Mostly Harmless: David Bello of The World is a Beautiful Place & I Am No...

SLUG: How was Harmlessness different from your other albums and EPs?
Bello: Mainly, the lineup changed, and I think this is the most cohesive and productive unit yet. Whenever, If Ever was recorded with someone who wasn’t in the band, so there were seperate creative situations involved in the recording process. We did Harmlessness with Chris Teti, who is in the band, at his studio, Silver Bullet. He made a huge difference, and we all felt differently during the process because of the comfort of working with an engineer who not only knows the material inside and out, but can communicate with all of us in very efficient ways. They also have a lot of cool DVDs.

SLUG: TWIABP releases a lot of material on limited print cassette tapes and 7” vinyls. Are you collectors?
Bello: I think a lot of us have music collections, but most of them are being sold off piece by piece on eBay so we can afford to be in a band.

SLUG: What is your favorite cassette or vinyl record that you own? Do a lot of your fans typically get your music this way?
Bello: I think most people download music illegally, which is what we all do for the most part. Lots of people like owning our stuff, which is really flattering and cool. My favorite is the Arab on Radar/ Locust split 7” that is shaped like a puddle and came in five different colors, mimicking five different bodily fluids. I got brown.

SLUG: “January 10^th, 2014” is one of your most popular tracks from Harmlessness, and there seems to be a narrative behind it—what is the story?
Bello: There was a woman in Juarez who called herself Diana, and she shot a few bus drivers there after many of them were found to be sexually assaulting their female passengers. It’s about revenge and hating the power imbalances that enable evil bullies.

SLUG: As a band that has released a lot of splits in the past, are there any bands you would like to collaborate with in the future?
Bello: Full of Hell.

SLUG: Who are you listening to right now?
Bello: Four Tet, Nils Frahm, Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto.

SLUG: What can a newcomer expect from a TWIABP show?
Bello: Depends on what city you’re in and where you stand in the room. People are either standing still, zoning out like they had too much weed in their brownie, or jumping around, smashing into each other like they had too much sugar in their brownie and the gym teacher isn’t looking. Either way, it’s going to be like you ate a brownie. Brownies are dope.

For more information about TBIABP, visit theworldisabeautifulplace.com and catch the band with Into It. Over It. at Kilby Court on March 26. Bring brownies.