I Spoke To LET'S ACTIVE While In The Deep South

It’s beautiful down in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where Let’s Active live. Maybe it influences the gentle dynamism and meticulous construction of their ingenious pop sounds that they live in a place where you can hear yourself think. It’s green and country and quiet down there. When you drive down a back road with Mitch Easter, the Let’s Active main man (singer, songwriter, plays most of the instruments on the new record himself) and Angie Carlson (keyboards, guitar), you might see the local crazy woman, ambling down the side of the road waving a big stick and talking to herself, doing a lot better than any New York bag lady could ever hope. You might wander into the local record store or gas station and get a nice friendly hello.

You might stop off for breakfast at Mr. Waffle, which is right across the street from Mr. Barbeque and just down the road from Mr. Omelot. Mr. Waffle was where Mitch, Angie and I recorded a lot of the following interview, while we ate grits and greens and lima beans and corn bread. Mr. Barbeque is where, later that day, we ate “Lexington style” chopped barbeque. Lexington, another town just down the road, is know as “the Mecca of barbeque.” If you’re ever down that way, you have to try it—and don’t forget the Texas Pete’s Hot Sauce, which is made right there in Winston-Salem. As are lots of cigarettes. And Haines stockings.