HOW DARE ANYONE ANYTHING EVER: An interview with Vincent Vocoder Voice!

 

Below is our interview with Vincent Vocoder Voice.

 

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PART 1 - THE INTERVIEW

 

What is your earliest musical memory and what pushed you towards perusing a career in the music business?

 

"I was played Wagner's 'Ring Cycle' when I was in the womb. Perhaps that stuck with me, though I've experienced no latent anti-Semitic feelings bubbling up just yet. I've just started reading Schopenhauer (criminally late); in the preface the translator states that Schopenhauer considered music 'the genuine art and the sound of being', and 'in the playing of music and listening to music all our senses, including the sense of the mind, are attuned to the bad and good fortune of living'. I think I've always felt this on an intuitive level. I certainly didn't get into it for money, as there isn't any: nowadays everyone expects all music for free, and there are wolves in a hundred directions looking to rip musicians off. It's always been more or less pay-to-play in the UK and, unfortunately, I can't see things ever being any different. Perhaps worse."

 

What kind of records where on around the house when you were younger and would you say that these records still have an influence on your songs today?

 

"The eighties… Phil Collins. Dire Straits. Talking Heads. Early U2. The Police. I feel, as a general rule, that pre-nineties popular songwriters tended to write with greater humility, self-awareness and vulnerability, whereas now it's all peacocking and arrogance: 'if you can't handle me, you ain't man / woman enough'. The pop song has become clichéd and emotionally impoverished, whereas I can still feel something beyond simple nostalgia listening back to a lot of pre-nineties popular music. In that respect – I suppose I could sum it up as their 'integrity' – growing up on those sorts of records probably helps me to resist the trend for glossing over anything cool kids would consider pretentious or 'OMG, TMI!' Basically, they taught me to not give a shit about being cool. And irony, 'homage' and flippancy is for cowards."

 

Where did the name Vincent Vocoder Voice come from?

 

"About seven years ago I was struggling with the realization that some part of me is always sadistically ready and eager to point out the flaws in every single dream, joy and relationship I will ever have. Something in me was taking great pleasure in showing me the self-serving, greedy component behind my every nice deed or kind word; how doomed every romantic relationship I would ever be involved in would be; the hypocritical fault lines between my 'morals' and my actions; that I am doomed to strive for some mystical 'complete happiness' when it is fundamentally unattainable because I am a human being. And 'Vincent Vocoder Voice' just came into my head. It was in the manner of a mystical revelation except, rather than the comforting gold light of hearing the True Name of God, it was more like having cold oil poured over your brain by a Philip K. Dick-esque demiurge."

 

How would you describe the sound of Vincent Vocoder Voice?

 

"A psychological big crunch."

 

You have released one album to date. The album cover certainly stands out. What is the influence behind this and why did you choose it?

 

"I wanted something simple, stark, striking. A mask caricaturing human sorrow and horror staring down a black void seemed fitting. It's also a nod to the Tajitu. The blocks of black and white. I am, at heart, a Taoist. Vincent Vocoder Voice is a Taoist album."

 

The opening track of the album is called ‘How Dare Anyone Anything Ever’. This features a spoken word vocal. Where does this vocal come from and why did you incorporate it into the tune?

 

"I assume you mean the sample? It's an excerpt from Carl Jung. I felt it summed up the revelation I described above, this entity, with a squeamish kind of accuracy."

 

The penultimate track on the album is called ‘MEMEMEMEMEMEMENOW’. What is the influence behind this song and what is it about?

 

"It begins with the selfish, the present, the pettiness of the now. As the song progresses we zoom out from our human lives in space and time, until, from a cosmological perspective, all human suffering is rendered trivial and all human achievement meaningless. We face inevitable annihilation as individuals, then as a species, then as a concept. Heat death. Though it may appear that I'm just sadistically torturing the listener, I'm really trying to instil the correct perspective of what it means to be a human being, and through that understanding - though initially painful to grasp – acceptance, and peace."

 

Any live dates coming up?

 

"Sticky Mike's (Brighton) on January 29th. Then a tour of the south February 24th – early March."

 

Any new songs in the pipeline?

 

"There will be an EP out very soon."

 

When can fans expect the next official release?

 

"Around March."

 

 

PART 2 - THE QUICKFIRE ROUND

 

Favourite Beatle?

 

"Lennon, I guess."

 

Favourite band?

 

"The Paper Chase."

 

Favourite new band?

 

"Clarence Clarity, Kins or Cold Crows Dead. Sorry, couldn't pick just one."

 

Favourite song?

 

"Umm."

 

Favourite album?

 

"Off the top of my head, and for sheer personal influence, Madonna by And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead."

 

Vinyl, CD or download?

 

"Vinyl."

 

When you press shuffle on your iPod, what is the first song that comes on?

 

"Don't Go to Pieces by Hope of the States."

 

Style icon?

 

"Levon Helm."

 

Favourite film?

 

"Antichrist."

 

Favourite TV show?

 

"I'll go for Deadwood."

 

Who would play you in a film of your life?

 

"Some poor bastard with bent bones."

 

 

Hope you enjoyed this feature on Vincent Vocoder Voice! Check out our previous feature on Mayfield!

Check out Vincent Vocoder Voice here - https://www.facebook.com/vincentvocodervoice

 

You can also like our facebook page to keep up to date with all future interviews at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

 

AB RECORDS

ANYONE BUT THE ONE: Our interview with The Capers, a heavily 60's-influenced outfit from East London!

 

PART 1 - "THE INTERVIEW"

 

What was your earliest musical memory and what pushed you towards pursuing a career in the music industry?

 

Mazza: "Sunday night TV. Sounds of the 60’s, had everything, great show. Who wouldn’t want to do that for a living?"

Brad: "From an early age decent music was always being played and my uncles are very musical and always playing guitars and being in bands."

 

What sort of records were played around the house when you were younger and did these records have an influence on your songwriting?

 

Mazza: "Beatles, Small Faces, Kinks, Capital Gold on in the kitchen."

 

Brad: "The Beatles, Small Faces, The Kinks and all that. Being in the car with me old granddad listening to Nina Simone and jazz, Stevie Wonder. Motown was always being played at some time or another."

 

Both: "You start off wanting to be like your heroes, so it's had a massive influence on our sound from the instruments we use to harmonies and trying to keep every track to a perfect three minutes."

Had you been involved in any other band prior to The Capers?

Both: "Yeah but I cant remember any of them."

 

How did The Capers begin?

Both: "The Capers began with some friends meeting in a club we used to go to every Friday. Pretty much everyone in there played so it was easy to put together a band of likeminded people."

 

Where did the name The Capers come from?

Both: "The Capers came from a title of a track from our album. We’d recorded the album before we’d decided on a name. We’d had the most fun (beer) recording that one so it was in acknowledgement of good times."

 

How would you describe the sound of The Capers?\

Both: "It's eclectic and everyone hears something different in it. We like to play upbeat driven music so hopefully that comes across. And hopefully you can hear a good sound of the sixties people here too! Once described live as 'like The Beatles on speed'."

Your debut album is called ‘While Crooks Pull Capers’. Where did this tile come from and why did you choose it?

Both: "'While Crooks Pull Capers' came from a track name on the album. The song pays homage to my favourite book 'Burglar Bill'. That's a nice tin of beans, I’ll have that."

 

You have recently released the single, ‘Anyone but the One’. What is this song about and what influenced it?

Both: "We’d recently moved from a three piece back to a four piece band. I’ve always been a fan of the way the guitars play off each other in The Byrds and wanted to try something like that. The song's about others expecting more from you than you do yourself."

 

All the artwork to your singles and album has been quite distinctive to date. Is the artwork an important part of a release for you?

Both: "The artwork is an important part of the release for us. Probably a mind set of those of us who still think of releases in terms of vinyl, but it’s still a good way to invite people to listen to your music. We want our music to be distinctive and would like to reflect that in the artwork."

 

You, as a band, are always well turned out with an obvious influence from the sixties and the mod movement. Is the look as important as the music for The Capers?

Both: "We like good music and good clothes. In terms of importance, it's what we feel comfortable wearing. I dare say a few of us sit around the house in the same clobber!"

 

You have supported artists including The Moons and the legendary Steve Cradock. Do you feel that supporting other bands is key to finding new audiences and new fans?

Both: "We think supporting bands is key to playing to new audiences and fans. There are lots of bands that I follow now who I first saw as a support act and I’m sure its the same for others. With support gigs you know the crowd have turned out for a good night and are always more receptive."

 

Do you have any 'rituals' before you go on stage?

Both: "Gin and cough mixture! And the last smoke before going on stage!"

 

Any live dates coming up?

Both: "January 24th, got a good slot at the 100 Club and March 8th we are playing the London leg of March of the Mods in support of the Teenage Cancer Trust. Both good'uns so get your arses down! No others in the pipe line yet..."

 

Any new songs in the pipeline?

Both: "Lots of new songs coming up, we’re just planning our next recording session."

 

When can fans be expecting the next release?

Both: "Hopefully a little acoustic number this month. Aiming to get in the studio soon to start recording some new tracks."

 

Who would be your dream collaboration?

Both: "PP Arnold."

 

Who would be in your dream supergroup?

Both: "Steve Marriot, Jack Bruce, Keith Moon, Keith Richards and Billy Preston."

 

PART 2 - "THE QUICKFIRE ROUND"

Favourite Beatle?

"Bongo."

Favourite band?

"Small Faces."

Favourite new band?

"Temples and High Learys - loving their sound."

Favourite song?

"Tin Soldier."

Favourite album?

"Would you believe, Bill Nichols."

Vinyl, CD or download?

"Vinyl."

Style icon?

"Steve Marriott."

Favourite clothing brand?

"Pampers."

Favourite film?

"Get Carter."

 Favourite TV show?

"Blackadder."

Who would play you in a film of your life?

"Knowing my luck, I'd get the part."

Favourite food?

"Pie and mash."

Football team?

"Two Hammers and one soon to be two maybe Tottenham whatever they're called!"

Hope you enjoyed this feature on The Capers! Check out our previous feature on The Electric Stars!

 

Check out The Capers here - https://www.facebook.com/thecapersband

  

You can also like our Facebook page to keep up to date with all future interviews at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

 

AB RECORDS