Last summer, rock ‘n’ roll six-piece Dr. Dog made a return to its Philadelphia home studio to record its seventh album, Be The Void (Anti-). In MAGNET #85 (order a copy here), we talked to the group’s founding members, co-songwriters and vocalists Scott McMicken (guitar) and Toby Leaman (bass), about that journey, and what it takes to bring a band with a formidable label deal and a professional touring setup back to its DIY roots. One thing that has remained consistent in Dr. Dog’s music across its evolving career is a juxtaposition of existential, occasionally desperate lyrical concerns with exuberant pop songs. Dr. Dog keyboardist Zach Miller will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our new Q&A with McMicken and Leaman.
Miller: I never liked the tape measure that automatically retracted unless you pressed the thumb lever. It was always sliding back before you wanted it to and cutting you, and then sometimes the channel would get jammed and you couldn’t lock the tape. Rife with problems. I love the kind that has a release lever on the bottom that doesn’t retract unless you press it. That way you can tease it out and it won’t snap back at you. And I really love the fact that from a marketing perspective one kind of tape measure says, “Check out this feature,” and another comes along and says, “This one has the exact opposite feature.”
