Paperback Rider: Geoff Rickly
The author of Someone Who Isn’t Me and frontman for Thursday, United Nations, and No Devotion is reading on the road
GEOFF RICKLY is my guest for Paperback Rider, a series about musicians reading on the road. Geoff is the singer for Thursday, United Nations, and No Devotion, and the author of Someone Who Isn’t Me, my favorite novel from last year. He selected book and tour questions from a long list of options, so Geoff had input on the Q&A routing.
You should suggest book/tour questions for future Paperback Rider musicians. Here’s the long list guests pick from.
Thanks for reading. 🖤AV
BOOK QUESTIONS:
FIRST, TELL US WHAT YOU’RE READING AND WHERE YOU GOT IT?
GR: Vertical Motion by Can Xue (from a friend), and Small Rain by Garth Greenwell (McNally Jackson).
LAST BOOK YOU GAVE AS A GIFT?
GR: Daisuke Shen’s Vague Predictions and Prophecies, specifically gifted to a friend for the second story in the collection. True genius.
A BOOK CONNECTED TO A LYRIC?
GR: Echo Maker by Richard Powers. I used the line “the louder the ring, the less the thing” in our song, “A Gun in the First Act.”
WHAT BOOK IS ON DECK?
GR: My on decks are the new László Krasznahorkai, Herscht 07769, The Logos by Mark de Silva and State of Emergency by Chris Knapp.
TOUR QUESTIONS:
WHERE ARE YOU NOW AND WHERE DO YOU GO NEXT?
GR: On my way to Mexico City to play a festival, then Vegas for some festivals haha.
MOST CONNECTED PART OF THE DAY ON THE ROAD?
GR: The night after a show, before a day off. Everyone gets pizza and hangs out. I don’t worry about losing my voice.
LONELIEST PART OF THE DAY ON THE ROAD?
GR: After soundcheck, everyone is tired but not yet hungry. It’s weirdly antisocial.
A WEIRD SUPERSTITION OR PRE-SHOW RITUAL?
GR: Used to be a passed bottle of Jameson that we called “a little help” before every show. Now I have this little vape looking kazoo thing that I warm up with while sipping water with marshmallow tincture. We have elaborate hug rituals in the band as well as little secret code words we have to say to each other before we go on. Ritual is everything in live music. Both beforehand and while on stage.