Superlatives
A Vulture series in which artists judge the best and worst of their own careers.
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Isaac Brockis trying to remember his bands old songs.
He scrolls through his catalogue as we speak, seeing which song titles can jog his memory.
At one point, I mention that Dramamine was the first track on Modest Mouses debut album.
Well, Ill be goddamned, it sure was!
No, he replies, otherwise I wouldnt really be putting out the other ones.
Yeah, that ones gonna be interesting to play.
The songs were, in general, kind of more collaged than performed.
So thatll be tricky.
And Im looking forward to it.
Best Modest Mouse song
It kind of depends on the occasion, really.
I dont spend that much time in the Modest Mouse catalogue in this way.
I go back and visit them to play them.
[Pauses to look through his songs.]
Honestly, man, I think this is a question for not me, cause uh …
I really like Guilty Cocker Spaniels.
For one reason or another.
Im looking at the bands discography like,I think I like this band!
Yeah, I like a lot of these songs.
First Modest Mouse song youd show a new listener
Honestly, that never comes up.
I wouldnt do that.
Id feel like an ass, just being like, Heres a little bit of me.
I didnt know that was gonna play!
Heres the best song by me.
I think Id let someone else do that.
Im not trying to be evasive at all, man or am I?
Id make them listen to Dramamine.
Thats easy on the ears, kind of trippy.
Taking its time till some guy with a lisp starts yelling at you.
Yeah, I think thats a nice song.
Best song to open a show with
Ive had a few favorite songs to open with.
I really like starting one of two ways.
One is with the song Strangers to Ourselves, cause its so mellow and plodding.
[Or] just completely on fire.
And that is pretty fun, too; that would be something like Invisible.
Hardest song to scream
Oh, screaming, screaming, screaming.
I smoked for many years, and I stopped recently, over the last year.
So Im feeling pretty optimistic about screaming now.
I havent played it in years, but Beach Side Property is pretty fucking hard to sing.
Its the closest to a thrash-metal song or thrash-punk song that we fucking have.
Hats off to guys who do that for an entire frickin show.
And not just on a particular song, but to everything.
Worst show
Easy peasy.
A surprise to us, there was a lot more people that showed up.
We were playing some parking lot in Kansas City, to I think around 10,000 people.
From then on, I started getting my act together in that regard.
So that one I remember pretty well.
And you know, I dont really like the name of that song.
I get its been many many years, but I dont like the name.
But it does remind me of Issaquah.
Song you regret releasing
Oh jeez, thats an interesting question.
That I regret putting out?
Well, I mean, not really [any].
It was the right thing at the right time.
The beginning of tours are actually probably when were most likely to play some of these things.
Some of them are just one and done, and Im likeOh, yeah, okay.
Somehow Id gotten gifted pretty nice seats at a [Portland] Trail Blazers game.
I think the premise was, Hey, rock star, why dont you get season tickets?
or something like that.
I dont spend that much time in sports.
I enjoy going to them occasionally live, in real life, because these events are fun.
Lots of people watching, excusable bad snacking, this kind of shit.
But I remember, I had smoked a shit ton of weed.
Im sitting, watching the game, and I was cheering when either team had scored.
And what should happen but Float On comes on, and theres a picture of me on the Jumbotron.
And Im supposed to be like, Oh, hey!
or what the fuck ever, and instead, I just ducked.
I did not have any interest in being on the Jumbotron when they were playing this song.
I think it was a move to sell a guy some season tickets.
Best well!
I really enjoy that part every time I get to play that song during a show.
Its actually super fun and funny to me.
One would be that I let my politics sag and shit.
Theres just so much to be angry about.
But I dont know, man.
Im trying to think of these songs.
No, I dont know.
I dont think so.
