Mercury Rev: Still breathing creative life into essential albums

TWO-THIRDS of Mercury Rev sit in a room, alone expect for their current interviewer, one of many who'll sit before them this afternoon, a pad of scribbled notes in one hand and a tape recorder in the other. They've a sizeable stock of pre-programmed answers and template responses, I'm sure; no-sweat retorts to questions about that breakthrough album, their singer's sideline work as a former Flaming Lip… stuff like that. I rarely bother with notes when interviewing bands — it seems to make the experience so impersonal that little about the musicians in question is revealed — but today I'm not for taking chances. Answers to particular questions need to be revealed. I'm the consummate professional as of now.