Archive for the ‘Feature’ Category

Interview: Todd Goldstein is ARMS

Sunday, October 4th, 2009

As originally posted on Flavorwire…

Exclusive Q&A: Todd Goldstein Is ARMS

Todd Goldstein of ARMS

Todd Goldstein of ARMS

Todd Goldstein, best known for his involvement with New York band Harlem Shakes (RIP), is a solo artist in his own right. Kids Aflame, ARMS’s debut album is finally getting its US release through Gigantic Music on October 27th. New Yorkers can preview the material this Saturday at the Bell House when he plays a free show with his new band; in the meantime, read what Todd has to say about his inspirations, the direction of the second album, and why ARMS and not legs.

Flavorpill: Where did the name for the solo project come from?

Todd Goldstein: Well, I started doing this five years ago. I started doing this new music that had a specific style and a certain feel. I had been doing very different stuff before that. So I was like, “This new thing needs a name.”

The story that I tell is there’s a British rapper called Ears and the idea of having a body part — sort of plural body part — as a name was something that just struck a chord, so I literally went through a bunch of different body parts. I was like “legs, hands, feet…” ARMS has a silly double entendre within it that I could live with. It didn’t hit me like a bolt from the blue, but I figured I could live with this name. So it has stuck. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I hate it, but it’s alright. (more…)

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Exclusive: We Visit Franz Video Shoot

Tuesday, August 9th, 2005
On the set of "Do You Want To."

On the set of "Do You Want To."

It’s July 29th and in New York’s Skylight Studios Franz Ferdinand are shooting a video for the first single from their sophomore album: ‘Do You Want To.’ Undaunted by the heat of summer and eager to be part of what surely will be regarded as their return to the scene, DIY is on the set to capture the mayhem, the madness, and the cinematic magic in action.

Following in the footsteps of some of their earlier videos such as ‘The Dark of the Matinée’, Franz decided to recruit fan extras in addition to the paid variety. Even Alex’s girlfriend Eleanor Friedberger of The Fiery Furnaces is spotted later in the evening. The extras are a colourful bunch: there’s several scantily clad models made up to look like mannequins, quite a number of older ladies and gentlemen who look fit to be grandparents, a few sleazy looking characters, and a full assortment of people dressed for a night of partying and misbehaving. On the whole though, there’s much more idle wondering and waiting rather than partying – but that’s the normal order of business.

“Well, here we are at the Transmission party,” mimes Alex Kapranos. And perhaps we are. A blow-up astronaut almost as tall as the light rigging and tables full of strange mechanical knickknacks seem to indicate that we are.
(more…)

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Introducing: The Tears

Sunday, April 10th, 2005

The Tears have arrived.

The Tears have arrived.

The Tears‘ line up officially reads Brett Anderson on vocals, Bernard Butler on guitar, Nathan Fisher on bass, Will Foster on keyboards, and Mako Sakamoto on drums. In reality, it may as well just say ‘Anderson and Butler, reunited at last’.

Their creative partnership began after Butler responded to an advert for a guitarist in NME, back in October 1989, and resulted in the forming of Suede. Lasting for five years, in which the songwriting team burned so brightly in their swift rise it wasn’t long before they were mentioned in the same breath as the Morrissey and Marr companionship, before it dissolved into arguments and verbal abuse. The fall out came before the band’s second album ‘Dog Man Star’ was wrapped, and on 19th July 1994, Butler’s departure from Suede was officially announced.

Despite doubts that the band could stand on just one leg, Suede snapped back from the shock and managed to release five more albums whilst Bernard worked solo and dabbled in collaboration. After ploughing ahead with only half of their creative power, going through several lineup changes, and immersing themselves a little too far in the destructive rock n’ roll lifestyle, the band disbanded on good terms, Anderson stating that he “need[ed] to do whatever it takes to get [his] demon back”.

(more…)

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