M. Ward stands firmly as one of this generations best songwriters. He’s set to perform the Pabst Theater with MoB favorites The Watson Twins on Saturday, July 19th. If that’s not enough, stick around afterwards for a free performance from Tim Fite. Chicago fans can catch up with M. Ward at this weekend’s Pitchfork Music Festival on Sunday at 6pm. Finally, Madison fans won’t want to miss M. Ward with Zooey Deschanel, performing their She & Him material at the Barrymore Theatre on Friday, August 8th. For now, enjoy my chat with M. Ward for our continuing 5 Questions with Muzzle of Bees feature.

The internet has dramatically altered the way artists can reach an audience. With things like blogs/MySpace/etc, what are your thoughts on the power of the internet in terms of helping (or hurting) your music?

Music has survived hundreds of thousands of years – i have a gut feeling that it will change but ultimately survive the digital age.

Jim James recently mentioned an album he’s working on with you and Conor Oberst. How is that coming along and will all of you guys be sharing songwriting duties?

Too early to say – the project is in a nascent stage and probably wont be ready until 2010 or so…

I thought your production work on the She & Him album was brilliant. It really made the music sound timeless in a sense, like it could have been made decades ago, yet still just as embraceable today. You’re touring through the summer together; can we assume that you’re already in the beginning stages of crafting Volume 2?

Yes – we are talking about it and listening demos.

I’ve always loved your covers both on record and times I’ve seen you in concert. If you were to cover and entire night’s worth of someone else’s material whose would you choose?

It’s a good question that I don’t know – I’ve thought about covers records before but i feel like maybe its been done too many times – for my own records and shows, I’m more interested in mixing new and old and mixing popular ideas and themes with newer ones.

You’re returning to the Pabst Theater, a place you last played at the end of 2006 in support of Post-War. To us it’s one of the best venues around, what (if any) memories do you have of the venue or times you’ve been in Wisconsin?

I love the sound in the architecture of the Pabst Theater – its always a pleasure to play inside living works of art.

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How great is Merge Records? You can currently download the vinyl bonus tracks (there’s three of them!) from M.Ward’s Transfiguration of Vincent right here.

Myspace: M. Ward

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