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Text: Dave Herrera | Photos: Jim Narcy
It's
a blistering ninety-plus degrees in Denver, Colorado when
David Bazan, the mastermind behind Pedro The Lion, and company
arrive in a non-descript, soccer-mom style mini-van. Not exactly
what you'd expect from a band that's flying well beneath the
radar of most mainstream media. Don't get me wrong, it's not
a posh tour bus by any means, but it's not a meager ‘70s era
conversion van either.
Upon first introduction to Bazan, with his
unassuming soft-spoken demeanor and boyish charm, you might
expect him to be a man of few words—an assumption that quickly
unravels when you engage him in conversation. Much like the
music he creates with Pedro The Lion, Bazan doesn't need to
hide behind a wall of sound to get his point across.
Make no mistake though, Bazan is no stranger
to volume. Prior to starting Pedro The Lion, he played drums
in the hardcore bands: The Guilty, Lioness and Coolidge, with
Sub-Pop recording artist Damien Jurado—ironically another
artist who shares a similar passion for quietly intense music.
As to why Pedro The Lion isn't more brazen, Bazan says, "I
realized I was able to become a lot more intense if I became
really quiet than if I got really loud. I couldn't sustain
that level of intensity very long."
 Pedo
The Lion started more or less as an idea back around ‘94.
After another of Bazan's hardcore bands, Christopher Robin,
fizzled, he started writing acoustic pop songs under the name
Pedro The Lion—a name that at times still makes Bazan cringe.
Originally the idea was to release a fable type story, the
main character of which was Pedro The Lion, that would be
included in the packaging of the record. Ideally the two would
compliment one another at some level, they would touch on
the same themes but playout opposite sides. Ultimately, according
to Bazan, the story wasn't very good, but the music was. As
a result, Bazan decided to use the name of the main character
for the band name. "I've hated the name Pedro The Lion
a lot, but it doesn't make sense for me to change it now."
Says Bazan.
At twenty-four, Bazan is a complex character
and wise beyond his years. He's deliberate with his thoughts
and chooses his words carefully— you can almost see him trying
to decide which colors to use in his word paintings. A quality
that contributes to the sense that much pain-staking detail,
goes into Pedro The Lion's music. Rather than trying to assimilate
with an already narrow scene, or aligning themselves with
this year's model, Pedro The Lion's music is simple yet elegant;
not vastly different from aritsts like Mark Kozelek (Red House
Painters), Hayden or Mark Eitzel (American Music Club). Though
the arrangements are somewhat sparse and minimalistic, this
band is anything but simple. Under Bazan's guidance, the rest
of the band—Josh Golden (bass) and Trey Smith (drums)—plays
exactly what each song dictates and sets the mood rather effectively.
 What
really sets Pedro The Lion apart from their indie rock peers
however, is Bazan's lyrics. Since Pedro's inception in the mid
‘90s, Bazan has mastered the art of story telling. Part allegory,
part metaphor and part existentialism, his lyrics speak to the
fact that we're all just human afterall—fallible, but not without
hope. Much ado has surrounded Bazan's faith and it's influence
on Pedro The Lion's music. Regarding element's of faith in his
lyrics, Bazan says, "It started out as more of a social
pressure to include elements of faith because music and art
were seen as a tool for evangelism— rather than something valid
in and of itself. Over the course of the songwriting, I've slowly
been able to break away from that and find my own way of dealing
with things. Certain things just stick. I write about things
that are emotionally compelling to me, and issues of faith are
definitely compelling to me, just because it's been such a source
of conflict in my life." Bazan continues, "Although
I don't necessarily represent myself in the songs, they're...they're
all characters to one extent or another. I think there is a
sincerity in the music —that whatever I'm doing as Pedro The
Lion, there's a sense that if I'm messing up, I'm messing up
sincere. I think the thoughtful kids that possess some critical
analysis skills can see what's going on. Which makes me glad
because that's ultimately what I think the point of art is—to
help us hone those skills as well as to experience the human
condition."
Given Bazan's background, it's not hard
to see the impact Christianity has had on him—both good and
bad. Born in Phoenix, Arizona to an Assemblies of God preacher,
Bazan became a Christian early on, seemingly more out of convention
than conviction. It wasn't until college that his theology
really became clear. Although he has discussed his faith ad
nauseum, Bazan's very forthright when discussing his beliefs
and Christian culture. Bazan relates, "I definitely hold
the view that God pursues us and my nature doesn't really
permit me to do anything but be sinful and self-serving."
Bazan says. "Even in my accepting His proposition to
me, it's self-serving; but in accepting his proposition and
believing that his promises are true, I'm justified in a way
that it doesn't matter anymore. I started seeing certain things
in scripture and hymns and thought that if this little piece
of information were true, then it turns the whole thing on
its ear. It was a process of finding out if these little bits
were true and once they were true, what effect they had on
the other tenants of my belief system. Even though I found
those things to be true, I was still surrounded by a community
that existed as though those new understandings weren't true
and trying to feel validated in that whole process. In understanding
the gospel and living it out in your life, there's a lot of
conflict." Some of this conflict can be found in his
lyrics."
Regarding the Christian music industry,
Bazan says, "The first tour that Pedro did was a Christian
tour. After that tour, I realized that I didn't want to do
a Christian tour ever again. The expectations were different
in each situation depending on their (the promoters) particular
twisted view of music and evangelism." Bazan continues,
"Christian promoters don't pay—they tell you they will
and then they don't—it's infuriating! It's better to just
play a bar that has bands five nights a week and is used to
paying. It's a business and that's what they do. When the
Christian promoters wouldn't pay, they'd be like ‘This is
supposed to be your ministry anyway.' They were bad business
men hiding behind God. It's been called by several writers
‘the Christian Ghetto' and it definitely is."
The critically acclaimed, Whole EP,
the debut release from Pedro The Lion, was released on Tooth
and Nail records, a Seattle based indie Christian label.
The Whole EP. was a one-off ten-inch that ultimately
opened some doors and created a fan base across the country.
However, it also created some of the stigma currently associated
with the band.
The fact that Pedro The Lion was now thought
to be a Christian band, almost hindered the band from releasing
anything else. "After the Tooth and Nail release, the
guy who recorded it, Steve Wolden, this indie rock grandfather
from Olympia (he played in and managed Modest Mouse), loved
our band but just leveled with us. He said, ‘Look, you guys
play good music, but no one's going to want to touch you with
a ten-foot pole. I don't know anyone that would want to put
out your record. As good as the music is, people just aren't
that open minded about that kind of stuff,'"says Bazan.
"Luckily for us, our buddy James (Morelos) was starting
this label (Made In Mexico) and he loved our band." As
a result, two more very well received records, Hard to
Find a Friend and The Only Reason I Feel Secure (Is
That I'm Validated By My Peers, were released on Made
In Mexico.
With the latest release, Winners Never
Quit, Bazan comes close to realizing his vision for Pedro
The Lion. Few bands have attempted with any measure of success,
what Bazan seems to have accomplished seemingly effortlessly.
Like any master-craftsmen, Bazan has made the difficult seem
almost turnkey. With Winners Never Quit, Bazan has
created what can only be described as an indie rock Tommy.
A true concept album in every sense.
Ideology aside, Pedro The Lion is one hell
of a band. Bazan instantly captivates the crowd the minute
he starts playing. Although, when he first takes the stage,
he looks like an awkward kid uncomfortable in grown up clothes,
when he commences to rock though, all eyes in the room are
set on him.
Much like another David before him, armed
with quietly intense songs, this David is set to slay the
Goliath of musical mediocrity.
— Dave Herrera
Talk Back
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