Califone's Tim Rutili On Superstitions, Filmmaking And Musicians With Dirty Hair

Though he's often asked about his former band Red Red Meat - especially given that band's occasional reunions - for the past dozen years Tim Rutili has fronted the far more experimental Califone. Earlier this month, the quartet released what might be its most accomplished and critically acclaimed album to date, All My Friends Are Funeral Singers on Dead Oceans.

Like the band's last album, 2006's Roots & Crowns, All My Friends Are Funeral Singers finds Rutili, Joe Adamik, Jim Becker and Ben Massarella adhering more to structured songcraft than the sonorous, cacophonous or more pastoral soundscapes that characterized early releases. From the tentatively upbeat, dirty strum of "Polish Girls," to the rough-hewn, hand-clapped jig of "Ape-Like," All My Friends of Funeral Singers unfolds like a series of knotty escapades. Songs restlessly pace ("Better Angels"), skitter noisily from Appalachian hillsides ("Salt") or take leisurely Sunday promenades ("Alice Marble Gray"), tugged along by the drift of Rutili's husky, thoughtful narrative.

Yet it's the feature film of the same title that partners All My Friends Are Funeral Singers' release that has been the greatest leap forward for the Chicago-based songwriter. It might be Califone's ninth album, but it's Rutili's directorial debut for a feature film. Driven by his fascination with superstitions and ghostly apparitions - not simply paranormal but psychological - Rutili began writing a script about a female psychic who lives alone in the woods and deals with some haunted events.

It's not the first time Rutili has transformed a thematic passion into an album; dreams drove 2004's Heron King Blues while the instrumental Deceleration series was meant to accompany silent movies. Rediscovering Genesis P-Orridge and Psychic TV's "The Orchids" inspired - or at least fueled - the writing of Roots and Crowns.

The film of All My Friends Are Funeral Singers stars Angela Bettis ("Girl, Interrupted," "Carrie") and the men of Califone (Rutili plays a "ghost musician") and was shot in an old, ramshackle house in Indiana last spring in a mere eleven days. Rutili recently had a New York premiere of an early cut of the film at 92Y in Tribeca during CMJ week and The Alternate Side also had a chance to catch up with him via email:

TAS: Given your fondness and fascination with superstitions - what are a few you have before going onstage or have observed other musicians practicing?

I always say a little prayer to myself before going onstage. Also, if soundcheck goes too well it's probably not going to be a great show. There have been exceptions to this. Sometimes I will play badly in soundcheck just to ensure the success of the show.

The one thing i've noticed in quite a few musicians is washing your hair before a show is bad luck. Maybe washing your hair anytime is bad luck.

TAS: why did you feel so strongly that All My Friends Are Funeral Singers was not only meant to be experienced musically, but needed to be a film?

The album and the film script came together at the same time and many of the themes and characters found their way into both the songs and the film. It felt right to do it this way. The film and album stand alone as separate pieces but they do compliment each other and each inspired and fed into the other. Also, I've been wanting to make a film and try working with something more narrative for a while now and this seemed like a great opportunity. The stars were aligned and things came together.

TAS: What is the status of the movie? I read you're going the festival circuit with it in 2010?

Right now the edit of the movie is designed for performances with the band playing the live soundtrack. This winter we'll be finishing the stand-alone version of the movie and submitting it to festivals. We've already had some festivals contact us about it. We're looking forward to playing it for people who don't necessarily know the band and will view it as a film.

TAS: Was it difficult to sit down and commit to writing a screenplay?

The main challenge of writing was just the fact that I have never really done it before. Whenever I finished a draft of the script, I showed it to friends who were writers and filmmakers and got a lot of help and direction. I tend to be a more abstract writer so this was a good experience and totally a new thing for me.

TAS: Any obstacles you encountered during the shoot?

There were so many people and we didn't have much time so we had to be organized and everyone had to be totally prepared to hammer through it. We were lucky in this too because we had a great and experienced crew.

When [Califone] make a record, we just camp out and throw ideas around and try to make ourselves laugh. We move slowly sometimes. We didn't have that luxury with the film shoot.

TAS: You seem to be refreshed artistically since leaving Red Red Meat. Do you think that the dissolution of that band, in the long run, enabled you to take chances you wouldn't normally take? What is it about Califone that invigorates you the most?

Yes, when we stopped Red Red Meat we were all pretty burned out on the format of working as a rock band. The freedom of approaching things without those guidelines brought some new life and tons of ideas into Califone.

I love working with Ben and Joe and Jim. I think that's my favorite thing about Califone now. Those guys can always surprise and shock me.

TAS: You've gotten some gorgeous reviews for the new album. When you step back and look at it objectively, what are you most proud of?

I think song for song this is our best record. I don't really have a favorite. I'm just glad people are enjoying it. Next record will probably be a lot more experimental. The last two records were more about balance. The next one will probably be more about pure demonic chaos.

TAS: Looking back over 2009, which albums or films made the most impact on you?

I worked like crazy on the film and album for most of 2009. I didn't really get into new music too much. Watched a lot of old movies and listened to old music like The Kinks and Rolling Stones quite a bit.

TAS: What are you most looking forward to in 2010?

I'm ready for just about anything. Got any suggestions?