One on One: The Interest Group

Hailing from Philly, the psychedelic-pop aficionados who call themselves The Interest Group had the music blogging world enchanted almost immediately.  It was only back in May that the collective of five musicians released their take on a rare 1960's psychedelic rock song:  a track called The Boys and the Girls, originally recorded by a band that called themselves The Network!  To some, this might seem like a tall order-- to find and translate such a lost and obscure track-- but The Interest Group did it with musical aptitude and ease.  With this, the group took the concept of being 1960's aficionados to the next level,  proving themselves as a highly inventive and musically captivating bunch to be watched!

With a wildly accumulative intro followed by a string of echoing "bum-bum-bums," the track is ambient, lo-fi, and hazy-- but undeniably full with a distinct weave of fun; an uplifting feel.

 I later realized that the song appears on one of my favorite compilations of all time: an untapped fifteen volume gem, Fading Yellow!





Then in June, the band released their second single: an original song titled, "Fear," which proved to be an impressive spectrum of sound: an eerie drone of vocals over lullaby worthy guitar riffs transitioning into ethic and outer-wordly sounding cries and melodies.


The Boys and the Girls was on heavy rotation during the production of the FW13 season, and so, I had to include it on my first compilation, Romance Never Dies. Though overdue by a few weeks, I was so excited to interview this bunch, who had me enchanted immediately, and revealed themselves as quite the playful, funny, and inherently gifted group of comrades!

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MF

Love you guys! Who makes up the band? Who does what?

IG
There are five of us total: Marissa, Yohsuke, Kyle, Matt and Steve. Marissa and Yohsuke are the songwriters-- they sing and play guitars. Matt is the guitar king, Kyle makes us swoon on bass, and Steve is our human metronome on drums!

MF
So I know that there are only three songs currently available online... But what I want to know is how many are in your repertoire thus far! Super excited to hear more tracks!

MARISSA

We're still pretty new, a baby band, really!  But I guess we have about an album's worth: just about twelve completed songs that we've built together over the past year.

MF
Do you have plans to release an album anytime soon? What are some of the themes we will notice, and what does it sound like?

YOSHUKE 

Currently, we are working on a 7" which we hope will be out in the next few months! And we're mixing a full length album right now as well-- though it's taking some time. The themes are probably best left up to the listeners to decide. Maybe in a few years we'll better understand what they are but right now I'm not sure we fully understand them yet.

MARISSA

Hopefully the full length is done within the year. But that may be wishful thinking! I will just continue to nag Yohsk every week about it 'til we get there.

MF
Your cover of the 60's song "The Boys and the Girls" by The Network appears on Romance Never Dies. It's a pretty rare track! How did you stumble upon it and why did you decide to cover it? Does it hold a certain significance?

YOSHUKE 

 I found it online-- it was featured on a compilation CD. I just really enjoyed it so I started recording a cover version on my own, and then I asked Marissa to sing backup.

MARISSA  

This song is really important to me as it pretty much brought the two of us together musically. We first met each other in a film class in school, and by pure coincidence ended up in a completely different class together the following year. Just around this time,  Yoshuke was in the process of recording "The Boys and the Girls" on his own, and I joined in! After recording this together and singing on a few of his other original tracks, I started sharing my songs with him, collaborating as well. And so the band just grew up from there!

MF
If you could write a song and perform it with any band in history-- who would it be and why?

MARISSA
I think we'd all agree writing and performing with Bjork would be a dream come true. And oh duh, Dusty Springfield!

YOSHUKE

or Linda Ronstadt! Francoise Hardy!

MF
So I really love this question-- but do you guys remember the first song you ever wrote? What was it about?

MATT 

I think it was on acoustic guitar. But then again, I was in a band in middle school called Grace Keller (supposedly funny because I had no grace, and because it sounded like 'Grace Kelly'), and I remember those songs were pretty grungy/alt rocky and about girls that we were just making up. We liked At The Drive-In and Piebald a lot.

MARISSA  

I wrote my first song I think when I was 11, on electric guitar. It was just instrumental and I used just two chords and performed it in my music class. It wasn't until I was about sixteen when I started writing lyrics as well. I wrote songs on piano and started a band with one of my school friends. I still listen to those songs from time to time and giggle a bit. They were songs about love and full of teen angst. Like Matt I was kind of making everything up too, writing about a future self maybe.

MF
Do you remember the first time you ever played an instrument?

MATT

 I remember when I was really little, my mom got me a Mickey Mouse drum set! It had a snare, kick drum, floor tom, and a crash symbol, which all sounded like cardboard boxes.   

MARISSA

When I was six I remember trying to play my uncle's Gibson in his basement. I thought it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen, but that it was awfully heavy and too big for me to wrap my hands around, so I just strummed the strings while it sat in its stand.

MF
And now, the 8 songs you couldn't live without:

1-on-1: Matt & Steve from the Interest Group from meghanfarrell on 8tracks Radio.

MATT
Scatterbrain - Radiohead
Harvest Moon - Neil Young
Sometimes - My Bloody Valentine
Wooly Mammoth's Mighty Absence - Mount Eerie
On A Neck, On A Spit - Grizzly Bear
Dreams - Fleetwood Mac
It Takes Alot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry - Bob Dylan
Sloop John B. - The Beach Boys

STEVE
Stevie Wonder - As
Spacemen 3 - Big City (Everybody I know Can Be Found Here)
Neu! - Isi

1-on-1: Yoshuke from The Interest Group from meghanfarrell on 8tracks Radio.

YOSHUKE
Can - Future Days
Jesus and Mary Chain - The Hardest Walk
Aaliyah - Are You That Somebody
Scott Walker - The Old Man's Back Again
Broadcast - Long Was The Year
Bob Dylan - Tomorrow Is A Long Time
Miguel - Adorn
Fleetwood Mac - Angel

1-on-1: Marisa from The Interest Group from meghanfarrell on 8tracks Radio.

MARISSA
Ella Fitzgerald - Cry Me a River
Beach House - Take Care
Supertramp - Hide In Your Shell
Heart - Barracuda
Dusty Springfield - Do Re Mi
Elton John - Crocodile Rock
Camera Obscura - Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken
The Beach Boys - God Only Knows

MF
Favorite city to tour?

MATT

Montreal

STEVE

Berlin. Tons of great record stores, restaurants , and cool shops all over the place. It's cheap, and the whole vibe there is just incredibly open and free. It's kind of like Philadelphia without all the bad stuff.

MF
So I know you guys are new, but do you have any cities in mind that you haven't toured, but would like to tour?

MATT

Austin/ anywhere in Europe

MARISSA

Yes, I'd go anywhere in Europe. I'd love to go to Melbourne, too!

YOSHUKE

Tokyo, Barcelona, Paris, London, Melbourne, Siberia, Rome, Montreal.

STEVE

Whichever town or city in Japan Yohsuke's live in so that I can meet Mr. and Mrs. Araki

MF
What about idols and inspiration? Who do you admire as artists?

MATT

David Lynch, Grizzly Bear, Neil Young

MARISSA

Beach House, Diane Arbus, Marina Abramovic

YOSHUKE

Andy Goldsworthy, Scott Walker, Bill Cunningham

MF
Are you guys involved in any other kinds of art forms? if so, what are they?

MATT

Filmmaking, when the right thing comes around.

MARISSA

I love to write. Lately I've just been working on songwriting, but I have a few screenplays that I'd like to finish up. I also like to paint and draw from time to time.

YOSHUKE

Film here as well. I love trying to explore spaces by capturing pretty shots and I love writing screenplays.  Maybe one day we'll work on a film together. A band of filmmakers.

MF
I need to laugh. Tell me a joke please!!!!

MATT

You know what they say about big feet........big socks.

MARISSA

What's Beethoven's favorite fruit? (sung) Ba-na-na-naaaa.

YOSHUKE

Man walks into a bar and he's with a horse. They sit down at the bar. Horse falls down. Man gets up to leave and the bartender says, "HEY. You can't just leave that lyin there." The man says, "That's not a lion...it's a horse...."

MF
Hmmm what about the last dream you had?

MATT

My roommate was in my living room eating a giant bowl of marinara sauce that I for some reason knew was from TGIFridays.

MARISSA

One of the worst kinds of dreams…I was in a play, nothing specific... but right before I went on stage I couldn't remember a thing and basically just made up all of my lines and all of the songs. Luckily for dream-me, the band was amazing and played along. I really don't like those dreams, those and the ones where you lose your teeth, eck!

MF
Now onto tastes. Literally! What about your favorite... meal?

MATT
Meatloaf.

Marissa & Yohsuke: 
AND I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR LOVE!!!

KYLE:
 BLT's with tomato.

YOSHUKE
Donuts.

MARISSA
Chocolate chocolate...I mean pistachio frozen yogurt.

MF
Your life philosophy?

MATT
 I believe in saying Thank You.

YOSHUKE
 BREATHE.

MARISSA

The only thing better than singing is more singing - Ella Fitzgerald

KYLE & STEVE
 YOLO

march sights

 

snow angel, sunset park, brooklyn

chrissy farrell, metro, paris, rance

dog shoes, maison kitsune, NoMad Hotel, new york, ny

felicity sargent, dream baby, new york

galleries lafayette, paris, france

milkshake hearts, los angeles, california

nanny, glen cove, ny

renee mudd, new york, ny

staple street, tribeca, new york, ny

maison kitsune x olympia le tan pins, NoMad hotel, new york, ny

threats, le baron, new york, ny

metropolitan museum of art, new york, ny

street artist in front of the louvre, paris, france

threats, le baron, new york, ny

film: take my picture

TAKE MY PICTURE from GARAGE Magazine on Vimeo.

One-on-One: Springime Carnivore

When the video for Springtime Carnivore's single Collectors was released back in September, it seemed as though almost every music lover and blogger was hit with a wave of excitement.  The song, which featured fuzzy, sweet sounding vocals over swingy 60's inspired melodic instrumentals-- was a perfect feel good track that had me walking to work with a bounce almost every day that week!  And the video couldn't have been more appropriate. Coinciding with the beat, the one-frame-a-second photo montage playfully displayed images paying homage to the 20th century. Who could ask for more? It was a sweet serenade over a thoughtful gem of a video, and everyone couldn't help but be completely enchanted.

Springtime, who chooses to remain anonymous and has tackled this project solo, clearly knows what she is doing. Listening to her entire EP on Bandcamp-- a mixture of purely instrumental tracks and her two single-- reminded me of one of one of my dad's old vinyl records from the 60's... only if it were remastered and translated into modern day. Collectors was on heavy rotation during the creation of my collection this season, and I just had to feature it on my first compilation, Romance Never Dies.

Being that I have never read an interview with her, I was so beyond excited to ask her a few questions about her music and future plans as I anxiously await more of her impressive gems of songs!!

MF

What is a "Springtime Carnivore?" :)

SPRINGTIME CARNIVORE

In August of last year, I saw a coyote cross my yard... and the word combination just popped into my head!
There's something nice about the sweet and unsuspecting nature of Springtime with a more cunning word like Carnivore.  Also, the poem "Widow's Lament in Springtime" by William Carlos Williams is one of my favorites.

MF

When did you start Springtime Carnivore?

 SC

Springtime Carnivore started around the same time-  last summer (2012). I had a group of songs lying around and I just felt the need to complete them!  None of my musical friends seemed interested, so I just went ahead and did it alone.  It was difficult at first-- but by doing so, I feel like I've started to "find my voice" in a new and exciting way.

MF

So it's just you?

SC

Yep! Just me so far. I loop the drums and play all the instruments other than bass, which I asked a friend to record once the tracks were done.

 MF

Where are you from? How has this influenced or informed your music?

SC

I moved a lot growing up-- and lived in New Mexico, Illinois, California, and Minnesota at various times throughout my childhood.  I guess each move introduced me to music in a different kind of way.   Since I attended Catholic school, I heard a great deal of church music... which suprisingly has turned out to be a big influence in my work. Though I hated church growing up,  I just remember loving the chord progressions and melodic lifts in the songs that I heard... and the sound of the huge organ. It definitely left an impression on me and I can definietly hear the ways it informs my music now.

New Mexico introduced me to bluegrass, country, and Native American music. I'm not sure how salient these influences were when thinking about the music I'm making now, but they are definitely the underpinnings to my musical foundation.

Throughout it all, I have always loved pop music and folk from the 50's-mid-70's--  and it still makes up the majority of what I listen to now. And I can't forget film scores! Ennio Morricone, Lalo Schifrin, etc. I love old the music from old Westerns.  

MF

Since music was around, what would you say is your earliest musical memory?

SC

Playing the bottom octaves of the piano while my mom played a classical piece.

MF

And so when you grew up, you wanted to be?

SC

... I always wanted to be a musician or a writer. 

MF

Did you play music growing up? What would you say was the first song you ever wrote?

SC

I wrote my first "real" song when I was about eleven years old.  It was about my middle school crush, who sadly never liked me back. We're still buds-- which is funny because I never played him the song!

MF

When I first heard "Collectors" I was so in love with the vibe, the arrangement, and melody-- so much so it appears on Romance Never Dies. Can you talk a little about the song?  What was the driving force and inspiration behind it?

SC
The lyrics [for "Collectors"] started as a poem.  I imagined there was a museum full of the collective memories you create with someone you love-- a museum where you must go tally the inventory, dust things off, and try to keep the whole place in good shape. Almost as if, by keeping the museum intact, you could keep a relationship intact. 

When I was writing the music, the sound I had in mind was like a Thin Lizzy / Supremes mashup. I don't know if these two influences came across in the final recording, but it made sense in my mind!

Springtime Carnivore :: Collectors from Eddie O'KEEFE on Vimeo.

MF
Can you talk a little about the music video for "Collectors?"  How did you come up with the concept and who was involved in its creation?

SC

I actually discovered the director, Eddie O'Keefe on Tumblr! I reached out and asked if he would make a video for me-- only I had absolutely no budget.  And so, he then came up with the idea of using a photo montage. It came out so wonderfully-- Eddie has brilliant taste and a tremendous eye. 

MF

When you are in the studio recording, what is your process like? Do you know exactly how you want the song to sound?

SC

Well, I don't really have a "studio" in a traditional sense …  I just record it all myself, using minimalist equipment and often in many different locations! I have recorded some songs in and around my old house in New Mexico, and some of it in California.   But a lot of the time,  I'll just take a miniature setup to places that have a good energy.  One of my new songs, called "Two Scars," I recorded in my van parked on the side of the road in Minnesota during sunset. 

MF

When can we expect an EP or Album soon? I'm anxiously awaiting more songs!

SC

I'm very excited to announce that a wonderful European record label that just offered to put out a 7" for me, which is coming out in May...  Details will be coming on that shortly!   I'm writing songs constantly, so I will definitely have an album together by the end of the year. 

MF

If you could cover any song, what would you choose and why?

SC

Believe it or not, I'm working on covers of Blur's "You're So Great" and "Who Do You Love" by The Sapphires at the moment! Both songs are just so dang good. I wish I had written both of them! 

MF

If you could put a band together comprised of any musicians, dead or alive, who would you pick to play what and why?

SC

Wow, great question.  I'd love to play with George Harrison and Billy Preston.  And if I could ever hear Harry Nilsson, Joni Mitchell, Bobbie Gentry, or Otis Redding sing in close quarters, I would probably die of happiness. 

My favorite young and current musician is Kurt Vile. I've listened to "Constant Hitmaker" album about 4,000 times. He's a complete inspiration to me, and the main reason as to why I started recording songs myself. Also, Cat Power is such a great songwriter; an unbelievable singer. Her voice fills me with longing for things I never thought I was missing. She's amazing. 

MF

What do you draw your inspiration from?

SC

Symbols are really interesting to me:  how we create them-- how we entrust meaning to them.  And not only religious symbols, but everyday ones too. Sometimes I'll just start writing about an object I've seen, like a worn baseball glove or a cup of coffee....

Or sometimes it starts with a character. Last week, I saw a cross dresser walking his child to the school bus... So I went home to write a poem about it- just imagining that kid's perspective. That kid must get teased all the time for having an unusual parent.    On a good day, I can try to imagine looking through someone else's eyes.  I feel empathetic and connected. On a bad day, I feel stuck in my skin and caught up in the little short sighted details. 

MF

First concert you ever attended: 

SC

I saw the opera singer Pavoratti when I was little. I was miserable! Totally didn't appreciate it at the time. 

MF

8 songs you couldn't live without:

One-on-One: Springtime Carnivore's Songs from meghanfarrell on 8tracks Radio.

SC

My Back Pages - Bob Dylan 

Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell 

Harvest - Neil Young 

Row - from the 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' film score 

Blues Run The Game - Jackson C Frank 

Early In the Morning - Peter Paul and John 

Tears of a Clown - Smokey Robinson 

Jimmy Mack - Martha Reeves + The Vandellas

MF

3 albums that changed your life:

SC

Blue - Joni Mitchell 

Odyssey and Oracle - The Zombies 

XO - Elliott Smith

 MF

The best scene from a film:

SC

In Citizen Kane, when it is revealed to the audience what 'Rosebud' is.  

MF
Favorite city to tour and why:

 SC

Austin; I love the hospitable people and the great food!

favorite spots in the world:

+ Aspen Vista in Santa Fe, New Mexico 

+ Angeles National Park in Los Angeles 

+ Lake Pokegama in Minnesota 

MF

Your style icons:

SC

Groucho Marx meets Brigitte Bardot. Weird combo, can't tell if it's working for me :)  Also, pretty much every outfit worn on Twin Peaks is cool with me.

MF

Your idols:

SC

Georgia O'Keeffe, Lucille Ball, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Alan Watts, David Lynch, Joan Didion 

MF

Tell me a joke:

SC

A young boy named Tommy asked his dad, "Dad, what is the difference between 'confident' and 'confidential'? 

The father responded, "Tommy, you are my son. I am CONFIDENT of this. Your friend John is also my son. That is CONFIDENTIAL." 

MF

Tell me a secret:

SC

 I can see the future and it has good things for every one. 

MF

Your life motto?

SC

Do the most exciting thing first.

Happy Valentines Day!

xoxo, MF

One-on-One: Bradley Fasthand and the Straightshooters

I fell in love with Bradley Fasthand's first record, Modern Day, when an e-mail appeared in my inbox back in June.  Written by a close family friend,  it contained a link to the album's Bandcamp page, along with two simple words: "must listen." 

Serene, ambient, and set at a slower pace, the melodies caught me almost immediately. I loved the use of piano, the arrangements, the riffs, the repetition-- and the 60's influence. But it was the lead singer's voice that really grabbed me-- a voice with a hopeful, nostalgic, but most importantly, realistic tone, spoke to me simply and defiantly saying, "this is just how it is." I wanted to hear more of his stories through song, and about the driving force and inspiration points behind each.

One song in particular, "First Love," caught me most-- so much so it appears on my first compilation, Romance Never Dies.  I couldn't help but ask him a few questions about the record!

FACEBOOK
TWITTER
BANDCAMP

 MF

Where are you from? How has this impacted your music?

Bradley Fasthand
I'm from Southern California- born and bred. If it influenced my music at all, I guess it would be that I have always yearned to see new places, and as a kid, just kind of wished I was from somewhere else. I think that idea and theme pops up in my songs a lot.

MF
What would recall to be your earliest musical memory?

BF
Probably listening to Live At Folsom Prison in my Dad's car. As a young kid, I listened to basically nothing but Johnny Cash. My dad was friends with him--  so his music was something that was always around. What is really striking about Johnny Cash in general (and Live At Folsom Prison in particular) is the amount of raw energy that comes from his sound and presence.

MF
When I heard your song "First Love," I fell in love-- so much so, it appears on my first compilation, Romance Never Dies. Can you talk a little about the song?  What was the driving force and inspiration behind it?

BF
When I started writing "First Love," I wanted it to reflect the feeling of young love-- and being in love for the first time. When you listen to it, it's a really simple song; doesn't have a lot of lyrics and it's very repetitive. I wanted to communicate the obsession and desperation that can come along with love too, especially that first love.

MF
You favorite song on your album Modern Day?

BF
I'm not sure… that's a tough one. I think it would be, "Shoes." Shoes was a song that I adapted from an old gospel tune-- and Johnny Cash was the first person I heard perform it actually. It was on one of his gospel records. I've also heard a version by Mahalia Jackson. I have always just been  struck by the words, and kind of how absurd the lyrics are.

MF

Where did you record the album and what was this process like for you? Do you have plans on recording a second album?


BF
I recorded most of the album at my Dad's house, with the exception of the piano, which was recorded on my Aunt's piano at her home. I usually start out with a bass line/vocal melody/chord progression and build a song from there.


In terms of a second album, I am actually demoing songs right now. I'm not sure if it will be a five to six song EP, or a full length, but I have plans to start recording very soon.

MF
Who makes up the band?
 

BF
Believe it or not, it's just me and my brother. On our album "Modern Day,"  (and actually in all of our music),  I write and record everything you hear-- everything except for the drums, which my brother plays.   My friend Dylan Jennings is a great saxophone player and also played on a few tracks. When we perform live, some of our  buddies play with us as well. It's kind of a rotating cast!

MF
Why do you call yourselves Bradley Fasthand and the Straightshooters?

BF
Believe it or not, the name is something that I came up with before I started this project, and just kept it in the back of my mind. I just liked the sound of it.  People sometimes ask if its a euphemism for masturbation. It isn't.

 
MF
If you could cover any song, what would you choose and why?

BF
I actually did a cover of Tonight You Belong To Me (that song from The Jerk w/ Steve Martin) on Soundcloud. I learned how to play ukelele just so I could cover it.

MF
If you could put a band together comprised of any musicians, dead or alive, who would you pick to play what and why?

BF
The Roots- they'd be my backing band.

MF
What do you draw your inspiration from?

BF
People watching, reality television, improv comedy, soul music, short stories, technology, roots music (not The Roots' music)

MF
First concert you ever attended:

BF
Johnny Cash

MF
8 songs you couldn't live without?

One-on-One: Bradley Fasthand's Songs from meghanfarrell on 8tracks Radio.

BF
1. Rock And Roll Suicide - David Bowie
2. Suzanne - Leonard Cohen
3. Mother - John Lennon
4. These Arms of Mine - Otis Redding
5. My Favorite Things -  John Coltrane
6. Untitled (How Does It Feel?) - D'Angelo
7. Naive Melody - Talking Heads
8. Sunday Morning - Velvet Underground

MF
Three albums that changed your life:

BF
1. The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust: David Bowie
2. Otis Blue: Otis Redding
3. Illinoise: Sufjan Stevens

MF
What would you say is the best scene from a movie?

BF :

 

MF
Your idols?

BF
David Bowie, Otis Redding, Johnny Cash, Lou Reed, Steve Martin, Henry Rollins


MF
Your ultimate goal?

BF
To keep making good records, and of course, to tour.

NYFW FW13 Highlights

Just a few of the highlights of FW13 in New York thus far!

MF FW13 Compilation #1: ROMANCE NEVER DIES

So it finally happened! This Wednesday, my first compilation went into production. The first compilation (which I hope will be of many) is titled Romance Never Dies, and features an assortment of artists and songs which have appeared on the blog over the past four years. It will be a promotional item while I showcase at Capsule New York and Paris this month.

wreckabytes - shake rattle & roll