Why Department of Eagles and not Department of Doobie Brothers?
FRED NICOLAUS: Well, the Eagles have sold over 120 million records worldwide. There’s a lot of paperwork. The Doobie Brothers didn’t have enough commercial success to justify an entire department. They have an intern in the Department of Smooth Rock that handles most of their affairs. SHOCKHOUND: What other birds do you guys like? NICOLAUS: Diane Feinstein, Cheryl Hines, Olivia Thirlby, and Christie McVie. SHOCKHOUND: Your music has drawn comparisons to everyone from Randy Newman and Brian Wilson to the Arcade Fire and Walt Disney soundtracks. What’s wrong with your record collection? NICOLAUS: Well, Randy Newman has done Disney soundtracks, and Brian Wilson had a similar fondness for schmaltzy orchestration. So really that’s not as schizophrenic as it could be. The only real outlier is Arcade Fire, and I have to say I don’t hear that at all. SHOCKHOUND: Is Department of Eagles a side project to Grizzly Bear or is Grizzly Bear a side project to Department of Eagles — and why does my he
