In Conversation with Warganization’s founder Jack Morrison

We are sharing our recent conversation with Jack Morrison the founder of Warganization, an alternative music/art project from Lafayette, LA started by Jack Morrison in 2010. Formed as a collaborative project between he and a handful of revolving members – as well as project mainstays Log S. (producer) and Mals Marola (singer/guitarist;) the group released an EP and album in their year of formation. Following that, they’ve played several live shows, put out individual tracks and remixes and have just recently put out a new mixtape and simultaneous release of two singles “In the World/Might Not Be So Hard”

Twist Online : Please introduce yourself to our readers.
Jack Morrison :  Jack Morrison, founder & sustainer of Warganization

Twist Online : Who or what inspired you to form Warganization?
Jack Morrison : Well, it was pretty spontaneous actually.  I was driving home one night, kind of frustrated that I wasn’t able to find the right people to start a band with, so I figured – why even bother starting a band?  I already know how to produce and have everything I need to make a full album and stuff like that as it is.  For whatever reason the first phrase that popped into my head was “War Organization,” which of course I shortened by the time I got home

Twist Online : Who are other permanent members in this project?
Jack Morrison : The concept of Warg is that I’m essentially the only mainstay.  Anyone I’ve collaborated with in the project is listed as a member (or “warbler,” as I started calling them around the start of the project) but aren’t necessarily bound to the project in the sense that they’re expected to play live or tour with it or anything.  It’s kind of a revolving door thing, though many people I’ve worked with have come back multiple times and actually have expressed interested in being part of the live/touring thing.  Joey Vetter is pretty much the project’s “house drummer,” for instance – there are a lot of songs with him on it that aren’t even release (or at least haven’t been yet.)  And Philipp Maier (a.k.a. Maharajah, who’s also in Zebra Zombies) has come back for plenty of bass tracks.

Twist Online : Tell us about your recent release ‘In the World/Might Not Be So Hard’?
Jack Morrison : This is basically a combination of two traditional singles (meaning, ones that come with B-sides) being released together as a 4-song EP.  I had written these songs a little over a year ago, but was busy with my band The Links at the time and didn’t really feel like it was the right time to put out completed versions.  By the end of this year I had mixes for the songs I felt for good enough to release, and put it out not too long after our new mixtape, Around the World & Back

Check it out here warganization.bandcamp.com

Twist Online : What do you enjoy more performing live or working in studios?
Jack Morrison : Playing live with Warganization has been something of a challenge, considering the nature of a lot of the songs, but I figure it out a little more after every show we’ve had and I’ve gotten to a point where I feel like I can do the stuff justice on stage.  Even if the studio work initially made a bit more sense for Warg (I had originally gone into the project for no regard of how to play this stuff live, after all) the show stuff is and has always been a really exciting prospect.  Plus, we are actually set to go on tour with our friends from Dimphonic this year, so that’s really exciting, if a little daunting

Twist Online : Are you influenced by any particular music genre?
Jack Morrison : Not necessarily.  I think the way I actually listen to music is fairly well reflected in the Warganization stuff, honestly.  I’m not really sitting down to listen to a rock album or rap album so much as I am wanting to hear a certain type of energy or sound.  In terms of the live thing though, I’ve been really inspired by DJ Shadow, Nine Inch Nails, Flying Lotus, Depeche Mode and others in terms of how they incorporate hardcore electronic elements and put on such an amazing live show.

Twist Online : Have you set some targets to achieve as Warganization?
Jack Morrison : Well, I’m always looking to make the live thing that much better, more physical and interactive I guess you could say.  It’s not as easy as just sort of going on stage with your band and your guitars and “rocking out” for 30 minutes because you’ve got these elements that need to be there to do the songs justice, but really, the whole band thing gets kind of old to me.  Like I’m always wanting something more unexpected to happen that isn’t necessarily going to come from a three-piece rock band but at the same time I do sort of miss that simplicity, and the kind of visual physicality that comes with people just banging away at their instruments.  My goal is to have as much of that kind of energy & approach in the live Warganization shows as possible, while still having the things that make it Warg in the first place.

As far as the studio stuff, I’m always just trying to make that sound as good as it can.  Mixing-wise, performance-wise, and all.

Twist Online : Are you working on any new project? When it will be released?
Jack Morrison : I’m working on a lot of things at the moment.  At the moment it’s a matter of deciding which material I should actually complete & release first, but either way it’s going to formulate in some kind of EP or album within the next few months.  And either way, it’s going to be awesome