4 People, 4 Questions W/ Emerald Lounge

Finally featuring the Emerald Lounge interview that I have been lagging on. I actually did get voted most lazy in high school. Anyways, I love to catch an Emerald Lounge set and I am very proud to say that they are from the San Fernando Valley. I've shared a stage or backyard with these guys a few times and I can confidently say that they know how to party as well as play their instruments. You can download their 3 track E.P. for free on their Bandcamp page (link below), I was quite addicted after downloading. They really did capture an attitude of their southern California environment, tunes that go hand in hand with the weather, and with some honest emotions mixed in. I didn't get the chance to interview them after their set @ Silver Factory, but thanks to the world wide web, was able to send them my questions via one networking site, it doesn't matter which one.



1.) Who are your main influences?

Alex (Vocals/Guitar): First album I ever got was a gift from a distant relative back in Mexico. He worked for some music store in the city and one day he brought me 2 CD's to choose from: Tears for Fears or the Cranberries. I chose Tears for Fears, but he thought I would like The Cranberries instead. He got it right. The album "Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?" was perfect for me. Dreamy and melodramatic tunes fit me like a glove. Their simple songs with catchy melodies and lyrics full of longing have stuck with me through out my own lyrics ever since. Also, Pink Floyd has been huge for me. Their focus on identity and loss influenced and helped me far too much to explain within a reasonable length of text. The Smiths would round off my top three influences.

Johann (Guitar/Occasional Drums): Lately, I've really been influenced by Santo and Johnny's music. I find it beautiful that as an instrumental duo they can leave out vocal melodies and have the ability to grab your attention with their string instruments. Then I go to my roots with a bit of punk rock. The Briefs have a big influence on me as well. I love that fun and playful sense of punk. Straightforward and in your face kind of feel. Something that can be simple and effective tends to give me a hard on. Pink Floyd also made a huge impact on me. On their album Meddle, “Echoes” had to be one of the biggest influences on me. That they were patient and elaborate with the composition of the song. That they had no rush to transition into their next parts made the song more appealing. David Gilmore has that soulful playing that triggers my interest. That he can make one note on his guitar say "this is David Gilmore". Elliott Smith is another artist I enjoy to love. One man, one guitar, yet it's still has such a filling delivery. To be so effective with two instruments is so appealing me. I also jump around from the Smiths to surf rock kind of feels as well.

Jerry (Drums/Occasional Guitar): I think my main influence is my dad, he was always around musicians when I was a kid. He has the same passion I have for it except he doesn’t play anything lol. Other then that when it comes down to music in general... hhmmm I don’t know, that’s kind of a hard question. I just enjoy sounds in general and the moods they put me in. But for groups… let's see... anywhere from old classic rock, to jazz… Latin jazz is awesome especially... a little prog metal to 80's!, punk. I like some trance, dubstep, reggae, damn I can keep going and going lol but yea... in a nut shell, that’s pretty much what I’m influenced by.

Jesus (Bass): My main influences are the people and events that make up life. I'd like to say everything that I've ever written began as a feeling towards someone or something. Whether it’s been my feeling towards a girl I like, or just a random conversation with a stranger waiting in line for my food. My music is just my conversation regarding the world

2.) Any plans to record a full length soon?

Alex: We would like to record a full length soon. We have enough songs now...12. I'm afraid I'm the one who is holding us back. I want things just so. I rework songs so much. My band mates are probably fed up with me. I'm warming up to the recording process though.

Johann: Most definitely. I guess for us, we've been focusing on EP's for the reason that we’re waiting for the time where it feels right to start an album with a concept.

Jerry: Absolutely! Right now we’re just polishing all of our tracks and getting everything ready to go. We're actually doing an EP with our friend Ray Montes. He’s really good at what he does so we’re kinda focusing on that first.

Jesus: We have too much growing left to do. I would love to make more e.p's in the future. Be in more splits with other bands. I feel we are not ready for a L.P. This is the only time where I would like to be a perfectionist.

3.) If you guys could be deserted anywhere for a month to write and record music where would it be and why?

Alex: Somewhere with a rustic cabin on a lake. Fresh air, trees, and a small boat. Among nature sounds about right. I can imagine waking up early, brewing coffee and heading out on the lake. That sounds very peaceful.

Johann: I think Alex’s choice sounds really good. Somewhere where the scenery is green. Maybe in the middle of a meadow. If we were to record in the middle of a forest, we would be bound to pick up some interesting background noises. Th fact that the sounds in forest are sporadic and completely natural can't go wrong for me.

Jerry: I would love to be somewhere in nature. Maybe somewhere in Brazil or even India ... with acoustics and all sorts of percussion instruments. I think that would be an amazing experience for everyone because of the culture... just to get away from all the scenes here in the states.

Jesus: I want to be deserted in an island filled with old abandon industrial buildings. I want to play as loud as we can and have the sound bounce right back at us. I wouldn't mind being somewhere really up north during winter where the sun only comes out for a few hours. I want the only thing to keep me going to be the sound. I want to be deprived of everything but the music.

4.) Favorite place to play? Where would you like to play?

Alex: Our best shows have been near home. I miss the Hustle House...wish we could still be playing there. House parties are fun and wouldn’t mind playing those more. I like the Airliner too. Main goal would be to play festivals all over the world.

Johann: I enjoy house parties. There tends to be a different energy and connection between us and our listeners. It reminds me of the days in the 40's or 50's where everyone wanted to attend house shows. Where everyone knows everyone and everyone is friends with each other. Ultimately, my goal is to have everyone that attends our shows to be friends or familiar with each other. It only makes shows more exciting for everyone. Going to a place where all your friends are going might be more appealing to the night owls. I wouldn't mind playing the Smell or the Echo. Being offered a show anywhere will make me happy; it shows interest and some sort of appreciation towards our music.

Jerry: I love local shows like inside houses... that’s always really fun but if it came down to it I love really cool vintage looking bars. I would really like to play a big festival or tour. To me that would be an AAAAHH! moment in my life.

Jesus: Crammed dark house parties. I hate playing during the day and in big open spaces.

**Photos by Efrain Maldonado**

You can download their E.P. for FREE on their Bandcamp page!!!

http://www.myspace.com/theemeraldlounge
http://www.purevolume.com/EmeraldLounge
http://emeraldlounge.bandcamp.com
http://soundcloud.com/emerald-lounge

LA Art Tards @ The Mime 3/18/11

Eric Jackson Tambourine Man (above), Darger De Milo



LA Ghost



Guy Doing the Robot




My Good Friend

Stripper Pussy is somewhere in there

This was a fun night. I was well equipped with my "Nikon Canon" aka Kodak disposable camera that evening. Performances by Tan Dollar (I got there too late to catch their set unfortunately), My Good Friend, Darger De Milo, LA Ghost, and Stripper Pussy (I thought I took pictures, guess I was pretty faded by their set).

DEaf Interview

I recently had a nice little chat with Vivian and Luis of the LA no wave/minimalist dance band, DEaf. I fell in love with this band after walking in on their first show some time last year at Silver Factory Studios, where I caught their last show. It's hard not to love the great combination of Luis' synthy, distorted guitar, Vivian's unique, solid drum beats, their vocals playing off each other, their changes, their energy, plus they're cool as hell!


TE: Is there a certain direction that you guys want to see your music go into?

V: Direction? I don’t know, I think we’re still kind of growing.

L: It’s kind of like we’re just letting it go kind of organically cuz I think there was a lot of stuff I played before where I pushed it too much and it got sucky at the end

V: We’re trying not to force it

L: Yeah, we’re trying to just let it happen. Whatever happens happens.

TE: Who are your main influences?

L: A lot of hip hop

V: [laughs]

L: Seriously, I’m not lying, it’s weird.

L: A lot of noise and a lot of no wave

V: No wave

L: A lot of no wave and a lot of hip hop, which is weird. A lot of no wave and hip hop, a lot of sixties too. I love the sixties, so a lot of sixties kind of garage rock

V: Probably like a lo-fi but like with a high-fi kind of advantage to it cuz he has a lot of synth sounds that he uses, but then there’s a lot of raw energy behind it so kind of lo-fi but it’s kind of hi-fi

L: Yeah, it’s weird


TE: What’s the craziest thing you guys would like to see happen at one of your shows?


L: I would love to see the entire crowd dance. That would be so fucking cool

V: Especially in LA

L: Yeah, especially in LA, that would be so rad. We’ve had shows where we get like 5 people, 10 people dancing, or maybe like Pehrspace but it’s so tiny there, that you can only fit so many people, but still it would be like 5 people dancing. I wish the whole crowd would dance, that would be really cool. But other than that, I don’t know crazy? Maybe if somebody threw up.
I worked sound for Manhattan Murder Mystery ,and Matt, the singer, threw up while he was singing, it was rad, I thought that was pretty cool.


V: He used his army helmet

L: Yeah, he totally barfed in the helmet, it was fucking rad; Like right after he did a mean swig of Canadian Mist whiskey, and then he just barfed. And then he kept playing, they played another song, it was awesome. And he didn’t even realize he barfed .I told him "Hey dude you totally barfed" " he's like "I did? Oh, oh man, you saw that?" I'm like
"What do you mean I saw that? I was working sound, I heard it"

V: But now that's your goal

L: No I don't want to barf, I want to make somebody barf, that'd be cool. If I make somebody barf that would be rad. Like a low end sound [makes low end sound], or if they pooped their pants, that'd be awesome

TE: Is there another instrument or a few instruments you'd like to incorporate in your music soon?

V: We tried but it didn't sound right because of the whole balance between hi-fi, lo-fi kind of thing. Yeah, we're still trying to figure [it] out. We'd love to have some accordion or some crazy instrument

L: Like a sax, but I don't know if it's weird

V: We have friends that play trumpet or some weird instrument and we're like "Oh, how can we use that in the song?"

L: Yeah, I really love James Chance, he has almost like a soul, kind of like James Brown, funk/James Brown [sound], and I would love a sound like that, but then we gotta get more people and it's just kind of hard. We think about it, and I have a feeling too we'll end up doing it and be like "No, let's just go back to how we were", more raw and punk. We have a lot of punk influences too. It's weird I didn't even say that, we have a lot of punk influences, mostly all punk influences [laughs].

Check out their music, blogs, and merch! And get your ass to a DEaf show! (So far next one is Aprl 8 @ the Smell)


http://deafbandla.tumblr.com/
http://deafbandla.blogspot.com/
http://soundcloud.com/deafbandla
http://deaf.bandcamp.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/hypersweet

Elvis Is Dead

Elvis Galvez has played solo sets before, but this last Friday's set at Silver Factory Studios was definitely a different one for him; he was plugged in. Armed with a vocal pedal, his Fender Jaguar, and his delay pedals, Elvis shared a beautiful experimental set with the curious ears of the dark room. Galvez sings with such beautiful conviction in a way that may provoke an audience to feel that same conviction inside themselves.

TE: Who were your main influences for your Elvis Is Dead set?

EG: Sammy Seinz, Tianna Edmonson, Jorge Salazar, Sailor Jerry, Julie Canizalez, Cecilia Navarrete, and my foreskin, and also John Frusciante, and Sonic Youth

TE: How long did it take you to prepare that set? How long did you work on it for?

EG: I didn’t really work on a set, I just messed around the past two days with the setup I had kind of, and I just kind of decided to just wing it and that’s what happened.

TE: Will you do more sets like that in the future?

EG: I think I want to but with people to accompany me. Just kind of fuck around and make sound.

myspace.com/elvisgalvez

WAKE UP!

Since I am crippled, sick, and encouraged, I am bringing back the blog. First few posts will be mini interviews with Elvis Is Dead, DEaf, Sunrise Owl, Emerald Lounge, and Backseat Bingo. I recently caught the show at Silver Factory Studios featuring all 5 bands/performers, which kicked ass and proved to be a talent-filled night. Special thanks to my good friend Christian Rivera for taking pictures on his cell phone since my 'ol camera let me down that night. Hope you enjoy what's to come, don't forget to go to shows!

Naptime

In between Homes, shows, sleep deprivation, and technology- it's time for a mini hiatus. I might to Upcoming Shows updates hither and thither still. Be back soon, it's naptime.

Steven Fiche

Discovered this artist thanks to my band and the myspace realm. After viewing his work he is now one of my favorite artists. He does a lot of posters for bands, if you need a flier I recommend inquiring about his services. Ladies and gentlemen, works by Steven Fiche:



myspace.com/stevenfiche
stevenfiche.com