Tag Archives: june 2012 print issue

Get Brands to Pay Your Band

A Conversation with My Love Affair’s Renaud Skalli

In April 2011, Cathy Guetta (wife of musician David Guetta) and ad exec Raphael Aflalo launched My Love Affair in Europe as a way to connect artists across the globe with branding and licensing opportunities. MLA is a music marketing agency that advises brands on everything music-related as part of their marketing and communications strategies. On the flip side, they also work directly with artists in order to bring both sides (art and commerce) together. That can take the form of endorsement campaigns, product placement in music videos, licensing deals, co-branding arrangements, and more – basically any and every form that a possible relationship between a brand and an artist could take. We spoke recently with Renaud Skalli, Head of Artist & Label Relations about the company and how bands should approach branding and licensing opportunities.

Can you explain why indie and DIY bands should be partnering with brands, and how it can help their career?

The two key reasons why indie and DIY outfits should be, if they’re not already, focusing on enhancing their profile so that brands would be looking at them as potential partners, are: one, because whenever you do something with a brand – this could be a private show, this could be a product placement, this could be a full 360 campaign – you get the brand’s power and consumers behind you, which in terms of exposure means investments, promotions and media campaigns that the artist may never have been able to achieve otherwise. So that’s one key thing: exposure, promotion, and everything that’s related to these points.

Now the second aspect is in terms of a revenue stream. I think right now is probably one of the greatest times for indie acts to be looking at brand partnerships as a completely new, and very open, revenue stream out of which they’ll be able to use that revenue to do whatever else they still like doing [without selling out]. You know, for an indie band to go on the road and tour is very expensive, and doing even one small opportunity with a brand is something that could lead to them being able to reinvest that money into that tour, future recordings, etc.

How do bands position themselves to catch the attention of these brands? How do they differentiate themselves, and what are some marketing steps they could take?

I guess there’s no recipe, but, I mean, in terms of how to be able to put yourself in one brand’s vision, it’s still about the same things; I think having a [compelling] story about yourself is very important. Whenever a brand is looking for a partner for an opportunity it’s always based on some kind of story, some kind of product, obviously, and an audience. Brands, and people in marketing in general, know that without the story or something special to talk about, you will not be [connecting with] their consumers. I think that’s something that brands are and will always be looking at.

Now there’s another great and key thing, probably point two, that’s very important in this matter: the fact that brands are looking at artists that they partner up to reach out to consumers. So if you’re a DIY act, the Internet is probably – and has been for a while at least – one of your greatest assets. Both points lead to one very simple thing: that a brand will always rather partner up with an artist who’s only got three thousand or five thousands fans on Facebook, if they know that they can connect with these five thousand fans in a lot stronger and more powerful way than an artist with fifty, sixty, seventy, or a hundred thousand fans who are probably not as dedicated to their act, or to their artist, as the other [smaller following].

What’s a creative branding opportunity that smaller acts can take advantage of?

I was going to bounce back on a very specific way of looking at brand partnerships, which is product placement in music videos. Look at an indie artist right now, a DIY artist, who doesn’t have, let’s say, any sort of budget to make a video. Both you and I very much know that having a video, being able to post the video online, is something of incredible value in terms of content for the band, because this could create buzz, this could create attention and so forth. So, you know, if the artist doesn’t have any sort of budget but has got some very creative idea that’s worth – I don’t know – $1,000, $2,000, $5,000? Well the idea of thinking that someone may be able to come in, finance this idea through, in return, what we call a product placement, is something of amazing interest. So in many ways, product placement in music videos is something that both the very famous – the Gagas and Madonnas do this all the time – and indie acts should have in mind. This is one of the reasons why we have set up a platform called “My Product Placement” that you can find at myproductplacement.com, which allows any artist (major or indie) to upload an upcoming video project with details on who you are, your digital profile, what the video is going to be about, a treatment for the video if you have one, and so on. On the other side you’ve got all brands and agencies that we already have registered to the platform, who can search through this database of upcoming videos and find one they may find of interest, and may want to – in a sense – invest in.

That’s fantastic.

We have worked with many smaller indie bands over here in France and indie labels abroad. I think that at the end of the day, it’s not really about how many fans you have, or how big you are; it’s about how creative, intelligent and refined the campaign or the idea can be. It’s always going to be about the idea at the end of the day. If you’re artist X, and no one knows about you but you’ve got an incredible idea, people will get to know about you, that’s just a fact.

What do you see as the future for My Love Affair and where do you see the company’s direction headed over the next couple of years?

I think step one, in the next year or so, will be to confirm all the great and amazing things we’ve been lucky to be able to do in the last year, you know, doing more campaigns, reaching out to all sorts of artists, from huge to small – just artists in general, I think; again, it’s just got to be about the idea rather than the money or the name of the artist that’s on the table.

Point two would be to bring this model throughout the rest of the world. In many ways we are already speaking to U.S.-based brands, but right now we haven’t been very much talking to – just mentioning one example out of the blue – South American based brands. We haven’t really been speaking to them, and everyone knows that the Latin market, especially when it comes to music, is a very, very strong and connected one. So this next year will be about bringing our model to the rest of the world, whether it’s Asia, South America, even Africa – in many ways, again, it’s not about money, it’s about the idea, and when you know the people in Africa are very much connecting with music as a whole, there are many, many great things to be doing there as well.

www.my-loveaffair.com

Spotlight: Heyward Howkins

Transitioning From Bandmate to Solo Act

 

HOMETOWN: Philadelphia, PA
GENRE: Singer/Songwriter
ARTISTIC APPROACH: Honest lyrics and finding the right collaborative partner.
WEBSITE: www.heywardhowkins.com

With no band to hide behind, Heyward Howkins has created an album that, fortunately, requires no hiding behind, lyrically or musically. Having been in The Trouble With Sweeney and The Silver Ages, Howkins is not new to making music; he is new to the solo life, though. Although much of his new album was worked on with friend/collaborator Chet Delcampo (of Hong Kong Stingray), Heyward wrote all of the music and lyrics for The Hale & Hearty.

The songwriting process wasn’t fully independent though, and Heyward doesn’t intend to take credit for the entire endeavor. “I would present a live demo to Chet and he and I would flesh it out together in the studio…most everything you hear was one of the two of us. I even remember times when we would both be literally standing in front of the keyboard playing a combined part,” he says, “so it really was a full collaboration.”

After being laid off from his job working in the field of geology, Howkins started work on The Hale & Hearty. It was during this time that he started writing songs and began his collaboration with Delcampo, who he believes, with his “encouragement and critical eye,” helped make this happen.

Inspiration came from all over, but Howkins believed that:

“Most of the inspiration was non-musical. I wasn’t listening to anything particular or trying to create any sound. I just think the way I think and sing the only way I know how. The songs just sort of fall out of my head at random intervals.”

What is most important, though, is his ability to play honest music, which makes it clear why, “Like them or not, the songs are nothing if not genuine” is his unofficial motto. Like it or not, you’ll only know if you try.

Photo by Tyler Costill

Spotlight: Jenny & Tyler

Sparse, Raw Album Lets Songs Breathe


HOMETOWN: Nashville, TN
GENRE: Indie Pop-Rock
ARTISTIC APPROACH: Using stripped down sounds, allowing lyrics to better resonate.
WEBSITE: www.jennyandtylermusic.com

For married couple and musical partners Jenny and Tyler Somers, recording their latest release, Open Your Doors, was a complete change of pace. Electric guitars? Gone. Their trademark upbeat melodies and epic pop-rock moments? Virtually non-existent. Tyler playing the role of producer as before? Replaced instead by Mitch Dane (Jars of Clay, Hannah Miller). Most everything about this album (except their continued harmonic vocal prowess) is a departure from previous efforts, and that is no accident.

“We wanted something more stripped down this time,” Jenny says. “The vocals and songs are meant to speak without a lot of help from extra instruments.”

Their writing process was very organic. After touring heavily to support their last release, Faint Not, they were burned out and wanted to find physical and spiritual rest. From there, they responded by penning a series of low-key songs that came from a place of vulnerability and openness as they sought respite. “You Keep Loving Me” was recorded outside (and features birds singing in the background) and its peaceful vibe augments the relief of realizing God still loves you no matter what you have done, and “Little Balloon” juxtaposes an upbeat sound with lyrics about someone who is hanging by a thread. Even one that didn’t make the cut – a haunting rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence” that recently went to #4 on iTunes’ singer-songwriter charts and raised almost $2,000 to fight human trafficking – is purposefully executed.

The album focuses on relationships – be it with God, spouses or friends – which makes sense since they are very relational people and love doing house shows.

“About one-third of our shows are house concerts,” Tyler says. “They are our favorite type of show. They are a very intimate musical experience. They feel more like a conversation than a performance. We’ve met some of our very best friends over the past few years this way.” Jenny and Tyler took a risk writing such a raw and sometimes painful album, but it bleeds and breathes with honesty and ultimately leads to catharsis at the end, and that is a rare feat.

photo by Emily Troutman

 

Spotlight: The Tin Thistles

Changing Directions After Member Departures

GENRE: Drunk Punk
HOMETOWN: Somerville, MA
ARTISTIC APPROACH: Mixing punk, booze and high-volume fuzz.
WEBSITE: www.facebook.com/TheTinThistles

Take one ’90s music encyclopedia vocalist, a drummer with no depth perception, an ex-hardcore-drummer bassist, and one self-deprecating guitarist – now add alcohol and voilà – you have the DIY recipe for a killer punk band. Coming together in early 2008, The Tin Thistles have a fun loving attitude, a hefty thirst, and a penchant for giving away merchandise. Performer had the pleasure of speaking with guitarist Allen McRae regarding the band’s speedy shift from covers to original work, a changing studio sound, and love for the live performance.

McRae met longtime friends and band mates William Callahan and Kevin Bogart (vocals and drums respectively) while working at the same coffee shop, the doldrums of which spurred the trio to start an acoustic cover band. “But that turned out to be too hard,” McRae says, “So we started writing originals.” After picking up cellist, Al Ittleson, to round out their sound, the band recorded their Mutiny EP – a calling to the Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly, McRae explained. Nine months in, however, the band found their true direction. Ittleson left the band, but before the empties could rattle, drummer Art Bergevin was welcomed aboard. At that point “[Bogart] switched to electric bass, and we’ve been playing very loudly ever since,” muses McRae.

Loud and productive, the Thistles have now released an LP At the Bottom, released in 2010, another EP We Were Promised Better, and a Christmas single “Oi to the World” in 2011. The new sound draws from Callahan’s love for ’90s indie, and a lot more fuzz. Selected for the ZLX Rock n’ Roll Rumble this spring, the band got to unleash a little competitive spirit, Thistles style:

“We were a little loaded, but we played as hard as we could.”

McRae is pleased with the band’s philosophy and direction. “We’re known as kind of an asshole band, but it’s not about antagonizing audiences. We’re just drunk (and assholes) and that comes out on stage. We’re just trying to have fun.” The Tin Thistles have a split 7″ pending with new (and according to McRae, better) tracks. “We realize we suck, but we suck a little less each time.”

Photo by Johnny Anguish/Daykamp Music

Thick Voltage: Breaking Free of Basement Recording’s Production Limitations

It is a common occurrence to hear of a rock band making the big move from a small city to Brooklyn. Such a story is often followed by tales of interested managers, investments, and a hope for fame and glory. In the case of the former Western Massachusetts band, Thick Voltage, the pilgrimage to Brooklyn has embodied a different sentiment. The goal for this band has always been more about having a good time and rocking hard with friends than climbing the social ladder of the music business.

“We just want our audience to be a network of friends and we are the band in the background to that,” they say.

Instead of focusing on the music or the peacocked stance of a musician on stage as the focal point of a rock show, Thick Voltage looks at their shows as an opportunity to create a party atmosphere of inclusion first, and the music they create is simply a conduit to aid in the party. For a band playing and living in Brooklyn with intense competition, this is a unique and bold stance. Thick Voltage has chosen the atmosphere of their shows to hold an equal value to the music that they are creating.

And the music that these former college buddies make is reflective of this sentiment. Although lo-fi and punk inspired, the electronic elements hint at an all-inclusive and danceable vibe that is a perfect soundtrack to a PBR-soaked Brooklyn loft party.

“If David Bowie married a punk chick and has a kid, our music would be that kid…who is also really into techno,” they joke.

On basement recording: “The sound developed in a way it wouldn’t have been able to develop in the studio, because we would have been distracted by the ticking clock. Every minute counts in those places, and if you don’t have label backing, recording in studios is cost prohibitive.”

To the first time listener, Thick Voltage has the raw rhythmic intensity of Queens Of The Stone Age with the electronic grooves of LCD Soundsystem. This combination of styles makes sense within the context of the band’s tendency towards DIY shows, parties and audience oriented music. The brutal, distorted rhythmic rock ideas and the lo-fi, shimmering synths both relate quickly to an audience of young and eager party kids.

When asked how the DIY scene differs from Western Massachusetts to New York City, Thick Voltage is wide eyed and exploratory within a network of bands and promoters that are far more varied and involved than in Western Massachusetts.

“Out there, people didn’t really respond well to what we were doing. They thought it was too glitchy, blippy and weird. People are into weirder shit here. They are more open. I don’t know if it’s the air or whatever. I am sure that there were little pockets of scenes that would have accepted us, but we weren’t involved in that.”

Although alienated by their more rural routes, it was also evident that Thick Voltage made a strong comparison between Brooklyn and Northampton, Massachusetts. The two areas share social and political interests as well as personnel within the music community. It is common to hear of musicians living in both areas and playing with Brooklyn and Northampton bands. In Northampton, there is a sense of hippy idealism that rubbed the members of Thick Voltage in a way that gave them a sense that it was time to get out and experience something new. The hippy mentality, although on the surface accepting, was ostracizing and limiting to a psyche-punk band playing house shows. Brooklyn’s attitude of adventure and variety fit more closely to Thick Voltage.

This spring marks the first release by Thick Voltage. The self-titled, four song EP is a strong artistic statement for a young band. The synths are raw and cutting, vocals wildly distorted and drums pumped up as if blasting from a dingy basement show. The record was literally made in a small basement in Queens, where the band also rehearses.

For the intent of the record, to document a moment for a young band and the excitement of a given scene, the aesthetic direction could not be more on point. There is a lo-fi quality to the songs that plays well with the lush aspect of some of the synths. The boxy, low-ceiling basement, considered by many a less than ideal place to record drums, worked perfectly. Instead of using cheap Chinese condenser microphones to capture vocals, the band chose typical stage dynamic microphones, which further encapsulated the sound of a show rather than an attempt at a slick recording. The lack of “the right” gear forced the band to focus more on microphone positioning, room treatment and experimentation to achieve an appropriate sound.

“The sound developed in a way it wouldn’t have been able to develop in the studio, because we would have been distracted by the ticking clock. Every minute counts in those places, and if you don’t have label backing, recording in studios is cost prohibitive.”

Reason Record, a relatively new Digital Audio Workstation, was used to capture the ideas of the band. The ability to multitrack audio within Reason, formerly a software synth and sequencing application, is a recent development for the program. For a band like Thick Voltage, the software synthesis aspect of Reason Record was just as useful as the audio recording functions.

“All affectation was applied in the software. We used a lot of delays and reverb effects to fill out the sound and add depth and dynamics,” they explain. Along with delays and reverbs in Reason Record, a Line Six delay modeler, Rat distortion, and a variety of real amps were used on the synths to give an air of reality to canned keyboard sounds.

The future for Thick Voltage is not focused on glamorous goals, but rather another great event with a sympathetic audience who wants to party as hard as the band. Their live material is growing far faster than they have the time to record. With such a focus on live performance and having a good time in the moment, one can only hope to catch Thick Voltage this summer rocking a party.

You can check out the debut Thick Voltage EP at www.thickvoltage.bandcamp.com.

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Shane O’Connor (www.shanemix.com) is a mix engineer and producer from Brooklyn NY. He has worked with artists such as Madi Diaz, Lovedrug, Tab The Band, and Fast Years.

photos by Gabrielle Purchon

 

Dinowalrus: Finding Indie Success and Following Their Muse

When Dinowalrus released their debut % [editor’s note – that’s the name of the record, not a typo] in 2010, the band wasn’t met with the warmest welcome to the scene. Now, the three-piece dance-rock outfit from Brooklyn has organized their songwriting process, become comfortable with their gear, and released their follow-up Best Behavior. The latest record shows off the band’s talent for multitasking in the studio with synths, distortion and experimental techniques on their equipment, resulting in a custom brew of psychedelic acid-pop electronica in its most cohesive form.

But despite the talent, luck and success haven’t always followed suit for the band. Performer talks with guitarist Pete Feigenbaum about Dinowalrus’ development since the last record, the gear they depend on to get their signature sound, and Feigenbaum’s honest frustration with today’s indie music scene.

Dinowalrus’ first full length, %, was criticized for being a bit all over the place musically, and you had suggested it was because you were trying to place too many influences onto one album. What did you do differently to make the new album more cohesive?

Well, for one thing, it was a really different lineup. All of my old band mates quit, which is probably for the better. Also, it took a lot longer to write songs back then. Three years ago it would take us four months to track a song, and now it takes three weeks. Also, an important part of our band aesthetically is the way we deal in historical references in surprising ways. The first album was very eclectic because there were obviously a lot of styles that, musically, we had never tried before, so we felt that we had to explore them or else be forever curious. We took some flack for that eclecticism on our first album, so maybe we responded to that by honing in on a focus for our follow up. And since we covered so many different styles on the first album, we didn’t feel personally obligated to revisit things that didn’t work or were no longer interesting to us. We could feel comfortable crossing a lot of things off our list.

On songwriting: “Ever since we got Ableton last summer, I noticed my songwriting efficiency has gone through the roof, just because I’m able to organize my ideas, and I’m able to take riffs into larger arrangements really fast.”

What were the influences you decided to stick with?

There has always been this thread of dance music played by live bands in Brooklyn, most notably the dance-punk thing that happened around 2002 exemplified by Liars and The Rapture. We didn’t want to retread that, but we were interested in exploring new ways of playing dance or groove music with a live band, so we thought looking back to Baggy/Madchester [editor’s note – British dance scenes] would be an innovative way to do this. We made a conscious effort to sculpt our beats and synth tones to be in line with this overarching theme, on songs where it made sense. Our riffs will always come from an abstract and improvisational place, but I think it’s important for us to always have an overarching lodestone for where we want to be with riffs, stylistically.

What led to the reduction in time it took to track?

A lot of things: being fast in the studio to save money, knowing what we wanted to do, and just being comfortable with certain synth and guitar tones that we knew would work time and time again. And Ableton [music software]. Ever since we got Ableton last summer, I noticed my songwriting efficiency has gone through the roof, just because I’m able to organize my ideas, and I’m able to take riffs into larger arrangements really fast. So it’s a combination of that and just knowing what we were after, being able to find shortcuts and being really comfortable with our gear.

What type of equipment are you using?

The SR-16 drum machine has some pretty good sounds, especially for house-y congas, bongos and shakers. But now we’ll just throw all those SR-16 loops onto Max’s [drums] new SPD-S drum pad after we program them. Guitar is pretty straightforward. I have a Fender Cyclone II, which I’ve had for many years. It’s a late-’90s hybrid model that has a Mustang body, Stratocaster hardware, and Jaguar pickups. A lot of the Dinowalrus sound is in this cheap delay/echo pedal, the Ibanez DE-7. Our mainstay synth is the Roland Juno-60. Also Liam [synths] uses the SP-404 sampler now; that’s a recent upgrade. He runs the two synths, the sampler and an optical Theremin through a mini-mixer, and also plays bass on certain songs.

On creativity: “We’re following our own muse and aren’t really concerned with fitting in with any subculture that’s currently going on, so it makes solidarity hard to find.”

You guys are already working on a new record. Why did you decide to begin writing your next album before Best Behavior was even released?

Things have been really slow. We’re not getting show or tour opportunities, sad to say. We thought the best thing we could do now as far as morale goes was to write a new record, to just stay excited internally. Nationally the indie music scene is in bad shape. We have a great press campaign, but I don’t think we’ve ever been that buzzy or popular so these nice SPIN track posts and Pitchfork reviews we’ve been getting aren’t translating into shows or tours.

Part of why we’re writing this new record is because we didn’t want to get bogged down emotionally in anticipating success for Best Behavior that might not happen. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that you can’t engineer your own success. Everybody I know who’s in a successful band is talented – but they’re not geniuses, either. They just got lucky as far as timing. That’s part of why I think we just have to keep writing and recording as much as we can afford to do, and hope that what we want to make and what the world wants to hear miraculously aligns.

How does this attitude about success affect the production of the next record?

I guess I have no real expectations for this third album. It’ll come out when it comes out, probably sometime in 2013, and we obviously think it’s the best thing we could have created at this time. My expectations have been lowered in a healthy way. I’m just not gonna get too caught mentally up in the industry side of things anymore. But being blissfully oblivious and detached from what’s going on around you isn’t good, either.

Then you don’t have a fire under your ass, and you don’t go out and hustle. But I’m also going to lower the bar for myself so not to be disappointed from here on out. This record [Best Behavior] ended up coming out with a pretty significant time and fewer resources behind it in terms of a budget for recording, manufacturing and press. I’m stoked that we found a UK label for it, but I had to spend a lot of my own money to make it happen. It’s real brutal. So all I can do moving forward is to lower my expectations and keep my day job.

With how you feel about the music industry, and the state of indie music in particular, will you continue writing music despite your frustration?

Oh, for sure. I feel more motivated and efficient than ever before on the writing and recording end of things. Unfortunately, Dinowalrus isn’t the type of band that could build a fanbase slowly and gradually by playing a circuit of bars and college towns over and over, and our music doesn’t really have a built-in underground network around it, like the hardcore scene does. If we are ever successful, it will be through the media, not from slogging through endless basement DIY tours. We’re following our own muse and aren’t really concerned with fitting in with any subculture that’s currently going on, so it makes solidarity hard to find. So right now, it makes the most sense to retreat and work on a new album even though it’s costing us money we already don’t have. It’s therapeutic. It’s really all we can do to move forward.

www.dinowalrus.com

Photos by Stephen Reganato for Performer Magazine

The Funk Ark – an interview with Will Rast

Taking Sonic Cues From Nature, and Keeping a Large Ensemble Cohesive

Washington, D.C. jazz-fusion band The Funk Ark captivates listeners with their high energy and carefully crafted modern sound. Composer and pianist Will Rast talks with Performer about the musical inspiration he draws from his travels and breaks down the band’s creative process behind the recently released album, High Noon.

Less than a year has passed since the band’s last album. What’s different about the way you produced High Noon?

Our previous record, From The Rooftops, was done over the period of six months of studio sessions, editing, and mastering and all sorts of stuff. And we didn’t all play together at the same time. People would come in and record parts; there was a lot of sampling and looping – things like that – and it created a certain sound.

We’re happy with the record, but for this one we wanted to take it into a more live sounding setting. So we all just got together in a room after playing the songs for a month on the road.  We landed in Austin and spent a few days there, just recording all together in Big Orange Studios – which is basically a cinder block bunker with some soundproofing and a nice booth. We did maybe two takes at the most with each song and that was the record.

On finding inspiration in nature: “I’m a big visualizer of sounds. To me, sounds often have colors and shapes, like a beat will have a certain shape in my head.”

Do you find inspiration for your music outside of music, like in nature or your surroundings?

Definitely. I’m a big visualizer of sounds. To me, sounds often have colors and shapes, like a beat will have a certain shape in my head. Especially when I’m traveling to different cities I’ve never been before, like when I was in Mexico City this past week, I’m seeing all sorts of new textures and shapes and it’s filing my head with sound. That’s what happens when I’m stimulated by new surroundings. So I’d definitely say that nature and locations have a big influence on my musical thinking.

Has there been a specific location that has sparked a song or an album?

I was 12 years old and I had entered the National Music Teachers Association Young Composers Contest, and I won and got to go to New Orleans and play the piece for a panel down there. When I was in New Orleans, I discovered jazz and Dixieland and also got a feel for the city. There’s definitely a mystical nature about a Southern port town. I think New Orleans in particular is a place that filled me up with inspiration and I wrote a song on my jazz solo record called “The Battle of New Orleans,” inspired by the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina.

Let’s talk about The Funk Ark. The band is huge. How do you keep the electricity alive and carefully blended without it getting out of control?

You would think with that many people on a stage the sound would get cluttered. As with an orchestra, every instrument has its own small part. Not everybody is playing at the same time. I guess I would compare it to the gears of a clock. A beat that we play has a foundation and all sorts of moving parts that keep it moving along. Whether it’s somebody playing a cowbell to an Afro Cuban clave, or it’s a guitar part that’s kind of playing an African highlife-style guitar part. On their own, they’re relatively small, repetitive parts but when you put them all together they create a bigger patchwork sound that connects.

How do you and the rest of the band approach the way that you create music?

For the most part, I write the majority of the songs. I’ve got GarageBand on my Mac and it’s pretty low tech as far as industry standards are concerned, but it works pretty great for me to get ideas down. I’ll come up with a bass line or a guitar part and I’ll construct a demo and then bring it to the band – then we’ll learn the parts in rehearsal.  It can take as little as 20 minutes to get down and we have a new song that everybody can play.

On playing with a large ensemble: “I guess I would compare it to the gears of a clock. A beat that we play has a foundation and all sorts of moving parts that keep it moving along.”

Is there a lot of evolution in your songs; do you change things up as a tour progresses?

Yeah – the initial demos are pretty complete, but in trying to flesh them out and give them personality to make them into an actual song, there are changes that happen. When we are working on the songs as a group, everybody is usually full of ideas and cool things to add to it. It’s definitely a group effort.

Do you think your love for funk and jazz makes you a better performer of this style of music, or more critical of it?

It can certainly make me more critical of my own performance and my band’s performance. But I also think that is what makes us better at playing that particular style. Just like jazz, if you’re not dedicated to the kind idiom and the lexicons that jazz calls from, it’s not going to sound like jazz. And then, by that same principle, if you’re trying to play soul, funk, R&B, Afrobeat – if you don’t dedicate yourself to the way that it’s supposed to be played, you’re not going to get that desired result. So I think my respect and appreciation for those kinds of music, all kind of squished together, is what makes the Funk Ark.

Are you afraid that you’ll eventually get burnt out playing what you love listening to?

[Pauses] I don’t know. I think that my tastes change as I grow. I’m not sure that ten years ago I would have been able to predict that I’d be doing the kind of stuff that I’m doing now. So it’s hard to say where my interests are going to lie in another ten years. But what I do know is that my writing style shifts as I move on to different styles and get interested in different things. So I don’t think that I’ll get tired of doing it because I’m going to continually try to reach whatever new plateau I’m going after.

www.thefunkark.com

Photos by Alba Seoane

Peelander-Z Embraces New Wave…in Space: June 2012 Cover Story

 

Japanese Comic Punks Expand Their Sound on New Record

Wow, what to say about a band like Peelander-Z? Over the years, they (or more accurately, their leader Yellow) have tried to convince me that they came to Earth from outer space, that they have their own spaceship and home planet where everyone dresses like Power Rangers, and that if you go to one of their shows, you’ll be met with free steak and ice cream…actually, that last part is true. And who knows, maybe the first few things are true as well. We recently caught up with Peelander Yellow again, after their fun-filled week at SXSW, to discuss the band’s theatricality, their new record, and incorporating New Wave elements into what’s traditionally been a pretty straightforward “comic book punk” sound. Now, a quick technical note – we tried our absolute hardest to transcribe this interview accurately. For starters, there was an unending wave of laughter over the entire recording (from both sides), and to put it respectfully, while Peelander Yellow’s conversational English is perfectly fine, even he won’t claim to be 100% fluent. So we did our best trying to bring out the meaning of his answers even if there were passages that were a tad difficult to decipher. We hope you enjoy this interview (and the band) as much as we do!

How was SXSW for you guys this year?

It was crazy because we played a great show and we had our own festival, like a Peelander festival, which carried like a thousand people, and we chose the bands – you know Math the Band – we played with [them], we played with MC Frontalot, we played with Electric Eel Shock from Japan. We chose the bands and we made the festival.

How did it go?

The festival started Saturday – it was like a Peelander family jamboree, so only kids and family. We turned down the sound because there were so many kids. We got a taco vendor, we got an ice cream vendor, and we played with a kids brass band, like an old-style showcase. We spent a super happy time in Austin, Texas.

On their live show: “So even if you don’t like our music, because it sounds like two chord, three chord, Ramones style, you’ll love our performance.”

Now that’s interesting that you had a family jamboree. A lot of people might not know that you actually put out a punk rock children’s album last year, right?

Yeah, we covered ‘EE-I-EE-I-O.’ You know that song?

Yeah, “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.”

So we had a dance with them, we carried people onto the stage and danced with them and then screamed with them. Kids happy means the parents are happy, and then we’re happy.

So you guys are on tour for a little bit longer?

Yeah after that we come back, there’s a Boston [date], then two months all over the US [in support] of the new album, Space Vacation.

Speaking of the live show, I imagine the kids love it because it’s energetic, and sometimes, from some of the videos I’ve seen, a little TOO energetic – have you ever gotten hurt during a live show doing some of the stunts that you attempt?

Yeah yeah, we’re only playing – you’ve seen the show right?

Yeah, you actually do a little wrestling, and crowd diving, and all sorts of stuff.

Yeah we do the limbo dance, jumping rope, we do baseball because we love baseball. Maybe the Red Sox against Peelander-Z when we play in Boston.

I hate to break it to you, but I think the Red Sox can beat you…

[Laughs] How about just a baseball camp, then?

Are you still doing the wrestling stuff on stage, or not so much anymore?

Yeah, I mean, I want to, ideally, do the wrestling. Do you know our Big Squid? [editor’s note – a giant stage prop]

I’ve seen pictures of the Big Squid, but I haven’t seen it in action.

So he loves moving and listening, and if you come on stage you can chop him, because he’s a nice guy – if you chop at him he’s [still] smiling. He’s a crazy – he loves listening.

For our readers who might not be familiar with the band, could you explain a little about the costumes and the imagery, and why you choose to portray the characters that you do?

I mean, I love music, but we [also] love comics [and] Power Rangers. I want to do something on stage, so music is just 10% and 90% is performance, so we want to bring our favorite things; we want to eat steak, that’s why we made a song called ‘S.T.E.A.K.’ We want to do dancing like Power Rangers, so we choose these colors and the dancing on stage. Our answer is if we want to do the something – if we want to do the music – we bring another something to add to it. So Peelander-Z is a band, but we bring, out of music, we bring everything on stage. That’s our answer. So even if you don’t like our music, because it sounds like two chord, three chord, Ramones style, you’ll love our performance. So we [want to please]. Please come to see our show, and enjoy our show.

You said it’s two or three chord Ramones style music – and I think that’s true to an extent – but you guys do take the music seriously, and I think people should know that. That’s true, right?

Yeah, our songs are just easy songs – like you know the song ‘So Many Mike?’

Yes.

We just scream, ‘So many Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike,’ because I have a cell phone, [and] inside my cell phone [there are] fourteen Mikes, all over the United States. It’s always [confusing], ‘Oh, which Mike? Mike, Mike.’ That’s why I made a song. Our keyword is very easy, that way even if you don’t know our songs, you come see our show and you can scream, very easily. So bring your parents, bring your kids, bring your pets…but leave your ice cream, because we have ice cream.

Now I know the last time we talked you tried to convince me that the band came from another planet – and both you and I know that’s not true – but you did come to New York from Japan. Was it difficult adjusting to a new environment, to living in a different part of the world?

Yeah that’s one thing… So when we go to tour, we always eat pizza, or hamburgers – I really love pizza and hamburgers – but Japanese people need rice, so we had to carry a rice cooker on tour, and then we made miso soup every day. That’s just one reason it’s very hard: we had to bring a [special] rice cooker from Japan.

So let’s get back to the music – I know you have the new record, Space Vacation. Could you tell us a little bit about the songwriting process? Is it collaborative, or do you do it yourself?

I make [each song] myself first, singing, singing, singing, and then I bring everyone together. My style is always [based upon when] I’m on tour and I see something. If really want to eat tacos, I make a taco song.

I’m familiar with the taco song [‘Taco Taco Tacos’], yes.

Yeah I really love [that one]. I really like [sunglasses] and then I want to scream, ‘Glasses, go!’ and, ‘Glass, glass, glass’ so I also made a new song, ‘Get Glasses.’ My ideas are pretty easy. Space Vacation is all about space, so basically the story is Peelander promised to the Earth we get a space vacation.

I see…

Yeah, so all the songs are about space vacations, stuff that happens inside the Peelander starship, and then we come to the Earth and fall in love with someone, then we’re back to our planet. All the songs are pretty and happy.

When you’re in the studio do you guys spend a lot of time recording?

Not really. We recorded last year in Austin, Texas. It’s a new kind of album because we used electronic drums and a spacey keyboard. So all of the songs have kind of a New Wave style.

That’s a little bit different for you guys.

Yeah, [it's] different from the last [record]. Yeah, all the songs are about space; there’s a ‘Big Bang’ song, ‘Under Zero Gravity,’ there’s a galaxy song…

So there’s a theme – it’s a concept album.

Yeah, all the songs are about space.

Why am I not surprised?

[Laughs] And then also like a cover, ‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun.’

Yeah that’s an interesting choice for a cover. Why did you choose that song?

We wanted a happy song from the early ’80s – Pink [editor’s note – the Peelander-Z band member, not the pop singer] really wanted to sing the same song – and we chose [it] because it’s about partying and [being] happy, and everyone knows it. We made a more spacey sound; we picked this song because it’s [really literal] and [fits our style].

It seems very appropriate, somehow. So Pink sings vocals on that track?

Yeah yeah, this is the best one. It’s a single, for sure.

So you’re still on tour, you’ve got the new record out – what do you see for the future of the band?

We’re thinking the next recording [session will be] soon, maybe July. This tour was a long tour, two months, and now we’re back in New York, so we’ll do the next recording, I hope. Then, in the fall we have another tour.

So you guys are keeping busy?

We are real tuna fish, because if we stop, we die.

Will you be releasing that on Chicken Ranch as well?

Yeah we’re going through Chicken Ranch again, we love Chicken Ranch.

Tell us about your relationship with the label. Do they pretty much let you do whatever you want, creatively?

Yeah they help a lot, that’s why we want to work with them. Chicken Ranch, they are not a [greedy] label, they’re thinking of our future, always. So we’re [going to record with them in Austin]. I have tons of friends over there and they help us in [any way] they can. [On] the new album [they suggested] we write a ballad song, I think you would love it, it’s called, ‘Love Love Peelander-Z.’ We have friends over there, so we’re happy recording over there [in Austin].

You’ve really invented your own genre of comic book punk rock. Do you see yourselves staying with that sort of music, or maybe experimenting more with the New Wave stuff?

We are Japanese-action-comic-entertainment. It’s a little funny, that’s why I say comic. Actually we made a comic, like a real Peelander comic book – the front page is like a Ramones jacket.

On adding new elements to their sound: “It’s a new kind of album because we used electronic drums and a spacey keyboard. So all of the songs have kind of a New Wave style.”

The front looks like a Ramones cover?

Yeah, John Holmstrom [did the art] – he really loves us and works with us right now. So yeah, we have a comic book and animation. I love Pokémon and that’s why I chose yellow [for my costume]. Somebody had to choose Pokémon and I chose Pokémon because I love yellow.

I see. Now last year when you and I spoke, the earthquake in Japan had just happened. How is your family doing and how is everything over there now?

Actually, my family lost their house in the Kobe earthquake [years ago] so this time [they] were OK, they’re more West – everyone in my family is fine over there, but [many people] over there lost something, so I’m sad. I can’t do anything from here, that’s why I want to do a good show, a beautiful show, here. I want to send my energy to them. We are very small, [but we're trying] to be very big so we can say something [that reaches them].

I that know you’re touring the States for the next couple months, and you’ll be on tour again in the fall. Do you ever get a chance to go back and perform in Japan at all?

Yeah I really want to go. But we want to be famous here and then go back to Japan and play a big, big show in Japan. That’s one of our dreams: I want to bring everybody to Japan, including you.

I’ll come! If you pay for my ticket, I will come on tour with you in Japan – we’ll have a great time.

It’ll be a big show; I want to bring everybody from here to there.

Is there anything else that you want to say to our readers?

Peelander-Z plays very hard; please, please come to see what happens at our show, come to see by your eyes and then you can hear something from me. It’s weird but if you come to see our show you’ll understand what I want to say. So Peelander-Z needs you, and you need us. I’m so happy with Performer Magazine, baby!

www.peelander-z.com

Photos by Chase Guthrie