Dave Portner and Brian Weitz are finally getting back to basics. After nearly three decades of pushing the concept of “rock music” to its absolute limit in Animal Collective, the duo better known as Avey Tare and Geologist recently dropped their debut collaborative release, Croz Boyce. A breezy, bountiful collection of instrumental jams, the record recalls Campfire Songs-era AnCo while simultaneously striking out in playful, surprising directions that almost verge on pop.
Recently, we sat down with Portner and Weitz to unpack where Croz Boyce came from, who Janis is, how Animal Collective was never even supposed to be a band, and much more.