Superchunk founder celebrates solo album

Look out, Chapel Hill — Mac is back.

This time, it’s to celebrate his first solo album, Non-Believers, which debuted May 4. Mac McCaughan, founder of Chapel Hill-based bands Superchunk and Portastatic and co-founder of the major label Merge Records, will return to Cat’s Cradle on Saturday for a show with his touring partner band, Flesh Wounds. 

“It’s my first time ever playing in the back room at Cradle,” McCaughan said. “I’m looking forward to it — it’s always fun playing in Chapel Hill. The crowd’s usually pretty good.”

McCaughan said the preceding shows on this east coast tour have been about “two-thirds Flesh Wounds and a set in the middle by (himself).” On Saturday, Flesh Wounds will open the show and join McCaughan on stage as his backing band for the last section of the set. 

“It’s been kind of fun learning a whole bunch of new songs,” said Montgomery Morris, who plays guitar and sings for Flesh Wounds. “He’s got all of his Superchunk and Portastatic songs, plus solo songs and all these cover songs, so no two sets are the same.” 

Morris said Portastatic was more of a solo venture for McCaughan, but the reason McCaughan said he released Non-Believers under his name is because he had retired Portastatic after its last compilation album. 

“(After that) it kind of felt like the end to me of using that name,” McCaughan said. “I had been playing more and more solo shows, (so I thought) if I wanted to perform under my own name, I might as well put a record out.”

And this record is different from anything he’s done before. Non-Believers features a lot of synth-pop and 80s-era inspired sounds. 

“It’s the music I grew up with — the appeal to me is as much the subject matter as is the music,” he said. “There’s even bands I didn’t like then that I like now.” 

McCaughan said another part of why childhood favorites are still interesting to him now is because the technology used for it then was new at the time, which meant the musicians were still figuring out how to use it.

“It’s interesting to me when there’s a learning curve,” he said.

Synth isn’t featured a great amount during the live performances, however, mainly because Flesh Wounds doesn’t play it, Morris said.

“These shows that we’re doing are a lot more rocking and punk sounding than the record is,” Morris said. “It’s a lot for everyone — if you like synth, you should get the record, and if you want to see those shows get played in upbeat and full-on, destruction mode, you should see the show.”

Cat’s Cradle owner Frank Heath appreciates the always-evolving nature that McCaughan embodies. 

“One thing I really appreciate about his recordings and shows is that he isn’t afraid to bring something new to the mix,” Heath said in an email.

Whether or not one prefers the album over the show or vice versa, Heath said the Chapel Hill audience is bound to have a good time.

“We are in fact expecting a packed house for the show this Saturday,” Heath wrote. “People around here — the Cradle staff included — are always excited to see and hear what Mac is up to lately.”

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