Today, we sit down with Ken Kurson from The Lilacs, a Chicago rock band formed in 1990. With their first album release in more than 25 years together, it’s safe to say we had a few questions. Our time together delves into musical influences, live performance, and – of course – unexplainable phenomena.
For our first episode of season 2, we had a chat with singer/songwriter Janet Labelle. Of course we dove into the topic of aliens, but you best believe we got deep before that. Be sure to listen through to the end for August show dates!
The Skints are absolutely phenomenal. Past their live performance, their music is enigmatic, their personalities are so fun, and there’s just a sense of community around everything that they do. We were recently blessed with their presence in New York, where photographer Christie McMenamin got to hang out and take some portraits of the band, comprised of the phenomenal talent of Jon Doyle, Jamie Kyriakides, Josh Waters Rudge, and Marcia Richards. We got some time to chat as well, which gave us a glimpse into the lives of one of our favorite bands right now! Check out the interview below, and take a listen to the new album and peep their latest video while you’re at it!
What was the first album or song you remember hearing, and do you believe that music has any bearing on how you approach your career?
First music I remember hearing I don’t know. First reggae song I ever remember hearing was my parents playing “Iron Lion Zion” when I was like three, which I remember cos I liked lions. First album I bought was the soundtrack of Space Jam on cassette. I don’t know if the first music I heard had any bearing on the APPROACH of my career more than “I like music”, I was say the music that had that bearing I found about 12/13 years old.
What is the origin story of The Skints? Was it a meet-cute?
I don’t know what a meet cute is, but we were all just local friends from school. Teenagers form punk band at school, very primitive! We started with the dream of playing our local venue (The Standard, Walthamstow, RIP) and never stopped.
Swimming Lessons. SUCH a wonderful album. So well-rounded, and so laser-focused on a unique and beautiful soundscape adventure. Anyone have a favorite track off that album, or a song you revert back to to make you feel a certain way?
Wow, thanks so much, that’s very kind of you. My favourite changes all the time, but today I’m gonna say “Stop Looking Back”; I think it’s the most musically mature song we’ve done.
On “Restless” you vocalize criticism on the government and media. Totally warranted. Was there any piece of you that might have been nervous about releasing a track like this, or was it an obvious inclusion on the album from the get-go?
Nah no way, we’ve been calling our government, the media, the “system” out on their shit from when we first starting writing songs and that’s not going to change.
You have some incredible features on this album. What ignited the conversations to include Protoje, Runkus, and Jesse Royal on tracks, and how did you approach them to work on it? Had you already had those established friendships?
Protoje and Jesse Royal we had met and formed road friendships with those 2 guys with about 5 years ago at festivals in Europe. We’d stayed in touch, always linking up with Protoje to hang when he was in London and playing on a bunch same festival bills around the world, and had been saying to one another “let’s do a tune” for ages. We also did a secret support for him in a tiny club in a Parisian suburb once! Jesse came over and played this pop-up Skints party we curated called “Nice Time” a couple years back and we went to the studio the day after and wrote a DIFFERENT song to Love Is The Devil, maybe that will see the light of day some point! So yeah those were totally organic connections, and it was Protoje that put us on to Runkus a few years ago, who was also a fan of ours as we are of him, and we connected off the back of that.
You chose blue vinyl for your recent album release. What inspired that decision?
The album is called Swimming Lessons and we love colour vinyl!
You have been touring the last few years almost non stop. What have been some of your favorite memories of this time on the road?
Man, so many. Japan completely blew all of our minds, I’d say that was the most different place we’ve ever been. Even down to getting the train as to being on the road, the pace of touring is just different out there.
But also… any crazy fan stories or random happenings on tour that are just too bizarre or funny to not talk about?
Ah man, we been touring for like 10 years haha! We once stayed in a terrifying hostel in Berlin with unfinished paintings on the walls. Portraits with no eyes or mouths. Scary.
You guys seem to get along really well. How have you kept your heads on straight while touring together for such a long time?
We’ve spent so much time around each other we actually operate like a family. We just try not to push each other’s buttons, communicate honestly and healthily and try to be respectful of one another as we operate. Also gotta just laugh through the madness!
Anything else you’d like to share with us?
Big up everyone supporting and showing love, it means the very most!
Today, we sit down with Morgan Geer to chat about his musical project Drunken Prayer, the buildup to his album release in April, and UFOs. We actually got neck deep in UFO stories, and there’s a lot of laughter and awe in this interview that makes it the perfect end to season 1 of the podcast! Check it out below!
Today, we have the pleasure of sitting down with Cole Guerra. The brainchild of musical project I Am Casting, his latest release “Carnival Barkers” gained widespread praise. We get to chat a bit about the album and its inspiration, as well as some offbeat topics like what aliens might think of America today. Keep listening for more.
Richard X. Heyman is no newbie to the music scene. His first single “Vacation” was released in 1980 and, since then, his journey has found him producing genre-bending ear worms that simply work. His years of service to the industry at large, his musical talents, and his ability to captivate a person with witty banter have all made it so he is an undeniable leader. We touched on his new album Pop Circles, and are happy to have found time to sit down with him and discuss some of the finer things in life. Like working with your significant other. And cats.
There is a trend among musicians to invite guest musicians to record with them on their albums, why is it appealing to you to invite Julia and Chris to help you with some tracks on Pop Circles?
I really wanted to have real strings on the songs that had orchestration. Julia Kent is a neighbor of ours and she is a sensational cellist. She agreed to come over to our home studio (i.e., our bedroom) and lay down the cello parts. We overdubbed her several times to create a cello section. Chris Jenkins is one of the associate deans at Oberlin College, Nancy’s alma mater. We worked with him in the past and he happened to be in New York City, so he stopped by with his viola. In the end, the two of them were overdubbed as much as 17 times. It’s amazing what you can accomplish in your bedroom these days.
You are very much a one man band artist, this of course shows your immense versatility as an artist. What are the advantages and disadvantages of approach when making music/an album?
The advantage is obviously the autonomy. You can work more in the mode of a painter or a novelist. I like having that freedom to rely on my instincts and to keep moving forward through the process. On the downside, I know other musicians will have different insights and ideas that might take the music in a direction I would not have thought of. I do have Nancy there. She is a fine musician and has great ears. So between the two of us, there is a collaborative work ethic.
Tell us more about your collection of vintage instruments, which is your favourite and why you like to use them when recording?
I have two vintage drum sets – a Ludwig and a Rogers, both from the early 60’s. Fortunately, the studio where I recorded the drums (Eastside Sound) had a vintage Rogers kit, so I used that for “Pop Circles.” I have a late 70’s Fender Telecaster and a 1967 Rickenbacker 360 12-string. There are two more Ricks – a ’65 375 and ’66 335, a ’62 Hot Rod Strat reissue, a contemporary PRS Starla, a Martin Shenandoah acoustic, a Dan Electro baritone and a few other assorted instruments. We use a Dan Electro longhorn reissue bass and a Hofner single cutaway hollow body vintage bass.
You are a part of the Doughboys and the song “Why Can’t She See Me?” got voted one of the coolest songs of all time, how did that feel?
Pretty darn good.
by nancy leigh
You included five of your own versions of Doughboys tracks on Pop Circles, why did you personally choose to revisit these tracks and how do the Doughboys feel about this?
I just wanted to see how those songs would sound from the songwriter’s perspective. I don’t really know how the other Doughboys feel about them.
Herman’s Hermit’s were are an amazing band, though I may not have personally been about when they came to prominence I have heard them and adore them. How did Heyman, Hoosier and Herman happen and what did the vocals Peter Noone bring to that EP that no other artist could bring?
Peter Noone and I were on Cypress/A&M Records in the late 80’s and we got to know each other. He was interested in recording some of my songs. Unfortunately, the song he wanted to do was slated to be my next single, but eventually we got together here in New York and did that EP. Peter has an ethereal tone in his voice and an incredible range, from low baritone to high tenor. His high notes have an angelic quality and his low end has a fullness that is very appealing.
You’ve worked with a lot of your musical heroes, whom did you feel most humbled working with and what was the experience like working with them?
Each experience is different. Link Wray had the greatest guitar tone. The only way to explain it was it sounded dirty and clean at the same time. And Brian Wilson – what can you say? It’s so overwhelming, all the beautiful music that he created. Playing with Mary Weiss of the Shangri-Las was a total gas. She is rock’n’roll personified and a truly nice person, very cool singer and performer.
On Pop Circles your wife Nancy plays bass for you, what other musical talents does Nancy have?
Along with being a fabulous bass player, Nancy plays guitar and keyboards. She also sings harmony as well as engineering the recordings.
And did the cats help in any way with the music of Pop Circles as a whole? 😊
Their presence is felt in every note. They loved the viola and cello, though I didn’t have the heart to tell them what the strings were made from.
I love the Heymanuscripts, do you plan to write more?
Thanks. I’m glad you enjoyed the book. Haven’t thought about another one, but who knows?
Thank you so much for giving Imperfect Fifth this interview, is there anything you would like to add?
I would love for people to hear the new album. It’s available on www.richardxheyman.com, and I welcome their comments about “Pop Circles.” Thanks very much!
