Interview: The Temporary Thing

Along with a rotating cast of support musicians, LA's The Temporary Thing is a one Andrew Gleason, a singer/songwriter with a lackadaisical Jeff Buckley air and a darker-than-coal sense of humor.

Gleason sent us some new material a few weeks ago, prompting us to check in with him over IM to learn more about his music. Because it's fucking great.

thetemporarything (6:07:19 PM): ?
RFSL (6:08:52 PM): Hey!
RFSL (6:08:56 PM): How's it going?
thetemporarything (6:09:16 PM): Howdy! Confused I guess.
RFSL (6:09:35 PM): Is this the first time you've gone on IM?
thetemporarything (6:09:47 PM): Yeah.
thetemporarything (6:10:01 PM): I got this AOL one just a second ago.
RFSL (6:10:17 PM): Thanks for meeting me on here.
thetemporarything (6:10:29 PM): No problem. Thanks for the opportunity.
thetemporarything (6:10:41 PM): Now you can see some bad spelling.
RFSL (6:11:46 PM): Ha.
RFSL (6:11:48 PM): So how long have you been playing as The Temporary Thing?
thetemporarything (6:12:11 PM): Since around 1998 or so.
RFSL (6:12:47 PM): You been out here all that time?
thetemporarything (6:13:00 PM): I guess I could've used my real name, but it didn't sound like a good idea at the time.
thetemporarything (6:13:12 PM): I've been in LA since 2001.
RFSL (6:13:28 PM): Where were you before?
thetemporarything (6:13:55 PM): I was trying to make it as a street musician in Europe. Playin on the streets there.
thetemporarything (6:14:05 PM): I was doing better there than here.
thetemporarything (6:14:15 PM): in every way
RFSL (6:14:58 PM): How did you end up here?
thetemporarything (6:17:01 PM): While I was over there in France I got an email from this guy who worked for KXLU telling me he liked my music and told me about some Fundrazor show they were putting on. Said he'd pay for a plane ticket for me to come out and play the show. Then some assholes flew some planes into some buildings and everything turned upside down.
thetemporarything (6:17:15 PM): So I decided I'd actually go back to the US.
thetemporarything (6:17:26 PM): Patriotism.
thetemporarything (6:17:50 PM): Also, he didn't pay for the plane ticket.
RFSL (6:17:54 PM): Yeah?
thetemporarything (6:18:35 PM): I played the KXLU Fundrazor and nobody cared, so I thought it was cause I had no band. So I got a band made up of KXLU djs.
RFSL (6:19:22 PM): How did that work out?
thetemporarything (6:20:31 PM): Well... I can't say that much anything worked out so far. I still think that nobody really gives a shit. But, I haven't left yet.
RFSL (6:20:48 PM): I'd imagine in a room w/ three KXLU djs, you'd have eight to ten opinions...
RFSL (6:21:10 PM): (I love KXLU. This is jokes.)
thetemporarything (6:21:39 PM): They graduated into paying jobs believe it or not.
thetemporarything (6:22:11 PM): I'm still trying to get some good shows, but there's so many bands here that have lots of friends.
thetemporarything (6:22:37 PM): Friends help you fill venues.
RFSL (6:23:02 PM): Got you.
RFSL (6:23:53 PM): I'd like to see you play with bands like The Western States Motel or One Trick Pony.
RFSL (6:24:07 PM): It would be a good show.
thetemporarything (6:24:09 PM): Funny you mention it...
thetemporarything (6:24:34 PM): One Trick Pony and my band should be playing at Spaceland in August.
thetemporarything (6:24:56 PM): I like em. just waiting for Jennifer at Spaceland's confirmation of the date.
RFSL (6:25:08 PM): Really? That's great. Just posted a video of them playing at Pehrspace on the site today. The song is fantastic.
thetemporarything (6:25:19 PM): I'll check that out.
thetemporarything (6:25:50 PM): There aren't too many bands I like nowadays, but they're one of em.
RFSL (6:26:00 PM): Who else you like?
thetemporarything (6:26:52 PM): I think the Fleet Foxes are great. I like Reverb too, but I think they have a better reverb unit.
thetemporarything (6:27:00 PM): I like The Delta Spirit.
RFSL (6:27:17 PM): What bands made you want to make music originally?
thetemporarything (6:29:23 PM): originally it was classic rockers like CCR that made me wanna play guitar. I always liked classical music to begin with. Still do. I liked when Beck was using a 4 track. I liked Donovan and Bob Dylan.
thetemporarything (6:29:32 PM): The usual.
RFSL (6:30:46 PM): Right.
RFSL (6:30:50 PM): You've got two cds out right now, correct?
thetemporarything (6:32:13 PM): Theres one called Burial At Sea and another called The Buck, The Bed, and The Bottle. It's all stuff I do here in my apartment. if you know anyone with a studio who does pro bono work...
RFSL (6:33:32 PM): You sent me a cd of new material though, right? Those are the songs you have up on myspace?
thetemporarything (6:35:12 PM): I'm always recording so I have enough to make a lot of CDs. The stuff I sent you is from the past few months. I make a lot of recordings that I don't know what to do with.
RFSL (6:35:52 PM): There's some great stuff on there. I like it a lot.
thetemporarything (6:36:04 PM): Thank you.
RFSL (6:36:10 PM): I've got Been Drinkin A Lot Without You stuck in my head.
thetemporarything (6:36:43 PM): That's better than where most people stick it
RFSL (6:36:46 PM): (It's been The Temporary Thing and One Trick Pony lately.)
thetemporarything (6:37:25 PM): Well, I think that the show will be on the 10th of august. Still looking for another act or two.
RFSL (6:37:46 PM): You're putting a new band together for it?
thetemporarything (6:38:45 PM): Constantly shifting band members around, but I've had the same bass and drums for a while now. But I do have a new keyboard player and rhythm guitar.
RFSL (6:39:23 PM): You've played a lot of places around town... Spaceland, Hotel Cafe, etc. Where you like the best?
thetemporarything (6:39:48 PM): in town, I'd say...
thetemporarything (6:40:31 PM): Well...
thetemporarything (6:41:16 PM): One time we played on someones roof
thetemporarything (6:41:45 PM): By the beach. Which sounded like a nightmare at first but turned out fine.
thetemporarything (6:42:19 PM): I like Spaceland. They have a smoking room.
RFSL (6:42:33 PM): The fishbowl.
thetemporarything (6:42:57 PM): It's perfect for hipsters who doin't want to see bands, but want to be seen.
RFSL (6:44:08 PM): Ha. I kind of love Spaceland. I've seen so many good shows there. Kind of like The Metro in Chicago.
RFSL (6:44:12 PM): It's like my living room that's not my living room.
thetemporarything (6:45:35 PM): I like Spaceland, too. The sound system is good when you're in front of it.
RFSL (6:46:16 PM): You hit the road often?
thetemporarything (6:47:16 PM): Yeah, we've been around the US, I was around Europe. Mostly solo, but me and the band did a tour here. best shows we ever had I think. NY was good.
thetemporarything (6:47:44 PM): Touring costs a lot.
RFSL (6:48:06 PM): Yeah, I'd imagine especially now.
thetemporarything (6:48:33 PM): I have a neighbor who is on tour right now, who constatly tells me "just go on tour" and I say sure, man. He gets his instruments shipped by his label.
RFSL (6:49:21 PM): So what's next for you? Are you planning on releasing that new material in some form? You talking to any of the local labels?
thetemporarything (6:50:18 PM): I would like to put out an EP, probably from some of the struff I sent to you. It'd be cool to talk to a local label.
RFSL (6:54:18 PM): Cool.
RFSL (6:55:02 PM): Well, I'm trying to think of a good final question...
RFSL (6:55:28 PM): What's a question you'd like to be asked in an interview?
RFSL (6:55:38 PM): (That's not the question.)
thetemporarything (6:55:41 PM): Um...
thetemporarything (6:56:27 PM): Actually that damn Boz Scaggs song just came on and distracted me.
thetemporarything (6:56:36 PM): Then I changed the station
thetemporarything (6:56:48 PM): And that damn Joe Cocker song about mountains came on
thetemporarything (6:57:12 PM): And now my head is stuck in a Caldor's shopping cart from 1986.
RFSL (7:03:03 PM): Okay. Cool. So, last question...
thetemporarything (7:03:07 PM): Yup.
RFSL (7:03:41 PM): What's the most important thing that a person can do with their time?
thetemporarything (7:04:11 PM): Not kill themselves.
thetemporarything (7:04:18 PM): I guess.
RFSL (7:04:43 PM): Fair enough! :)
thetemporarything (7:04:48 PM): Whoah.
RFSL (7:05:00 PM): Did that smiley face just explode?
thetemporarything (7:05:12 PM): Yes. And how.
thetemporarything (7:05:20 PM): All over the screen.
RFSL (7:05:29 PM): Completely unintentional, I swear.
RFSL (7:08:21 PM): Thanks a lot for your time.
thetemporarything (7:08:25 PM): Thanks so much.

DOWNLOAD:
- Been Drinkin A Lot MP3
- Peckerwood MP3