Brightest Young Things

Franz Nicolay is the kind of man you take one (curious) look at and you think: they sure don't make them like this any more. The perfect mustache, the cute hat penchant, suspenders and very well chosen pinstripes on well chosen suits-this is a man who cares, while never giving up on, you know, manness. And then-you hear the music. The man plays more instruments than you know existed, tells tall tales and sings short songs and approaches every live show with the same zeal and enthusiasm if there was 8 or 8000 people in the audience. It is a triumph every time. He'll be at DC9 this Saturday (late show, 11pm) and if you know what's good for you you'll go to his one-man cabaret.
In the meantime, he was kind enough to answer some not very important questions for us:

* What are you doing right now (be specific)?

Recording demos of the songs that will hopefully become the followup to "Major General," with Jim Keller, who I met when he was producing Demander's "Future Brite" but has also done stuff with Muse, Laurie Anderson, and Franz Ferdinand. His dog Mollie likes to sing along.

* So, you're officially no more with Hold Steady. What was the final straw that made you leave?

Just boring ol' artistic differences.

* Speaking of which, how did you even initially end up in the band, your personal musical interests seem so different than Hold Steady music?

My old band, World/Inferno, had played shows with Craig and Tad's old band Lifter Puller; and when that band broke up and they moved to New York, we stayed in touch. Craig was the executive producer on the Inferno live record, The Hold Steady opened for Inferno at Northsix, and they asked Peter Hess and I to play as guests on the album that became "Almost Killed Me." My personal musical tastes do include wordy, anthemic rock - I grew up listening to classic rock in a pickup truck in New England - so that part of the Venn diagram overlapped just fine.

* Do you ever get people being surprised by what they hear if they only came to the show under the ad of "Franz Nicolay, of Hold Steady"

No, if they know the Hold Steady and me I think they assume it'll be a little different...

* Now that you have all this extra time on your hands what are your imminent plans with Franz Nicolay, the project?

A bunch of touring - these ten days in the Northeast, then Europe and UK in March; and West Coast in April. Like I said, I just demoed songs for the new record. I produced a full-length for a Brooklyn band called The Debutante Hour. And my first story collection, Complicated Gardening Techniques, is out now - I'm supposed to do one chapbook every three months or so this year, so that'll keep me busy.

* When we spoke in the past with other multi-instrumentalists (like Annie Clark of St.Vincent) it seemed like they all come from musical families. Is this the case with you? When did you start playing? What made you start playing.

No, my parents were artists, and I'm the only musician in the family - except a great-aunt who was a Wagnerian soprano who sang under the professional name Anita Halga. I saw Yitzhak Perlman on Sesame Street as a five-year-old and demanded a violin. I started playing piano a year later, and French horn when I was nine. Then, of course, I got a guitar when I was fifteen, as one does.

* And now, which is your favorite instrument?

I'm currently loving playing the banjo. A lot of that is that when I'm learning a new instrument, I can trick myself into re-discovering chord progressions I already am sick of on other instruments. Like on piano, I would never write a song that goes G-C, but on banjo it's fresh all over again.

* As a Native New Hampshire man, do you have any hot tips for DC people who have issues dealing with the cold cold winter of 2010? What is the best way to keep warm.

Stay in by the maple syrup boiling pan...err...chop some wood for the firepl...umm...Hmm. You may be on your own on this one.

* That's ok- but you're not getting off the tip wagon that easy -lets try, mustache grooming tips

Cowboy 'Stache Wax, out of Alden, Montana, has been my brand of choice for many years now.

* In a fight between you and Eugene Hutz, who do you think will win?

Eugene and I have a quite pleasant acquaintance. That said, he travels with a larger entourage than I do.

* Major General has been out for a little while now but lets talk about it: if there is 2 songs one needs to hear on the record, what would they be and why? (I know it is like picking your favorite child)

Yeah, but some of them are retarded children. "Dead Sailors" and "Jeff Penalty," honorable mention "Cease-Fire," are my favorites - the first for the production (especially the bridge), the second for the vibe, and the third because I think it was the best song qua song I'd written up to that point. The red-headed stepchild is "I'm Done Singing." I think that's underrated.

* Lets talk aesthetics a little: obviously, style matters. Where does Franz Nicolay shop, what are your style inspirations, you favorite steam punk movies etc...

I'm not sure I know what steam punk is. In the privacy of my own brain, I think of my style as a sort of hobo formal - looking as best you can on a limited budget. Like the guy in the silent movie with the tongues hanging out of his dress shoes, and a cloth rose in his hatband. Buster Keaton, I suppose.

* And finally-a shout out

Pearl & the Beard, also from Brooklyn. They made a great record last year called "God Bless Your Weary Soul, Amanda Richardson," that I listened to more than anything else. Still do.

Want more:

Follow Franz online/twitter etc and stop by DC9 this Saturday