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Thursday, June 10, 2010

Learning to Love the Modern World

After a brief interruption, I've returned to this site with a renewed sense of awe for wonderful works of art, and hope to have a chance to share some of the amazing experiences I've had over the past few weeks, in music and other forms of entertainment.  Today we are extremely lucky to get an online interview with the lovely, immensely talented Alexei Perry of Handsome Furs.  This is a band you will hear me talk about time and again, as Alexei and her husband Dan have given us some of the best music of the last decade, and I look forward to hearing more from them.  If you'd like to know more, you can contact the band on myspace here: HF Music.


 On your many adventures, where did you meet the friendliest people?
 WE'RE FORTUNATE IN THE FACT THAT THE FRIENDLIEST PEOPLE SEEM TO MAKE UP THE ENTIRETY OF THE HANDSOME FURS FAN BASE. THUS WHEREVER WE GO, WE MEET THE MOST AMAZING FOLKS. WE ARE TRULY LUCKY. SOME FAVOURITE CITIES WHERE WE HAVE MADE ENTIRE COMMUNITIES OF NEW FRIENDS ARE: BUCHAREST, BEIJING, HELSINKI, AND HONG KONG.
 Do you have any recommendations for places to visit as an independent musician?
THE CITIES I JUST MENTIONED HAVE VERY MUCH CHANGED OUR LIVES - THEY HAVE INFORMED SOME OF OUR SONG-WRITING BOTH LYRICALLY AND SONICALLY. MY SUGGESTIONS TO ALL INDEPENDENT MUSICIANS IS TO TOUR YOUR ASS OFF. VISIT PLACES THAT YOU ARE BOTH DEEPLY INTERESTED IN BUT ALSO ONES THAT YOU HAVE NEVER CONSIDERED. THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO AS AN ARTIST OF ANY KIND IS TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE IN EXCITING AND CHALLENGING WAYS. IT WILL CHANGE YOU. FOR THE BETTER

On your first and second album, your sound evolved in a very thoughtful manner. What are some reasons for these changes?
I THINK OUR SOUND CHANGED THE MORE TOURING WE DID. WE STARTED REALIZING HOW MUCH FUN WE HAD PLAYING LIVE AND, EVEN THOUGH OUR MORBID OBSESSIONS HAVE NOT CHANGED (WE ARE STILL VERY MUCH OCCUPIED BY VARIOUS DISSATISFACTIONS AND GENERAL SAD THOUGHTS!), WE REALIZED THAT THE BEST WAY TO BEAT THE BLUES WAS WITH HEAVY BEATS. BEATS ENOUGH TO DANCE AWAY THE BADNESS, EVEN IF ONLY BRIEFLY.

Do you feel that your music is most inspired by the landscape, people you meet, histories of places you've been, or a combination thereof?
CERTAINLY A COMBINATION. DAN AND I ARE PRETTY BIG GEEKS ABOUT READING ABOUT THE PLACES WE TRAVEL BECAUSE WE FEEL SO LUCKY TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO TRAVEL THESE PLACES. WE BOTH COME FROM WORKING CLASS BACK GROUNDS, HAD STRINGS OF SHITTY JOBS, SO TO BE ABLE TO GLOBE-TROT DOING THE THING WE MOST LOVE HAS BEEN THE MOST REWARDING EXPERIENCE - THE MOST IMPORTANT RAW MATERIAL TO THEN TURN INTO SONGS. THE PEOPLE, LANDSCAPES, ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORIES OF THE PLACES WE TRAVEL ARE FILTERED THROUGH OUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF THEM IN THE MOST FRUITFUL AND BIZARRE WAYS. IF I BELIEVED IN ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF BEING A HUMAN STUCK ON THIS STRANGE PLANET, I WOULD SAY BE ARE "BLESSED" TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THIS LIFE WORK IN THIS WAY. BECAUSE I DON'T, I WILL SAY, WE ARE FORTUNATE

Who is most inspiring in your personal and/or work life?
THERE ARE JUST OODLES OF PEOPLE I FIND INSPIRING. FOR ME, WRITERS LIKE WILLIAM T. VOLLMANN, MA JIAN, YAN LIANKE, SOROKIN, MISHIMA, BULGAKOV, AND OLESHA HAVE BEEN HUGE. AND THEN MUSICIANS SUCH AS JOE STRUMMER, TINA TURNER, OTIS REDDING, DR. ALIMANTADO, AND NEIL YOUNG ARE JUST SOME OF THE BIGGIES (THEY'VE BEEN IN MY LIFE FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER). AND DIRECTORS LIKE YE LOU, ZHANG KE JIA, DAVID CRONENBERG, LYNCH AND DARIO ARGENTO

Whose work do you admire?
SEE THE ABOVE FOR JUST THE MOST AMAZING FODDER FOR YOUR BRAIN.

 Anything else you wish to share?
WELL, SO MUCH. THERE'S SO MUCH TO SAY ALL THE TIME BUT IT'S ALWAYS TRICKY TO KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN. 


Thank you again for taking time to answer our questions!  We anxiously await what comes next, and wish you the best of luck in all your musical and artistic endeavors.

Love and peace,
Reniazen

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Don't call it a comeback!

My goodness what a whirlwind we've been through.  Stay tuned for some awesome updates!!!  Thank you:)