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Chris Slusarenko is a multi-instrumentalist and one half of the duo, the
Takeovers. The other half being Robert Pollard, former leader of the
legendary Guided By Voices (the group he disbanded in 2004), and the most
prolific songwriter of his—and perhaps any—generation, having written
thousands of songs since the 1970s. The Takeovers have already released
two albums since they appeared in 2006: Turn To Red, and their latest, Bad
Football. Slusarenko writes nearly all of the music, and then sends the tunes
to Pollard, who in turn writes the melodies and adds his vocals. Their
alliance has proved to be one of the most enjoyable Pollard-related projects
(he has many) since the fall of GBV.
Takeovers. The other half being Robert Pollard, former leader of the
legendary Guided By Voices (the group he disbanded in 2004), and the most
prolific songwriter of his—and perhaps any—generation, having written
thousands of songs since the 1970s. The Takeovers have already released
two albums since they appeared in 2006: Turn To Red, and their latest, Bad
Football. Slusarenko writes nearly all of the music, and then sends the tunes
to Pollard, who in turn writes the melodies and adds his vocals. Their
alliance has proved to be one of the most enjoyable Pollard-related projects
(he has many) since the fall of GBV.
Chris Slusarenko runs Off Records, which has released Bad Football, and
played bass for Guided By Voices during their last years of existence.
played bass for Guided By Voices during their last years of existence.
The new record finds Pollard in a surprisingly
playful mood, contributing self-deprecating
lyrics and purposely ridiculous numbers such
as the side-splittingly funny, over-the-top
rocker, “Kicks at the Gym.” Slusarenko has
shown an uncanny ability to write material that
sets up Bob (what fans and friends call
Pollard) in a natural, yet challenging way, and
this time around his intriguing pysch-rock
(with a touch of indie rock) beds on Bad
Football are, apparently, just what Pollard
needs.
playful mood, contributing self-deprecating
lyrics and purposely ridiculous numbers such
as the side-splittingly funny, over-the-top
rocker, “Kicks at the Gym.” Slusarenko has
shown an uncanny ability to write material that
sets up Bob (what fans and friends call
Pollard) in a natural, yet challenging way, and
this time around his intriguing pysch-rock
(with a touch of indie rock) beds on Bad
Football are, apparently, just what Pollard
needs.
How and when did you first become involved with Robert Pollard/Guided By
Voices?
I met Bob in person at a 1997 show in Portland, Oregon. I was a huge fan and quickly
learned there is no one more fun to talk about music with. We started talking about
Homestead Records’ bands since Doug Gillard (Death of Samantha) and Ron House
(Great Plains) were also hanging out. I mentioned one of my favorite Homestead
bands, the obscure Phantom Tollbooth, and Bob immediately started singing lyrics
from their albums and EPs. It blew my mind that he just seemed to pull these old
songs from the air. In the end, it's funny that our first conversation later built the
foundation for his reimagining of Phantom Tollbooth, where he wrote and re-
recorded new lyrics for one of their old records (Beard of Lightning). We became
friends and over the years Bob did some projects for my label Off Records (Colonel
Jeffrey Pumpernickel and The Tropic of Nipples EP) and I played a few piano parts
on some GBV albums as well as on Bob's solo records.
How did you end up joining GBV?
Bob always said if anyone left I was in. I got the call while I was on the beach and
couldn't help but have a bit of a Quadrophenia moment. I had nine days to learn a
little over fifty songs. The amazing thing is that Bob writes really fun songs to play
and sometimes you have to come up with creative ways of remembering a song like
"Snuff Movie She's Gone" where the notes never repeat themselves. I remember
showing Doug my notebook and "Wire Greyhounds" was definitely a parallelogram.
What was it like working with Bob in GBV?
Even though I'd been to GBV recording sessions in the past, I only recorded on one
(Half Smiles of the Decomposed). For GBV, there was usually just one run-through
before recording. The concept was to do your homework and it would fit like a puzzle
when we all showed up to record. Bob plays a lot more guitar than anyone would
imagine on those records. He played guitar on every single track on Half Smiles.
What are you some of your thoughts/memories of the final GBV tour?
It was bittersweet since I hadn't been in the band very long, but it was also a really
proud time to be a part of GBV too. Those set lists on the final tour where so
thoughtfully produced by Bob and the shows were incredible. To look at the set list
every night and see that "Glow Boy Butlers" was going into "Do the Earth" followed by
"Sad If I Lost It"—I was such a fan and I got to be at every show for a year and a half.
Voices?
I met Bob in person at a 1997 show in Portland, Oregon. I was a huge fan and quickly
learned there is no one more fun to talk about music with. We started talking about
Homestead Records’ bands since Doug Gillard (Death of Samantha) and Ron House
(Great Plains) were also hanging out. I mentioned one of my favorite Homestead
bands, the obscure Phantom Tollbooth, and Bob immediately started singing lyrics
from their albums and EPs. It blew my mind that he just seemed to pull these old
songs from the air. In the end, it's funny that our first conversation later built the
foundation for his reimagining of Phantom Tollbooth, where he wrote and re-
recorded new lyrics for one of their old records (Beard of Lightning). We became
friends and over the years Bob did some projects for my label Off Records (Colonel
Jeffrey Pumpernickel and The Tropic of Nipples EP) and I played a few piano parts
on some GBV albums as well as on Bob's solo records.
How did you end up joining GBV?
Bob always said if anyone left I was in. I got the call while I was on the beach and
couldn't help but have a bit of a Quadrophenia moment. I had nine days to learn a
little over fifty songs. The amazing thing is that Bob writes really fun songs to play
and sometimes you have to come up with creative ways of remembering a song like
"Snuff Movie She's Gone" where the notes never repeat themselves. I remember
showing Doug my notebook and "Wire Greyhounds" was definitely a parallelogram.
What was it like working with Bob in GBV?
Even though I'd been to GBV recording sessions in the past, I only recorded on one
(Half Smiles of the Decomposed). For GBV, there was usually just one run-through
before recording. The concept was to do your homework and it would fit like a puzzle
when we all showed up to record. Bob plays a lot more guitar than anyone would
imagine on those records. He played guitar on every single track on Half Smiles.
What are you some of your thoughts/memories of the final GBV tour?
It was bittersweet since I hadn't been in the band very long, but it was also a really
proud time to be a part of GBV too. Those set lists on the final tour where so
thoughtfully produced by Bob and the shows were incredible. To look at the set list
every night and see that "Glow Boy Butlers" was going into "Do the Earth" followed by
"Sad If I Lost It"—I was such a fan and I got to be at every show for a year and a half.
HIGH SCHOOL PHOTOS OF CHRIS & BOB, OR IS IT BOB & CHRIS?
recording but was asked to be in GBV shortly after. After the last tour I picked it up
again and finished it off.
How are songs written and recorded in the Takeovers?
Well, it's always been imagined that it's these two guys that are on the cover of Turn to
Red making the music. So it helps to step outside yourself and have an imaginary band
concept. I'm not a prolific songwriter and I never have a melody in my head before I start
writing. I absentmindedly pick up the guitar or head to the piano and just start banging
around. If nothing starts happening within 10 minutes—it’s over. So it's just the luck of
the draw. One song was even written as I was falling asleep with a guitar on my chest
("The Year Nobody Died"). In terms of recording, I work with this guy in Portland, Brian
Berg, in his living room. He gets the most amazing sounds and there are lots of happy
accidents we keep in. Then I send the songs to Bob and he writes all of the vocal
melodies and lyrics. Sometimes he'll sing me snippets over the phone but for the most
part it's a total surprise until we're recording the vocals with Todd Tobias [Pollard’s
frequent producer/collaborator] in Kent, Ohio. If you listen carefully to "Fairly Blacking
Out" you can hear me excitedly running into the next room and trying (poorly) to sing
back to Bob the vocals I'd just heard for the first time.
How did you approach the songwriting on the new record, compared to your
initial collaboration on Turn to Red?
I was a bit intimidated on the first record to be making music for Bob, since he is, without
a doubt, my favorite songwriter. I think Turn to Red is a bit more fragmented, as I used a
lot of segments from pre-existing tracks to make musical collages. For example, "Sweet
Jelly" was some recorded bar banter taped after Bob's 70's band Anacrusis had
performed, combined with a guitar part Bob had not used, and an a cappella vocal
track. I synched the three tracks together and it sounded totally frightening. Like a
horrifying David Lynch bar scene being played out. At the time I was a bit nervous to
write "full formed" songs compared to sketches, but Bob just hit everything I gave him
out of the park. So when it came to Bad Football, I thought I would just go for songs or
even a few "hits". I think that Bad Football sounds more confident and it rocks really
hard. And Bob leaps vocally from the tenderest vocal lines to the most perverse with
such ease.
Like the previous record, Bad Football has a few guest appearances—how did
those musicians become involved?
A lot of them are friends of mine from Portland, like Stephen Malkmus, Sam Coomes,
and John Moen. But it's also fun to think about people you don't know who you'd like to
play with. We're both big Tad fans so it's only natural to track him down and ask. The
worst he could do is say no. And the fact that Dan Peters from Mudhoney and myself
(also a former Sub-Pop artist) also played on the track, made the song ("Kicks at the
Gym") even more conceptual.
again and finished it off.
How are songs written and recorded in the Takeovers?
Well, it's always been imagined that it's these two guys that are on the cover of Turn to
Red making the music. So it helps to step outside yourself and have an imaginary band
concept. I'm not a prolific songwriter and I never have a melody in my head before I start
writing. I absentmindedly pick up the guitar or head to the piano and just start banging
around. If nothing starts happening within 10 minutes—it’s over. So it's just the luck of
the draw. One song was even written as I was falling asleep with a guitar on my chest
("The Year Nobody Died"). In terms of recording, I work with this guy in Portland, Brian
Berg, in his living room. He gets the most amazing sounds and there are lots of happy
accidents we keep in. Then I send the songs to Bob and he writes all of the vocal
melodies and lyrics. Sometimes he'll sing me snippets over the phone but for the most
part it's a total surprise until we're recording the vocals with Todd Tobias [Pollard’s
frequent producer/collaborator] in Kent, Ohio. If you listen carefully to "Fairly Blacking
Out" you can hear me excitedly running into the next room and trying (poorly) to sing
back to Bob the vocals I'd just heard for the first time.
How did you approach the songwriting on the new record, compared to your
initial collaboration on Turn to Red?
I was a bit intimidated on the first record to be making music for Bob, since he is, without
a doubt, my favorite songwriter. I think Turn to Red is a bit more fragmented, as I used a
lot of segments from pre-existing tracks to make musical collages. For example, "Sweet
Jelly" was some recorded bar banter taped after Bob's 70's band Anacrusis had
performed, combined with a guitar part Bob had not used, and an a cappella vocal
track. I synched the three tracks together and it sounded totally frightening. Like a
horrifying David Lynch bar scene being played out. At the time I was a bit nervous to
write "full formed" songs compared to sketches, but Bob just hit everything I gave him
out of the park. So when it came to Bad Football, I thought I would just go for songs or
even a few "hits". I think that Bad Football sounds more confident and it rocks really
hard. And Bob leaps vocally from the tenderest vocal lines to the most perverse with
such ease.
Like the previous record, Bad Football has a few guest appearances—how did
those musicians become involved?
A lot of them are friends of mine from Portland, like Stephen Malkmus, Sam Coomes,
and John Moen. But it's also fun to think about people you don't know who you'd like to
play with. We're both big Tad fans so it's only natural to track him down and ask. The
worst he could do is say no. And the fact that Dan Peters from Mudhoney and myself
(also a former Sub-Pop artist) also played on the track, made the song ("Kicks at the
Gym") even more conceptual.
Are you writing any new material for
another Takeovers record?
I'm just finishing up three extra tracks for
the "Little Green Onion Man" 7" EP that
will come out at the end of summer. I'd say
it leans back a bit more towards the Turn
To Red vibe but it also feels a bit like a
mini-movie, as most of Bob's 7" singles do.
another Takeovers record?
I'm just finishing up three extra tracks for
the "Little Green Onion Man" 7" EP that
will come out at the end of summer. I'd say
it leans back a bit more towards the Turn
To Red vibe but it also feels a bit like a
mini-movie, as most of Bob's 7" singles do.
If there is ever another Takeovers record we've got our wish list of collaborators:
Richard Davies (of the Moles/Cardinal), Guy Kyser (of Thin White Rope) and the bass
player from Wire.
Off Records: www.offrecords.com
Richard Davies (of the Moles/Cardinal), Guy Kyser (of Thin White Rope) and the bass
player from Wire.
Off Records: www.offrecords.com
BY BART BEALMEAR
How did the first Takeovers record, Turn to Red,
come about?
Years ago I was in Dayton, Ohio [Pollard’s hometown]
hanging out with Bob and he was showing me some of
his collages. We came to the artwork for Turn to Red and
we just couldn't get off of what a great cover that would
make for a band. So we ran down to Kinko's, had them
blow up the collage to 12" vinyl size, and we drove
around with it on the dashboard all day long just looking
at it in all it's glory. At one point Bob told me that I should
record music for the collage and he'd sing on it. I started
come about?
Years ago I was in Dayton, Ohio [Pollard’s hometown]
hanging out with Bob and he was showing me some of
his collages. We came to the artwork for Turn to Red and
we just couldn't get off of what a great cover that would
make for a band. So we ran down to Kinko's, had them
blow up the collage to 12" vinyl size, and we drove
around with it on the dashboard all day long just looking
at it in all it's glory. At one point Bob told me that I should
record music for the collage and he'd sing on it. I started