Kenny Siegal
9th Annual Eclectic Album Nominee
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Genre: Eclectic
Old Soul Records
www.johnnysociety.com
HOMEBASE/COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: New York, USA
ARTISTS ON THIS ALBUM: Kenny Siegal with special guests Trixie Whitley, Nina Violet, Caroline Glass, Joseph Arthur, Cat Martino, Jen Turner, Bill Dobrow, Blueberry, Brian Geltner, Mikey Cororan, Damara Rose, Bryce Goggin, Sam Kulik, Chicken and The Coyote.
WHERE WAS THE ALBUM RECORDED? Old Soul Studios in Catskill, New York
WHERE IS YOUR MUSIC AVAILABLE? Digitally through iTunes, Amazon, Limewire and Rhapsody. As of January 2010, it will also be available on vinyl and CD at www.oldsoulstudios.com.
DOES ECLECTIC DESCRIBE THE BAND OR JUST THIS ALBUM? Eclectic is often what people call your music when they can’t categorize it- which is a great category unto itself. However, the main reason I make music in the first place is because music transcends labels and categories. It transcends words. It exists beyond the mind. This past year, I produced music with a 73 year-old Yodeler named ‘Yodeling Mickey Holt.’ He has Parkinson’s disease. When I met Mickey, he told me he couldn’t remember what he had for breakfast that day, but for some reason he remembered all of his songs. It’s stories like this that keep me playing music. Playing music is a direct path to spiritual, psychological and literal freedom. The album Eleccentricity is an example of me living this philosophy through work. So, to finally answer the question, I guess you can say ‘eclectic’ describes both the album and the artist.
WHAT MAKES THIS ALBUM ECLECTIC? Eleccentricity plays by its own rules. It uses various styles to get its points across. The music on this record stretches all perceived boundaries created by the music I had created before it for the band Johnny Society, (which apparently was uncategorizable as well).
WHAT UNITES THE SONGS ON THIS ALBUM? Schizophrenia
WHAT UNUSUAL INSTRUMENTS OR TECHNIQUES DID YOU USE ON THIS ALBUM?
As for writing, I believe the song “The Wake” was written by ghosts using me as a medium. Moments after it ‘arrived’ I played it for my wife ‘Blueberry.’ Her comment was, “I can’t believe that just came from you.” I think as far as the ghosts are concerned, it didn’t. The lyrics are actually from the perspective of someone that’s already dead. The song even creeps me out.
As for the recording, I recorded Eleccentricity in my old haunted house/studio called Old Soul. It was built in the 1850s. The first wave of creativity was done upstairs in the claustrophobic 70′s Haircut Room. When the foundation of the record sounded good enough to play for other people, it graduated down the stairs to the main studio. At that point, I invited friends to come by and contribute. All the guest artists added a little of their own eleccentricity to each tune. Caroline Glass added her crumhorns to “Shamaness.” Joseph Arthur added Sha- na na style backing vocals and theremin to “Well Well Well.” Trixie Whitley added her soul singing to “Back to You.” Nina Violet added her amazing voice that sound like violins to “Well Well Well” (she’s in the right speaker only). Mikey and Damara screamed like banshees in and out of tune on “The Wake.” Sam Kulik added Waldbaum’s style trombone playing to “Punishments for an Open Mind.” Brian Geltner added his bombastic drums to “Old Soul” and Blueberry (the sourceress and muse) added her shape shifting vocals through a Leslie Speaker on “Back to You.” And then there’s more. A lot more. (See album credits).
DID FANS HELP FUND THIS PROJECT? No
WHO IS SITTING IN YOUR AUDIENCE: People that feel passionate about my music tend to march to the beat of a different drummer. However, lately I’m making music that I think will resonate with everyone.
WHAT MAKES YOUR FANS UNIQUE? Eclectic artists often have a hard time finding their audience because they are, by nature, hard to categorize and tough to pin down. Part of what makes me tick artistically is the fact that I revel in the freedom to change my mind. People that might like my music from this year might not like the music I make next year, at all. It’s Lone Wolf Syndrome. Most of the people that I know that are fans of my music tend to be other artists speaking a similar, abstract language.
WHERE CAN MUSIC FANS DISCOVER ECLECTIC ARTISTS? You gotta know someone who knows someone who’s heard someone that’s really unique and sounds only like themselves. Then you got something worth listening to.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE PLACES TO PLAY? Anywhere where people are listening.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST EXCITING MOMENT TO DATE? All moments that I work on music and make a living doing it – for the most part – Rock.
WHAT’S IN THE WORKS FOR 2010?: A new Kenny Siegal record called Let There Be Life, featuring our soon to be child’s heartbeat (recorded at the Ultrasound ) as the bass drum and rhythm foundation. The record will be my present to our kid to welcome him (or her) into this crazy world. Musically, I think it’s the coolest thing I’ve ever tried to do and I’m really psyched about it. It’s inspired from the warmest and most sacred space of all; the womb (which every single human being could relate to). I am going to try to have the record done before the baby’s born and hopefully it will be made available before the end of 2010. I am also currently finishing producing records with Joseph Arthur, Spottiswoode and His Enemies, and Larkin Grimm that were all recorded at Old Soul.
FINISH THIS SENTENCE: THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS….. Being reborn in my living room.
WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF SUCCESS? Filling out this interview.
WHAT’S ON YOUR IPOD THAT WOULD SURPRISE YOUR FANS? I don’t have an iPod.
NAME SOME ARTISTS YOU ARE CHAMPIONING: All of these artists inspire me; Blueberry, Larkin Grimm, Ratatat, Spottiswoode and His Enemies, Amanda Palmer, Brion Snyder, Dr. Snitch, Mother Fletcher, Lady Moon Ami, Damara Rose, Trixie Whitley, Joseph Arthur, Church of Betty, 101 Crustaceans, Garth Hudson, John Dyer, Nina Violet… the list goes on. I try to keep my ears open to all eleccentric artists… people that aren’t afraid to use all the notes, (and especially the notes in between the notes).