Mile Wide
An interview with John, Thomm, Pete, Chris, Vic, and Liz
by Lex Marburger
Mile Wide have a sound that defies description. There are bands that are “experimental” and bands that try to be “out.” Mile Wide is both, but have a sense of self, and a sense of collective unity. The band consists of John (guitar), Thomm (bass), Pete (clarinet, vocals), Chris (drums), Vic (cello and sarangi), and Liz (vocals, reputed to play guitar as well). They recently lost a trumpet player to Shakespeare, and, “He was cute, so he was busy. We’re not that busy… It’s because we’re old.” Not that you could tell by listening. Accumulating players since ’92, they began by playing “some low key improv shows at the Bookcellar [Cafe]” but soon moved towards an electric environment. They formed more cohesively around a recording project, because “gaping holes needed to be filled, and became apparent during recording the tape.”
I’m avoiding describing Mile Wide’s sound, because I can’t do it. All I can do is put interesting adjectives together. It seems to be common, as they describe themselves as “Cubicular ethnic,” “Like the bartendress at T.T.’s,” “Deathnic music,” “Sort of like when you’re influenced by those Czech-Goth bands,” “a spinning mosaic,” “a prosaic mosaic,” “any description is fine… sort of like when you need a shirt, you put one on.” They pull from so many different sides and places, labels don’t apply.
An analytical take: Creative rock drumming, bass holding down the song, guitar filling out the structure (sometimes sounding like Arto Linsday), cello or sarangi (which is an Indian bowed string contraption) and clarinet adding timbres and sounds not found in most bands, and vocals that sound honest and true, even though the sound system is never good enough to allow the words to fully come through.
Knowing the technical definition of Mile Wide is not enough. Avoiding “big rock statements” while keeping “from going too far off the ‘arty’ track,” they try to keep the music “grounded and moving… with lots of pathos.” “We try to keep things loose,” declares Thomm. “We just let things develop, organically as they say… Not being a slave to the ABA form. Always avoid the ‘over the top’ trap.” A comparison to Can could be made, but according to Pete, “there’s a forward motion to Can, with all these interlocking grooves as well; we’re more fragmentary, which makes us American-sounding.” “We basically don’t know what the fuck we’re doing. We have no idea where we’re going, and that’s what’s fun about it. That’s what makes it a challenge.”
With a philosophy like that it’s hard to project platinum sales and groupies. But they’ve developed a following, which is slowly evolving into a scene. They’ve been known to drive people from a room, but, “I don’t think we leave anybody not caring.” They’ve played venues more varied than any I’ve seen. From ska shows to Moe Tucker (ex-VU), to hardcore, Mile Wide will gladly play any stage they can. They’ve been able to find converts everywhere, “opening up territory” for listeners, showing people what can be done with music.
