Why are Guided by Voices so prolific?
Guided by Voices, an institution in Dayton, Ohio, are quite possibly the most prolific band in history. Led by the enigmatic frontman and creative mastermind Robert Pollard, their creative tap has produced numerous moments of brilliance. The extent of Pollard’s creative efforts are storied, with nearly 3,000 songs registered to his name with the BMI.
Saying that the band has a wealth of material would be a tremendous understatement. It can be daunting for newcomers to find where to start with Guided by Voices, but this is precisely the point: it doesn’t matter where listeners start. Shortly after pressing play on a track, the quality of Pollard and his revolving cast of bandmates become readily apparent, whether it be on Alien Lanes, Propeller, or elsewhere.
Ostensibly a lo-fi outfit, this account of their work actually does Guided by Voices a disservice, as they’ve tapped into various genres since their 1983 inception. There are psychedelic moments, as well as punk and post-punk stylings, with an eclectic mix of electronic instruments and production techniques utilised to augment their essentially indefinable sound.
Despite this broad palette, more often than not, Pollard delivers an anthemic chorus, and this assurance has kept the band relevant all these years. In fact, Guided by Voices’ influence is so far-reaching that everyone from American Democrat Jay Carney – the White House Press Secretary from 2011 to 2014 – to esteemed British actor Paddy Considine call themselves fans. The latter once even explained that Pollard is his “biggest influence, more than any director or film star”.
When speaking to Goldmine in September 2020, Pollard answered the question that fans have always wanted to tie up: what drives him and makes the band so prolific?
Demonstrating this point, the interviewer noted that Guided by Voices had already released two albums that year in the shape of Surrender Your Poppy Field and Mirrored Aztec. Hammering it home, not long after the interview in December, the band released their third record of the year, Styles We Paid For.
Pollard attributed it to a love of the craft, saying: “Yeah, and we’ve got another one coming out in November. It’s perpetual motion. There’s never a break in the action. Past, present and future come together. The thrill and love of making records is what drives us. They’ve got the demos for the one after the next and we just finished an EP under the name Cub Scout Bowling Pins.”
Luckily for fans, Pollard also gave newcomers some pointers on where to start with his band: “If it’s a more adventurous person, they should probably go with Bee Thousand or Alien Lanes. For most beginners, I would recommend Isolation Drills or Do The Collapse. They’re big production jobs and probably easier on the ear. I would tell most people to just buy our most recent record.”
