Noise rock band Medicine served as an important force in the American independent rock scene in the 90s, creating austere, imposing rock music akin to lauded band My Bloody Valentine. The group returned to music after more than a decade hiatus to perform several live shows and release a new album via Captured Tracks, who also managed to secure the rights to their back catalogue, a task that had previously proved difficult for the band. We had a chance to do a quick Q&A with the group in advance of their set at Austin Psych Fest this weekend. They play the Levitation tent Saturday night at 10:15.
Pop Press INTL: What does the psychedelic descriptor mean to you?
Medicine: It’s a marketing term, albeit probably the least offensive one for our music that I could ask for.
PPI: Your music has been described in so many different ways. Do you think of your music in terms of “psychedelic” or are there other angles that you focus on—noise, experimentation?
M: Nope, We just make the music we’d like to hear and that includes all kinds of routes and processes. Genre classification is for others to worry about.
PPI: Can you tell us a little about the process of Captured Tracks getting access to your catalogue and being able to reissue your past records?
M: They simply succeeded at something others had tried to do but couldn’t. And they did seemingly did it with charm and cunning. It certainly wasn’t money!
PPI: How instrumental was Captured Tracks in your decision to make new music?
M: Knowing that we have a label that has people’s attention and will literally get our records into every record shop in the world that matters is very motivational.
PPI: Have you approached music in the same was as you did in the 90s?
M: As a live band, it’s exactly the same as the 90’s. In the studio it’s evolved with the technology and our skills.
PPI: What has changed about making and performing music in the time of Medicine’s dormancy?
M: Home recording technology, mostly. And the collapse of the music industry. Oh well.
PPI: What bands are you most looking forward to seeing and playing alongside at Austin Psych Fest?
M: I want to see Yamantaka //Sonic Titan, Boogarins, Loop, so many others. Should be a good time!
