Working Class Heroes: Atmosphere Returns to Fargo

You could make the argument that no other indie artist is working the web, the pavement, and the stage more than Minneapolis’ own Atmosphere.

Sean Daley, aka Slug, the MC, and Anthony Davis, aka Ant, the DJ/Producer, are bringing introspective rhymes and R&B grooves front and center with a full band in tow. HPR had a chance to speak to a jet-lagged Slug the day after he returned from Europe.

Atmosphere kicks off their Paint The Nation Tour in Fargo next Wednesday in support of their Epitaph release, “When Life Gives You Lemons…Paint That Shit Gold.”

HPR: How did the European tour go? Are you constantly writing new material when you are on the road?
Slug: I was definitely into writing. I’m not sure what direction things are going in yet with it; there was a lot of solo time for me, just typing up shit. I’m teaching myself how to type slower. As far as the tour itself, it was amazing. The best tour I’ve done in Europe so far.

You seem to have embraced the web for getting your music out there. Multiple videos and clips from “Life Gives You Lemons”, for example, as well giving away an entire album, Strictly Leakage, for download. What’s the balance between good business and artistic integrity when giving your music away for free?
I’m not really sure if I’m into “good” business. I don’t know if me and Anthony ever necessarily made any of our decisions based on business. I think it’s always been about what makes sense or what is funny. Like, “Wouldn’t it be funny to do this? Then try it.” I think that as for good business, we are just blessed or lucky. It’s one of those things where we don’t put a lot of negative energy into business, so business doesn’t hand us a bunch of negative energy back.

You can definitely sense that the two of you are having fun while you’re working.

The past two years, well I got off the tour in ’06. I took a year off of touring to start working on “Lemons.” Once we got started, we needed to do some writing exercises because I wanted to set my writing up, set my stories up, but I wanted to learn how to add resolution into the songs; just wanted to teach myself some new stuff.

We started some new exercises, which totally turned into “Clowns” and “Strictly Leakage.” Once we felt like we were in a place where everything was moving and all the parts were greased, that’s when we started “When Life Gives You Lemons….”.

When it was done, we basically just spent a year working on music and it was the busiest year of our career. That was without going on a single tour or any press. We weren’t exhausted and we had a lot of fun making all that music, so we basically decided that rather than take a break now and wait for the record to come out, we said let’s just stay busy.
And that’s why we started shooting videos and doing press. We toured this spring, and now touring will keep us busy until probably the Fall of ’09. When it is all said and done, the “Lemons” project was three years long, and we will have enjoyed every minute of it. (laughs)

Fargo is the first show of the Paint The Nation Tour that will take you to over 50 cities. After your many years of touring, what are some definite dos for the opening of the tour, and maybe some don’ts?

The main thing that happens the first night or the first week of the tour is that you take as many risks as you can. When you set out on tour, you go out with all these songs that you want to perform live.

By the end of the tour, you usually shed about thirty to fifty percent of those songs because you find out which songs don’t work that well and which songs this, that, and the other.

So what I try to do is not focus on which songs are the right ones to do, but more so I try to focus on the other risks involved:how far can I push some of the statements I want to make?

You know, I don’t drink before shows anymore, so I am hyper-aware of everything that’s going on in a set. It’s like “how far can I push my own adrenaline before I have to sit down and breathe?”

There is a different feel to the Midwest, and we usually start our tours in Fargo or Iowa. It’s like being at home. People do better at interpreting what the f*ck I’m even saying.

If You Go

Who: Atmosphere w/ special guests Blueprint, Abstract Rude, and DJ Rare Groove
Where: The Venue at The Hub
When: Wed., Sept. 10, 6 p.m.
Info: 701.232.6767. All-ages show