Jan 06 MoCo Interview.
Posted January 15, 2006
INTERVIEW FOR PRESS KIT
Motion Commotion DVD/EP, Self-Titled
MoCo is a world away from ordinary with their upcoming video album. With this first release, the unsigned NYC indie-rock outfit blast themselves forward establishing their art in the unique medium unfolding through the evolution of the mp3 video player, embracing the video album concept. The release finds former KissKiss member and multi-media composer James Wolff in his element crafting the unique sights and sounds made to rock your socks. Tracks like "Spreads like Sunlight" sound like the Anniversary meets Cursive, while "Go Easy" is perfect pop, harmonies bouncing around like the melodies trapped inside Brian Williams head. Emanuels voice and his inflections remind us of Bright eyes and Tim Casher (cursive) Production of the EP/DVD is taking place at Ishlab Studios, Brooklyn.
Interview
Hi thanks for the interview. Couple of quick questions. When is the EP being released and where are you at on the album?
James- Well once we finish the album, we will be shopping it to indie/majors to establish a distribution deal for sale of the video with its press and downloading through Itunes. The goal for us is to recognize the direction of new media and explore the possibilities with the same passion we share in the music. We are currently seeking labels to promote the video album and distribution deal which covers the areas in which we tour.
Is there an artist from the past like you? Is there an artist from the present like you?
J- Well I think the whole concept of mixed media performance has attracted an entire semi-independent art rock gallery scene with its own circuit and audience. With the artists as diverse as Alvin Lucier to Lee Renaldo of Sonic Youth, and how the field has expanded with the advance of technology and complex visual/audio software programs like MAX/MSP, its the new at place to be. In the center of just throwing everything together against a while wall, an entire experience with art, and objects, and picture and projection. I just saw a Lee Renaldo exhibit, a cutting edge installation with live rock performance that had an opening in November '05 at the GAS (Gigantic Art Space), a hip white-wall gallery in NYC. It really got my attention, a really high quality exhibit , pre-meditated, pushing the boundaries of the medium open even further for young artists such as myself.
Where are you guys now?
J-Downtown Brooklyn, a few blocks away from the recording studio Ishlab in DUMBO (Down Under the Brooklyn Bridge). I just moved into really REALLY pimpin crib that im excited about, have yet to throw a real party, but there will be one .. oh yes ... there will be. There is a wall of vintage boomboxes (the middle player was used in one of Madonna's recent rock videos ... dont ask me which one). Oh yeah and the tennis table-blackboard wall is pretty clever. word.
so whats the video album like, where did it come from, and what do people say when they see you live?
J-It shocks people when they come to a show and expect to see just another indie rock band they never heard of, but instead they get this pre-meditated multi-media experience with sights and sound. Bam! Instant new dimension to explore. Living in Brooklyn, I would ride the subways around listening to my ipod like everyone else, wishing there was something to watch on my ipod too instead of the flipping through songs trying not to look up at the mutant zombie that just sat across from me. This medium is great because it gives me even more tools to express myself. Its a multi-dimensional approach to get my message across, regardless of it being live, on 2 inch ipod screen, or big screen home theater system in your living room!
I know your in Brooklyn at Ishlab Studios (www.ishlab.com ... shameless marketing) making your upcoming album with MoCo. Whats the biggest secret about them?
J-They never stop working. These guys pull real late hours in the studio and through the bloody practice fingers (seriously its impossible to get blood off grand piano keys), thirsty souls (blah we need a water tank there it gets hot), and horrible winter flu's (achoo or however you spell it), they are still all hungry for more. Its the best feeling in the world to work with a group of people that want something as much as you, that are willing to put in the hours, and to really go all the way. And when the session is over and its time to leave, they can leave that intensity in the studio and relax as friends. thats important. When I left KissKiss to start my own project, I did not just want a collection of studio musicians, I wanted a group of friends that were equally at home hanging out in the tour bus as they would be rocking the 4th beat of the 5th measure. Im 23 and I have known Elliot for about 5 years now since Peabody, and we always told ourselves its about making the baby steps, that we would be in New York City some day, recording our albums, doing interviews, and playing shows. Its all about the baby steps, doing one thing at a time and following through.
Who would you like to meet that you haven't? It can be someone dead too.
J-If there was one person I would like to play with in this recent history, it would be John Lennon. Still working on a way to revive the dead, until then im pretty happy I found Emanual, we have a side project, hot nikes, its our accoustic guitar/electric violin duo that we do out and around the city, but we have been way to busy on the album lately for any nyc open mics. Its fun though, walking in somewhere that no one knows who you are and just going all out, then slipping out the back door.
What does your band do when your not practicing?
J-Emanual and I are recording engineers at Ishlab, and run the facility when our triumphant leader Jamin (former Boys Against Girls) is gone touring. When we are not practicing its studio work whether its helping engineer an album, setting up mic arrays, or researching labels a&r and building databases. Its mostly a sleep and eat only on the days you practice kind of attitude, but thats what got us here in the first place, so we are used to the pressure of this work load. In our off time we have a group of guys we hang out with in New Jersey (where Eman is from when he isnt sleeping in the studio), and for me I paint, read, and sleep.
If I could get rid of a few things in this life, it would be voting and paying taxes. what about you?
J-stale milk.
What are your influences?
J- I think the Anniversary captured something with both of their albums. Those are songs I sing in my head all the time. Cursive is hot too, I grew up with alot of their string work in my head, not to mention Circulatory System. Both bands have had a measurable influence in my approach to indie-rock violin, which was my focus in the early days of KissKiss.
So what are you plans next?
J- We are planning on a short UK tour early '06 following the release of the video album, and are scheduling a '06 summer U.S. tour. Summer band DIY road trips in a short yellow school bus are awesome. seriously. awesome.
Well thanks for the interview, and good luck on everything.
J-yeah peace.
Multi-media Art Instillations
James Wolff's first foray into the world of multi-media art rock was clandestine, illegal and loud. With help of friends, the Brooklyn artist embarked on a North East tour through the Amtrack corridor and NYC Subway system. Touring with "The Schizophrenic", the first concept proof piece of three from his NYC Multi-media Art Instillation exhibit, in the Fall of 05, the artist used a paper mache crafted head with an embedded Mini-Fender Deluxe amp connected to a portable cassette player that recorded and played back the ambient conversations of the subway. He strapped the head amp to his shoulder and pointed it to his ear so it seemed as though the head was whispering to him and against the cassette tape, rocked his electric guitar in avant-garde distortion noise soundwalls. James is currently producing an Art Installation Exhibition in New York City using material produced from his Video Album DVD/EP.
Motion Commotion Video Album DVD/EP
Like a trip to the moon on acid or god-knows-what-the-kids-are-doing-these-days, James Wolff in his directorial debut thrills us with a concept video album that is gripping, visually diverse, and rocks out. The DVD is in production at Ishlab Studios with video editing assistance from East Broadway Films. In video album, the lens focuses in on everything from the flash animation videos to special interviews and media. The DVD is, delightfully, as self-aware as it is D.I.Y.
James-
James Wolff, 23, (former KissKiss, Astromagnetics/Universal) is both part Brooklyn indie-rock outfit Motion Commotion, and part conservatory trained multi-media instillation composer. Keeping in stride with other musicians who turn to art as an extra-creative outlet, such as Black Heart Projection, Sonic Youth, and RHCP, James sees the connection between the emergence of the podcast medium as another alternative means of expressing whats in his head. Working with the sights and sounds, their live shows combine art and rock into a powerful bold message. James is a recording engineer at Ishlab Studios, Brooklyn.
Emanual-
At 22 years of age, Emanual Ayvas plays guitars and sings vocals in Motion Commotion. Studied music composition and classical piano performance at UNC-Chapel Hill. Previously co-founder of The Virgins of New Brunswick NJ. Former guitarist of Sweet Potatoz of Chapel Hill NC. Emanual is a recording engineer at Ishlab Studios, Brooklyn.
