so...on thursday at 6:45pm some of us ADA types are going down to Pirate Cat Radio here in SF for a little chat. We will be live on air talking about the new record, the new line up, and the upcoming show at the Fillmore. if you can tune in please do so. they are here: http://www.piratecatradio.com/

This is new...

A DECENT ANIMAL

Jonathan Nicholson: vocals/guitar/lyrics

Richard Weld: bass/organ/vocals

Ben Andrews: lead guitar/vocals

Johnny Cruz: drums/percussion/vocals

“Burn down the mission/and put God back on the radio.” “Joining the Zoo”

Once you hear A Decent Animal’s brooding, atmospheric, wide-screen rock, it’s no surprise to learn that the fathers of co-founding members Jonathan Nicholson and Richard Weld were both Southern, hellfire-and-brimstone preachers eventually driven from the pulpit by their own sins. That harrowing vision of a world teetering on the edge of moral chaos remains firmly embedded within the band’s music and especially, Nicholson’s haunting, apocalyptic lyrics, as can be heard on their self-titled debut album.

Formed in their hometown of Charleston, SC, lovingly referred to as Chucktown, almost a decade ago, Nicholson and Weld started out as an acoustic duo, playing what they describe as “southern gothic-inspired secular gospel, with big vocal harmonies and dark, prophetic narratives.”

“The music came from both of us being raised in strict, Christian households by fathers who were struggling with some powerful inner demons of their own,” says Weld.

Two years ago, Nicholson and Weld relocated to San Francisco, eventually adding local punk-rock drummer Johnny Cruz and lead guitarist Ben Andrews, a jazz muso from Boston who relocated to the Bay Area after a stint in Southern California.

Recorded in the Bay Area at musician John Vanderslice’s Tiny Telephone studios with producer Jay Pellicci (Deerhoof), A Decent Animal continues to explore the band’s existential issues writ large on a giant prog-rock canvas. The two acknowledge Pink Floyd and Radiohead among their primary musical touchstones, while the idiosyncratic literary gothic stylings of Nick Cave and Tom Waits, as well as novelists Salman Rushdie and Cormac McCarthy, are touchstones for Jonathan’s unique world view, which reflect his sheltered background as the son of a strict Pentecostal Holiness Minister.

“I always argued with what I was told, and tried to find a better way,” admits Jonathan about his childhood. “The songs come from that adverse angle, trying to get closer to the truth even through methods that might seem negative.”

Jonathan got his passion for music from his mom, who often sang and played piano around the house. It wasn’t until he was in his late teens that Nicholson discovered skateboarding, punk and heavy metal. “The floodgates opened, I started a band with some friends and that was it.”

“These three guys are such great musicians, it inspires me to play even better,” says Nicholson about the band’s current line-up. “We’ve created this little church of our own.”

“Jonathan wears his heart on his sleeve,” explains longtime Weld. “He’s a very emotional soul, and that’s what drives this band. The lyrics represent who he is, and they come very naturally to him. If he wasn’t a musician, he’d be a novelist or a poet.”

“It’s a very liberating place to be because there are no boundaries…You can express some far-out ideas. I go to bed with my lyrics and wake up in the morning with them. I have a strong sense of what I want to say, how I want this to look, how I want it to feel. It can be moody, even depressing, but there’s always a ray of hope.”

“Should we stop and let him in?” “Disease”

A Decent Animal are on a mission. “It’s the idea of getting back to when music was more personal,” acknowledges Weld, “before it got obscured by the business. Our focus has always been on expressing ourselves in an organic, individualized way.”

Having toured extensively with the likes of Band of Horses and Modest Mouse, A Decent Animal are primed to take their show on the road, where the songs truly come alive.

“Things seem to have fallen into place,” concludes Nicholson. “It was fate, almost like it was meant to be. We’re excited for the future.”

A Decent Animal has arrived. It’s time for everyone to start “Joining the Zoo.”

Management:

Marc Pollack

marcpollack@mac.com

John Edman

john@johnedman.com

Well...we had a great show at Cafe Du Nord the other night...we always enjoy ourselves there...yes.

And many thanks to Glass Trains and AM Magic for coming along with us.

We are heading down to LA on Friday to play the Bootleg Theater with Kiss Kiss and Paper Chase. We are on first so if you are coming (which you should) come early. check it:

www.bootlegtheater.com

so we live in San Francisco...and occasionally I am reminded of just how beautiful this area is...its like no place I've ever been before...



it was so windy and cold that day...up there on the point...baby all bundled up...

just a friendly reminder about tomorrow's activities...

a few years back when George was still in the band and we had not yet moved to SF we went out to a mule farm in charleston to do a photo shoot for the cover of our 7 inch...we thought it would be easy to take some cool pictures with a lil ol mule...we were wrong. First off...not so little...this video is pretty funny-you can see how absolutely terrified I am that the mule is going to haul off and kick the beard right off my face...also note george trying not to laugh...

sometimes its just hard to get it right. You take 4 guys, run them through the usual rigors of everyday life and then throw them into a room together on a cold rainy Tuesday night in Oakland and wait for the magic to happen...and sometimes it doesn't happen. Tonight nothing happened...although Ben did have a rather unpleasant encounter with some dog poo in the practice space...c'est la vie i suppose...



this will be our official press photo...so if you were someone in the music biz this would be your introduction to the handsome faces of a decent animal...


there was magic happening on this day for sure...we were on fire!!

new shows!!

We are excited to announce a couple o shows we have scheduled (other than the aforementioned cafe du nord date)...we will be joining the Hold Steady at El Rey in Los Angeles as well as at the Fillmore here in San Francisco. The shows are may 5th and 6th and The Donkeys will be on the bill as well...
so we are obviously quite excited about these dates and we hope you can all make it out.

Also we have posted a second new song on our myspace page...its Circus Cirkus and its a rollicking number...

www.theelrey.com
www.livenation.com/edp/eventId/418609
www.donkeysongs.com
www.myspace.com/adecentanimal

well well well its showtime again...its back to Cafe du Nord for us! in 2 weeks time we animals will take the stage with AM Gold and Glass Trains and our good friend Tasho will DJ between sets. Glass Trains played with us once before in their former glory as 'Thank You' and we are excited to share the stage with them again. the show is March 16th (yeah yeah yeah we know it's a tuesday) so...check out cafedunord.com for the show info and you can buy tickets there as well.

we are working on lots of things right now including album cover for our full length debut. The music for the record is done now we are just working on art work...
we are writing some new songs...updating our website, facebook, youface and twitter (yes twitter) feed.

we replaced ben with this little critter...he is just more agreable...


no...only joking. see? here ben is now...doing a move...




then richard does a move...





stay tuned for more moves and such...