We've had a chance to listen to the band Audio Fiction recently and thought they'd be perfect to tell you about this week. Why? Because the RNC is in town, and this band is most likely doing everything in its creative power to counter the Republican agenda.
Stop. Pause. And thank them now.
Not to pigeon-hole them as only a politically driven band they are catchy pop rock with a message. Check them out now, we haven't heard a voice like Mimi's since...well, we don't know when, but Gwen Stefani comes to mind. And we hear they put on a kick ass live show, which you can catch starting this November.
Audio Fiction is Mimi Ferraro (vocals), Feargal O'Sullivan (lead guitar), Anthony Loupos (guitar), Thomas Moon (bass), and Mark O'Toole (drums). This weekend they took some time to answer our questions...
Let's get this out of the way, where did the band name originate?
Anthony came up with the name.
We did consider changing it to Lick me Love Pump, but Mimi objected.
What is your first conscious memory of living in New York?
For Ferg & Mark, its arriving on a plane to JFK from Dublin and walking into a heat wave that is summer in New York City. The rest of the gang it was screaming blue murder at the local hospital nurse when born to the world.
What is your favorite/least favorite thing about playing shows in New York?
Our favorite thing is well, its New York City! Yup!
Our least favorite thing is the music scene appears to be less vibrant in Manhattan than say Brooklyn, the hipsters last messiah. (Anthony) with that, it all seems very mechanical. You lug all of your gear in a taxi, lift it up on stage, play for an hour, people scream, then you leave. Sometimes I wish we could make more of a connection with those around us. (Mark) But Ferg & Mimi connect with Anthony when he misses a chord on stage, I guess that counts right?!?
What is your favorite place to drink in NYC? What's the best night of the week to go out in the city?
(Mark) Being Irish thats a dangerous question, we like to drink everywhere. Standouts include my friends bars, Solas, Dymphnas, The Pioneer Bar all in the Village. The amateur nights are Sat, the cool nights are during the week with the locals. You can find Tom and I most often on the UWS. You can find Anthony on the lower east side, and you probably cant find Mimi at all.
Is there a difference between shows in Manhattan and Brooklyn?
Yes, most definitely. In Manhattan for the most part, youre expected to bring your own crowd to see you play. Thats ok, but bad if your trying to build a new audience of people who havent seen you play. Places like Northsix in Brooklyn, people go there because they know the music will be good, even if they havent heard of the band before. In Dublin, the crowds there really respect the artists, its much easier to build a following there. We are planning a short tour there in March.
Do you think your New York connection shows in your music? If so, how?
Absolutely! This whole record is shaped by living in New York post 9/11. From the misery, the loss, the politics and unemployment, the color Orange epitomizes our NYC existence. On the positive side, the people and the energy are mixed in there as well. New York has loads of energy, its tangible I insist you can feel it in the air!
Finish the following statements:
"You know you've made it when "
The roadies set up your gear onstage....
"It'll be time to pack up the gear for good when "
We run out of things to say...
"I'll never forget the first time "
thought we were hearing guitar feedback when it was really the crowd screaming.
Ill never forget the first time [insert another band members name
here]
[Mimi] . Lifted her skirt up on stage ....come to think of it, neither will the audience that night.
Now for some quick word association. Give me your immediate feelings on the following:
Yankees
fine tuned business machine; now how can we be more like that?
Mets
worth underdogs; lets try to avoid that fate.
Referring to both: Fun to play, boring to watch. The ballroom is more interesting than the ballgame, and the ballroom isnt that interesting.
Britney
Good for her, Ms. (or Mrs.) Mainstream, but, you wont find her in our iPods. (Mark) and for the record, when Britney gets done with Kevin....call me......
Bridge & Tunnel
Adds to the variety of New York, but can you introduce them to the concept of conversational tone?
the Darkness
Let there be light on that dentists chair....
Times Square
We miss the peepshows.
Bloomberg/Smoking Ban/Noise Laws
Lets see how sterile we can make this city. Maybe we can air condition it, put a roof on, and lock the doors at 9 PM?
Questions inspired by movies...
If you will, a brief justification of the ontological necessity of modern
man's existential dilemma (in 10 words or less). (Reality Bites)
What dilemma; we are one.
What came first, the music or the misery? (High Fidelity)
The music; misery only arrived when Boy Bands showed up.
A few on the music tip:
What were the first & last albums you bought on the day they were released?
All That You Cant Leave Behind U2
Who would be in your ultimate music supergroup, your all-star Olympic team of rock?
(Ferg) Robert Plant (vocals); Jimmy Hendrix (guitar); Phil Lynott (bass); Ginger Baker (drums)
(Anthony) Justin Timberlake (Vocals & didgeridoo), Milli Vanilli (air guitars) and the Backstreet Boys on percussion
(Mark) My drum solo career.
(Mimi) On tour didnt answer the damn question.
(Tom) AWOL for this one.
If you released a 7 what would you put on the cover?
A peel off chocolate flavored lick-me cover, with a hint of mint.
Here Come the Politics...
Finally, this is the week of the RNC, do you all have anything planned to counter this convention?
Yes, we released our single Tick Tock, which has already pissed off some Republicans. I know this one girl who is organizing delegates at the convention, she loves the CD but hates the single Tick Tock (because of what its about). I love that.
Your album is called Songs in the Key of Orange Alert. Why did you decide to call it this? And do you think that music being created in the city and the music scene in general has been affected since we've been put under this daily orange level "terror alert"?
We agonized over a title for weeks. But in the end we figured this one really epitomized and encapsulated our feelings with New York and the music of this time. Its a sardonic look at US politics in the new millennium. People always need an enemy and terrorists are the enemy of the current era. Well have to wait and see if this threat is as serious as those of the twentieth century but we bet it wont.
In Tick Tock you say, "I am the American Psycho"...we're assuming you mean Bush, and not the protagonist of that Brett Easton Ellis novel. Please correct us if we're wrong...
You got it in one! Mr. Bush, enjoy..... ;-) Of course the President is just one man; our American Psycho is also a label for the mind set of all those promoting the might is right philosophy. Strike first and ask questions later baby!
Listen to Audio Fiction here. Be sure to check out their new single, Tick Tock, which has been getting a lot of press as well as being embraced by Democrats nationwide.
You can buy Audio Fiction's album, Songs in the Key of Orange Alert @ CD Baby and Tower Records, they are currently sold out at both of those stores so if you're in the area stop by Subterranean Records on 5 Cornelia St and pick it up.
