Joshua Carrafa – Guitar/Vocals

Ian Burns – Drums

Tsugumi Takashi – Bass/Vocals

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The Daily Consciousness: Old Monk’s biggest musical influences on Birds of Belize have been?

JC: Pixies, Pavement, Prog, Laphroaig

IB: Guided by Voices, Dead Kennedys, Eddie Money, Anvil

TT: Old Monk … because they had already written most of songs for the album when I joined, so I focused on understanding what they wanted to do.

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The Daily Consciousness: What is the significance of ‘Birds of Belize’, where does this title stem from?

JC: Ian went on an expedition to Belize and was inspired by the beautiful flocks

IB: Also a hilarious t-shirt from goodwill

TT: I just smiled and nodded.

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The Daily Consciousness: What inspired the album art? who put it together?

JC: The album cover is an observation of the contrast between our appreciation of nature, and the fact that we live in an urban environment.  Living in a dense urban area like Brooklyn, you don’t have much of a chance to enjoy exotic birds.  We mostly get pigeons.  And I imagine that in their heads they are wishing they could fly away and go hang out with the birds of Belize.
IB: Also pigeons are stupid and don’t think about anything but relieving themselves.

TT: Josh and I exchanged specific ideas for a while, and my friend’s designer Jessica Moon refined and finished the artwork.

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The Daily Consciousness: Is there any single message you try to express through your music as Old Monk?

JC: That loud guitars, drums and bass make everything better

IB: That prog can have sex with punk and create tightly knit two and half minute rock songs

TT: I like David Bowie

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The Daily Consciousness: If you could recommend our readers three artists who would they be?

JC: Lagavulin, Balvenie, Glenkinchie

IB: T rex, Blue Oyster Cult, Mission of Burma

TT: I Monster, Meho plaza, Wallpaper

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The Daily Consciousness: Does Old Monk have favorite city or venue to play in? (Other than Brooklyn)

JC: Brooklyn!

IB: Brooklyn!

TT: Brooklyn!

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The Daily Consciousness: Other than making music… are there any other hobbies?

JC: Building guitar pedals that I use to make music.

IB: Cooking, calculating my risks as to avoid the danger that lurks around every corner

TT: Eating, sewing and photography

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The Daily Consciousness: How long have you three been jamming together?
JC & IB – 8 years

JC, IB & TT - 7 months

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The Daily Consciousness: In your opinion(s) what is the most rewarding aspect of making music?

IB: All the attention, drugs and women.  shooting heroin into your nether-regions.  Oh wait, that’s Nikki Sixx.  I guess the fact that most places still give you free beer for playing.  And it just feels good to make something that somebody else claps for.

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The Daily Consciousness: To wrap up this interview… do you guys have any final comments for readers?

IB: We are not above playing your son’s bar mitzvah.  We just need the free beer.

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