Keep your eyes open for: Explode Into Colors
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Explode Into Colors @ Dekum Manor
Who is this band? If you aren’t from the Pacific Northwest chances are pretty slim that you haven’t caught word of these talented ladies quite yet unless you read WFMU’s Beware of the Blog. WFMU called it “hypnotic freak funk” and “gritty dance-punk tracks that sound like the late-night love child of Fela Kuti and ESG” but I personally think it’s very unclassifiable. To call it dance punk would lump them in with some bands that wear their sisters jeans and these ladies don’t have to borrow anyones pants…
I first heard them in someone’s basement in north Portland on a Sunday afternoon. I didn’t really feel like going to a house show but they came with the highest recommendation possible in my book, a recommendation from a fellow musician and my old roommate Chris from Don Hellions. When I got to the house I was slightly worries as everyone was sitting on the floor upstairs and silent as early films while someone was playing an acoustic guitar and singing feverishly. While I don’t want to be a hater, it’s not what I went there for and I have little patience for singer songwriter music. I’m glad I stayed as I was able to see EIC for the first time.
I was floored by the pure uniqueness to say the least. While I often look at odd instrumentation in a “rock” setup as a gimmick, a breath of fresh air comes forth from these 3 ladies that goes beyond the typical adding horns or strings as there is no guitar or bass, instead Claudia plays a baritone guitar. A melodica and percussionist as well as a full trap kit completes the setup to make a full but minimal sound that will make even the most uptight nerd who wears their cellphone on their belt shake their ass.
I recently had the chance to ask to chat up Claudia and pick her brain as she “channeled” the other members properly…
Do you have a demo yet?
We don’t have a demo yet. But we will be recording one with our good friend Robert in September. We recently tried recording with the phenomenal Christina Files in her basement but it didn’t turn out well, too humid, it made my baritone very temperamental. We hope to record with her again under better circumstances.
Where can you get one?
When we have it ready, you will be able to get one from our myspace site and from us at our shows.
I’m pretty sure someone in the band does art in some way shape or form, where can I see examples of said art on the internet?
We all do art in some way shape or form. We most currently all worked on curating a multi-media art show called Tag Team! with Senegalese artist Modou Dieng. It’s happening 9/3/08 at Holocene in Portland: http://www. holocene. org/calendar/
For our part of the show we are collaborating with an amazing dancer, Janet Pants (http://www. janetpants. com), and Los Moustachios, a rad video art collective. It should be an interesting set.
Lisa is a really good illustrator, she does most of our fliers. She also made an awesome diy drumming instruction book: http://www. buyolympia. com/q/Item=diyguidetodrums
I make graphics and videos for pay, freelance style, my online portfolio is in the works. I also compose more academic musical pieces. Currently I’m working on a piece for cellist, Derek M. Johnson for Aphonia Recordings.
Heather has some serious drawing skills and is an awesome dancer. She is dancing with Janet Pant Dans Theatre on the sly.
We are also all brainstorming another art show where we show more of our visual art. When we started EIC, we wanted it to be an art project that could be a creative vehicle for all our interests rather than just a band. We definitely love playing music though.
Or is it clothing design?
Heather Treadway is the fashion designer. She is actually out of town doing work for her line. Check it! heathertreadway. com
Is playing a baritone guitar more like playing a guitar or a bass?
Playing a baritone is totally like playing both guitar and bass simultaneously. The strings are thinner than a bass but thicker than a guitar. You still have plenty of low end and a fuller sound but also enough room to play clear melodies in a higher register. It also has six strings just like a regular guitar. I bought my Danelectro baritone when I was 17 and knew i was going to put it to good use one day. I love it when people ask me questions about my baritone, her name is Nico.
What bands do you like playing with?
We love playing with friends’ bands a bunch because then it’s like having a birthday party for yourself. Everyone is super happy and stoked to be there and then after hanging you get to play for each other. And then everyone tells everyone else how awesome their band is…too much fun.
The New Kids on the Block have recently reformed and just released a new single, do you feel threatened musically by them in anyway shape or form?
Only if Joey grew out his hair again and started wearing that crazy hat with no top that makes his luscious curls spill over to the brim. No amount of musical talent can ever really compete with luscious man curls.
In one song you have the chant “bombs over baghdad”, is that an anti-war statement, an homage to outkast or something else entirely?
Both. We love Outkast and hate war.
Do you have any feelings on music sharing/piracy?
We love music, sharing, and only like piracy if it doesn’t involve scurvy or walking the plank, especially when there are sharks involved.
What is in the future for Explode Into Colors?
RECORDING!, more art shows, mores songs, tours, awesome shirts, possibly a play, most probably a sandwich.
Anything else you would like to add?
Oh, and we are also collaborating this winter with the amazing Portland Sprockettes (http://sprockettes. org/) We will be providing some music for their routines. It’s like we won the lottery of rad. I’m really super excited about this one.
Take Care,
Claudia and the rest of EIC
Winning the lottery of rad you say? Lotteries are won by chance and this band does not need chance when they have tunes likes the ones posted below…
Tunes
This song reminds me of a Jamaican dancehall tune with HR from Bad Brains getting a sex change and singing lead vox.
Is that a cowbell I hear?
And I believe Explode Into Colors is going to be one for the Portland music history books.
Video
Shows
|
Holocene: Tag Team! | Portland, Oregon | ||
|
rotture – music fest north west | Portland, Oregon | ||
|
Backspace | Portland, Oregon | ||
|
East End w/Panther (<3), Tussle and Lemonade | Portland, Oregon | ||
|
Banana Stand w/ Dat’r, Meth Teeth and Reporter | Portland, Oregon |
Further Reading
September 25th, 2009 at 11:03 am
[...] is a fashion designer and dancer with Janet Pants. Claudia recently said in an interview with Under The Dog that EIC was started as a creative vehicle for all of their artistic [...]