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Exclusive: PopBytes talks with Rye Rye

May 15, 2012 9:10 AM by Alex Nagorski Leave a Comment Filed Under: Interviews, Musicians Tagged With: Interviews, Rye Rye

If Rye Rye isn’t on your radar yet, the release of her hotly anticipated debut album, Go! Pop! Bang!, is about to change all of that.

Over two years in the making, Go! Pop! Bang! finally hits stores today. An amalgamation of cleverly crafted hip-hop, explosive club bangers and dabs of trip-hop, the record is a welcome slice of bedazzled sunshine sure to make you drip sweat this summer. And with current single “Boom Boom” recently having crept its way into the Top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Songs chart, you might need to start reaching for a towel even sooner than that.

I caught up with the 21-year-old electro-rapper to chat about the album, her peers in the female hip-hop world, her unique fashion sense, why her mentor M.I.A. compared her to a “lost member of Destiny’s Child,” and more.

ALEX NAGORSKI: Where does the title, Go! Pop! Bang! come from?

RYE RYE: Those are lyrics in one of my songs and when we were naming the album, we were looking for words that stood out to describe my energy. And those three words stuck out because they were comic book words and they make you feel excited.

In the past, you’ve described your sound as “hood” meets “hipster.” Can you elaborate a little bit more about what you mean by that?

Well, I do a lot of dance music but I come from the hood and I put a lot of things into it that you wouldn’t normally find on dance tracks. It’s me be bringing my flavor to the hipster world but with hood attitude.

How would you best describe your sound to someone who’s never heard a Rye Rye song before?

There’s a lot of bass and crazy lyrics. I like to experiment in different sounds. It’s just really fun. And definitely dance-y.

In what ways has your sound evolved from the release of your mixtape to the release of Go! Pop! Bang!?

I feel like my mixtape was more Baltimore. I was there for more of it so the music hit home. But for my album, I couldn’t be there because I had to be making my album. On my mixtape, I said what I wanted to and I did whatever. But on my album, I actually made songs. The genre of my music changed as well because it’s not all club music. It’s influenced by other high-energy stuff that fits better into the mainstream market, but with my flavor – versus my mixtape, which was straight underground.

Are there any distinct Baltimore flavors that can still be heard on Go! Pop! Bang!?

Bass. I’ve stuck to the repetition of the bass. On some of the tracks, I’ve stuck in that lane except I was using 808’s to make it more dance-friendly. It was important to me to make music that would just make me want to dance. And of course, my flavor on a track makes it automatically more Baltimore in general – my flow, my everything.

There’s been a significant increase in the number of female hip-hop artists over the past few years. How do you feel your music distinguishes you from some of your peers like Nicki Minaj?

I think it’s cool. I’m glad that all these females have their own sounds and I support every female artist out there. But we’re all different in our own ways and I feel like that plays a major part. Your fans love you for what you do and if everybody sounded the same, it would kind of take away from that. I think it’s really awesome that we’re all different and we all have our own flavor.

You’ll be working with a few of these ladies on the upcoming remix to M.I.A.’s “Bad Girls” (along with Missy Elliott and Azealia Banks) and have collaborated in the past with Iggy Azalea on your mixtape, so I definitely get the impression that you support one another’s work.

Yeah well, when we were created the mixtape, the songs sort of seemed like they were all going in the same direction so I wanted to freshen it up. On that song with Iggy, I sampled a track by Kanye and Jay-Z and I did a straight, hard remix to it. But then I kept wanting to get someone else on there. At first I wanted to feature a guy but then someone was like, “this song is so strong already so if anything, you should put another girl on there.” So I thought Iggy would be cool because I like her flow and she’s doing that type of hood stuff I like and I thought she’d be good for it.

In addition to M.I.A., Go! Pop! Bang! features collaborations with a wide variety of artists, including Robyn, Akon, Tyga and Porcelain Black. If you could record a duet with any contemporary musician, who would it be and why?

Missy Elliott, definitely. She’s one of my favorite artists. She’s just so interesting and is someone I would totally love to work with. Especially because she’s so visual. What she does in her videos is so creative and is so based around dancing, which is my first love. So I was always into that. And Kanye West is one of my favorite artists too.

You and M.I.A. have been friends for a long time. You appeared in the music video and on a remix for her hit “Paper Planes,” you became the first artist signed to her record label (N.E.E.T.), you’ve toured together and she collaborated with you on a few tracks from Go! Pop! Bang!, including the lead single, “Sunshine.” What was the best mentoring moment she gave you over your years working together?

When I first started touring with her, her style rubbed off on me. She always told me, “you can wear anything but you’ve got to wear it with attitude. If you wear something with confidence, nobody can really tell you anything bad about it.” When I would go back to Baltimore, a lot of people were really close-minded. So if I’d wear something in my style, they would look at me and think I was crazy because they weren’t exposed to that swag culture yet. But what M.I.A. said about that really stuck with me. She told me to be myself and work with and embrace what I was wearing, so I ran with it. Then there was other stuff like if record labels were ever doing something that I didn’t want, to always put my foot down and stay true to who I was and to stay true to Baltimore. Those are the two main things that have stuck with me to this day.

Another thing that makes you stand out is your incredibly unique sense of fashion. Can you tell me a little bit more about where you draw your style inspirations from?

I love being street but for grownups. Back in the day, I used to wear a lot of baggy clothing and a lot of street clothing. M.I.A. used to say to me “oh no, I don’t want you to wear heels. You look like a lost member of Destiny’s Child!” But now that I’m older, I like to wear things like heels with streetwear and outerwear, like t-shirts or leggings. I really just have my own style. I like taking risks and I’ll wear anything. I like things that are bright and patterns that pop.

You’ve been associated with various fashion designers such as Prabal Gurung and Jeremy Scott. If you were to come out with your own clothing line, what would be some of the signature looks?

I’m a big fan of crop tops. I feel like that those are the types of shirts you can wear anywhere – to the store, to the club, wherever. Plus they’re comfortable and also fashionable. I’m also a big fan of leggings. I wear leggings all the time and I feel the most comfortable when I’m in them. And I love latex stuff now too. I’m getting into a lot of rubber dresses, so I’m into a lot of different styles.

This year, you also made your acting debut in the box office smash 21 Jump Street. Is acting something we’ll be seeing you do a lot more of in the future?

Yes! I would love to. I’m working on it. I love it. I don’t have anything lined up right now but I’m working on setting it up.

Now that your album is finally being released, can your fans expect a tour in the near future?

Yeah! I’m putting together the tour. I’ve got a couple shows lined up but I know for sure we’ll be hitting up New York and Portland – but I don’t really know the rest off hand.

What’s something your fans most likely don’t know about you that would surprise them?

I’m very sensitive about real life stuff. Like, seeing homeless people is like heart failure for me. I take that very seriously and I always say I want to open up a shelter for them. I really care about people a lot. I’ve got a lot of crazy energy and I like to do my thing and people know me from the club scene, but I really have a heart.

You turned 21 back in November. How did you celebrate this milestone birthday?

Prior to that, I was in Vegas doing some shows with LMFAO so I was celebrating days in advance. I really didn’t do anything on my actual birthday though. I stayed in because I was on tour. And being able to perform and being on the road and doing what I love was already a celebration for me. I was celebrating the whole time.

And for my final question, what about the release of Go! Pop! Bang! are you most excited about?

I’m just relieved more than anything because the album’s been such a long time coming. I feel like now I can finally breathe because I don’t have to wait for it anymore.

Go! Pop! Bang! is now available on iTunes.

Filed Under: Interviews, Musicians Tagged With: Interviews, Rye Rye

Exclusive Interview: Prometheus’ Logan Marshall-Green

May 6, 2012 8:04 PM by Alex Nagorski Leave a Comment Filed Under: Actors, Interviews Tagged With: Interviews, Logan Marshall-Green

Logan Marshall-Green

You’ve already watched him capture audiences as a central character on TV shows like 24, Dark Blue and the teen phenomenon of yesteryear, The O.C. You watched him lead revolutionaries in Julie Taymor’s big screen Beatles musical, Across The Universe. You saw him struggling to survive while trapped in an elevator with supernatural forces in M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller, Devil. But as one of the stars of the upcoming summer blockbuster Prometheus, Logan Marshall-Green is ready to kick his career to the next level and become a household name.

From director Ridley Scott (the visionary filmmaker behind such contemporary classics as Alien, Blade Runner and Gladiator), Prometheus is without question one of the most eagerly anticipated motion pictures of the year. And while much about the film has been kept under tight lock, audiences won’t have to hold their breaths much longer to experience this cerebral science-fiction adventure of what looks like monumental proportions.

Also starring Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce and the original Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Noomi Rapace, Prometheus hits theaters on June 8th. Gearing up for the film’s release, I chatted with Marshall-Green about working with Scott, the roles of religion vs. science in the film, how the movie will impact the science-fiction genre, the already rumored sequel, and more.

ALEX NAGORSKI: Have you seen Prometheus yet? What were your first reactions coming out of it?

LOGAN MARSHALL-GREEN: I haven’t seen the whole movie yet. I’ve only seen snippets here and there.

AN: What was your favorite sci-fi movie growing up?

LMG: I loved Alien and Aliens. I would say both of those movies were my favorites.

AN: So as a fan of both of those films, what is your response to the flood of rumors that Prometheus is interconnected with the Alien franchise?

LMG: If it is, cool. If it’s not, cool (laughs). It’s a win, win situation for me, which is great because I love the original. And if they’re not connected, it’s great too because it makes Prometheus the original. I don’t care how people look at the movie as long as people look at it.

AN: Prometheus is a film thirty years in the making. Why do you think now is the right time for it to finally be released?

LMG: Because Ridley Scott has an impeccable sense of timing.

AN: How did you physically and mentally train for the role of Charlie Holloway?

LMG: Physically, I got into a plane, flew to London and that was pretty much my training. Mentally, I think it was just about juggling the incredible amount of stimulus that you get walking onto set. I mean, I got to go to work dressed in a spacesuit! And really, being an actor, a character and a fan all at once is very enthralling.

AN: What was the best piece of direction Ridley Scott gave you on set?

LMG: I don’t think there’s a specific direction that stuck with me but what I often think about was his trust in myself and everyone to go big. To make big, real choices. And he would waltz you back in if need be. But for me, I loved his sense of play and his trust in everyone to do their jobs – especially in the acting department.

AN: There’s so much hype surrounding Prometheus that the film already has a bit of a cult following, even though it hasn’t even been released yet. As an actor, how does that type of pressure impact your creative process?

LMG: It doesn’t impact it at all. I’m certainly not thinking about the hype that others will attach to the movie when I’m doing my job. It’s all about what’s happening in front of me and what’s happening in front of me is a fully built world that makes it very easy to settle into and act in. I don’t think anyone during the making of the movie – and I think I speak for the entire cast and crew – was worrying about what people would think going into it. We were just having an absolute blast making it.

AN: Can you talk a little bit about the roles of religion versus science in the film?

LMG: I think the movie strikes a good balance in that argument. There are some characters that represent faith and some characters that represent science and fact. Charlie Halloway is one of them. I certainly think there are going to be a lot of religious groups that are not going to agree with certain philosophies and ideologies that are in the movie, but I don’t think we really care. The world that Ridley created is a religion in itself and I think in many ways, it’s even bigger than religion (laughs). Let’s just say, I think more people will go to our church.

AN: With a title like Prometheus, the film seems to have an obvious root in Greek mythology. What parallels does the movie have with the original myth of the same name?

LMG: Well as most people know, Prometheus was the god who gave humans fire and sewed in them the seed of hope. If there’s a context with God, that’s what we’re looking for. But I don’t think you should read too much into the parallels of the mythology of the name “Prometheus.” Really, it’s just the name of the ship and the story of that ship and the crew that’s on it.

AN: Ridley Scott is well known for pushing the boundaries of sci-fi. What type of lasting effects do you think Prometheus will have on the genre?

LMG: I hope it invigorates it. It’s a genre that Ridley built and created. I think he’s just looking to tell a great story. It just so happens that this story is in the genre of science fiction and it just so happens that it’s in a genre that he created. But I hope it pushes movie making beyond classifying what genre a film is in. It’s shot, composed and articulated fully in 3D. It’s realized in 3D. We’re not trying to just make another 3D movie. We’re trying to create a 3D experience that hasn’t been had yet. For me, it’s more about inhabiting a movie and not having a movie thrust upon you, which I think many 3D movies do. A lot of 3D movies, by the way, are just cut later on into 3D. They’re not shot in 3D.

AN: So given that Prometheus is the first 3D movie you’ve been in, how different was the process of shooting the film compared to what you’re used to?

LMG: I’ve always acted in 3D so I didn’t do anything differently. There were a couple cameras that were a lot different and technical aspects that needed to be taken care of – which I’m sure seem tedious after four months, but they have to be done if the movie’s going to look good. But in terms of the acting department, we’ve always been in 3D (laughs).

AN: I imagine that working on such a vast and detailed set provided for lots of opportunities for the cast and crew to play some fun pranks on one another. Did you and/or any of your fellow actors take advantage of this during filming?

LMG: No, Ridley did all that. He’s known to get real, organic reactions out of his actors and he did it again in this piece. I won’t tell you exactly how but you’ll see. And I think you’ll agree that the reactions you see on screen are pretty real. But yeah, if anyone was a prankster, it was Ridley.

AN: There have already been rumors about a Prometheus 2. If you were offered to reprise your role in the sequel, would you accept?

LMG: Yeah, of course. If Ridley says jump, I’ll always say, “how high?” It would be an interesting sequel for my character (laughs). Nonetheless, yeah, I would.

AN: What was the moment you made the decision to commit to being an actor? Was it a specific performance by another actor or was it something else?

LMG: It was probably one of Anthony Sher’s performances of Cyrano de Bergerac at the Royal Shakespeare Company. There was a specific moment in that performance that I won’t get into but it made me understand live performance and stagecraft in a way that made me want to pursue it for the rest of my life. That’s when I knew that I wanted to be a stage actor. I can’t tell you when I wanted to be a TV or film actor. I consider it all kind of the same because you use so many of the same tools. Also, growing up, musicians like Mike Patton set the foundation for me to want to be on stage and to want to govern emotion and laughter every night. And that’s why I do so much theater.

AN: As an actor who works both on stage and on screen, what do you find to be the biggest fundamental differences between these mediums?

LMG: One’s live and one isn’t. One allows for there to be mistakes and one erases them. For me, the mistakes are what make great actors. It’s not about whether they make them or not. The great actors are the ones who pick themselves up and work on their form. And they do that in front of a live audience.

AN: Do you have any theater work lined up in the near future?

LMG: I’m not sure. There are a couple things buzzing, but nothing that I could tell you for sure. But I try to always stay somewhat around the orbit of the New York theater scene.

AN: If you were personally attacked by an alien species, what would be your warfare tactic of choice to fend them off?

LMG: I mean, I think I would absolutely go down like Hudson. I think everybody would go down like Hudson. I think I’d want to go down with a couple of great lines like, “you want some of this?” If I’m going down, I’m going down like Hudson. Know that.

Filed Under: Actors, Interviews Tagged With: Interviews, Logan Marshall-Green

Exclusive: ‘The Golden Hat: Talking Back to Autism’

April 30, 2012 10:44 AM by Alex Nagorski Leave a Comment Filed Under: Actresses, Interviews Tagged With: Books, Interviews, Kate Winslet, Margret Ericsdottir

When her son was only 10-years-old, Icelandic mother Margret Ericsdottir was told that her child had a severe form of nonverbal autism. Medical professionals informed her that Keli, her son, would never be able to communicate with another human being and should be institutionalized for the rest of his life.

Unwilling to give up on her child, Margret set forth on a mission to help Keli learn how to communicate. To help raise awareness of her son’s condition, Margret took a camera crew with her on her journey and thus created the documentary, A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back to Austism.

After being picked up by HBO for distribution to international audiences, the inspiring film found its English language narrator in Academy Award-winning actress Kate Winslet. But after meeting Margret and Keli, Winslet was inspired to do more than just lend her voice.

“I did the recording, I met Margret and we became very close friends. And I went home on the train and I just had this feeling of ‘that’s not enough. That can’t be it. I can’t have just given my voice, oh clever me, what’s that about?’” Winslet recalled while appearing on Live With Kelly!

Not too long after, a new idea came to Winslet while she was brushing her teeth one morning. What if she teamed up with Margret to create a book of portraits of famous people around the world? These celebrities could use their public platforms to give their voices to those who couldn’t speak out for themselves. And in turn, they would begin to spread awareness of this condition that impacts approximately 67 million people worldwide.

Together, Winslet and Margret went to all sorts of extremes to put together their book, The Golden Hat: Talking Back To Autism. Each participant took a photo with Winslet’s favorite fedora and answered the question, “If you were unable to communicate your entire life until now, what would be your first words?”

Featuring portraits of celebrities such as Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio, Johnny Depp, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Elton John, Julianne Moore, Oprah Winfrey, Zac Efron and James Franco, The Golden Hat: Talking Back to Autism is a true labor of love. All proceeds from the book (published in March by Simon & Schuster) benefit the charity and awareness organization that Margret and Winslet co-founded, The Golden Hat Foundation.

Following her recent appearance at the United Nations for World Autism Day, Margret chatted with me about the book, collaborating with Winslet, her son Keli, how you can contribute to the cause, and much more.

Alex Nagorski: Can you tell me a little bit about how the format of this book came about? How did you and Kate decide that taking portraits of these public figures was the way in which you wanted to spread awareness of your message?

Margret Ericsdottir: It was magical actually. One day I received an email from Kate saying that she had a great idea for fundraising, but didn’t have time to explain it now … she just said that it involved a hat and a lot of famous people.

I thought to myself that it was strange she said a “hat,” because Keli had just written a poem called, “The Golden Hat” that same day:

This boy had a golden hat.
The hat was magical.
It could talk.
The boy did not have any voice.
He had autism.
His hat was always with him.
His hat was lost one day.
Now he had no way of telling them his stories.
His mom and dad became sad.
They taught him spelling on a letterboard.
It was hard.

I sent the poem to Kate, and she was so surprised by Keli’s poem and how similar it was to her idea that she called me and told me all about her plans to make this book. We both felt like it was more than a coincidence and that it was meant to be. So we named our book and the foundation after the poem.

AN: On April 2nd, you appeared at the United Nations for World Autism Awareness Day. From the time you shot A Mother’s Courage to today, how much (if at all) do you feel autism awareness has increased on a global level?

ME: Autism awareness has been very successful here in the States for the most part, but in other parts of the world these individuals’ rights are being ignored. I have had many emails and Facebook comments from people around the world who want to know more about how they can help their child and how the conditions in their country do not allow them the treatments and interventions that we are so privileged to have here in the US.

As you mentioned, we hosted World Autism Awareness Day in conjunction with the United Nations this year. We had a press briefing regarding those with nonverbal autism, as that is our focus at the Golden Hat Foundation. As I said, it seems autism awareness in general is very good here in the US, however, people know very little about those with nonverbal autism – which represents nearly half of those with autism. We are working hard to bring awareness to their need for effective means of communication and their right to receive an academic education.

AN: In a recent Ladies’ Home Journal interview, Kate told a funny story about how she “gate-crashed a private function to get the hat to Bill Clinton.” What are some other humorous or non-traditional ways in which you and/or Kate attempted to get the hat to a particular person?

ME: We really became quite fanatical about the hat. For the longest time we would not mail it. It was hand delivered and even flown first class with someone across the ocean. There were only a couple of times that we did send it via courier and we all held our breath until it arrived.

When I was taking the hat once to Conan O’Brien in his studio, he was trying to get a picture of the hat while he was using hairspray. I kept thinking that he had gotten so much hairspray on the hat that it will never come off his head! I wasn’t sure if I should tell him to stop or not. Have you ever seen Conan? He is like 6 foot 7 or something!

AN: Of all the celebrities who contributed to this book, who’s answer surprised you the most?

ME: Of course the funny ones are cute, like George Clooney’s, “Sorry about Batman and Robin” or Woody Allen’s, “Get off my property!”, but the one that struck the biggest cord with me was Elijah Wood. It seemed to me he totally understood what we were asking when he answered, “I exist and I am vital.”

AN: Do you feel that the accelerated rate at which technology is granting people access to instant communication wherever they are is more beneficial or harmful for our society? And how do these rapid changes impact people with nonverbal autism?

ME: Although I feel most kids these days get too caught up in social media, it is the most exciting time for those with nonverbal autism. The technology that now exists has changed many of their lives. iPads and iPhones have revolutionized this industry. Now, what used to be unaffordable is well within the means of school districts and even families to own. There are amazing new apps for those with autism – like Assistive Chat, which allows the user to type in what they want and it says it out loud.

Also with all of this technology comes the ability to work from home. When these individuals are given an effective means of communication, and are able to get an academic education, they will be able to have careers. Not just jobs folding towels or wiping tables. Working from home will allow them to “fit in” more functionally at a job.

AN: The book is named after a poem that Keli wrote about a magic golden hat that enables an autistic boy to speak. How important do you find art to be as a tool for self-expression for those with nonverbal autism?

ME: Nonverbal autism is a spectrum. I like to think of it as just another class full of students, some will like the arts, some will like math, some will be good at English, others will be good in science.

Keli loves poetry. He almost always expresses himself in some poetic manner. While another good friend of Keli’s (also nonverbal) makes jokes all of the time. Still another likes to discuss his political views.

AN: How much do you think the representations of autism in popular culture (i.e. films like Adam or Rain Man or books like House Rules by Jodi Picoult) shape the way that autistic people are viewed to those who might not be entirely familiar with autism?

ME: I think any use of those with autism in media today brings more awareness and acceptance. The new show Touch with Keifer Sutherland stars a boy with nonverbal autism. He is not representative of this population, but they have shown some of the difficulties of having a child who does not speak. This will only bring more awareness to our cause.

AN: You and Kate have become very close friends over the past few years and together founded the Golden Hat Foundation. Do you two already have plans for another collaboration after the publication of this book?

ME: We discuss different ideas all the time! Kate is an idea person and is so whimsical! It is fun to talk about all the possibilities. Yes, we have some things up our sleeve … you will have to stay tuned to find out what!

AN: Other than purchasing the book, what are some ways in which people can help spread awareness and help make a difference for people with nonverbal autism?

ME: We need to spread awareness about the needs of those with nonverbal autism.

Talk to your school district and ask them to “Honor Intelligence.” Ask them to make sure they talk “to” these kids and not “about” them when they are present. Ask them to assume intelligence if a child can not communicate yet. Ask the schools to work toward getting effective communication strategies in place for all those who are nonverbal (or have nonfunctional speech). This means going beyond PECS and other picture programs. They need to learn to write, type, or point out words, even eye gaze can be used to spell words. Someone once said, “When you have 26 pictures, you can have 26 items. When you have 26 letters, you can have the world.” Then ask them to make plans to get these individuals an academic education. Life skills are important, however it should not be at the expense of an education.

We also have some wonderful resources on our website including videos. I suggest checking out our United Nations Press Briefing video and sending the link on to those you feel would benefit.

You can of course spread awareness by giving a copy of our book, The Golden Hat: Talking Back to Autism to teachers; or wear one of our shirts that say, “Honoring Intelligence”; or start a new “Follow That Hat” campaign on our website where you can raise awareness for nonverbal autism at the same time you raise money. This campaign is fun and whimsical and allows everyone to fundraise in any manner they choose. Once $500 dollars is reached, you will receive an actual “golden hat” in the mail that can be worn to tell others how important this issue is to you. Or just have some fun by donating online and adding your face to our Golden Wall … Facebook it and make it your profile picture and let others know what the Golden Hat stands for and why it is important to you.

Filed Under: Actresses, Interviews Tagged With: Books, Interviews, Kate Winslet, Margret Ericsdottir

Exclusive: PopBytes interviews Greg Laswell

April 22, 2012 4:02 PM by Alex Nagorski Leave a Comment Filed Under: Interviews, Musicians Tagged With: Greg Laswell, Interviews

Greg Laswell is sort of like J.D. Salinger.

When it came time to write and record his fourth album, Landline, Laswell relocated himself to a place where he could not be disturbed. A place where he would be free to create his art without the distractions of his everyday world. A place so peaceful that his cell phone literally couldn’t even ring to disrupt the tranqulity.

As it did with Salinger, the whole hermit schtick proved to really work out for Laswell. Landline is a gorgeous and expertly crafted record from start to finish. And it’s easily the indie singer/songwriter’s strongest and most musically sophisticated body of work to date (just think of all the possibilties, Grey’s Anatomy music-picking-people!).

Gearing up for this coming Tuesday’s release of Landline (via Vanguard Records), Greg spoke with me about the album, the various ladies he collaborated with on it, his recent foray into dance music, what animal stands no fighting change against him, and more.

ALEX NAGORSKI: Landline has a much larger and richer sound than your previous releases – in that there seem to be many influences and musical styles on the record that haven’t been prevalent in your repertoire thus far. What inspired this musical evolution?

GREG LASWELL: I’m in a good place in my personal life these days. I think these songs reflect that. Plus, I had gotten a little comfortable with knowing how to make a “Greg Laswell” record. I wanted to start over in a way.

AN: Since you self-produced the album, what were some of the biggest obstacles/challenges you faced while crafting this expanded version of your signature sound?

GL: My problem is always knowing when to stop recording. I can be quite the perfectionist and more often than not, perfection is not what a song needs. There’s no one in the room to say, “that’s it! that’s the take!” But I love being alone in the studio. One of these days I’ll work with a producer, but not yet.

AN: You’ve mentioned that Landline is heavily influenced by hip-hop records that you were listening to while writing and recording the album. Specifically which musicians/albums were you referring to?

GL: Method Man, Eminem, Kanye, Nas, Dr. Dre and Notorious B.I.G.

AN: You left Brooklyn to record the album in a small church-turned-house in a Maine lobstering town. Is it safe to assume that you can now cook the meanest lobster in New York?

GL: No, but it is safe to assume that I am a stone-cold murderer of them.

AN: After hearing the vocals that Sara Bareilles recorded for the album’s lead single, “Come Back Down” (which I reviewed here), you went back into the studio to re-record your own. What about Sara’s vocals triggered you to rework yours?

GL: The melody and phrasing all stayed the same, they just needed a slight energy boost next to hers. It’s easy for me to ease into what I know works for my vocal range, she helped me out of it momentarily.

AN: Your album features a wide roster of guest vocalists, including Sara Bareilles, Sia, Elizabeth Ziman (of Elizabeth and the Catapult) and your wife, Ingrid Michaelson. What triggered you to work with so many female vocalists on this record?

GL: It was an idea that I had been throwing around for years, and I’ve always had female vocalists somewhere on my records (Ingrid sang on a few songs on my last one). I thought Landline was the record to take it a little further on. I wanted these songs to be bigger than just me, and with the help of these four amazing singers, they are.

AN: Hypothetically, if you were to re-record another four of your songs as duets with male musicians, whom would you ask to sing with you and on which tracks?

GL: Honestly, I wouldn’t want to re-record four of my songs with male musicians.

AN: Can you tell me a little bit about your creative process behind the stop-motion video that Entertainment Weekly premiered for “Back To You”?

GL: It was a laborious one … 1500 pictures. However, it was by trial and error to get the motion right, so I ended up doing it three times (4500 pictures altogether). Take a picture, move everything an inch or so, take another picture. That, 4500 times.

AN: You recently collaborated with producer Morgan Page on “Addicted,” a track from his new album, In The Air. How did the experience of working on a club song differ from what you’re used to? And can your fans be expecting to hear your voice on any more dance tracks in the future?

GL: It was different because all I had to do was write the melody and sing it. Morgan did everything else. I didn’t have to obsess over the parts or the mix, or the song itself. I just got to come in, write lyrics and sing them. It was like taking your friend’s dog for a walk – you have a great time and then give it back. No responsibility.

AN: In a world run by cell phones, social media and instant on-the-go web access, imagery of a landline almost seems a bit antiquated. Can you talk a little bit about how you came up with the title track and why you felt naming your album after it was the most representative name for the record as a whole?

GL: I think the age of landlines and answering machines was romantic. I miss it. I’m thankful that I got to grow up without cellphones. That aside, the reason the album is called Landline is because there was little to no cell service where I recorded the record in Maine. So I had to use the landline. Easy title choice.

AN: As a songwriter, what’s the most moving response you’ve heard a fan have to your work?

GL: More than a couple times now, I’ve had someone tell me that they played “What a Day” during the birth of their child. I suppose there isn’t a better compliment than that.

AN: If you were to open your fridge on any standard day, what would you find inside?

GL: Another, smaller fridge. And one inside that, etc..

AN: This spring, you’re embarking on a national headlining tour. How will your shows supporting Landline differ from your previous tours? Any cities you’re most looking forward to playing in?

GL: Well, I’m taking out the largest band I’ve ever had. There will be six of us up there (including a cello player). And Elizabeth, who sings on the record, will be playing and singing in the band as well. Pretty excited for these shows. I always look forward to playing my two hometowns, LA and New York.

Landline is available to preorder on iTunes now.

Filed Under: Interviews, Musicians Tagged With: Greg Laswell, Interviews

Exclusive: PopBytes chats with Kerli

April 10, 2012 8:38 PM by Alex Nagorski Leave a Comment Filed Under: Interviews, Musicians Tagged With: Interviews, Kerli

Estonian popstar Kerli has undergone a major makeover.

When she first entered the scene in 2008 with the release of her debut album, Love Is Dead, Kerli’s dark and haunting sound immediately drew comparisons to musicians like Courtney Love and Evanescence. It’s a no-brainer, then, that the maestro of all things grim-and-twisted, film director Tim Burton, asked the singer to contribute two tracks for the soundtrack to his movie, Alice In Wonderland.

But when it came time to start building buzz for her follow-up record, Kerli abandoned the eerie pop/rock sound of her debut. With the release of “Army of Love” in December 2010, she reemerged as a pop/dance act. After spending eleven weeks on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Songs chart (peaking at #1), it’s not surprising that the singer has decided to continue to make music more suited for dancefloors than tattoo parlors.

This summer, Kerli will finally be releasing her long awaited sophomore album. And it seems as though her fans are too. The music video for her latest track, “Zero Gravity,” premiered only three weeks ago and has already garnered over a million hits on YouTube.

I chatted with Kerli about her upcoming record, fashion, blogging, and bonded with her over our mutual Eastern European heritage. Duh.

ALEX NAGORSKI: Your upcoming record sounds like it’s going to be an entirely synthpop/dance album. What triggered this musical evolution and how has your fanbase reacted to this directional shift?

KERLI: Well to me, production is just production. It’s really all about the melody and the lyrics. The artists I’ve always listened to and have been a fan of are people like Bjork and Massive Attack – who are all electronic music. So it was only natural that I was also going to go more electronic myself. I didn’t even know that I was going to go so much down the dance and rave route in the beginning. I just knew after I released my last album that I wanted to make an electronic album. It kind of naturally came about and I think my music is going to stay that way for a little while. But who knows?

While describing the sound of your second album, you coined the term, “BubbleGoth.” Can you please elaborate a little bit about what you mean by that?

Actually “BubbleGoth” is more about fashion than it is about music. But to me, it stands for the coming together of things that don’t usually go together. There’s always a dark element but then there’s also always a light, beautiful element that I try to mix with it. Even if you listen to “Zero Gravity” and the next single to come, there are always two polarities. I really, really enjoy playing with polarities in everything I do.

You’ve frequently cited film director Tim Burton as having had a huge influence on you. What about Burton’s work do you find to be so inspiring? And what are the greatest challenges you face when incorporating influences from a visual medium into an aural one?

Well, where I’ve been going visually and musically has evolved from this dark, introverted, creepy Tim Burton-like space but now it’s going towards the sky. It’s kind of euphoric and fantastical. So the direction I’m going with my new album really has nothing to do with that quirky Tim Burton aesthetic. But that being said, he’s my hero and he always will be.

The toughest thing about being influenced by people like him though, is that I get these visions – and these visions are not things that I can just pull off Google and show people like my video directors. In order to be able to create this stuff, I started sketching everything down because the things I see in my head don’t exist in the real world.

With the “Zero Gravity” video, I wrote the treatment and knew exactly what I wanted everything in it to look like. But I couldn’t just go out and buy those things, so I handmade most of the stuff you see in it. Like all the shoes, the blue geisha outfit – I made that from scratch with $200.00. For me, the execution of these elaborate visions is the hardest part because I’m my own designer. I have to make most of this stuff on my own.

Wow. So can you tell me a little bit about your creative process? When making things like the ethereal music video for “Zero Gravity,” do you already have the visual concept in mind when you’re in the preliminary songwriting stages, or does that component not come in until later?

Really often when I write a song, I get the whole visual concept right then and there. I’m so picky about every detail. I also do a lot of research about what different things symbolize and what different colors mean. For example, when you look at “Zero Gravity,” you’ll see only purple, blue, white and pastel colors. That’s because those were the colors that I felt were the color of the music. I would have never done a video for the song that had red in it.

That’s very interesting. Another thing about you that’s really unique is your sense of style. If it were up to you, what current fashion trends would you like to see come to an end?

A lot of the times I don’t really have opinions about what’s going on in that world. I prefer to just sit back and observe. I have noticed, though, that all of these recent over-the-top costumes are getting a bit tired and so fashion is reverting to a more effortless style. In terms of my own style, I can’t not be me. I’ll always love playing these fantastical characters but it’s not about what they’re wearing. It’s about what they stand for.

I see. You grew up in the newly independent Estonia but now reside in Los Angeles. At this point in your life, do you identify more as Estonian or Californian? What are some of the biggest cultural differences you’ve had to adjust to?

I think the biggest thing is the way that people interact with one another. Where I come from, people are kind of closed off and aren’t very expressive with their feelings. Americans are very celebratory. Do you know what I mean? Where are you from?

I’m Polish.

Oh, you’re Polish? So you know exactly what I mean. Americans are always saying things like “thank you” and “please” and “excuse me.” They’re always talking about how nice things are and compliment one another far more often. And I always felt really out of place where I was from so I like American culture more than Eastern European culture. Everyone is just nicer. In Europe, we tease Americans for that but I don’t care because I’d rather have a friendly waitress. I like that and I like their expressiveness.

It’s so much easier, too, when you’re working with American producers because they’ll always have some sort of party going on in the studio. I really like that loose vibe and just being crazy and living it up. Whereas European producers are a little more serious.

More serious as in they’re all work, no play?

Yeah. But I did find this Swedish producing team that I did “Zero Gravity” and half of my next album with and we definitely had a big party going on in the studio.

Oh really, who was that?

They’re called SeventyEight. They’re two Swedish kids who I found that haven’t had their break yet but I really think they’re going to be epic.

How did you find them?

I was in Sweden and I was doing a bunch of sessions. Major labels have these sessions where they fly you around and make you write with everybody. I was just doing that for a couple years and wasn’t able to find anyone who got me musically. So I told my label that I didn’t want to write with anybody and I started to just write and produce on my laptop on my own. I was already giving up and so that’s when I picked up producing because I thought “nobody is going to get the sound I’m trying to create so I’ll just have to make it on my own.”

But then I met SeventyEight. It was the last of my sessions and I was tired and on the road but when I met up with them, magic just started suddenly happening. After that, we’d get together all the time. We love each other so much. Their energy is just really something else. I’m so excited for you to hear this new music. I think you’ll hear that energy and all the passion that we had in the studio. We have stuff even better than “Zero Gravity.”

Have you thought about what your second single will be yet?

Actually, supposedly “Zero Gravity” is technically not the first single. It’s kind of just a little taste-tester to get some buzz going. I think we’re going to release the first real single in a couple of months. So it’s really on the fast track now.

What’s that song called?

I can’t tell you yet. But the album is going to be a summer release.

You’ve played a lot of festival shows, including Lollapalooza and South By Southwest. Do you have any North American touring plans set for this year to coincide with the release of the record?

I really, really, really want to tour. But it’s almost easier and more effective for me to just be online and be in touch with my fans that way, which I am on a daily basis. Because I’m a solo act, it’s a lot of work to get a band together, pay everybody and take everybody on the road. With the new album, though, we’re definitely going to make it a priority to tour.

Do you find that having launched your own blog with Buzznet this year has made you feel a closer personal connection to your “Moonchildren” (what your fans call themselves)?

Well I’ve always been really close with my fans. We have a very honest relationship but a different kind of honest relationship. Like I always tell them not to buy my music if they don’t like it, you know? You should support the artists you believe in. Everybody is struggling and everybody needs support so you should support the musicians you’re really feeling. Don’t buy my stuff just because you saw my ad or whatever. Buy it because you like it.

The blog is great because it lets me put up a lot of little, extra things – like how I make a music video. It allows me to communicate my world more. It’s also great because, people can ask me all sorts of questions and even for advice, which is really nice. I also give out handmade stuff like the shoes from my single cover. I gave those away as a thank you for fans who shared my video. It’s just a lot of cool stuff that makes the fans feel like they’re part of the whole process.

In addition to being a performer, you’ve also dabbled in writing tracks for other musicians (i.e. Demi Lovato’s hit “Skyscraper,” which you co-wrote with Toby Gad and Lindy Robbins). Is this a career path you plan to continue pursuing on the side, or is your focus now entirely on your own music?

It’s definitely something I want to do. Absolutely. I have crazy respect for songwriters. I’ve met people like Diane Warren, who is an amazing, classic songwriter with tens and tens and tens of songs that have touched people and saved the world. I definitely see myself doing that on the side right now but maybe one day when I really don’t feel like being an artist, it’ll be my main job. Who knows if that’s ever going to happen because I love to make music but I also love to write for other people.

Three of your songs have been used as source material on the popular reality TV program, So You Think You Can Dance. What do you find to be both the most rewarding and bizarre aspects of seeing your music interpreted into a different form of art?

I think that the fact that humans are the only species that are able to create things not just for survival makes any form of art extremely touching to me. I don’t mind other narratives being used to interpret my music because I try to abandon my “kids” right after they come out. I’ve already abandoned “Zero Gravity” and am getting ready for another child.

What do you mean?

Well when a song is out in the universe it doesn’t belong to me anymore. It belongs to the people and they can do whatever they want with it, you know what I mean? You can go remix it if you want, for example, because the song belongs to the world now, not to me.

What about the release of your second album are you most looking forward to?

I’m just really excited to see how the audience is going to respond because it’s a total 180 from my last album. That record was called Love Is Dead and I’m so not that person anymore. I’ve gone to a totally different place. I’m just happy now. I’ve come to terms with how little time we have here on earth and I want to make the most of it. So my new music is going to be about that. It’s not in pain, it’s not introverted – it’s just about being everything I can be. It’s almost ecstatic.

A lot of fans have had mixed feelings and miss the old sound and say things like, “I wish you would write songs the same way you used to.” But I just can’t! I’m not the same person anymore. Maybe I will be my third album. Maybe I’ll be totally depressed and write another really dark album. I have no idea where I’m going to go. All I know is that I’m just always going to try to grow and do my best. And whatever comes out of me is just going to be a reflection of who I am at that moment.

Filed Under: Interviews, Musicians Tagged With: Interviews, Kerli

An interview with Yellow Ostrich

March 6, 2012 8:06 AM by Alex Nagorski Leave a Comment Filed Under: Interviews, Musicians Tagged With: Interviews, Yellow Ostrich

Yellow Ostrich

In 2009, Lawrence University student Alex Schaaf experimented in his dorm room on a musical project he called Yellow Ostrich. Under this moniker, Schaaf digitally released his first album, The Mistress, for free on Bandcamp.

The record immediately exploded all over the hipster blogosphere due to its enchanting blend of rock, folk and classic music. “Schaaf is clearly a talent to watch, and if the outpouring of music on the Yellow Ostrich Bandcamp site over the last two years is any indication, one with a lot of creative ideas needing to get out,” wrote magazine Under The Radar. “As a debut LP, The Mistress is an excellent place to begin and a sign of good things to come.”

With praise like that, it’s hard to shift gears. But for The Mistress’ follow-up album, Strange Land, Schaaf decided to expand Yellow Ostrich into a full three-piece band. Joining the roster for round two are Michael Tapper on drums and Jon Natchez on horns and bass. Together, the trio has put a gritty spin on Yellow Ostrich’s sound and has thus signaled a new musical direction for the band.

Strange Land goes on sale today from Barsuk Records. To celebrate its release, I chatted with Michael and Jon about the new record, being the new guys, the band’s evolved sound and more.

AN: Where does the name Yellow Ostrich derive from?

MT: I believe it came from a dream that Alex had. He has a sort of strange obsession with large animals. It might be sexual in nature, I’m not sure. Freud would probably say so.

AN: Strange Land certainly has a heavier sound than The Mistress did. What spurred this grungier shift in your music?

MT: It’s funny you mention grunge. Jon kind of hates grunge. Probably because he was in high school when that was happening and all the lacrosse jocks were into it. But Alex was only like 5 years old, so to him it’s retro and cool. But really I think the guitar-rock aspect of this record comes more from a big Neil Young kick that Alex was on when we were making the record. Which brings us full circle, since Neil Young is the grandfather of grunge or something like that.

AN: When Rolling Stone posted a free download of your new single, “The Shakedown,” they also called out the Neil Young influence of your band. What other musicians and other influences impacted the songwriting process of Strange Land that were not present on your previous album?

JN: Well, Neil Young was definitely a huge influence. We were listening to a lot of him when making this record. Other influences were Brian Eno and The Velvet Underground. They’ve always been a constant influence.

MT: From what I could tell observing Alex during the songwriting period, I think he was getting pretty deep into Bob Dylan too. Also, whereas Alex made The Mistress on his own, Jon and I were involved with Strange Land, so that probably brings in a bunch of musical influences that were absent from Alex’s previous work.

AN: You’ve opened for many musicians in the past, including Ra Ra Riot and The Antlers. But this month, you’ll be embarking on your first nationwide headlining tour. What about this upcoming experience are you most looking forward to? What are you most nervous about?

MT: I’m mostly looking forward to getting a little respect around the green room for a change. No more of this ‘you’re sitting in my seat, dude’ kind of stuff and a little more hummus plate with my name on it kind of thing. What I’m most nervous about is that this respect might still be absent.

JN: Well there’s always the standard, “I hope people come” response. I like to think that I’m happy just playing the music that I enjoy and I don’t really need the validation of a live audience. That being said, when you’re on tour, you want there to be crowds and you want it to go well. All you can really do is play the best music you can and then the rest of it is out of your control. In terms of what I’m most excited about, I’m just happy we get to play full sets. We’ve had great experiences opening for other bands but when you’re the opener, you’re only playing for 30-35 minutes. And we’re a band that really likes to play a lot. Our set is different every night and we do a lot of improvisation. Especially with my role in the band, I’m trying out new stuff on the songs every night. When you’re playing for only half an hour, it’s hard to get in the groove, for lack of a better word. You can’t really stretch out the songs and figure out how to make them different every night. But since we’re headlining, we get to really put a full set together and not feel like we’re leaving anything out.

AN: What song from the new record are you most excited to play for a live audience?

JN: My favorite song on the record is the last track, “When All Is Dead.” I’m really, really proud of that song. In a way, I think I’m most excited to play that live because it’s the most challenging song on the record to play live. Probably because there’s just so much going on in that song that you can’t really know how it’s all going to come together live. But in terms of just what’s a blast to play live, I always get a kick out of “Marathon Runner.” We’ve actually been playing that song live for almost a year now and I still love playing it.

MT: Most of the songs from the new record we’ve been playing here and there at shows, although we’re excited to be able to pack the set with new material. There are a couple, though, that we haven’t played live much (if at all) that we’re excited to finally do, like “I Want Yr Love” and “When All Is Dead.” Those two sort of came together in the studio, and we’re exciting to have finally fleshed them out to play live. Hopefully they rule and don’t suck when we do!

AN: What do you personally find to be the biggest differences in Yellow Ostrich since expanding from a solo project to a full three-piece band?

MT: My impression is that Alex wanted us to play with him mostly for the live show, so that he could have a little eye candy up on stage.

JN: That’s a really interesting question. I wasn’t part of Yellow Ostrich when Alex recorded The Mistress, so that’s an album I don’t really have a personal connection to. It’s something I listened to and absorbed at a distance. So it’s almost like comparing apples and oranges. Since I’m so much closer to Strange Land, it’s hard for me to compare the two. That being said, part of what makes me so excited to be in Yellow Ostrich is how amazing of an artist Alex is. He’s a great musician and a great songwriter. Comparing The Mistress to Strange Land shows me a lot of growth and maturity in Alex’s songwriting. I hear a younger person in songs like “Hahahaohhoho” or even “WHALE” to some degree, both lyrically and musically. They’re good but now I feel that Alex is heading to much deeper emotional places and that’s the main difference I hear between the two albums.

AN: Do you find that you have a deeper connection to the songs on The Mistress now that you are part of the band and you incorporate them into your set lists?

JN: Well, sure. It’s not like if we’re playing a show and if a song from The Mistress is in the set, I check out. When we were putting the songs from The Mistress into the live format with the trio, I of course felt a new connection to them due to the process and to the band. And while I might not have a connection to the writing of the songs on The Mistress, I definitely feel connected to them when I play them live. And before when I said I didn’t connect to those songs, I didn’t mean emotionally. I really dig them and I think they’re good songs. But it’s obviously different than playing Strange Land songs because there’s something about shepherding a song from day one that makes you feel a little closer to it.

AN: Part of what makes your signature sound both so intriguing and unique is your use of layered and looped vocals. Is this something you factor into your songwriting or is it an element that doesn’t come into play until final mixing and production?

MT: I think vocal looping was sort of a foundational element of what Alex wanted to do with Yellow Ostrich at first, when he was working on his own, and a lot of the songs were specifically written around vocal loops. But in the past year and a half or so, since Jon and I have been playing with him, the songwriting has been moving more and more away from vocal looping as a foundational element. And when we do use it, it’s a little more as a textural element. I think it’s something that we still like and that Alex is good at creating, but we also didn’t want to feel constrained to that or to let it become a crutch. So on Strange Land, there still is some of that but less than on previous records.

AN: Many of the lyrics on Strange Land seem to focus on coming terms with the realities of adulthood. Did you set out to structure the record around this theme or did the end result surprise you?

MT: I personally don’t really know what Alex was thinking or intending when he wrote the lyrics. But I think it makes sense that those themes would be there, since he wrote all the songs in his first year after college, having moved from Wisconsin to New York City and really being on his own. I think it kind of shows some honesty in his songwriting that that would come out so clearly, even if it was not entirely intended as a theme.

AN: You’ve posted many covers of different artists’ songs online. What’s the best Yellow Ostrich cover you’ve heard so far?

MT: There’s been a few, and we always think it’s awesome whenever anyone does a cover – it makes my heart swell like I’m watching Friday Night Lights. But one of my faves is a couple of kids doing “WHALE” on like a cello and handclaps or something at a high school talent show and ruling it. Another one is a men’s choir doing “WHALE” totally a capella with kind of a real 6/8 feel. Kind of awesome.

AN: For fans of The Mistress who haven’t heard the new record yet, what do you think will be the biggest surprise when listening to Strange Land for the first time?

MT: The ending. There’s a crazy surprise ending, but you have to listen to the whole thing nonstop for it to really work, but boy is there an incredible payoff if you do it. I can’t even hint at what it is, no spoilers.

AN: Thank you so much for taking the time out to talk to me! Best of luck with Strange Land! You guys should be really proud of it.

MT: Thanks! Been a pleasure!

JN: Thank you, Alex!

Yellow Ostrich - Strange Land

Filed Under: Interviews, Musicians Tagged With: Interviews, Yellow Ostrich

An interview with Agnieszka Holland

February 12, 2012 8:02 AM by Alex Nagorski Leave a Comment Filed Under: Interviews, People Tagged With: Agnieszka Holland, Interviews

Polish film director Agnieszka Holland is no stranger to the Academy Awards.

In 1985, her film Angry Harvest received a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Since then, she’s directed such acclaimed movies as The Secret Garden, Total Eclipse and Europa, Europa.

Her latest film, In Darkness, hit theaters this weekend. Set in the Polish town of Lvov in 1943, the film tells the true story of Leopold Socha, a Polish sewer inspector who risks his life to help Jewish people hide in the sewers from the atrocities of the world above.

In Darkness

As riveting as it is unique, the movie has garnered a Best Foreign Language Film nomination at this year’s Oscars, now only a few weeks away. I caught up with Holland about the movie, the Academy Awards, what’s next on her plate and more.

AN: I read that upon first reading the script for In Darkness, you were not too keen about making this film. What were your initial trepidations about the movie and what changed your mind?

AH: There were many reasons. I liked the script but didn’t like the idea of spending the next two to three years of my life in the ghettos and sewers. I did two “Holocaust” movies before and knew how hard and painful it is for the director. You need to live though this experience in some sort of way. I also felt that for most critics, Holocaust films are not “sexy” anymore, so I knew that it would be difficult (especially after all the suffering of making the film) to sell and promote a movie with this subject. And, most importantly, I didn’t want to make another English language Holocaust movie, which was what the producers had planned. But David Shamoon, the writer who found the story and wrote the script, was stubborn and perseverant. He kept sending me the newest versions of the script until I started dreaming images from the story. Then the producers agreed to shoot the film in its original language.

AN: Why do you think this is such an important story to tell?

AH: Situation, characters, choices, the development of the human relationships, challenges, the absurdity of those horrors and the irrational hate that was sometimes overcome by glimpses of responsibility and some kind of love. What is important to us? What the human being is capable of? How could things like that happen? And what do we do when faced with this kind of situation? The mystery of this experience was not resolved yet and probably never will be. But those situations are so extremely dramatic that we can see the human soul totally naked in them.

AN: Can you talk to me a little bit about nationalism vs. morality in In Darkness? Did you find these two things to be mutually exclusive in the context of the film?

AH: No, it is not such a clear division for me. The human attitude is dynamic: you can be a nationalistic pig and still find in yourself some kind of the moral imperative to help people you theoretically despise. You can be the man with the highest morality and never find the courage to do the good deed. For me, the evil is easy to understand. It’s the good that is completely mysterious. Why do some people overcome the hate and fear and risk their lives to help others? Socha is an interesting example, because he even doesn’t want to do so. It is not part of his map of values. But at some point, he just has to do it, against his will and convictions.

AN: How has the film been received in Poland?

AH: Fantastically, to my surprise. It’s had great success at the box office and in its reception by very different people: young and old, educated and non-educated, left and right. Even some people on the extra right are sometimes deeply moved. The people there are very focused when watching this film. They don’t move for over 2 hours. They even are unable to eat their popcorn. They often cry and afterwards, they feel the need to share, discuss and talk about their experience. It really is an experience – not just a movie.

AN: In Darkness is the ninth Polish movie to be nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award. If it wins, it’ll mark the first time that Poland has ever received this honor. Does this put you under a lot of pressure?

AH: Oh, yes. In a country like Poland, this kind of competition becomes the national issue and it doesn’t matter that I have Jewish roots; I am a Polish national hero for one moment and I have to keep the flame burning high. It is very touching but I feel the pressure. When I was nominated before, it was just my private issue and I was really cool about it. Here, if I don’t win (which doesn’t depend on me anymore), I will be deceiving my people. But you know, by the end it is just a game. What’s important is that the movie did reach the heart of Polish audiences and in some small way, it will change the way they see themselves and other people.

AN: Aside from In Darkness, what was your favorite movie out of the other nominees for Best Foreign Language Film?
AH: I haven’t seen all of them. But I have a very high opinion about A Separation. It is a difficult category and has more good movies then in the English speaking lot (in my opinion), and already some very strong movies have been left behind. So the nomination is already a big victory and I certainly have good opponents to lose with.

AN: There are two different worlds in In Darkness – there’s the world above ground and the world within the sewers. What were some of the key tactics you employed to show the distinctions between the two?

AH: The way of lighting, of course: real darkness in the underground and much brighter and warmer up ground. The camera is more hectic down. I showed the people in the film mostly by close-ups. The action is often fragmentary, partly hidden.

AN: Protagonist Leopold Socha is a fascinating character because he’s not a typical hero. In fact, he is shown as being influenced by the anti-Semitic agenda and only beginning to help Jews in exchange for money. Yet ultimately, he decides to do the right thing and dedicate his life to saving Jews. What were the biggest challenges that you and actor Robert Wieckiewicz faced in bringing this complex man back to life?

AH: The movie would be not what it is without Robert. He’s able to show all this ambiguous quality: to be sensitive and primitive at the same time, clever and stupid, brutal and gentle. We see the man who is street smart and selfish, full of stereotypes but gradually feeling real responsibility for those he called “lice.” The key was not to show one moment of change. This change is not linear. It is like walking on the wire: two steps forward, one step back and you can slip down at any moment. On the side of good or on the side of betrayal.

AN: It wasn’t until after you had finished shooting In Darkness that you learned that there was still a remaining survivor who emerged from the sewers of Lvov. Tell me about the first time you met Krystyna Chiger (who is portrayed as an 8-year-old girl in your film). What was her reaction to the way you depicted her story?

AH:It was very touching. We met with her and her husband Marian in one Soho restaurant in New York. I was excited and afraid. Afraid she will be angry that I didn’t contact her before (I was told that no one from the sewer was alive anymore); afraid she would not accept the movie. But she’s a very open, generous and wise person. She embraced the film, was touched by it, found it deeply true and is doing everything possible to support it all over the world. Afterwards, I met many other people: the children and grand children of my characters. Even one man, who was watching them come out from the sewers, the real and unique witness of those events. This movie brought all of them together.

AN: You’ve made a number of films about World War II in the past, including Europa, Europa and The Angry Harvest. What is it about this period of time that has you continuing to explore more about it in your art?

AH: It was the most extreme experience in the history of humanity. It is not over. It can happen again in any moment and in any place. I don’t believe we can ever fully understand the nature of this virus. But we can try to explore it, actualize it and bring it to life for new generations.

AN: I read that up next for you is Christine: War My Love, a biopic of Polish Special Operations Executive agent Krystyna Skarbek. What can you tell me about this project? What drew you to Krystyna’s story?

AH: I don’t think it will be my next or even the one after next. It is a complex, expensive project and far away from being financed. The character of this woman and her destiny fascinated me. But right now I am starting a 3-part miniseries for Czech HBO about the situation in Czechoslovakia in 1969 – after the Prague Spring and Soviet intervention. The story starts with the young student, Jan Palach, who died via self-immolation to protest the lack of freedom in his country and the resignation of his people. I was there, a student at the Prague Film School myself at time, so the story is very close to me.

AN: In addition to film, you’ve also forayed into the world of television by directing episodes of shows such as The Wire, Treme and The Killing. From a director’s perspective, what do you think are the fundamental differences between these two mediums?

AH: Time to shoot (shorter). Length of the form (you have several episodes to tell the story and develop the characters, not 2 hours like in a movie). The best television fiction allows the complexity and depth. Also, the director – if he or she’s not one of the creators of the series, it is the medium where he or she is less independent. It is very much the writer’s medium. But I like doing it sometimes. It’s quick, intense and often brilliant.

AN: Can you tell me what and who you will be wearing to the Academy Awards?

AH: I don’t know yet. Some friends – costume designers – are preparing some outfit for me. I will be going with my closest collaborators and with Kristina Chiger. Unfortunately, the Academy doesn’t give us enough places to take everybody who deserves to be there.

AN: And for my final question: You started out your career as an assistant director to the Academy Award-winning and prolific filmmaker Andrzej Wajda. What is the best advice he gave you that has stuck with you ever since?

AH: So many that I cannot remember just one. Mostly it was about doing what you believe in and not to forget about the audience.

AN: Thank you so much, Agnieszka! I really appreciate your time and wish you the best of luck at the Academy Awards in a few weeks.

Agnieszka Holland

Filed Under: Interviews, People Tagged With: Agnieszka Holland, Interviews

Exclusive: Alex interviews JoJo

January 25, 2012 8:38 AM by Alex Nagorski Leave a Comment Filed Under: Interviews, Musicians Tagged With: Interviews, JoJo

In 2004, 13-year-old singer JoJo became the youngest person to ever have a #1 single on Billboard’s Top 40 mainstream charts with her smash, “Leave (Get Out).” Two years later, she relived Top 5 Billboard chart success with “Too Little Too Late,” the platinum-certified lead single off of her sophomore album.

But then a whole lot of shadiness happened over at JoJo’s label, Blackground Records. And despite her seven-album contract, it was unclear when her fans could be expecting another record from the singer. In the meantime, JoJo starred in a number of films (such as R.V. alongside Robbie Williams), released a mixtape and assured fans that more new music was on the way.

This spring, the wait will finally be over.

Six years after the release of her last official record, the now 21-year-old popstar is set to make a comeback of epic proportions this spring with the release of Jumping Trains, her third official album and her first with Interscope Records.

With lead single “Disaster” currently impacting radio (the music video is posted below), I spoke with JoJo about the creative process and evolution of Jumping Trains, her touring plans, her newfound adoration for Madonna and more.

What does the title, Jumping Trains, mean to you?

Jumping Trains has taken on a few different meanings for me. Relocating from Massachusetts to L.A. was definitely a big transition for me. Then there’s that natural progression of growing from girl to woman, changing labels, leaving certain things behind and moving onto a new chapter, a new season and bringing fresh energy in. When you think of actually jumping trains, it’s dangerous and exhilarating – but if you make it, it’s worth the risk. So I wanted to bring that idea to the project.

The album’s lead single “Disaster” marks the first time you’ve broken into the Top 40 Billboard Pop Songs chart since “Too Little Too Late.” How did you celebrate when you heard the news?

(laughs) Well, I haven’t celebrated it yet. But if it continues to climb, maybe I’ll pop open a bottle of champagne with my team. But there’s still much more to be done.

Based on what we’ve heard so far, Jumping Trains will be a much edgier and sexier record than your previous releases. On your website, you call this directional shift, “pop with an anger-management problem.” Can you elaborate a little bit about what you mean by that and talk to what sparked this musical evolution?

Sure. It was very natural. The recording process has been very organic. Whatever’s going on in my life is going to be reflected in the music. And by the way, I’m still recording. That never stops. I’m constantly writing and this album continues to evolve. But for a great chunk of time, I was in this very angsty place where I felt like I was fighting against the world. I was in a toxic relationship and everything was just dramatic so I did write a lot about that. But now that I’m out of that, this is definitely not going to be a “guy bashing” album or a “me against the world” album. It’s just a really honest representation of a girl trying to make her way through her 20s.

How representative is “Disaster” of the overall thematic structure and sound of Jumping Trains?

That’s a good question. I would say that “Disaster” is one of the more straight forward pop records on this album. I wanted this album to be infused with all the different genres of music that inspire me and keep me going. So I would say that “Disaster” is the most rock/pop record on here. And while there is a lot of diversity on the album, this is the most cohesive body of work that I’ve put out.

So if you had to classify the album with a single genre, what would it be?

I think pop would be most appropriate because it covers such a wide variety of things today. We call Adele, Rihanna and Lady GaGa “pop,” but I think they’re all quite different in the things that they come out with.

The releases of your mixtape, buzz single “The Other Chick” and eventually “Disaster,” introduced your fans to a much more mature and lyrically exposed singer and songwriter than the one we’ve been used to. What about grown-up JoJo will shock your fans the most?

(laughs) Well it might be shocking for them if I curse or if I talk about sex or if I’m opinionated and outspoken. Or even if I’m a little rough around the edges. I’m not really sure what the most shocking thing would be but I just try to be myself because that’s all I can do.

Your cover of Drake’s “Marvin’s Room” exploded all over the blogosphere last year and has hit over 21 million views on YouTube. Were you surprised by the huge reaction the song received?

Oh, I was totally surprised! I had no idea anyone would even want to listen to it. I just really loved Drake’s song. I loved what he was saying in it. I thought he was very vulnerable and honest and I thought it was very bold of him to say the things that he said. So I said to myself, “I’m going to take a stab at this. I’m feeling kind of emo right now and I’ve got some pain in my heart so why not try letting it out?”

The way you discuss the themes of female empowerment in your music call to memory the massive “girl power” movement around the prime of the Spice Girls. What women in the industry inspire you most as both a songwriter and a performer?

Well, I’ve been doing a lot of studying lately. I’ve been obsessing over YouTube clips and Googling things and reading books about people that I consider to be icons. So I’ve been researching people like Madonna and Joni Mitchell and more current day people like Beyonce, Celine Dion and even Alanis Morissette. I’m just really interested to learn about these women who built these empires that kind of transcend music. They’re just all really smart with their money and with their branding. I think it’s a wonderful time to be a woman and I try to take what I can from the people who have come before me. Like I think that Madonna is so brilliant. I have a totally newfound respect for her after I just watched her Truth or Dare documentary. I know that that’s old news and that it came out years and years ago but it was new to me. I was too young, obviously, when it came out and I’m just so, so inspired by her.

That’s so funny that you mention Truth or Dare because I watched that movie literally three days ago with a friend of mine and we were talking about how even if someone is not a Madonna fan per say, it’s a movie so worth watching.

Exactly! I definitely didn’t consider myself a diehard fan or anything like that but after I watched this, I thought to myself that there’s just no denying that this woman deserves her place in history forever.

Absolutely. And speaking of Madonna, she’s going to be playing the halftime show at the Super Bowl next weekend. I know you’re a big sports fan so are you going to be doing anything special for the game? Which team are you rooting for?

Oh, definitely The Patriots. I actually grew up with their stadium in my backyard in Foxborough. So I’m really excited! I’m not sure what my plans are yet. I’m not even sure yet where I’ll be. I don’t know if I’ll be in L.A. or on the road but wherever I’ll be, I’ll be celebrating (laughs).

Last year, you toured with Joe Jonas and Jay Sean, took part in Hard Rock Café’s Pinktober tour for breast cancer awareness and in a couple of weeks, you’ll be hitting the road again by joining Big Time Rush. Which of your new songs are you most excited to perform for a live audience?

Honestly, I can’t wait to share everything with the audience. I’m not going to be playing the whole album yet. I’m obviously a little nervous about that because we’ve had so many leaks. But I’ll definitely play some cuts off the new album because I really do want to share them and hear peoples’ opinions. But I also don’t want the material to be stale by the time the album comes out. I’m most looking forward to when the album is released and being able to perform all of the songs because they really are my babies. Especially the more emotional records or the ones that feel like excerpts of conversations that I’ve had. I’m really excited about that.

What’s your signature ritual to preserve your voice when you’re out on the road and performing so much?

(laughs) The signature JoJo thing is that I take shots of extra virgin olive oil before every performance. It lubricates your throat. It’s so effing disgusting and just thinking about it makes me want to throw up right now. But I do it. I cover my nose and I take shots of it. And then after a show, I like to have a hot toddy.

You’ve been working on this album for literally years now. How have the songs evolved from when you first wrote and recorded them to the mastered versions we’ll be hearing when Jumping Trains hits stores?

I know that sounds like, “oh my god, that’s so long,” but I just never stop, you know what I mean? Since there hadn’t been a release date for so long, I was just like, “eff it, I’m going to stay in the studio.” There’s definitely been an evolution in the lyrical content, in the vocals, in the maturity and a whole bunch of other things. I just experimented with a lot of sounds to see where I felt comfortable, what worked best and what people were responding to. And I think we came up with something that I’m really proud of. In the beginning, I experimented with genres like neo-soul, jazz and things like that. I’m kind of musically schizophrenic and I just explored as much as I could. Right now we have this overall pop record but it is infused with hip-hop, rock and even some country melodies. It’s just a mix of things that influence me.

Aside from being a singer, you’ve also appeared as an actress in quite a few feature films. Can we expect to see you on the big screen again anytime soon?

Definitely. I love to act. It’s just not my main focus right at the moment because I’m so involved in getting this album out and promoting it and making sure that I give it my full attention. But when the right project comes along, I’d love to act again and would love to continue to do it in the future.

As someone who’s spent so much of her life in the limelight, how have you managed to avoid the troubles and downward spirals that so many child stars unfortunately experience?

I find this question to be really interesting because I am not without faults and I am certainly by no means an angel. I’ve had my share of ups and downs – they just haven’t been publicized. I don’t like to make a spectacle of myself – and I’m not saying that these people do – but when I’m going through something, I try to contain it and keep it more within my camp. I think I’m just lucky. I come from a small town in Massachusetts and I don’t want to ever embarrass my family or my friends or my team and I just think that I’m very conscious of the way I represent myself.

Do you already have plans for a follow-up single to “Disaster” leading up to the release of Jumping Trains?

Yeah, there are plans but I’m still really focused on “Disaster.” It’s just starting to kick off so I really want to just stay concentrated on that for now.

And for my last question: if you were running for President of the United States in 2012, what would your official campaign slogan be?

(laughs) Wow. Great question. Hmm … well okay, I’ll say this because it’s the first thing that comes to mind and I just got it tattooed on myself. I grew up in Massachusetts and New Hampshire and it’s the New Hampshire state motto, “Live free or die.” I don’t know if that’s a slogan for a campaign but that’s what I’m going to say. Live free or die. (laughs)

I like that! Thanks so much, JoJo. I’m really looking forward to the new record and it was very nice to chat with you.

Aw, thank you! I appreciate you so much. It was great talking to you.

Filed Under: Interviews, Musicians Tagged With: Interviews, JoJo

Interview: Jukebox The Ghost

November 30, 2011 12:38 PM by Alex Nagorski Leave a Comment Filed Under: Interviews, Musicians Tagged With: Interviews, Jukebox The Ghost

Attention New Yorkers! I know you all have very busy weekends ahead of you crying over not winning the Book of Mormon lotto or waiting in line to check out Lady GaGa’s self-indulgent “workshop” at Barney’s. But if you’re in the mood to do something different, how about grabbing some beers, going bowling and checking out some awesome live music? And yes, I do mean all at the same time.

This Friday, Philadelphia-bred indie pop/rock trio Jukebox The Ghost will be playing the legendary Brooklyn Bowl as part of their current headlining tour.

Following their debut record in 2008, Let Live And Let Ghosts (which was recorded in only nine days!), Jukebox The Ghost released their critically acclaimed sophomore album, Everything Under The Sun, last fall. The record’s release spawned an appearance on The Late Show With David Letterman and found the band touring with acts such as Guster and Barenaked Ladies.

In anticipation of Friday’s show, I chatted with guitarist and vocalist Tommy Siegel, who told me all about Jukebox’s creative process, shared some fond touring memories and spilled some details about their highly-anticipated upcoming third album.

ALEX: I read that you originally called yourselves The Sunday Mail but then decided to change the band’s name to Jukebox The Ghost. Can you tell me a little bit about where the name Jukebox The Ghost comes from and what it signifies to you?

TOMMY: Honestly, ‘Jukebox the Ghost’ was just a combination of words we thought would make a good band name. I wanted ‘Jukebox’, Ben wanted ‘Ghost’, and Jesse wanted us to be a ‘the’ band a la ‘The Smiths’ or ‘The Cure’. We put the words together, and voila. We’ve made a habit out of putting darker lyrical material into light-hearted-sounding pop songs, so I like to think that we’re somehow Jukebox-ing the Ghost. If that makes sense. ’Jukebox’ also could just be the name of that ghost drawing on everything we do.

Your music is such a distinct blend of indie pop and piano rock. I’d even argue that there are some significant classical influences in there. Given that your sound doesn’t fit the label of one specific genre, how would you best describe it?

The classical influence you’re hearing is very real on Ben’s part. He was a music major in college, and a serious classical player long before that. As far as our overall genre name … asking someone in a band to describe their genre is sorta like asking a person to sum their life up in a word or two. That being said … Pop-rock? Indie-pop? Pop-pop? Pop-rock-pop?

Pop-rock-pop definitely wins. Being a trio, how do you divide songwriting duties? Do you all sit together and try to write as a unit or do you find you work better working individually and then bringing songs to the rest of the group?

We generally write songs independently and then bring them to the band to get arranged. Sometimes a song will arrive for rehearsal completely finished in the head of the person who wrote it, and sometimes it’ll be totally primordial.

With song titles like “Summer Sun,” “The Sun,” “The Sun (Interlude)” and “The Stars”, there’s an obvious reoccurring theme on Everything Under The Sun. Would you say there’s a specific narrative you’re trying to employ to string all of your music together (like a concept album)?

Just a happy accident, to be honest. ”The Sun/The Sun Interlude/The Stars” was a long piece I was working on (we ended it up splitting it on the album) and Ben happened to have a song called “Summer Sun” around the same time. We’re big album-structure geeks, so we put a lot of effort into making a tracklist feel like a narrative.

Everything Under The Sun had a significantly more synth-enhanced and polished feel than Let Live and Let Ghosts did. In what direction do you feel your sound has been evolving since this record’s release?

It’s difficult to pinpoint what defines our current state of evolution because our band’s music has always been all over the place stylistically. I can’t really say we’ve gone in one particular direction. In some ways I feel like we’re the same band, just making smarter decisions and learning to calm down and leave some space.

What can you tell me about your upcoming third album? How far into the writing process are you? Any ideas of when it might be released?

We’re about 75% done with our new album. Hoping to completely finish in the next few weeks! We’ve been working in Brooklyn with a producer named Dan Romer, who also happens to be a great friend of ours. He’s been doing a killer job and we had a great batch of songs to pick from, so I really think this is going to be my favorite record we’ve made. I really couldn’t be more excited about this one. Hopefully it’ll see the light of day in the late spring.

In 2009, you toured with Ben Folds on what I like to think of as the “piano rock dream tour.” What were the scariest and most rewarding things about sharing the stage with such a contemporary musical legend?

That was a great tour! It was the first large-club/theater tour we had ever done, so it was a surreal learning experience. His fans have been amazing to us.

I can imagine. So if you could embark on a tour with any 2-3 musicians around today, who would they be?

One of our collective favorite bands, the Dismemberment Plan, recently reunited for the tenth anniversary of Emergency and I (brilliant album). If they released a new album and asked us to go on a national tour, my brain would melt. Should I daydream another act on the bill? I think a resurrected Harry Nilsson would fit nicely.

You guys really seem to tour non-stop. What’s the best prank you’ve each pulled on one another while on the road?

We had Jesse convinced on a long drive that the earth only has one pole. Eventually, he figured it out. As a science major in college and an incredibly smart guy, he should have known better. But I guess we were pretty convincing (“think about the Mercator projection, Jesse!”).

And speaking of touring, you’re about to hit the road with Jack’s Mannequin for their winter tour. Anything especially exciting in store for the fans attending these shows?

If I told you they wouldn’t be surprises, now would they?

Very valid point. What were some of your favorite albums of 2011?

I’ve been floored by a lot of albums this year. Off the top of my head, some of my favorites (in no particular order) are Deerhoof’s Deerhoof vs. Evil (my favorite currently-active band), Ahleuchatistas’ Location, Location (angular and dissonant instrumental rock), They Might Be Giants’ Join Us, St. Vincent’s Strange Mercy, Delicate Steve’s Wondervisions (perfect, uplifting guitar-led instrumentals), Fleet Foxes’ Helplessness Blues, Grateful Dead’s Europe ’72 Vol. 2 (I know, I know), Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr’s It’s a Corporate World, TV On The Radio’s Nine Types of Light and White Denim’s D.

And finally, what are you looking forward to most about 2012?

Putting out a new record!

Thanks, Tommy! Can’t wait to see the show on Friday!

See ya there! Thanks!

Everything Under The Sun is available now via Yep Roc Records. Check out Jukebox The Ghost’s tour page to see when they’ll be playing at a venue near you.

Filed Under: Interviews, Musicians Tagged With: Interviews, Jukebox The Ghost

PopBytes interviews V V Brown!

November 14, 2011 8:34 PM by Michael Knudsen Leave a Comment Filed Under: Interviews, Musicians Tagged With: Interviews, V V Brown

Last week I had an amazing opportunity to sit down with one of pop music’s most exciting musicians, the gorgeous and talented V V Brown. I’ve been a huge fan ever since I discovered her via ArjanWrites, her debut album Travelling Like The Light even landed in my top favorite albums of 2010! She’s back with her sophomore effort, Lollipops and Politics, due out in February, I’m thrilled to tell you guys the album is simply fantastic, already garnering a spot in my top albums of 2012! The first single, Children totally grew on me, I’ve posted the music video below in case you missed it! She was in town for two shows (her Hotel Cafe show in Hollywood was amazing, she’s incredible live) and I paid a visit to V V’s hotel for a quick chat on the new album, watch the video below. Many thanks to everyone who helped make this happen, I so appreciated the chance to meet and interview someone I really respect and genuinely like!

PS At the end of the video she says to tell Nik hi, that would be our very own hottie Nik Thakkar who does FashionBytes here on PopBytes! Both hail from London and they happen to be good friends!

Filed Under: Interviews, Musicians Tagged With: Interviews, V V Brown



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