Winter Gloves is a seemingly unclassifiable group from Montreal that mixes pop, indie and electronic experimentation to create their unique sound. Front man Charlie F. is an accomplished Jazz drummer that formed Winter Gloves while conducting a side project with keyboardist Vincent. Having won ‘Best New Artist’ 2008 on iTunes Canada, the group is gaining moment worldwide and excited for an upcoming release and tour. Charlie took time between sessions to speak with us and share the latest.

Winter Gloves

MVRemix: Where are you speaking from today?

Charlie F: Currently at home. We have a project coming on to release in September. It’s ‘About a Girl’, but alternate version; going to a meeting for that soon.

MVRemix: For those not familiar with Winter Gloves, can you explain how you went from a one-man show to a group effort?

Charlie F: Yeah sure, the project started about two years ago. I used to be a jazz drummer, so I was in small town, moved from England to Montreal and met Vincent, who I needed for my first EP that I did by myself at home. He helped me out by mixing it and putting it on MySpace, etc. I was talking with him and said, it’d be nice to start a band and just play. It was just an idea at the beginning and we weren’t thinking about doing much with that. Then it was so much fun to play and we found Patrick the drummer at the studio I used to work at in Montreal and then we met John after the first release tour in Canada. So yeah, it’s kind of strange because most bands play a lot together before going on tour, but this was sort of the opposite where it was so quick and so fast and we learned to play together on tour. It’s really funny and I’m really glad that we’ve haven’t killed each other. This is going to be our third or fourth tour in September and everyone still gets along.

MVRemix: Will you have US dates in September?

Charlie F: Yeah, definitely. We did mostly a West Coast tour last time, so we are hoping to play more on the East Coast this time.

MVRemix: You’ve had a lot of success doing festivals and playing with incredible acts at them. How do you feel about the festival circuit and playing with so many great bands?

Charlie F: I’m really glad we’ve done festivals. Everyone is just out to have a good time and sometimes when you play for friends and family they have to like it, but festivals are a place where people come just to have fun. We’re going to play the Oceaga with the Beastie Boys and Coldplay soon, which is really exciting for us because we’ve been listening to them for a long time. There’s a band called Thunder Height from Canada that is playing some different music, a little indie a little electronic pop, but I’m excited to play with them again. They have a different drive and audience than us and those shows have a lot of energy. It’s a good match and we hope to do more gigs with them.

MVRemix: In terms of your sound, are you able to classify your sound?

Charlie F: My fear is to call it one name and then go into the studio and have people say “This isn’t Winter Gloves” if I use a different keyboard or an organ sound I like to use. I’m trying not to do that so my mind is clear when I write my music. Usually after I do a song I decide if it should be a Winter Gloves song or just mine as an artist. Most of our songs are made with Vincent on keyboards using his left hand for the melody and his right for the bass line. It’s something I really like about our song. On our second album there will be more tempo and more electronic stuff.

MVRemix: What is it about making music and playing for audiences that you hope connects with your listeners?

Charlie F: Well, as I said, I started as a jazz drummer and had a really different relationship with the audience because I wasn’t a songwriter at the moment, I was just improvising on covers and mostly showing off and doing complicated music. When I started writing on guitar it was really different. I was really into British music like Radiohead and darker music. I remember I played a show and people were interested, but people didn’t seem to have fun. When I started to write Winter Gloves music it at first was silly to me; really simple grooves and melodies, but when I did the first few shows the people were having a blast and jumping everywhere. The energy was way easier to connect with people. Now, the shows have affected my writing. I do write music to have a good record, but I keep in mind the live experience.

MVRemix: How has social networking helped you communicate with your audience and expand your fanbase?

Charlie F: We’re just figuring out some of the Twitter stuff, but it’s really important for us to stay connected with people. I try to use MySpace to ask random questions and get feedback about the shows and music as well as whatever you feel like talking about. Everybody in the band has a part of the internet effort and we answer everything ourselves.

MVRemix: In the film Almost Famous there is a scene where the band Stillwater is in a plane and about to crash. Everyone in the group decides to confess something that has been bottled up inside of them. If that moment happened with your group and you had one moment to shout something out, what would you confess to the guys in Winter Gloves?

Charlie F: (laughing) I would probably confess to the other guys that I always feel like I need to be in control of their lives. Not just musically, but also in their personal lives and I’m a little bit of a freak like that. I would apologize for always being on their backs and telling them what to do.

MVRemix: Anything you want to share with your fans and our audience before we finish:

Charlie F: Well, we’re working on the alternate version of ‘About a Girl’ that will release around September in the US and Canada. It will be all the same songs, but we’re going to have remixes, alternate versions and live versions of each song we chose and we’re pretty excited.

MVRemix: We look forward to hearing it. Thanks for taking the time out to talk with us.

Charlie F: Thank you

Winter Gloves Interview

Having earned widespread acclaim for its atmospheric brand of synth-driven indie, “Champagne Downtown” sees Halloween, Alaska crafting its most distinctive and disarming set to date. Songs such as “In Order” and “Gone With The Wind” are complex and thoughtful, rich with simmering textures and literate lyricism. Melding an expansive range of inventive sounds with anthemic indie-rock hooks, “Champagne Downtown” straddles the boundary between the electronic and the organic to create a novel rethink of what pop music can mean in a new millennium.

Halloween, Alaska is comprised of James Diers (voice, keyboards, guitar), Matthew Friesen (bass, sampler), Jacob Hanson (guitar, keyboards, voice), and David King (acoustic and electronic drums) – the latter also serving as the enigmatic drummer with modernist jazz giants, The Bad Plus. Though founding keyboardist/programmer Ev has since left the official touring line-up, he remains on board for recording and assorted sound manipulation. “Champagne Downtown” was recorded by Ev and mixed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Tchad Blake (Peter Gabriel, American Music Club, Latin Playboys).

Halloween, Alaska came together in 2002, encompassing members of such esteemed local outfits as Love-cars, 12RODS, and Happy Apple. The band self-released its eponymous debut in 2004, drawing critical praise and nationwide exposure when two tracks – “Des Moines” and “All The Arms Around You” – were featured on the Fox series, The O.C. Popular demand saw “Halloween, Alaska” reissued the following year by East Side Digital, prompting a further flood of accolades.

Williams Fitzsimmons “After Afterall” Video:

Also you can download the Mp3 for “If You Would Come Back Home” here

williamfitzsimmons.com
myspace.com/williamsfitzsimmons

WILLIAM FITZSIMMONS ON TOUR:
04/14 -The Parlour @ Southgate House – Newport, KY
04/15 – Garfield Artworks – Pittsburgh, PA
04/16 – Tin Angel – Philadelphia, PA
04/17 – Canal Room – The Tripwire Presents – New York, NY
04/18 – Vintage Vinyl – In Store Performance – Fords, NJ
04/18 – Nightcat (formerly Coffee East) – Easton, MD
04/19 – Towne Crier Café – Pawling, NY
04/20 – Jammin’ Java – Vienna, VA
04/21 – The Square Room – Knoxville TN
04/22 – Smiths’ Old Bar – Atlanta, GA
04/23 – WorkPlay Theatre – Birmingham, AL
04/24 – Tasty World – Athens, GA
04/27 – Proud Larry’s – Oxford, MS
04/28 – Juanita’s – Little Rock, AR
04/29 – Biliken Club – St. Louis, MO

Indie troubadour William Fitzsimmons’ first studio CD, ‘The Sparrow And The Crow’, will be released April 7th by leading independent label Downtown Records’ newly launched imprint, Mercer Street.

Fitzsimmons has a haunting sound that evokes references to Iron & Wine, Bright Eyes and Elliott Smith. His forthright album tells the true story of two people who didn’t make it: William conceived ‘The Sparrow And The Crow’ as an apology and a confessional to his former wife…and then set those words to music. The result is a hushed and heartbreaking collection of songs that charts a path from regret to reconciliation.

In a recent ‘A-’ review, BOSTON HERALD critic Kevin Convey described ‘The Sparrow And The Crow’ as “A Near Masterpiece”: Powerfully heart-wrenching and yet so delicate you fear a breath might blow it right out of the CD player, singer-songwriter Fitzsimmons’ chronicle of his divorce is a near-masterpiece. Recalling both the cornhusker folk-rock of early Joe Henry and the doomed intimacy of Nick Drake, “The Sparrow and the Crow” makes art and beauty out of tragedy without
selling the tragedy short – as you’d expect from a licensed therapist. It’s tough stuff, marred only by repetitiveness. But that does nothing to diminish Fitzsimmons’ artistic achievement, which is a huge and lasting.

From an underground, digital-only release last Fall, ‘The Sparrow And The Crow’, debuted at Number Two on the iTunes Folk Chart. Rave coverage followed, as William toured in support of his indie gem, and by year’s end, ‘Sparrow’ had become the #1 Folk Album of 2008 iTunes.

Fitzsimmons’ story is unique: his initial home-studio albums were made while he was simultaneously finishing up a graduate program as a Mental health professional, and it was only upon securing his Maters degree and becoming a practicing therapist that William returned to his burgeoning music career. Paste Magazine (which presented William’s recent tour) has lauded heavy praise on him, as has Billboard, and a wide variety of other press outlets. He’s also found his songs in demand in Hollywood, with tracks appearing on Gray’s Anatomy, Army
Wives and more…

Raised in Pittsburgh by two blind parents, and now based in Illinois, William grew up listing to his father’s orchestral records and to his mother’s collection of James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel. The influences of these seminal artists are left throughout ‘The Sparrow And The Crow’ Listen to a five-song streaming sample here: http://www.brickwallmgmt.com/williamfitzsimmons/

Check out the video for the first single off The Sparrow And The Crow – If You Would Come Back Home video

Oh Yes! Yeah! It’s Blitz! Is now available for presale on U.S. itunes! We know a sweet deal when we see one and presale is pretty pretty sweeeet. YES! Bonus exclusive tracks a go go, dance it up to CLAP SONG or smooch your honey to the acoustic version of Soft Shock… Most importantly GET ZERO NOW! Get ready to ghettoblast it in your car, back flip to it in the basement, kitchen dance parties begin now.

It’s Blitz! Standard iTunes Pre-Order

Check out their new track “Zero” here:

“The Boxer Rebellion’s albums are completely non-disposable bodies of work – perfectly balanced in exemplary song-writing, epic performances, and wide-ranging creativity that reward the listener time and time again.” – Stephen Brolan, The Fly

BoxerRebFour years since the birth of their magnificent debut album, EXITS, The Boxer Rebellion digitally release their much-anticipated, self-produced, sophomore record, UNION, on January 11th. In an unprecedented move, iTunes have awarded the band a “Global Single of the Week” spot on January 13th for the track ‘Evacuate’, which will run across every iTunes store on the planet. Mixed by Chris Sheldon (Foo Fighters, Feeder) and mastered by Kevin Metcalfe (U2, Prodigy), UNION has also been awarded the Editor’s Choice album slot by iTunes US which will see it receive main page and front page (Rock/Alt) coverage. Both UNION and EXITS will be available at an introductory price during their first two weeks of release (physical release dates forthcoming).

THE PAST:
Formed in London through a chance meeting between Tennessee native Nathan Nicholson (vox/guitar) and Australian Todd Howe (guitar), the line-up was made complete with college friends Piers Hewitt on drums and Adam Harrison on bass. Following the release of an acclaimed debut EP in 2003, and on the eve of a potentially career-breaking tour with The Killers, Nicholson found himself deftly ill and on life-support, putting the band on indefinite hold.

Post-recovery, the band released limited copies of EXITS, their debut album in 2005 to a rapturous response: Kerrang magazine proclaimed, “If you’re crying out for substance in your music, The Boxer Rebellion are here to soothe your soul,” while the NME stated, “This band can alter your life.” Both The Fly magazine and MusicOMH considered the album “flawless.”

THE PRESENT:
In UNION, The Boxer Rebellion have produced a follow-up of epic proportions that somehow manages to surpass the vertiginous ambitions of its predecessor. While retaining the uniquely charged live sound that has won them a feverishly devoted following throughout Europe, UNION sees the band taking their already lofty ambitions to subliminal levels. From the tribal-drum explosion of opener ‘Flashing Red Light Means Go’, through the wintry atmospherics of enigmatic ‘The Gospel Of Goro Adachi’ to live favourites ‘Evacuate’ and ‘Semi-Automatic’, UNION is an album that transcends convention in a seismic blast of unfettered invention.

Listen to “Evacuate” from UNION:

Currently being championed by KCRW Music Director and host of Morning Becomes Eclectic, Jason Bentley, UNION will be serviced nationwide to non-commercial and college radio stations in the coming weeks.

The band is currently preparing their Spring ‘09 tour schedule – dates soon to be released.

the bird and the bee, the irrepressible L.A. duo made up of singer Inara George and keyboardist/producer Greg Kurstin, will be premiering the video for “Love Letter to Japan” — the lead single from their forthcoming album Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future — Friday, December 19 on MySpace. The video was directed by Barney Clay who has worked with Gnarls Barkley, Dirty Pretty Things, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Zero 7, and Bonde Do Role. The single for “Love Letter to Japan” was also released on iTunes on December 9. Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future will be released by Blue Note Records on January 27, 2009.

‘Tis the time of year, so in the spirit of giving the bird and the bee are also offering a free holiday song to their fans. “12 Days of Christmas” is currently available as a free MP3 download through their website: www.thebirdandthebee.com. The song will also be KCRW’s “Today’s Top Tune” on December 25, and will be streamed all day on www.kcrw.org.

2008 was another eventful year for the bird and the bee. The duo’s cover version of The Bee Gee’s “How Deep Is Your Love?” appeared in Sex and the City: The Movie, they made their debut at L.A.’s much buzzed about Coachella festival, and they released Live at the Sands, an exclusive live EP for iTunes. Inara and Greg also kept busy with side projects; Inara released An Invitation — her second solo album and a collaboration with legendary composer and arranger Van Dyke Parks — to wide acclaim, while Greg produced the entirety of singer Lily Allen’s upcoming album It’s Not Me, It’s You.

The band is looking forward to an exciting 2009 with the release of the full-length follow-up to their self-titled debut. Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future is definitely new sonic terrain for the bird and the bee. Every bit as beguiling as their debut, the album retains its predecessor’s lithe melodies and Brazilian influences, but takes its stylish ’60s pop deeper into the psychedelic period of the Tropicalia era. The band will be announcing their 2009 touring plans in the New Year.

the bird and the bee Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future Blue Note 34556 January 27, 2009

It’s definitely a rarity that I’ll see a music video on an MTV-esque network and wish to interview the artist or group. It’s even more rare that I first see the video while on holiday in Australia, but that was the case with Caroline Weeks while she performed with Natasha Khan in the group “Bat For Lashes.”

After some further exploration into the group, and this singer, I found out that Caroline Weeks is the mastermind behind a variety of different artistic monikers and a member of various groups. She will soon be releasing an album under her real name dedicated to a little known poet named Edna St Vincent Millay, entitled “Songs For Edna.”

MVRemix spoke with Caroline Weeks about Songs For Edna, Bat For Lashes and more…

Caroline Weeks Interview of Bat For Lashes fame: Songs For Edna

MVRemix: As an artist, do other people’s opinions of your work matter to you?

Caroline Weeks: No not really, I think I will always write music that I enjoy and the odds are there will hopefully be someone else out there who likes it too.

MVRemix: As a songwriter, who has influenced you?

Caroline Weeks: I was listening to a lot of Smog (Bill Callahan), John Fahey and Elliot Smith when I seriously took up song writing, I respect them loads. But I think poetry has had more of an influence on my songwriting and the way I connect words to melodies. My new album (“Songs For Edna”) is entirely made up of settings of poems by Edna St Vincent Millay, who was writing in the 1920s and 30s. The most thrilling thing about it is that her poems are little-known, especially in the UK, and I really hope it’ll inspire people hearing my music to seek her out.

MVRemix: Do you remember the first song you wrote?

Caroline Weeks: Well the very first song was an off-the-cuff ditty which I sung for a homemade radio show which I did with my older brother. I can still remember the melody now; I called myself Gloria and sung about the sun shining in the sky. I was probably about 6 or 7.

MVRemix: You’re a part of many groups, does entering a different persona influence your creativity underneath each name/group?

Caroline Weeks: Oh definitely, being in many different groups allows me to fulfill every creative side of my personality. Depending on what suits the music, I will perform in all sorts of manners – I can be very playful. Dancing in a cat costume whilst playing my flute to a march in “Pthhhh” (an all girl experimental chamber group); wearing lots of glitter and losing myself in the atmosphere of the music of Bat For lashes; Imagining I’m a Victorian/Romanian ghost whilst playing accordion in Euchrid Eucrow. And then performing solo, I try to be as strong as I can, I think of all the great solo woman of the past and present like Karen Dalton, Joni Mitchell, Diamanda Galas, and they give me courage to sing out.

Caroline Weeks Interview of Bat For Lashes fame: Songs For Edna

MVRemix: What’s the current situation with Bat For Lashes?

Caroline Weeks: Well, Natasha has been working hard in the studio, recording her second album, it’s sounding amazing! There are still some finishing touches to be done… I’m actually meeting up with Tash and Abi today to jam out a little musical intro to the album. The album comes out in March and then touring will begin.

MVRemix: How did the group name come about?

Caroline Weeks: It’s a bit of a mystery even to Natasha herself, I think she was inspired by a painting she saw and then the words just popped into her head.

MVRemix: What’s next for the group?

Caroline Weeks: Well, Natasha will be getting her band together very soon and will start rehearsals for touring.

MVRemix: What about Caroline Weeks? How did that moniker arise?

Caroline Weeks: Caroline Weeks is my birth name, simple as that.

MVRemix: You gave up the moniker Ginger Lee, were you aware of the porn star when choosing the name?

Caroline Weeks: Unfortunately I had no idea, it was only when I decided to Google my name to see if anybody nice had written a review about me that pages and pages of a naked blonde lady appeared on my computer screen. Oh dear, I thought, this won’t do.

MVRemix: Tell me more about “Songs For Edna.”

Caroline Weeks: As I said, I sing the poems by Edna St Vincent Millay to picky Spanish guitar; the recordings are very minimal, with the odd warm tone of a clarinet or a little tinkle of piano. I suppose one would describe it as alt-folk music along the same vein as early Josephine Foster, and early Devendra Banhart… It’s very difficult to describe one’s own music… Anyway it’s being released on Jan 27th on Manimal Vinyl Records and will available on LP/CD/Download.

MVRemix: Are there any videos in the works?

Caroline Weeks: I have made a video to the song/poem “Wild Swans” with director Rupert Noble, it will feature on my MySpace very soon.

MVRemix: What’s the most romantic song you’ve ever heard?

Caroline Weeks: I really like “Strangers in the night”. I don’t remember hearing this song for the first time, and it isn’t something I associate with any one person. But it is a song I often sing to myself when I’m feeling in a romantic frame of mind.

MVRemix: How did you hook up with Manimal Vinyl?

Caroline Weeks: I met Paul Beahan of Manimal backstage at a Bat For Lashes gig and gave him a demo of my songs. Manimal Vinyl had already released Bat For Lashes’ “Fur and Gold” on limited edition vinyl and he has released music by other new and interesting artists such as Rio en Medio and Hecuba, therefore I thought this is a nice home for my music.

MVRemix: In a sentence or less, what do you do to relax?

Caroline Weeks: A walk in the country always rejuvenates me, or a nice cup of tea in front of an open fire.

MVRemix: Have fun with this one, a la “Fight Club” – “If you could fight any celebrity, who would you fight”?

Caroline Weeks: I don’t agree with fighting, sorry. Could it be a one on one dance showdown? If so, I think I would bedazzle Michael Jackson, with a few spins and twirls (Isadora Duncan style).

MVRemix: What next do we have to look forward to from you aside from “Songs For Edna”?

Caroline Weeks: I will be playing lots of live shows next year, in between Bat For Lashes shows, and possibly I will play solo before a few BFL shows. I have also done a cover of “The Drowning Man” for a Cure tribute album called “Perfect As Cats” which I think will be out by the time you read this.

I’ve just started a Bulgarian choir singing group with my friends Mary Hampton and Jo Burke who are both incredibly talented folk musicians too, and I’ve just started working with the singer Lucie Wren who will be helping me out with vocal harmonies for my solo performances.

MVRemix: Any last words?

Caroline Weeks: In the words of Edna St Vincent Millay:

“All your lovely words are spoken. Once the ivory box is broken, beats the golden bird no more.”

Caroline Weeks of Bat For Lashes Interview

Bat For Lashes – What’s A Girl To Do video

PAT McGEE – “Rebecca (Live)”

NOTEWORTHY:
- On-Tour with Steven Kellogg & The Sixers
- Headlining CMJ 2008 Performance
- Appearing as CMJ 2008 Panelist, panel topic “Artist Managers: The New Labels?”
- Performing on Simple Man Cruise 2009, alongside Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker Band, 38 Special, Molly Hatchet and more
- New studio album “These Days” in stores March 20, 2009
- Pat McGee is available for interviews

FROM THE ARTIST:
Pat McGee is one of the most successful touring artists nationwide, bringing original melodic rock, trademark rich harmonies, heartfelt lyrics, strong musicianship and energy to shows that are flat-out fun. Over the last 13 years, he has typically performed around 250 shows a year – selling out many
top venues and building a strong nationwide fan base. Pat has been on the bill with major artists, such as Allman Brothers Band, The Who, Fleetwood Mac, Jimmy Buffett, Counting Crows, Blues Traveler, and James Taylor. Pat McGee has produced seven albums, three independently, one with Giant/Warner Brothers, one with Warner Brothers, a CD/DVD with Kirtland Records and now, the latest independent release “These Days (The Virginia Sessions).” His independent albums include “from the wood,” “Revel,” “General Admission” (live) and their most recent album “These Days (The Virginia Sessions).” Pat is currently in the writing phase for the next album, including some co-writing opportunities he has taken part in recently with Emerson Hart (ex Tonic), Stephen Kellogg and Ryan Newell (Sister Hazel). Fans can expect a new album soon featuring this work.

While in college, Pat produced his solo debut album “from the wood.” After graduating, he formed his band in 1995, which played often in the Richmond and DC-areas and up and down the East coast before becoming a national headline band playing shows at the premier 1000-2000 seat venues in the U.S. and Canada. Early on, he allowed fans to tape live shows and encouraged them to trade those recordings. A fan-sponsored group “Identities,” named after one of Pat’s first songs, helped spread the music far and wide in the early years. Many of those original Identities remain his most loyal fans.

Pat McGee is a seven-time veteran of the popular Rock Boat cruises, and also appeared on Cayamo Concert Cruise, an entertainment cruise featuring some of the top singer-songwriters in the business. Pat McGee performed on NBC’s “Last Call with Carson Daly” and has been seen on many ESPN events. He has performed the National Anthem at many major league sports event, including a Washington Redskins game, which for Pat, a long-time Redskins fan, was one of the highlights of his career. He has also performed for PGA golfer, John Daly’s charity events.

Pat suffered a tragic loss in Fall 2006 when drummer Chris Williams died suddenly and unexpectedly of heart failure at the age of 38. Williams had been the Pat’s drummer from the beginning days of Pat McGee. The loss of Chris lit a fire underneath Pat to continue on in full force.

Serj Tankian interview

Serj Tankian: I am more interested in how people interpret the phrase “Elect The Dead” than what I may or may not have intended. I named the album after the track, which is a spiritual song about love, life and death and is the heaviest song on the album without having any heavy instruments.

I have gotten some great responses from friends/colleagues as to what the meaning could be.

1) The current leaders are not qualified enough to lead us through these trying times, so we need to look for guidance from past leaders (Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, JFK, etc). The living ideas of the dead are more powerful and effective than the dead ideas of the living.

2) The victims of the epitome of civilization should elect our next leaders so we can live in a more just society.

3) We need to gain the wisdom from beyond history, from beyond the material and physical worlds, to be able to deal with not just electing our political leaders today, but learning how to elect ourselves as leaders.

MVRemix: You basically took the true punk rock DIY ethic to a new level. You played virtually every instrument on the new album aside (as I understand) from guest drummer’s Brian “Brain” Mantia (G N R and Primus) and SOAD (System of a Down) drummer John Dolmayan. One can only imagine the process. After almost 10 years recording with SOAD it must have been quite the transition. Did it feel smooth and natural?

Serj Tankian: Much of it is culled from recordings I’ve amassed over a long period of time, up through this past year. I have such a backlog of material and when I was going through everything, the songs on the album are the ones that stood out. When I wrote everything, I wrote it on piano and acoustic guitar, and I didn’t know I was going to arrange it as a rock record. Producing this was something- in the beginning when I first started, I was a little skeptical about it, because what if I succeeded as an artist and not as a producer? So I had that in the back of mind, but I really knew what kinds of sound I wanted from the tones, what kind of guitars I wanted to use, how I wanted my pianos, strings and vocals to sound. I was very involved, and knew what I was going for, so as I went along, layer by layer developing the songs, it was getting there, so I didn’t want to bring someone else in and change things at that point. But I had to do that, to step out into the control room, take my artist/songwriter hat off, put on the producer’s hat and say “How could this be better, is this the best it could be” at every point in the game. I did have the help of some close friends/artists to collaborate with. Dan Monti, my engineer and guitarist played on the record, as did my friend and opera singer Ani Maldjian. John Dolmayan (SOAD’s drummer) and Brian “Brain” Mantia (Primus, Gun N’ Roses) helped by playing drums.

MVRemix: Speaking of Serjical Strike, your new label I’ve noticed the association with Reprise. Is it an association of contractual or logistical necessity?

Serj Tankian: Our deal with Reprise is on Serj Tankian “Elect the Dead,” and not on any of our other records. We are not tied to any major label and can take our acts anywhere ultimately.

Some bands we’ve released indie ourselves (Buckethead and Friends, BAd Acid Trip, Kittens for Chrisitan), others we’ve put out through majors (Fair to Midland on Universal, Axis of Justice CD/DVD on Sony, and Elect the Dead on Reprise/Warner).

MVRemix: Your back-up band F.C. C. – I love the name. It’s an oblivious jab at the institutional powers, the self – righteous few with the power to punish and the right to censor. Care to elaborate?

Serj Tankian: FCC in the U.S. stands for the Federal Communications Commission, the governmental body that levies penalties for swear words in broadcasting. We decided to make the FCC itself a cuss word to outline the hipocrisy of their existence. Our band is called the Flying Cunts of Chaos.

MVRemix: Having just wrapped up the U.S. leg of the tour, care to shed some insight on what it was like heading a new line-up?

Serj Tankian: I remember that it felt very comfortable getting on stage as a solo artist from the first show on. We’ve already played arenas in the UK with the Foo Fighters, and a host of shows on our own in Europe and the U.S. to promote Elect the Dead.

MVRemix: Was the vibe natural? Was the acclimation smooth?

Serj Tankian: Very

MVRemix: Having played all over the world, do you prefer to play stateside or over-seas?

Serj Tankian: Both can be very fun depending on the season.

MVRemix: On that note, have the fans embraced the new project or are they constantly requesting SOAD songs? If so do the SOAD requests get old?

Serj Tankian: We’ve had an amazing response to the new songs on Elect the Dead and have not heard any SOAD requests from the audience. I think everyone knows that this is a new project and have embraced it.

MVRemix: I have heard you’re covering “Holiday In Cambodia” live on tour. Nice choice. Any other covers in the line up?

Serj Tankian: Beatles’ Girl

MVRemix: As everyone knows, you are politically motivated. After posting the “Understanding Oil” essay post – 911 you took a lot of flack. The ensuing years have found you championing several causes, are your convictions as strong as ever?

Serj Tankian: Yes.

MVRemix: Do you really think music (and or musicians) can make a viable impact in the Political arena?

Serj Tankian: Music is an intuitive medium, and if communicated correctly has the ability to inspire and change people’s hearts. The hearts change the minds, and the minds can change the world.

MVRemix: Speaking politics, in early 06′ you and Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine had the rare opportunity to interview imprisoned Journalist/Political Activist Mumia Abu-Jamal (who was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1981 murder of a Philadelphia Police Officer). What was that like?

Serj Tankian: It was a really eye opening interview with a journalist who is well read and well spoken. He has been made the example despite the lingering questions of injustice in the case, and he’s well aware of it.

MVRemix: And for the final redundant question…any plans for a SOAD reunion?

Serj Tankian: SOAD is currently on an indefinite hiatus after 10+ years of being a touring and recording band. SOAD is not a corporation that needs to put out a product every year to sustain. We’re a group of artists and we create music together when we want to. We are enjoying prioritizing other artistic and personal efforts. We’re all friends and supportive of each others’ art. If and when we need to speak as one to the world, the world will be aware.

Original Serj Tankian article

I was fortunate to catch Patrick Wolf perform at the Plaza here in Vancouver. It’s a small venue so the show was nice and intimate. When I asked Mr. Wolf whether he’s surprised by the type of crowd that comes out to see him perform, his answer was “not really, each crowd is fantastic…I remember one week, I played for 2 people and then the next week I played for a packed church” and as far as the ‘type’ of crowd? “I don’t see people as a label”, he said, which made me feel pretty superficial and slightly ashamed for asking. “I can fall in love with a 17 year old tranie or a 29 year old homelady” confirming the fact that for him, people are just people.

Are you a romantic? I asked, “I don’t know, I’m just Patrick”. Just Patrick, dressed as an angelic elfin type boy wearing knee socks, cut off shorts a bit too small by his own admittance, gold sparkled suspenders, and a green Peter Pan style shirt? Riiiight, just Patrick.

Do you feel the fantastical element to your shows limits the scope of your audience? Lessens people’s ability to take you seriously? He doesn’t feel there is a fantastical element to his shows, which I might add, included a mystical starry night forest backdrop with dirt pathway and a swirling light show that made me feel as though I was under water. His outfit on top of that, well, the whole thing seemed rather fantastical to me, but maybe that’s just who he is so he doesn’t see it that way. As for being taken seriously “I dress down for the stage” he says, which makes me wonder how he dresses in his day-to-day life; “I’ve never cared about being taken seriously, I’m not going to compromise and I’m not scared of being embarrassed, I don’t have to win people”.

So you get embarrassed? “Yeah”, he replied in his soft voice, which made me feel better, and a little more connected to this rather eccentric fellow. Speaking of his voice, it’s incredible. Truly beautiful, at some points during his show I was riveted simply by the range and accuracy of his notes. He plays numerous instruments, mixes them with electronic beats, and in Vancouver he was accompanied by his laptop, a drummer, a stand up bass and a violin player.

He’s on tour right now promoting his latest album “The Magic Position” released on Loog Records, which is being well received. When he played the title track live, he introduced it as “that time in your life when you quit your job and fall in love– it’s like…the magic position”. It was perfect, just as he began to play I saw my ‘crush’ out of the corner of my eye. I went and stood beside him in my very own little magic position. After the show, my ‘crush’ who will remain nameless, mentioned simply as an observation, how ‘un-political’ Patrick Wolf was. It’s true; although he did ask at one point during the show if there were “any Muslims in the audience”, which I found amusing and apparently so does Patrick because according to him, “there never are.” Isn’t that a label? Or labeling people? Hmmmm….

Anyway, Patrick Wolf is a wonderful entertainer, lyricist, performer, singer – Artist. He may come off quite soft and feminine but at 15 he actually sued his school for their views on gay people. They had said that they couldn’t help him with bullying because he was of an ‘effeminate disposition’. So he took them to the European Court of Justice and won, and bought a piano with the money. I read that somewhere…I unfortunately didn’t have enough time before he had to go to ask him about it but I do think it’s worth acknowledging.

If you haven’t heard of Patrick Wolf I encourage you to check him out, and not just this album, his past albums and of course he’s working on his next album as well. When I asked him if there were any discernible themes he replied “depression, darkness, suicide…” So the next album shall be a light one? He didn’t think that was funny or at least he didn’t laugh or respond.

In all seriousness though, it was a pleasure and an honor to talk with Patrick and I look forward to his further success.

Original Article