The entirely remixed and remastered album from Jawbox’s J. Robbins’ original tapes also features unseen photos from Andy Mueller and expanded liner notes. The band also announced 11 tour dates in the US starting in July.
As the original recording and mixing session of the album was done in a five-day panic, we’re thrilled that J. had the idea and the opportunity to take the time to revisit the raw tracks and create new mixes. In addition, working with our long-time friends Polyvinyl on this reissue has been a major burst of nostalgia and joy. We look forward to bringing that energy back on the road this year and look forward to playing the album for excited friends, old and new.
Bob Nanna
We fired off a last-minute email to Braid’s Bob Nanna with ten burning questions, including a bonus question from Mark Rose of Spitalfield! Read the interview, and check out the newly released Killing A Camera music video below.
Frame & Canvas
- The New Nathan Detroits
- Killing A Camera
- Never Will Come For Us
- First Day Back
- Collect From Clark Kent
- Milwaukee Sky Rocket
- A Dozen Roses
- Urbana’s Too Dark
- Consolation Prizefighter
- Ariel
- Breathe In
- I Keep A Diary
Preorder the limited edition 25th Anniversary Vinyl of Frame & Canvas
Limited Edition Vinyl will be released on Friday, April 7th
Watching the video for Killing a Camera in 2023 is like opening a DIY punk time capsule. What is something from that pre-smartphone era that seemed like a pain at the time but that you might look back on now in a fond or nostalgic way?
Bob Nanna: Obviously, cameras and film come to mind – in 1997 and 1998, I took pictures of each crowd at each show with a disposable camera. Same with all of my photos of just the random activities of being on the road. It was a pain to have to lug it all around and then hope it got developed correctly at Walgreens or wherever, but it’s nice to have filter-free memories of those times that I can hold in my hand.
I also loved making cassette mixes for each tour. I’d usually do 5-10 of them, and they’d get played and re-played over the course of a 6-week tour. Obviously now we have the massive convenience of every song ever being at our disposal, but back then it was like – you get these 20 songs 20 times, and you’re going to like it dammit.
When Braid was writing and recording Frame & Canvas, did you realize you were working on something special that would still connect with audiences 25 years later?
BN: We sure didn’t. We worked in that way where we would write enough songs to make a full album, record it, and then immediately start writing more songs. We weren’t planning on it to be our last album (at the time), and I think having that be our de facto swan song helped make the album into something people could spend time with and dissect and enjoy. Don’t get me wrong; I’m psyched that people can connect with it now. I can still connect with it even! But we weren’t sitting around Inner Ear congratulating ourselves.
What artists did you and your bandmates listen to when making Frame & Canvas?
BN: We were listening to a lot of our friends’ bands – Cap’n Jazz, the Promise Ring, Rainer Maria, The Get Up Kids, Castor – and then literally anything and everything that was coming out of DC (or sounded like it did) – Jawbox, Hoover, Lincoln, Fugazi obviously.
What was your songwriting process like 25 years ago, and how has your process changed over the years?
BN: We were such an efficient band, and we all loved “making songs” literally from “how does it begin” to “how does it end” as opposed to jamming for hours until something interesting comes up. I find it difficult to work in any other way, frankly, so it definitely stuck.
Between all of your full band and solo performances, is there a show that stands out as one you’ll always remember?
BN: For Braid, I have great memories of so many different shows for a variety of reasons, but the one that stands out to me is on that last weekend of shows in 1999 – bringing a spinning prize wheel of 32 songs onstage at fireside bowl and having it dictate our setlist and giving out fun prizes to the crowd from our history. Someone got a grocery bag full of cassettes from our van, for instance. It was super fun.
Favorite venue to play, active or defunct?
BN: It’s Metro by far. I have nothing but great experiences there. Still to this day.
Favorite tour meal?
BN: I’ll say generally, breakfast at a local diner. No specific place. I have a pretty strict “no food 4 hours before the set” rule so often times, dinners aren’t very interesting or exciting – usually I’m eating after the show, and it’s cold. But breakfast – I love sitting around the table with everyone and talking about the previous night over coffee.
If you could introduce Braid to a newcomer with just 3 songs, which songs would you pick?
BN: I’ll say “Please Drive Faster,” “Killing a Camera,” and “A Dozen Roses.” I think they are all pretty catchy and cover a few different moods.
If Weird Al covered a Braid song, what song do you think would work best, and what would the title be?
BN: Can Riot Fest please make this happen? I think “what a wonderful poodle” could be a thing. Or maybe “Never will Come for Gus” about, you know, a guy named Gus.
BONUS QUESTION
(from Mark Rose, of Spitalfield): “If Braid was managing a Fantasy Football team together, what would your team name be?”
BN: Please Drive Faster (more points that way)
Follow Braid
Braid hits the road for 11 US tour dates in July, with the limited edition 25th anniversary rleease of Frame & Canvas from Polyvinyl Record Co comes out Friday, April 7th. You can preorder the album below.
The Related Rabbit Hole
