Exclusive Interview: Oryx + Crake, Part 1

Oryx + Crake

Exclusive Interview: Oryx + Crake (Part 1)
August 4, 2010
by: Chuck Norton

Editor’s Note: This is part one of a two-part interview with Oryx + Crake.

The fertile ground of Atlanta’s music scene is producing a new generation of artists embarking on their trek into the music underground and/or mainstream. These acts are not-so-much following the footsteps of those before them as they are finding their own way.

One of these up-and-coming acts is Oryx + Crake. Named after the sci-fi novel by Margaret Atwood, Oryx + Crake is more a collective than a band. Featuring nine members, they are fronted by the husband and wife duo of Ryan Peoples and Rebekah Goode-Peoples. The collective also includes Matt Jarrard (cello), Karyn Lu (violin), Matt Gilbert (electronic drums, home-made midi), Eric Wildes (electric guitar/vocals), Anna Wildes (banjo/vocals), Keith Huff (bass/vocals) and Chris Vanbrackle (percussion).

The band has drawn comparisons to any number of artists ranging from Sparklehorse to Arcade Fire to Broken Social Scene due to the number of musicians and amount of instrumentation on their album. While such comparisons are just, Oryx + Crake is a band with their own sound, which is evident when listening to their recordings.

(DeadJournalist.com featured the band earlier this year as a “Heard First” artist. That article can be found here.)

Their debut album, Oryx + Crake, will be released as part of a CD release show on August 28, 2010 at The Earl in Atlanta. They will be joined by Venice Is Sinking and Book of Colors.

For more information on the band, visit their Web site: www.oryxandcrakeband.com or follow them on Twitter: @OryxnCrake

As part one of a two-part interview with Oryx + Crake, DeadJournalist.com brings you an exclusive background Q&A with all members of the band. (To read part two, an interview with Ryan Peoples, click here.)

Five Questions with Oryx + Crake:

Who are you: Ryan Peoples 
Where are you from: Moultrie, GA
What Instrument(s) do you play: Vocals, guitar (mainly)
When not performing, you: Try to find time to write more while balancing the two kids, two bands, students, wife, etc.
Why not check out: Rebekah’s feet. 

Who are you: Rebekah Goode-Peoples 
Where are you from: Atlanta, GA
What Instrument(s) do you play: Keyboard
When not performing, you: practice being a wife, mother, teacher, writer, professional drinker of Chai
Why not check out: My feet. I have really attractive feet.

Who are you: Matt Jarrard
Where are you from: Indiana
What Instrument(s) do you play: cello, space-cello
When not performing, you: Fund raise, commute, fantasy football
Why not check out: jookabox, margot and the nuclear so and sos, husband and wife (all amazing bands from Indiana)

Who are you: Matt Gilbert
Where are you from: Spartanburg, SC
What Instrument(s) do you play: Handmade MIDI controllers, drum loops
When not performing, you: Video art, animation, crochet, mapping old growth forests, graphic design, teaching
Why not check out: Arthur Gansen, especially Machine with Wishbone and Cory’s Yellow Chair

Who are you: Keith “the magic dragon” Huff
Where are you from: Richmond, VA
What Instrument(s) do you play: Bit of this … bit of that
When not performing, you: Skateboard, read, start the party
Why not check out: everyone!

Who are you: Karyn Lu
Where are you from: Shanghai
What Instrument(s) do you play: Violin
When not performing, you: Travel, read, nap, ride around on two wheels
Why not check out: http://twistori.com/

Who are you: Anna Fowler Wildes
Where are you from: Atlanta, GA
What Instrument(s) do you play: Banjo, Guitar, Piano, Autoharp, Percussion
When not performing, you: I teach fifth graders Science, English and how to be good human beings.  I love on my two and a half month old.  I love on my hubby.  I play with my dogs and cats. I make art and jewelry out of old stuff.  
Why not check out: Masterpiece Mystery on PBS.  

Who are you: Eric Wildes 
Where are you from: Moultrie , Ga.
What Instrument(s) do you play: Play in OC: guitar & slide whistle. Otherwise guitar, bass, keys,  harmonica, banjo … slide whistle.
When not performing, you: Craft bacchanalian witticisms,hand jive, change diapers, complain, etc.
Why not check out:  My thoughts exactly

Who are you: Chris VanBrackle
Where are you from: Savannah, GA
What Instrument(s) do you play: Percussion, Mandolin
When not performing, you:  Study theoretical physics and try to uncover the secrets of the universe
Why not check out:  Céu

To read the in-depth interview with Oryx + Crake’s Ryan Peoples, click here