Danielson Famile: The First Fruits From the Garden State

By way of background, the Danielson Famile is comprised of five Smith siblings (David, Megan, Rachel, Andrew and Daniel), one Smith by marriage (Elin), a guy who is clearly not a Smith (Chris), and his wife (Melissa). They released four records on Tooth and Nail--A Prayer for Every Hour, Tell Another Joke at the Ol' Choppin' Block, Tri-Danielson!!! (Alpha) and Tri-Danielson!!! (Omega)--the latter three of which have been reissued by Secretly Canadian and the first is soon to be so. Their most recent album, Fetch the Compass Kids was just released, also on Secretly Canadian.

Present the evening that I saw them were the five siblings and Chris. It took me a few songs to really start to listen to the music, taken as I was by the homemade synchronized choreography that Megan (vocals and bells) and Rachel (vocals and flute) provide through most of the set. Once I did, though, I was easily caught up, as were a good chunk of the audience, in their strange musical stylings (no small feat to achieve with a Los Angeles crowd, who frequently show contempt for and/or ignorance of the headlining act and can hardly be bothered with the supporting act).

The following interview was conducted impromptu and on the fly, which accounts for its brevity and lack of thoroughness. Please do not allow this to taint fakejazz's reputation as a journal of the highest standards of quality. Thank you to Daniel and the other Smith's for their friendliness, cooperation and sincerity.

We've heard about the nurse uniforms and that sort of thing, but where was the big tree?

The tree appears in a different format, that's really more a sparse acoustic lineup. I perform inside a ten foot tree.

It's not appropriate for the giant, coliseum setting that you performed in here this evening?

Well, whenever I can get the whole family together that's the ideal as far as I am concerned, but I also enjoy the minimal lineup. It's just a very different lineup of people.

Would you care to comment on the nurse uniforms?

The idea is very simple; it's a visual reminder of the healing that's taking place during the live performances, and that's the extent of that. It's a visual reminder of what's going on.

In what sense, the audience being healed? The musicians?

In all of us, everybody, the whole crowd, those who choose to receive. It's still a choice. When I am handed medicine, I still choose to either take it or not. Those who choose to take it, receive.

Who choreographs your dance moves?

My sisters.

I enjoy a band that puts that kind of effort into their performance. Those were a lot of fun.

I think so too.

Whenever one reads about the Danielson Famile there is some murmuring about the gospel aspect of the group. What does it stems from? Do you have a particular religious affiliation?

It's not a religious affiliation, but it's Christ centered music. It's certainly pointing to Christ in us, the hope and glory, and that's the root and the source for pointing to the Creator of all things, the Creator of Music, the Creative One. So, we feel to be truly creative we need to tap into the One who creates all things, and that's where we come in the name of the Creator.

Is that an ideal that's reflected in each member of the Famile?

Yes.

How has that been received by the audiences that you have played to?

I think it's been a wonderful monkey wrench. For some people who are feeding from the same tree are totally right there with us and others who perhaps haven't heard that Christ equals freedom, perhaps they have only heard that Christ equals oppression or bondage, for people like that perhaps it's going to be brand new news. So there is going to be some questions and some curiosity and maybe some resistance. But its kind of a wonderful tension.