Last night I went to a black tie benefit with some friends, it was a big I got a fancy dress, got my nails done, my hair did (I was rockin' the up do last night) and my make-up done, not to toot my own horn but I was looking good! The event was being held at the ballroom of a hotel in midtown. And when we got into the ballroom we were split up and one group of friends was at one table and another group was at another table, so after dinner I went to go and look for my friend who was sitting at the other table and as I'm looking for my friend who did I spot......Roger Waters!! He was deep in conversation with Salman Rushdie the author!
Now normally I consider myself a fairly jaded New Yorker and I'm like oh a famous person big deal! But Pink Floyd is one of my all time favorite bands and Roger Waters and Syd Barrett are two musical heroes of mine and half the reason why I wanted to go into music in the first place. And ever since I was about twelve I've always had this fantasy of singing back up for Roger or being involved with some project that he wrote. Just seeing Roger Waters and Salman Rushdie talking brought back all those childhood fantasies!! And at that moment I so wished that I was a fly on the wall or table just to hear that Rushdie/Waters conversation! By this time I always thought I would be part of that conversation.
Anyhow the second that I spotted Roger I ran right out of the ballroom and called my other friend and left her a message saying your never gonna believe who is here! Then like a huge dork I had to call my mom to let her know I just saw Roger Waters! So I see Roger and the woman he is with walk right by me and I totally seized the moment... I had too! I said Mr. Waters and he turned around and of course I wanted to talk to him about the NY scene and how venues for indie artists are disappearing, basically I wanted to have some form of intelligent conversation with the man about music. But like a dorky gushing fan girl I said I'm involved with the NY indie music scene and half the reason why I got into music is because of you, your a musical idol of mine and I said to him I hate to sound like a gushing fan girl and as soon as I said that, the woman he was with said "oh no that's so sweet"! He stuck out his hand and shook my hand and with a smile on his face and in that proper Cambridge accent said "thank you, thank you very much" and walked on. Then about an hour later my friend and I saw him leave and I said "bye sir", I don't think he heard me cause he didn't say anything!
I'm still in awe and I just can't believe that I met ROGER WATERS! The man behind "Dark Side of the Moon" and "The Wall" and one of my idols!! I'm still reeling from the encounter today!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
A Day at the Opera!
After taking a tour of the Met opera house yesterday I now want to become a opera diva/journalist!!
I went to take a backstage tour of the Met with a very dear friend of mine and unfortunately I couldn't take any pictures, if I was able too I would have posted them here and have let the pictures tell the story!
Any how we saw the schematics of what goes into running a opera at the Met and making it run smoothly and it was really fascinating and very inspiring!
All costumes and scenery are made in house and one of the first places that we saw was were the costumes are designed and made. There are in house designers and in house seamstresses and each person who works in wardrobe is given a book with the fabric samples and designs for each costume for every cast member in all the operas for the season and if ever there is a fire the wardrobe people are to grab one of those books and run out of the building! But seeing the detail that goes into these costumes up close is just truly amazing!
Then we saw the scenery workshop which was pretty interesting, within the scenery workshop there is a department that is the quote un quote special effects department. They do things such as fray dresses, make blood stained sheets.
After that we then saw how scenery is moved from the lower levels (there are three one is below subway level) to the stage. A massive elevator that can hold a 747 airplane moves the scenery.
We also got to see the performers warm up rooms, they looked an awful lot like the chorus room in my high school, windowless with drab brown brick and risers. We also heard the performers warming up which was a real treat!
My favorite part of the tour was watching a rehearsal of "The Magic Flute" on the main stage from were the director of that particular opera would sit to give cues.
I went to take a backstage tour of the Met with a very dear friend of mine and unfortunately I couldn't take any pictures, if I was able too I would have posted them here and have let the pictures tell the story!
Any how we saw the schematics of what goes into running a opera at the Met and making it run smoothly and it was really fascinating and very inspiring!
All costumes and scenery are made in house and one of the first places that we saw was were the costumes are designed and made. There are in house designers and in house seamstresses and each person who works in wardrobe is given a book with the fabric samples and designs for each costume for every cast member in all the operas for the season and if ever there is a fire the wardrobe people are to grab one of those books and run out of the building! But seeing the detail that goes into these costumes up close is just truly amazing!
Then we saw the scenery workshop which was pretty interesting, within the scenery workshop there is a department that is the quote un quote special effects department. They do things such as fray dresses, make blood stained sheets.
After that we then saw how scenery is moved from the lower levels (there are three one is below subway level) to the stage. A massive elevator that can hold a 747 airplane moves the scenery.
We also got to see the performers warm up rooms, they looked an awful lot like the chorus room in my high school, windowless with drab brown brick and risers. We also heard the performers warming up which was a real treat!
My favorite part of the tour was watching a rehearsal of "The Magic Flute" on the main stage from were the director of that particular opera would sit to give cues.
Monday, October 22, 2007
One non music related post and one semi music related
One friday night show that I make sure I don't miss is "Real Time With Bill Maher", I find Bill to be sexy, I love a smart man with a sense of humor!! Any how I'm sure as all of you read or saw on youtube, Bill threw out two people who disrupted the show, the protesters who believe 9/11 was an inside job.
I have to say that the whole 9/11 conspiracy about 9/11 being an inside job bothers me on so many different levels. First off the Bush administration while they may all be seriously evil I do believe their not that smart to pull something off on that grand of a scale. And what really bothers me the most about all this is the whole human factor, I grew up on the South Shore of Long Island and many of the people who lost their lives that day were Long Islanders and I unfortunately knew people who were killed, I grew up with them, they were members of my parents church, friends of my cousins, went to high school with my sister etc you get the idea. It bothers me not only about the whole 9/11 conspiracy but also the fact that 9/11 was used to justify invading Iraq (that is a whole other post), I can only imagine how someone who lost their father, mother, brother, sister, wife, husband, daughter and son on 9/11 must feel every time they hear or read these 9/11 conspiracies.
Okay onto the music.....
Did anyone watch "America's Next Big Band" or what ever that show is on Fox? It's from the producers of "American Idol", I believe. Seriously "American Idol" and their producers are single handily ruining the music business. My big complaint about "American Idol" is that it leaves no room for anything that is unique and I really find it funny that Paula Abdul is judging people's musical talents!! I would imagine "Americans Next Big Band" would do the same thing, they'd pick some generic cookie cutter band. I read a little review in the paper and like most of the shows produced by the AI folks it seems as if there is a "Simon" judge (mean, blunt and nasty), a "Paula" judge (way too nice) and a "Randy" judge (indifferent), I read the "Simon" judge on this show is some guy from the Aussie version of AI, the "Paula" judge is Shelia E. and the "Randy" judge is Johnny Resnick from the Goo Goo Dolls. The formula for all these reality shows is becoming one in the same. I didn't watch but I read that there was another music reality show on VH-1 called "Rap's Next Superstar" the premise is "celebs" who aren't associated with the world of hip-hop compete to become rap's biggest superstar. Now I read that the country music TV station is planning on doing the same type of show but with country music. I don't know I can't watch any of these reality shows, the musical ones all seem to have the same formula!! One non musical reality show that I read is in the works is one called "The Philanthropist" were "celebs" go to third world countries to try and "save" the world's poor! I read the first celeb trying to "save" the world's poor will be Paris Hilton, she supposedly is going to Rwanada in Africa. She's such a good role model! Me thinks the "celebs" participating in this show will be people like Mini-Me, Vanilla Ice, some chickie from "Baywatch", Fred Durst and Kevin Federline. Don't think Brangelina, George Clooney, Oprah and Bono will be participating in that show! And this is just one of the many reasons why were hated around the world!
I have to say that the whole 9/11 conspiracy about 9/11 being an inside job bothers me on so many different levels. First off the Bush administration while they may all be seriously evil I do believe their not that smart to pull something off on that grand of a scale. And what really bothers me the most about all this is the whole human factor, I grew up on the South Shore of Long Island and many of the people who lost their lives that day were Long Islanders and I unfortunately knew people who were killed, I grew up with them, they were members of my parents church, friends of my cousins, went to high school with my sister etc you get the idea. It bothers me not only about the whole 9/11 conspiracy but also the fact that 9/11 was used to justify invading Iraq (that is a whole other post), I can only imagine how someone who lost their father, mother, brother, sister, wife, husband, daughter and son on 9/11 must feel every time they hear or read these 9/11 conspiracies.
Okay onto the music.....
Did anyone watch "America's Next Big Band" or what ever that show is on Fox? It's from the producers of "American Idol", I believe. Seriously "American Idol" and their producers are single handily ruining the music business. My big complaint about "American Idol" is that it leaves no room for anything that is unique and I really find it funny that Paula Abdul is judging people's musical talents!! I would imagine "Americans Next Big Band" would do the same thing, they'd pick some generic cookie cutter band. I read a little review in the paper and like most of the shows produced by the AI folks it seems as if there is a "Simon" judge (mean, blunt and nasty), a "Paula" judge (way too nice) and a "Randy" judge (indifferent), I read the "Simon" judge on this show is some guy from the Aussie version of AI, the "Paula" judge is Shelia E. and the "Randy" judge is Johnny Resnick from the Goo Goo Dolls. The formula for all these reality shows is becoming one in the same. I didn't watch but I read that there was another music reality show on VH-1 called "Rap's Next Superstar" the premise is "celebs" who aren't associated with the world of hip-hop compete to become rap's biggest superstar. Now I read that the country music TV station is planning on doing the same type of show but with country music. I don't know I can't watch any of these reality shows, the musical ones all seem to have the same formula!! One non musical reality show that I read is in the works is one called "The Philanthropist" were "celebs" go to third world countries to try and "save" the world's poor! I read the first celeb trying to "save" the world's poor will be Paris Hilton, she supposedly is going to Rwanada in Africa. She's such a good role model! Me thinks the "celebs" participating in this show will be people like Mini-Me, Vanilla Ice, some chickie from "Baywatch", Fred Durst and Kevin Federline. Don't think Brangelina, George Clooney, Oprah and Bono will be participating in that show! And this is just one of the many reasons why were hated around the world!
Monday, October 15, 2007
MEANY Fest...
Saturday night was the last show for MEANY at Snitch, Dr. Mary, Lonnie, Do You See the Dark, The Johnny Strange and Fixer played and it was a wild and rockin' good time that reminded me of a Saturday night at CBGB's. Everyone put on an amazing show!
Oh and I will keep you all posted as to when the on camera interviews from Tuesday night will be posted.
All in all MEANY Fest 2007 was a great fun and a great success!
Till the finals......and MEANY 2008!
Oh and I will keep you all posted as to when the on camera interviews from Tuesday night will be posted.
All in all MEANY Fest 2007 was a great fun and a great success!
Till the finals......and MEANY 2008!
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Andrew Vladeck interview
Andrew Vladeck
A true musical renascence man
This past Monday evening in New York City, was a balmy indian summer evening and I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Andrew Vladeck (aka Dory Honey of the Honey Brothers) in the East Village’s Tompkins Square Park. As we sat on a park bench, black and white dogs barked and bike riders whizzed by, we discussed the Honey Brothers, how he came to be known as the “Singing Ranger” and Dory Honey, playing indie music festivals. And finally how he came to play the banjo as well as his own solo material
AG: First Question is a three parter: Your known as “The Singer Ranger”; you play the banjo and your alter ego’s name is Dory Honey who plays with his brothers Honey. First, what made you decide to become a park ranger? Second, What made you decide to play the banjo? And finally explain your alter ego Dory.
AV: Well okay what made me become a park ranger; I love the contradiction of living in the city and being and the middle of nature….. laughs ….( as if on cue, a fire truck with sirens on at full blast goes rushing by) as I’m saying this to you a fire truck is going by…and it’s a hook and ladder truck . My grandpa Harry who was born three blocks from here drove on the back of a hook and ladder truck, he was a New York City fireman for twenty years. He was a civil servant and all of my family has worked for the city or served in some type of way. And it was interesting for me to wear a uniform and do that whole type of thing. And my job was primarily education and I’m a big fan of New York City and New York City history and when I saw a job posting saying that the parks dept was looking for an historian ranger, I applied for the job and I got it and that’s what brought me to becoming a ranger I needed a job and I was a musician and I had no other skills other then music and my love of history.
AG: And a 9 to 5 job just wasn’t gonna cut it?
AV: Right…. The banjo thing came about during the sophomore year of college, I got this recording of Woody Guthrie playing the fiddle and he didn’t play too many fiddle songs but the record I had gotten was of him playing “900 Miles” and it blew my freakin’ mind!! And I thought I need to play that song….I wanted to learn to play the fiddle so I can play that song, I tried to find where I could take fiddle lessons and it was really hard to find a place where I could take fiddle lessons. And I found out that the New School offered fiddle lessons and so I went to sign up to take fiddle lessons at the New School. And then they called me the day before and said your fiddle lessons are canceled no one else signed up, but we have a banjo class and as a default I took up banjo. And now that’s what I do.
AG: It was a happy accident
AV: It was….well said. Lastly the alter ego Dorian…Dory Honey. First off me and my friends when we started the Honey Brothers, we decided it was fun to be in the land of make believe and be something outside of yourself and have some sort of alter ego. And we all chose our own names and I don’t know how meaningful their names are to them but at the time I was reading “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde. And it’s a phenomenal book, it’s funny and it’s scathing and I sort out my own issues through that book. Some of them are encapsulated by that book and so that is why I chose that name.
AG: Well I hear that you are in the studio and you are making some solo material, can you describe the sound of this new music that you are making? And is it any different then what you do in the Honey Brothers?
AV: Yes it is quite different! I’m really a huge fan of old folk and blues, like before World War 2. between the wars really but like the 1920’s, 30’s all the stuff that Harry Smith put together for the Harry Smith anthologies. I love that old music, from Rev. Gary Davis, great ragtime guitar player…..
AG: King Oliver?
AV: What was King Oliver?
AG: Really great ragtime Creole jazz from like 1917.
AV: I never really broke into jazz it was too much of a different form and I don’t know if I’m a good enough musician to pull off jazz. (laughs) So I’ll stick to the simpler folk music form…ummm so I’m really into that old time folk and blues music and so what I do really draws into that heavily and brings it into the future. The songs I write are much more modern and the sounds I come up with and force my banjo through with amplifiers and pick ups and stuff is trying to make it fresh and exciting and interesting. With the Honey Brothers we’re really a collective and we write songs together and it pretty much comes out of a much more modern feel, it’s a little bit more indie , more pop rock sensibilities. My music is steeped more directly in the roots stuff.
AG: You have a gig coming up on October 9th at the Knitting Factory which is part of the MEANY Fest. Do you do a lot of indie music festivals as a solo artist and or with the Honey Brothers?
AV: I’ve done more as a solo artist, I’ve been a solo artist for a while now the Honey Brothers have been together for like about five years. I’ve done the circuit of festivals…I’ve never player MEANY Fest, but I’ve done the others that have come here and around.
AG: Do you have a favorite festival that you’ve played?
AV: I thought that South by Southwest is a phenomena and I thought it was neat to be transplanted to this oasis with a billion other musicians. And it becomes like a college town almost, it can really take over as opposed to anything that comes to New York City which kinda gets swallowed by the city. For me it was exciting to get out of town and be part of the South by Southwest festival.
AG: The last question….where does Dory Honey…..”The Singing Ranger” aka Andrew Vladeck see himself going?
AV: Well….I don’t know! Well I’d like to see myself continuing this trajectory which is every year I feel like I’m getting more talented and I’m enjoying music more and meeting more great musicians and getting to play in front of more people. I’m really enjoying all the projects that I’m doing right now and I’d like to see myself going deeper with in all those projects. Writing better songs and enjoying the people I play with and the audiences even more.
To hear Andrew's music click on his myspace:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=9674407&MyToken=d1091f64-5b7f-4cb6-bf6d-c3f61b3787c4
To get tour dates and other news click on his website:
http://www.andrewvladeck.com/
A true musical renascence man
This past Monday evening in New York City, was a balmy indian summer evening and I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Andrew Vladeck (aka Dory Honey of the Honey Brothers) in the East Village’s Tompkins Square Park. As we sat on a park bench, black and white dogs barked and bike riders whizzed by, we discussed the Honey Brothers, how he came to be known as the “Singing Ranger” and Dory Honey, playing indie music festivals. And finally how he came to play the banjo as well as his own solo material
AG: First Question is a three parter: Your known as “The Singer Ranger”; you play the banjo and your alter ego’s name is Dory Honey who plays with his brothers Honey. First, what made you decide to become a park ranger? Second, What made you decide to play the banjo? And finally explain your alter ego Dory.
AV: Well okay what made me become a park ranger; I love the contradiction of living in the city and being and the middle of nature….. laughs ….( as if on cue, a fire truck with sirens on at full blast goes rushing by) as I’m saying this to you a fire truck is going by…and it’s a hook and ladder truck . My grandpa Harry who was born three blocks from here drove on the back of a hook and ladder truck, he was a New York City fireman for twenty years. He was a civil servant and all of my family has worked for the city or served in some type of way. And it was interesting for me to wear a uniform and do that whole type of thing. And my job was primarily education and I’m a big fan of New York City and New York City history and when I saw a job posting saying that the parks dept was looking for an historian ranger, I applied for the job and I got it and that’s what brought me to becoming a ranger I needed a job and I was a musician and I had no other skills other then music and my love of history.
AG: And a 9 to 5 job just wasn’t gonna cut it?
AV: Right…. The banjo thing came about during the sophomore year of college, I got this recording of Woody Guthrie playing the fiddle and he didn’t play too many fiddle songs but the record I had gotten was of him playing “900 Miles” and it blew my freakin’ mind!! And I thought I need to play that song….I wanted to learn to play the fiddle so I can play that song, I tried to find where I could take fiddle lessons and it was really hard to find a place where I could take fiddle lessons. And I found out that the New School offered fiddle lessons and so I went to sign up to take fiddle lessons at the New School. And then they called me the day before and said your fiddle lessons are canceled no one else signed up, but we have a banjo class and as a default I took up banjo. And now that’s what I do.
AG: It was a happy accident
AV: It was….well said. Lastly the alter ego Dorian…Dory Honey. First off me and my friends when we started the Honey Brothers, we decided it was fun to be in the land of make believe and be something outside of yourself and have some sort of alter ego. And we all chose our own names and I don’t know how meaningful their names are to them but at the time I was reading “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde. And it’s a phenomenal book, it’s funny and it’s scathing and I sort out my own issues through that book. Some of them are encapsulated by that book and so that is why I chose that name.
AG: Well I hear that you are in the studio and you are making some solo material, can you describe the sound of this new music that you are making? And is it any different then what you do in the Honey Brothers?
AV: Yes it is quite different! I’m really a huge fan of old folk and blues, like before World War 2. between the wars really but like the 1920’s, 30’s all the stuff that Harry Smith put together for the Harry Smith anthologies. I love that old music, from Rev. Gary Davis, great ragtime guitar player…..
AG: King Oliver?
AV: What was King Oliver?
AG: Really great ragtime Creole jazz from like 1917.
AV: I never really broke into jazz it was too much of a different form and I don’t know if I’m a good enough musician to pull off jazz. (laughs) So I’ll stick to the simpler folk music form…ummm so I’m really into that old time folk and blues music and so what I do really draws into that heavily and brings it into the future. The songs I write are much more modern and the sounds I come up with and force my banjo through with amplifiers and pick ups and stuff is trying to make it fresh and exciting and interesting. With the Honey Brothers we’re really a collective and we write songs together and it pretty much comes out of a much more modern feel, it’s a little bit more indie , more pop rock sensibilities. My music is steeped more directly in the roots stuff.
AG: You have a gig coming up on October 9th at the Knitting Factory which is part of the MEANY Fest. Do you do a lot of indie music festivals as a solo artist and or with the Honey Brothers?
AV: I’ve done more as a solo artist, I’ve been a solo artist for a while now the Honey Brothers have been together for like about five years. I’ve done the circuit of festivals…I’ve never player MEANY Fest, but I’ve done the others that have come here and around.
AG: Do you have a favorite festival that you’ve played?
AV: I thought that South by Southwest is a phenomena and I thought it was neat to be transplanted to this oasis with a billion other musicians. And it becomes like a college town almost, it can really take over as opposed to anything that comes to New York City which kinda gets swallowed by the city. For me it was exciting to get out of town and be part of the South by Southwest festival.
AG: The last question….where does Dory Honey…..”The Singing Ranger” aka Andrew Vladeck see himself going?
AV: Well….I don’t know! Well I’d like to see myself continuing this trajectory which is every year I feel like I’m getting more talented and I’m enjoying music more and meeting more great musicians and getting to play in front of more people. I’m really enjoying all the projects that I’m doing right now and I’d like to see myself going deeper with in all those projects. Writing better songs and enjoying the people I play with and the audiences even more.
To hear Andrew's music click on his myspace:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=9674407&MyToken=d1091f64-5b7f-4cb6-bf6d-c3f61b3787c4
To get tour dates and other news click on his website:
http://www.andrewvladeck.com/
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Ethan Gold a few months later...
A few months ago I had the pleasure of chatting with Ethan Gold (aka Raw Honey) about his influences, song writing process and where he sees himself going. I just caught up with him a few days ago via email and we chatted about his two new solo cd's which are due to come out any day now and his up and coming MEANY fest gig on October 9th at the Knitting Factory in New York. My interview with Dory Honey is up and posted so enjoy both interviews!!
AG: Your in the process of recording two new CD's can you tell me how
that is going? And what is the inspiration behind the writing process of
these two new CD's?
EG: I was living in Los Angeles in a dingy apartment doing demos for a
bleak and terrifying rock opera thing called "The Rise and Fall of CAP". It was
basically an exploration of the worst aspects of the male psyche - sex
and violence and music. I'd demoed about 50 songs when I realized I
couldn't make sense of the project, it just kept spawning more music and ideas.
Meanwhile I was getting sick: it turned out that in addition to the
various vermin and asbestos in the apartment there was also toxic mold growing
in the floorboards, which I discovered when I lifted an amplifier. It
broke off part of the floor when I lifted it, revealing this kind of
horrifying forest of mold. It explained some of the mental states I'd been
experiencing. I abandoned the project and of course the apartment, and
turned some of those demos into my totally home-made album "Songs from
a Toxic Apartment." I played and recorded and mixed every note of that
record on an $800 system at home. Then I have a less insular record called
"Bright and Lonely City," which was done in a proper studio, with a rhythm
section of other humans. I tried to combine them into one record but they just
didn't blend, so I decided to just make them two records.
AG: Does the sound of the new material differ from your past solo
stuff?
EG: Don't know what you've heard. Some of it you'll recognize. A few
songs from movies will be on the studio record.
AG: Will you be playing any of the new material when you play the
Knitting Factory in New York on Oct 9th?
EG: Yeah, I'll play a few songs. This is just a little acoustic show.
That's not my preferred mode of transport, so I'll keep it short. I don't
like to see acoustic shows to much, so I don't like to be one either. It's a
challenge to play that way for me, actually. I won't have my
paintbrushes, all the instruments that make my sound. The people who come to the
show, it will be sort of like looking at blueprints.
AG: The show that you are playing on the Oct 9th at the Knitting
Factory is part of the MEANY fest which is an indie music fest, how do you feel
about playing indie music festivals?
EG: There should be more music festivals. I envy the indie film world.
AG: You've been playing a lot live with your band the Honey Brothers, are you
looking forward to doing this solo gig on the 9th?
EG: Looking forward with trepidation. I've gotten used to having my
friends on stage with me. It's nice that my honey brother Andrew Vladeck will be
playing before me to warm the stage up and make a good vibe for the room.
But it may be lonely out there all by myself. I don't want to tour this
way, but I don't have time to rehearse a band this week. I hope to tour
more properly soon.
AG: Last question when can we expect these two new cds??
EG: The mixes are done on one record as of last week. The other I have four
more songs to mix. Then I'll look at some labels. I'd hope to release
them soon. Perhaps one around new year and the other around summer. Sorry to
make you wait, that's just the way it works. If I release independently it
could be a little sooner.
To hear Ethan's new material click on his myspace page:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=8828937&MyToken=928c5782-2d55-4712-bb62-d01022be0737
To get news such as tour dates click on Ethan's webpage:
http://www.ethangold.com/
AG: Your in the process of recording two new CD's can you tell me how
that is going? And what is the inspiration behind the writing process of
these two new CD's?
EG: I was living in Los Angeles in a dingy apartment doing demos for a
bleak and terrifying rock opera thing called "The Rise and Fall of CAP". It was
basically an exploration of the worst aspects of the male psyche - sex
and violence and music. I'd demoed about 50 songs when I realized I
couldn't make sense of the project, it just kept spawning more music and ideas.
Meanwhile I was getting sick: it turned out that in addition to the
various vermin and asbestos in the apartment there was also toxic mold growing
in the floorboards, which I discovered when I lifted an amplifier. It
broke off part of the floor when I lifted it, revealing this kind of
horrifying forest of mold. It explained some of the mental states I'd been
experiencing. I abandoned the project and of course the apartment, and
turned some of those demos into my totally home-made album "Songs from
a Toxic Apartment." I played and recorded and mixed every note of that
record on an $800 system at home. Then I have a less insular record called
"Bright and Lonely City," which was done in a proper studio, with a rhythm
section of other humans. I tried to combine them into one record but they just
didn't blend, so I decided to just make them two records.
AG: Does the sound of the new material differ from your past solo
stuff?
EG: Don't know what you've heard. Some of it you'll recognize. A few
songs from movies will be on the studio record.
AG: Will you be playing any of the new material when you play the
Knitting Factory in New York on Oct 9th?
EG: Yeah, I'll play a few songs. This is just a little acoustic show.
That's not my preferred mode of transport, so I'll keep it short. I don't
like to see acoustic shows to much, so I don't like to be one either. It's a
challenge to play that way for me, actually. I won't have my
paintbrushes, all the instruments that make my sound. The people who come to the
show, it will be sort of like looking at blueprints.
AG: The show that you are playing on the Oct 9th at the Knitting
Factory is part of the MEANY fest which is an indie music fest, how do you feel
about playing indie music festivals?
EG: There should be more music festivals. I envy the indie film world.
AG: You've been playing a lot live with your band the Honey Brothers, are you
looking forward to doing this solo gig on the 9th?
EG: Looking forward with trepidation. I've gotten used to having my
friends on stage with me. It's nice that my honey brother Andrew Vladeck will be
playing before me to warm the stage up and make a good vibe for the room.
But it may be lonely out there all by myself. I don't want to tour this
way, but I don't have time to rehearse a band this week. I hope to tour
more properly soon.
AG: Last question when can we expect these two new cds??
EG: The mixes are done on one record as of last week. The other I have four
more songs to mix. Then I'll look at some labels. I'd hope to release
them soon. Perhaps one around new year and the other around summer. Sorry to
make you wait, that's just the way it works. If I release independently it
could be a little sooner.
To hear Ethan's new material click on his myspace page:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=8828937&MyToken=928c5782-2d55-4712-bb62-d01022be0737
To get news such as tour dates click on Ethan's webpage:
http://www.ethangold.com/
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
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