Dominant Legs

Exclusive Interview: Dominant Legs
October 5, 2011
by Chuck Norton

Have you ever been laid off? If you have, you know it’s a frustrating, worrisome and stressful experience. Family and friends try to lend support by given you words of encouragement. Usually, they are hollow, but the reason they – or we – say them is in the hopes that those hopeful expressions will lead something positive.

When Ryan Lynch was laid off from his corporate job in 2008, he did took advantage of that time do focus on his music. He began writing prolifically; joining forces with Hannah Hunt in 2009 upon her return to San Fransisco from New York, where she had been studying architecture.

Thus, Dominant Legs was born.

Lynch wasn’t a stranger to the San Francisco music-scene. As a touring band-member with both Magic Bullets and Girls, he had cut his teeth on the road with some of the region’s most critically acclaimed acts. But it was that stroke of luck – as bad as it may have seemed at the time – that led to the 2010 EP Dominant Legs released.

Building on the success of, Young at Love and Life, the band added three new members – Rene Solomon, Andrew Connors and Garett Goddard – as they prepared to record their debut LP, Invitation, which was released on September 27, 2011.

The band – that wouldn’t have had life if not for the dreaded lay-off – is on the road touring North America in support of their album. It just shows that sometimes things to work out for the positive.

For more information Dominant Legs, visit their Facebook page.

DeadJournalist.com brings you this exclusive interview with Ryan Lynch of Dominant Legs.

Editor’s Note: This interview was conducted a few days prior to the release of the band’s LP and before they set-out on their Fall 2001 tour.

Dominant Legs - Invitation

With your new LP almost here – how does it feel to have it finally be released?

RL: It hasn’t really hit me yet because there are still a few days left before it’s out. We finished it in May, but it feels like we’ve been waiting much longer than that, as if it would never be released. I’m mostly grateful towards everyone who worked on the album including those who did the artwork, photos and videos. We try our best to always work with friends, so it feels like a celebration between family members.

What drove the creative process behind writing and recording your album? Did you set-out with a certain direction in mind?

RL: Our EP had been out for quite a while before we went in to record the LP, so I had a lot of time to listen to what we started with and consider improvements. The EP almost sounds like demos to me now, which is fine, but I wanted the record to be filled out. It was always our intention to develop into a full band and we finally had the time to do that since I am no longer playing in any other bands.

Also, half of the EP was extremely moody. I wanted the record to be mostly bright and welcoming. I think we achieved that.

How did the addition of members to the band – since your last EP – impact this record? Was there more collaboration during development or was the impact more around the instrumentation?

RL: Each addition helped quite a bit. I don’t have a real knack for percussion, so it was a huge relief when we brought in Rene to play drums. It was much easier to improve the songs once we became a five piece. I have a tendency to be married to a demo version of a song and can be really stubborn about straying from the original. It was easy to let go this time around because everyone brought in great ideas an parts of their own. So, it was a both the development and instrumentation. Sometimes you worry about having to many cooks in the kitchen, but it actually gave us more freedom.

How have you evolved as a song-writer since the inception of Dominant Legs in ’08? Do you feel as though you are always striving for that perfect song?

RL: 2008 was important for me because I found what works for my song writing. I still work on songs where I just stop, put down what I’m playing and say, “This isn’t right!!” but before 2008 I had felt like everything was wrong. The first song that made sense, where I thought, “This is me” was “Just Silly Ones.” This song hasn’t been released, but I consider it to be the first Dominant Legs song.

I wasn’t considering any influences when I wrote and it just came naturally. So, at this point I am not trying to write a perfect song. Just trying to stay honest with them and improve where I can while referring to that realization.

How did your time with Magic Bullets and Girls impact you as an artist? Likewise, what lessons did you learn that you were able to apply to the non-musical side of the music business?

RL: The members of Magic Bullets where sort of my personal DJ’s. They are also my best friends, but they are the people who introduce me to new music. I get obsessed with bands easily, while they on the other hand are listening to new stuff every day. I lived with all of them, so I couldn’t help but get turned on to bands I wouldn’t have searched for on my own. I also took the Nile Rodgers/Chic influence from Corey. We started playing like that, or trying to, right before I left the band.

Chris and JR have a great respect for their songs. Not in the sense that they are constantly patting themselves on the back, but in a way that they are telling themselves, “This is YOUR art, give it care and attention. Do it right.” I’ve tried to approach my work the same.

I also found out that I could handle extensive touring. Actually, I found out that I love touring. I have a great time. You can ask them.

As an artist – what is it that inspires and motivates you? Has this changed as you have gotten older?

RL: I’m inspired by other artist who are themselves. I’m also inspired by the San Francisco Giants and San Jose Sharks. I admire their work ethic. I wish I spent as much time refining my craft as they do.

How does your album translate to your live performance? Do you try to maintain consistency from show-to-show or do you tailor each performance to location and mood?

RL: There are certain nights when you know such and such songs are just not going to work, but for the most part we’re just hoping to play all of them the best we can. There were a few tracks that had electronic drums on the album that have been replaced with a real kit for the live show, so that will be different. We wanted to ditch samples for now and just go out and play.

With your Fall ’11 tour about to kick-off, to which part(s) of touring are you most looking forward? What are the most challenging aspects?

RL: I was touring for a full year before January of this year, so it has felt a bit strange to be home for so long. I’m looking forward to the travel and being in a new place every night. I’m NOT looking forward to managing the whole thing.

With Girls I only had to worry about getting in the van at the right time in the morning. Now I have to deal with expenses. I’m being a baby. Waaaa waaaa.

The most challenging aspect will be to wrangle our drummer. He likes to wander a bit. I once saw him leaving one of our shows, so I asked him where he was going. “Oh, I’m going to go see the Ariel Pink show. I’ll be back.” He came back and walked on stage seconds before our set time.

I love him though.

What is the most bizarre thing that has occurred to you while being on tour?

RL: We hit deer once, which was really sad. We were running very late to an in-store and showed up with blood and feces all over the front of our van. We had no time to clean it off.

How does social media and social networking impact how you market the band? Do you – or other band members – use it to cultivate relationships with your fans? Are there any drawbacks to this?

RL: I try to make our Facebook page as personal as it can be. For the final week before the release I’ve been posting lyrics of one track from the album each day so that they are available to whoever is interested. When I do post anything I include my name so they know it’s me and not just someone who’s been asked to monitor our web presence. Hannah and I tweet quite frequently: @dominantlynchie and @LITTLE_EMPEROR.

But for the most part we try to let the album and shows speak for themselves. There’s a draw back to social networking when it gets to the point that people are inundated with posts about your band and feel like they aren’t getting any thing substantial or they get tired of hearing about you. We haven’t got to that point yet. If it does, I’d like to think we would be careful about what gets out there.

Is there an artist that you’ve encountered recently that you’ve been recommending to your friends?

RL: Carletta Sue Kay.

What were you listening to in 2001?

RL: Pink Floyd, Yes, The Doors.

Which do you prefer: MP3, CD, Tape or Vinyl?

Vinyl.

Web site(s) you read regularly?

RL: SJSHARKS.COM, Fearthefin.

One Drink. One Movie. One Album.

RL: Vodka Tonic, ‘Wild At Heart’ , Blonde On Blonde.

Nikki Lane (Photo: Glynis Selina Arban)

Nikki Lane may be a budding, cross-over star going into 2012, but her back-story more closely resembles that of 1950′s and 1960′s-era female country singers than those of her contemporaries. Frankly, that’s part of the appeal.

But don’t think this is a hard-luck story. This is more of a hard-work story.

Lane (born Nicole Lane Frady), dropped out of high school in Greenville, SC and headed to Los Angeles because, as she says of the South as she knew it, “People expect you to go to a four-year college, get married and follow that Southern way of life. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do but I knew it wasn’t being offered to me.”

After arriving in LA, she worked various jobs for five years – including starting her own shoe line – before moving to New York after to take a corporate job despite having start writing and performing in LA.

As Lane says, “I’d always wanted to live in New York and somehow ended up talking my way into a really well paying job. That was an opportunity I couldn’t say no to. And so I moved and for a year didn’t even touch music. It was like something I’d just tried once. I’d written a couple songs and that was the end of it.”

But that wasn’t the end of it. Thanks to the break-up with an ex-boyfriend, heartbreak brought her back to music.

“I was like, fuck that,” Lane explains, “Why does he get to make a record in Atlanta while I’m sitting in New York crying? So I just sat down with a guitar, I didn’t have anything going on, I didn’t have many friends in the city that weren’t his friends, it’s freezing in New York and I’d quit my job, so basically for three months I holed up in this apartment and I just wrote.”

During that time is when she began listening to singer-songwriters like Waylon Jennings, Loretta Lynn, John Prine and Merle Haggard and found a connection to her own music. That connection inspired her writing and led to her 2009 move to Nashville.

In 2009 she self-released, No Room for Cowboys, before moving back to New York as a musician. After signing with IAMSOUND, she released an EP, Gone, Gone, Gone, in July 2011, and on September 27, she released her full-length album, Walk of Shame.

Lane’s unique, retro sound has caught the attention of a significant number of main-stream publications – like Vogue.com, Entertainment Weekly, Paste, FOAM, Luckymag.com, American Songwriter, Marie Claire and Urban Outfitters – who have all featured her and her music.

Lane has moved back to Nashville where she also owns and operates a vintage boutique called High Class Hillbilly when not on the road performing. This Fall, she has a number of performances scheduled in Nashville.

For more information on Lane and her music, you can visit her Facebook page or follow her on Twitter.

DeadJournalist.com brings you this exclusive interview with Nikki Lane.

How does it feel to be so close to the release of your new album and have so many big-name publications/outlets behind your work? Is there any added pressure for you because of it?

NL: It’s unbelievable. I figured the EP would help us get the attention of writers and magazines, but I wasn’t expecting such a good response. I mean, I guess that’s what I was hoping for. I wouldn’t say I feel more pressured now, but I can see the pile of responsibility growing. Good response = muy travel, and muy work. But I’m ready, born ready.

What drove the creative process behind writing and recording your album?

NL: Well, i guess it was the process itself that kept things brewing. I co-wrote with about a dozen writers, sometimes pairs of writers. that’s a dozen different personalities. So everyday I walked into a different room, with a different vibe, and it pulled a different topic out of my brain. I kept a little notebook full of ideas, waiting for the time to use them. it was fun to include other writers input in the process. i learned a lot, like how to write a good bridge.

As an artist – what is it that inspires and motivates you? How to you apply the influences of other artists into your own music?

NL: Life is what inspires me. I try to get into as many things as possible, to create more experiences for inspiration. For me, I couldn’t really see myself writing too much about a topic I couldn’t explain first hand, so I try to stir up some trouble, so I have something good to talk about. I find myself subconsciously imitating other artists, but when I do, I try to push the other direction. I mean, it’s nice to sound familiar, but you don’t want to end up writing over other peoples melodies just because you have had them stuck in your head forever.

How does your album translate to your live performance? Do you try to maintain consistency from show-to-show or do you tailor each performance to location and mood?

NL: I prefer the latter. Being “cross over” means that different venue and audiences are leaning in for a better listen. For me that makes it more fun, getting real country one night at a festival and having the steel player whine on forever the next night in a Hollywood night club. I love the sound of the record, so I want it to be a strong reference for my players, which lately have been sporadic because of traveling, but I don’t want them to focus so hard on copying the damn thing that they forget to find the vibe.

Which do you enjoy more: writing, recording or performing?

NL: Oh, I’m awful at choosing, I guess it’d be recording, although it represents so few hours compared to the other two. writing and performing, there’s room for imperfection, it’s not sealed in stone. Recording, I really push myself to hit every note, and to make sure the melody is as strong as it can be, before it’s locked down for the listener to tune into anytime they want. I know these days, you can make a vocal comp of just about any kind of mess, but I like to see the producers eyes growing as I inch towards the end of a near perfect take.

What are the biggest challenges for you – both as a performer and personally – for being on the road? Conversely, to what are you most looking forward?

NL: Keeping my voice is what I’m focused on the most. I’m a talker, and traveling puts a strain on my voice, never mind the fact I’m singing every night. It’s also hard to leave Joe and the dogs behind all the time, and a big ol’ bed. but it’s amazing to meet people every night and chat about how they ended up at the show, I’m a natural salesman, so my favorite part of the whole process is winning over fans and finding friends all over.

Have you seen benefits or detriments from the intimacy your fans have to the band because of Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc.? How does social media and social networking impact how you market the work?

NL: I don’t think I have enough fans yet for anything too drastic to have happened, but I feel like it could go either way. you just have to make sure you are networking well enough to have the good out weigh the bad.

Is there an artist that you’ve encountered recently that you’ve been recommending to your friends? What classic artists do you refer?

NL: Natural Child, our favorite band to see live in Nashville. John Prine, Townes Van Zandt, Neil Young, Loretta, Waylon.

What were you listening to in 2001?

NL: Oh, hm. i’m terrible at years. Radiohead, Muse, Mazzy Star, Pete Yorn, Jimmy Eat World, Jeff Buckley

Which do you prefer: MP3, CD, Tape or Vinyl?

NL: MP3 for convenience sake. Vinyl when we’re at the house.

Web site(s) you read regularly?

NL: I don’t. At least not regularly. By the time I check my Facebook, Twitter, bank account, and Etsy, I’m plum worn out.

One Drink. One Movie. One Album.

NL: The Carpenter – a pimm’s cup topped with champagne. no fruit.
‘The Royal Tenenbaum’s – Never gets old.
After the Goldrush – Oh Neil.

Active Child

Exclusive Interview: Active Child
September 1, 2011
by Chuck Norton

Rather than write a long, elaborate introduction for my interview with Pat Grossi – the man that is Active Child – I’m going to let his words speak for themselves … for the most part.

When the first tracks from the recently release Active Child debut album, You Are All I See, started making the rounds, it was easy to understand why this album and artist have been generating such positive percussion from music-listening masses. The album is simply gorgeous.

For me, the feeling I get listening to it is not dissimilar from how I felt about the Gayngs album last year … the more I listen, the better it gets. To me, that’s the high-water mark for quality.

After two years – and one EP late last year – Grossi released the Active Child album on August 23, 2011. His diligence and thoughtfulness as an artist is paying off in the success of the album. I think you’ll find that shine through in this interview, just as it did on You Are All I See.

For more information on Active Child, visit his Web site or follow him on Twitter.

DeadJournalist.com proudly brings you this exclusive interview with Pat Grossi, aka, Active Child.

Pat Grossi

Just about every artist I’ve interviewed says that the “critical buzz” isn’t something they focus on or allow to impact them. You’re new album, You Are All I See, has generated a lot of press and praise in the last few weeks. So I’ll ask you … What do you think about hype and attention the album has been getting in advance of its release?

PG: First off, I’ll say that any artist who manages to tune out the “critical buzz” is a better man or woman than I. I find myself way too often reading reviews, tweets, comments on blogs. It can be a little overwhelming at times. I think for me it’s just so early that I can’t help but feel a little fragile.

That said, I am very very excited about the hype and attention thus far. I’ve only read a few negative reviews, that stung a little bit. But when I finished the album, I sat down and listened through it a few times. And at the end of the day it is something that I am incredibly proud of.

What were the biggest challenges for you when writing and recording this album? What have you learned during the process that will help you in the future?

PG: For me, one of the biggest challenges feeds into the previous question. There’s a distinct change, I think, in an artist, when you go from creating something in your own world, almost completely unaware of what others will think. You sit there and make something and think, wow I really like this. It’s interesting to me. But then when the attention comes along, suddenly you have the other guy looking over your shoulder.

There’s a certain innocence that is lost, that is kind of a shame. But it also propels you forward to test yourself and see how far you can really push it. I’ve learned a lot from recording this last album, most notably, give yourself plenty of time and try to find a space away from your home to write and explore.

Musically, how does the new album differ from your 2010 EP?

PG: I really wanted to create a more diverse sound bed for this album. I wanted more nuance and unexpected moments. The EP focused primarily on a lot of borrowed nostalgia from the ’80′s, and the new album has plenty of that don’t get me wrong. But for this, I wanted to use those elements and try to make them my own. I also wanted to focus more on incorporating the harp and creating a more classical tone.

“Johnny Belinda” was one of the last songs I wrote for the album, and I think I was finally getting into my groove of what I wanted the songs to feel like. In the end I think this album is really a bridge to something else, a little bit of the EP and a little bit of what may be around the bend.

Active Child – I’m In Your Church At Night from Active Child on Vimeo.

How did Ariel Rechtshaid, who produced the album, impact the finish product?

PG: Ariel was crucial to the final product. I came to him with a bunch of different demos, some more finished than others. We sat down and picked through the strongest ones, re-recorded the vocals and started to attack the composition and sound choices on each. I had a lot of ideas that I wanted to try, but didn’t really know how to do them.

It was refreshing to be able to sit down with someone and voice those ideas and then see them come to life. One moment that sticks out in my memory is the night we finished the vocals at the end of “Way Too Fast”. I was finally feeling zoned and relaxed around him and just kept vamping through the outro. Ariel started twisting and turning knobs on his harmonizer and delay racks, just getting real weird with it. And that section ended up being one of the eeriest and most beautiful moments on the record.

“It would be nice if the best songs came from happiness, right?” – Pat Grossi

What drives the creative process behind writing and recording your music? What provided the inspiration for this album?

PG: I think sources inspiration for me are always changing. But one source that is consistent, and I think nearly every songwriter can attest to this, is heartache. As cliche as it sounds, the best inspiration for my music is feeling emotionally destroyed. That period of time when you feel cut open and raw is usually when I am at my best. Which is a damn shame. It would be nice if the best songs came from happiness, right?

Which do you enjoy more: writing, recording or performing?

PG: I’ll take writing over anything. There is no better feeling for me than when I am in my space and in my zone. There’s a moment when suddenly you have something special that wasn’t there before. That is my favorite time. Sounds narcissistic, but I like soaking in that moment and having it for myself for a little while. But occasionally, under the right circumstances, performing live can be a really heavy and rewarding experience.

You’ve been in residency at The Echo in Los Angeles for the past few weeks as you get ready for your Fall tour. Were you using this time to put the finishing touches on your live performances? Have you made any performance modifications during this time?

PG: Yeah, it’s definitely been a time to explore these new songs live and see how people react to them. See what works, what doesn’t. The response so far has been really overwhelming. I’ve been on the verge of tears multiple nights, just so blown away that all of these people go out of their way to stand in a stinky sweaty venue every Monday, just to hear me and my band play songs. I’m starting to believe that they actually like me, and it’s not just the buzz driving them through the door. Ha.

How does your album translate to your live performance? Do you try to maintain consistency from show-to-show or do you tailor each performance to location and mood?

PG: It’s always been incredibly stressful for me, dissecting these songs for live shows. In a perfect world, I would have everyone playing all the parts, multiple harps, strings quartet, small choir, random percussion section, timpani, chimes, gongs, etc. I have so many ideas for the live show, but some of them are way down the line.

Really what I want to convey most is the emotional intensity of the album. I think, before, when I was opening for other bands I felt like I had to somehow accommodate my set to their fan base. But now, I think I’m more confident in myself and the music.

Pat Grossi

On you upcoming Fall tour you’ll be performing with Com Truise (Seth Haley) and Chad Valley. Have you played with either of those guys before? If not, what are you looking forward to their involvement?

PG: I’ve never played with either one of them before, although Seth and I hung out for a bit when he was out in LA for a show. I’m a fan of both artists, they both bring really interesting takes on retro-futuristic electronics. I think I’m just looking forward to touring with two artists who are young in their careers and eager to get out and share their music just like me. It’s gonna be a fun month!

What are the biggest challenges for you – both as a performer and personally – for being on the road? Conversely, to what are you most looking forward?

PG: Being on the road is work, there’s just no way around it. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun and incredibly rewarding.

The toughest parts for me personally are living out of my suitcase, sleeping in crusty motel rooms, and missing my girlfriend. I’m a home body, so being out in a club type setting night after night can be pretty exhausting.

On the flip side though, there is no better feeling than playing a really good show for a good crowd. Hearing peoples feedback after a show always makes everything worth it.

How does social media and social networking impact how you market the work?

PG: Social networking is crazy now. The fan and artist are closer than they have ever been before. You gotta be careful with this sometimes, people will get creepy on you.

Have you seen benefits or detriments from the intimacy your fans have to the band because of Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc.?

PG: I think it has been much more of a benefit than anything else. It’s a really great feeling to see people taking the time to write you a nice little note or compliment. And it’s been huge just as a tool to spread the word, spread the music and keep people up to date with what you are doing.

Is there an artist that you’ve encountered recently that you’ve been recommending to your friends?

PG: Balam Acab. I’ve had his new album on repeat in my world for the last month or so. It will be out soon and it’s something you should definitely seek out.

What were you listening to in 2001?

PG: Big L The Big Picture

Which do you prefer: MP3, CD, Tape or Vinyl?

PG: Vinyl all day.

Web site(s) you read regularly?

NY Times

One Drink. One Movie. One Album.

PG: Makers on the rocks. The Godfather: Part II. The National High Violet

Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Exclusive Interview: Unknown Mortal Orchestra
August 28, 2011
by: Chuck Norton

Ruban Neilson came to Portland, OR, from his native New Zealand because of one band. But it was another one that is making him a house-hold name in the inner circles of emerging music.

Once you hear that new band – Unknown Mortal Orchestra – you’ll likely not mistake it with any other current musical offering. The band, also know by UMO, released the song “Ffunny Ffriends” as a solitary single on their BandCamp page late in 2010. By the Summer of 2011, they released their debut self-titled LP and the song “How Can U Luv Me” was in regular rotation on Sirius XMU.

The band – which includes Portland producer Jake Portrait on bass and Julien Ehrich on drums – is getting ready to tour with Toro Y Moi before beginning their first headlining tour. And in the biggest news – found in the interview below – Nielson reveled that he is working on material for a new album.

For more information on the band, visit their Web site or follow them on Twitter.

DeadJournalist.com brings you this exclusive interview with Ruban Nielson of Unknown Mortal Orchestra.

Now that Summer ’11 is almost over, how crazy has this year been for the band? From an outsider’s perspective, you guys are on quite the assent.

RN: We’ve had a chance to take our first proper break of the whole year and for me personally it was spent detoxing and doing damage control with my health and peace of mind. It does seem like a lot has happened in a short period of time and we kind of jumped in with no reservations. I feel fighting fit again for this tour with Toro Y Moi and our first headlining tour after that.

The band seems to have a lot of fans among your peers. How does it make you feel to know that your fellow musicians are interested and excited by your music?

RN: I think a lot of the time musicians are super fans anyway. It’s a good thing because musicians can be really negative with things they don’t like too so we mostly escaped that so far. People who make music can tell how much love went into the record and how much work we put into our touring and live shows, so it’s appreciation of work as well, maybe.

Ruban Nielson (Photo via Unknown Mortal Orchestra)

How does the music you created for Unknown Mortal Orchestra differ from the music you were writing prior to the band’s formation?

RN: It was a really solitary experience making the UMO record. I was more used to running everything past other people before. I feel like the UMO record was the first time the record turned out almost identical to what I was hearing in my head. Before I was just one of the people throwing my ideas into the hat and hoping they’d get onto the record ok.

What drove the creative process behind writing and recording your album? Did you set-out with the sound in mind?

RN: I had a real desire to make this psych record for myself. Whether anyone heard it or not wasn’t important. I knew the way I wanted the record to make me feel. I wanted to put all my favorite things in there.

How do you see the band evolving musically? Speaking of, are you working on material for new EP/LP?

RN: I’ve been working pretty obsessively on the next record the last two weeks actually. I’m arranging the new songs for when we start recording which will probably be the beginning of next year. I’m really excited. The way I see it, the challenge is how to make the production and recording of the next record exciting and be a step forward without losing the things that made the first record charming to people. I have a few ideas about how to make that happen and who could help me do it.

As an artist – what is it that inspires and motivates you?

RN: I get inspired by things that are a mystery and are difficult to figure out. Things that are halfway between one world and another. Things like that disrupt the way the world is going, which to me is increasingly worked out and intolerant of ambiguities.

The technique of today is to turn all ambiguities and mysteries into categories so you can write everything off. Artists get weakened by this process but people like politicians and the directors of corporations get more power from it. It’s like the victory of the squares, and the reason that sounds cheesy as a phrase is because of the very process I’m talking about.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – ‘Little Blu House’ from 4eyes on Vimeo.

Which do you enjoy more: writing, recording or performing?

RN: It’s a cycle. Writing and recording can be incredible and can charge your batteries really well. Also having the time to say what you really mean is so rare in life but with writing and recording you can sometimes do that. Then you get cabin fever and need to use those batteries up by getting out and playing for people, and you can reach these weird moments on stage where the really annoying, busy part of your brain has just switched off and it feels incredible and is super addictive. Then you get worn out and you need to climb back into the cabin.

How does your album translate to your live performance? Do you try to maintain consistency from show-to-show or do you tailor each performance to location and mood?

RN: We mostly tailor it. Some nights we decide to turn all the lights off and play in pitch black darkness. We always talk about the pros and cons of each performance and work on getting it to be a balance of the sounds on the record and having the show be different every night. We want to be one of those bands you can see multiple times in a row and every night be a different experience. We like it when people follow us from town to town.

“Being on tour can be a weird mixture of having this camaraderie and also being super lonely. It’s like a rolling party but after a while you just need to collapse in your mother’s lap for a while or something.” – Ruban Neilson

What are the biggest challenges for you – both as a performer and personally – for being on the road? Conversely, to what are you most looking forward?

RN: Being on tour can be a weird mixture of having this camaraderie and also being super lonely. It’s like a rolling party but after a while you just need to collapse in your mother’s lap for a while or something.

The thing I like is that I’m really restless and find it hard to sleep at night and when you’re on the road you can find yourself surrounded by people who are just as restless as you are and then things happen that will probably make good stories later in life of you can remember them.

When you were looking to move from New Zealand to the States, what make you choose Portland? How did you find the members to fill out the band?

RN: I have some family in Portland and I stayed with them for two weeks and basically fell in love with it. I moved over from New Zealand with this other band I was in but when the band broke up I decided to stay in Portland.

I met Jake who plays bass in the band through another musician friend. Jake and I always had really interesting conversations about music and his main thing is recording but he’s a really talented musician as well.

Julien, the drummer, is a family friend of Jake’s. When we were looking to add a drummer Jake showed me a video of him playing on youtube and I really liked it so we asked him if he’d quit college to go on the road with us.

Yourstru.ly Presents: UMO “How Can You Luv Me” from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

Have you seen benefits or detriments from the intimacy your fans have to the band because of Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc.? How does social media and social networking impact how you market the work?

RN: I’m not really sure. I think it’s better that these things exist but the sprawl of the internet is sometimes kind of ugly and soulless. I don’t have issues with intimacy. I still keep a lot of secrets.

Is there an artist that you’ve encountered recently that you’ve been recommending to your friends?

RN: I still feel like I’m still trying to get people to give UMO a chance!

What were you listening to in 2001?

RN: I’d listen to the Misfits pretty much every day.

Which do you prefer: MP3, CD, Tape or Vinyl?

RN: Well, obviously they all have different qualities. I generally prefer cassette and vinyl sonically, but they’re a hassle in most situations now. CDs remind me of a time when a lot more hi-fi records were around, and that era is pretty specific now. You don’t get too many records that sound like Nevermind these days. I associate CDs with this huge open wide crystal clear sound which is really cool when you’re in the mood. MP3 is amazing because it put every record I ever dreamed of in my pocket.

Web site(s) you read regularly?

RN: Gmail and Twitter … haha. I haven’t had that much time to do websites this year. I used to go on reddit a lot but that’s either gotten a lot worse or I’m just over it. I’m trying to read books again and it’s working because I read them on my phone.

One Drink. One Movie. One Album.

RN: Raspberry vodka and Dr. Pepper. Shogun Assassin. Madcap Laughs.

Reading Rainbow (Photo by Kirstie Shanley via Facebook)

Exclusive Interview: Reading Rainbow (Now Bleeding Rainbow)
08.02.11
by Chuck Norton

Editor’s Note: Reading Rainbow changed their name to Bleeding Rainbow in December 2011.

When you think about the current, post-indie music-scape, Philadelphia is probably not the first city that comes to mind. But don’t sleep on the city of brotherly love. A number of musical acts have emerged from the city with a rich musical heritage, including the band Reading Rainbow.

From the early dates of rock ‘n roll, acts like Chubby Checker and Frankie Avalon called Philadelphia home. In the ’60′s and ’70′s artists like Patti LaBelle created the “Philadelphia Soul” and throughout the decades the city has continued to create such pop stars as Hall & Oates, Will Smith and John Legend.

With the notable exception of The Dead Milkmen, the last six decades of music from Philadelphia has been absent of influential and emerging acts in rock. But within the last few years, that has begun to change. Acts like Dr. Dog, Sunny Day in Glasgow and Man Man began a rock-influenced rebirth in the city. More recently Kurt Vile, Free Energy, Sun Airway and Reading Rainbow have become darlings of emerging music critics and fans.

Reading Rainbow was formed by Rob Garcia and Sarah Everton with the recently added Al Creedon rounding out the three-piece band. The two founding members launched the band after moving to Philadelphia where Garcia works for an engineering firm and Everton recently completed her MFA.

The two met as students at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., where they performed as Forensic Teens which they disbanded the band prior to their move to Philadelphia.

Although heavily influenced by the ’70′s synth-punk band The Screamers for their previous project, Reading Rainbow has a more lo-fi, garage-pop sound that draws upon a diverse number on musical influences. Most often the band draws comparisons to The Vasolines, the Dum Dum Girls and – because Garcia and Everton are married – to Mates of State.

The band’s most recent album, Prism Eyes, was released in November 2010 but they are working on new material (as you can read below). The band sets out on another tour this Fall with Eternal Summers beginning on September 7, 2011 in Washington, D.C. They will be in Atlanta on September 9th for a show at Drunken Unicorn.

For more information on the band, visit their Web site/blog or follow them on Twitter.

DeadJournalist.com brings you this exclusive interview with Sarah Everton and Rich Garcia of Reading Rainbow.

The band just recently announced dates this fall with Eternal Summers. How excited are you to tour with them? Will you be playing new material during those shows?

SE: Oh man, more than any other band touring with ES would be a dream. They’re our best friends, favorite band, they have a 12 seat passenger van, and also eat health food and drink kombucha! Can’t wait!

We are definitely going to be playing new songs. We already have a few that we’ve played out once so far. Plan on writing and practicing as much as possible before the tour.

Now that the band is performing as a three-piece, how does that alter your live performance?

SE: Well on our albums and 7″s we always have multiple guitar parts, so having Al play those second parts is really crucial. We really prided ourselves on getting as big a sound as possible when it was just the two of us; but the time came to expand. I’m also playing a full drum kit live now, so both additions just make it much larger and expansive.

Reading Rainbow – “Always On My Mind”

What drives the creative process behind writing and recording your music? What provides the inspiration behind your songs?

SE: I’d say restlessness, nervousness, anxiety, love, and fucking the system drive us to create art and music. These also are the inspiration for the songs. It’s how we can process and deal with life.

What are the biggest challenges for you when writing and recording an album? What have you learned during the process in the last few years that will help you in the future?

SE: Biggest #1 challenge is working around Rob’s job. It takes up a huge part of his time and energy, so we end up writing, practicing and recording much more last minute than we would like. We recorded three brand new songs in June at a studio where recorded some of Prism Eyes, and it was just about as last minute as we could handle ever again. We did everything in two days including learning the drum parts, writing the lyrics, comprising the melodies and harmonies – and I was sick. It sucked, but ruled. In the end the songs are our best so far, but we HAVE to set aside more time in the future.

Speaking of the future, are you working on/do you have new material that you will be releasing during the last half of 2011?

SE: Yes as far as working on new material – Not so sure about it being released before the end of 2011. We will have a little something coming out in August though. We’re actually all going to be working on a tour zine with a tour edition tape of songs. And hopefully we will be releasing a new album in early 2012.

Reading Rainbow - Prism Eyes

Which do you enjoy more: writing, recording or performing?

SE: Performing – even though it’s stressful, nerve racking, and a mind fuck. I think unless you’re a natural born performer who loves being the center of attention, it’s kind of masochistic to put yourself through it and still enjoy it. The best is when you’re touring and you’ve made it through the first few shows. Then it feels more natural and really exhilarating.

As much as people talk about Toronto, Brooklyn, Portland or even Atlanta, the number of high-quality acts coming out of Philadelphia these days is staggering. What do you think has contributed to the city’s surge in the post-indie scene?

SE: That’s interesting to hear since being from Philly it’s hard to gauge what outsiders think about it. I’d say in the last year or two alone the number of bands we personally enjoy has really grown. I think here people really have a chance to focus on their own thing, and afford to live and practice here (compared to San Francisco, New York, etc). It’s also conveniently located to other cities and easy to go on short little tours.

How does the reality of being a touring musician differ from what you though it would be like when you were younger and just starting out?

SE: It’s easier than we thought it would be. I remember being really scared we’d burn-out or get sick of it; but we really love it. As long as you take care of yourself (not drink toooo [sic] much, get enough sleep and eat healthy) you can really focus on playing well and having a really good time.

Was there a band or artist who made the extra effort to take you under their wing when you were just beginning to perform? What was the best advise you received about being a musician?

SE: Crocodiles have been really great friends to us. They’ve been in bands forever and have put us in touch with great people – like Dum Dum Girls who we also love forever. They’re all really encouraging, sweet people who we respect and who also play great music. They have helped us out even though they’re really busy – like when Brandon and Dee Dee put out one of our 7″s on their label Zoo Music.

What’s the most bizarre thing that’s happen to you while on tour?

SE: Honestly we’ve lucked out. The first tour we ever went on across the country in 2009, a really drugged out girl acted like she wanted to have a three-way with us. (Daniel from Eternal Summers can verify this story.) That was strange.

How does social media and social networking impact how you market the band?

SE: HAHAHA! I guess it just shows people we are alive between releases and big news and announcements. We used to be embarrassed by social networking, now we think its hilarious and useful. (see our twitter)

Have you seen benefits or detriments from the intimacy your fans have to the band because of Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc.?

SE: I really enjoy being able to address people directly through Facebook, twitter and our blog so that people can see we’re not taking ourselves too seriously. I don’t like the idea of letting everybody in on every aspect of our lives, but I don’t want to be all mysterious or anything.

Is there an artist that you’ve encountered recently that you’ve been recommending to your friends?

SE: Broken Water, Puffy Aereolas, Leather

What were you listening to in 2001?

SE: Modest Mouse (pre their shitty Sony record), Radiohead, Belle and Sebastian, Blur, Graham Coxon, Bjork, Sleater Kinney

RG: Stereolab, Astrud Gilberto, Jobim, Hendrix, Blur

Which do you prefer: MP3, CD, Tape or Vinyl?

Aesthically and ideally vinyl, but recently we’ve been too lazy to listen to records and it’s just been mp3s.

Web site(s) you read regularly?

SE: Fecal Face, NPR, The Selby, Pitchfork (semi-reg)

One Drink. One Movie. One Album.

SE: Whiskey hot toddy with honey and lemon, “Ghostworld”, Loveless by MBV

RG: Whiskey, “Blue Velvet”, EVOL by SY

Teen Daze

Exclusive Interview: Teen Daze
July 22, 2011
by Chuck Norton

Interviews can get redundant both for the interviewer and for the interviewee. Its just the nature of the game. But every once-in-a-while an interview will happen that reminds me why I still enjoy doing this musical journalist thing – and more importantly – why I love music.

Teen Daze is a project by a Vancouver artist who simply goes by Jamison. He’s about to release his second EP in September. Periodically over the past year, I’ve gotten press releases about Teen Daze. In the last month, two tracks have been release from his upcoming EP, A Silent Planet. I liked them enough to post them and set-up this interview.

He’s an interesting guy. He spent time studying philosophy in the Swiss Alps. He read a lot and was profoundly moved by C.S. Lewis. Upon his return to Canada, he moved to his parents house in the Fraser Valley at the base of Mt. Cheam. And he wrote music – which as he points out in this interview – is something is just “wired to do.”

Teen Daze – “Surface”

Along with his own work, he also began dabbling in remixing songs for other artists. He’s a perfect guy to be labeled a “Renaissance man” but might minimize his talent as a musician.

There’s reason enough to like Teen Daze just for his music, but for me, its nice to connect to an artist in ways beyond their music. When you find out they drink the same drinks you do or when they like the same artists you like, it closes the gap between a voice on a track and the person behind it.

No matter how old I get – and I’m not a spring chicken anymore – music can still make be feel young. Teen Daze exemplifies the personal intimacy and connection a listener can have with an artist and their music – and why as much as I might consider myself a journalist, I am at my core, a music fan.

For more information on Teen Daze, visit his Web site or follow him on Twitter.

DeadJournalist.com brings you this exclusive interview with Jamison AKA Teen Daze.

With two tracks already available from your upcoming EP, you seem to be building quite the buzz amongst the online music community. What were hoping to create when you set-out to put the EP together? At its completion, did you find it evolved significantly from its original concept?

J: The buzz that comes along with a release is always really cool to me, but it’s never something that I think about going into the writing/recording of a record. Obviously I want it to be well received, and to have this buzz, because it makes me feel good to know that people are really connecting with the tracks. But that’s not the motivation for creating it. I don’t think the record has evolved from its original concept; it’s still the same creation, it just now has the attention of more people.

“I really don’t have that many challenges when it comes to writing/recording. Since Four More Years came out, I’ve probably written and recorded 100 songs. It’s just what I’m wired to do.” – Teen Daze

What drives the creative process behind writing and recording your music? What provides the inspiration for it?

J: A lot of things: a record like Four More Years was inspired almost solely by my friends, and the people around me; A Silent Planet draws its inspiration from the Space Trilogy novels of CS Lewis, combined with the natural beauty of the scenery I get to see every day (living in British Columbia, Canada). In terms of creative process, most songs are written and recorded at the same time, which means that the act of recording is as much a part of the creative process as the actual writing.

What are the biggest challenges for you when writing and recording an album? What have you learned during the process in the last few years that will help you in the future?

J: I really don’t have that many challenges when it comes to writing/recording. Since Four More Years came out, I’ve probably written and recorded 100 songs. It’s just what I’m wired to do. In terms of what I’ve learned over the past few years, it’s that there’s nothing wrong with trying out new things in the recording process. I get into habits when it comes to working with different software, re-using ideas that I know work. But it’s fun to try and completely re-invent the way I do things, and to try and use limitations in the studio. It forces me to think outside the box, which normally produces some interesting new sounds.

Along with your own music, you’ve also remixed a number of songs by other artists. How does the work involved in those projects compare to your personal projects? Do you find it more recreational and enjoyable?

J: It’s definitely a recreational experience for me. Some of the first remixes I did were “remix contest” submissions, for bands like Phoenix and Passion Pit. Those mixes were all really fun to do, and I feel like I got the hang of how to do something I was proud of. It’s definitely still recreational and fun for me, there’s just more responsibility that comes along with it. When the mix has to be approved by the band’s label, it means you can’t just screw around with the track, and expect people to like it.

You had the opportunity to sped time abroad for an extended period of time. How did that impact you personally and professionally?

J: It impacted me immensely. My trip was centered around the idea of experiencing different European centers of worship, and studying philosophy. It was a very spiritual trip for me, and I feel like I had a lot of my “big questions” answered on that trip.

Is there a band or artist who has made the extra effort to take you under their wing?

J: I think Cecil and the boys from Gobble Gobble would take that one. They’ve always been a source of inspiration and encouragement for me. It’s so exciting for me to see the amazing things they’re doing with Gobble Gobble, and with their side-projects (Purity Ring/Kuhrye-oo).

Teen Daze - A Silent Planet

What are the biggest challenges you face as a musician on a day-to-day basis?

J: I think at this point, it’s the challenge of not completely abandoning the normal model of how a record is released. I love posting music online for free, and I love sharing as much music with people as possible. But I understand that too much of something can ruin it for people; if I flood their feeds with MP3s, people will get over saturated.

How does social media and social networking impact how you market the work?

J: It’s a more direct form of marketing; you can market something very specifically, and with a very personal touch. A “press release” can now consist of me writing a 140 character tweet!

Have you seen benefits or detriments from the intimacy your fans have to the band because of Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc.?

J: Benefits for the most part. Everyone seems to be pretty gracious and friendly when interacting on the various Teen Daze pages. That being said, I keep my personal stuff somewhat undercover, just so I can keep a separation between the two.

Is there an artist that you’ve encountered recently that you’ve been recommending to your friends?

J: Youth Lagoon. He just signed to Fat Possum, and I haven’t heard his LP yet, but I know it’s going to be incredibly beautiful.

What were you listening to in 2001?

J: Jay-Z – The Blueprint

Which do you prefer: MP3, CD, Tape or Vinyl?

Vinyl for home; MP3 for the car.

Web site(s) you read regularly?

ISO50
Reddit
Gorilla Vs. Bear

One Drink. One Movie. One Album.

Arizona’s Arnold Palmer. The Sandlot. Pet Sounds.

Balkans

Of the new crop of bands out of Atlanta, one of the youngest – and most promising – is Balkans. Made up of friends-since-elementary-school Frankie Broyles, Stanley Vergilis, Woodbury Shortridge and Brett Miller, the band is only a year removed from high school.

Mixing styles ranging from punk to shoegaze, Balkans released several 7″ records before the band signed to Doubled Phantom. They released their debut self-titled album in May 2011.

Balkans – “Edita V”
Balkans – “Troubled and Done”

Accolades for the band have been strong. They have been featured on NPR, Paste, Brooklyn Vegan and most recently by SPIN Magazine.

The band will be performing a handful of shows in August 2011 and will also be performing with Kevin Barnes of Of Montreal on July 16 in Atlanta.

For more information on Balkans, visit their Web site of follow them on Twitter.

DeadJournalist.com brings you this exclusive interview with Woody Shortridge of Balkans.

For someone unfamiliar with the band, how would you describe Balkans? How did the current line-up come together?

WS: We try to play pop songs. The band formed as we met each other throughout childhood, Frankie and Wood met in elementary school and started a band in 3rd grade. We met Stanley in middle school and Bret sophomore year of high school, then we won our high school battle of the bands.

The band’s debut album has been out for a month now, so looking back, does the process of writing and recording the album seem like a blur?

WS: Yeah, the LP was recorded nine months ago, and a lot of those songs were written years before. It’s cool that people are getting excited about it, but we are ready to write some new material and move forward. Hopefully we will have some new songs to play for this next tour, it’s helpful to play the new ones live a hundred times before we commit to a recorded version.

Balkans – “Troubled and Done”

BALKANS – Troubled and Done from Frank Broyles on Vimeo.

What did you learn from the process that will help you on your next album?

WS: Getting everything to sound exactly the way we wanted took a lot of time … very tiring … It was a lot of fun though. I think we all learned to play our instruments better while recording the album so … hopefully that will make recording the next album easier.

What drives the creative process behind writing and recording your music? What provides the inspiration behind your songs?

WS: Girls. Girls.

Which do you enjoy more: writing, recording or performing?

WS: They each have their ups and downs. Shows are probably the most fun, but there are feeling of gratification that go along with writing and recording.

Coming out of Atlanta, how would you describe the music scene in the city? Have you seen an evolution during the past few years?

WS: Atlanta is very isolated and has deep roots in punk rock. You really have to have a good bit of energy stand out and be appreciated here. The past few years all the younger bands have started growing and getting attention, Double Phantom bands like Mood Rings, Carnivores and The Clap.

Balkans

Was there a band or artist who made the extra effort to take you under their wing when you were first started out?

WS: Not really. We did get a lot of good advice and support from locals such as Deerhunter, Black Lips and All the Saints … but they all left the work up to us.

What’s the most bizarre thing that’s happen to you during a live performance?

WS: We all ate at LA Burrito in New York City. It was real authentic Mexican food, authentic in that it was really shitty, so we all go the runs and some of us even blew chunks seconds before we played Glasslands. The sound guy was nice enough to put a trash can up on stage for us, just in case.

How has social media and social networking impacted how you market the band?

WS: Certainly allows us to talk directly with our fans, who may otherwise not be able to see us play. FACEBOOK!

Have you seen benefits or detriments from the intimacy your fans have to the band because of Twitter, Facebook, etc.?

WS: There’s definitely a violation of privacy, it feels like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99OMPB9a9Ak.

Is there an artist that you’ve encountered recently that you’ve been recommending to your friends?

WS: Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Alley Boy. We played with Unknown Mortal Orchestra in New York recently, they were awesome. Rad guitar solos!

What were you listening to in 2001?

WS: Bon Jovi’s Crush, U2’s Joseph’s Tree, Deep Purple’s Greatest Hits, and the Grease Soundtrack, we were 11 and 10 years old!

Which do you prefer: MP3, CD, Tape or Vinyl?

WS: MP3’s, they fit into your computer.

Web site(s) you read regularly?

WS: Yahoo News, Dlisted, MediaTakeOut , and WorldStarHipHop.

One Drink. One Movie. One Album.

WS: Hurricane from New Orleans, ‘Hurricane’ with Denzel Washington, Hurricane by Grace Jones

Atari Teenage Riot

Exclusive Interview: Atari Teenage Riot
07.03.11
by Chuck Norton

Editor’s Note: I can’t think of a better interviewee to mark the 100th interview on DeadJournalist.com than Alec Empire of Atari Teenage Riot. As one might imagine, I wanted the milestone interview to be with someone that I had a personal connection and I can’t think of anyone better … as you’ll see in this epic, exclusive interview.

In the months leading up to the 100th interview on DeadJournalist.com, I was trying to figure out whom to reach out to as the interviewee. I didn’t have any one act in mind – and I was torn over what direction to go with it. Then, something fortuitous happened: Atari Teenage Riot announce the release of their first album in more than a decade after reforming in 2010. One thing led to another, and it was confirmed: Alec Empire of Atari Teenage Riot (ATR) would be #100.

This was and is a big deal to me. In 1995, the German-based digital hardcore band released their first album and with songs like “Delete Yourself!” and “Atari Teenage Riot” I immediately became a fan. So much so, I had their poster on my wall through college.

I lived on their debut album, Delete Yourself! (originally called 1995) and their follow-up album The Future of War for years. It tapped into a visceral part of my core that longed for idealism while expressing the frustrations in an energizing, audible way. Even today, when I listen to ATR, there’s an electricity that re-charges a zeal for personal ideals.

Renown for live performances, the band toured with the biggest acts of the ’90′s, including Rage Against The Machine, Wu-Tang Clan and Beck. Some of their shows caused riots; others – like their last at Big Day Out Festival in Australia – had the biggest names in music watching their performances.

“You can’t rehearse or plan out an ATR show, it has to happen and be in your face. It’s anarchy and mayhem. An attack on the senses.” – Alec Empire

The band – which formed in 1992 – was and is highly political. This certainly isn’t a bubble-gum pop act. Their lyrics were anti-establishment; their sound mixed techno and punk to form a pulsating, controlled, but intense, rage. The influential band – featuring Empire, Hanin Elias, Nic Endo and Carl Crack – released three full-length albums and numerous EPs/Singles before breaking up in 2000, at the height of their success.

In 2001, Crack died, seemingly ending any chance of the band reforming. Empire continued working with his labels – Digital Hardcore Recordings and Eat Your Heart Out – and recorded several solo albums. He also became a sought after DJ and producer working with a litany of acts including Bjork.

In 2009, the first movement toward an ATR reunion began when Elias reached out to Empire about a possible live reunion. In 2010, the band officially announced that they had indeed reformed an performed several gigs in Europe and Asia. After meeting Steve Aoki in Japan in 2010, the band decided to sign with Aoki’s Dim Mak label.

The band released their fourth full-length album, Is This Hyperreal?, in May 2011. The ATR line-up added CX KIDTRONIK joining original members Empire, Elias and Endo. After continuing performance and commitment issues with Elias, her relationship with ATR ended in 2011.

To support their new album, the band announced that they will be touring in the US in a tour that kicks off in September 2011.

For more information on Atari Teenage Riot, visit their Web site or follow them on Twitter.

DeadJournalist.com is proud to bring you this exclusive, in-depth interview with Alec Empire of Atari Teenage Riot.

Atari Teenage Riot

First, I am pleased that Atari Teenage Riot is the 100th interviewee for DeadJournalist.com – a significant milestone for the site. For me personally, I can’t think of a more fitting interviewee.

AE: Thank you! Congratulations!

Going back to the decision to reform the band last year, was there any hesitation on anyone’s part? Or was there a general sense that this was the right time to bring back Atari Teenage Riot?

AE: Yes, I was very skeptical about doing this. It started with the idea to play one show in London last year in May. It came from Hanin Elias’ who had left the band in the 90′s a couple of times but then kept returning. The majority of our fans in the US had seen ATR shows without her. Nic Endo used to jump in on the vocal parts back then. But when we played that last show in London at Brixton Academy in winter 1999, Elias left that afternoon and didn’t perform with the rest of us. The show was very confrontational and became quite legendary, received raving reviews from the UK music critics.

Since then there was a lot of bad blood between her and the rest of us. When she offered to get things right again and suggested that we played one more show to end it “in peace”, Nic Endo and me were into the idea. A few months later CX Kidtronik came on board. I had doubts about the whole thing. Many bands reform and it is most of the times disappointing. When Elias realized that she had lost her screaming voice over the past ten years, and simply couldn’t get through one show, the whole thing seemed doomed. I suggested alternative musical ideas but in the end she didn’t show up, again!

Now we were backstage with half hour to stage time and we had to make a decision we just went for it and the show blew everyone away. The first thing that was unexpected was the audience. It wasn’t the old fans who had come out, the majority was new fans who had never seen ATR before.

I had underestimated the influence of groups like Crystal Castles, M.I.A, Kap Bambino, Bloody Beetroots etc., many music critics constantly draw comparisons to ATR, some of the bands even name drop us.

Looking back it makes more sense why it all worked out, but I didn’t see it at the time. Nic Endo is a very charismatic performer on stage. I knew this from the 90′s, but over the past decade Nic developed a more distanced and cold image when she was on stage. It hit most people as a big surprise that she could pull off a show like she does in ATR. Stagediving, the whole thing.

CX Kidtronik didn’t just replace Carl Crack, the previous MC who had died in 2001, CX does his own thing. The idea to reunite for one show had failed, but something creative came from that chaos. It’s hard to explain – there is this energy suddenly. It is new.

What were the biggest challenges in writing and recording Is This Hyperreal?? How would you say this album compares from the bands’ previous albums?

Atari Teenage Riot - Is This Hyperreal?

AE: With the new album we wanted to capture that [energy]. It never makes sense to compare ATR albums as every album has its own theme. Delete Yourself is very different to Future of War which is very different to 60 Second Wipe Out. We keep the ATR signature sound but develop it in all possible directions.

Is This Hyperreal? is about hacker activism and how authorities try to clamp down our freedoms in the internet. This theme required a slightly different sound approach. It is a lot more techno and electronic than metal and hardcore with drum and bass rhythms. The riot grrl element is pushed much further than on the previous albums.

A music journalist in Europe described the difference as very radical and positive, 1990′s ATR is as different to 2011 ATR as George Clooney’s interpretation of ‘Batman’ is to Christian Bale’s.

I thought this was an interesting comparison.

How has your personal perspective on the world – and by extension your music – changed since the band’s last album in 2000? How did this influence the tone and direction of Is This Hyperreal? What was the reaction of fellow artists and from your fan-base?

AE: There is a main difference to 2000′s. Back in the day everybody thought the world could end very soon. Now it’s a much more enthusiastic vibe amongst us and also the fans. I think this is why the majority of people have reacted positive so far. We reflect what’s going on now. We don’t try to recreate the past.

Friends of mine told me they were scared to listen to the album. But when they heard it, they absolutely loved it. ATR was never part of a trend or one scene. We always don’t quite fit anywhere, but also manage to win a lot of people in the world.

We played a surprise concert at an independent festival at an old Russian military airport outside of Berlin called Fusion. The show was unannounced. When we took over the mainstay about 20,000 people went absolutely insane … it resulted in people tearing down the barricades and invading the stage. It was an amazing experience, also because nobody got hurt and nothing was damaged. Because we were met with such enthusiasm and support from everybody we decided to keep it going.

Atari Teenage Riot Stage Invasion At Fusion Festival 2010. (Filmed By Zan Lyons)

We kept adding more shows after that. There were very emotional moments. I had fans come up to me with tears in their eyes asking me to promise that we will continue because the music and the message means so much to them. Sometimes I asked myself why did I not see this in the past years? I mean I was very busy touring Europe with the Alec Empire band, and was doing well, but where were all these people?

I am convinced that the internet really helped ATR. The songs were available all the time, people were able to discover them, and the videos.

With the opportunity to speak to new generation of impressionable listeners, did you have any trepidation that the content and context of your music might not be fully understood or appreciated?

AE: It is the opposite I feel that it is now that we are better understood. What we are saying in our songs makes way more sense now to people. The dangers of control technologies that the governments use, the never ending wars and so on It is so visible.

In the 90′s we expressed our concerns but from a German perspective. The socialist East Germany had collapsed, but the Neo-Nazi ideology was on the rise. In Germany we have an extreme history. That can be a little hard to swallow for some people in other countries sometimes. But now? People see the security cameras everywhere, they understand the dangers of big government.

The real reason why ATR was even able to come back the way it did was because people wanted music to reflect our times.

Regarding your creative process, do you follow a similar process for all of your songs or does each song have a life of its own? Has the creative/song-writing process evolved over the years?

AE: Since day one ATR followed the same procedure we write the lyrics first, then the music needs to underline those, create the atmosphere that fits.

My personal creative song writing process has of course evolved over the years, but that plays more a role in my solo albums. Atari Teenage Riot has to sound like Atari Teenage Riot. Direct, to the point and full of tension. Of course every song has its own life. But there is also something like the “album sound” of each ATR album.

When I talk to film directors I find that I have more in common with the way they approach a film than with other rock bands who often leave a lot to the producer.

With a US tour planned for later this year, what are you most looking forward to? Conversely, what do you foresee as the biggest challenges?

AE: We play big shows, but we also play smaller shows in places where it’s risky for us to play. I look very much forward to exactly those shows. Last year we added a show in a French town called Rennes with Otto Von Schirach
and Gabe from The Locust. The night was great, a lot of energy. If the same thing would have happened in a major city it had turned out different. Not better or worse but different. But these nights inspire you to try new ideas, you see things in a much wider context.

Atari Teenage Riot – “Activate” (Live)

How does the band prepare for touring from a performance standpoint? To you, what is the most important part of the band’s live performances?

AE: We never rehearse for shows ever. It is part of the thrill. You can’t rehearse or plan out an ATR show, it has to happen and be in your face. It’s anarchy and mayhem. An attack on the senses.

What was the most bizarre event that occurred to the band while on past tours?

AE: There were many, but this one has probably not happened to many other groups yet. We were playing a show in Germany and some of our records got censored a couple of years ago, so I am telling people about it and that we should get rid of those old laws because we are against censorship of any kind and so on.

So some punk-rock kid shouts from the audience and asks why do we care, when it’s really “cool” to be censored by the authorities. So I explain that there is nothing really cool about it because it is just a pain. You can’t sell your records in public, stores are not allowed to take them, radio stations can’t play those songs, TV won’t broadcast them and even online the music gets taken off. Last.fm, MySpace – and suddenly when the word “MySpace” is mentioned there is this row, some anarchist kids in the other corner are freaking out that there is an ATR MySpace. So they all decide to leave in protest that night after the third song we played basically.

I am really surprised about that reaction. The rest of the crowd is confused. I mean with those platforms it is really about taking them before someone else does it in your name and it’s a pain to get it back. Noone really cares about that stuff I thought. This was a bizarre experience. I still don’t quite understand it. But I kind of respect that passion.

When ATR released Delete Yourself! (AKA 1995) in 1995, the internet and digital music was in its infancy. From an artist’s perspective, what are your thoughts on digital music and file sharing? What impact does it have on the band?

AE: Oh, that’s a very complex discussion and I have my very own view of the situation. I’ll try to sum it up for you a bit. Basically right now there is a war going on for what some call intellectual property. The corporations have started it, so that they can take any idea, anything creative from people like you and me and exploit it financially.

Copyright must be defined from new. It has to protect the writers, musicians, film makers, artists, anybody who is doing creative work and NOT the big publishing companies and the major record labels. Trouble is that those who support the ideas of the European Pirate Party don’t have any understanding of how creativity works and flourishes, they don’t often understand the way independent artists can survive financially in a capitalist system.

“Copyright must be defined from new. It has to protect the writers, musicians, film makers, artists, anybody who is doing creative work and NOT the big publishing companies and the major record labels.”

There is a mob mentality right now, almost like fundamentalist Christians, they attack any artist who wants to get paid for his/her work. When I talk to my father about this, he has a socialist history and comes from a working class background, he says it’s insane how anybody can try to claim and take somebody else’s work and then even accuse him of being a greedy capitalist or something.

A young band starting out is not Metallica. Pirate Bay could have been an interesting approach but of course they had to make millions from corporate advertising on their site and lost any kind of credibility. I am pretty hardcore about that. You do not take my music and message and put it next to a Nokia ad and make money from that. If you want to do that, call me and we share the money. But be prepared that I might say no to it.

Major labels like Sony get financed from other sources, they sell hardware for example, their music labels lose money, always did. So the reality of what we are seeing now, is that indie bands become nothing more than a
number in a telephone book, they can upload their music onto the various inline platforms or whatever, make those companies rich, while they might gain a few hundred new fans who then leave weeks after, then they give up and stop.

The majors moan a lot about the situation but in fact they love that the so called pirates eradicate all independent competition for them. So we’ll see record stores disappear completely now, the Majors mafia up
with Apple’s iTunes and leave everybody else with pretty much nothing.

If you look at how venues are being bought up by a multi-national corporation like Live Nation then you can imagine that the future will look pretty bad for independent and underground music. The music scene always mirrors the real world. The gap between rich and poor is widening. That is the same in the music scene.

When I started there was a strong support for underground and independent music everywhere. When you were into music you just knew the enemy. We need to bring down the Major record industry when they finance artists like 50 Cent or Beyonce who perform for dictators like Gaddafi.

“If you support the small local store that sells organic food, you might want to think the same way about the music you’re listening to.”

If you support the small local store that sells organic food, you might want to think the same way about the music you’re listening to. Making music shouldn’t be a rich man’s thing. Why? Because it will not bring us the best music!

The main thinking mistake that the Majors do is that music stays the same and just needs to be presented by different musicians, new faces. But the reality is that music is like language, it is part of evolution, it changes, it moves forward all the time, sometimes backward but if there is no innovation, then it dies. Even the most extreme capitalists would tell you that. They know that in the computer industry, in the car industry and so on but when it comes to music, people get all emotional and try to make those decisions based on their feelings or personal taste.

This is the real crisis, not kids downloading MP3′s from home. I want musicians to make music. I don’t want them to give me their music for free but advertise something else with it. I rather pay my small share so the bands I like can keep they integrity.

Now when it comes to Atari Teenage Riot, this environment has helped us spreading our music, but ATR is not a new band, we sold a lot of records in the 90′s. What ATR, Radiohead or NIN can do, won’t work for others. Right now it is important to not be naive about it and make sure new and unestablished artists can drive music forward.

What made Dim Mak Records the right label for the band? How did the relationship come about?

AE: We headlined a stage at Summersonic Festival in Japan last summer, Steve Aoki DJ’d the dance stage. We hung out and it clicked. We all love that guy – it was more about choosing like minded people for the United States, than a business decision.

Dim Mak is a really cool name, and they do things differently and in my opinion better than a lot of other labels. They have arrived in the new age of the music industry. So we made this spontaneous decision in Tokyo, let’s just put a record out!

Steve is one of these few people who can connect with music from different parts of the spectrum. That is very rare in a time where everybody seems to try to survive in their own little niche.

Is there an artist that you’ve encountered recently that you’ve been recommending to your friends?

AE: One of my favorite new records is the Death Grips album.

What were you listening to in 2001?

AE: In 2001, I remember listening a lot to Sun Ra.

Which format do you prefer: MP3, CD, Cassette Tape or Vinyl?

AE: Vinyl of course, but I listen to all formats. MP3 cannot by its nature reproduce the key frequencies that we need to have an intense listening experience. It filters too much out, it compresses too much. It’s like looking at a real painting or the jpeg version of it. Sound engineers often compare it to real sex versus internet porn. I wouldn’t see it that dramatic, because real sex can in some cases not be intense also.

All those formats change the timbre of the music. I have cassette tapes which have so much character to them, it’s a lot more fun to listen to them than on CD’s It always depends but yeah please let’s replace MP3 with WAV as fast as possible.

Web site(s) you read regularly?

AE: I hang out on Tumblr a lot. I think it’s the perfect platform. People post amazing and very funny stuff out there. I don’t have a TV since about 10 years anymore. So the internet is what I use most but in terms of reading? I switched back to traditional books there is something deep about them I take the information in on another level I find.