Interview :: Oberhofer [3.3.10]

One of our favorite new New York acts is the poverbial young gun, originally from Tacoma, Washington; Bradley Oberhofer. Playing under simply his last name, Oberhofer, we shot some emails back and forth about monikers, sonics and how his band didn't end up being called Quick Tit.

32feet: Last five songs played on your iTunes? Only lie if
they're super awful or incriminating.

Bradley Oberhofer:

1. “Stillness of the Mind”- Abel Korzeniowski
2. “Flytrap”- Ace Tone Fuzz Master
3. “Black Rice”- Women
4. “You Have My Eyes Now”- Clues
5. “Cold Wind”- Arcade Fire


Describe the thought process behind naming a band after your last name. If this trend had taken off in the early 1990s, we all we could have loved and then boycotted, simply, Matthews' "Ants Marching." Subquestion: Was it tempting to ironically name yourself The Bradley Oberhofer Band? (I recognize you address this in dramatic succinctness on your myspace.)

I could really just never come up with anything else I felt enthusiastic about. There were a lot of things I considered, but I didn't find anything else as interesting. “Teeth” was taken, and I was contemplating a few others. Someone nearly convinced me to change the name to “Quick Tit”. Part of me regrets not taking their advice. I would never call it my band mostly because the live show is way better than the recordings thanks to the other people in the band. (Mike, Andrew, Pete). I kind of just like the meter of my last name.

I called your songs post-apocalyptic, orchestral pop. How far off is that?

I mean, as of now it's not as orchestral as I can afford, but it's definitely post-apocalyptic. I think I aspire more toward “apocalyptic”, than “post-apocalyptic”.

If Oberhofer was stranded on a sinking ship and help wasn't going to arrive in time, who gets the only life preserver you find?

Well Andrew's beard is pretty buoyant, and Mike can swim like a fish. So, Pete gets the life preserver, plus he's the cutest.

What is the biggest secret plan for the band in 2010 that you can tell us right now?
Well I mean, if it were secret, I wouldn’t tell you. Let’s leave this part mysterious.

Ok, fair. What is one thing people should absolutely remember about Oberhofer that they don't know or consistantly get wrong?

That I wouldn’t be able to achieve much at all without the band I play with (Andrew, Mike and Pete), but I also really want people to pay more attention to the musical talent that exists in Tacoma, WA. It’s there. Sorry, that’s two things.

Listen :: Oberhofer - "I Could Go"