Published: September 4, 2009 9:50 PM EST
By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
New Music Spotlight September 2009 Edition
Pop Smear
Georgia of Pop Smear Photo by Georgi Richardson
For those fans of electropop music, this next group is going to excite and entertain fans of this genre. Georgia Haege and Tom Oski make up the duo known as Pop Smear. Their unique sound is creating a nice buzz with music fans all around the indie culture. In this recent spotlight with our Webzine, our magazine speaks with Georgia and Tom about their band's music. Enjoy!
Isaac: What's the name of your band? What's the origin of that name? Have you changed the band's name before?
Georgia: We are Pop Smear, always have been, always will be.
Tom: We named ourselves Pop Smear because we like bad, fairly amusing puns. Rock Itch was our other choice.
Isaac: What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influences?
Georgia: We are indie pop. Actually, we're just pop but the adding the word indie sounds much more credible.
Tom: My major influences are anyone that stood like a robot behind a synthesizer in the late 70s to early 80s.
Isaac: How long have you all known each other? How did you meet?
Tom: Physically, we have known each other for a year. Spiritually, it has been eons.
Georgia: We met through a mutual friend at an art gallery; in this lifetime anyway.
Isaac: When did you form your band? What inspired you to make music together?
Tom: I needed a singer and Georgia needed a band and it's as simple as that. We both really respect each other's talents and feel they mesh well.
Georgia: I've been in other bands before, but not a purely electronic one like this so I liked the fact that this represented a new challenge.
Isaac: Do you have a record label? Are you a member of any music organizations?
Tom: No record labels yet, but I'm hopeful we'll be on one soon. We've had a couple of offers but neither seemed to be the right fit.
Georgia: We're both card-carrying members of ASCAP.
Isaac: What can you tell me about your instruments? (i.e., Are you subject to brand loyalty or will you play with whatever's available? What made you choose the instruments you have now? Was it cost or was it a style/model/brand/color preference?
Tom: Pretty much all the synth sounds used on our upcoming album come from either a Microkorg or a Korg M1. Quality of sound and affordability were my main motivating factors in acquiring them. That said; the greatest instrument in our music is Georgia's voice.
Isaac: Where have you performed? What are your favorite and least favorite venues? Do you have any upcoming shows?
Tom: We have played various clubs in the New York City area including the Annex, Pianos and Fontana's. We have been selected to play MEANY Fest and are tentatively scheduled to play at the Bowery Poetry Club on Saturday October 3rd. We are also planning to play Wembley Arena sometime in the future.
Georgia: My favorite venue so far has been the Lit Lounge. Very intimate with a great vibe. Least favorite is better left unsaid.
Isaac: Which songs do you perform most frequently? Do you ever play any covers? Do you have a set play list?
Georgia: There are ten songs recorded for our debut album and we generally play nine of them for each show. No covers.
Tom: For the sake of variety, we'll change the set list for each show.
Isaac: Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs? Do you think these topics will change over time?
Georgia: The songs are written by the both of us. Unrequited love, religion, drugs and sex seem to be our main topics but a lot of it is tongue-in-cheek. Hopefully, people will see the humor in our work.
Tom: I'm in a much happier place now than I was when I wrote the music. Whether or not that means the topics actually change for future songs remains to be seen.
Isaac: Could you briefly describe the music-making process?
Tom: I can barely play an actual keyboard so we don't "jam" like a traditional band would. For the songs we've recorded so far, I write a song complete with music and lyrics before we even step foot in the studio. This demo will have my own horrendous vocals recorded as a guide for Georgia but she will often change the rhythm or melody. Always for the better I must add. She'll also come up with all the vocal harmonies once we're in the studio.
Georgia: It must also be said that our producer/mixer Roger Fife added a lot to the process as well. He's this extremely talented Scottish bloke that has worked with the likes of Cyndi Lauper, Tricky and Fatboy Slim amongst many others. We were very fortunate to come into contact with him.
Isaac: What are your rehearsals generally like? Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous?
Tom: One of the benefits of being a synth programmer is that once everything is recorded there really isn't much left to do. Georgia on the other hand has to practice plenty to keep her lovely voice in shape.
Isaac: How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?
Tom: I don't think we've been together long enough to see a real evolution, but I imagine there will be some progression made over time. That said; I don't see us ever straying too far from our electropop roots.
Georgia: Never say never though.
Isaac: What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?
Tom: Our biggest challenge is the same as pretty much every other unsigned artist out there. Just trying to get yourself noticed without spending a fortune doing so.
Georgia: This is a good time for bands as there are so many great ways to get your name out there - whether it be MySpace, Facebook, etc. The problem is there are literally thousands of others doing the same thing.
Isaac: What's your ultimate direction for your band? Are you seeking fame and fortune?
Georgia: Our ultimate goal is to reach as many people as possible without ever compromising our vision in the process.
Tom: I just want to move people in the same way my favorite artists move me. Fortune would be a nice bonus. Fame I could do without.
Georgia: Goody, I'll take all the fame then.
Isaac: What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?
Georgia: Try to be positive but keep your goals realistic as it's easy to become disillusioned in this business. There are so many other great bands competing for the same small sliver of the pie.
Tom: It certainly is easy to become disillusioned as you're going to have deal with a lot of disappointment. You just have to realize success rarely comes overnight.
Isaac: How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?
