So something I'd like to experiment more with is (trying) to get musicians I've played with to answer a few questions about why the hell they do what they do. I'd like to eventually compile at least short, maybe even purely sarcastic interviews in here with all friends and music fans that would be interested in doing it.
Up first is Volita, from New Zealand.
I met Volita when I was living in Los Angeles back in 2009. We played lots of music, had lots of adventures and conversations throughout the city for a number of months. She's doing well and still making interesting music I continue to listen to. Here's a short interview with her:
What's the most rewarding part of playing in a band?
Volita: Being able to wear hot clothes and shoes and stand up in front of people and say if you love me, you love me, if you hate me… well I just don't fucking care. Also all of the love I get from my fellow musicians and fans who email me and tweet me and formspring me and Facebook me… It's all about the love! A wise friend once told me If there's no love don't do it. The music club is the best club to be in, I always encourage people to get into bands if I can see talent especially the young ones.
Favorite US city played?
Volita: Las Vegas. The El Cortez is so old school grimy, smoking and cackling and drinking and playing the slots next to one hundred year old addicts with Trilbies on… God mode.
What would you do if you couldn't play music?
Volita: I can make killer chocolate eclairs, in fact that's all I can make full-stop. I think if I had the time I'd make heaps of them and have a coffee shop that only sold coffee and eclairs. There would be old couches and coffee tables with chess boards drawn on them and a stage where musos could play at anytime. Maybe I'll do this when the music stops pouring out of me and gives me a fucking break.
What would you change about the music scene in the US?
Volita: I'd do some musical cleansing by getting rid of the so called musicians who are obviously just accountants. You don't see me going into an accounting firm and pretending I can do accounts and fucking up their whole system???
What about in New Zealand?
Volita: The music scene in NZ is to small which leads to bitchy competitiveness and favoritism. Our government has what I would call the "music dole" where they dish out small amounts of money to bands who they think are "good" which in the end never helps them strive for more than that, a couple "goverminty" bucks… yuck. This also ostracizes other musicians by saying they aren't worth a few measly dollars just because they aren't what the NZ government considers commercial…how in godsname would bureaucrats know what's hot and what's not????. They would never have funded ACDC, Nine inch nails or Radiohead, no way. We are 100% funding free and proud of it. I say change nothing cause it's great the way it is and the NZ government gets no money. And fuck having their logo on your funded video and saying thank you to them at an awards ceremony! Do it yourself.
Does your family encourage you to play more in the US or your hometown?
Volita: Outside of NZ. It's better for NZ if we are heard internationally.
If you could tour the world with any active 4 bands, who would they be?
Volita: Cage the elephant
Silversun pick-ups
Amanda Jo Williams
Autolux
All have awesome raw musical talent. I love these bands.
Your drummer is also your brother. Do you feel like this gives you an advantage creatively?
Volita: Yeah It gives me stability and consistency. People aren't that loyal these days and if they don't like what you're doing creatively they wont do it. Having my brothers backing me up {I've got two now!} helps get exactly what I wanna be doing creatively across without compromising with strangers. Makes the music stronger, more potent.
And that's that! As a bonus, here's one of the few videos of Volita and I playing in LA!