sacramento, rent-free, so that helps . I've been teaching song-writing and guitar and get the odd producing gig from time to time, but it's all stretching pretty thin. Thankfully having three new cds out this year has meant a bit of income, and sometimes gigs pay. I worked at Statenet in Sacto on and off for years. I think every musician in the area has worked there. My most recent trip to England was pretty good... I actually almost came out ahead. I've got a small circuit of paying gigs and free couches to crash on there. I was thrilled with this last trip as England is SO expensive! I'm talking to a booking agent, so fingers crossed. Getting back to your first question, it's easier to picture a career as a working musician over there, rock star aspirations aside.

Being from Sac, are you familiar with Davis politics? What’s your opinion on the vote recently passed to let Target come into Davis?

I'm really not very tuned in, and less so lately as I've been traveling more. I came home in time for election-season and while I wasn't spending much time in Davis at all, I was still startled that the Target vote did pass. It was only a few years ago that it was Borders moving in, with locally-owned book shops fearing for their livelihoods. It's somewhat depressing to see this as all part of the Grand Takeover of Big Money Box Culture, and I think we imagine Davis as one of the rare places holding its own against such.

The Delta of Venus show is free. How does that work? Are you playing for free?

Well, don't tell anyone, but my agent has worked out a deal where I'm getting $3,000 for a 40 minute set. Naw, but we pass a collection hat around and get some free food. I think we might get a little bit of cash from the cafe. Lee is pretty amazingly sympathetic, being a musician himself. But the whole DOV scene is love-driven, if I might be so hippy about it. There just ain't no other place like it and I'm proud to have anything at all to do with the Delta. Maybe one of these times we'll try charging a nominal cover, but for now we're doing it because we like playing and we like the DOV.

Do you remember the moment you decided to be a musician?

I actually do! I was 13 and had gotten a little Casio keyboard. I was twiddling away, waiting for a ride to rehearsal for a play I was in. I'd always liked performing... I had a magic act in fifth grade and then got into acting. But it struck me hard how much I loved playing on my keyboard and how much all of a sudden I didn't want to do the play I was in. Music was immediate and I could just be me. I wasn't a very good actor, it must be said! I quit drama soon after and started writing songs and that was that.

Have you done any movie soundtracks? What movie do you wish you could have scored?

I've never done anything like this, no. I'd love to... I always like writing to assignment. I did have a fellow ask me to score a film he was trying to get made, a religious story, but that never materialized. Every once in a while someone suggests they're doing a screenplay and would like to feature my songs etc, but for now, nothing! One of my favorite soundtracks ever is for the original "Wicker Man." It's such an bizarre film anyway, but the songs are absolutely essential, and beautiful. I think Vangelis' soundtrack for "Blade Runner" is also classic.

Please, feel free to add anything you wish. I’m really looking forward to the show. Thanks!

Thanks for your time here. Hope to see some of y'all at our show with the Haints, one of my faves around here. And don't forget - Anton cds make perfect underwater pets. Sorry, I probably meant Christmas gifts. Something like that!