Interview: Fosdyk Well

Image by David Hanus

Fosdyk Well, the tale of a man who survived a ship wreck and may or may not be real, and also an experimental band with members spread out between Chicago and Indiana. I got the chance to interview song writer Scott Ferguson about ghostships, touring, and making a mini record.

SPF: Where is the name from?

SF: Have you ever heard of the Mary Celest?

SPF: Uh.... no....

SF: It is a great sea mystery, the entire crew went missing with no sign of a struggle. The ship was found but that was it. Many years later a man named Fosdyk knew a man who was dying who claimed the passengers, including himself, were attempting to have a swimming contest with there clothes on. Everyone else drowned except him, because he washed up on land in Africa. The person Fosdyk represents mystery, layers unraveling. I also like the story.

SPF: Do you guys plan on touring?

SF: I'd like to tour, but I have heard some pessimistic evaluations about being an experimental band touring in the US.

SPF: How did Fosdyk Well come about? College band?

SF: Sean (guitarist, recorder) and I were in a college band called the Angry Sea which was much different. We are accustom to making music from that. I mostly write and Sean is more technical. He plays guitar and records in songs in Chicago, pretty smooth considering.

SPF: Are there other members in the band?

SF: Yeah, its us and Doug who was in a band called Static Films which is now Fiddlers and Tongues (but he isn't in Fiddlers and Tongues). Doug is great he plays piano and woodwinds, brings mystique and plays what we don't know how to play. Evan plays drums.

SPF: So are you guys planning on putting out more music?

SF: Yeah, we have more music. We have been recording for 3 years so we are a little behind. We wanted to keep this first one short.

Fosdyk Well released their mini album "Slumber and Stark Lots" on Februrary 15, 2011. The album is just that, mini, but what it lacks in length it makes up for in chill. The vibe is borderline drone, not quite scary or hip hop influenced enough to be drag. Personal favorite track is "Gravel Pits" which incorporates minimalistic tones, and experimental vocals.

*Here is an addendum to the Fosdyk story I got emailed: "A couple of things I wanted to clarify: the mystery man's name is actually Abel Fosdyk, and he was the one who supposedly survived the disappearance, not his friend. The band that Static Films became is called Pillars and Tongues (and Evan is a current member of that band, not that it's all that pertinent)"
Some things about Skype and the Physical Sciences building muddled the translations*


Take a Listen: "Gravel Pits" Fosdyk Well
Buy it at:http://fosdykwell.bandcamp.com/ (PS: buying it saves them from financial ruin, and gives you some sweet new tunes)