Skaters and Adam Green for BK at Bowery Electric

 

 

 

anyone who would like to make any additional donations please e-mail info@meghanfarrell.com and I can help direct you to the right place!

Mix: Lost & Found: Vol. 28

Lost & Found: Vol 28 from meghanfarrell on 8tracks.

Down By The Seashore - Inez and Charlie Foxx
29 Ways - Willie Dixon
There Ought To Be A Law - Mickey & Sylvia
Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran
Any Other Way - William Bell
I'll Try Something New - The Miracles
Blue Monday - Fats Domino
Keep Your Hands Off My Baby - Little Eva

one-on-one: tashaki miyaki

My sister and I fell in love with the Everly Brothers' song All I Have To Do Is Dream back in the 90's-- And perhaps you might have too! I don't think anyone who has seen the movie Ladybugs with Jonathan Brandis and Rodney Dangerfield could ever forget that scene where Jonathan's love interest runs across a soccer field, in slow motion, with the track playing in the background. While now comedic, for our ages at the time, the song couldn't sound any more epic. Every boy wanted her and every girl wanted to BE her. 

And so, the song holds a pretty funny-- yet also nostalgic-- place in our hearts. 

About a year ago, re-fell in love with the song after stumbling upon the Los Angles based band, Tashaki Miyaki's, cover. Set at a slower tempo, and with a beachy lo-fi feel, the eerie female vocals gave the song an entirely new twist; something mysteriously fresh and memorable. The song was released on their bandcamp site along with a song they called "Somethin' Is Better Than Nothing--" a sweet song which for me, proved to be almost like a lullaby. People caught on to the two songs, which led them to be featured on quite a few music blogs over the next few months-- and even on NME.

Enamored by their mystery (the duo, Lucy and Rocky, have never revealed their last names), I have followed the band ever since, and of course have always been excited at their musical development and the release of all their new material. But what perhaps made me most excited was the release of their music videos, all which I discovered were directed by a friend of theirs, Juan Iglesias. My personal favorite, "Get It Right,"  features the shadows of horses (my favorite animal) and cloud dusted and snow covered mountains. The recently released video for "Best Friend," went along with a quote by Ezra Morris-- that "all you need is a girl, a gun, and a dog." Both are beautifully shot and provide an excellent contrast against the sounds and stories that their songs tell.








The band has recorded a handful of new songs since, which were put onto several EPs on their bandcamp site. 


I always wondered about the band and its members-- and so of course jumped on the opportunity to ask the band a few questions about themselves, their musical past, and songwriting process!

---

MF

Where are you from?

Lucy

I am second generation California girl

Rocky

Palo Alto CA by way of Bellingham WA.

*

MF

What instruments do you play?

Lucy

 Piano, guitar, voice, and drums.

Rocky

Guitar.

*

MF

Your earliest  memory with a musical instrument?

Lucy

When I was about 7 or 8 I wanted to play the violin. So my parents got me a teacher. I remember she would put lifesavers on the bow... and if they didn't fall off, I would get to eat them. I have always been motivated by food.

Rocky 

I used to sleep inside the bass drum when my Dad's band would practice. Its actually quiet. I was maybe 2.

*

MF

How did you start writing music? 

Lucy

I started writing music as a child... but I didn't know what I was doing! I just always would make up songs and walk around singing them. 

Rocky

I got a ukelele for xmas when I was four... and then I tuned it like a bass. I came up with a song called "hittin the ground" when I was 6! It was about falling off my bike.

*

MF

Can you talk a little about your songwriting process? Do you write the lyrics before or after you write the music?

Lucy 

I generally write on acoustic guitar or piano. The songs come so fast, and it feels like I am just trying to catch them and find the chords before I forget the melody that just showed up in my head. But then, some songs have come out of just jamming... And sometimes Rocky sends me riffs and I write melodies...this is probably the most challenging for me, but I also really like it. I think about the hip hop guys...that's what they are always doing.

Rocky

 It depends on the situation. Sometimes its a riff, or a vocal melody, or a lyric. Whatever hits you first.


click to read more below!!

edie edie edie

alex winston - velvet elvis

mix: new music - Lost & Found Vol. 27

Lost & Found: Vol 27 from meghanfarrell on 8tracks.

Shurah - Fats Domino 

I Won't Be Hanging Around - Albert King 

A Three Dollar Bill - Beverly Ann Gibson 

Leave Me Be - Sonny & Cher 

Screaming Mimi Jeanie - Mickey Hawks 

My Baby Loves Me - Martha & The Vandellas 

I'll Come Running - Lulu 

In The Basement - Etta James & Sugar Pie DeSanto 

Maison Kitsuné Spring/Summer 2012

 

 

New Music: Interview with Nick of Die Jungen

Having always a love for browsing the Bandcamp website, I discovered the British experimental band Die Jungen by chance, late at night just about a year ago. I was sleepy, and was looking for some new tunes to put me to sleep. I remember stumbling upon the band's site, hitting the play button, and, being hit with a wave of familiarity,  thinking-- "I know those sounds!"  I had totally heard something about the track before, and the song's ominous low-fi vocals provided a sort of comfort. And I knew I had found what I was looking for. 

As most people know, the bulk of my music appreciation lies in the 50's and 60's. As I continued to listen to Die Jungen's tracks, I realized the songs I had been listening to were actually mixed in with numerous instrumentals from recognizable songs from the 60's.   I then noticed a single on their site, a Bo Diddly cover of "I'm Sorry." I was intrigued by the band's entire venture, as I soon also learned that the band consisted of only one person, Klaus von Barrel ("Nick"). And so, I followed the band's development ever since.

Nick's newest album, At Breath's End,  has proved to me to be by far the best--- a well rounded display of his impeccable skill for taking old sounds and appropriating them into beautiful original songs.

I reached out to Nick a few weeks ago to ask a few questions to learn more about the venture, the music, and his process! 

MF:

How did you start writing music? What instruments do you play?

NICK: 

I first started playing when I got a guitar for my 13th birthday, since then i've got into play other things like, bass, keyboards, synthesizers etc. but the guitar is still my main instrument.  I first started writing my own music when i was 17/18.

MF:

Your earliest  memory with a musical instrument?

NICK: 

Oh I'm not sure, maybe when I played a mini keyboard when I was around 3 or something.

MF:

Three albums that impacted your life:

NICK:

Love - Forever Changes

Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy

Echo & The Bunnymen - Ocean Rain

MF:

Three songs you couldn't live without:

NICK:

Beach Boys - Don't Worry Baby

Johnny Ace - Pledging My Love

Velvet Underground - Rock & Roll

MF:

What sorts of things do you draw inspiration from in your work (could be anything - from other musicians to themes, objects, relationships, etc..)

NICK:

Obviously lots of musicians and artists from the past and present. I'm also inspired by all the places i've visited (and the ones i haven't). My girlfriend Kat is also a big inspiration on me.  

MF:

Favorite city to tour:

NICK:

Its too hard to choose just one, but i recently enjoyed going to Budapest, Lyon and Brussels all for the first time earlier this year.

MF:

Can you talk a little about your songwriting process? Do you write the lyrics before or after you write the music?

NICK:

With Die Jungen, I start by finding the sample I want to use and manipulate the speed and pitch until i find something I like. I then begin to work out vocal melodies and guitar or keyboard parts over it. I end by writing the lyrics to my melody.

MF:

I noticed that you have used old doo-wop and garage rock and appropriated them into backing tracks in your music. I think this is super super rad, because I love discovering obscure, hard to find, music from that time.  Is there a significance to the songs the that you choose to use? How do you go about finding and selecting these tracks?

NICK:

I found them all from my own music collection. I had wanted to make music that sounded authentically like those records for a while but couldn't replicate it and so I realised the best way would be to use samples of those records instead!

MF:

Can you talk a little about everyone involved with your band, its development, etc?

NICK:

At the moment, Die Jungen is just me. I started the project in February 2011 by recording the EP '$' over the course of a weekend and followed it up by recording my tracks throughout the rest of 2011.

MF:

Favorite place in the whole world (and maybe a picture you have or have taken of it)"

NICK:

I don't think I have a particular favourite place in the whole world... maybe I just haven't found it yet!

MF:

Favorite object of yours (and maybe a picture of have of it): 

NICK:

Hmm I cant say I have a favourite object either, but for this I'll say my guitar (aka 'Audrey'). 

You can listen to the new album here:

mixtape: new music march/april 2012

New Music: March/April 2012 from meghanfarrell on 8tracks.

Echo - Jethro Fox
On Your Way - Alabama Shakes
Ivory Coast - Pure Bathing Culture
Take Pills (Instructed Bliss) - Inspired and the Sleep
Hands Are Tied - Mirror Lady
In The End - Die Jungen
Holland - Cold Specks
Before - Jethro Fox
Shapes (Spiderwoman) - Mirror Lady