*Simon is milking a cow throughout most of this conversation*
*A gate opens*
[Devyn, Simon]
Hey, man.
Oh, hey. How's it going?
Pretty good... And you?
Yeah, good... Good weekend?
Yeah...
Cool...
Well, I listened to the project.
Okay... Okay, cool. New C'est la key... r- ready-
Yeah! I mean... it doesn't feel so much- like a C'est la key to me. I- I-
Oh.
The direction that it's starting in...?
Yeah.
It- y'know, it's going more towards that cold, existential- vibe you've been working on. And uh- uh- I get- you wanna do that, but- uh- it's hard for me to connect to, man. Y'know, by the time we're like, pointing out so drastically- the... artificiality... of thе project, and thereforе now, the artificiality of life... I- I feel like it's a dead end. It leaves me cold, man.
Oh.
Oh, I... huh. Okay.
Remember the cool-
What did you, like- cause- when we- when we did those re-
...When I had you come in to record-
...Yeah!
The lines and everything... Did you-
I- I dunno, I imagined something a little bit more like... something not so damn cold. Something- you know, like- like artificial, but like- sorta like... funny? And- and- and- then y'know, you'd know that it's artificial. Not to just, like stop it and be like "Hey, did you know this- do you know that none of this exists?" It's just like weird- weird little things- little- waves... Y'know- Cause like- by the time you do that- you've taken all the meat- out of anything else we can do.
...Yeah.
It's like you drew up a big ol' dead end.
...Well, I mean, I think I- I get into that- stuff... though. Did you... Y'know, in-
Yeah.
Later on in the- um...
Yeah... I... I mean... It- just- y'know, to be talking and talking-
Like, I uh- I- a- address that. How much did- Did you listen to the whole-
A- a good amount. Not- not quite all of it. Um-
How mu- Where did you stop?
Y- Um... pr- pr- pretty fa- I dunno, like- maybe like 7 minutes or so.
7 minutes?!
Man, that thing was 15 hours, I can't listen to all that! I kinda knew where it was goin'. I'd still be listening to it right now, literally- if I had- listened to all of it.
...That's true.
But like... y'know, if you can't say it in 7 minutes, then... Look, in every one of your projects, e- everything we've done, everything you've done, you always point- to the artificiality of the project. It's been a great thing- that you've added in. Y'know, you've got the microphone goin- donking, making that- distortion sound when- the wind or something lo- too loud hits it. We know there's a microphone. You made sure we knew. The Midwife, you- you're fast forwarding through... the tracks. You can hear the needles... scratching the m- record playing being manipulated on SM... Like, you've done- you've done many different- artistic things to let us know- "This is indeed artificial." So- y'know, now you go ahead and just say it. But the subtlety's gone, it's just dead in the water-
The su- I- Bu- um...
We're just dead, y'know. It's not more artistic-
No, no, I don't agree with that. I don't agree with that. Because with the exception of The Midwife, which is like a different kind of a project... none of these- albums- acknowledge the presence of the microphone.
When we hear the microphone, that's not acknowledging the presence of the microphone?
It is, but not- in the way that I'm- really trying to get at. I'm trying to talk about having a breakthrough. And like, becoming aware-
No, it's more like a breakdown. Break- down of the whole thing.
A breakdown...? Yeah! O- okay, break- yeah- but, I mean if then-
You might as well say "Go home, ladies and gentlemen!"
Well, maybe that's what I wanna say. Maybe I'm interested in ladies and gentlemen- going home this time. Y'know? We don't acknowledge the mic- the presence of the microphone. It's this thing- that is ostensibly... self-aware, but it's not self-aware. These are not self-aware projects. I would like to make...
But that's more aware! Cause that's like- that's like actual life. We're always aware- that- what we think is happening is not exactly what's happening, but it is happening. If we said it's not- happening, then that's not true either.
I feel like you're- choosing- to not... understand what I'm trying to say.
Or am I understanding it too well, and I'm like "Alright, I got it!"
15 hours... I- I didn't- Okay, I didn't listen to it. So- But you don't seem to be saying that there's anything in there that I missed.
...
Um... if you wanna do something different, we'll record something different-
We'll do something- We'll d-
I don't wanna just like- fuckin'- need to do-
Let's do something like this, but like- let's cut out- fif-
But make it what?
Let's make like...
Wh- yeah. I mean, whatever, we'll figure- we'll figure it out. Do you want me to um... to start on the dishes or-
Oh... Um, a- actually, I wanted to talk to you about something.
Yeah?
Yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah.
What are you...?
Um... *clears throat*
Okay.
Well, I've been thinking... and... I need to fire- myself...
I- I can't be your boss anymore. I can't- I can't be your boss anymore, I'm sorry.
It- it's not you. It's me. But I-
What, is this about the-
I need to stop- I need to stop being a boss. Y'know...
*He finishes milking the cow*
Bu- Is it the project?
Uh, nah nah nah. It's got nothing to do with that. It's uh...
You're firing-
M- myself- yeah, I'm firing myself. I don't... Look, th- the world is full- of people like me. Some-
*He puts the milk aside*
Are you-
Creative white dude... with some money- He- wants to do- something special... and- now, he's in charge... I- I wanna really, really break out the mold. And also... I don't really want as much responsibility as I have. I- Y'know, like I started all of this when I was 22... I got kids... I think- I think it's time for me to become a little bit less responsible. I think that- that would be a good way... to like, really change it up. To break out of these, like, dynamics we're stuck with.
*They start walking around the farm*
...Hold up, hold up. C'mon, Sadie!
...
Um...
*Simon starts pouring several bags of feed*
But y'know, it's nothing- it's nothing you did... But uh- since- since I can't be y- your boss, obviously you can't- work here. Right? So I'm- sorry about that. Um... And- also, clearly it'd be unethical- for me to keep- paying you- if you don't work here- and stuff. So uh...
Uh...
I guess you're gonna have to find- another job.
Uh, um...
Um... not sure what I'm going to do. I- Y'know, I don't have a job either now.
...Because you're not my- Y- you're not-
Right.
...Okay.
And it m- I understand it might be a little tougher on you than me. But... um... but that- Sorry, it's just what I gotta do, y'know? It's like...
Okay. Um... so-
I got- I got like twenty bucks- here. You wa- you wanna take that today?
Um... no.
...No?
...No. I'm good.
Alright, cool. Yeah, you alright? I- I mean, sorry that was a little bit of a surprise, but...
Oh, no! I'm... yeah, I'm doin' great! Uh... okay, cool. Well, I'll... I'll just get goin'... then...
Yeah, yeah. Okay. Cool. Well, you know... It's like... neither of us... work here anymore- and stuff. So...
Cool!
But uh...
Okay. Alright, well... um... bye...
Yeah, man. Alright, well- thanks. Thanks, yeah.
Yeah. Yeah, you're welcome. Thank you, too.
Alright, man. Have a good one!
Alright, you too!
