Guest Playlist: Shiv Mehra of Creepers’ Favorite Songs to Get High To

Later this month, Alcest will embark upon a massive, MetalSucks-sponsored North American tour with The Body and Creepers. In celebration, we’ve asked each band to put together a playlist based around a theme of their choice.

Earlier this week Neige from Alcest compiled a playlist of his favorite post-punk and new wave songs, and today guitarist Shiv Mehra of Creepers (and also of Deafheaven) shares some primo songs to spark up to. Crank his playlist below, followed by a quick Q&A about his picks.

Velvet Underground – “Pale Blue Eyes”
Chromatics – “Cherry”
Aphex Twin – “180db”
Brian Eno – “Some of Them are Old”
Dimmu Borgir – “Kings of the Carnival Creation”
Lumerians – “Black Tusk”
Ice Choir – “Unprepared”
Air – “Alpha Beta Gaga”
Goblin – “Roller”
Drab Majesty – “Cold Souls”
Lazerhawk – “Chinatown”
Oranssi Pazuzu – “Vasemman Kaden Hierarkia”
Cass McCombs – “Low Flying Bird”
Morgan Delt – “Some Sunsick Day”
Wilco – “My Darling”

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAXcMq3laHliPMWVfhgd1EqlIo2g_bum-

What makes a song good for getting high to?

Any song can be good to get high to… it just depends on what high you’re trying to compliment. For me it can be anything from a song with dynamics or a catchy vocal line to the tone of a certain drum hit or a synth swell.

Can you talk a bit about The Velvet Underground’s importance to you?

Velvet Underground are one of those timeless bands that will always inspire me. Their artistic direction, tied with Andy Warhol and John Cale’s experimentation, defined a new wave of psychedelic rock n’ roll.

There are two black metal bands on your playlist, yet Creepers aren’t a black metal band. Would you say black metal has influenced your band’s music at all?

Dan and I grew up listening to all sorts of metal, so on occasion there are glimpses of that in Creepers’ music.

Pick a lesser-known band on this list that MetalSucks readers might not be familiar with and tell us a bit about them.

Drab Majesty and Lumerians are some of our favorite up and coming bands. Drab Majesty are sort of a goth David Bowie with very ethereal, chorus-y guitar parts. Lumerians, on the other hand, are a groovy kraut band with other-worldly mysticism in their live show.

What do you and Creepers have planned for 2017 after the Alcest tour?

We intend to take time to write and record a full length after our tour with Alcest.