This one is for all fans of “boring guitar music,” as David of NAAL says.

In the past, the ambient musician has captivated folks on the Front Porch Stage, but I expect to see his draw grow this year. The artist composes drone/post rock guitar music. Expect lots of drawn out songs. I get somewhat of a Brian Eno effect listening to it. I honestly don’t have a lot of expertise in the genre so my comparison could be way off! But I do remember people sitting cross-legged in front of the porch stage, as NAAL carefully wove together soundscapes. The atmosphere was less like a concert and more like children listening to a teacher tell a story.

Thanks to NAAL for taking part in our Audiofeed Q&A. Perhaps you’ll find something new and interesting in this project.

TUNED UP: What’s your favorite Audiofeed memory? If you haven’t been yet, what are you looking forward to?

NAAL: Last year on Saturday night I saw my friend Fallon play on the Front Porch stage. He had gotten up at like 4AM that morning to sign up to play. I watch him play on that slab of concrete as if he’s playing on a stage in front of ten thousand people. It was great. He left it all out there. Immediately afterward, I watched another friend of mine who played in a band that had an amazing set in a tent full of people earlier in the day come up to Fallon, put a hand on his shoulder, and say with no hint of hyperbole, “Dude, you are the most underrated musician ever.” and they had a big ol’ hug. At that moment I just thought of all of my friends doing their thing on their respective stages- whether they were full tents or slabs of concrete, and I just got really proud of everyone. I felt like a dad who just watched his kids’ dance recital or something. It was great.

If any band that no longer exists could headline a show you play, who would it be?

That list seems like it gets smaller all the time because EVERYONE is getting back together to do revival tours or make new albums. Maybe… Bowie? That seems weird at first, but Noveller opens for Iggy Pop all the time. Maybe we could have a relationship like that. RIP David.

What records and/or songs have had heavy rotation these past few months for you?

I’ve been recording a new album for the past few months, so during that process I typically listen to a lot of stuff to try and draw on creatively outside my genre (which is “boring guitar music”), so here is a list of 5:

1. Bon Iver, 22, A Million
2. The Hotelier, Home, Like No Place There Is and Goodness
3. David Bowie: Blackstar
4: Run The Jewels 3
5: Danny Brown: Atrocity Exhebition

Describe your music with language as if you’re ordering a five course meal.

I’ve never ordered or consumed a five course meal, but I have ordered five items from a Taco Bell drive through. Is that similar? Assuming it is, that would sound like this:

Hi, can I get a number three without sour cream or cheese, and can you replace the meat with black beans? Yes, the Sad Boy Special. Uh huh. And can I get… Let’s see… Can I get one order of really slow ambient sounds- just the slow, not the meal- some field recordings, but again no cheese, some drone influence, and… An extra order of sad. And can you grill it? Awesome.

Do you remember the first album you purchased/received? What was it?

The first album I remember really listening to was some Christian youth festival promo CD. I only remember two songs that were on it, but that was my gateway in to a lot of music, I think. I listened to it like, every day. The first song was Suckerpunch by Five Iron Frenzy. That song introduced me to ska, which became my scene in middle school and junior high. The second was, a song by Pigeon John, an obscure Christian rapper named Pigeon John, who introduced me to rap, which I didn’t know at the time, but would become an important musical influence in my adult life.

Who on the Audiofeed lineup (other than your band), has a don’t miss set? You can only pick one (or two).

Lowercase Noises and Hotel Neon. Both are on Friday night, closing out the night with some chill jams and weird visuals. I’m in a group text with those dudes and we’ve been talking about the weekend a lot! Let me tell you, you are not going to want to miss what they have been cooking up.

Have you ever come across an exceptionally good (or bad) tattoo job? What was it?

I remember when I was at a show once this (pretty wasted) guy was like, “Yo, you guys wanna see my new tattoo?” to which, before we could answer, he lifted up the left leg of his cargo shorts to reveal a still raw, cartoonish, ejaculating penis tattooed along his inner thigh. I’m not sure if that’s something you’ll be able to print. But now we can share that story together. I think of that guy all the time. He is a real person. I wonder if he regrets it yet? I mean, are you gonna get a cover up on your inner thigh? I don’t know.

Are there any summer movies you’re especially looking forward to this year?

Dunkirk. I’m totally on the Nolan hype train (minus the last 15 minutes or so of Interstellar) and the visuals in the one trailer I saw for it in IMAX were pretty breathtaking. And I can’t wait to see Tom Hardy wear another mask for an entire movie. We saw too much of his face in The Revenant. Cover that face, Tom!

What’s the ONE THING your music is trying to communicate to the world?

I intentionally keep my music open ended so people can take from it what they want. But I hope that maybe from me as a person, if people could take away one thing, it’s that they’re not alone.

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