Feature by Andrew Haak - May, 2005
Internet pornography, 90s television, music, sex; Jon Pfeffer, the brains behind Capillary Action and a musician with a distinct vision, provides insightful details on them all. Pfeffer, with the help of a couple of select musicians, writes instrumental music that touches on an erratic assortment of musical styles and rarely sticks with one for an entire song. After listening to Capillary Action's debut, Fragments, and learning that Pfeffer would soon be taking his music to much of the United States with a full band, I agreed to an online interview with the lighthearted college student. Read on...
Andrew: Your first full-length, Fragments, is all over the place. Each song visits a wide variety of musical styles. My question, then, is from what influenced you to combine such contrasting styles so frequently?
Jon: I listen to a lot of different music and get easily bored when I'm playing in any one particular style for too long.
Andrew: Why do so many styles in every song, though? Why not divide them up into shorter lengths?
Jon: I'm not sure why exactly. That's just how the songs were conceived. Don't kill the messenger! I don't know what else to say.
Andrew: Okay, I suppose. About song-writing, from what I know, you do most of it for Capillary Action. How does composing the songs on your own change, hurt, help, etc. the song-writing process?
Jon: Well, composing the songs by myself brings a strong sense of "me" to the material (in the case of Fragments, it was the "me" of a few years ago) and I suppose that can be pretty interesting to dissect. The vision you're experiencing is pretty much a direct translation from my fingers to your CD player. But, ultimately, I'd like to have the input of a full band. I feel like they would offer an added dimension to the music and the subsequent material would be much more fleshed out.
Andrew: Why don't you sing or yell or scream or talk with the music? Why instrumental?
Jon: Hey! There's some screaming buried in there! Well, the real reason I chose not to sing on this record was I'd been really embarrassed of my voice for as long as I can remember (my voice took a really long time to change) and I was much too self-conscious to sing for anyone outside of my room. Instrumentals came about when I heard the Fucking Champs and I was floored by the sheer intensity (some say they're being ironic but I beg to differ) put forth by this instrumental band and I thought, "Hey! If this band can rock so unequivocally (I didn't use the word "unequivocally") hard without vocals, maybe I can too!" I'm definitely not opposed to incorporating vocals on future releases.
Andrew: Cool man, I think it worked. Here's an oddball. Best show -- Saved By The Bell, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, or Full House -- and why?
Jon: That's a tough one. I'm tempted to go with "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air" because I'm from Philly and I try to represent whenever I can, but... Will Smith wants to buy the lot next to my apartment and turn it into a shopping center. I'm tempted to go with "Full House" because of the incest jokes buried in the dialogue and also Jesse And The Rippers were one class A band. Have you heard their cover of "Forever"? I always thought Deerhoof should have been Jesse's backing band. "Saved By The Bell" always has a place in my heart on account of Tiffani-Amber Thiessen being my first TV crush. So, I guess I'll break it down like this:
Hottest Girls: "Saved By The Bell"
Best Incest Jokes: "Full House"
Best Overall Show: "Fresh Prince"
Andrew: Beautiful analysis. The cover of "Forever" destroys. Have you seen the video they made for it?
Jon: I have. I especially enjoy John Stamos's flowing chest hair and the way he lifted the child actor portraying his naked newborn son to the heavens. Jesse And The Rippers played a profound role in the development of my own work.
Andrew: It definitely shows. I understand Fragments was recorded in dorms, class rooms, and other random places. Can you describe how you managed to get everything on tape?
Jon: Hmm...the process of getting the music on tape (well, more like a digital facsimile of tape) wasn't nearly as difficult as the editing process. We spent an afternoon recording guitar and drum tracks, and then two additional days recording everything else. After we had all the basic tracks, it took about a month to getting edited to the point where things sounds even remotely listenable. Kevin, my roommate and the guy who recorded the album, came close to a nervous breakdown during the editing process.
Andrew: How did you keep him from breaking down? Massages?
Jon: At the top of every hour, saying, "we're almost finished, man." I'm actually being serious here.
Andrew: There will be a full-band tour this summer. How does the material translate in the live setting, and can you describe how people have reacted upon seeing Capillary Action live?
Jon: The material's a lot more dynamic live. A lot more yelling, fighting, loving...tenderness is the key word here.
Andrew: In your living years, what has been the best age?
Jon: Every age is the best age, my friend. I learn something new every day!
Andrew: *Barf*
Jon: I'll turn you into jello.
Andrew: What's your attitude toward Internet pornography?
Jon: I'm an advocate. What about yourself?
Andrew: It has consumed several hundred hours of my life. More like several thousand!
Jon: I could definitely see that. You're a peculiar fellow, Mr. Haak.
Andrew: Anyway, one more tough one. How do you see Capillary Action's musical direction evolving in the future?
Jon: Capillary Action's musical direction will evolve in completely random, nonsensical ways... but always with an underlying sense of hope.
Andrew: The United States is involved in a number of international conflicts. There are hot Social Security debates and terrorism resistance measures taking place on the home front. With that said, I ask the question you've expressed interest in answering: what's your favorite sexual position?
Jon: The one involving Donald Rumsfeld and a sack of nectarines gingerly spiced with a migraine.
Andrew: How is that different from doggy style?
Jon: It's much more involved... lots of pig Latin. I don't know how in depth I can go into that one without compromising national security.
Andrew: That's understandable and honorable. This is my last real question. I noticed in passing that "I had sex with your wife... I may be your baby's father!" is the topic on Maury today. Might you be a contender for this episode? Details!
Jon: Yes, but I think I would be the lovechild in question.
Andrew: Time for a DNA test, then.
Jon: Let's do it!
Andrew: Eww, you said "do it!"
Jon: You said "said."
Andrew: Shit.
Andrew: I'm done, man. Those are my questions. Like every other formulaic interview out there, feel free to say anything you didn't get a chance to say, and it'll be available to the world (or the world with money for computers and Internet connections) to read.
Jon: Capillary Action is for the children. If we happen to be hitting your town on our summer tour, please do us a favor and come check out the show. It would really mean a lot to me. Why is the reception on my cell phone so horrible? Why don't the CL 6 come with a clutch? I love you, the reader, very deeply.
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