Hailing from Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, DESBOT is the brainchild of Maurice Beckett (Jakob, Without Borders), Tom Pierard (The Modern Beat, Kaleidoscope Carnival) and Nick Blow (Come to Dolly).
With flashes of influence of Mogwai, Isis and Planning for Burial, DESBOT’s debut full-length is an exploration of heavy, progressive post-rock. Featuring hypnotic grooves, unexpected progressions, and a beautiful attention to texture and ambience gives listeners a plethora of reasons to appreciate ‘Pass of Change.’
Each group has a unique background that distinguishes them. Could you give us a short summary of yours?
Desbot started off as a solo project (Beckett), and that’s exactly what the first EP is – it was solo bass and very textural. If you haven’t heard it, check it out on our bandcamp! Evolving into a three-piece felt very organic right after that; Maurice and I (Pierard) did a gig together where I basically just played simple grooves behind those original tracks. It wasn’t until Nick joined soon after that we began to experiment more with solid forms and synth tones – we actually feel like we’re still defining our sound, but this record is pretty close! I’d say that any uniqueness comes from the influences that each of us bring into the process, we like a lot of the same stuff but then we all like quite different music.
Who is DESBOT?
DESBOT is Maurice Beckett (Bass, occasional vocals), Tom Pierard (Drums) and Nick Blow (Synths).
How did you meet?
When you’re based somewhere as small as Hawke’s Bay, everyone in the music scene knows each other. I think we all just clicked because we like making weird, experimental music, haha.
What first inspired you to make music?
Maurice has always been influenced by minimal, textural music, and that (paired with the appeal of relative logistical ease) led to starting the solo project.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
That’s a tricky thing to do, to us it sounds like a kind of mash up with elements of Post Rock and Vaporwave. It’s definitely become more groove oriented – this record is a good representation of groove meeting texture (with a shitload of bass).
What is your creative process like?
Different depending on our circumstances. This record (Pass of Change) was started in lockdown, and began with each of us creating demos and then sharing them. Gradually the bass and drum parts were solidified, then we tracked the drums at a great studio in Wellington (The Armoury). Bass tracking came after that, and that gave Nick some good breathing room with creating the synth textures. They give each song a really unique character and it’s difficult to write them in situ because there are so many combined tones.
Is there a meaning behind the name DESBOT? How did you come up with the name DESBOT?
Not really, apparently there is a definition online somewhere but it has nothing to do with our name. Maurice liked how unique the word was.
What do you feel is the best song that you’ve ever released and why?
All of em, for different reasons. Sorry!
Your latest album ‘Pass of Change’ is scheduled to be released on October 14, 2022 via Art As Catharsis. What can you tell us about the album?
We’re very proud of it, it was written when there was a lot of shit going down in Aotearoa and it felt like very divisive times – we feel like that comes out in the music. In saying that, there’s actually quite a spectrum of emotion in it, there are heavy aggressive parts but also some really joyful and triumphant sections, so it’s a good all round reflection of our personalities. We’re lucky enough to have a great mixing engineer in the band (Blow), and we really wanted to make the album sound ‘performed’ as opposed to over-produced and super polished, so there’s minimal editing. It’s a super hard thing to mix, but we’re really happy with how it came out.
What was the writing and recording process for the album?
We used a lot of MIDI instrumentation for the demos – I feel like this wasn’t something we’d ordinarily prefer over writing together in a studio, but it was helped by the fact that we know each other really well and we also know how each other plays. So even though we wrote individually, we kept forms and things pretty loose. In other words, we got quite good at leaving plenty of headroom for each others’ creative input.
Which part did you enjoy most? Why?
To be honest, listening to the final mixes over a few beers is probably something we all really look forward to. In saying that, the day the drum tracking was finished was a pretty golden moment, we were on a high because all of a sudden the songs had come to life and we could start to get a sense of the finished sonic landscape.
You recently released the single “Moonlit Forest.” Tell us about that.
It’s the opening track of the album, it’s very spacious and dynamic. We feel like it’s a good introduction to the overall album narrative.
What was the inspiration behind the song “Moonlit Forest”?
It’s inspired by nature, and it’s a bit of an homage to the local flora in Hawke’s Bay. The forest in the video is local too, and it’s a very mystical kind of place – we all feel connected to it and that was heightened during the lockdown period.
What is it about music that makes you feel passionate?
Performing it. Connecting emotionally with listeners, even if it’s just one.
What strengths do you have that you believe make you a great group?
I’m pretty sure we’re still on that journey! I don’t think it’s smooth sailing 24/7 for any band, especially when you’re dealing with a creative environment where emotions are typically quite heightened. In saying that, I think we’re pretty good at communicating, and we all speak up if we have an issue with something or want something changed. Can’t ask for much more than that!
Do you think that you could get any better as writers and performers? If so, how would you achieve that?
Absolutely, you’re either a beginner or a learner! Writing under different circumstances would force us to continually evolve, I think. Hopefully that continues for a long time.
Are there any musicians who inspire you? What qualities do you admire about them?
TOM: There are too many to list here, but probably one of the things I admire the most is artists who break the mold and take risks with their writing and production.
NICK: Ohh man! Where would one begin? I think that music with conviction is probably what I most admire. I find that very inspiring!
MAURICE: I’m a big fan of Justin Broadrick. Basically everything he does is gold in my books. I love his approach to music and also his apparent limited knowledge of music theory, which I can relate to also. Mogwai have been a solid source of inspiration as well for the last 20 odd years, after first seeing them at Roskilde Festival in 1998. I love how they build their music into a massive wall of sound and then in the blink of an eye they can go quiet and subtle. Plus they all sound like very humble chaps.
Is there a producer, musician or group that you would like to collaborate with and why?
TOM: Again, there are many (for the same reasons) – but to list a few: Blake Mills, Flying Lotus, Frederik Thorendal, Son Lux, Gabriel Garzón-Montano to name a few.
NICK: Christopher Juul, Terry Date, Brain Eno… the list could go on and on, but it would always be because of the amount you would learn from the experience.
MAURICE: Flood, Joe Baressi, Shayne Carter, I’m going to stop there because there are too many that I’d love to work with.
What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?
TOM: Making movies, barbecuing and skateboarding, probably.
NICK: Instrument Maker, Medieval Historian, Author and Ice Hockey Talent Scouting.
MAURICE: Some sort of career in Skateboarding, the body is also not in any shape to still be skating at this time in my life, but I love it dearly, and it has shaped my life and my taste in music.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
TOM: Hustle
NICK: Huge NHL Ice Hockey fan.
MAURICE: Photography
If you could compare yourself with any animal, which would it be and why?
TOM: I’m not sure, is there one that’s tired all the time? I quite like owls.
NICK: I can’t really ‘compare’ myself to one, but I would like to be a 3 Eyed Raven so I could obtain knowledge (and they’re at least as cool as – if not cooler than – an owl).
MAURICE: I wouldnt compare myself to an animal, but I’d like to come back as a cat. They have a pretty charmed life, or at least mine does anyway.
What’s next for DESBOT?
Gigs, finally! Then back into the writing process.
If you had one message for your listeners, what would it be?
Use headphones if you can. Oh, and lift with the knees.
More info can be found on DESBOT at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/desbotband
