Tell Me About That Song: Alex Robert, Guitarist of Indie-Rock Five-Piece Black Whales
A lot went into writing your favorite song, but how much do you really know about it? This week Alex Robert, vocalist and guitarist of Seattle indie-rock five-piece Black Whales, delves into recording demos, The White Album, and finding personal meaning in songs. 
Black Whales will be performing Jan. 5 at Neumos
Song: "Elephant #2"
Album: Shangri-La Indeed
Release Date: June 28, 2011
When it was written: Sometime in the gloomy month of January of 2010.
Where it was written: At a friend's house that I was living at during that time in Seattle.
Favorite line in the song: "What more could you expect, what more could you do? It's just a cab ride from the womb to the tomb."
Which part was the hardest to come up with: It was the first time we'd really used 7th notes in any of our songs. I remember thinking at the time that it was being over thought, but when we got the other instruments in it, I was really happy that those notes had stayed.
If you could go back and change anything, what would it be: If I could re-do anything, it might be to try and get a bridge in the song somewhere. We put in a solo, which doesn't leave much room for both that and a bridge, even though the solo is pretty short. I'm really happy with the way it came together, though. I don't know if I'd really want it to be any different than it turned out.
Odd fact about song: I put the song together really quickly. I wrote the words and lyrics and loosely arranged it, then made a quick demo of it later the same day. I recorded the guitar and vocals with a really cheap old mic, just to try and get the idea down for the other guys to hear. I sent the demo around, heard a little bit of positive feedback but, for the most part, we just put it on the shelf and there it sat. Davey pulled it out randomly one day and went down to our space and put drums onto it and it sounded really cool. We layered the other parts onto the recording, one by one, and when it was done we were so excited about it that we put it on our record, as is. What made it onto the album is exactly what I recorded on that demo the day it was written. Knowing it can work that way changed the way we approach writing and recording now.
What was your inspiration for writing the song: I was listening to the The White Album and Brian Jonestown Massacre's Thank God For Mental Illness.Those two records have stuff that I still want to try and get to someday. I was also really into the Black Angels. I'm not sure what, if any, elements from those bands show up in our song, but I wouldn't be surprised if something did. I'll say I hope so.
When was your favorite time performing it live: Last December at The Tractor. I don't know why, it felt like we had it that night.
What is the meaning behind the song: Escapism. Feeling like an outsider is a feeling I think of lot of people relate to. Things can get hard. I think getting away, either physically or mentally, is necessary. The mood of the song seemed to match that feeling. Beyond that, I've always liked it when people get to decide what a song means to them, if they want to look for meaning in it. I've always liked not completely knowing, personally.
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