 
Published: November 30, 2008 3:00 PM EST
By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA
(Juniorscave.com)
New Music Spotlight
Goldi of Goldishack Guerrillas
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Goldishack Guerrillas
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With a mixture of all types of genres blended into one unique sound, Goldishack Guerrillas are going to blow fans away. One of the reasons why I was particular drawn to this band is due to the messages that can be found in their songs/lyrics. The group is not afraid to speak on some of today's hot topics; and that is a good thing. Check out this recent spotlight I had with one of the members of the group. Enjoy!
Isaac: Please take a moment to elaborate on who you are and your upbringing.
Goldi: I'm Goldi, a Brooklyn NYC native raised in suburban NJ; Pretty normal upbringing. I played drums in bands growing up. My grandparents were immigrants to the American dream.
But I'm a small part of the shack, which includes freestyle emcees Rcyn and Kryciss from St. Croix the US Virgin Islands, Josiah from Harlem NYC, UTK from Baltimore Maryland, beat boxer Shockwave from the Boston area and Akari from NYC.
Isaac: Was there any one musician that spoke to your heart so profoundly, you were inspired to do your own thing?
Goldi: I can't peg it to one musician. I think collectively there have been certain songs that I've connected with where I'd think: wow, this is how it's done and should be done because this is a great song. Oddly, I didn't always like the band, so I guess I'm more of a song person.
Isaac: Which singer/group would you say you would most like to do a duet with?
Goldi: Bob Marley or more likely, his children like Damian and Stephen. I also admire Michael Franti, Wyclef, Immortal Technique, and the guys from Rage Against the Machine for speaking to power. They'd all be welcome at the shack.
Isaac: What singer/songwriter do you most connect with?
Goldi: I haven't really been connecting with anyone lately. I've pretty much cut myself off from what's going on in the pop world -- I don't have a TV or radio, and pop culture, for the most part, makes me sick. I avoid any and all advertisements whenever possible which naturally disconnects me from a lot of what goes on. The one exception is the Internet, where my eyes are sore from scanning around pages to avoid ads while taking in what I'm looking for.
Isaac: Out of your entire song collection that you've written thus far, which song(s) would you say is/are the most personal/meaningful to you?
Goldi: There are quite a few songs on our WAR album that I love. It's an incredible collection. One that really resonates with me is a song called "we're the ones". It's probably the shortest song that I've ever written at 2.50 but it packs such a punch, lyrically and otherwise. It was borne out of my frustration with my upbringing and education, all triggered after reading some horrific news story. I was thinking. Wow, they don't teach you how to read the news in school. Once again, this (whatever the news story was) is an American inspired problem. Of course, the news didn't say that. So I just started ranting the chorus while in the shower -- we're the ones!
We're the ones they taught about in school, that big omnipotent country that can be so dangerous. We're also, as a band, the ones who rock the hardest (we have poetic license to be:). So the song can come off as rock star bravado too, which I love. It's a great excuse to rock out and blow things up the stage. In other words: remember the ones you've always heard about? The bad boys in town? It's no mystery anymore, it's us :)
Isaac: Which singers/groups do you enjoy/like from some of today's music genres?
Goldi: Disclaimer: I'm mostly out of the loop. But occasionally, I'll hear something that I really like, usually around the DJ / producer genre like RJD2, DJ Shadow, Amin Tobin and Four Tet. or indie hip hop along the lines of MF Doom, Kid Loco and Madvilian. I also like cute moody bands like Lali Puna and Sigor Ros, or even pop singers like MIA, Lilly Allen and Lykke Li. I might add that none of this I found on my own, it's mostly piped into the shack by some good friends.
Isaac: What charities are you involved with or support and why should people get involved?
Goldi: I am at a point in my life where I'm re-evaluating the purpose of "charity". I'm beginning to suspect that many of them do nothing, or even worse, do harm; at least some large scale ones. Of course, if you're feeding homeless people in a soup kitchen, then by all means please continue! .. That is obviously a good thing. But these other international aid agencies... well, I shouldn't generalize. But, there is a system in place, and these aid agencies are part of the system, and the whole system doesn't work. I'd say scrutinize your charities like you would your groceries (which you'd better be doing!). Though I did hold a fund raising event for Doctors Without Borders at the Goldishack a couple of years ago. I really admire the work that they do.
Isaac: Have you (or would you ever consider) writing a song about any of today's particular world issues/problems? If so, what world issue would speak to you the most to write about?
Goldi: Yes yes! That's actually what we do -- this whole album addresses a very large world problem! A problem that's been globalized to such a degree that the little people worldwide (which is a very large number of people) are getting crushed on a daily basis, because that is simply a part of the global system. The core of the album deals with American foreign policy and its culture of consumption, both media and plastic goodies. It's something that has got to change or the world will be reduced to a giant mosh pit, and not the fun kind.
Isaac: What is the main reason why should people listen to your music?
Goldi: I think our music is great on a few levels. On the surface it's fun music to rock out to. On another level, it has a tight lyrical content and strong purpose since it was written from a place of extreme frustration with a system that is failing justice around the world. So you can simply rock out or take it as a call for inspiration and activism.
Isaac: What has been your main inspiration to toss out such classical music?
Goldi: Well we're glad you tnink it's classical! The number one pivotal moment in my life that determined this album was the Israeli / Lebanese War (of 2006 -- yes there are many of them). I was visiting Lebanon at the time and the utter frustration of watching a system at work, this American / Israeli agenda against an impotent UN and world community, which played out a war that seemed formulated for some goal it simply wasn't going to attain. While the whole time this expanding bombing campaign was getting closer and closer to us and we'd have to keep moving.
To witness all this while simultaneously avoiding being bombed was simply unbearable. It was as if the war was scripted with no regard to justice (like any war is). Yet, the American media seems to bend over backwards to justify all sorts of wars, which is not only unbelievable but completely immoral. This is an ordinary event in everyday life on this planet; these events are repeated continuously throughout history. I started blogging about it and writing essays, which is an obvious reaction, but being a musician and having such talented friends; it was obvious that putting all of this frustration into music was the way to go. Music transcends ordinary mediums of communication and the message can soar rather than simply hit someone on the forehead. And I've hit a lot of foreheads -- it's not so satisfying.
Isaac: How far into the creation of a song do you share any of it with anyone? Who would you play it for? Would it be a chorus, a verse and chorus, or a complete song?
Goldi: Usually I'll come up with something and bring in some help at varying points. I used to just write a cool beat and call in Rcyn and Kryciss to freestyle, which worked nicely because they are so talented. But lately, I've been writing a little more, maybe a beat with chorus idea and a verse then bring in the boys to lay down their verses. This is definitely the faster method. Sometimes we just sit around and talk about some crazy news story and distill it into something funny or poignant -- and that's our song. Lately, there is more expected of us and me conceptually because we are on a roll writing-wise. Now that the war album our new standard, and the pressure has increased a bit.
Isaac: How much do you let others "mess around with" one of your new songs?
Goldi: That's a funny question. I let anyone do whatever they want because you never know where something great will come from. But if it strays away from the original vision I'll usually go back to the original. I know many more freestyle emcees than musicians, so this usually happens vocally. It's natural for someone to spit something off topic, and it won't get used although it's usually great in its own right.
Isaac: Do you have to be a tortured soul to be a singer-songwriter?
Goldi: Great question... Because yes would be wrong and I'm sure a lot of writers think this. I used to think that I wrote more when I was in pain, but it's really when I'm INSPIRED. Pain inspires, but so do many other things. Plus, I've heard great happy songs and I doubt those writers were tortured when they wrote them. And if they were... wow great job!
Isaac: Are your songs strictly autobiographical or are they embroidered autobiography?
Goldi: Mostly autobiographical. But with the war album it can be American biographical. Some songs are very personal and others are more historical in nature.
Isaac: How long does it take you to process your emotions and turn them into songs?
Goldi: That completely depends. It seems most of the WAR album was written a year AFTER my bombing incident, which is bizarre. But nowadays it can be... hours.
Isaac: The best piece of advice you actually followed?
Goldi: Good question which I'll pass on. I'm not sure I've ever really gotten good advice.
Isaac: Give Shutouts to your family and friends.
Goldi: Sure to one of our emcees Kryciss, who is serving in the US Army in Iraq. We think about him a lot around here.
Isaac: Last but certainly not least, what are you working on, now?
Goldi: We're releasing the WAR album in January and next up is the LOVE album, which is already part done. We only hope that the world will be ready for LOVE...
THANK YOU ISAAC
Goldishack Guerrillas
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