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Tim Delaughter is a daydream believer. |
As the third album from post-grungers Tripping Daisy hits the street today, the group's frontman traces the wisdom and fire of his lyrics back to his unabashed penchant for staring blankly into space. These moments of solitude -- so few and far between during Tripping Daisy's whirlwind brush with greatness in 1995 -- came in great waves during the last two years as the band regrouped, refocused and recuperated from fame. Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb (Island) was the result.
A lot has happened since the last time the band's hit "I Got A Girl" enjoyed heavy rotation on alternative rock stations. Drummer Ben Curtis and guitarist/trumpeter Philip Karnats entered the fold, and then accompanied Tripping Daisy to Dreamland Studio in Woodstock, N.Y., where Delaughter let his daydreams run rampant. And there were no corporate suits around to stop him this time.
"When we went to make this record we didn't have a record company hovering over us like we did for [1995's] Elastic Firecracker," Delaughter told JAMTV last week. "We had really been stifled by big business. Our label was going through some changes of their own at the time, which took their focus off us while we made the record. We basically had the opportunity to do exactly what we wanted to do without any interruptions. It was the most fun we have ever had making a record."
Wide-eyed children in a musical candy store, Tripping Daisy tinkered with an eclectic smattering of instruments, including a dulcimer, a banjo and an old record player that Delaughter happened to be messing with while tapes were rolling. Ripping yellowed pages out of his private diary, Delaughter also lent intimate lyrics to Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb that are perhaps lacking on the group's previous efforts.
"I feel more like an accomplished songwriter than I have in the past," he said. "It's something you just grow into through time and experiences. I found myself writing more about self-worth and the possibilities of human progression
Born and bred on a steady diet of D.I.Y. ethic and determination, Tripping Daisy sprouted out of the Dallas music scene in 1991 and toured relentlessly until they hit the big time. Even after the addition of a paycheck and corporate backing in 1994, the band maintained some aspects of their garage band charm.
A self-professed "performance art" ensemble when they began, the members of Tripping Daisy taught themselves how to shoot, edit and incorporate films into their live shows. As their performances moved from bars to large halls and then major national clubs, the band shed the visuals and concentrated on the music. Now they want the best of both worlds.
"We're actually going to be making a film for this record, and the album will be a soundtrack to the film," Delaughter said. "It will rely on a lot of imagery, but the idea is to be able to watch the film and listen to the record at the same time."
With a script nearly completed and a director in line -- Alex Halprin, who directed the band's extraordinary Claymation video for the 1994 single "Blown Away" -- the overwhelming project appears ready to roll. Time commitments may constrain the group, however, as they prepare to hit the road this August in support of Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb. Regardless of an uncertain future, Delaughter is revved about his newest work of art, and poised to inspire daydreams the world over.
"Fun for me used to come from touring -- I would really get off
on that because we would experiment most of the time when we were
live," he said. "Now it seems that making a record is the most fun
for me. And it has everything to do with just being left alone."
(Anni Layne)