Detachment Kit is coming to Houston. The band’s latest album, Of This Blood (to be released on May 18th via Frenchkiss Records), is the follow-up to their 2002 debut, They Raging, Quiet Army. Detachment Kit play guitar-heavy alt-rock, and that’s really all you need to know.

Detachment Kit will play in Houston at Fat Cat’s on Friday, May 7th, with Chicago’s Local H and Houston’s own By The End Of Tonight. This is the second of three interviews I am doing with the bands playing that night. The Local H interview will run next week. Check back soon.

Detachment Kit’s Ian Menard recently agreed to answer a few questions for Houston Calling. Some funny stuff in there. Enjoy.

Ten Questions for Detachment Kit

HC: How did Detachment Kit get started?

Ian: Detachment Kit found each one of us like some evil force of nature gathering souls. We all met through acquaintances and one day came to in somebody’s basement with instruments appropriated to us, most of us playing something other than what we were accustomed to. Charles and I run a high risk of being damned to each other for life, thanks to this curse. You see, we share the same pulse.

HC: What do consider to be your primary musical influences?

Ian: Danger and coincidence.

HC: What’s going on in French news? Why would you know that?

Ian: I’ve been waking up to the French political scene for some time now and I have just become accustomed to it. It’s also a great time saver for learning a second language, seeing as how I have to wake up anyway.

HC: I heard that your new album, Of This Blood, took just two weeks to record and that your first album was recorded in one week. What can you tell me about your songwriting process and recording this album. Steve Albini produced the album, correct?

Ian: Okay, to straighten things out a little. This record was done in two weeks; the first, two days. And both were recorded by Greg Normal at Electrical Audio, which is owned and operated by Steve Albini. Whew! That said, the songwriting process for this record was fairly strenuous. It was recorded by Charles H. Davis III and me, playing everything and writing everything. Seeing as how we are both “a little off,” the songwriting process comes from some place or common ground we have. It actually goes very fast when we are up for writing songs. Mostly we talk about stories we would like to convey and the music wraps around that like a boa constrictor. Illustrations also help and are fun to do to pass the time.

Giving them voices is fun too.

HC: How was the tour been going so far? Any good road stories?

Ian: Too many good road stories. Too many good roads. Too few shortcuts. Too many near-death experiences. Too little time to write it all out.

HC: Are you for or against the MP3 “revolution”? How does The Detachment Kit use the internet as a tool to market itself? What’s your take on the state of the music industry?

Ian: Starting in reverse. The music industry is tough right now for bands like ourselves out there putting everything on the line. But all in all, the “industry” per se doesn’t really have any bearing on us and we worked hard at making sure of that.

We definitely use the internet to provide fans with more fun stuff and to give them a little insight on why we do the things we do. I’m in the process of redesigning it right now.

I’m for the MP3 revolution. It’s done nothing but good things for us, in so far as winning over more fans. People don’t give enough credit to these kids downloading songs. They wouldn’t do it if they didn?t like the band and more often than not, they come out to the shows and buy records to support the band anyway and have the bonus of awesome artwork. Sometimes we will even draw them pictures if they are nice.

HC: If you could have any band cover one of your songs, what song would it be and what band?

Ian: I’m not a fan of covers, but I think Queen would be awesome doing a song we have called “Tennis.”

HC: What is the one description that you hate to hear about your music?

Ian: “Sounds like?” “Angular?” “Post-punk…” Give me a f***ing break, people. Bands get so tired of the large amount of recycled reviews that get thrown at them. In other words, “Stop Googling before you call.”

I mean, if you don?t like it, fine. I find a lot of reviewers will attempt to make their reviews abstract in order to mask committing to either side. I would like to see someone go, “I didn?t like it. Here’s why?the singer’s ugly, guitars are too loud, I was already pissed due tio a parking tickets I got, etc. etc. There are, of course, exceptions. I have a few friends who do reviews and I always try to convince them one day we will have to do battle for all mankind. So far, they aren’t buying it.

HC: What’s next for Detachment Kit?

Ian: Bills and maybe an exercise regimen.

HC: What is in your CD player right now?

Ian: In the ol’ player (a 5-disc, mind you): Queen?Best Of, The Thin Man?A Cloud in Trousers, The Rachaels’ current album, We Ragazzi (recent album), and The Movies?In One Era, Out The Other. I also rotate with The Jackson 5 and a Brazilian comp I have. And the jackhammers that are pounding away on the roof of my apartment building lately. It makes me grind my teeth. Nasty business.

Please make sure to come out to see all three of these great bands at Fat Cat’s on May 7th. Local H puts on an amazing show, and both Detachment Kit and By The End Of Tonight will put on great live shows.

Check out this column Ian from Detachment Kit recently wrote for Swizzle-Stick.

I will have an interview with Local H drummer Brian St. Clair posted next week. Be sure to read my interview with By The End Of Tonight’s drummer, Jeff, if you haven’t already.

Now Playing in My iPOD: Chomsky — Let’s Get To Second