Posted on December 30, 2009 - by Mark Zonda

Oh, Mountain: they cut down his backyard!

On my last music discoveries I had the pleasure to stumble upon a bloke who still don’t give a shit ’bout the ghost of the music business and its now forgotten rules and still so genuine to write on HisSpace status: “They cut down my backyard”. That’s “Oh, Mountain” – alias for Eric Dina – a really nice human being from NewPort, that is slowly but inexorably becoming quite popular in the underground indie society made by iPhone oriented ambient djsetting and iTunes compilations. Here’s our interview.Mark Zonda: “Oh, Mountain”, yet another indie project? Please introduce your music to our readers…

Eric Dina: Oh, Mountain is a side project I’ve been working on and off for the last three years. Ive been shaping its sound for a while now, collecting more and more equipment and instruments to give each song a broader sound. I record everything I do myself with and attempt to play each instrument I use somewhat well (although its not always the case). Im working very slowly on a full length of songs that will all fit well together on an album.

Mark Zonda: “We traveled through” time is such a suggestive track. It blends Beatles e”Revolver” experimentations from  to Animal Collective related stuff. Were you more inspired by Doctor Who or Wayne Coyne?

Well, really neither (haha), but if I had to choose one I would have to say Doctor Who. I love the Flaming Lips and Coyne has some amazing ideas when it comes to sound (Zaireeka), but I dont have as much history with them as I do with Doctor Who. I used to watch the show on Saturdays at 11pm with my mom who was really into the show as a kid. I must have been 9 or 10. The shows music was always kindof insane, even if I didnt pay attention to it at the time especially when the Doctor would change bodies.

Mark Zonda: One of your songs has recently been broadcasted by a radio in New York. Have you ever wondered about casual listeners reactions?

Eric Dina: Somewhat I guess. I just hope whoever listens find it pleasant for their ears at least, maybe even funny. As long as no ones crying, I think Ill be happy. I dont really know of anyone who really listens to what I make other than my friends, some of which who make amazing music themselves.

Mark Zonda: Ever been into Japanese Music, expecially Cornelius? What’s your impression on contemporary alternative and art rock? Are these movements still actual?

Eric Dina: I haven’t really listened to Cornelius other than a few tracks, I like what Ive heard alot though. I do however have some fascination with Japanese music. Ive always been somewhat obsessed with Keiichi Suzuki and Hirokazu Tanaku’s music in the video game Earthbound. I think its influenced me way more than I used to realize. Something about it and the game have always put pleasant thoughts in my head. It has so many good sounds and melodies in it while at the same time staying sort of light hearted and even maybe goofy. I like a few noise bands from there like Ruins and Melt Banana and this one band The Pillows that are like a Pixies, Built to Spill type band, but no real influence comes from them. Tujiko Noriko’s album Solo is a nice listen too. I think that contemporary alternative and art rock are still alive and are adapting well to the times we live in now. Sampling is being used alot more from what it seems. Its getting more and more amazing the things people can do with computer programs or just even cutting up a wav file. Ive always gone a pretty traditional route of recording but Id really like to experiment with those things once I finish what Im doing now.

Mark Zonda:  PILLLOWS ARE GREAT! They are one of my favourite Japan bands! How you came to listen to them?

Eric Dina: One of my friends were really into a cartoon that they contributed alot of songs to. One day I sat down and watched it with him and the music was just really catchy to me. It was nice and familiar. I have a few of their albums and every so often get in the mood to listen to them. Really nice to hear when your down or driving for a while.

Mark Zonda: What about your other project “Proud Iron Lion”? Which of the 2 projects do you think’s gonna be more popular?

Eric Dina: Well their both two very different things. Oh, Mountain is a project where I do everything and have full control over all of my recordings because its my music. Proud Iron Lion is a band Im in with four other friends so the music belongs to them as well as me. They each have their own perspective of how a song is going to turn out so when the ideas are put together they come out something entirely different then what you’d originally thought. All in all, neither one is going for popularity, we just want to make music. Four out of five people, including myself, make their own music on the side so were busy bees.

Oh, Mountain – “Bear’s beat”

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