Artist Interview: 1-on-1 with Lisa Loeb

The artist that I am with today is one that I am positive you have heard at one time or another. She has been hanging around the music industry for quite some time and with a recent move to the indie market she is back on her way to the top. Not looking a day older than she did when she first hit the scene years ago, her lyrics have gotten better, he voice has become more polished, and I am excited to see what it next for her career. This is a special treat for the Indyconcerts.com following. With her hit single Stay always ringing in my ears, I am pleased to introduce to you the lovely Lisa Loeb.

How long have you been performing?

Since I was like four or five years old. It was something I always did growing up. It was actually integrated in the school that I went to in Dallas. We had a lot of dance and singing classes.

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a full time musician?

It was just something that happened. But the time that I was in college it was something I was just following into. When I was in high school it was something that I was just really in to. My friends and I would interview bands and I had a radio show on the FM dial. I played in bands and collected records. It was something that I was always interested in while taking music lessons. I committed to it after college and when I was trying to figure out what I was doing. I just wanted to continue it and make it a real profession.

What is the biggest crowd that you have ever played for?

I have played so many festivals. I would say 50,000. I played at Fuji Rock in Japan. I have played Madison Square Garden and some outdoor festivals that were pretty huge. I do not play for hundreds of thousand o f people normally.

The smallest?

I would say at someone’s home. People have hired me to play in their homes and offices. But the smallest shows happen with things like that.

Do you write all of your own lyrics?

No; I did a lot of songwriting but I do a lot of my writing with other people.

Where do you get inspiration for a new song?

I don’t know. It just hits me in different times and places. It can be at the grocery store or while I am driving. It can happen while I am sleeping, or even when I am sitting down to write a song.

Tell me about Camp Lisa.

It is a record that I put together that I wrote with some friends of mine in LA. It is actual summer camp songs that I used to sing when I was growing up. I just love summer camps and I wanted to share it with other people. I wanted to share it with those that go to or have never been to summer camp as well. I started an organization so that the produces go to benefit summer camps.

Do you have any thoughts on a tour this year?

I am actually spending a lot of time in LA. I am in the process of working on a number of projects. We are in the process of recording more songs for some kids books that will be out next year. I am also working on a regular grown up album. I am developing a couple of kids TV shows. I have some live shows coming up but to do all those projects I have to stay in one place.

What are your thoughts on MySpace?

MySpace is great. It allows musicians to, and people, to connect with each other. It helps can help you share your music, develop an audience, find your audience, find other people and what they are doing. It is cheap. You can do things that used to take more time, energy and effort. I think it’s a great tool.

Are you on Twitter?

Yes, I am. I am lisaloeb4real. I guess it sounds like a fake name but it really is me.

So do you only have one pair of those glasses?

I usually wear one primary pair of glasses. I am designing a line so I have three prototypes of the glasses I am designing with me. I am also designing some sunglasses. If I find one pair that I like I wear them for a few years. But recently I have been working on the eyewear line so I am checking out colors, styles, etc. I look for the changes we need to make.

What is your first memory of the guitar?

I remember learning Stairway to Heaven at summer camp. It is a fun funny song to learn but it is a good song.

If you could tour with anyone on the market today whom would you choose?

That is a good question. I have not thought about that. Coldplay is a great band. They have a good audience too. That is a really good question. Chris Isaac and the Indigo Girls all have great crowds. They are really great artists. They like to listen to the bands that they didn’t come to see. It is a good community backstage.

Tell me about your television show on E!

I did a reality show called #1 Single. I wanted to share the process of what it is like being a career person in her 30s balancing relationships and a career. We were able to put together some pilots to see if I wanted to do it. As one of the producers we were able to create a show that represents what people actually go through. It was a good story to tell.

What is like being from Dallas?

It was a variety of things. On one hand growing up in Texas is great because people have a dry sense of humor and are straightforward. But on the other hand in the 80s it was a conservative time. There were very conservative people there. I felt like a fish out of water. I am not a super conservative person. And although you knew when you were with your artist friends. I don’t know if we merited needing to be on the outside. When I moved to New York City, and went to college at Brown University I felt normal. Everyone was interested in a lot of things. It made it easier to do and be who I was without it being strange.

Tell me about Furious Rose Productions.

It is my production company. It is named after a song that I wrote called Furious Rose. It is also the name of a painting that a friend did for me. She discussed a painting called Furious Rose around the same time I was making the song.

Do you ever forget the lyrics to your own songs?

Yeah, I do. It becomes like riding a bike. You sometimes can’t remember what you are doing. It can be hard if you think too hard about it. They disappear from your breaking. Luckily audience members remind me of them. And there is always the jacket of the CD. Most of those have the lyrics on them.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you on stage?

That exact thing. I was on stage with a string group that I have put together. They were reading the sheet music and I was playing a few songs at a Lilith Fair one off show, and I had only been in London one day, and I was on stage and I was in the middle of the song and I totally blanked out. It was like slow motion. I was like, “Oh my gosh, where am I?” The string quartet kept playing but they were in a repetitive part of the song. It was very embarrassing. I am not sure anyone else even caught it. But for me it was bizarre.

Your huge hit, Stay, was in a major motion picture. Tell me what that was like.

It is cool. The first time that it happened was really exciting. It was the biggest thing that had happened in the commercial world. I had some on promotions, etc. It was the first big deal and they played the entire song. It was really exciting.

Who does all your graphic design work?

We choose different artists for different album covers. I work with Bill Merryfield who is the director. I sit down with him and talk to him about what I am looking for. I always have a specific vision of what I want for each album. I discuss which illustrators I want to work with. Each album cover had a different story. My second album cover was from a famous illustrator from the fifties and sixties. He changes one of his original paintings into me. We have taken photos and had people paint them. For the most recent one we had a 14 year old, who left summer camp, to help us out and do all the illustrations. We worked together on all of it is a collaborative process. We find it based on the kind of art work we are looking for.

So what did Bobby Flay make you for dinner?

I do know Bobby Flay. He has treated us at different restaurants in Vegas and New York. My favorite is his place in Manhattan. He does the beat seafood cocktails. They have three different ones and they are really delicious. He is really nice and always hooks my family up.

Are you a true Hello Kitty fan?

Yes I am. I actually just made rice in my Kitty Fan rice cooker.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

With kids and still making books. I think that I want to be very involved in nutrition and cooking and having kids.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

For being a good person. I want to be considered a good friend, a good wife, and a good family member.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

People should check out the music. People stop me all the time and ask if I am still making music. There are tons of video out there and you should check it out to see what is happeneing.

Artist Interview: 1-on-1 with Latex Novelties

I am hanging out with a band that should need no introduction. These guys bring a certain sense of entertainment to the stage and match that with some incredible musicianship. These guys have been rocking the Indianapolis scene for quite some time and are worth taking a listen to if you have not already heard them. With a feeling of British pop rock and a look to match that with every chord, it my pleasure to introduce to you Latex Novelties.

How long have you guys been playing?

The Latex Novelties were formed in 1978. Over time there have been changes in the band’s members so there is no one time that includes all of us. However the core of the band has been together for 25 years. We sorely miss our friends Peter Pills and his brother Mo Geek who both succumbed to heart failure. Both were original members of the band.

How did you guys all meet?

Pills, Geek, and their cousin Randy Creep, of course, were all related. Mango and Tufty Scrog joined the band in 1979 to complete the line up. After a hiatus the band added new members in 1984. Tufty had gone on to other projects and Mo Geek moved to California. I (Davey Cretin) was working at a downtown bar with Pills and when it was time to reform the band was offered the drum spot. G. Noxious had worked with Creep in another band, the Vibrato Fetish, and became the second guitarist.

Who designed your MySpace page layout?

I (Cretin) create all of the graphic art for the band. I have worked in desktop publishing and it seemed natural that I would do it. It’s nice to be able to have an outlet that reflects your ideas and a platform to express yourself. It’s not work for me. Its therapeutic.

What is your favorite venue to play?

Radio Radio.

What is the largest crowd you have ever played for?

It’s hard to give an exact number but we set the attendance record at the old “Patio” on Halloween 1985 or ‘86. Even if there was a bigger crowd somewhere, sometime, that was the show that sticks out the most. It was like a party with hundreds of friends. Great!

The smallest?

We did a show as a favor to a friend who was opening a store. There were less than 30 people but all of them were friends.

Who is the ringleader of the band?

In some way each of us have an area where we are the go to guy. Noxious keeps the rehearsal schedule and really is the one who makes sure we are all at the right place at the right time. Mango has the recording and mixing equipment necessary to give life to song ideas. He works hard to develop and arrange the song ideas that the band puts forth. Justin Sider is the energy and face of the band. He is the youngest member and his energy and enthusiasm are contagious. I (Davey Cretin) got the ball rolling by landing the European record deal with Rave-Up Records as well as the US label Pelado. Our friend and manager Marvin Goldstein was instrumental in securing the deal with Zodiac Killer Records.

You guys all have jobs outside of music?

Well, we have at one time or the other. Steady is not the word to describe our outside employment.

Tell me about your relationship with Radio Radio.

To describe the relationship with Radio Radio is to recall the many years we have known and worked with owner Tufty Scrog. This is a relationship that includes 30 years of friendship and shared experiences. He is, of course, a former member of the band and had a hand in writing a good number of our songs. He is working on one for us now as a matter of fact. Tufty’s Radio Radio has the best place in town for live music and really knows the business. We probably don’t have a better friend than Tufty.

Who writes all the lyrics?

There is not one person who writes lyrics. Many of our songs lyrics were penned by the late Peter Pills. It depends on the situation and who has the idea for the song. We try to put our ideas out and have everyone give input.

Where do you get inspiration for a new track?

Inspiration is something that is hard to nail down. It can come from the need to express our opinion and say what needs to be said, as in our song “Kiss and Make Up”. It can come from a phrase that sticks in your head, or a situation we may have experienced or want to experience. There is no one place that you can look to. It’s not that simple.

Where do you guys practice?

G. Noxious has the perfect place. No hassle with neighbors and easy to get to for all of us. I’m not telling where it is however.

If you could tour with anyone in the market right now whom would you choose?

I would say we would be a good fit with the New York Dolls or the Vibrators.

Tell me what it is like working with Zodiac Killer.

ZK has been really easy. They have offered us a few options on releasing our next project and are more than a one and done label.

Do you guys have any thoughts on a tour this year?

We think about it all the time. In truth, we are focusing on finalizing the songs for our next release. When we have them recorded and released on ZK Records we would then like to go out and promote the record. To look further than the recording project is to put the cart before the horse.

Who are some of your biggest influences?

The Ramones, the New York Dolls, the Vibrators, the Clash. We have been fans of the 1970’s New York scene since day one.

Describe your genre in one word.

Wow, one word. I want to preface by saying that what is considered punk now has evolved from what was punk originally. As one would expect it’s just not the same thing, which is fine. So for me to say it’s punk would be misleading in that light. How about a hyphenated word like “retro-punk”?

Where did the name come from?

In 1978 it was next to impossible to get jobs if your band was named “the Dildos”. Latex Novelties was just different enough that it slipped through, even though it means the same thing.

PC or Mac?

Both.

Let’s get some pizza. What toppings?

Cheese.

If you were offered a $250,000 record deal but it was someone else’s lyrics and it was a rap album do you do it?

Of course. We’ve all done much worse for much less. If we could put that kind of money behind the band it would pay off tenfold in the end.

You guys play very much outside of Indianapolis?

Not lately. Though we have of course. Much of our time the past few years has been into releasing and distributing our records and CD’s as well as working on new material and securing another record company to get it released. I feel that by doing so it is much more likely that we could do a bigger and much more successful tour. You have to have a product and be known.

You have a ton of promotional posters. Who designs all of those?

I do all of the posters, flyers, web art, t-shirts, etc. I have all of the computer equipment and experience so that it’s not near the hassle it would be for someone else. I’m glad that people seem to like it.

Where do you see yourselves in five years?

It’s so hard to predict anything when it comes to the music business. It’s the kind of thing that often makes no sense and follows no pattern. Ideally we would have at least one successful record that would open the door and give us the opportunity to make a name for ourselves.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

I think most of all we would like to known as a band that stayed true to their vision. One that kept the sound and attitude of our generation and genre true to its roots. And that we made a buttload of cash doing so.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

We went against the norm in playing punk music in Indy in the 70’s and 80’s when the only thing most clubs and patrons wanted was redone radio tunes. We were called every name you can think of and had our share of hassles for doing what we wanted musically. Our costumes and stage show were like nothing seen in Indy before. We made no money and most clubs wouldn’t even think of booking us. It is very gratifying to see that there is a great punk and alternative scene in Indy now. It was worth the trouble. I want to say to all the bands out there that you can sound different. Take advantage of this cool music scene. It isn’t necessary to fit into a niche. Finally, a reminder that screaming fuck into the microphone over droning cacophonous guitars and million mile an hour drums doesn’t make you a punk or show what a rebel you are. Break away and make your own sound. Like it used to be.