A Gentlemanly Conversation with Jonas Carping

     We have a great interview here with swedish singer/songwriter Jonas Carping! We asked him some questions regarding his new solo debut album, All The Time In The World, as well as his band, The Glade, and what inspires him along the way. 

How did you and the other members meet?

I met producer and musician Martin Karlsson one night when playing live with The Glade in Stockholm. Martin did the sound for the venue we played and we got to talking after the show. We were about to record a new EP and it got decided that Martin should produce it and we have continued to work together ever since. Martin understands the technical aspects of making music but can also relate to and understand the not so technical "feel part". He is also a brilliant musician. I consider myself extremely lucky to have him as producer and a friend.

Do you mainly perform with the same people?

I perform in a couple of different constellations. Either with The Glade or pure acoustic just guitar and vocal or together with Sigrid Nilsson. Sigrid sings the duet The Sting on All The Time In The World and she also does backing vocals on several of the tracks. She has one of the best voices I have ever heard.

What brought you to working with Sigrid Nilsson on this album?

Sigrid understands the songs, she gets the melodies and lyrics. So she delivers her harmonies and vocals using that understanding. This can be very hard when you're not the creator of the song, to do this with the confidence needed. But her voice is her instrument and she uses it to perfection.

I see that you were also in a band, The Glade, which formed in 2008. What made you want to venture out and write a solo album?

I love The Glade and the songs we do. They're very special to me and so are my bandmates. Last year I had the time to really focus on my songwriting. It was a great thing and it lead to many of the songs on All The Time In The World and also to several new The Glade songs. The songs you'll find on All The Time In The World are more lowkey and wouldn't really fit with The Glade. I still love these type of songs though and wanted to make something of it. Something intimate, up close and personal. At first it started out as just a guitar and vocal record. But very early on we felt we should make something more out of it. Really work on the sound and create a great environment for the songs. We put a lot of hard work into this. Then we had awesome musicians to help us realize our vision. And it worked. I love the sound of the album, it has great depth and beauty to it.

Is there anything in particular that inspires you immensely when writing lyrics or melodies?
The constant struggle of keeping the dream alive. In there lies immense portions of inspiration. Heartbreak works the same way. Inspiration also rises from other peoples situations and what they struggle with. If you as a songwriter can relate to this, there is a lot of inspiration to be found there too. Basically anything that strikes that chord within you can be referred to as inspiration.

Were there any albums that inspired you when making your own?

Bob Dylan - Desire. It's one of my all-time favorite albums. Basically anything with Leonard Cohen. I grew up in the nineties, so I guess there's a chunk of Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains in there too. Top that of with some (early) Oasis, a bit of Springsteen and some Fleetwood Mac (Rumours in particular) and I guess that would, in my mind, add up to All The Time In The World. As for more recent inspiration, Mumford & Sons is just plain greatness and pure genious mashed up into the greatest band of this decade.

Those are a good number of albums with various styles as well. Is there anything in common with all of them that really pulls you in when listening?

Great lyrics always pull me straight in. But that isn't enough, you need a great melody to match it. And the way the lyric is delivered. The phrasing, the choice of words, the voice of course. And dynamics, I love dynamics. But in the end it's all about that simple yet impossible thing to describe. You feel it and you know it, but you don't really know why. And you don't have to. If you love a specific song, play it all the time and play it loud (except if you're listening to greatest hits from the Idol TV show. Then you should instantly put your stereo, ipod, computer or whatever off. Your Listening to Music License has been revoked)

I would definitely agree with that statement. If you had to choose, would you prefer recording in a studio or performing live?

I love recording but there is nothing that is more powerful than playing live. That's were the real magic happens. I love live takes in the studio also, for that same reason. If I get a good take I fight to keep it. Sometimes it's not possible due to technical reasons or whatever. But on All The Time In The World, a good example is the last song - Leaving Now. It's a live take with Jonas Siikanen on Djembe and Martin Karlsson on bass. I love the energy of that song.

What would be your ideal place to perform?

Any place where the audience is awesome is a great place to play. I don't care if it is just a couple of people there or hundreds. If the audience get's into it, it's hard not to have a great night performing. A good friend of mine once said, a good show is half the audience and half the band. I think he was spot on with that statement.

Are there memories of a specific performance where the experience was unsurpassed?

I played an acoustic gig during Earth Hour once. We didn't use a PA system just the guitar and vocals in a cappella. No lights except candles and the acoustics where awesome. It was a very intimate performance. You could hear the guitar and each word in the songs bouncing softly of the walls creating a magical ambience. That was a magic night all together.

I also remember playing with The Glade in a cellar at a club in Stockholm. The place was packed with people and the sweat pretty much dripped from the ceiling. There was an enormous amount of energy in that small damp room. And it was loud and it was awesome.

Are you planning on touring in the United States?

I would love to tour the US. A Rolling Thunder Revue kind of thing, traveling across the country playing clubs or wherever, that's always been a great dream of mine. It doesn't have to be exactly like that though. Basically just playing live in the US would be awesome all in itself.

What’s next for The Glade and your solo project?

The Glade is finishing up the work on our new album right now. Having released a couple of EPs, this will be our first full length album. The album ooze of dark whiskey, blood, sweat and beer and we are all very excited about it. It will be a rocknroll record and release is planned to later this year. As for my future solo work, I haven't decided the angle yet. I don't need a full gameplan, but I need a strong focus and feel of what I want to do. And the timing needs to be right. First I want to make a truly great record with The Glade. Once this is done I can plan for future work. When you make a record it needs your undivided attention and total focus.

Is there anything in particular that you want your listeners to get out of this album?
I want them to keep their dreams alive no matter what. I know this can be a very painful road sometimes. But there are few things more sad than people who have given up on their dreams. You have to fight for it, no one else will do this for you. But once you made the decision to make it happen you will find that there are many awesome people down the road that share your beliefs and will help you along the way. 

Thanks again Jonas Carping for a great interview! It has been a pleasure!

A Gentlemanly Conversation with Starving the Tsunami

            Another week, another interview.  This week we head back to Philadelphia to talk with Starving the Tsunami.  Elliot wrote about them a few weeks back, and really dug the sound they were putting out.  We decided to shoot them a message, and between the two of us we came up with some questions to ask this new band.   Check it out!

Where did the name Starving the Tsunami come from?
           Originally wanted a name that really didn’t have any specific meaning... something that would gain its own meaning amongst those who listened and connected with Tsunami. It may have been inspired by a conversation over Taco Bell.

How did you guys meet?

The roster changed a bit before the line up was solidified in its present form. Mike and Luis met from a craigslist ad. Luis met Dan at a Tsunami show at The Fire in Fishtown. Mike had talked about Dan being a bass player previously, and Luis was intent on scooping up Dan when he relocated from Syracuse New York. The boys met Tina at a south Philly watering hole, Grumpy’s. Luis had a chance to hang with Tina after the bar closed one night. He picked up a guitar and Tina sang improv. He knew then that he wanted her as the new Tsunami front woman.

How long have you guys been playing music together?

The current line up has been playing for about a year and a half.

Elliott had a hard time describing your sound, how would you guys describe it?

When we heard Elliot’s remark in regards to his difficulty in describing our style, we were pleased. Irregardless, Our focus has always been to remain undefined in genre type.

Why is it so important for you guys to remain undefined in genre type?

 Because we're not hobbyists, we're artists.

Who would you say you're most influenced by?

 Everybody in Tsunami pretty much has roots in either the punk or metal scene.

Are you guys trying to gain a certain reaction from your audience with your music?

We really just like to make music that we enjoy listening to and playing. We hope that our songs are loved by people as much as we love them. Simple as that.

"Howl Like The Wind" Has a lot of lyrical repetition.  Why did you decide to structure the song like that?

This was a decision made by Luis during the production process. His whims are inexplicable; usually due to his- and Tina's alcoholic consumption during tracking. 

Now that Tarot has been released, are you planning on following up with a full LP?

We’re currently working on a new installment. Whether we decide to do an EP or LP is going to depend on what unfolds over this spring.

Are you guys planning on a new direction musically with your next release, or are you hoping to try something new?

To answer your question(s): Yes. it is decidedly so.

Is there someone who you guys would love to do a collaboration with?

Yeah a record label.

Do you have any gigs coming up?

We have many shows lined up over this spring and summer with hopes to tour late summer early fall. Anyone can check if we’re coming their way at our Facebook page.

How has Philadelphia effected you musically?

We love cheap beer and bad food.

Now the real question: Pat's or Geno's?

Neither, unless you want a mouth infection. They’re tourists attractions, and sell nothing more than glorified roast beef sandwiches. Cosmi’s is right in south Philly..and Max’s on Broad and Erie in North Philly is amazing.

Well there you have it.  Go on their bandcamp and facebook to get the music and hear about the latest show updates.

Also you can like us on facebook, and check out some of our other interviews with Colleen Green and Buffalo Stance.

A Gentlemanly Conversation with Colleen Green

            I don’t know if I made it to clear in my previous article, but I was VERY excited for Colleen Green’s most recent album.  After she more then met my expectations I sent her an email, and to my surprise she was more then happy to have a talk with us.  Turns out she’s actually as cool as her music would suggest.  We talked about how she got her start, recording her new album, and what she has planned for after.

When did you start writing music?

I have been writing songs ever since I was a very young person. I started writing real music with an instrument though around the age of 13, when I got my first guitar.

Were there any really inspirational albums for you when you were younger?

Yes! I was greatly affected by the Annie Original Cast Recording as a little girl. In elementary school I was awed by the melodies and harmonies of Boyz II Men and En Vogue. And at the age of 11 I discovered Sublime. I became completely obsessed with the band and their music and remained that way throughout middle and high school. I would listen to "40 oz. to Freedom" and their self-titled album every night on headphones when I went to sleep.

How long has this new record been in the making?

I dunno like, 2 years maybe? Altogether. But also like, my whole life.

This is your first record on Hardly Art.  How has that been working for you?

Wellllll actually, Hardly Art released a 4-song 7 inch of mine in 2011. It is casually known as the Green One EP. I've been working with them for about 3 years now and it's been awesome! They always throw dope SXSW parties and let me crash with them all the time. They're so coooool and they just get it. I am totally honored to be a part of the Sub Pop family, 4 ever and always. Can't even believe it.

Did you have a lot of fun recording this record?

It was work! Me and Danny worked really hard on it, and we had our fun but it was definitely stressful and like, we all wanted it to come out really good so it was an important job that needed to be taken seriously. But it was kinda cool being in Seattle and like, doing something weird.

Are you always very meticulous with your recordings or was this was different?

Yes I am.

What's it like being in Seatle?  (You're an east coast girl right?)

I am from the East Coast although I have been living in CA for about 4 years now. Being in Seattle was cool because it's a beautiful and interesting city, and kinda ruff, and my label is there, and I love and appreciate all the musical lore of the area. The Fastbacks, one of my favorite bands of ALL TIME, are from Seattle and were on Sub Pop. And I get to go there. It's such an incredible feeling. But it was rainy as fuck there and cold.

What records were you listening to when you were recording?

UB40 "Rat in the Kitchen", DEVO "New Traditionalists", a Gallagher comedy album, "Adventures in Agapeland", and "Six Presidents Speak: A Profile of the Presidency".

How do your songs normally start?

Oh, any old way. Sometimes it starts with a lil' melody, or a line of lyrics, or a drum beat, or a good chord progression.

The drums on some of the tracks seem a bit electronic, pretty insulated.  Why did you go for that sound?

Yes, I use a drum machine on every song. There is some "real" percussion on there to supplement, but not very much. I started using and recording with the drum machine because I didn't really have much else to do when I first moved to LA. I wanted to continue making music but I didn't know anyone, and with Garageband I discovered how easy it was to make recordings all by myself! I also just really liked how the drum machine sounded so I kept using it, although I recorded it in different ways.

What are your favorite covers to play live?

Ooooh that's a good question. I love playing any cover live! "Burning for You" is really fun and always elicits a nice response. I love to play "I'm Not the One" by Teen Idols because it's so pretty and sad and fun to sing. And "On my Mind" by Damone kills me.

Are there any songs from your old records you would like to rerecord?

Yes! The Have Mercys had a song called "Killed and Consumed" that I have always wanted to re-record. And who knows? Maybe I will.

Why'd did you decide to keep a lot of the fuzz in this record?

Because I love fuzz!

How the Hell did you get so cool?

haha, I don't know! I think I just know a lot of really cool people, and maybe that makes me cool by association or something. I actually suck pretty bad!

What's next now that your records out?

Touring, hanging out, painting t-shirts and writing songs always!

Another great interview!  I’d like to thank Ms. Green for taking the time to talk with us.  Check her out on her Hardly Art page, as well as her facebook and bandcamp.  Check out the video for her song "Taxi Driver"!

If you like what you see here then like us on facebook.  Also you should check out our other interviews with other great artists like Buffalo Stance and Taco Leg.

A Gentlemanly Conversation with Buffalo Stance

            I get to look at musicians a little differently since I’ve started to do these interviews.  Performers on stage (even a stage as tiny as The First Unitarian Church) always seem like they are really high up, and very unapproachable.  Several artists have since proved me wrong, and one of them is Jamey Robinson of Buffalo Stance.  The long time West Philly musician who released his first album under the Buffalo Stance moniker in 2009, and is now working on some new material.  I was lucky enough to talk with Jamey about his musical beginnings, songwriting, and collaborating with other artists.

How long have you been playing music?

I have been interested in sound and music since my earliest memories. I remember playing piano while talking to myself and waiting to go to kindergarten. I also used to play my Dad's Elvis records backwards and slowed down (chopped and screwed) as a child.  I got my first synthesizer when I was 13. I saved up half the money with my paper route. My first band was shortly after that. 

Has songwriting always been something you’ve been interested in?

I always came up with original music, most of it was improvised. I've never not had ideas, wrangling them was most of the challenge. I wasn't ever great at reading music so I had to make up stuff to have something to play. I've experienced an excess of ideas and impressions in my head that defy description but somehow feel like they ought to be shared. It's constant. Making improv into to songs is more of a refined skill that I've been struggling with eternally. Playing along with my brain at a piano had something to do with ghosts and dreams when I was a child. Now writing music is more of an organ or a knee for me. I have deadlines and things can't be over-processed to no end anymore. I've listened carefully to so much music now, arranging it into bite sized chunks or songs as it comes out seems a little easier.

We saw you open up for Mister Heavenly a while back.  However, it was just you on the keyboard.  Since then you’ve added a few members, correct?

I play solo when it's appropriate for the show. If a friend needs a low maintenance opener, I can do that my self. I enjoy playing solo with a portable pump organ from the 1940's. It's more like poetry that way. I have played most full band shows with Evan Smoker on drums and Matt Gibson on bass and vox. We have had up to 7 friends playing and singing at a show. The last few shows, longtime friend and collaborator Chris Powell played drums and electronics. I've actually been playing under the name Buffalo Stance for 15 years or more. Various friends have helped. 

When you were on stage you seemed pretty candid and comfortable with the audience, talking between songs and making jokes.  Are you normally like that on stage?

Most of my live work I do behind a great drummer with zero stage banter. Solo shows make it seem like I'm suddenly carrying the weight of the show. I actually don't like banter in most cases. It's a different part of my brain that is not one I have rehearsed to be good at. I don't have stage fright much, but if I open my mouth and I'm telling some joke before I'm supposed to go into a musical trance ...sometimes this is a conflict that I might over compensate for.

Did most of them record with you for “Sugar Glider?”

I carefully documented all the personnel in the booklet for the cd.  I recorded most everything in a zillion different ways over 10 years on various computers and tape machines and musician friends and neighbors and Chicago friends helped. I recorded a portion of the record in Chicago at a place called the Shape Shoppe. I won a Pew Fellowship a while back that let me get some equipment for my studio. That made the big push at my house to finish.

Are most of the artists you work with from the Philadelphia area?

Mostly. Most everything was done at my home on the edge of west Philly.

Who did the artwork for “Sugar Glider?” 

My friends Kevin O'Neill and Karisa Senavitis at Will Work For Good in New York did all the layout and design. The idea was from a Fats Domino cover done in clay. I handed them piles of my sketchbooks and they took the drawings they liked and recreated them in clay. Some of the drawings and the font for the inside text comes from drawings I did when I was 10. If there are two people shaking hands they are usually ambidextrous drawings that I did with both hands at the same time.

Do you think being in another band effects your songwriting process?

Working in Man Man on a record is a very different process than what I do with Buffalo Stance. Buffalo Stance is like a dream or a notion diary. It started as a side project to get songs I couldn't get other dudes to work on finished. At the time I was working with a precursor to the avant party band Need New Body. My own music was strange and I didn't think much about anything other than getting it out so that the sounds and lyrics would stop haunting me. 

So, collaborating with other songwriters on music for a specific audience is challenging and very different. I generally have to simplify what I'm thinking about when working in Man Man. My ideas can be a little too far out. It's like creating an engine for a car that’s already been built.

One thing I like to do with my own music is switch around and experiment with musical forms. I might lose a certain amount of audience on this, but I've been listening carefully to music since I was little and now I've heard a great deal of the same thing rehashed with a new band name. Why is my strange brain gonna mess with long standing well travelled musical roads when I make music for myself for enjoyment? I hear the word experimental thrown around a bunch.  That means to me that you are actually trying completely new things in order to find a result that you never would have thought of off the top of your head. Try making music where the outcome is unknown. You've got to be willing to fail, or to look weird to lots of people. It’s not just about adding an eclectic instrument or 2.  Like DEVO said, "We're through with being cool..."

Where do you get a lot of your influences from?

I have been a voracious music eater since I was a kid. I took on the idea that it takes different ears to hear different music from the get go. I spent the first half of my life collecting every sound in the world into my brain drive. I read Keyboard magazine from cover to cover as a child and listened to what ever they told me about. This was the 80's when they were more of an educational art publication and less of an advertisement for what you should buy. I learned about Frank Zappa and Musique Concrete, also commercial and movie music, the obsessive art of Conlan Nancarrow's player pianos, the birth of samplers in popular music, the strange genius Wendy Carlos... There was no Internet so I it was a lifeline. Vintage electronic music is a long time influence on what I do. I've always been fascinated with the important history of electronic music production.  

After that, I love old Soul and R&B (Otis, Gino Washington,) and Doo Wop (Coasters) and easy listening. I love New Orleans (Professor Longhair, Huey "Piano" Smith, Fats Domino,) piano and also 1930's stride piano (James P. Johnson, another Fats.) Man, I love a million things. That's top of my list for the longest time if I listen.

What’s your ideal venue?

Norway outdoors at night under a brilliant Aurora.

Australian Outback by the light of the Milky Way during a prolific meteor shower.

Any place with an audience and a decent and clean bathroom.

You working on some new material?

Yes I am finishing up the new BS album by the end of this month. 

Do you think it’s much different from your last album?

It's a synthesizer fantasy. I'm really enjoying wrassling it from the ether all day. I know it sounds different; I'm a different person now. Also it will be mixed in surround sound if people have such things these days.

            Thanks again to Jamey for taking the time to answer our questions.  We’ll be letting you know about the new album as soon as we know about it.  Until then you can check these guys out on their bandcamp and facebook.

A Gentlemanly Conversation with mnttaB

             Sometimes you find new music, and sometimes it finds you.  The later is by far the most interesting situation.  It didn’t take me to long after I heard the first track off of mainsHum before I contacted Australian artist mnttaB, and we got talking about traveling, naming songs and dementia.  Check it out! 

Who is mnttaB?

mnttaB is an owner operated enterprise, I’ve tried to lure people in to collaborate but its a bit unreasonable to expect anyone else to be able to cope with my approach/work ethic...I’m a bit of a control freak to be honest.

Saying that if anyone wants to send me some poetry, guitar solos, rapping, synth riffs, midi versions of "sheila b devotion" songs then Id be pretty fucken keen to make it happen, and I’m a fair man so I would ensure any one I worked with shared the financial losses.

Who are your influences musically?

I’m an old fella so the influences span centuries and change daily - I don’t have much talent to copy the music I love so it’s the spirit that is the influence. I love people who can test/overturn genres or those whose work hums with urgency/power that still leaves you with a hit of their energy and relevance even after years of repetition and familiarity. 

So on any one day my head might be buzzing with tunes from wire, throbbing gristle, public image, tommi stumpf , anne clark, husker du, big black, young Gods,  ATR, self defense family, lightning bolt, raein , pianos become the teeth – all slamming to and thro and back again in my head blender.

What emotions do you think you convey in your music?

I don’t talk much so, I think what you can hear in the music, is me making up for my lack of real human interaction by squeezing everything I need to get out in to 2 minute slabs, I worked it out and there more words in the "mainsHum" lyrics than I spoke in total in conversation over the years 2011-12.  So the underlying emotion is probably frustration, at being unable to say what I mean and do what I know I should. Some one asked me once if I was angry, I said, "No I’m disappointed"

What are you looking for the audience to get out of going to see you at a concert or listening to you at home?

I hope someone somewhere sometime feels even a small part of the rush I feel when I’m doing this stuff, I’m a bit of a method actor so once the music starts I’m oblivious to what’s going on in the room but the intention is to share the adrenalin..in a non body fluid sort of way. Saying that I’ve noticed that I tend to spit a lot when I’m ranting so its possible an audience will get to ingest somewhat more of me than they really want if they don’t keep their distance.

Who does the artwork for you photos and album artwork?

The small but highly motivated Art department handle all that stuff, Artwork follows same methodology as the songwriting: Cut it up and throw it at the wall, see what sticks. I used to do real cutups and that took weeks and heaps of magazines (and speed), now with paintshop you can turn the same stuff out in days, on coffee.

Where do you get the names for you song titles?

Well normally when you’ve finished putting a song together the file is called something like "coldplay-pinkriff_DEA#_redux_03.acd" that’s not real catchy so names are generally just key words/phrases picked from the lyrics...err nothing real clever there..normally just enough for me to know which one is which.

Where do you start when writing a song?

Most songs start at 2 or 3am..with a bass riff, or a feedback loop, or a synth sound as the spine of an idea...then I go  back to bed. In the dark they grow, organically splitting cells and joining and/or absorbing other chunks of samples, drums, washes, random vocals, and eventually the strong ones exert dominance over the pack and come snarling into my room to wake me up demanding a walk and some biscuits.

Do you think your sound has changed much since your first release?

Definitely, when I started it was all about deconstruction, the last CD is all about dancing!!! I’ve decided my next challenge is to make it listenable....

What do you think the most important feature in a performer?

Handsomeness...yep there’s no way mnttaB can fail!!!

What’s the most fun thing about being mnttaB?

The best bit about mnttaB is the portability!!! I finish arranging my new song in my room on Wednesday, then jump on a plane write the lyrics mid air and do it live in another continent on friday..no drums, no amps, no tuners, no f** guitars, no pedals , no vocals in the foldback, no soundchecks ...and more importantly : no  bass players, drummers or guitarists....not much of a singer either...but lets not go there. Of course I know one day my less than trusty netbook will die on me (disk sounds a bit sick now) and I live in terror of a Windows Update occurring mid set but when you add it all up it beats working with musicians!

Is all the music you produce completely digital or do you use instruments?

Music is 90% instruments played by me, recorded to disk, then cut up and sequenced. Drums are either lifted from records, sample CDs or synth pre-sets (recorded then cut up etc).

So you think that gives you more freedom as a songwriter and performer?

Answer is both. I don’t believe that freedom is a good thing in making music: the more constraints you work under the better in my book.  What was the last good record you heard from a handsome rich prodigy living on the gold coast?

Do you like traveling?

I do, its something that’s grown on me lately. Nothing beats the buzz of hopping off the plane at dawn, in a new city, in a new country, jetlagged to buggery, clutching a bottle of duty free vodka and your life in a backpack. Then playing shows means you get to see so much more of that city, little corners, kitchens and Castles you would never get to experience otherwise.

Do you have a favorite city to perform at?

Melbourne, if only they'd have me.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I hope to have slipped into dementia well before then, or have some appallingly embarrassing medical condition which means I can’t leave the house, It’s good to have ambitions.

            Well there you have it guys.  You can follow mnttaB on facebook, and get the latest tracks on his bandcamp!

Also follow the blog on facebook for more interviews like this one with Night Panther or Professor Elemental!

A Gentlemanly Conversation with Night Panther

           The last few weeks have been a little crazy, so I haven't been able to do much in the way of interviews.  However, that all changes today with the first of what should be a couple of weeks of new interviews!  This week I sat down with Night Panther, 3 guys from Doylestown PA who make some pretty funky music.  We talked about being based in the suburbs, songwriting influences, and sexy band names!

Who is Night Panther?

Night Panther is Farzad Houshiarnejad, Michael Cammarata, Christopher Radwanski

How'd you come up with the name?

We wanted to be called Black Panther strictly because it sounded sexy, but we couldn’t do that for obvious reasons. Thus, Night was the sexiest word next to Black.

So you guys wanted a sexy name?

Precisely! It’s recession proof.

How did you guys get started?

We were in two other bands together, but it just wasn't the music we wanted to make.  Night Panther was something we wanted to do for a while, and when our last band separated it was the perfect opportunity.

What is "Sex Pop?"

Its a collection of everyday thoughts put into a genre.

What do you mean by that?

Its nothing you want to spend too much time on really, its just a name, kind of like when you have a baby and you need to name it something before you even like it

You guys identify as being from Doylestown PA.  How does living in a small suburb affect your music?

Theres less of a chance catching HIV. But the music would be created the same way, whether its in a city or a suburb.

Do you think the music scene is much different in the suburbs?

Not that much different. Everyone seems to know what they're going for.

Who would you guys say your major influences are?

Top 40, the post punk synth legends, phil collins, tom cruise etc.

Anyone more specifically?

Jean Claude Van Dame (we really mean that)

How do you guys approach songwriting?

There are all sorts of stages that go into the writing process, and in no particular order. Lyrics are usually never written first. They start off with a very strong feeling of emotion that eventually molds into a song. Nothing is ever pre-planned. Lots of drinking.

What do you think sets you guys apart from others in your genre?

Thats for the listeners to decide.

You guys seem to be conveying a certain style in your pictures, and music videos.  Has that been something developed with your music or before?

At first all we wanted to do is wear fur coats, even before we finished a song. As we started to come into our own we developed a style that merged its way in and out of our music. As we matured as musicians we took ourselves more seriously...we remember our first practice very well. fur coats. no shirts. lots of Budweiser with limited edition American flag cans...it sounded like a gorillas first mating call.

What goals do you guys have for your music?

To make a living on it until we get to the point where its depressing to still be doing it.

What's the hardest thing for you guys about writing music?

Lyrics. Shit takes forever. 

Can we be expecting an LP soon?

We're going to continue to record and release music for free until we get a 360 deal or 10/90 split.

You release all your music for free.  Why do you think that's a good way to do business?

We sell our songs on bandcamp, a dollar per song. But you can also download it for free on soundcloud. It's the listener’s choice to either purchase or download, we've been happy with the outcome so far.

As always I want to thank these guys for taking the time to talk with us.  Check out their soundcloud and bandcamp to hear some of their music and like their facebook to hear about updates.  Check out their new song Lioness below!

Need more interviews?  I don't blame you.  Check out our interviews with Professor Elemental and Blanche Blanche Blanche.  Also like us on facebook to keep up with new music and bands 

A Gentlemanly Conversation with Professor Elemental

            It’s been a while since I posted one of these and for that I apologies, but hopefully I can make up for it.  This week we sit down with Professor Elemental one of the most prominent members of steam-punk hip-hop or “Chap Hop.”  Never heard of Chap Hop?  Then clearly you didn’t read my previous write up on him.  However, it might be better to let the good Professor explain.

For our readers who are just meeting you, who is Proffesor Elemental?

             I'm an explorer, inventor, animal manipulator, exotic dancer, tea lover and Hip Hop emcee. 

What is Chap-Hop?

It's the world's smallest and most polite musical genre. Basically Hip Hop with a slight lemony twist- rap music served with gin and cucumber sandwiches. It's everso much fun. 

Where do you get your beats?

Beats for the Professor come exclusively from Tom Caruana. He is the best Hip Hop producer in the country and constantly inspires me with his prolific output and excellent tea making skills. 

Where are the inspiration for you songs come from?

Deep inside my ever fizzing brain. I read a lot of comics and listen to some very odd music, so that helps a bit. 

You’ve worked with a few collaborators in your career.  How do you think that effects the creative process?

Well, I made a decision only to work with people who I actually liked, so most times my collaborations are also excuses to hang out with people who's company I enjoy. Everyone has a very different approach. I tend to be enthusiastically slapdash for example, where as someone like Jon Clark (my partner in rapping in the group 'special school') is polished and meticulous- in a good collaboration you both learn a bit from each other. 

Do you think your fan base is different from different musical genres?

Hmm, Well I guess so, a bit. I am lucky enough to be involved in the world of Steampunk, which is populated by a tribe of nerdy, committed, polite and funny folk- all of whom have been really nice to me over the years. I think the main difference is that I consider myself to be friends with nearly everyone who listens to my music, or at least and an acquaintance. That's why gigs are so much fun, we are all involved on an equal level.

What’s been your biggest change musically between "The Indifference Engine" and "Professor Elemental: Father Of Invention?"

             Well, musically I wanted to keep the vibe pretty similar. There's nothing worse than a band with a successful album who then throw it all away to do their second album in a new style, thus alienating their audience. That said, this album is broader- with some more numbers to dance to, a little darkness and much more of the character and day to day life of the professor. 

Are there some other Chap-Hop artists on the scene you enjoy?

No. Well, that;s not true actually. I was engaged in a rap beef with Mr B the gentleman rhymer, but he turned out to be a lovely fellow and I now thoroughly enjoy his tunes. That's really it for Chap Hop, there's only us in it! Plenty of good hip hop to recommend though: Homeboy Sandman, Dizraeli and the Small gods, Torae, King Porter Stomp and on and on...

Any new music in the works? (And when can we expect it?)

Tons and tons- there are three Hip Hop albums that i have worked on in collaboration due out in 2013 (with Crespo, The Menagerie and Mr Simmonds), plus there will be a collection of B-sides and remixes from 'father of invention' entitled 'the attic' and due out in the Summer. Beyond that, I have grand plans... you can hear the seed of them on the hidden track at the end of 'Father Of Invention'. 

Gosh, it’s great to have interviews back!  I’d like to thank Professor Elemental for taking the time to talk with us.  Now all that’s left to do is end with a song.  Here’s the 4^th track off the Professor’s new album 'Father Of Invention.'

If you like what what you see here then check out the blog on facebook.  We're always posting other album reviews music news and band interviews!  And if you're still in the mood for some interivews?  Check out our interviews with Blanche Blanche Blanche and Kemp and Eden!

A Gentlemanly Conversation with Blanche Blanche Blanche

           

              Music is pretty fun.  Of course there are a lot of pressures for bands to top themselves or please their fans or have the coolest hair (I don’t know.  I’m not in a band.)  But at the end of the day music is a fantastic expression.  I think this shines though in Blanche Blanche Blanche.  After discovering these guys a few months back I decided to try, and catch up with these guys to see what makes them tick.  The results of the interview is as follws:

What genre would you consider your music?

Sarah: i wouldn't do that if i were you.

Zach: respect to working musicians, but we aren't trying to win anyone over with our vibe or stake our brand or help you chill out. we're not even trying to open your mind, it's already open. we're gonna get you some actual new music and try and play it fast and loose. There will be a lot of it, because there is so much possibility between decisions. And hopefully musicians like it, hopefully the soundwoman likes it or the doorman likes it. If Cloud Becomes Your Hand like it then we’re okay. “If Ruth likes it” is the genre we play. "i've never heard that rhythm before, i've never heard that structure. i've never heard someone say those things in a song. What a bunch of freaks" and hopefully raise the novelty bar for all of those things. the willingness of so many to be boxed in is unsurprising given the modes of identification that predominate today. look at the so-called "social media." but we're not gonna cave in and speak that language, we’re not even gonna inflate big enough to be asked to.

You guys are certainly very different from anything else I’m hearing right now.  What musicians do you draw inspiration from?

Zach: you hear a record and it shocks you. the attitude of someone is shocking, it's radical and it changes the way you hear music, the way you look at things. there are so few contemporary role models... a lot of ours are holdovers who have stayed productive, stayed fresh in their approach to life and keep bringing that to their music. Jennifer and Neil from Royal Trux, Tori and Reiko from Maher Shalal Hash Baz. E-40. The Minutemen, the Clash, the Comateens, the Ambitious Lovers. Annette Peacock. Gary War, Ariel Pink. Inc. D'Angelo. and our friends most of all: Chris Weisman, Ruth Garbus, and Kurt Weisman from Brattleboro VT. Ryan Power. Son of Salami. Big French. Hartley C. White. Happy Jawbone. Jon Appleton. the list is long

Was there one moment when you guys realized “Wow, we’re really making music professionally?”

Sarah: that moment hasn't come. we both have jobs & do music because we want to.

Five albums they'll have released on four different labels in 2012?!  How do you guys find the energy?

Sarah: music is a fun way to hang out.

Zach: working on new stuff is where it's at -- if you hammer the same nail too much it'll disappear to the other side.

This music really makes me think of a younger, simpler time.  Is that the same for you guys?

Sarah: not at all.

Zach: you can’t go back into your mother. But isn’t it already whatever time you want it to be? Music isn’t so complicated, you get together and you work on it and you get better at getting better candy & scorpions into bigger card castles

How do you think being a two-piece changes up your dynamic compared to a larger ensemble?

 Zach: we're working with more people now. Keep your eye out for Big French

Sarah: we are a one-piece suit

How has being based in Vermont affected you guys musically?

Sarah: i moved out of that hell hole

Zach: this should help: http://www.osr-tapes.info/sounds/brattleborosampler.zip

Give me an overall theme for “Wink With Both Eyes.”

Zach: our recording skills caught up to our songs on that record, and so we willfully worked on a "good sound," unwittingly skirting dangerously close to some contemporary musical tropes -- which has paid off in the sense that people are like "oh a synth band, synths, yeah" check out the record and find that there's actual content in there, you know, real songs with a lot of weird shit going on internally. we wrote "That's Siberia" about our friends Happy Birthday going on tour, we felt the business thing they were going through. I wrote and tripled solos, etc. and then we got politicized about the obsession w/ aesthetics and the art-world infrastructure / art-world conceptual vocabulary haunting music today and made three very bare-clean-opaque records (Papas Proof, 2wice 2wins, Our Place) where we worked on different structural approaches to songwriting & arranging & recording & fought "sound": block the roses. it was necessary to get out of that framework, do some recon on the outside, etc., and now we're ready to storm the aesthetic Bastille so to speak. No more synthesizer records, I'm gonna wail on a drum and stop talking so much

Sarah: i was really sick when we made that record & so that's all i remember.

            

           Thanks again to Sarah and Zach for taking the time to talk with us.  Check out their website and facebook here.

You should like the blog on facebook for updates and also check out some of of our other recent interviews with Kemp and Eden, Ed Schrader's Music Beat and Spider Bags