Bringing The Animal Outside: An Interview with Andy Mrotek

Most of Andy Mrotek's fans know him as "The Butcher"; dynamic and creative drummer for Chicago based group The Academy Is.... But while TAI are taking things slow this year to simply live life after years of constant touring and craft their next album, Mrotek has been tracking his own songs as part of an ongoing personal project called "The Animal Upstairs."

A term coined by his friend Lee Ojeda to describe the raw, creative themes inside one's head, The Animal Upstairs originally began a couple years ago as a place for Mrotek to share his photography and visual arts with fans. So how did music come into the mix? "I had always been making art and taking photos and writing my own music. But once the name was put to it, it became a different thing. So I decided to release these things so that I could move along/fund the next project" Mrotek said. "I have no preference of either art or music. I'm always working on about 4 projects at once. Usually lyrics/melody for a song that's nearly complete, music for a new skeleton, and I'll jump to woodburning the 12 (drum) shells I've been commissioned, and lastly, either colored pencil or water color, just for fun" he added.

As if all that talent weren't enough, he also designs and crafts drum kits for SJC Custom Drums out of Dudley, Massachusetts. The two have a partnership spanning several years and Mrotek also uses their kits onstage. And while the gig provides yet another creative outlet for Mrotek's seemingly endless range of abilities, the company helped in a very practical way as well. "SJC and I have a great thing going. I trade them labor. Example: I'm getting my record mixed and mastered for 'free', because I'm woodburning a kit for the studio. Since I'd owe SJC money for their labor (to finish the kit) I'm burning 5 more shells for SJC's booth at the NAMM convention. They also ship my prints for me (though nobody buys them anymore!). I have total freedom in what I design, unless it's a custom shell for an actual customer. I do prefer their ideas though."

Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin Mrotek has adopted Brooklyn, New York as his home base. Fans may recall the song Bulls in Brooklyn from the TAI album Santi was crafted around a drum beat he pulled into his head from the streets. The big city atmosphere provides a fresh source of inspiration. "Living in Brooklyn has changed everything for me. The surrounding of the city and the diversity of culture keeps my perspective fresh. I like that. Milwaukee is home, so it will always be a good place, but I'm not so inspired by that area. There's nothin' like New York, baby." When asked which particular sights or sounds might light a spark Mrotek said "As far as writing music goes, it is in fact smells and construction sounds, city sounds. Lyrically, I'm moved by dreams and their mystery. It's an easy context to speak freely on. I usually write lyrics dead last, so the music kind of manifests an idea in my head over time." "Over the time that I've been recording this record, I lost all sense of 'finished' or polished. The production is fused within the instruments and tracking, rather than the bells and whistles. I also love the sound of demos over a polished, slick, modern sound. I think these songs still hold that original vibe of a demo, because they're the originals. There were no prior demos. I wrote, recorded and produced all at once. I was hoping to preserve that original magic by not over-thinking and re-tracking. It's easy to lose all the good stuff in life when you start to refine it" he said. Asked if he is tempted to rework his song despite himself Mrotek added "I am constantly tempted to re tweak. That's the number one reason why I started to release these songs, so that I would have no choice in the matter!"

Playing guitar and bass, learning piano and a magician on drums, Mrotek also took on the challenge of lead vocals. Previously he provided backing harmonies on Santi and Fast Times at Barrington High. It was that experience along with support of his TAI band mates which gave him the confidence to step up to the microphone. But he also called in friends to collaborate, notably drummer Nash Breen from Armor for Sleep. Breen and Mrotek play "dueling drums" to create a fuller, more rounded sound than either of them could achieve with a single drum kit. "Dueling drums is meant to create an instant stereoscape, without any notes. It's definitely not competition. I wanted my close drummer friends to put their flavor down in the first phase. That gave me a whole new mojo when it came time to adding music. Whenever you hear stereo kits, it's an undeniable sound. I love it."

As a drummer first, he approaches his song craft from a rather unusual direction, often constructing the rhythm skeleton of a song before arranging melody. But Mrotek isn't concerned about structure restricting the finished product. "I just like to do it backwards, to prove to myself that there's more than one way to do it, and that my method works for me" he said.

Determined to continue the project in an organic state and keep it as true to its origins as possible, Mrotek will keep releasing a new song approximately every week. Asked how an artist can keep their creations in that raw state without unintentional branding or polishing Mrotek replied "Slight inebriation always helps with raw creativity. The term animal upstairs even helped me harness that ideal, funny enough. I think it's the business aspect that is the first to screw up that rawness."

In a time when the music industry is manufacturing artists like so many assembly line products and marketing campaigns are waged like war, Mrotek keeps the faith that artists and audiences can and will find their own way through the schism. "The industry does not function as it used to; people will find a way to get your music for free, even if you try to protect and sell it. I'd rather not give people that option of stealing, when it's just better to give it away. I funded this entire thing myself, it's set me back financially, but again, people would respect that over a band that signed a garbage deal to a label that won't really help them. I hope anyway. You earn respect first. Then you gather troops, then you take over. The industry could never provide me with a sense of confidence, in fact, it stripped me of that for too long. I thought I was useless in the grand scheme. After re-discovering my abilities, it seemed worth it, to spend my own money on making music."

Gathering those troops is a glimmer of an idea now but the future could find Mrotek leading a band of friends, colleagues and fans alike to create their own raw performance experiences. "I have plans. I can't be certain who the crew would be. My dear friend Spencer does great sound, and could even do backup vocals while mixing. My boy Brock Hogan did lights for TAI on our Sleeping With Giants tour. He's amazing. Maybe he could be a projectionist as well. Beyond that, I'd like crowd participation. Like, If there were regional fanclubs, have them all get a shaker or a whirlitune or a toy flute to play along on songs. Like a flaming lips show. Everyone dances, eveyone helps out. Everyone is a part."

Thanks to Andy Mrotek for giving Fueled by Fans a glimpse inside the newest facet of his project, The Animal Upstairs. Check www.animalupstairs.tumblr.com on or around each Saturday for the latest music selection and download the first three tracks free of charge, straight from The Butcher!