Paul Duncan...

Home Tapes is a fine record label devoted to song craft and interesting quality work by neglected artists. Spend some time checking out everyone on their roster though today I'm concentrating on Paul Duncan who says this about himself:

Paul is one of the greatest friends we will ever have. Born in East Texas, moving to Savannah, Georgia (where we met him), a brief stop in Atlanta and then on to his current residence in Brooklyn, Paul has racked up a few miles and experiences. We share with Paul: similar musical tastes (from Christoph Heeman to Metallica [Master of Puppets-era]), culinary preferences, knowledge of Southern dialects, sayings, and accents (Hometapes is originally from Arkansas, if you've been keeping track), and he has a Hometapes-compatible sense of humor. What more could we ask for? As a side note: Hometapes exists because he made too good of a record to not get widespread release, thus the need for a label. Good one, Paul.

Now for some answers from Paul himself...questions asked by Hometapes.

Where are you from? Does/How does your history define you?

i grew up in texas with country tunes and white college hats that i suspect if you turned inside out become dale earnhardt confederacy advertisements . best to all of them. a more important childhood memory to me lately, geographically, is going to visit an aunt in Arkansas with my mother. beautiful country out there. she had lots of land and a nasty little chicken farm. i learned about expiration at an early age.

Where are you now? ...and if you'd like to answer: Why?

brooklyn, moved here about 2 yrs ago... can you find sincerity in walls of mirrored glass? can you find it in the sky seen through pine trees even? ...

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Why do you do what you do?

i make music because i still haven't done what i want to do. i make music because i can't travel without wishing i was just back home working. i make music because there are some loves that become onerous. i make music to tell others how i feel about them and usually fuck that up and end up telling myself how i feel about myself. i make music to appease the devil in me. he never sleeps.

Tell us about your musical history. What have you made up until now?

i've completed 2 records under my name and currently collaborate w/ the band Daylight's for the Birds, playing bass, going to the studio to write/record. played guitar on the 1st Feathers record, collab'd w/ Roberto Lange a few times, i'm always working to make my side project, Legs, w/ my roommate / bandmate Joe Stickney, see the light of day and am starting a band w/ James Elliott and David Daniell who run the label Antiopic. collab'd with Shedding (Connor Bell) on some unreleased material to be called Won Arm. ...etc

Think about your favorite artists. Think of a question you'd like to collectively ask them. Now, ask yourself that question and write down your answer.

i usually use arm and hammer mint toothpaste and usually wake up with grey tea, not coffee.

Discuss avant garde/experimental vs. pop.

in my eyes there should never be a "Vs.", never a battle. i see them glancing, batting eyes from across the room, playing footsie under the dinner table and i want them to get a room. i'll play matchmaker. of course they'll have cute little lover's quarrels, but it's natural and besides they have kids to think about. they'll just have to stay together and work it out.

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I recently got a hold of Duncan's most recent release (I believe it just came out earlier this month) called Be Careful What You Call Home. It's an excellent blend of well written pop tunes and avant experimentalism. The best trait Duncan exhibits on the record's 13 songs is his ease in blending the common and the odd. All his songs rest on a foundation of pop melody and construction but he allows in just enough random noise or laptop sizzle or quirky instrumentation to both augment and undermine that foundation. I've been enjoying it very much.

from Be Careful What You Call Home:

Oil In The Fields

In A Way