Evening of Light :: Interview :: Pythagumus Marshall (novemthree, Little Somebody Records)

Interview with Pythagumus Marshall

January 29th 2007 - by O.S.

Pythagumus Marshall came unto the scene last year with his relaxed folk project novemthree, and his label Little Somebody, where he releases The Joy of Nature and Arrowwood, among others. Following is the result of our online conversation.

O.S.: Please introduce yourself to our readers. How did novemthree start, and what is the project all about?

Pythagumus: Hello, I'm Pythagumus. Novemthree started after a long break from making any music. Novemthree started in the Autumn of '04. I just woke up one day and picked up my dusty guitar and started strumming...
The project is the closest that I have ever come to expressing myself truly. The music reflects what is happening inside me: physically, psychologically, emotionally, etc... My love for trees and little scurrying animals, along with my passion for the organic sounding side of folk music is most inspiring...

So, when did you start making music before that?

Oh brother, near or thereabouts in '92 or so...
My friend Timothy McDaniel and I started a group called fIsH NiPpLe ChiPs inspired by nearly friends The Mountain Goats, Refrigerator, and Sebadoh, and the Sun City Girls...
We tried to go to the more ambiguously insane side of the camp...

What was so insane about what you were doing?

Oh, trying to be as far out and attention-getting as we could. We dreamed about playing shows in diapers and tapdancing barefoot on picnic tables... That sort of thing.

What artists have inspired you on the road to what you're doing now?

I would have to say: In Gowan Ring! ...of course. Chelsea Robb (Arrowwood) dubbed me a cassette somewhere back in '99 or so with two In Gowan Ring songs, and I fell deeply in love with those sounds...
I am also inspired by people like: Nick Castro, Espers, um... Six Organs of Admittance, Xenis Emputae Travelling Band, et al...
Also I am really grooving to new aquired friends I have made along the way, such as The Owl Service and Rebsie Fairholm, Kim Larsen / Of the Wand and the Moon, Green Mistletoe, The Joy of Nature, Cloud Temple, The Boy Who Spoke Clouds, um...

At what point did you decide to start your own label, Little Somebody, and for what purpose?

LSR Logo

Oh my. I started LSR last June... Actually, a friend of mine (Josh Lovejoy) started a label called "Circumstantial" to put out local musics including Arrowwood. He (Josh) had asked me to join him with Circumstantial to help... The Arrowwood was birthed from that effort...
Somehow, we decided to part ways. We were having some music-directional differences... We are still good friends by the way...
Anyhoo, my reason for starting the label was to sort of start a family. A family consisting of nice people making music independently and also collaboratively.

So, who were involved in the family, and what part did novemthree play in it? Did you collaborate with others for novemthree?

Well now... Involvers of the family started with Chelsea, Josh and I. I have to back up a little... Novemthree is my project, but with the help from Chelsea and Josh, along with my old friend Kelly Wyse, we all got together to open up for In Gowan Ring in the fall of 2005 as novemthree. It was later that year that Chelsea had enough music to put out a CD. Asking my help (or did I insist on helping-I don't remember), seeing since I had self-released two of my own, Circumstantial was born...
It was at this time that Josh and I (independently) had found Cloud Temple and decided to send him a note. In the note, we asked him (Johnny Miller) if he wanted to release something on our label. He agreed, and soon after, Circumstantial died.
To make this a story and not a poem, others have been adopted: The Joy of Nature (Luís Couto) from Azores, Green Mistletoe (Brian Waters) Upstate New York, A.Lixivia (Alexandre Huard) From Canada, and others...

How did you get in contact with these new artists on Little Somebody?

Oh, through MySpace primarily (hush hush)... Actually, the place for friends has been the best thing for me when it comes to getting my music out there a little bit. When I started the page, I didn't expect anything. But over the last year or so it has been gaining a furious momentum... I have been contacted by a few artists who asked me if I wanted to release their music, but primarily it has been me making the first move... I'm a flirt.
The people that I have met on MySpace have been the nicest people, and very supportive... They are warm and embrasiful... embraceful...embracefatory...

Do you have an active local scene, then, in the state of Washington? What sort of things get organised?

Pythagumus

No, and nothing... There is no real folkish scene here in Washington that I know of, which is a little sad. I have played a few shows with Chelsea and we are received welcomly enough, but we are basically alone...
Europe is looking more and more inviting.

So let me ask you... How did you start your wonderful Evening of Light?

Ah, a twist! I like that.
Well, my girlfriend and I felt we needed a place where we could express our musical tastes, and support the artists at the same time. The Netherlands had some nice places on the web and activities dedicated to the darker side of folk and electronic music, but lately things had been waning a bit.
We thought the time was right to try and give it a new impulse. So far, we've had a warm welcome by artists and labels, so we couldn't be happier. Our readership is also expanding, as is the staff, so things are looking good. Hopefully, we can get around to organising an activity this year, as well.
Well, enough blowing our own trumpet. Back to you!

Ask away!

What's behind 'A Woodland Fable'? The titles tell little wisps of a story, but there are no lyrics.

Right!
It was inspired by a friend (Ash) who called my song, "all of the little forest animals shed their winter coats, gather together, feast and dance for the spring equinox", revelatory. Then he asked me if I wanted to paste myself to the other half of a cassette with him (Mechta) for his label "Hand Panther". So I decided to carry on with that theme and create a little instrumental woodland fable.

The theme of that fable seems a little darker than that first song you mentioned. How come you decided to explore that side of the story this time?

Well, the animals were happy at first... hehe.
It was recorded in a span of six days, dark days. Dark, dark days. Nah, it was a stressful time though. Something to do with deadlines and such...not very interesting. So it was a big release for me to sneak away and record at that time. It was also the turning of a new direction for novemthree.

'of my mother's weary wanderings' Album Cover

'of my mother's weary wanderings' Album Cover

The song "Gedwolmann" (Old English for 'heretic') expresses some unique thoughts about nature, beauty and rationality. How would you describe your relation to nature?

Oh wow. I feel that I am very close to nature. I would not say that my more naturalistic philosophy is closer than other's "spiritual" connection with nature, but it works for me. Basically, I feel that the beauty of nature lies in it's seemingly random natural laws. That goes for the whole universe. We now know that sacrificing our favorite cow will not affect the next harvest. With that said, I find the history of these rituals to be very interesting indeed!
I call myself a heretic because I feel that we should not feel guilt for being humans. The major western religion family (I won't mention which, hehe) thrives on teaching that we humans should feel ashamed of love, pursuit of happiness, and "things of the flesh"...

'of my mother's weary wanderings' is dedicated to two women. How have they influenced your life and this release?

Pythagumus' wife Jaimie

Whoo! Well, the two women are my mother and my wife. I should say my daughter now too! My mother came into my life when I was 9. She took my brother and I to Greece, where I lived for 3 years. During that time, she taught me how to always consider what others may be feeling, before I spoke-or else! Her religions changed often-from wicca to Judaism, I never knew which one at any time...
The other one is my companion Jaimie. We met almost nine years ago and have a child who was born in October. That is where the name for Little Somebody Records comes from. When our daughter was still floating around in the womb, before we knew the sex, we called her our little somebody. It was better than calling her "it"...
My mother is out wandering (metaphorically) somewhere. I have looked and looked for her. Even going hitchhiking to find her, but I now believe the last thing she ever said to me-that I would never see her again. The album is sort of a closure of the woman who is my mother and being able to shed that skin and live anew... If that makes any sense.

Pythagumus' daughter Hazel

Sure, of course it does.

My wife is the most present person in my life now-along with my daughter Hazel. They are beautiful!

Well, thanks you very much for a most pleasant conversation! Do you have any special words of parting, perhaps about you musical projects or your plans for the future?

I thank you for expressing interest in what I do!
Um... there are a bunch of new projects that I have been loading into the wheelbarrow, from the label to novemthree. Some of them are secret, others will manifest themselves in time...

Well, thanks then. Fare ye well, and here's a toast of whiskey to ye!

Back at ya!

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