Vandaveer - Stories from the far-reaching branches

Mark Charles Heidinger has always had a soft spot for noir atmospheres. Ever since his debut record under the Vandaveer banner in 2007, blood and broken dreams have held a central place in his stories. It's no surprise, then, to find him now grappling with the murder ballad tradition on his fourth solo album, “Oh, Willie, Please…”. The release of the new record is the perfect occasion to revisit with him a career with roots as deep as those of his own family tree.

To start, could you tell us something about the early days of your musical experience alongside Apparitions?

Apparitions was my first musical project, before Vandaveer. Brothers, roommates, guys trying to make rock 'n' roll. Those were good times. Good, very loud times.

Some of the members of Apparitions went on to form another band, These United States. Are you still involved with them?

No, not formally. Right now they're on an indefinite hiatus, but we're all still very close. Half the band was in Apparitions, and several of them are actively involved in Vandaveer's recordings and tours, so we're still very much a family.

There's a family story behind the name Vandaveer. Why did you choose it?

The name comes from my father's side of the family, from way, way back... it was passed down through many generations and probably would have come to an end with my generation. I wanted to give it a lifeline, so I christened my project Vandaveer.

When did you meet Rose Guerin and decide to work together?

Rosie and I met in 2006, I think… or maybe 2005? We started performing together formally in 2007, and she's been on every record of mine since.

What made you decide to make a murder ballad record?

Well, honestly, it's simply that we love these songs. I'd dabbled a bit with this kind of material in my own songs, so it felt natural to revisit some old traditional tunes and try to take them on in the studio…

Does the comparison to Nick Cave for “Oh, Willie, Please…” intimidate you?

A comparison to Nick Cave never intimidates me. Nick Cave is fantastic. His album “Murder Ballads” is gorgeous. We actually paid tribute to his version of “Henry Lee” on our record. The point is, he borrowed from and shared in a very long tradition… that's what folk music is all about.

What was the recording and production of the album like?

Making this record was actually pretty easy and quick. We spent about a week at a great old farmhouse in Kentucky, and then another week or so in an actual studio… A really enjoyable experience, especially given the rather dark subject matter…

A murder ballad isn't just reportage, it's about the relationship between good and evil. In your view, what makes these songs still able to speak to the human heart today?

Murder ballads matter for the same reason shows like “C.S.I.” or “Law & Order” are popular. Stories of good and evil, cautionary tales, ghost stories – all of these things resonate because human beings are still grappling with ethical and spiritual dilemmas. No different than hundreds of years ago, when some of these songs were originally written.

Did you have fun shooting the video for “Pretty Polly”?

Yes, a ton of fun. We got to work with a great friend as director, Jared Varava, and the cast and crew were outstanding. David Yow and Tricia Vessey were terrific as the villain and the heroine, respectively…

Many murder ballads have their roots in English folk music. What's your relationship with the European musical tradition?

Yes, that's exactly right… my own relationship to it is first and foremost as a listener and lover of songs. I have European ancestry, so I think there's some indirect connection there too. But honestly, the truth is simply that I love folk music. And I enjoy singing songs.

Besides the songs on “Oh, Willie, Please…” you've done a number of covers in the past, from Bob Dylan to Leonard Cohen. In your opinion, what's the key to keeping an old song alive?

Old songs stick around because they remain meaningful even as culture and society change around them. A truly great song has the ability to endure over time. Dylan and Cohen both wrote timeless songs that will be around long after our hearts have stopped beating. The same goes for these murder ballads. They have deep roots and far-reaching branches.

An album that changed your life (and why).

“Meddle” by Pink Floyd. I realized I wanted to throw myself into writing, recording and playing music the first time I heard that album. There were others before it, but that one is such a mysterious, gorgeous, weird record. It works perfectly.

You made “Oh, Willie, Please” through a Kickstarter campaign. From social media to crowdfunding, what do you think of the opportunities the digital age offers artists to promote their music?

The music production landscape is increasingly niche-oriented. You carve out your little space, plant your seeds, and watch your garden grow. If you take good care of your soil, it might expand. Social media and crowdfunding are fascinating parts of that process, but they play a role in a very old business – writing and singing songs. People have been doing it for quite a while, and I don't see that changing anytime soon…

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