sealed human: press: interview
socialdeviant.com
From Omaha, Nebraska, The Faint plays a mixtureof dark-wave/new-wave that is really incredible. Right now they
are on tour on the Holiday Matinee tour with The Vue and
Camera Obscura. I highly suggest that you check this show
out, as it is simply incredible. I got a chance to talk with
Jacob and Christina (manager) at Koos Café in Santa Ana.
The Faint is on Saddle Creek and has a new album
'Black-Wave Arcade' as well as a new remix picture LP.
Daniel: So I guess, why don't we start this off by you telling
me what everyone does in the band.
Jacob: Well; I talk, play buttons, chant, and scream. Todd
sings plays guitar sometimes, and sometimes plays synth.
Clark plays drums. Joel, he plays lights and bass and
guitar.
Daniel: I know there was a little line up change after 'Media'
came out, care to talk about that?
Jacob: We ran out of bass players and Joel started bass. I
joined after the 'Media' record, and we sort of stayed since
then.
Daniel: This is the Holiday Matinee tour so how has it been?
Jacob: Well, last night was the first night all three bands
played together. It was a good show, I really think that the
bands complemented each other.
Daniel: So then, how did you get hooked up with Holiday
Matinee?
Jacob: I don't know. I don't know if I can answer that. Todd,
can you answer that?
Todd: Huh, what?
Jacob: The label did it.
Daniel: Like Bright Eyes?
Jacob: We do work with him and they are our friends.
Sometimes…
Daniel: It's basically only Conor right?
Jacob: Yeah, but also a lot of other people are involved.
We do shows with him sometimes. We have his records
here…
Christina, formerly of Bottlenekk now joins in to the talk.
She manages the band and other such things.
Christina: We should mention the new record. It is a picture
disc.
Jacob: Yeah, it is a picture disc. We should promote that.
Christina: Yeah, if we have any left. It's a remix.
Daniel: A lot of bands have been doing remixes lately? You
got KID-606 on that?
Jacob: We do our own remix – but by the time we got it out
other people were doing them too. DJ's from around the
world did it.
Christina: It is not a 12" EP remixes of just one song. It's
the full album and people do a remix off each song on
'Black-Wave Arcade.'
Jacob: Some are from London.
Christina: Italy?
Jacob: One dude is from Tokyo.
Daniel: Well, I have heard about your live shows. That your
live shows are really good.
Jacob: Like, what?
Daniel: Well, my friend she was talking about how you guys
were really good live…and she is mad that she will miss you
on tour.
Jacob: Oh, that is all? Yeah, we put a lot of effort in our live
performances. We want it to be a like an experience – a
vision!
Christina: Half the pie is the presentation.
Jacob: Yeah, I would have to agree with that. I would not
really like touring if we did not do much effort. We could just
play off the record; which a lot of bands do. It's not bad,
but I don't think it would be as interesting.
Daniel: So, is this your first time playing in California?
Jacob: Yeah, we played a few shows, but nothing
spectacular. We played a real kick ass show in Sacramento.
This is our first time in the LA area.
Daniel: Do you prefer to play in certain venues? Like big or
small? Koos is one of the smaller venues around.
Jacob: I love playing basement shows if the vocal controls
are good. If it is for the music - sometimes you will play at
in bar's and they are there to drink and not for the music.
As long as it is the music…This place seems really cool.
Daniel: I don't even know what else to ask you…so I don't
know. Any questions for me?
Christina: Make sure we talk about the guestbook…
Jacob: Yeah, what is that shirt? Like what does it mean?
Daniel: It is the VSS.
Jacob: Yeah, what is that? A band?
Daniel: Christina should know. She worked with Sonny.
Christina: (shaking her head) Yeah it isn't his kind of thing.
Jacob: I listen to Cylop and Cradle of Filth most of the
time.
(In the beginning of the interview we talked about The Faint
and new-wave. We said a few things but Jacob and Christina
wanted to retract what they said. So, here is what they
wanted to say…or at least they think they wanted to say it.)
Daniel: Ok, new-wave, dark-wave?
Jacob: The Faint isn't a new-wave band because new-wave
implies a period of time. 'Black-Wave Arcade' is a throwback
and is reminicent of new-wave. It is just that if bands can
make the coolest sounds around. And if it happens to be
new-wave?
Christina: With the instruments you are using.
Jacob: Yeah the way we do it is somewhat new-wave. But
that is how we do it. At the same time we like experimental,
electronica, black metal, and opera. Todd was listening to
Opera today. We pick what we think is cool. I don't know if it
will be new-wave when we do the new album. I don't know if
it will fit the definition. There are keyboards but those aren't
new-wave. We got whatever we got.
Christina: Also, new-wave is a time period. And I really
wouldn't call The Faint new-wave. I guess you could call it
that…but new-wave isn't serious…you know? I think it is
more like Depche Mode.
Christina: Jacob, what about a theme? To a degree?
Jacob: No, it is somewhat of a concept album.
Daniel: I let my friend borrow it once and he said you talked
a lot about sex…
Jacob: I feel ok talking about themes. Sex and
transportation as a theme. Self expression through physical
harmony.
Christina: Mechanics of Sociology.
Jacob: You have to look at bodes as a physical used as
pleasure as well as transportation. It is not a concept
album. I think if you say it is a concept album, then people
get a certain expectation. And, really it isn't a concept
album.
Jacob: The fact that you are writing this and not taping it, it
isn't fair. We can take back stuff we say. It isn't fair. You
can put that in there. You can say it isn't fair.
Christina: Does the theme have a manifesto?
Jacob: No the theme doesn't. Our manifesto is our record.
If I put out a record it should be self-explanatory. Or else,
why did I put out the record?
Daniel: I've been reading a lot so, I'm interested to here
what you have to say about books?
Jacob: I'm reading short stories by David Wallace. I am
reading A Girl With Curious Hair…right now.
Christina: Didn't he also write Broomstick?
Jacob: Yeah.
Daniel: Lately I've been reading a lot of Aldous Huxley…
Jacob: What did he write?
Daniel: Brave New World…and he wrote The Doors of
Perception. That's why the Doors are the Doors…
Jacob: Oh ok, yeah I really should read that stuff.
Jacob: Is their anything else? Anything else you want to
ask? You can ask us after we play…
Daniel: Alright, talk to you later then. Oh yes, Christina, the
bottlenekk guestbook?
Christina: I know, I know. How about we keep that a secret?
I'm sure people can just go there…
Daniel: Ok, thanks!
Jacob: Thank you.
Christina: Thank you.
back to interviews
