An Interview with Derek Erdman

Derek Erdman is a really good artist and a very nice person.  He used to live in Chicago where he made a lot of paintings and did a lot of things (have you ever heard of Rap Master Maurice?). He has since moved and made a lot more paintings and done a lot more terrific things. He made a series of drawings of Presidents’ Residences for the Believer a couple months ago.  – Jason Polan

THE BELIEVER: Where do you live?

DEREK ERDMAN: I live in Seattle, in a neighborhood called the Central District. I think it’s usually the one that people consider dangerous, but it’s pretty nice. There’s a Safeway 400 feet away. I really love living so close to a grocery store, you get to treat it like a corner store.

BLVR: Do you have any pets?

DE: Yes, a cat and a guinea pig! Between you and I, I prefer the guinea pig. She’s really sweet and loving and cute and doesn’t make me sneeze. The cat is smart and funny, but he’s a little bit of a slouch. He’s really good at walking into legs when you’re trying to get from room to room. I don’t know if he’s intentionally trying to trip people, or if it’s extreme friendliness. Either way, I feel kind of bad when I give him little kicks. He eats some gnarly wet food—it’s so gross. I imagine that it’s ground-up horse meat that somebody finds on the side of the road. What could it be, really?

BLVR: What is your favorite record?

DE: That changes pretty often, but probably Sandinista! by the Clash. Or Ravel’s Bolero, the BSO version with Munch conducting. I don’t even know a whole lot about classical music, but there’s something about that version of Bolero that’s just mesmerizing. Mostly I like these records because they’re good for working. I can get a lot of work done while listening to those two LPs.

BLVR: Do you have ten records you would recommend?

DE: Oh man, that’s so hard! There are so many great records. Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of Kleenex, mainly the songs “DC-10” and “Nice.” That song might be my favorite song ever. Oh, the record Prefection by Cass Mccombs is really incredible. There’s a 12-inch of “When it All Comes Down” by Miaow that includes a really good remix of that song. Other than that, you know, typical stuff. The Slates 10-inch by the Fall. Meat is Murder by the Smiths. Age of Quarrel by Cro-Mags. Chairs Missing by Wire. ...