coming back from seeing alien sex fiend on november sixth of 98 (which i must say was an enjoyable show by my part) i received a package from the band known as glampire.
i did not know what to expect from the guy. the kit was put together really well. i quickly put the beginning of terror into my cd player. the first track the grey light of predawn, an instrumental track, left me thinking....oh boy another projeckt ethereal type band. then our drugs kicked in and i heard the mans voice.
i immediately called one of my friends placeing the phone up to the speaker to get her to hear this music coming from my studio. i cancelled the rest of my plans that evening just so i could be able to hear the rest of this great album followed by his newest album pretty scary.
while listening to the albums i read through the presskit learning that the artist resides in the new york city area. that the band psychotica covered one of his songs. and finally that the guy had a sense of fashion. im sorry people but this velvet poets shirt thing is getting old....i can only stand so much.
while reading glampire became not just a voice on the cd but almost a folk hero.....alot of the songs i could see him with his acoustic guitar playing on stage.....even if the crowd was small there would still be so much energy. i am definately putting glampire down to become shivering chaos's artist of the year for next year.....those who remember know that the band seraphim shock won the title last year.
i got the chance to interview glampire a week after i heard the cd's for the first time. the interview follows now:
sc: Did you have any musical training in the past?
glampire: Yes . I studied a the Musicians Inst in Hollywood Ca . Then I studied
guitar with Robrt Fripp . Who Founded King Crimson as well as played
with Bowie Eno Talking Hedas and Peter Gabrial .
sc: Any vocal training?
glampire: I studied voice shortly with Mark Baxter . He was Steve tylers coach ,
and a host of others . Just a few lessons , mostly self taught .I
practice and vocalize just about everyday .
sc: What current bands or projects do you enjoy?
I am so busy that I am consumed with GLAMPIRE musesick . So me first .
But I have been listening to these following bands....
Pitchshifter,
Lamb ,
Photek,
Prick,
the chameleons, and
early Echo & the Bunnymen
I like alot of different styles and geners
Lots of electronic music from a great college station out of Columbia
University
sc: Are there any plans of a tour?
glampire: I am always looking for sensable ways to get out of NYC and play shows.
However that is simpley a matter of money. It isa catch 22 at the moment
. I have no advance from my label . They do not much do promotion or
give tour support . If I sell enough records due to my own work , they
may help ? I do not know . They get my stuff out thorugh out thw orld at
both retail and the web . Anything is possible
sc: By chance any midwest dates?
glampire: Sure why not ? I hear from people all the time who see me in NYC
while visiting , " You would go over so well !"
sc: What are some of the influences and meanings behind your songs mainly:
Beat you at your own damn game,
glampire: This song was a case where the musesick and the lyrics came at the same
time . I used alot of sampels on this . From some popular places.
It's hard to tell cause I hid them well on purpose !
Theamattically it goes out to all the wise guys and fakers people who
talk the talk , however they do not walk the walk . I encounter so many
different formsof bullshit artists in NYC that it was high time I got it
off my chest .
sc: Trick on my skin,
glampire: This fell out almost compleat , as it was happining.I simply wrote it
and walked away . I started playing it at shows ,got a tremendous
response , Pat Briggs took me into a friends studio to do some quick
recordings and this one came out quite well , so I stuckit on the CD .
It is the mix that was done that day for my take home DAT .
Relationships are by far the hardest thing to keep from falling apart.I
have been fooled a few times by my optimisum and other peoples lies .
This is my document
sc: Consider me Dead
glampire: Again a song born form messing about with the sampler . I like dance
music alot . I like pop songs alot so that being my mood that day this
is where it led . I had an accident in the studio ,where by I erased the
bass at the end of the song , the outro . I had long since erased that
perticular setting so I stuck the acoustic guitar on , and it's better
for it . Alot of the cooler things are results fromm mistakes or
situations which require a new line of creativity.
I like to keep moving , Throwing off the old parts of me that are no
longer functioning towards the positive . It is a song about personal
rebirth , growing .
sc: Breakable
glampire: This one was written in the same manner as " Trick " . I just walked to
the guitar and it fell out . It's a little song about a big subject. I
love little songs . The Smiths were great at it as well as Queen . So I
too am carrying on the tradition of the little song .
Briggs really brought thelight to it as I never considerd it to be much
else that catchy .
It was recorded quick and the subgect matter is quite evident in the
title .
sc: Our drugs
glampire: This was the first song I recorded for " Terror " . It has a real "low
fi" quality to it as such . It was written well before the the CD was
even a reality . Not much on the production side I can remember as we
were in the moment of the song so to speak !
It seems we have a drug laiden society . Everyone is addicted or trying
to obtain some form of " DruG " . WE do alot for them , as well as sex
and all forms of excapisum , I am no exception , so this is my thought
on the matter.
sc: Punishment of memory
glampire: I had really setteled into the record at this point and was seeing it
take place in terms of what it needed and where I was headed . When this
one fell out , like " Bow Down " ,it was written after a night of
clubbing and carousing . I like this one alot and it seems to be
catching people attention fromthe mail and reviews I have been getting.
Trying to stay in the moment is a struggle for everybody. Keeping the
memories at bay is tantamount to staying focused , especially when the
memories are breaking your fucking heart .
sc: Harder than any enemy?
glampire: The main intstramentation was taken from a 4track machine . I recorded
the majority of the peice on Xmass eve and day 96.I had gottensome great
sounds and the feel of it was really special . I felt I would not be
able to recapture it, so I recorded it real timefrom the 4track on the
digital 8 track . Then used the remaining 6 tracks to finish it off . I
know it calls for bigger production but in a "littlesong" way I feel I
pulled it off . I had to play all the extra drums and piano live since
there was no digital timecode. It gives it a cool feel .
It is about anc for my Father . We have a strained relationship, andthat
is putting it kindly.
sc: How do you go about writing material?
glampire: I have no meathod . I am in a constant state of gathering and processing
. Sounds and music as well as words and life .All and everything is
subject matter . I write 24/7 365 .
sc: what kind of equipment do you use?
glampire: Ihave a modest studio and only two guitars . I dont even count the Bass
cuz it costs $100 , and unless I use it for a trackI use it as a lamp .
I record on Roland VS800 and VS1680 . I made the first two CD's on the
880 which is 8track , now I have 24 with the 1680 , so no more
sacrafices that will hinder the production.
I have various outboard gear . A great pair of monitors ( Alesis Studio
Ones ) The FX in the Roland Hard disc recorders are amazing . I sequence
on an Akai MPC200 and a Roland/Boss DR5 .YamahaDX21 keyboard A Les Paul
for electric and Takamini Acoustic . A RODE mic , which is awsome !
sc: What do you think of the goth scene?
glampire: I think it is more diverse and well funded than ever !! When it first
came round in the early 80's it was truly an underground scene . I am
glad I was there while it came to life . It is still relitivly new in
many ways . It has alot of room for alot of musesick ,both organic and
mechanic . It is the most diverse scene going .
sc: From what I've read you are doing new songs in your shows?
glampire: There are alwys new songs . They NEVER stop coming ! So I try them out
live , it is a great way for me and the fans to stay interested . I hate
when bands play the same songs FOREVER . Who wants to see the same movie
all the time ! It's also a good way to see what people react too .
sc: With new material is there a chance of a new album soon?
glampire: Yes ! I have my own studio so I can put out CD's for the rest of my life
. I decided to invest in my future . I am working on songs and
considering my next move . I feel I have enough musesick in the market
place for people to digest as well as for business people to see what I
can do . The next CD has got to be a big change in many areas .So I am
giving myself time to look at all the areas I want to cover .
sc: How many songs do you have now?
glampire: A Disgustingly Vulgar amount . I have been writing along time .I had a
4track for 10 years before I made the jump to a digital studio. So I
have plenty of them just lying around . I have a tap which simply runs
conatantly , I think I broke the shut off valve somewhere around 90. and
it keeps getting worse ! HaaHaa
sc: are there any chances of a live band in the future?
glampire: I have a group of friends who I play with if I chosse to do an Organic
show . I play in three capacities . Scary Okey , which is live vocals
and a DAT tape backing me up . Solo Acoustic . As well as the full band
. The best shows are when I can do all three !
sc: How do fans of your CD's take your acoustic performances?
glampire: They like them , some even go so far as to say they like them better . I
think it has to do with the fact that I do only a little on the CDs so
when they get a whole set , it's a nice change . I have had people
who have seen me acoustic come see me do a " Scary Okey set and they
have a weird look on their face . I just do what makes sense according
to the event and my mood .
sc: To me they seem like they would be alot more emotional?
glampire: I have made some people cry . Which I totally understand and appriciate.
I have been moved to tears at shows by other people , the cocteau twons
and Jeff Buckley .
sc: Who are some of your favorite authors?
glampire: Walker Percy . Vonnegut . Henery Miller . Gabrial Cousins
sc: As a child who were your favorite bands?
glampire So So Many !! Elton John / Kiss/ The Cure /Black Flag / Van Halen /Adam Ant /
The Smiths /
I could go on and on everything I liked then I like now , bassically I
am still a kid at heart , I have picked up alot of favorites along the
way .
sc: What do you think of the turn Bowie has taken musically?
glampire: Which turn ? I love all the stuff he has done . With the exception of
Black Tie White Noise , cuz I never heard it . The Tin Machine stuff IS
AMAZING !! I love " OUTSIDE " . just listened to it the other day , and
" Earthling" ... is Up there for my CD's of 98 .
sc: How do you feel about the death of Rozz Williams?
glampire: I was not as shaken as so many .I Like Christian Death , but was never a
devote as many people are . I wish all his family and mourners my
condolences .
sc: Where do you see the scene going?
glampire: Which scene ?
I see everything getting even more cross pollinated . More diverse . We
have the oppertunity to have a new catagory w/out walls and stylistic
boundries , People must be brave and excepting .
We have a responsibility if we begin channeling musesick to bring
someting of ourselves out in the process , something unique , unlike
another band or singer , we will all have a point of refrence point and
should admit our influences , we all haveto try and push the limits and
serve ourselves .
sc: Where do you see yourself going musically?
glampire: I am in the process of giving that question great debate . As I have put
out two CD's that have covered alot of territory , I still have more to
explore . I enjoy listening ang playing many types of musesick. I want
to make the next CD be totally new in asthetic and in production . I
write songs . Composition and quality writing will always be at te core
of any GLAMPIRE CD . The challenge for me is to keep that as well as
push into new areas . So it is really a question of presentation and
capturing the songs in a new way .
sc: Any last thing for your fans?
glampire: Yes . THANK YOU !!!!!! I never expected the response would be so
amazing .I get letters and feedback at shows that are really amazing ,
humbeling , and it is so appreciated !!!!!! THANK YOU !!!!!
sc: thank you again for agreeing to do this.
glampire: I thank you again for your time and effort for the zine.
It has been my pleasure and THANK YOU for the exposure !!
be sure to visit glampires website at http://www.glampire.com.