words//ted rogers

Phil is a busy man. Between multiple projects and travels, he manages not only to sneak an extra ‘e’ into his last name, but to never lose track of his place in the world. Perhaps best known as the man behind The Microphones and Mount Eerie, Elverum is also knee-deep in the works of others and actively involved in his own visual art. We are very excited to have gotten the chance to speak to such a versed individual.

To begin, let’s talk on the subject of influences.  Who or what do you draw influence from?  When working with different projects, are you finding different sources of inspiration?

I get ideas from everywhere all the time.  I don’t listen to much music usually.  I mean, not constantly like some people.  And when I do listen to music it’s just the same stuff that I already like and listen to all the time.  I can’t sum up my influences.  It is literally a combination of everything that assaults my senses.

There is a sense of awe and a real sense of fear towards nature in your lyrics.  I guess I mean to say that there is a strong sense of place in

your work–can I ask you where that place may be and where location lies in terms of influence?

To me the idea of “a sense of place” and “awe” and “fear towards nature” are 3 totally different things.  They may or may not be in my music.  I don’t know.  I guess so.  Being obviously FROM this place (Anacortes, Washington) is important to me.  I enjoy when people have indicators that make them placeable.  I like where I’m from.  I like things to be tied to a place, because everything actually IS from somewhere.  As far as awe and nature fear, yeah maybe.  I like to remind myself of relative human tininess and vulneribility.  It’s not fear exactly.  I think the destructive power in nature is actually pretty beautiful.  That’s why I keep making records about it.

You’ve been involved in a lot of projects over the years–from working with Old Time Relijun to the Microphones, to Mount Eerie and from painting to working with photography, do you find it hard to make big shifts in between projects?

Not at all.  For the most part it’s all different aspects of the same creative project.  Except playing in other bands (like Old Time Relijun).  Just different tools.

How does working in a visual medium compare to that of working with sound?  Is there a point of intersection?

It’s hard to compare, but there are similarities.  I like using distortion and obscurity in both mediums.  Creating dense layers, contrasts, etc.

You said that Wind’s Poem was made with a friend, right?  How does collaboration compare to working alone as far as your process goes?

It was totally new.  I have never welcomed anyone in to the creative process like that before.  It was very playful.  He suggested strange ideas I never would have thought of, pushing me into new realms.  We didn’t know if we were making an album or what, just playing around with ideas, creating worlds in sound for fun.  Only afterwards did they sound like they’d make a good album.

Finally, I’m sure its been asked before, but what is your favorite black metal band?

I can’t pick.  I like many different ones and my favorite changes every day.  Here are some bands I like (that MIGHT be called black metal but are not 100% black metal at all):  Liturgy, Wolves In The Throne Room, Menace Ruine, Sunn 0))), Nadja, Leviathan, some Xasthur, etc.