There comes a time for some Edmonton-based musicians where they must decide whether to stay in the City of Champions or head for the greener pastures of a first-rate city like Montreal or Toronto, where more doors may open for them to take their career to new heights. For Matt Belton, an appreciation for the city and the great people within it has drove him to remain a fixture in the local music scene for nearly two decades. As an artist, Belton has been making experimental music under numerous aliases, as a member of Pigeon Breeders, and performed as an opening act for post-rock giants Tortoise and Do Make Say Think. Beyond that, he also writes over at Cups N Cakes and runs Mangled Tapes and its new digital arm Group B Records. Somehow, in between all those different music-related commitments, Matt found some time to talk about the new Ghost Cars record, running a label, and the rocking Edmonton indie music scene that ought to receive a little more attention and support from political decision-makers. Listen to CHEVY EQUINOX / PONTIAC SOLSTICE and read the interview below.
You just released a new album, nearly ten years after the last Ghost Cars LP. What made now feel like the right time to put a new one out?
I guess the impetus for Chevy Equinox / Pontiac Solstice really began at the end of 2019. My marriage had ended then and I was alone for the first time in over a decade. I also ended up quitting my government job in January 2020 with the goal of working on music for most of that year before finding a new job in the fall. But then the pandemic hit in March and that changed pretty much everything.
Initially I was very productive. I dug up some old material and put it on Bandcamp, and I made a video for the song “I’ll Never Feel Safe Again” for Edmonton’s Metro Cinema Time Enough Vodcast. However, I quickly ran out of steam and didn’t touch any of my gear for months. Also not being able to jam with my collaborators, Pigeon Breeders, made me incredibly miserable.
But in October 2020 I tried mushrooms for the first time in my life and everything changed. Suddenly I was energized and feeling creative. I started work on the album almost immediately. I worked on it in chunks over the next few months, and I finished recording at an AirBNB in June 2021.
How do you think your experimentation with mushrooms is reflected within the album? Would it have turned out differently if you hadn’t had that experience?
I don’t think mushrooms have had any influence on the music itself. They just gave me the energy and confidence to start recording. There are a lot of studies about psilocybin and its positive effects on mood and creativity. If I hadn’t started doing mushrooms I’d probably still just be staring at my guitar for weeks on end.
What made you decide to title the album Chevy Equinox / Pontiac Solstice?
There are a few reasons for the title. Mainly, I am obsessed with cars and motorsport. Beat Famine utilized many samples from a 1970s documentary about Formula 1, and another old project of mine was named Westfalia, after the old VW vans. I have also written a song about a Toyota Corolla for my new band, Edmonton Sun.
I have also been heavily influenced by the changing seasons during the pandemic. I live right on the North Saskatchewan river valley in Edmonton, and basically all I see out of my window are trees, sky, and water. Nearly every morning I’m treated to a stunning sunrise and I track the sun as it moves across the sky depending on the time of year.
I was able to combine those two influences into the album title. It’s supposed to be kind of funny since I don’t like to take myself too seriously!
The earlier Ghost Cars recording you’ve released is from 2003. How has the Ghost Cars project, and the purpose/meanings it holds for you, evolved throughout the years?
Honestly I don’t think it has evolved very much over the years! The main technical aspect of Ghost Cars has been that the recordings are done on 4-track cassette, and I’ve been using the same Fostex X-12 since I was in high school at the turn of the 21st century. The instruments I use are pretty much the same as well.
Even though the project had been dormant for a number of years between 2011 and 2017, it feels like I have been making up for lost time. I have been collaborating heavily with experimental improv group Pigeon Breeders since early 2019. We have jammed countless times and have a mountain of recordings. Currently we are planning to work on a release which will hopefully be out next year.
The purpose has always been to mystify and unsettle people. Ghost Cars is not always the easiest stuff to listen to, and honestly I like to be difficult in that way. In the last few years I have been listening to a lot of Dean Blunt, and while I think there is some sonic overlap, what inspires me most about him is his general attitude towards the listener. He does not make easy songs, and does not always give the listener what they need or want. He just doesn’t give a fuck, and I truly think that no artist should be too worried about pleasing their audience (and certainly not critics). Artists should be concerned with expressing themselves in ways as unique as possible. If your art is pure, the people will come to you.
Have you ever found yourself mystified/unsettled by something you’ve created, perhaps surprised by something you expressed that you didn’t think was in you?
One instance of being sort of unsettled is in the track “Nothing To Talk About” from my first EP. In the song there is a looped laugh track sample that I run through some effects. As the effects build, the audience sounds like it’s saying “you live a lie” over and over again which is kinda freaky. The odds are very possible that I was living a lie at that point in my life!
I want to talk about your experience with Mangled Tapes and its new digital offshoot Group B Records. What have you found to be most rewarding about running an independent label?
I think the best part of running a label is being able to share great music made by people that I love and admire. I also like having an outlet for my own creative vision. Honestly my labels are more like art projects than businesses. I do it strictly for my own amusement.
I realize this question might be akin to asking a parent if they have a favourite child, but is there a release (or releases) on the label that is particularly meaningful or a favourite of yours?
That’s actually a pretty easy question! My favourite has to be Robert Mallett’s 2018 self-titled album. He’s got such amazing lyrics and is a fantastic piano player. His album always makes me smile when I listen to it.
In 2016, you posted a “manifesto” to the Mangled Tapes tumblr, in which you praised Edmonton’s world class music scene and lamented the exodus of artists to other cities that offered more opportunities. What do you think Edmonton ought to do to better support its musicians and help build a more vibrant and healthy ecosystem for the music scene(s) here?
First of all, I have to say that it’s hilarious that you found my tumblr because I completely forgot that it existed!
That’s actually a very tough question and I would be lying if I said I knew the answer. I do understand why people want to leave Edmonton. The winter is brutal here, and the political climate is far from welcoming. Also the geography plays a role. The only city within a reasonable distance is Calgary, so to actually be able to play out of town shows and get fans from other places is very difficult for us. I do believe that the scene here is amazing, but it’s hard to feel super positive all the time about things like that when your city is full of lifted trucks. Edmonton is not an easy place for artists to live or succeed.
As for what can be done, I’m not sure. The brain drain that has been going on for years is self-perpetuating. The more people leave Edmonton, the less desirable it becomes to stay, so more people move away, making it less desirable, and so on. Eventually someone’s going to have to make a stand and say that Edmonton is worth saving. Edmonton is actually a very beautiful city. I love the skyline and the river valley. The summers are short but beautiful. There are also very progressive pockets and a number of great politicians doing things for the arts community. There are good people here. Someone just needs to dig in their heels and take it upon themselves to “put Edmonton on the map”.
I definitely agree that this town’s scene is full of great artists. Who are some Edmonton-based musicians that you think more people need to start paying attention to?
I think the number one artist that people should be on the lookout for is Clara May. And of course I am totally biased because she’s on Mangled Tapes, but I do believe she has a bright career in front of her. Her songs are sweet and catchy, she has a great voice, and has awesome guitar chops. This much talent at such a young age is scary and everyone needs to be on notice.
So what’s next for you? Any upcoming Mangled/Group B releases or projects of your own that we should keep an eye out for?
There are actually a few things on the horizon that will surprise people, but of course I can’t say anything yet!
Stuff I can talk about is a new album by Sol Viator, which is a project by Matt Meeker of Holy Drone Travellers. Expect that early next year. Also Pigeon Breeders and Ghost Cars are assembling an album as we speak. I have a new band called Edmonton Sun, and people can expect to see us around town before too long. There will be a number of Group B releases coming out as well! 2022 is going to be a wild year.
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