Interview: Ming Vauze of Sleepmask.

Sleepmask is Ming Vauze, Andru Aesthetik and Garey Spider, and they are based in Los Angeles, CA. Their sound is in the overlapping realms of jagged post-punk, ethereal textures and romantic sensibilities; a dark, dreamy sound that I adore. I actually met Ming several years ago, when I was scouring the internet for new bands in the shoegaze/dream pop/post punk realm...I was immediately taken with Sleepmask and proceeded to play their tracks (especially the track "Slumber Party Massacre") on my radio show. I lost touch with Ming for several years, and have always wondered about Sleepmask in the interim. Recently, and by complete chance, I was able to get back in touch with Ming. As you read the interview below, you'll learn about the reason why Sleepmask dropped off the radar for a while, among other choice information from the amiable and charming Sleepmask frontman Ming Vauze; but most importantly of all, you will learn that Sleepmask is back, and ready to take over the world. Sleepmask is a band to keep your eye on. They have big things on the horizon, and deservedly so.

1. How was Sleepmask formed?

Sleepmask was conceived as far back as 2003 while I was playing guitars in a band in Nashville. At the time dreamy music was virtually unheard of in that region. I was frustrated with playing conventional rock music and dreamed of one day launching my own project, but didn't have the courage to step out on my own yet.

After moving back to Los Angeles in 2004, an old friend/drummer Bobby Alt and I started a band called Faculty X, which was my first foray into death rock/post punk sound. Up until that point I'd been content to play guitars for anyone who had support of some kind with an established label, a 'gun for hire' scenario. It was my way of pursuing my dreams but, also toeing the line of 'respectability' in order to please family concerned with my life choices. But of course that proved disastrous, pleasing neither them nor myself. One must leap entirely into the darkness without fear. Compromise is not an option, but at the time I was unable to muster the inner strength.

At any rate, Faculty X was an exciting band for me. It felt great to be writing most of the music rather than just trying to marry my style to existing music that was really incompatible. But over time I still found myself frustrated by melodies and textures that were absent from Faculty X's songs. So in 2005 Faculty X was disbanded and I began writing Sleepmask music in earnest. I didn't know if I had the ability to lead an ensemble myself, but knew I had to see and hear my entire vision for music without dilution. Philosophically I believe in collaboration, but 10 years of frustration forced me to realize I needed total control of every sound, down to the littlest percussion part.

2. Where does the name "Sleepmask" come from?

I was sitting in a studio late at night, playing with imagery during a session in Nashville, sometime back in 2002 or 2003. Someone else was tracking and I was left to my own devices to entertain myself as I waited. I'd been reading a lot of H. P. Lovecraft, his dream cycle series. I've struggled with depression, having been diagnosed with bipolar/borderline personality disorder at a young age. Sleep has always been a refuge for me. I feel often, that the world can be an abrasive and overwhelming place for overly sensitive people. A sleep mask is used to shut off one's senses to the outer world, and allows one to focus inward. An internal world begins to open it's gates once we turn away from the 5 senses we use to perceive the outer universe. I feel that the imagination, the internal universe, is so often far more beautiful and magical than the immediate world around us. Somehow I thought the concept had an elegance and mystery that appealed to me and, I wrote down 'Sleepmask' as a key accoutrement to a realm we all hold inside, that awaits us when we close our eyes.

3. Can you tell us what you've been working on and what you've got forthcoming in the near future (new releases, tour, etc)?

I disbanded Sleepmask in 2009 due to exhaustion and internal band friction. I've had most of 2010 off and have concentrated on just writing new material. But the last month I've spent rebuilding the performing arm of Sleepmask. So I'm excited to say that we will be performing again finally in 2011! However, this project remains strictly DIY. We are unsigned and without support of any kind. Until a patron of the arts or a suitable label steps in to support us, a tour outside of the west coast is unattainable. To date, no producers aware of my songs feel a full length recording done on speculation is worth the risk. The state of the industry is dismal, as we are all aware, so making proper recordings remains impossible for me at the present time. I simply haven't the means to pay for proper studio time. I'm fortunate that my demos are well received by a handful of wonderful dj's in NYC, Berlin, Portland, and Chicago, but releasing a debut full length recording eludes me for now.

I do have one EP that is available on Itunes with 3 different producers, all friends of mine, who contributed their time and skill gratis. Which explains the disparity in the sonic quality of the 6 songs represented there. It can be found HERE:

I've also recently begun a new project with singer Dylan Dray we are calling Red Sun Black Moon. It's more of a psych/garage, trip-hop, and spaghetti western amalgam. We hope to begin a proper batch of recordings in January of 2011...

Sleepmask. Live footage at Release the Bats.

4. Do you consider Sleepmask's music to be part of the current shoegaze/dream scene, or any scene?

It's a tough question actually. My music has been labeled as death rock, post-punk, gothic, and shoegaze. While I'm a proponent of all these genres, genrefication itself is troublesome and limiting in scope. If anything, I hope Sleepmask music is a part of a catalogue of music that adheres to a strict concentration on integrity of content and form. I want to be a part of a dialogue, a conversation held by artists of all genres. Or, better still, all kinds of mediums used to express a belief that making beautiful works is the sole and highest aim that any human can pursue in our short tenure in life.

5. What do you think of modern shoegaze/dream pop artists, any favorites?

I've remained blissfully unaware of most of the work made by my contemporaries. I'm afraid I'm a bit too wrapped up in my own visions to look up long enough to hear anything else. And I don't really want to be distracted. But the wonders of the modern age of communication have brought some pleasant surprises to my ears! I recently encountered a band called Love Culture out of Ohio, that astonished and delighted me with their work. Some other bands that interest me are Veil Veil Vanish out of San Francisco and O Children. Though I don't know whether or not these bands fall under that category. I know there are others I'm neglecting to mention and I hope they can forgive my oversight!

Sleepmask. Voudou.

6. What is the most important piece of gear for your sound? Any particular guitars/pedals/amps that you prefer?

Truth be told, I'm not much of a gear head. I feel good music can be made with a broken ukulele, an empty bottle, and a wooden spoon. However, I'm partial to Fender Jags and Jazzmasters, tube amps, etal. I love my James
Trussart Les Paul guitar. It's made of metal, and is hollow, giving the tones a unique bell-like quality.

My secret weapon is a Digitech XP-330 Space Station, which are expensive and discontinued. So, rather hard to find. Also any Electro-Harmonix pedal always excites me.


7. What artists (shoegaze/dream pop or otherwise) have most influenced your work?

I do wear my influences on my sleeve. It's not hard to hear in my songs. But I hope that I manage to infuse some unique quality to my work as well. I love the Sisters of Mercy, Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, Japan, Slowdive, Bauhaus, Tones on Tail, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. But I also draw a lot of inspiration listening to electronic music like Meat Beat Manifesto and Casino vs. Japan.


8. Can you tell us a little about what you are currently into (books, films, art, bands, etc)?

I love good works of fantasy and sci-fi. It helps to put me in a mood or state of mind. H.P. Lovecraft is a top influence. All the obvious works from Tolkien to William Gibson and Frank Herbert. But I enjoy poetry as well to inspire lyrics. Rimbaud, Baudelaire, Coleridege and Blake. I also love subversives like Kafka and Dostoevsky.

I also studied philosophy and earned a BA. I was very interested in the critical theorists and the Frankfurt School of Thought, Marcuse, Habermas etal. I love Antonin Artaud's madness. Chomsky. Barthes. Neitzsche's perspectivism also looms large in my thought process.

Films and visuals are also crucial to inspire mood. I adore Mario Bava and Dario Argento, the look and feel of Giallo. Ridley and Tony Scott have made beautiful films, German Expressionism. It's just too much to go into all of this. I could go on forever! But I can't forget to mention Art-Nouveau, Art Deco, Bauhaus. Anything that inspires etherial beauty and otherworldliness turns me on.

9. If you had to choose one Sleepmask track that was the ultimate definition of your sound, which would it be and why?

"Slumber Party Massacre" really is my theme. It demands patience, it develops dynamic slowly and subtly, and it is virtually wordless, almost an instrumental. Anything worth saying or expressing is most likely unspeakable using vocabulary. Language is for me a necessary evil. Pure sound is the language of angels.

Sleepmask. Slave (live).

10. What is the writing and recording process for your songs/records?

I write and record everything alone in my bedroom using Protools. I start with a simple drum loop to establish tempo. Then I usually write a bass melody first. This way I avoid conventional guitar chord structures, which i abhor as completely and totally passé for the most part. On a good bass line I can then construct sound sculptures with guitars, some synths, and piano. Then go back and add percussive accents like crashes, hats, etc. It's only when the music is completely finished that I'll even begin thinking about vocals. Melodies and cadence first, then finally, and least importantly, actual words and narrative.

11. What is the most exciting thing that happened for Sleepmask in 2010?

I spent the first half of 2010 in total seclusion and isolation. No band, no writing. Nothing. In June, I finally got out of bed and finished my first official 6 song EP with the help of producer Matt Hyde, who helped me get a limited distribution deal in the UK. Without his help Itunes would never have released anything by me. I had tried to register songs with them years ago and even sent them their registration fee which they promptly took and then ignored me. It's very difficult to be heard without some official and 'legitimate' form of representation. So i suppose that's definitely a milestone for me!


But best of all, the last 2 months have been spent rebuilding a performing ensemble. I've reunited with my original fellow guitarist Andru Aesthetik, who has spent his last year touring with the great Mark Burgess and The Chameleons since parting ways with me in 2007. I am very glad to be playing with him again. He's the only other guitarist I know who can replicate the tones and textures I use myself, and he's a wonderful asset. My gloomer twin. I also love my new found drummer, Garey Spider, who has played with everyone from Scarling to the Donnas. He's extremely versatile and talented. And he's also become an instant close personal friend. In fact, the synergy between the three of us is startling, and i can claim, with ease, that this particular lineup is the best Sleepmask has ever sounded, hands down. We are still seeking the perfect bassist to compliment our balance, but we have a couple candidates we're working with as we speak that are very promising. 2011 is really going to be so exciting!

12. What is your philosophy (on life), if any, that you live by?

This question is a tough one. I feel I could go on and on without ever really expressing how I feel. So I won't. Suffice it to say, the answers to that one can be heard when you close your eyes. Listen.

Video: Jesu. Christmas.

Video: Robin Guthrie. Sunflower Stories.

Video: Hum. Stars.

Video: Moscow Olympics. The Farthest City.

Video: Morpheme. Infection.

Interview: A Conversation with Jack Rabid.

The revived New York trio Springhouse are perhaps remembered as the first major-signed, nationally touring U.S.shoegaze band of the original era — with a 1991 MTV video “Layers,” a Rolling Stone “New Faces” feature, and copious airplay bringing notice to two memorable albums on the fabled Virgin Records’ subsidiary Caroline Records (home then to Smashing Pumpkins, Hole, Drop 19s, Naked Raygun, Idaho, Misfits, etc.) Springhouse were among the first Americans to cover My Bloody Valentine, and share stages across the country with The House of Love, Ride, Kitchens of Distinction, Ocean Blue, The Chills, The Psychedelic Furs, Judybats and others. Now they’re reborn and reanimated as an orchestral-folk-pop hybrid, bound to surprise and please old fans and the newly curious.

And though Springhouse’s unique contribution to the original movement — singer/songwriter Mitch Friedland's exclusive use of small, nylon-stringed acoustic guitars, heavily processed with wicked effects, while employing an endless battery of alternate tunings — has been shelved in favor of a more organic, crisp sound, their exuberant playing, highly evolved arrangements, and love of a tune to die for remains their calling card. Amazingly, their first self-produced record (by bassist Larry Heinemann), is the culmination of a solid decade of work. It’s true: Sessions for From Now to OK began in 1998 and did not stop until all were satisfied that their envisioned opus had been fully realized. - Taken from the Springhouse web site.


Jack Rabid is the creator, publisher and editor of one of the most beloved underground rock magazines of all time, The Big Takeover. He is the drummer of the legendary dream pop band Springhouse (one of our favorites), and a member of the hard hitting post punk band Last Burning Embers . The man has done more to promote great underground music and keep real independent rock journalism alive than anybody in recent memory. Jack only writes about what he calls "music with heart".The same could be said of what he does with The Big Takeover.It is,in my opinion,most certainly "writing with heart". Not only is Jack a great writer and musician, he is a living repository of musical knowledge.He has either interviewed,written about or played with every band of note from the past three decades (and then some).We writers/bloggers (I use the term "writer" loosely when referring to myself.I can barely spell my name most days), can only hope to get close to the bar Jack has set. I don't think anyone can,or will surpass what he has done and continues to do. So when Jack agreed to be interviewed by When The Sun Hits we were understandably thrilled! Jack suggested we do the interview by phone and I was more than happy to oblige.This would be my first phone interview ( and with Jack Rabid no less *gulp*!) As I had hoped, he was one of the most obliging and forth coming people I have worked with .What was supposed to be a rather short and generic 10 question Q & A turned into a 2 hour conversation with the man, the myth, the legend and now a friend - Mr. Jack Rabid.

The following interview is a condensed version of a long conversation between Danny Lackey and Jack Rabid.It took place on November 29th, 2010

When The Sun Hits: What were your initial reasons for starting The Big Takeover?

Jack: Well, I didn't mean to! (laughter) Dave Stein was the reason. Dave is a friend from junior high that got me into some cool music, in particular David Bowie. I didn't listen to anything like that at the time. It was all classic rock and pop. At that time music like the Beatles was accepted, but stuff like Bowie was not. I thought Bowie was a freak! (laughter) Dave kept saying "You gotta hear this guy, you gotta hear this guy..." I finally acquiesced and got a copy of Bowie's Changes 1. I think I listened to it 15 times before it made sense, but when it did it was life changing. Society trains you to distrust the unusual and abnormal. It wants you to be in a box. That's where my 15 year old mind was until I "got" Bowie. I went nuts over Changes 1 and then bought Low and Heroes. In a 3 or 4 week period everything in my mind changed. At 15 I realized that finding your own path is the way. From there I got into Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, and Brian Eno, then was introduced to punk rock through the magazines of the day (late 70's). Living 20 miles away from NYC was helpful too (New Jersey to be exact). There was a 3 year gestation period and by the time I was in high school I was done caring what people thought. By this time Dave wanted to do a fanzine on David Johansen from the New York Dolls. I wasn't into his solo stuff,I was more into his Dolls period. My idea was to do a fanzine on Bad Brains, or The Stimulators. So Dave and I agreed on a Stimulators zine and called it Cradle Robber (a great Stimulators track!). We eventually changed this to The Big Takeover (a Bad Brains song), for obvious reasons! (laughter) It was supposed to be only one issue, but people kept asking when the second issue was coming out. Dave bailed on the zine shortly after its inception and I continued on until today.That's how the whole thing started.I owe it all to Dave!

When The Sun Hits: Wow!

Jack: (laughter) Like I said, it wasn't supposed to happen.

When The Sun Hits: Who have been some of your favorite or most interesting interviews through the years?

Jack: Mostly my heroes from childhood! John Peel, Eric Idle, Brian Wilson (Jack says Brian was a sad interview because of Brian's mental state at the time), Mark Lindsey, Graham Nash and definitely Joe Strummer. I will never forget Joe and I arguing over who would get the check for dinner! I said to Joe "No way are you getting this. If it wasn't for you guys there would be no me. I'm getting it!" Joe was like "Well, ok then!" (laughter)

When The Sun Hits: That is so cool!

Springhouse. Layers.

And now for a brief mid-interview history lesson:

Taken from New Route Magazine, 1991

Springhouse has been around for a couple of years, evolving in the detritus of Rabid's previous punk band, Even Worse (which briefly housed Thurston Moore). Along with Rabid, the band consists of bassist Larry Heinemann and singer/guitarist Mitch Friedland. They released their first single on Bob Mould's Singles Only Label (SOL) entitled "Menagerie Keeper", which was about religious demagoguery but caught attention for its controversial picture sleeve, a grainy photo of Jim Bakker many mistook to be Jimmy Carter.

The group bears a resemblance to the jangling British pop sound that developed in the wake of punk. Such comparisons don't bother Rabid, who names The Smiths, Echo & the Bunnymen and the Buzzcocks among a few of his favorite groups. "Certainly we like that stuff," he says. "That wide spacious expansion."

"The underground has been so elitist for so long that it's just championed everything but what is genuinely good and will last. In this sense, they're getting their just deserts because so little of what they've produced has been remembered. To play in a band like that now would be counterproductive to me as a human being."

Or as Rabid's bandmate Mitch Friedland aptly puts it: "The first time around it's history, the second time it's bullshit." ~ Joe S. Harrington.

Springhouse. All About Me.

When The Sun Hits: Who were Springhouse's influences?

Jack: We all loved The Chameleons, The House of Love, The Who and The Beatles. Lots actually.

When The Sun Hits: How did you guys get signed? Did Caroline Records contribute to the demise of the band?

Jack: We put out our first single, "Menagerie Keeper",on Bob Mould's Singles Only Label or SOL. Then shoegaze happened and that helped because we sounded sort of English. "Eskimo" (a great song.The lyric was written by Jack about the homeless in NYC; appeared on the 1st album Land Falls and the Eskimo EP), was the song that got us signed to Caroline. They were the first label that approached us and we signed. At first they were really supportive and interested. They wanted to know what we were doing in the studio and the song listing for the album, etc. Between the making of the first and second albums Nirvana happened. It was a curse not a blessing for us, or for underground music! Caroline suddenly lost interest in what we were doing. They just didn't care anymore and wanted to drop us. The whole thing (alternative/indie rock) was like a steam engine that had built up with no exhaust valve. It just blew apart everything! Not only that,we spent $35,000 dollars to record both albums and only sold 30,000 units. We were not making any money and our distribution was awful.

Springhouse. Eskimo.

When The Sun Hits: I couldn't find the albums anywhere here. I remember looking for them!

Jack: We just didn't fit on Caroline anymore. The whole 90's alternative thing was fake and watered down. It hindered a lot of good bands that didn't fit that mold. They (most 90's alt rock bands), liked taking a "walk on the wild side" without actually taking any of the risks! They were fake. Caroline had us scheduled to go on the road with label mates Smashing Pumpkins.The Pumpkins threw us off the tour before the first show because their record blew up.We all had spent weeks making arrangements and getting our jobs covered and renting the van and rehearsing and all that, and only days before the first date they threw us off the tour without even meeting them. It was just a joke! They are the biggest jerks ever, for that. I told Billy later on that I didn't appreciate it, but he didn't seem to care. Bob Mould said, "Society is like a balloon. People think they step outside, but really the balloon just changes shape."

When The Sun Hits: That pretty much sums up the whole 90's alternative movement for me.

Jack: Also,on the last tour we did our van was broken into in San Diego .We lost about $6,ooo dollars worth of equipment,plus damage to the vehicle (the thieves ripped the steering column out).We were on the hook for all of it.The money that went into that would have gone for a new demo to get us on another label. By that time we had been playing together since '88 and we were just tired. I do feel like we could have gotten a lot further, but our momentum was in reverse.We played a lot of shows to only twenty people (Jack tells me this occurred in the South. *shakes head in embarrassment* ), and sometimes three of those were the same guys each night!We did have fans,but mostly in the bigger cities. (laughter) It's a weird Yin Yang feeling of not being popular when your draw is poor, yet the people who do come know all your songs and love the band, and you’ve never even met them!After we left Caroline we broke up in 1993, but we did a reunion tour Mark Burgess, ex-singer of The Chameleons around '94, and that was it until 2002, when we played with the reunited Chameleons themselves. Then in 2008 we released our new album we’d been working on for 10 years, and toured with Magnetic Morning. This year we did two gigs for the Big Takeover 30th anniversary festival.

Springhouse. Open Your Eyes.

When The Sun Hits: Did you guys not have fans in England?

Jack:We always did want to tour England, but we couldn't get support over there because we were on a major label there,Virgin.They released a single we didn’t even OK, “Eyesore” and the single flopped!

When The Sun Hits: That seems strange to me, as you were perfect for that era.

Jack: John Peel wouldn't play our music because over there it was on Virgin Records and he wouldn't play major label bands. So we got no airplay.

When The Sun Hits: That's crazy because over here you were on an indie!

Jack: It was a lot of different things, Danny, and we couldn't get work permits. Work permits are hard to come by and they cost a lot. We payed $700 dollars to play one gig in Canada! We had to live and pay rent and it was just too hard.

When The Sun Hits: Why did you guys decide to get back together and do a new Springhouse album in 2008?

Jack: The Chameleons did a reunion show in England and of course I went. Mark Burgess wanted us to play together again.So we did a tour with the Chameleons that started in Washington, D.C. at the Black Cat in '02, our first concert in 8 years. The fans there surprised me by knowing every word to our songs and singing along, I could hear the whole crowd singing! That’s the only time that ever happened to me in my life!It was an amazing feeling. In the interim between the band leaving Caroline in '93 and the show in '02, Mitch had started recording a solo album. That album eventually turned into the new Springhouse. Larry (who was the musical director for The Blueman Group), built a studio and we are all such close friends, why not?! We had the songs and we enjoyed playing together. We had a lot of fun making the new album and it was a great experience.We really wanted to do something new on this album (And that they did! It's quite a departure from the early, dreamy Springhouse sound. It's more orchestral. The songs are just great and a step forward for the band).

When The Sun Hits: Did you start the record label Pink Frost (the name is from a Chill's song), to release the new Springhouse?

Jack: No. I started it to release Last Burning Embers (Jack's other band).

When The Sun Hits: Will you guys do another Springhouse album?

Jack: I would if the guys wanted to. We have to have the songs though.

When The Sun Hits: How was The Big Takeover festival?

Jack: It was great! We did the entire second album, Postcards From the Arctic(This was the first time they had played the 2nd album in it's entirety.On night one they played a mixture of the first album and the new one ), on night two.

When The Sun Hits: How did you guys wind up playing at The Earl in Atlanta with For Against in 2008?

Jack:They [the promoters of the For Against show, Chris Chandler and Jeff Clark] asked us to! (laughter) And they even flew us in to do it, which was a first for us as well. And we’d been dying to play with For Against for 20 years, so it felt so very, very right to open for them. We just played with them again at our Big Takeover festival, so now it’s happened twice!

When The Sun Hits: (laughter) Jack, what are your top 5 favorite albums of all time?

Jack: Hmmmm, five is gonna be a hard one!

When The Sun Hits: We can make it ten! (laughter)

Jack: Oh, good! (long pause). Here goes:

1) The Kinks - Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire).

2) The Beatles - Revolver (that changes daily though! [laughter]).

3) Jerry Lee Lewis - Live at The Star Club, Hamburg '64.

4) Comsat Angels - Sleep No More.

5) Buzzcocks - Different Kind of Tension.

6) Wire - 154.

7) Bad Brains - ROIR Sessions.

8) Love - Forever Changes.

9) Hollies - Butterfly.

10) Iggy and The Stooges - Raw Power.

When The Sun Hits: Who have you been listening to lately? Do you have any newer shoegaze bands that you like?

Jack: I have been listening Early Bee Gees.

WhenThe Sun Hits:Me too! Especially Odessa. People refuse to believe they wrote great songs before they went disco. "Saturday Night Fever" is all they hear when you say Bee Gees!

Jack: For 25 years I have been trying to get people to pay attention to early Bee Gees! (laughter) As for new bands.... I like The Depreciation Guild, The Sleepover Disaster, Joy Formidable (Jack says he really likes this band) and the last Secret Shine is just great.

Springhouse. Alone.

When The Sun Hits: Jack, do you have a philosophy on life and creativity that you live by?

Jack: I am an Atheist and have no religious principals, but I don't want to think there is no point, like Mark Twain! (laughter) I refer you to East of Eden by John Steinbeck. Halfway through the novel Steinbeck addresses the reader. He talks about living your life in such a way so that people really grieve your death.The point is to lead a good life. There is no joy in a life not well lived and the only way to judge your life is through death. I think Steinbeck was referring to several real people here. The first being John D.Rockefeller, who was extremely wealthy and famous, but people were not sad when he passed. They were probably happy, actually. The second was Andrew Carnegie,who also was well to do and famous. He tried to win the love of the people through philanthropic work with his great wealth but his death also was not mourned all that much. The third was Samuel Gompers,who was a labor leader. Gompers had many wealthy enemies,but the common people loved him.They sincerely grieved over his death. They saw his demise as a loss!He made a positive, viable difference in common peoples lives, unlike the first two, whose incredible wealth off the backs of the working class made them objects of envy, not love.

This is also what Steinbeck actually says. Also, I should note that Steinbeck doesn’t actually name any of these three people, but these are my educated guesses as to who he is referring to from the biographical details he provides!

The point is to make a difference of some kind and hope it inspires people. You have to be creative, interesting, involved and give sincerely. That is the point.

Springhouse. Eyesore.

When The Sun Hits: Jack, thank you so much for your time. I hope we can make you proud with our little blog!

Jack: There is no such thing as a little blog, only little readers. You guys are as legit as The New York Times!

When The Sun Hits: Thanks Jack! This has been really fun. Amber and I really appreciate this.We love what you do.

Jack: Let's get together and have a drink next time you are in New York.

When The Sun Hits: For sure! I will definitely hit you up. Thanks again.

Jack: Goodbye Danny.

~FIN

I would just like to add that this was one of the coolest interviews I have done. Jack is a really sweet guy and a massive inspiration to me as a musician and a writer. Without guys like Jack our "scene" wouldn't exist. Jack,thank you for all that you have done and continue to do.

Interview by Danny.

Video: John Lennon. #9 Dream. RIP Mr. Lennon. We still miss you!

Free Download: Amber's Shoegaze Radio Show. Aired Dec. 5, 2010.

Free Download: Amber's Shoegaze Radio Show.

originally aired on Dec. 5, 2010 on KTRU 91.7fm

Directions: Click HERE to download the show. Put on headphones or significantly turn up your speaker volume. Enjoyment should ensue. See set list below for mid-enjoyment reference time. Gaze correctly!






band name/song title/record title

1. Serena Maneesh. I Just Want to See Your Face. #2: Abyss in B Minor.
2. Mahogany. My Bed is My Castle. Connectivity!
3. Monster Movie. The World Collapsed. Everyone is a Ghost.
4. Elephant Stone. I am Blind. Seven Seas.
5. Presents for Sally. Three. A Touch of Joy, A Touch of Sadness (unreleased b-side!).
6. Adorable. Lettergo. Fake.
7. Loop. Vapour. A Gilded Eternity.
8. Morpheme. Infection. (first released song; new project feat. Dean Garcia of Curve & SPC ECO, and Perry & Kim of bliss.city.east!)
9. Chapterhouse. Feel the Same. Sunburst EP.
10. Highspire. Dead by Dawn. Aquatic.
11. Wild Nothing. O Lilac. Gemini.
12. Walls. Soft Cover People. Walls.
13. Grouper. When We Fall. Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill.
14. Hood. This Is It, Forever. Outside Closer.

Video: Highspire. Joke's On You.

Another new video from Highspire's immaculate Aquatic LP!

Interview: Luis Rodriguez of Resplandor.

Resplandor are Antonio Zelada (vocals, guitars, sequences),
Luis Rodríguez (guitars, ebow) and Henry Gates (bass) and are based in Lima, Peru. Peruvian shoegaze isn't something you hear much about, and Resplandor not only stands out because of their locale, but also because of the sheer high quality output this band has been cranking out since forming in 1996. They are doing something no one else around them is doing, but also doing it so exceptionally well that people like Robin Guthrie, Andrew Prinz (Mahogany), Scott Cortez (Lovesliescrushing, Astrobrite, STAR, Polykroma), and Ana Breton (Mahogany, Dead Leaf Echo), to name a few, have worked with them in the past. Resplandor's influence has been felt and heard all over the world, which is no small feat, considering that, according to Luis Rodriguez, Peru has little to no shoegaze scene to speak of. When The Sun Hits was naturally thrilled to interview Luis Rodriguiz of Resplandor, and we hope you enjoy getting to know more about him and the band. We also hope Luis can forgive any language barrier mistakes that may have been made in transcribing the interview below - his English is wonderful, but Danny and I probably need more lessons!

1. How was the band formed?

Well it happened back in 1996; Antonio had an idea to put together all his influences and started with a pack gig. I joined the band in 2000 after the first album Elipse was recorded. I asked Antonio after one show if the band needed a bass player, but he wanted me to play guitar because at that time Resplandor was a 3 piece; he used keyboards, sequencers and drum machines. We presented the album in a theater and we continued together ever since.

2. Where does the name "Resplandor" come from?

The name came from Kubrick’s film The Shining. Antonio is a huge fan and so am I; it’s really a nice name.


3. Do you feel like you guys are a part of the new shoegaze scene?

I believe we are, although I do not personally like to be categorized or stereotyped. I make music and that’s all that matters to me.

Resplandor & Robin Guthrie. Halo (live).

4. What artists have most influenced your work?

It changes from time to time, state of mind, mood, but the bands that really influenced me to become a musician were R.E.M. and The Smiths. Peter Buck and Johnny Marr are really great guitarists. I’ve listened to a lot of music because of my older brother...he introduced me to bands such as The Church, Prefab Sprout, Stiff Little Fingers, and the Ramones. Later I discovered Slowdive’s Morningrise and fell in love with this lush, mellow, wall of sound that dream pop is made of.

So I started to dig deeper and found bands such as Cocteau Twins, Ride, Pale Saints, The Jesus and Mary Chain, MBV, Chapterhouse, along with the great Brit pop bands such as Pulp, Blur, Echobelly, Gene, Northside, etc. In general, a lot of British and some American music, like the Pixies, really got deep into me.

Resplandor. Downfall.

5. Tell us a little about what you are currently into (bands, books, films, etc)?

Right now I’m listening to Engineers (thanks to Ulrich), OMD, Trembling Blue Stars and the Field Mice; I got a compilation from The Carpenters, The Beatles, and also the latest Belle & Sebastian and Hurts albums. I’m currently reading the Twilight saga, and as far as films are concerned, I do not have much time because I have a gorgeous son, but at least I’ve seen Inception, Shutter Island (not a DiCaprio fan at all), and Avatar.

6. Is there a shoegaze scene in Peru?

I think there isn’t a scene, per se; we have not played very often in Lima because shoegaze is not well known nor commercial, but we have tried to push this scene with bands that Automatic Entertainment has worked with.


7. How did you guys meet Robin Guthrie and Scott Cortez?

Antonio, as the owner of Automatic Entertainment, contacted Robin when he went to Chile, where he played the Lumière show and Resplandor opened; he really enjoyed our music. We were in the process of recording Pleamar and I asked him to produce our album. He gladly accepted and already had ideas for the new songs we had played that night. I recall Robin saying he wanted "Twilight" to be the last song of the album, with it's intense wall of sound, and it was.

We met Scott Cortez through Andrew Prinz (Mahogany). Lovesliescrushing came to Lima to perform and Robin was in Lima, as well, recording Pleamar. We asked Scott, Ana and Andrew to collaborate and they didn’t hesitate to do it. I could tell the album was recorded on a psychedelic overdose basis...lol!

Resplandor. Sol Oceano.

8. Who is producing the new album?

Actually we haven’t decided yet, so far we are producing our new songs.

9. What sort of set up/gear do you use? What is the most important piece of gear for your sound (i.e. pedals, guitars, drums, etc.)?

I use a Rickenbacker 330 and a Fender Jazzmaster, analogue pedals reverb, delays, tremolo, chorus, distortions, phaser, an effect processor, pedal boot and ebow. I can’t play without my Ric, actually I’m getting a 360, that will be my Christmas present!

10. What do you think of modern shoegaze/dream pop artists, any favorites?

There are quite a lot of amazing bands; I really like the new Elika album Snuggle Bunnies, Airiel, The Big Pink, Engineers, Serena Maneesh.

11. How do you guys write? Do you each bring in finished work, or do you write as a full band?

Antonio and I write the songs. We get together with almost finished songs and then we exchange our work and record them. Before I joined Resplandor I had plenty of songs; actually, "Downfall" was recorded long time ago. It is hard for me now to write, but Antonio does and the noise sounds too, and I do melodies. I guess we both know what we want when we write Resplandor’s music.

Resplandor. Twilight (live).

12. Will you guys be releasing a new album soon? Do you have a release date?

We are planning to release a digital EP probably by the end of the year, and we are recording a song for a tribute to the Field Mice, which is due next March. And a new Resplandor album hopefully next year...


13. Are you touring the States again with the new release?

So far we plan to showcase at the SXSW 25th Anniversary; this will be our second time there but we are open to any ideas. We would love to tour there again but sometimes it’s hard, especially when you have a family. We have a show this December 20th and next January we will play in Argentina.

14. What is your philosophy on life, if any, that you live by?

To take every opportunity in life and not let it pass.