10/05/2010
Wonky Pop
Very rarely do we come across artists who are so full of passion about what they do that you just can't get enough. Especially ones that are so incredibly talented and diverse. I haven't had such a refreshing conversation about music in a really long time, as I did last week when I got to Skype with Van Go Lion's Amy Paige. Amy (vocals, lyrics) makes up one half of the Portland based duo act that's on the verge of bursting through the pop scene. Talking with Amy was like chatting with someone I've known for years- someone who also shares a passion for music, art and of course the 80's. This indie ElectroPop House-infused duo takes Josh Loerzel's (keys, music) classical piano background and Amy's powerful and versatile voice to create some fresh sounds that could easily climb their way up the Top 40.
Van Go Lion is confident (not cockiness like that of Kanye West) that you'll love your music. And rightfully so, I honestly cannot stop listening to the tracks I've heard. Hopefully, we'll see their debut LP before the end of this year. Read their Diva Dish and download their single Glow after the jump.
Van Go Lion by Wonky Pop
Diva Dish w/ Van Go Lion
WP: How does a Classically trained piano player and a singer such as yourself come together to form an electro pop duo? What was the band you broke away from?
VgL: Craigslist. He was the only person I got a response from that wasn’t a creepy old man. He was looking for a singer for a new full piece band. The band was more of a pop-rock driven band. We were going to take the band in a new direction. They were not all about going totally electronic and neither was I at that point, but it just seemed natural.
WP: How long have you guys been together? How long have you been working on Van Go Lion songs?
VgL: We’ve been together as a duo for about 6 or 7 months. Our band was together for about a year before we broke off on our own.
WP: How would you best describe your music/your band? It’s hard to really compare you to anyone else. At first listen, I immediately thought of Robyn’s latest music & The Ting Tings, but you really are a sound of your own.
VgL: I’d say that we are still finding our sound but we’re definitely embracing the music of the past that we love. We’re pop, electronica, 80s, 90s and even soul. We’re both 80’s dorks at heart really. Josh is heavily rooted in classical stuff, which really creates a different sound. We’re all about the old stuff just as much as the new stuff.
WP: What I love seeing right now are the electronic bands finally gaining the recognition that the deserve. The Top 40 is filled with artists who are more dance-driven & of the electropop genre. Someone like Robyn, who is so incredibly talented, is finally gaining the steam she deserves.
VgL: It’s definitely an exciting time for music right now. Pop artists are finally being recognized for the talent and skill that they possess. To be a Pop artist was almost frowned upon-- you would totally be seen as someone who lacked a lot of talent and was just a pretty face. That’s all changing. It’s great that someone like Robyn who has been such an Indie artist for so long has come around and been embraced by the music community and fans of all sorts.
WP: Wonky Pop is a fairly new term for a genre of music and obviously the inspiration for our blog. Your band definitely fits into that category. If you could make up a name for your own genre of music, what would it be?
VgL: Retro Electro Pop -- or maybe House Pop, but I think that’s a category already. Some of the new tracks that we’re working on will be House influenced. Josh just returned from Europe and he’s been working on a great House track. They’re becoming more involved and more layered. It’s playful house music with a side of pop.
WP: Where did the name “Van Go Lion” come from?
VgL: There was a Canadian kid’s show on PBS in the late 80s or early 90s (Zoobilee Zoo) - it was on for only one season. All of the people on the show were dressed up as different characters - it was actually fun and a shame it didn’t last. One of the characters on the show was named Van Go Lion. It just seemed appropriate for the name of our band.
WP: A week ago you tweeted:
VgL: I had never really been one to embrace Twitter and the Twitter community. But I’ve finally gotten the hang of it. So many people were saying the nicest things. I honestly just wrote it out of nowhere, from being inspired by the love we had been receiving.
WP: It sounds like lyrics to a song- it could be a really good song!
VgL: Maybe it will be!
WP: I saw that you have some upcoming gigs around your home-base of Portland. Any plans to tour elsewhere? San Francisco would definitely embrace you. It’s such a music city and home to a lot of well known bands & artists.
VgL: Right now we’re really focused on finishing our first album. I’ve actually never been to San Francisco and would love to make it there - I’ve heard so many great things about it. Once the album is finished, we definitely want to hit up Portland, San Francisco and of course New York City.
WP: You released your first EP on iTunes back in March of this year. How’s it been to see your music on there?
VgL: We released that when we first got together. We were still really new and still really defining our sound. A lot of what’s on that EP doesn’t fully represent us.
WP: When can we expect your LP? Are you working with a record company or producer?
VgL: We’re 100% independent. Hopefully December we’ll finish our album and then we can get it into the right hands and just get out there and perform. We love blogs like you - you guys are setting the new pathways for music. We couldn’t be more appreciative of our fans and the blogs who love them.
WP: Of the songs we’ve heard, which does your heart hold onto the most - which song are you the most in love with? Which would you love to see released as your first single for radioplay & perhaps a music video? Our favorite has been Glow and most recently Say Goodbye.
VgL: When Josh was in Europe, he wrote a house-dance track. I’ve written the words for it and it’s all about dancing on the dance floor. We’re really excited to share that one. Glow is definitely that song that we would love to see as our first single release and a music video. Lovestruck Masochist is definitely a song I’m proud of and it’s even a ballad. It’s on our EP.
WP: If you guys had the opportunity to collaborate with someone, who would it be?
VgL: Calvin Harris! He combines so many elements of good music. To collaborate with him in anyway would be great. Everything he does is bright and sharp and just great.
WP: People love free stuff. Can Wonky Pop give our readers one of your tracks for download?
VgL: We totally believe that spreading & sharing our music is the way for us to get out there. We want to share our songs with people. We’d be happy to have Glow to our fans. You can also listen to more on our MySpace.
WP: If you could be a flavor of Popsicle, what flavor would you be? (It doesn’t have to be a normal kind!)
VgL: I would be Pop music & vodka. That just sounds delicious.
WP: I want one right now!
Download Glow
Diva Dish w/ Van Go Lion
WP: How does a Classically trained piano player and a singer such as yourself come together to form an electro pop duo? What was the band you broke away from?
VgL: Craigslist. He was the only person I got a response from that wasn’t a creepy old man. He was looking for a singer for a new full piece band. The band was more of a pop-rock driven band. We were going to take the band in a new direction. They were not all about going totally electronic and neither was I at that point, but it just seemed natural.
WP: How long have you guys been together? How long have you been working on Van Go Lion songs?
VgL: We’ve been together as a duo for about 6 or 7 months. Our band was together for about a year before we broke off on our own.
WP: How would you best describe your music/your band? It’s hard to really compare you to anyone else. At first listen, I immediately thought of Robyn’s latest music & The Ting Tings, but you really are a sound of your own.
VgL: I’d say that we are still finding our sound but we’re definitely embracing the music of the past that we love. We’re pop, electronica, 80s, 90s and even soul. We’re both 80’s dorks at heart really. Josh is heavily rooted in classical stuff, which really creates a different sound. We’re all about the old stuff just as much as the new stuff.
WP: What I love seeing right now are the electronic bands finally gaining the recognition that the deserve. The Top 40 is filled with artists who are more dance-driven & of the electropop genre. Someone like Robyn, who is so incredibly talented, is finally gaining the steam she deserves.
VgL: It’s definitely an exciting time for music right now. Pop artists are finally being recognized for the talent and skill that they possess. To be a Pop artist was almost frowned upon-- you would totally be seen as someone who lacked a lot of talent and was just a pretty face. That’s all changing. It’s great that someone like Robyn who has been such an Indie artist for so long has come around and been embraced by the music community and fans of all sorts.
WP: Wonky Pop is a fairly new term for a genre of music and obviously the inspiration for our blog. Your band definitely fits into that category. If you could make up a name for your own genre of music, what would it be?
VgL: Retro Electro Pop -- or maybe House Pop, but I think that’s a category already. Some of the new tracks that we’re working on will be House influenced. Josh just returned from Europe and he’s been working on a great House track. They’re becoming more involved and more layered. It’s playful house music with a side of pop.
WP: Where did the name “Van Go Lion” come from?
VgL: There was a Canadian kid’s show on PBS in the late 80s or early 90s (Zoobilee Zoo) - it was on for only one season. All of the people on the show were dressed up as different characters - it was actually fun and a shame it didn’t last. One of the characters on the show was named Van Go Lion. It just seemed appropriate for the name of our band.
WP: A week ago you tweeted:
“A Love Tweet:
those we meet our pictures take, a flash! a heart of glass we break!
but me and you, we're bloodied ink, we're glitter glued and sparkled
pink no picture snapped or broken heart could rip our bloody love
apart.”
What does that mean? Is that from an upcoming song?VgL: I had never really been one to embrace Twitter and the Twitter community. But I’ve finally gotten the hang of it. So many people were saying the nicest things. I honestly just wrote it out of nowhere, from being inspired by the love we had been receiving.
WP: It sounds like lyrics to a song- it could be a really good song!
VgL: Maybe it will be!
WP: I saw that you have some upcoming gigs around your home-base of Portland. Any plans to tour elsewhere? San Francisco would definitely embrace you. It’s such a music city and home to a lot of well known bands & artists.
VgL: Right now we’re really focused on finishing our first album. I’ve actually never been to San Francisco and would love to make it there - I’ve heard so many great things about it. Once the album is finished, we definitely want to hit up Portland, San Francisco and of course New York City.
WP: You released your first EP on iTunes back in March of this year. How’s it been to see your music on there?
VgL: We released that when we first got together. We were still really new and still really defining our sound. A lot of what’s on that EP doesn’t fully represent us.
WP: When can we expect your LP? Are you working with a record company or producer?
VgL: We’re 100% independent. Hopefully December we’ll finish our album and then we can get it into the right hands and just get out there and perform. We love blogs like you - you guys are setting the new pathways for music. We couldn’t be more appreciative of our fans and the blogs who love them.
WP: Of the songs we’ve heard, which does your heart hold onto the most - which song are you the most in love with? Which would you love to see released as your first single for radioplay & perhaps a music video? Our favorite has been Glow and most recently Say Goodbye.
VgL: When Josh was in Europe, he wrote a house-dance track. I’ve written the words for it and it’s all about dancing on the dance floor. We’re really excited to share that one. Glow is definitely that song that we would love to see as our first single release and a music video. Lovestruck Masochist is definitely a song I’m proud of and it’s even a ballad. It’s on our EP.
WP: If you guys had the opportunity to collaborate with someone, who would it be?
VgL: Calvin Harris! He combines so many elements of good music. To collaborate with him in anyway would be great. Everything he does is bright and sharp and just great.
WP: People love free stuff. Can Wonky Pop give our readers one of your tracks for download?
VgL: We totally believe that spreading & sharing our music is the way for us to get out there. We want to share our songs with people. We’d be happy to have Glow to our fans. You can also listen to more on our MySpace.
WP: If you could be a flavor of Popsicle, what flavor would you be? (It doesn’t have to be a normal kind!)
VgL: I would be Pop music & vodka. That just sounds delicious.
WP: I want one right now!
Download Glow
0 comments:
Post a Comment