Published: February 18, 2009 1:28 AM EST
By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
New Music Spotlight March 2009 Edition
The Guilty Proles
The Guilty Proles
The Guilty Proles wants you to enter into their world. In this super ultra cool interview with our Webzine, Brian and Dorian, who make up the members of the group, expounded a little more about who they are and their mission. Enjoy this wonderful spotlight.
Isaac: Hi Brian and Dorian. Welcome to your interview with Junior's Cave. Now that 2008 has officially ended, what are your reflections of the year 2008 for as performers?
Dorian: We spent 2008 writing and recording in our homes so performances were typically only for neighbors (willing or not) and loved ones. Baltimore has a great music community so 2008 was great for many performances by friends in town.
Isaac: What has drawn you to each other musically?
Dorian: Brian is truly machine-like, however cliché that may sound, and I have floating ideas that Brian can fix. He is good at what I am worst at and is really open-minded.
Brian: Dorian never has to dig for ideas, they're just there. So while I'm able to improv and implement instrumental ideas very quickly, Dorian does the same for vocals. Sometimes lyrics just seem to pop out of his head fully formed, and he can go from the idea to recording the vocal track you hear on the album in 20 minutes. And I enjoy working with someone who takes his lyrics so seriously. While he does work at an amazing speed, there is always intent behind the vocal ideas. He doesn't take the obvious route or choose words because they sound cool.
Isaac: Elaborate a little about whom were your biggest influences in the music industry and why?
Dorian: Right now: Vic Thrill, Gang Gang Dance, Blonde Redhead, Bjork, Dalek, Gorillaz, Matthew Dear, The Knife, Portishead and Radiohead for sounding like there is another world. Too many influences to list - this is a great time for music in that there is more freedom from commercial interests now than perhaps ever before. It is also easy to hear music from other times and places with ease. Living in the country in the recent past was a very different experience than it is today.
Brian: I could also spend a full day rattling off band names, but I doubt many would come out as conscious influences when I actually pick up an instrument to write. I just like whatever connects with me emotionally or viscerally, and that can vary widely from day to day. I suppose I have a few heroes who are truly original and pull from a deeper well than simple imitation: Daniel Lanois, J. Mascis, Josh Homme, Massive Attack, Johnny Marr, and if I can be pretentious enough to throw out a classical influence: Rimsky-Korsakov. Ask me next week and I may have a totally different response. I've gone through a phase with just about every kind of music except country.
Isaac: Let's talk about what you feel The Guilty Proles will bring to the music industry?
Dorian: The Guilty Proles will bring inconsistency, shame and many senseless deaths... We don't really have a big game plan but there will be images and stories. We certainly will not repeat ourselves in sound.
Brian: We're creating from instinct, and not allowing ourselves enough time to contrive. Songs start to appear when we press a button, strike a couple keys, or hit a note on a guitar. Then we just build on top, piece by piece. So many acts spend countless hours plotting about posturing. We don't have a "thing," we just do and whatever we are comes out. Maybe our approach will become more calculated for the next recording, but right now it's about spontaneity and then giving order to the madness.
Isaac: If you had an opportunity to work with one artist or group, who would it be and why?
Dorian: Either Bjork or Eno (cheated) - can't think of a reason against working with either one nor pick one over the other.
Brian: Dan Deacon. Because I imagine it would be incredibly fun and cathartic.
Isaac: How would you describe your music to others?
Dorian: For now, we largely draw from post punk and electronica with various bits from many other sources thrown in. To make it easier we have heard comparisons to New Order/ Joy Division, Depeche Mode, and TV on the Radio the most but we stand on our own.
Brian: Organic electronic rock.
Isaac: What can fans expect from your latest CD, Urban Pastoral, you are working on currently? What is the inspiration behind the CD?
Dorian: We have both spent a lot of time in the country and the city, back and forth, recording a relatively big sound in very intimate settings - our homes. We fed off the differences and things pretty much happened with out much prodding. There really isn't a single voice or movement; so much is left open to interpretation. The Urban Pastoral album is far from a concept album but it pretty much reflects its title.
