An EXCLUSIVE Interview With DISLOCATION DANCE

Don’t Knock Me Down:

An EXCLUSIVE Interview with 

DISLOCATION DANCE’s Ian Runacres

By Stephen SPAZ Schnee

     Manchester has given birth to some of the most exciting artists of the  Rock era including Buzzcocks, 10cc, The Stone Roses, Davy Jones, The Chameleons, Van Der Graaf Generator, Inspiral Carpets, Herman’s Hermits, Simply Red, The Hollies, The Fall, Magazine, 808 State, James and, of course, Oasis and The Smiths (and that’s just the tip of the iceberg!).  For every Manc band that achieved great success in other parts of the world, there are many that did not, although that has nothing to do with their talent or influence on the city’s thriving music scene.  Dislocation Dance is one of the finest and most influential bands to emerge from Manchesteryet they remain relatively unknown outside of the UK.  While it may be presumptuous to say that they had a big hand in creating the Indie, Post-Punk, Twee and Alternative genres, they were certainly at the forefront of those scenes back when the Punk movement kicked open the doors ushered in a new era in Rock music.

     Formed in November of 1978 by singer, guitarist and songwriter Ian Runacres, Dislocation Dance always did things their way while not realizing that ‘their way’ was going to influence the next generation of Manchesterbands.  DD’s sound was rough around the edges but was a unique and melodic blend of Pop, Jangle, Jazz and Funk.  Their live shows and stunning array of songs helped the band ink a deal with local indie label New Hormones (which was run by Buzzcocks and their manager Richard Boon). The band released their first EP on the label in 1980, followed by another EP in ’81 and then finally their debut album, Music Music Music, that same year.  Sounding like no other band at the time, their musical output was so varied that they could have easily aligned themselves with the Postcard Recordsscene (Aztec Camera/Orange Juice) as well as the Post Punk (The Fall/Durutti Column/Crispy Ambulance) and Punk Funk (Higsons/Pigbag/Rip Rig & Panic) scenes. But alas, Dislocation Dance chose to travel their own path and, even though they didn’t cross over to the mainstream, they created some of the most engaging records of the early ‘80s.

     After signing with Rough Trade in ‘82 and releasing a handful of stunning singles, the band finally unleashed their second album, Midnight Shift, in 1983. Again, Dislocation Dance sounded like no other band, which didn’t help them commercially. Though the band received plenty of critical kudos and toured throughout Europe, they failed to connect with a larger audience. Through it all, though, younger bands were paying attention and were inspired and moved by what the band accomplished both live and in the studio.  Sadly, Dislocation Dance called it a day in 1986.

     It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why the band didn’t achieve greater success.  Perhaps it was their ever-(r)evolving line-up that often-times would include a female vocalist sharing duties with Runacres.  It also could have been the band’s desire to stretch themselves musically, creating an eclectic catalog that confused the casual listener (yet still sounds fresh and exciting to this day). Or maybe it was the fact that the band never signed with a major label?  In any case, the band may not have become a household name, but they did inspire many successful bands including The Smiths, James (DD’s horn player Andy Diagram has been a long-time member of James) and, indirectly, Oasis.

     As luck would have it, continued interest in the band encouraged Runacres to reform Dislocation Dance in the new millennium.  That line-up of the band recorded the Cromer album in 2005. The following year, LTM Records went back and properly reissued DD’s first two albums complete with a plethora of bonus tracks.  More recently,  Runacres took DD back into the studio and recorded their 2012 platter,  The Ruins Of Manchester.  Instead of picking up the band’s sound where they left off in the ‘80s, The Ruins Of Manchester (and Cromer) sounds fresh and contemporary, as if the band never went away and had naturally matured into this more focused direction.  Leave that to Runacres’ ability to create a musical moment that remains timeless.  He did it 30 years ago and he’s still doing it today.  

     Stephen SPAZ Schnee was able to catch up with Ian Runacres and discuss the band’s past, present and future…

SPAZ: LTM have recently released your latest album, The Ruins Of Manchester, packaged together with your 2005 album Cromer.  How are you feeling about this release and everything leading up to it?

IAN RUNACRES: I’m really excited about the new album.  Ruins was a lot of fun to make and it was great collaborating with new musicians.  The initial responses have been really positive.  I’m also really pleased that Cromer will reach a new audience, too.  I’m very proud of that album.  The songs are lovely and it has some of my best ever guitar playing, plus Andy’s, (Diagram), trumpet, flute, violin, soprano sax, mandolin and ukulele; it’s a very organic sound.

SPAZ: The Dislocation Dance of 2012 are sonically different than when the band first began over 30 years ago.  When a band reunites after a couple of decades, fans expect them to go right back to where they left off.  Were you ever tempted to try to recapture that period in time?

IAN: Interesting you should say that.  For me, the songs on Ruins are very Dislocation Dance and reflect my writing style.  Having said that, Midnight Shift (1983) did have those ‘80’s drum machines, synths and reverbs, which somewhat place it that time period.  I guess I’ve lived through a transition, which might not be apparent to the old fans, in that I wrote and recorded a couple of albums with my other band, Brightside, in the ‘90’s, called Slide & Dive and Snakes & Ladders, plus Shinjuku Junction and Cromer, as Dislocation Dance, in the ‘00’s, for Vinyl Japan.  So there’s a lot of stuff out there which fills the gap.

SPAZ: When the band first formed, what was the music scene in Manchesterlike?  Judging by the great Punk and Post-Punk bands that came from there, it must have been very exciting…

IAN: Manchesterwas an extraordinarily wonderful place to be in the early ‘80’s.  In fact the new album makes reference to it.  When I say wonderful, I guess have to put it in context: the City had very high levels of deprivation; it had the infamous Moss Side riots; there were constant threats of IRA bombs, some of which were realized; the Factory Club had just opened and Post Punk was flourishing.  Surprisingly, there was a huge amount of optimism.  I was very active in the Manchester Musicians Collective, working with other bands to organize and promote gigs; share sound systems; manufacture compilation LPs and so on.  It was through the MMC that I trialed a pre-Smiths Mike Joyce as a potential drummer and where I met Andy Diagram (later recruiting him as my trumpeter). The music scene was a real community, with a genuine fondness between bands across labels and styles, with loads of cross overs. We played in each other’s bands; I particularly liked to step in as a bass player and even had the interesting experience of being Nico’s bassist, for a short stint.

SPAZ: Where did the band’s name come from?

IAN: Alliteration!  Everyone was at it in the early ‘80’s.  Actually, what interested me was being musically accessible, but with a subversive content.  I still feel the same, as you may hear on new songs such as “Hang Fire”, which is pretty dark.  I’ve always liked the idea that you could both subscribe to and challenge the pop song convention; ideally all within one song.

SPAZ: While some bands from the era may have been easily classifiable, Dislocation Dance were most certainly not.  What were the influences, musically and otherwise, that helped to shape the DD sound?

IAN: Yes.  I know.  Not being classifiable was probably commercial suicide.  Geoff Traviswanted to promote us as Manchester’s Aztec Camera, when he signed us to Rough Trade, alongside the Smiths.  The Smiths, however, made his job a lot easier, by having a consistent and easily recognizable sound.  A brilliant sound, too, of course.  We, I think, were much more difficult to market, as every single sounded like a different band.  Having said that, I simply couldn’t help myself.  I was listening to Dr Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band, Burt Bacharach, Chic, Pere Ubu, Scritti Politti, Talking Heads, Iggy Pop, early Gong, TV & Film music, Eric Satie, Holst, Charlie Mingus and, of course, I grew up listening to The Beatles.  So what chance was there of writing in one style and sound?

SPAZ: There were many different sides to the band, musically.  Did you see the band as ‘different’ to what was going on around you? 

IAN: If you’re a genius, you can create a distinctive and unique style; but there aren’t many of those in the world.  At the other end of the spectrum, some just copy one particular style, even though, in some cases, they do it really well.  I can’t do either.  I get bored too easily to just have one approach to writing and like always like to try something new.  I’m certainly influenced by whatever I’m currently into, but rather than copy, I like to let the essence seep in.  It’s musical osmosis.  Besides, no matter how hard I try, I just can’t write a normal song.  That was one of the most exciting things about the Post Punk days; there was an understanding that you didn’t have to conform, you didn’t have to please a major label (although, that might have been a good idea, in retrospect), and you could be true to yourself.  It’s true, though, that Dislocation Dance weren’t like other Post-Punk bands, nor did I want us to be.

SPAZ: You are linked to many of Manchester’s greatest bands such as Buzzcocks, James and The Smiths.  Was it true that Morrissey was a big fan of your music?  And for the uninitiated, what was your relationship with Buzzcocks and James?

IAN: Pete Shelley (Buzzcocks) was our guest vocalist when we played at the Factory Club, as a treat for Tony Wilson.  Pete asked me out, afterwards, but I declined and he never sang with us again.  Tony wanted to sign us, but as I’d ended up sharing a house with Richard Boon, the Buzzcocks’ manager, we were firmly bonded to New Hormones, (easily as good a label as Factory, but with no capital, to invest, ha ha).  Tony always maintained an interest in the band, even bailing us out in New Yorkwhen we couldn’t afford the hire of our backline for our 1982 East Coast tour.  Morrissey used to hang out at the New Hormones offices; he was a big fan of Ludus.  I remember him giving Richard a cassette of his poetry, interspersed with New Hormones label acts, (he liked “Spare Concern”, from Dislocation Dance’s 8 track EP).  His poetry was a spoken version of his later approach to Smiths vocals.  I have to say that Morrissey seemed so shy, that we just left him sitting in the corner and no one spoke to him.  Tim Booth (frontman in James) was just the vegan fella in the ground floor flat below Factory’s offices on Palatine Road.  We gave him a lift back from a Leeds, after we’d supported Orange Juice and our paths kept crossing over the following decade.  James had their offices next door but one, to mine, in the late ‘80’s, when I’d become a label (Bop) rather than a gigging band.  I used let James use our photocopier.  One of my bands, The Man From Delmonte, lent them a guitarist, who ended up being a permanent fixture, (Saul), closely following by Andy, who still tours with them, as we speak. 

SPAZ: By the time your second album, Midnight Shift, was released, you had added a semi-full time female vocalist to the line-up.  The band seemed more focused than ever. Did writing for another voice appeal to you?

IAN: I’ve always thought of myself as a writer, rather than a singer.  I like writing songs for women.  The range and dynamics of a woman’s voice is so different to anything I can achieve and, of course, I can experiment with the sentiment.  Mind you, for the song “Here Comes Love” from Midnight Shift, I imagined I was a 1940’s crooner.  I wanted Sinatra to sing it.

SPAZ: Why did you end up calling it quits in ’86?

IAN: I thought it was time for either a major deal, or set up my own label.  I was writing songs with a vocalist called Sonja, who had a lovely soulful, jazzy voice, with great range and amazing phrasing.  She reminded me of Cory Day, the Savannah Band’s vocalist and had a real presence. We did a few return visits to the usual suspects, however the lyrical subversion, (there was songs about child abuse and female contraception as a form of oppression), plus my usual slightly eclectic musicality probably made us a marketing challenge.  So, I then moved into being a manufacture, (of cassettes, for the likes of Womad), and a label; indie, world and dance.  That was certainly fun.  We got to release James, Inspiral Carpets, 808 State, A Guy Called Gerald and The Man From Delmonte.  It was only by overstretching; we wanted to be a magazine and set up a Manchester Motown, old school soul label, too, that finally caused a spectacular crash.

SPAZ: Since the band’s original break-up, did you start noticing a Dislocation Dance influence in some of the indie acts that started to infiltrate the scene in the early ‘90s?  it seems that some of the bands that came out of the Twee Pop scene sounded remarkably similar to tracks off of your two albums…

IAN: I like to think that the ripples from our small pebble in the pond of popular music had an impact.  Think Stereolab, Belle and Sebastian, Cardigans, Saint Etienne….?  I definitely know that Rip Rig and Panic took away something from our early sound (Punk/Jazz) because they were so vocal at our gigs.  We toured so much, in the early ‘80’s and had reasonable exposure that I’m sure our sound filtered through.  I know, for certain, too, that the Japanese pop singer Kahimi Karie, was influenced by the band, because she said so.  You should hear her 1992 single “Mike’s Always Diary”, which sounds uncannily like our single “You’ll Never Never Know”, (which is on the LTM version of the LP Music Music Music).  It was Kahimi’s reference to Dislocation Dance that formed the catalyst to our late ‘90’s re-releases in Japan and our Japanese tour of 2000.

SPAZ: Almost 20 years after DD split, what inspired you to reform the band and record the Cromer album?

IAN: After the collapse of my label, I decided to call it a day.  However, in the mid 1990’s I’d started collaborating with a writer called Phil Lukes who used to bring me demos when I ran the label.  We recorded a couple of albums together, under the name Brightside, called Slide & Diveand Snakes & Ladders, with a more indie leaning.  Phil is superb bass player and he joined the rest of the line up for our Japanese tour.  After that we carried on writing, firstly an album called Shinjuku Junction, of which the title track currently features on Omoiyari for Japan, a charity album for the victims of the Tsunami.  This album was just feeling my way back into a Dislocation Dance zone, however, it was Cromer that really worked for me, as the natural extension of that original DD sound.

SPAZ: Now, half a dozen years later, The Ruins Of Manchesteris available.  How did the album come about? 

IAN: I know I take too long to record albums, although, that’s partly to do with there being lots of songs and versions which didn’t make it to the end product.  We’d been playing gigs with the new line up, partly to promote the lovely LTM re-releases.  So, I had the perfect opportunity to try out new songs with a band, which then turned into an album.  There are few songs which look back, notably Ruins, which, as I’ve said, is about how amazing Manchester was in the early ‘80’s.  The bands owned the City; it was ours.  Mancunians were radical and political.  We marched for CND and Rock Against Racism and gave sanctuary to a Tamil Tiger. The ‘ruins’ are the now.  It’s a wonderful city, but it’s not what it was, back then.

SPAZ: Is the songwriting process completely different from when the band first started?

IAN: Well, I’m very lucky to have a songwriting collaborator.  I always like to have several ideas on the go, but I’m not too good at finishing.  Phil is a talented lyricist and like Paul Emmerson, back in the early days, I like to put music to someone else’s words.  Phil and I, however, are a great team and we bring a lot to each other’s ideas.  They why, on the whole, we’ve been writing as a partnership:  Some are more mine and some are more his.  Phil was a big fan of Midnight Shift, all those years ago, so the sound is kind of in his blood.  The thing that’s nice about the current line-up is that I can try out songs as a band, which brings a new dynamic.

SPAZ: While you have other projects, do you foresee DD as being an ongoing project, at least sporadically?

IAN: Yes, I think so.  We’ve been playing live, to promote Ruins, and what’s nice about being Dislocation Dance is that I can play songs like “Don’t Knock Me Down”, from the 1981 album Music Music Music, alongside “Stop Breathing”, from the new album and they sound like they were written at the same time.  Also, I’ve been Dislocation Dance, in one form or another since 1978 and I’m keen for that to continue contributing to the body of work under that name.

SPAZ: What’s next for Ian Runacres and Dislocation Dance?

IAN: Well, I’ve already started writing new songs, for what is likely to be a new Dislocation Dance product, but first I’m keen to promote the LTM Ruins/Cromer release.  I think it’s a product to be proud of and I’m obviously keen for people to hear it.  I also ask that as many people as possible download the track “Crash”, with its commentary on the economic elite and their contribution to the current crisis, as it’d make a great single.  It’s also a vehicle for my love of ‘70’s guitar playing (which I don’t express often!!).

SPAZ: What is currently spinning on your CD, DVD and record players?

IAN: Oh yes.  This is one of those questions which allows artists to affect a certain credibility by citing cool and, in some cases, obscure tracks as a way of demonstrating their musical sensibilities, however I’ll just be completely honest and let you exactly what I’ve just been listening to.  Here goes. I have to say that I’m enjoying the new Rufus Wainwright album, Out of the Game.  It’s quite understated and he has a lovely turn of phrase and musicality to his voice.  I’ve also been listening to Ron Sexsmith’s Long Player, Late Bloomer, Regina Spektor’s Far and Neil Finn’s American version of One All, for similar reasons.  I do have a soft spot for Andrew Bird, especially the Mysterious Production of Eggs, plus Flaw, by the Bombay Bicycle Club, both for their lovely organic textured sound.  I’ve also recently dug out Bowie’s Hunky Dory, which has to be my favorite of his albums and whilst in a ‘70’s mood decided to download 10cc’s “The Dean and I” (how uncool is that, but it does really sound great and is beautifully put together), oh and R. Dean Taylor’s “There’s a Ghost in My House”, just for the nostalgia, (remember, I was a teenager in love, when that came out!) and finally Todd Rundgren’s “Be Nice to Me”.  That just about sums me up, for now. 

Thanks to Ian Runacres

Special thanks to James Nice and James Agren

DISLOCATION DANCE

THE RUINS OF MANCHESTER/CROMER

Available NOW!

An EXCLUSIVE Interview with SHOES!

If The SHOES Fit….

An EXCLUSIVE interview with

JOHN MURPHY,

GARY KLEBE

and JEFF MURPHY

By Stephen SPAZ Schnee

     In the world of Rock, there are two standard models that musicians adhere to when putting an original band together. The more common of the two is built around a single songwriter who brings in a few friends to help him (or her) shape the sound he has in his head. He may be open to some input from the other members, but it his ultimately his vision. The second model revolves around two strong creative forces leading the band. Whether they write together or separately, the band’s oeuvre is ultimately more varied and exciting. But sometimes, there are bands that come along and up the ante by adding a third creative presence into the fold. While it’s not an entirely rare occurrence, it isn’t as common as you think.

     In 1977, most Punk, New Wave, Rock and Power Pop bands tended to follow one of the two standard models. But then along came Shoes, a Zion, Illinois quartet and their first widely-distributed independent album, Black Vinyl Shoes. With drummer Skip Meyer in tow, the band was led by a trio of immensely talented singer/songwriters: Gary Klebe (guitar) and brothers Jeff Murphy (guitar) and John Murphy (bass). Though crudely recorded at home on a 4-track machine, the album’s songs were other-worldly: melodic, atmospheric and unlike anything else at the time. While each of the trio of songwriters had their own style, the three of them blended together perfectly, creating a sound that was uniquely their own.

     In 2012, Shoes have returned from an 18 year hiatus with Ignition, their best album in 30 years. With their pop smarts intact, the long period of inactivity has done nothing to dull their musical charm. Whether you prefer to call them Power Pop or Rock ‘n’ Roll, Shoes have created an album steeped in their own history yet totally modern. In fact, the album is a timeless collection of great songs that will satisfy their legion of fans and even bring in a whole generation of new ones.

     If that wasn’t enough, Real Gone Music has just released 35 Years: The Definitive Shoes Collection 1977-2012, a stunning compilation that features songs from all of their studio albums beginning with Black Vinyl Shoes and taking the listener right up to date with a song from Ignition. When most of their ‘70s and ‘80s contemporaries winded down their careers decades ago, Shoes have continued to create an extraordinary body of work unlike any other.

     While compiling and writing liner notes for the 35 Years… collection, Stephen SPAZ Schnee was able to catch up with Jeff, John and Gary to discuss their career thus far. Here are previously unreleased excerpts from those interviews. You can read the full Shoes story in Real Gone Music’s brand new compilation, available now…

SPAZ: When you first came together, was it your intention to work on your own material, or did you start out playing covers like most bands normally do?

GARY KLEBE: In the big picture, we did envision playing live at some point, but early on, writing songs and making records was by far our primary goal. Eventually, we did play live, and we reluctantly agreed to play some covers. No venue was interested in booking an unknown band that only played original material.

SPAZ: Were you interested in playing live in the early days or did you focus on recording?

JEFF MURPHY: Initially, the band only existed on tape. We started recording tidbits of songs that we wrote to learn how to play and write and record. We always envisioned that we'd eventually learn to play together live, but that didn't happen until after Gary returned from France (where he had been studying). Our first live gig was April 8th, 1976, almost 2 years after we made our first recordings together as Shoes. Skip joined in mid-1976 and by 1977 we were playing out more regularly.

SPAZ: Your early recordings are legendary amongst fans and collectors. Do you remember much about writing and recording Heads Or Tails and One In Versailles?

JOHN MURPHY: Yeah we were still tickled by the fact that, with the help of the Simul-Sync feature on the TEAC 4-track, we could make a group sound by building up individual tracks. It was way crude but these were our first steps. We had to do a lot of punching to get through a take but all we needed was one complete pass. If it was a guitar or a bass, you would just play along with the track and Jeff would hit ‘RECORD’ just before you had made your mistake. For Heads or Tails, Gary and I shared songwriting credit on most of the tunes; Jeff composed the one that he sang. Gary was in Europe during OIV so Jeff and I worked independently; he was at home in Zion and I was away at school in Champaign, IL. Jeff would have his songs ready when I would come home on weekends so I’d add bass or we’d do harmonies. I recorded most of my songs during the week of spring break…we were trying to finish in time to send Gary a cassette.

SPAZ: The band is referred to as a Power Pop band, but how would you classify the band’s music, then and now?

JEFF: The best bands define their own category: Who would you say The Beatles sound like? Or The Stones? Or Fleetwood Mac? Even the term Power Pop was originally used by Pete Townsend to describe The Who, yet today, most people wouldn't consider The Who to be power pop!

SPAZ: Black Vinyl Shoes was the album that really set things in motion. Do you remember much about the recording of the album?

JOHN: Jeff’s house was basically a converted garage so it was pretty cramped quarters…the kitchen had the TEAC tape machine and the Peavey mixing console and Jeff could keep eye contact by the pass-through into the living room that was packed with guitar amps, guitars, drums, mic stands and cords. He had to pre-plan the order of instruments and voices because of the limited number of tracks; some things had to be combined onto one track, in order to maintain audio quality.

SPAZ: What made you sign with Elektra and not continue going the indie route?

JOHN: Well there wasn’t an indie route that we were aware of in the 70s, not like there is today. The goal of every band or artist at that time was to try to hitch their wagon up to a major record company. We had cut a single for Bomp! Records and sublicensed BVS through JEM, which mostly dealt with import records, but we regarded these as steps toward what we considered the Big Time. We also had serious discussions with Sire Records, who were building their roster up with bands like Talking Heads and the Ramones and they had just secured a distribution deal with Warner Bros. But when Elektra approached us, they were very enthusiastic and, frankly, had all the right answers.

SPAZ: Your first major label album, Present Tense, certainly lived up to the songwriting standards of BVS with the extra added bonus of big-time production. At any point during your time on Elektra, did you have any input on which singles would be pulled from the album?

JEFF: We always had input, but we figured they had a better feel for what radio would play and what was getting a response. We could have lobbied for this song or that song, but ultimately, we mostly left it up to the label, in the mistaken belief that they knew what they were doing. In reality, they didn't know anymore than we did and they often put things out and waited for radio to decide what songs to play.

SPAZ: Your next album, Tongue Twister, was much more edgy than your previous output. Was it a more conscious decision to move in that direction... or more of an organic one?

JOHN: Yeah we consciously tried to strip things down. We wanted to keep the background vocals leaner so that it wasn’t so much a giant faceless choir and some of the guitar sounds were kept rawer. In hindsight, some of the tracks have a demo-like, slightly undercooked quality, especially compared to the pop music of 2012.

SPAZ: Boomerang was yet another great collection of edgy pop songs. Were you frustrated by Elektra's inability to break the band beyond your loyal fanbase?

GARY: Yes, we were very frustrated. By this time there was a huge downturn in the music industry. Financially speaking, Elektra and most major labels were in dire straits due to plummeting record sales. Their energy was spent struggling to sell records by previously multi-platinum artists. Breaking non-established artists like Shoes suddenly became a low priority.

SPAZ: After Boomerang, you left Elektra. Were you disillusioned by your experience with a major label?

JEFF: By the time we finished the recording for Boomerang, we could see the label was crumbling. People were getting fired and we were very nervous. Shortly after Boomerang was released, the VP that signed us to the label was fired and we knew our days with them were numbered. But we still saw major labels as the only way to exist professionally, as a recording band. We were certainly disappointed in many of the decisions that Elektra made during our tenure there, but once we finished recording a record, we didn't have much say in the process of promotion of that record.

SPAZ: Skip Meyer left the band at this point. Was it a difficult task to continue without him?

JOHN: Well, the three of us were responsible for coming up with the material and the general direction of the band…the drummer is kind of the moveable piece within our structure. Skip was always a little lost when we hunkered down to record; he’d prefer to play live gigs. But, when he left, we missed Skip as a pal to hang out with. Every drummer we’ve ever worked with has something special to bring to the table and Skip certainly made his contributions.

SPAZ: Although you used them before, the band began to experiment more with keyboards than ever on Silhouette. Did you enjoy the challenge of adding something new to your sound at this point?

GARY: The band was doing a lot of soul searching during that period. Our contract with Elektra was over, and I think the disappointment with our major label experience left us weary and maybe a bit self-doubting in what direction to head. The keyboard injected some welcome energy into the songwriting and recording process. It served as a springboard for getting the ball rolling and providing a new perspective.

SPAZ: There was a lengthy time period between Silhouette and your next album Stolen Wishes. You managed to set up your own label and began releasing your back catalog on CD. How was it that you managed to retain rights to your Elektra recordings?

JEFF: The time lag between Silhouette and Stolen Wishes was a result of us moving and building a new studio. From early 1983 until later that year, we were building our first studio, so we could continue to record after our time with Elektra ended. It took us about a year to build the studio and record Silhouette. We able to secure deals with three European labels in England, France and Germany to release the album in late 1984. By late 1985 we realized that we needed to move our studio, due to a conflict with the new landlord and we spent the first half of 1986 building a new studio in a new location. By 1987, CDs were becoming the new music medium and we asked Elektra to release our back catalog on CD. Our Elektra deal allowed for us to reacquire the rights to our catalog, if they refused to release it. They declined and returned all of our master tapes to us, so we released the original Shoes Best CD on Black Vinyl Records in the fall of 1987. We began releasing more CDs on Black Vinyl Records in 1988 and writing and recording more new songs until we released Stolen Wishes in early 1990.

SPAZ: Stolen Wishes was yet another feather in the band’s cap, resulting in an album that was more focused and mature than ever. Do you remember much about this period of the band’s career? It seemed to be right in between the original New Wave/Power Pop days of the early ‘80s and the Power Pop revival in the ‘90s.

JOHN: By the time we were writing for Stolen Wishes, it had been 4 years since Silhouette came out overseas and 6 years since our last Elektra release. In the meantime we had built another studio, which was bigger and better than our last, and we revived the Black Vinyl label and dipped our toes into the digital waters with the release of Shoes Best on CD. We had new gear and were anxious to use it but soon found we had a fair amount of problems with the software. Also, we had to work around the ever-growing amount of sessions needed to fund the place. Week to week, we were making progress, but it was draining: Jeff engineered session work with other bands during the day and Gary and I both had full-time jobs outside of the studio so most of our recording was done in the evenings and on weekends.

SPAZ: Propeller followed in 1994. The production on the album was more intricate than ever and the album featured some of the band’s greatest songs thus far. Any memories of this period in the band’s evolution?

GARY: From the beginning, we set out to make Propeller an edgier record than its predecessors. The guitars were mixed more to the forefront, the bass was punchier and the drums were recorded with more ambiance. Also, we had upgraded from a 16 track to a 24 track analog tape machine which resulted in better fidelity. In general, the songs had a heavier, darker mood and lyrical content… possibly, a reflection of the times.

SPAZ: 2012’s Ignition is one of the best albums of your career (and certainly the best since Boomerang). What inspired the band to go back into the studio and make a new Shoes record?

JOHN: We had been strolling down Memory Lane for at least a year as Mary Donnelly was gathering material for her book, Boys Don’t Lie. With those remembrances fresh in our minds, Gary, in the meantime, had carved a space out of a section of his basement and installed recording gear that he had acquired over the years. He unveiled the new studio to us in the fall of 2010. Even though Jeff had his home studio for a few years, this was a step up, as far as the quality of the gear goes. We didn’t know we’d get a full album out of it, but we began with a couple of songs and quickly booked time with our drummer, John Richardson, so that we could begin doing final versions of the songs. Every few months, we’d have him come down—he lives 5 hours north of us—so we’d have a handful of new tunes for him to drum on. In the meantime, we kept writing and building up the tracks that were already recorded.

SPAZ: How much input do you have on each other’s songs either in the writing or recording phase… and are you open to receiving creative suggestions from the other guys?

JOHN: Oh yeah we’re all open to suggestions/input from the others. It sometimes depends on how much the writer had initially done. Ideally, we’d all like to be a part of every tune, but it doesn’t always work out that way. Gary has pointed out to me that the more parts I want to play, in addition to the bass, it gets harder to fit in other ideas. But I think that holds true for all of us.

JEFF: While one writer steers the ship on their respective songs, we each toss out ideas and suggestions as we go. Sometimes, major changes happen (as in Ignition’s “Out Of Round”) and sometimes, it stays truer to the writer's original idea. But we all certainly have the opportunity to contribute. Even if we don't change the structure or make chord changes, etc. we all work together on the backing vocal parts, which are typically concocted in the studio, on the spot. We are all completely open to receiving creative suggestions at any point from demoing to mixing and all points in between.

SPAZ: The music industry was a different beast back when BVS was released. Although it’s been 35 years, do you feel that you are facing just as many challenges today as an indie band as you did then?

GARY: The challenges are quite different. The record industry has been decimated by the digital age. On one hand, few people are crying about the decline of major labels, who for decades took advantage of recording artists. On the other hand, independent labels and recording artists have also suffered. Today, I think it’s even harder for artists to making a living when so many listeners think that music should be free. Hopefully, some new platform will emerge that will offer music at affordable prices while fairly compensating artists for their work.

Thanks to Jeff Murphy, Gary Klebe and John Murphy

Special thanks to Gordon Anderson, Gabby Castellana and Linda Lester

IGNITION

Available NOW

35 YEARS: THE DEFINITIVE

SHOES COLLECTION 1977-2012

Available NOW

An EXCLUSIVE Interview with SETH SWIRSKY

THINGS WE SAID TODAY:

An EXCLUSIVE Interviewwith SETH SWIRSKY

By Stephen SPAZ Schnee

     The Beatleschanged the course of music history. There is no doubt about that.  From their humble beginnings in Liverpool to their massive success between 1963 and 1970, The Beatles became the most influential quartet of musicians in the world.  Though some may disagree, The Beatles have even eclipsed Elvis in terms of popularity over the years.  Elvis may have kick started Rock ‘n’ Roll, but he managed to lose the plot when he churned out loads of b-movies in the ‘60s.  The Beatles never had the opportunity to overstay their welcome.  They came, wrote some of the most amazing tunes ever, changed the world and then broke up. 

     The Beatles’ story is known by anyone with a passing interest in music.  There are hundreds (if not thousands) of books written about the Fab Four.  Their songs are played 24 hours a day somewhere in the world.  Beatles fans have taken it upon themselves to set up websites totally devoted to John, Paul George and Ringo, either together or apart.  It seems, at times, that you can’t escape their influence, whether it’s musically or in pop culture.  The Beatles are everywhere.  But have we really heard all we need to know about The Beatles?  Judging by the new documentary, Beatles Stories, there is plenty more to tell.

     Singer, songwriter and artist Seth Swirsky began piecing Beatles Stories together, almost by accident, in 2004.  Beginning with an emotional off the cuff story by a Liverpudlian tour guide, Swirsky slowly put together this rather compelling and enormously entertaining documentary, which features interviews with fellow musicians and unlikely celebrities who have had encounters with at least one of the four members of The Beatles.  With stories from a wide variety of artists, this is an extremely enjoyable documentary that delivers great story after great story. 

     From producer Jack Douglas’ hilarious tale of recording Double Fantasy with John Lennon to Henry ‘The Fonz’ Winkler’s encounter with Paul McCartney on the streets of New York, Beatles Stories is a truly unforgettable experience that will leave viewers wanting more (thankfully, there’s extra interviews included in the DVD’s bonus features).  Throw in great stories from Brian Wilson, Sir Ben Kingsley, Art Garfunkel, Susanna Hoffs, Davy Jones, Jackie De Shannon, Bob Eubanks (yes, Bob Eubanks!), Graham Nash, Peter Noone, Justin Hayward, Denny Laine and many others and you’ve got yourself a documentary that shows the human side of The Beatles that tends to be overlooked elsewhere.

     Stephen SPAZ Schnee was able to catch up with Seth Swirsky, who can now add ‘successful film maker’ to his resume, and they chatted about all things Beatles Stories…

SPAZ:  Beatles Stories is just about ready to drop.  How are you feeling about the release and the reaction you’ve received so far?

SETH SWIRSKY:  I am so pleased.  I do projects that really tap into my passion: I give them all I have and I pay for them myself.  I had no profit/loss statement on this if you know what I mean (laughs).  My biggest goal is…. I just love The Beatles so much and I wanted to share these stories. For me, it was, “How do I express that feeling?”  Well, I’m a songwriter and I’ve written many hit songs. I’ve written albums myself. I’ve won many awards… all those different kinds of things. That expresses what I learned about songwriting being a very young child in the ‘60s and the ‘70s.  But that didn’t quite express my love of The Beatles, which is very, very deep. So, I started filming these things and putting it together and it was such a joy to do.  I would show little bits to friends and I thought that I’ve got to put it together in a way where it’s not 4 hours long and you’re not looking at your watch. You’ve got to edit it in a certain way.  It was the editing that really took a lot of the time. You want it to have a certain flow. The whole first half of the movie is The Beatles of the ‘60s. I had to do a slow progression all the way up.  It’s not literally year by year.  It’s era by era.

SPAZ:  Hearing people tell Beatles-related stories throughout the years obviously inspired the film, but can you pinpoint the exact conversation and moment when you decided that this movie had to be made?

SETH:  That’s a great question.  Usually, what I do with any of my work, it’s like having a big slab of clay that you put down and you know you want your hands on that clay but you don’t know where it’s going.  Then, all of a sudden, it starts appearing. You want to do a clay figure of a woman and you don’t know exactly what it’s going to look like but then it starts to appear…and that’s when you know the moment.  I was asked to play at the Cavern Club in Liverpool for my first solo album.  And I was like, “Oh my God, are you kidding me?  Play the Cavern Club?  The Beatles? Unbelievable!”  I flew over there. I had my guitar and I had a handheld camera. I wasn’t planning on making a movie. I had a break before I went on and I took that Magical Mystery Tour Bus where they show you John Lennon’s house growing up, George Harrison’s house, the Strawberry Fields gate and all that stuff.  The tour guide, Eddie Porter, he showed us the Strawberry Fields gate and I just said, “Hey, Eddie, can I just film you over here. Can you just tell me a side story?” And I’m filming just for myself and he tells that story of Sean and Yoko with the picture and he said, “I almost cried my eyes out,” and I thought that was so poignant.  So, I go back to L.A. and I get online and I somehow stumbled upon May Pang’s website and I wrote her through the contact page.  I didn’t think I’d hear back from her. She writes me back and says that she’ll be in L.A. and I asked if I could bring my video camera.  She says sure and then she shows me around the apartment where she and John lived when they landed in L.A.  So, now, I’m thinking I’ve got two of these things. And then a friend mentioned to me that he knew Peter Noone.  You’re actually inviting people to a party.  You’re not inviting Sir Ben Kingsley and Brian Wilson first because they’ll never come to your party.  Graham Nash is not going to be the first at your party. So, you’re building a mountain.  I had these three people and when I had those three, I asked Denny Laine and he said yes.  And then Justin Hayward said yes. So then it dawned on me: these stories, if I can cut them down to a minute and a half each, telling the stories with the photographs and try to reconstruct the story, then what is it really?  It’s Beatles Stories. And I thought that’s nice and simple and tidy and it tells the story of what I’m doing. Done!

SPAZ:  You’ve got a wide variety of celebrities involved, from actors and comedians to athletes and musicians.  Was it difficult to get them involved with the project?

SETH: My whole philosophy when I’m doing something artistic is: yes.  Just the word ‘yes’.  Why not?  They are people, too? Let’s talk about Art Garfunkel for instance.  I really wanted Art Garfunkel because I had heard about his story, I had read about it.  You don’t hear it very often.  I started thinking, “How am I going to get to Art Garfunkel?”  I already know that to go through his PR people, they’re never going to get it to him because it’s not money-making.  And I’m not saying anything about Art Garfunkel.  I’m just saying that he is presented projects over the years, so many of them.  So, I always try to go a different route and I try to be creative about it.  I’ve produced records, so I went to the back of the album covers that I’ve made and I thought to myself, “These guys are very good musicians.  I wonder if any of them have played with Art?” And wouldn’t you know there was one overlap: a guy who played guitar on records I produced and he had also played with Art.  So, I wrote him a long e-mail: “Hey, I haven’t seen you in a long time. What’s going on?” Then I made sure I described the project.  In three paragraphs, I described the exact project and what I had done before. I made sure that I described the project as if I was speaking to Art.  I said, “If you like this idea and can get it to Art, fantastic.”  He loved it. He e-mailed me back and said, “Yeah, I know Art.  I’ve played on his records. Can I just forward it to him?” I’m telling you, that night, I go to my answering machine.  I clicked it on and he goes, “Hey, Seth. Art Garfunkel here. Yeah, I’m in.  I love the project. That sounds amazing.  Next time you’re in New York, look me up,” and then he gives me his address. Then, I called him immediately, and he says “I read what you wrote and I’m totally in.  Next time you’re in New York….”  And I said, “Hey, I’m going to be in New York tomorrow!” Do you think I was really going to be in New York ‘tomorrow’? No.  But when somebody says ‘yes’ to you, get on a plane!  Find a way because they aren’t going to remember this conversation in 6 months.  You’ve got to lock it down. That’s how they happened.

SPAZ:  How long, from beginning to end, did it take to put the project together?

SETH: It started with Eddie Porter, the Magical Mystery Tour guide.  I filmed him in October, 2004. I didn’t know I had a movie until the next year as I continued with Justin Hayward, May Pang and Denny Laine... I knew I had a movie around the middle of 2005.  I stopped shooting around 2009, 2010.  2010 was really about finishing the editing and then getting it into film festivals. There were a lot of film festivals in 2011: it played in Paris, it played in London…  And it’s coming out now in 2012.  So, it’s been eight years from since I filmed the first person until now. 

SPAZ: Was there a lot of research involved with the project?  I don’t think anyone would link Sir Ben Kingsley with the Beatles, but there’s a very logical connection there…

SETH: You know, the word ‘research’ sounds like you’re going to the library and you’re writing a 15 page paper.  Those are days I think most of us want to forget, right? (laughs) But for me, I do like doing research when it’s something that is so totally enjoyable. I go to look up certain Beatles stores to get different ideas.  I think, “I wonder, when The Beatles first came to the United States, if there was a 16 year old girl that screamed her head off and loved The Beatles so much… one that would really stand out.”  That started me thinking about somebody who ended up being Lucy Baines Johnson, the daughter of the President Of The United States! They lived in the White House, she’s 16 years old and The Beatles come over and wouldn’t you know, she tells me this story about wanting to invite The Beatles to the White House!

SPAZ: Jim Irsay, the owner of the Indianapolis Colts owns one of George Harrison’s guitars.  Wasn’t this the same one George gave to Badfinger member Pete Ham?

SETH: Yes. It was originally given to Pete Ham.  George was always giving guitars away.  He kept a lot himself, but he was always giving things away to people.

SPAZ: Do you have any personal Beatles stories yourself?

SETH:  I was at my gym in late 2009.  I’m on the treadmill and guess who is right next to me? Paul McCartney!  And Paul gives me a look as if to say, “OK, you’ve got a Beatle haircut.  I can see you’re a Beatle person.  I am going go give you 1/10^thof a second to ask a question. Go ahead, I’m waiting.” So, I turn around and said, “Sir Paul, I’m doing this movie, Beatles Stories, and I interviewed Norman Smith (Beatles engineer up to 1965),” and I hit the jackpot.  He goes, “Norman Smith? You interviewed Norman Smith?” I said, “Yes, I did.” And he said, “Ah, we loved him. When we all were young lads…,” and I’m thinking he keeps saying ‘we’… he’s talking about The Beatles. Paul McCartney is talking about The Beatles to Seth Swirsky! I mean, come on! We’re talking and a crowd is starting to gather around us and he’s telling Beatles stories and talking about Norman.  Then he takes my hand and says, “You gave me a great gift today. By reminding me about Norman, you’ve given me a great gift.” I just got an e-mail from Nancy Shevell (Paul’s wife) telling me that she and Paul watched the film. She said, “My husband and I loved the movie”. The fact that he loved it is amazing to me.

SPAZ: What’s next for Seth Swirsky?

SETH: Well, I’ve been painting a lot.  I’d like to maybe do a show of my paintings.  That’s going to be in the near future.  I’m also getting my masters in clinical psychotherapy. And I’m making a brand new record that’s coming out next year.

SPAZ: What’s currently spinning on your CD, DVD or record players?

SETH: I have a mix of things.  On my current playlist in my car, I’ve got “Pumped Up Kicks” (Foster The People), “You Never Give Me Your Money” (The Beatles), “Black Or White” (Michael Jackson), “Empire State Of Mind” (Alicia Keys), “Sowing The Seeds Of Love” (Tears For Fears), “No One’s Gonna Love You” (Band Of Horses), “The Game Of Love” (Santana with Michelle Branch), “True Faith” (New Order), “Dreams Of Leaving” (The Clientele), “Marlena” by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, “I Saw Her Again” (The Mamas & The Papas) and then a new song that I’m writing for my next record so I can hear it in a mix.

Thanks to Seth Swirsky

Special thanks to Mike Schnee and Rick Reiger

BEATLES STORIES

10.2.12

An EXCLUSIVE Interview with DRAGONETTE!

Our Work Is Done:

An EXCLUSIVE interview with DRAGONETTE’s Martina Sorbara

     While Electro Pop may have dominated the U.S. charts in the early to mid ‘80s, it has been decades since a new band has come along and made an impact on American radio…or any other music platform for that matter. Sure, there have been plenty of Electronic artists who have left their mark in the states including Moby, Skrillex, David Guetta and deadmau5, but nothing Pop-oriented enough to appeal to the greater masses. That may change with the September 25th arrival of Bodyparts, the third album from Canadian trio Dragonette.

     Bodyparts is an album so strong that practically every track could be a hit single. The band has released two bona-fide hits from the album already (“Let It Go” and “Live In This City”), but, to be honest, this is a full-length packed with virtual wall-to-wall smashes… and when was the last time that happened? With infectious melodies, playful arrangements and driving beats, this is an album that will be adored by fans of ‘80s Synthpop as well as those who prefer a more modern take on Electronica.

     Dragonette was formed in Canada by vocalist/songwriter Martina Sorbara, producer Dan Kurtz and drummer Joel Stouffer. From the very beginning, Dragonette mixed soaring Pop melodies with an assortment of real and Electronic sounds and topped it with Martina’s confident vocals, creating a unique sound that was commercial yet filled with attitude and undeniable charm. With two hit albums behind them (2007’s Galore and Fixin’ To Thrill from ’09), the trio went from strength to strength.

     Aside from their own releases, they found themselves collaborating with an assortment of DJs from all over the world. Luckily, Dragonette hit paydirt with French DJ Martin Solveig when they finally broke through American airwaves in 2010 with their collaborative track “Hello”. While Bodyparts may be a tad bit less Techno-heavy than “Hello”, it still manages to be as joyfully dancefloor friendly as that hit. From the opening track, ‘Run Run Run” to the mid-tempo closer “Ghost”, Bodyparts is a feast for the ears and a call to arms for the feet.
     Stephen SPAZ Schnee was able to catch up with Martina Sorbara and discuss the album and all things Dragonette…

SPAZ: The album Bodyparts is just about to drop. How are you feeling about the album and the reaction you’ve been receiving so far?

MARTINA SORBARA: We love this record…. in fact, Dan thinks it's the best one we've made so far. Our neighbors (who have listened to it a fair amount through our common wall) also really like it.

SPAZ: The album sounds like it’s filled with wall to wall hits. Was this collection of tracks conceived as an album or did you approach each song individually and then create an album from there?

MARTINA: Ha… IF ONLY we could conceive of a whole album in advance! It would probably save us a year of messing around; trying to figure out what kind of songs we're going to end up writing. Every time we've started writing "our next album," we've always felt like we're clutching at straws, clinging to any tiny idea that might turn into a song. We do that about 6 or 7 times in a row until we realize that we have some kind of sound starting to form, and then we relax a little bit into that sound and take some chances. This album ended up feeling like more of a daytime-sounding record vs. a darker, more clubby vibe.

SPAZ: Bodyparts was recorded in three different parts of the world. Did you manage to find different types of inspiration while you spent time in London, Rio De Janeiro and Ontario? Do you find that different environments stimulate your creativity?

MARTINA: The main reason for us writing in all these places is because of where we were touring or living at the time. The one exception is Rio, where Dan's dad lives, and where we wanted to go for longer than just a couple of days. Going there to write was a great excuse to spend some time there. We wrote two songs in an apartment looking out over the water, neither of which sound anything like what you'd expect to come out of being exposed to Rio's sunshine and people.

SPAZ: Some may refer to the band as ‘80s revivalists, but I hear so many more influences including Glam, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Power Pop and modern Electro-Dance. Does it frustrate you to be lumped into one category when you clearly have a lot of other influences?

MARTINA: We never fault people for trying to come up with the most reductive way of defining our music… it happens all the time, and it happens to every band. Probably every band feels that their music is broader than just one genre, but then again, probably every band is happy to spend 5 minutes describing their sound to anyone who will listen. In an effort to keep it short and simple, I'll just say that I agree with all the influences you hear in our music!

SPAZ: How did the recording of Bodyparts compare to your work on the previous two albums? Do you still find yourselves pushing the envelope a little more each time when you are in the studio?

MARTINA: We did very little "in studio" recording for this record…..to begin with, we recorded no live drums, which was a new thing for us. We also kept a lot of the original, poorly-recorded demo vocals because we thought the vibe was better than in any subsequent re-record. We didn't consciously try to push any envelopes, but when we listen to this album vs. our previous records, we can hear that we're still getting better at making records.

SPAZ: What is the normal songwriting process for Dragonette? Do the songs end up going in different directions than you initially envisioned?

MARTINA: They almost always end up sounding different that how they first start out. The process is almost always a "just make it as good as we can" approach, which generally means over-polishing it and then stepping back to the stage just before the vibes started giving way to "perfection".

SPAZ: The album already has spawned two ‘singles’ with “Let It Go” and “Live In This City” and you haven’t even touched what could be the most obvious choice for a single, “Run Run Run”. How do you go about choosing singles from the album? Or do you leave that in other people’s hands?

MARTINA: Luckily we get to have a hand in these decisions, since WE are still the record company in most countries. Our manager/svengali Neil sees all these sorts of things in a Big Picture kind of way, so we generally let him lead the way, and we willingly follow. We thought to keep "Run Run Run" back a bit since it will be a nice change of pace after the more banging "Let it Go" and "Live in this City."

SPAZ: Did you have a lot of material recorded for this album that ended up NOT being used, or did you just focus on this set of songs while you were creating the album?

MARTINA: For the first time ever we have not only a couple of B-sides, but even a couple of songs that are written but not yet fully produced. We're hoping to keep writing through all of the touring we expect to be doing, if only just so when we start on album #4 we won't be starting from Zero.

SPAZ: For being in close proximity to the U.S., Canada sure seems to have a vibrant music scene that unfortunately doesn’t always get caught by our radars. Do you think you had an advantage to musically grow on your own terms and on your own turf before taking Dragonette global?

MARTINA: We actually left Canada for the UK a few years ago, in part because we felt at the time we were making music that had little to no relevance to the Canadian music scene. That has now changed, but for the first few years, it would have been hard to grow just within Canada's borders. We were really lucky to get a really global experience over these past few years, while at the same time beginning to grow our band in Canada as radio moved towards playing pop and dance.

SPAZ: How did you hook up with DJ Martin Solveig? Your collaboration, “Hello”, has become a pretty big deal all round the world? Did you imagine that it would be as popular as it has become?

MARTINA: We met on an airport shuttle bus in Australia, and Martin took our email address. He wrote a little while later to ask about collaborating on the first track we did together ("Boys and Girls"), and it worked out well enough that we did it again with "Hello", and a couple of other songs for Martin's album "Smash". None of us had any idea how big that song was going to become.

SPAZ: What’s next for Dragonette?

MARTINA: Touring. Touring. Touring.

SPAZ: What do you currently have spinning on your CD, DVD and/or record player?

MARTINA: Santigold. Lucinda Williams.

Thanks to Martina Sorbara

Special thanks to Mike Logan and John Allen

     

 

DRAGONETTE

 

BODYPARTS

 

9.25.12

An EXCLUSIVE Interview with RODRIGUEZ!

Only Good For Conversation:

An EXCLUSIVE Interview with

RODGRIGUEZ!

By Stephen SPAZ Schnee

     If patience is a virtue, then Sixto Diaz Rodriguez should be applying for sainthood right about now. Over four decades since the release of his 1970 debut album, Cold Fact, Rodriguez (professionally known by his last name only) is more popular than he has been at any point in his career. Not only has Cold Fact and it’s 1971 follow-up, Coming From Reality, been lovingly reissued by Light In The Attic Records, there’s even an award-winning documentary, Searching For Sugar Man, that is currently making the rounds and bringing audiences to their feet. But it wasn’t always that way…

     Rodriguez was discovered in the late ‘60s while playing a gig in Detroit. A 1967 single appeared on the Impact label, but it would take another three years for an album to appear. Cold Fact was an album that mixed social awareness, politics, Folk Music and Psychedelia, sounding not unlike a mixture of Donovan and Dylan during their heyday. Unfortunately, the album didn’t fare well in the states commercially. He went back into the studio and recorded his second album, which met the same fate as his debut. After the failure of both albums, Rodriguez’s musical career seemed to be over. Or was it…

     Cold Fact was released in South Africa in 1971 and was a huge hit. The album ended up going platinum. In Australia, the album met with even bigger success, selling 5X platinum! Oddly enough, Rodriguez was completely unaware of his enormous popularity in those countries. It wasn’t until decades later that he realized that his music had a profound effect on so many people in these countries.

     But in South Africa, even though Rodriguez was one of the most popular cult artists around, his fans knew nothing about him. Rumors began circulating that he had committed suicide on stage during one of his performances. From a self-inflicted gunshot wound to lighting himself on fire, the rumors grew more elaborate as time moved on. They myth and the mystery that surrounded Rodriguez fueled his popularity even more.

     In the ‘90s, a South African fan, Stephen ‘Sugar’ Segerman, began a search for any information on Rodriguez. Journalist Craig Bartholomew-Strydom became involved, as did Alec McCrindle, who helped Segerman set up a website in 1997. Budding Swedish filmmaker Malik Bendjelloul became intrigued and decided to document the search for the enigmatic singer/songwriter. What they all discovered changed the lives of everyone involved…

     The award-winning documentary Searching For Sugar Man details the Malik’s search for the truth in regards to the artist and his supposed suicide. Thankfully, Rodriguez was alive and well and was about to finally receive the accolades he so richly deserved. With rave reviews, awards galore and a buzz across the internet louder than feedback at a Motorhead concert, Searching For Sugar Man is not only an artistic triumph, it is also a successful one.

     Stephen SPAZ Schnee was able to catch up with Rodriguez, and discuss the film, his musical career and his belated (and well-deserved) success…

SPAZ: It’s been over 40 years since the release of your debut album. Light In The Attic has reissued your two albums to great acclaim and now, there’s a well received documentary that focuses on your career. How are you feeling about the film right now?

RODRIGUEZ: Malik Bendjelloul, the film-maker, it’s his first film. It was chosen out of like 4000 entries at the Sundance festival. It’s a masterpiece. He does narration, he does animation in this film and, in regards to South Africa, he brings up issues of Apartheid… It’s certainly a creative thing he’s done. He’s been working on it for five years now. At Sundance, he got the Audience Award for Documentary and the Special Jury Prize. It got standing ovations at six screenings! Like I said, it was his first film. Malik and Camilla (Skagerstrom, cinematographer) were the ones that did it. They had worked on it awhile before I even got involved. He did great. He is deserving of all the accolades.

SPAZ: Is it kind of surreal for you to be the subject of this critically adored film?

RODRIGUEZ: The climax of the film takes place in ’98. We’ve been touring since then and I’ve had a lot of experiences since that time. But this film thing… it’s a different medium. It’s the meeting of film and music. The film is distributed by Sony Pictures Classics and they are really behind it. We got picked up, which is another thing: Malik didn’t know that was going to happen, which is quite something for him. And since I’m the subject of it (laughs), I’m a lucky guy. I’m really fortunate that it’s happened at this pace. I really appreciate it.

SPAZ: Both Cold Facts and Coming From Reality are highly unique albums that have remained timeless, both musically and lyrically. What were your influences when making the albums, both musically and otherwise?

RODRIGUEZ: The guitar is essential in music ensemble. The guitar itself has changed. You can do more with it now. I follow that instrument. So, whoever is doing anything on guitar… the Blues guys. And I mean I listen to the ‘40s, the ‘50s, the ‘60s, the ‘70s, the ‘80s, the ‘90s, the ‘00s, the ‘10s (laughs). I take in any kind of musical influence. We all have that capacity, we all listen a lot. And in Detroit, we hear a lot of stations. It’s like urban influences as opposed to rural influences. Classical and Jazz are kind of the same because there’s more instrumentation. But I follow more vocal and guitar, songwriters…. That vein of popular music. I listen to a lot of stuff… just like everyone. Just following the guitar, the chord changes of The Beatles, the different vocal expressions of Dylan… Each decade has had its own showpieces.

SPAZ: Your lyrics are most often personal and political, addressing issues that are still relevant. Are you pleased that your songs still resonate with listeners today? That’s quite an accomplishment…

RODRIGUEZ: The issues of the late ‘60s and ‘70s, if you look at those placards at demonstrations, they are pretty much the same kind of stuff. They are saying ‘Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!’, you know, they want work… the same kind of social issues. Now, we’ve become more aware through the internet and through (smart) phones. These issues haven’t gone away. I think that tazers are another word for cattle prods. It’s kind of punishment before the crime, you know? I think that they could use better judgment and that it can be fixed. I describe myself as a ‘politico musico’. I do the music and I love that, but, really, there are other issues that haunt us as well. In the same way, through technology, I have become a better known musician, and who would have thought, you know? Another part of it is that it opens up another area of music. I think most commercials have music in the background. Music is everywhere now.

SPAZ: Musically, you have been called Folk, Psychedelic, World Music, pop and Rock. Listening back, how do you feel about your two albums today?

RODRIGUEZ: I had great production. Steve Rowland (producer of Coming From Reality), he used full violin section, cellos, violas… He used a lot of different approaches to the material. The quality has had longevity and it has proven itself.

SPAZ: “Sugar Man” is your most well-known song. Can you tell us a little about the song’s origins?

RODRIGUEZ: “Sugar Man” is almost like a prayer, you know? That’s all that that is. It’s a tune with words. I describe ‘Sugar Man” as a descriptive song, not a prescriptive song. When I play to an audience, I can explain things. It makes it much easier if someone has a question. I’m accessible to my audience when I’m out on stage. When they call out and talk to me, I talk back to them. (laughs) It’s a great time because it’s live performance. Any questions, I try to clear up.

SPAZ: While your albums are musically focused, there’s also an adventurous feel to the recordings. Did the sessions end up the way you envisioned it, or did you have to make compromises along the way?

RODRIGUEZ: I think that’s down to the producer. I’m the musician and vocalist. They say we should add this or that. When we play up there live, it changes.

SPAZ: How do you feel about the internet and the effect it has had on you and your music?

RODRIGUEZ: It’s a global thing now. You don’t have to worry about the domestic market as much. I’ve been down to Australia four times, South Africa four times, Wales, London… To be a successful Rock ‘n’ Roll musician, you need to be able to handle disappointment, rejection, criticism…. If you get that break, you better ride it out. I’m lucky. I’ve had resurgence through Light In The Attic and now through this film.

SPAZ: Apart from your two initial albums, there was a live release as well. Before Light In The Attic’s official reissues, there were other titles by you on the market…

RODRIGUEZ: There are other things, but some of them I wasn’t conscience of. I really don’t know much about those.

SPAZ: So, there’s no unreleased third album? There have been rumors…

RODRIGUEZ: No, and I think that should be clarified. I think people should know that. I am currently working on new stuff, but there’s no third album.

SPAZ: What’s next for Rodriguez?

RODRIGUEZ: We’re going to have movie more screenings and we’ll be tagging along with the film.

SPAZ: What are you listening to these days?

RODRIGUEZ: I listen to NPR a lot. And we’ve got some great stations in Detroit.

Thanks to Sixto Diaz Rodriguez

Special thanks to Josh at Light In The Attic

COLD FACT

COMING FROM REALITY