On this episode of In Conversation, we had a great chat with Joe Trainor and Alex Ewell of the Los Angeles band Dummy.
In their short time as a band, Dummy has already built up an impressive catalog that points to a melting pot of unique influences. The band incorporates elements of krautrock, UK shoegaze, and ‘60s pop, with vivid coloring from no wave and Japanese ambient music to create a sound all their own. Their record Mandatory Enjoyment on Trouble In Mind was one of my favorite records of last year and they are back again with a brand new single—”Mono Retriever”—on Sub Pop.
Something that I’ve always loved about the band and from talking to Joe through Twitter is that Dummy is extremely passionate not only when it comes to creating music, but also with protecting a certain sanctity to the DIY tradition that they grew up in. When I caught up with Joe and Alex, they were at their home in L.A. getting ready for their current full US tour with the young sensations Horsegirl. In our conversation, we veer into topics like the extreme difficulty to sustain a career in music for blue collar musicians, the unforgivable sins of poptimism on the indie rock community, and what drives them to make the best music they possibly can.