West Indian Girl

Since we’re about to start touring i thought it might be a good idea for you guys to get to know the rest of the band. that way you’ll know who’s who when we roll through town. First up for the 10 with Ten is Chris Carter. We conducted this interview in the back of a little bar in hollywood that my friend jeremy owns…it’s called “the room”.

1. describe your role in the band? I play keyboards/ synths and sing a few backups. Right now we got a Fender Rhodes, three old Moogs, a few choice pedals, and it keeps growing. I’m pretty sure all my keyboards are older than I am. I’m also in charge of walking Fran’s dog, doing Rob’s laundry, fixing Mark’s car, and making sure the toilet seat is down in the rehearsal space for Angela.

2. what special qualities do you bring to the band? I don’t know if they are “special qualities” but I come from a classical music background, (I was a classical guitar nerd my whole life), I DJ quite a bit as well. Because I’ve been a guitar player my whole life maybe the best thing I bring to the keyboards is a sense of naivety, or a lack of preconceived notions as to how a keyboard player should play. That and I think I have more chest hair than anyone in the band.

3. what do you like to do in your free time? Dungeons and dragons, rollerblading, going to tanning salons, pole vaulting, you know the usual stuff. Just kiddin, I try to surf every time there’s waves, try to go see shows or check out the night life when we’re not rehearsing, I still DJ every Tuesday I can down in Laguna Beach. Since I met you guys though its been all music. Rehearsals at night, there’s always a piece of gear I have to buy or research during the day, doing shit for the band. I’ve been pretty focused on our band lately, that’s been my life.

4. since you do play well keyboards i have to ask you this question…are you straight? I’d be more worried about bass players if I was you. . .

5. what kind of women do you like? They have to be alive, at least eighteen (sixteen in Europe and Australia), and have hair. . . Seriously, our lives are pretty out of control at the moment, staying up almost every night for rehearsal, going out on those rare nights off. I guess I’m just into girls that lead unconventional lives as well.

6. where is the best place to surf? Wherever there’s waves. I’ve gotten the best waves of my life over in Indonesia, hands down.

7. please tell me that you aren’t really from orange county? You’re right, I just say that too be cool because the OC is “so hot” right now! Just kidding, I really am from orange county, a little town called Laguna Beach, the same Laguna Beach about which MTV just made a reality TV show. And yes, we all drive brand new expensive cars, live in billion dollar houses with fake palm trees, have sex with multiple beautiful blonde teenage school girls who are friends, and rent presidential suites at the nicest hotels so we can get drunk on zima and wine coolers for our senior party! In all seriousness, Laguna Beach is a gem, a old art colony with really down to earth, cool people. I have was lucky to grow up there and got the best friends in the world down there, but if you’re serious about playing in a band I think you gotta be in a city atmosphere.

8. you recently had surgery on your ear can you describe and can i post pictures of it? I had surfers ear in my right ear, meaning that after years of exposure to cold water and wind the bone in my ear had almost completely grown shut. The surgery took about two hours and they went in with lasers and basically cut it back open. The nurses were super cool, we had a little bit of an “afterparty” in the recovery room where they gave me narcotics through an IV for the pain. I kept asking for more drugs which they reluctantly administered (it seemed like a good idea at the time) until I kind of OD’d and started puking. It was a weird experience. I was so fucked up on whatever painkillers they gave me that while I was throwing up I couldn’t stop laughing. I will email you some photos we took right before the puke/laugh incident. Needless to say, it was a very strange and profound moment in my life.

9. what are you listening to – who are your favorite bands out right now? My favorite groups are Interpol, Ficherspooner, Daft Punk, William Shatner, Air, the faint, flaming lips, Elliot Smith, John Frusciante is my all time guitar hero, I grew up on The Chilli Peppers, Janes Addiction, Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead. I went through a phase where I only listened to classical/ twentieth century electronic chamber music, and lately I’ve been looking backward to the Pink Floyd / Zeppelin era.

10. describe the last show you went to – did it suck? Not even fucker. Me and you saw AIR, Stereolab, and Sondre Lerche, at the Hollywood Bowl with an orchestra, and it was a great show. We were supposed to DJ the afterparty, but I heard last minute that Sophia Coppola was going to do it instead. I gotta admit I have a big crush on Sophia Coppola. So Sophia, if you’re reading this I’m not pissed about losing the DJ gig to you, but you owe me dinner. Cool? All right, its a date. Before that I saw my roommates band Knife Fight play at the Knitting Factory. Tie up your little sister, those guys are outta control.. . .

Thanx Carter, this has been lovely. you’re a freak — F. Ten 1:20 am