Portland’s The Brightest Comet have risen a bit out of left field. Performing around the schedules of the other bands the members are involved with, The Brightest Comet have still managed to produce a sound worth listening to—and talking about. The music is both melodic and striking, matched by Andi Camp’s manner of singing.
Camp also handle’s bass for the group. She is accompanied by Vincent Covarrubias on drums and John Reed Dunn, who some may recognize from Portland’s We’re From Japan!, on guitar.
Camp and Covarrubias were kind enough to chat it up about The Brightest Comet and provide a little insight into such essential facts about the band as Andi’s fetish for catfish sandwiches.
Daily Vanguard: How did the band start up? What is the story behind your name?
Andi Camp: John and I started playing together in 2005. His band [We’re From Japan!] and my solo project had toured together several times. We also recorded and released a split EP together, which turned out to be one of my favorite recording projects. We went through three drummers in roughly six months, before we even had a band name! We settled on the band name between the third and fourth drummers, although we did run it by our fourth drummer when we started playing with him, to make sure he was cool with it.
DV: Is there a musical style or genre that you aim for? And how would you describe the sound or musical style of the band?
AC: We don’t aim for any particular style. The fun of writing music is putting some people in a room and seeing what comes out. Everyone brings their own stuff to the table and you see what works for the group. As for describing the music, I avoid that like the swine flu.
Vincent Covarrubias: No particular aiming on this end. For me, it’s mainly whatever music I have inside of me that’s triggered by Andi’s solid rhythms or John’s pretty melodies. It usually turns out loud, heavy and sometimes not that heavy but fun.
DV: Recording history and any future recording plans?
AC: We did a quick weekend recording of our songs when Kevin was in the band. Our plan was to go back for a more serious recording session, but what with the rotating drummer situation, we never got around to it. I’d say we’ll head back into the studio within the next six months.
VC: I’d like to record. I think TBC songs have lots of tasteful dynamics and it would only make sense to get it out there! Plus, we’re writing new material, which I’m uber excited about.
DV: Who do you guys admire (musically), or are perhaps influenced by?
AC: I have a lot of favorite bands, but I wouldn’t use the word admire for any of them. I’ve said this before, but I think you’re influenced by everything you hear and see and feel. It’s just part of who you are. You don’t call up your friends and say, “Hey, I want to start a band that sounds like so-and-so.” At least I hope you don’t do that! You just sound like what you sound like. And if you try too hard to sound like something specific, you’re ruining the fun.
DV: How do lyrics come to you? Is there a specific style of lyrics you like to write?
AC: Lyrics come to me slowly. Sometimes they don’t come at all. Lately I’ve found that I like the song to have a title before I write lyrics. I have to like the title of the song first. Then I might be able to write some lyrics. It was a lot easier to write lyrics when I was younger. They weren’t particularly good lyrics, but at least it was easier to write them. Every little thing was so important back then.
DV: How does the band view the Portland scene? And how do you view yourselves within it?
AC: I love Portland. It’s my favorite place to live so far. As far as the music scene goes, I don’t really spend much time in it. I like that so many people play music and are in bands, that’s a pretty neat thing. I don’t really view us as “in the scene.”
VC: Portland simply caters and embraces artists/musicians. I love that. There’s so much going on this city musically. I try to go to as many shows as I can with some filtrations of course.
DV: Any future plans for the band? Where would you like to take The Brightest Comet?
AC: I would like to take The Brightest Comet out for catfish sandwiches.
DV: Speaking of sandwiches, I ask everyone this: If there was a sandwich made in honor of the band, what would it be made out of and what would it be called?
AC: It would be catfish dipped in cornmeal on homemade gluten-free toast with honey mustard sauce. It would be called the Catfish Jack.