"That summer was so exciting, 1997, the air in gainesville was full of electricity and everything seemed possible". That's how Brittle Stars' bio begins, and that brittle is really revealing for this marvellous Band from usa, 3 boys and a delicate girl, between 25 and 27 yrs. I have touched on Them on komakino'zine #4, talking about that brief astral meteor called Crush 22, whose Josh and Estelle were members. The Brittle Stars have a consuming sweetness, a reverence of sensible. Hearing no longer waiting there's to guess U can decide to tear yr heart away and hide It in a safer place. Circus is a quick thought on melancholic notes trying to run away falling on piano and bass guitar's neck. Soft_delicate Estelle's voice has got a remembrance going from the Sundays to Stereolab, and backing to Crush 22, Their music has got still a rare kind explosion à la love will tear us apart (listen to the end of you went in phases), with some keybs of Cure-ish memory. Steve's guitar is pure discretion. Sometimes it is a sort of star dust sparkling on the keyboards (this trip), or else, it drives together with the bass (may) - sometimes distorted/burnt -, followed by the onlyperfectsounds_drums. All songs are not up to 2 minuts, but a couple. For example yr street is dark, a demo song (released on the japanese edition of the cd), - a fantastic pearl in its sonic_semplicity. - Well, i got in touch with Them..
k: what's the last album/cd all You have
bought? And did you like it? Dan Sobus (bass gtr): Well, I'm
constantly getting new things through Clairecords mailorder, but the last CD I
bought with my own money at the store, new, was Plone-For Beginner
Piano. And yes, I enjoy it! :) - Josh Ney (drums): I buy lot's of
records, sometimes it's hard to remember what the last thing I
purchased was. I think it was the Aislers Set's Last Match,
and yes, I like it, not as much as the first one though. Steve Clay
(gtr + keyb): I've bought a few since, but the last album I've had a
chance to really listen to is by the Flashing Lights on SpinART
records, and I really like most of it. Elliot Smith's
Figure 8 was pretty disappointing on 1st listen, but I might've
been in an off mood. I haven't given it another chance yet. Estelle
Baruch (vcls + keyb): the last cd i ac
tually bought was Glin Glo (Bjork's jazz
contribution with trio Guomundar Ingolfssonar). My favorite song
on it is can't help loving that man. k: Can You image a
person listening to a brittle stars' song? Dan: Sometimes I take a
moment to think how strange it is to imagine people playing our CD
often, or somebody out in California driving around listening to us
being played on the radio, or things like that. It's a bit humbling and
odd! But not so odd, cos I listen to it all the time myself! (That's
okay cos I'm just the bass player so I can enjoy the talents of all my
other bandmates!). Josh: Actually, it's surprising to me how many
people listen to Brittle Stars' songs. I walk by my boss' office
and sometimes he's listening to us which is kinda unnerving. Steve:
Yes. I put song on mixtapes all the time:) I'd like to think that I
can seperate myself enough from the music enough to appreciate it as a
fan. Putting it on is still a bit of a novelty though, since it is my
friends and I..and something we don't really have anymore together. Estelle:
The only way i can imagine someone listening to a brittle stars' song
is because i catch my sister, shena, playing it sometimes. k:
Have You ever seen the muppetshow? If so what was yr fave character? Dan:
yes, definitely a favorite of my preteen (and teen?) years. My favorite
pair is Beaker and the scientist guy [doc Bunsen
Honeydew - paolo's note]. Josh: I grew up watching the muppet
show, it was so funny and crazy. I loved Animal because of his
drum
ming style. Steve
sometimes says I drum like him (sloppy too). Steve: I'm afraid I
haven't seen it in a long time, but I could play Kermit's The
Rainbow Connection :) [x the lovers, x the
dreamers and me! - pao's note]. Estelle: when i was little,
that was my favorite show. my whole family used to watch it when we
lived in england. best muppet award goes to gonzo the great. k:
life without music? Dan: I wouldn't be alive without music.
Music *is* my life. Josh: I keep on telling myself that I'm going
to have to "grow up" and get out of music soon but I just love it so
much and it gives me so much pleasure finding great new records (or old
records for that matter) and hearing what great music my friends are
coming up with. I miss the Brittle Stars being an active band! Steve:
In high school when I was big into skateboarding maybe, but even then I
got a lot out of music, listening to it nearly constantly when I
could. If you took everything musical out of my room, it'd be almost
empty - it's kinda pitiful:) I have a stockpile of mediocre instruments
and amps. Estelle: i don't think anyone can live with out
music. it can save you from being thrown into a pit of dispair and then
it can throw you into the pit itself. it's kind of controlling.. k:
I have read a book talking about 1000 ways to be happy (most were too
stupid..).. do you have any personal method? Dan: Do what you
really want to do in life. It's too short to be stuck doing something
you are not happy with. take each day like it matters 100%, because it
does. That sounds really cliche, but it's so true. That's why I envy Estelle
so much! Josh: It's actually a real struggle to be happy. You
have to make a conscious effort to make decisions in life that will make
you happy. I think that's vague enough. Steve: I have some of
my happiest times hanging out with my friends, who all have great senses
of humor. We were going to start our own corporation at one point and
we've had plans to write a screenplay for years now with all our ides,
but of course we're collectively lazy, if not individually. Estelle:
i have read about a 1000 articles 
on 1000 ways to be happy. i don't know. i
read something today actually that was in some cheesy magazine. it
said.."pick out everything that is blue in your line of vision. memorize
what those things are and where they are. do it now. now, close your
eyes and tell me all the red things you saw. you can't do it because you
were only focusing on finding the blue. same in life..focus on other
things, things that you're glad you have." k: You know what are
You looking for? Dan: In love, I've already found it (my new wife
Heather!). In lifelong happiness, again, I'd love to be the
owner of a successful record shop. Someday, perhaps! Josh: Uh,
happiness. Steve: I wish I did, but there are so many ways of
life out there now I know I'll find happiness wherever I go. My
long-term goal is to move to the west coast, possibly near San
Fransisco.. Estelle: i'm looking for what everyone else is
looking for... plus an affordable piano. k: How will you spent
this summer? Dan: working constantly. Josh: Summer band!
My friend Roy (from Crush 22) and I are going to be
something band related this summer. We don't know what the alignment
will be right now. I'd like to play guitar and have my girlfriend play
drums but it depends. Other than that not much, working, going to the
springs, swimming, kayaking and playing soccer (or football to the rest
of the world) on my team. Steve: Summer so far: Work, hang out
with friends, watch the Daily Show or The Simpsons/Futurama
(we don't watch much TV, but those ceremoniously), play frisbee out in
front if my house, play my Rhodes electric piano, work on songs. I
think the purchase of the monolithic Rhodes piano that takes up the
center of my room (I share a house) pretty well marks my Summer 2000.
I'd been looking for one for several years. Estelle: writing and
sending songs to the band in florida and exploring california.
I asked to Dan to talk me briefly about his Clairecords,
a label/mailorder focusing overall on shoeagaze (My Bloody Valentine
are on the top of quotes), featuring interesting bands as Isobella for
example, or also right his soloist project called Clarify,
a sort of noise-space pop recorded in his bedroom. Dan: well, we
(Heather and I) are planning to take it as far as it will go. It
would be my ultimate goal to make my living doing the label and
mailorder. The label's goal is to release as much music by the bands we
love as we possibly can. As it always has been.
-k-- I asked Them if They will ever
come downhere in italy for a gig, and everyone answered me not to rule
it out completely, but problems are always the self same for every band,
that is, $$$.
Discographia: cd: brittle star (10tx) - (shelflife rec); compilation: you make me smile (shelflife rec) - 18 ways to get back home (jetboy) - yearbook '98 (claire de leon!). Info: www.brittlestars.org - www.mp3.com/brittlestars (diversi mp3 gratis) - brittlestars@clairecords.com - clairecords po box 61495 jacksonville fl 32236 usa __ interview by paolo miceli, between 5th and 9th july o0, taken from komakino'zine #5, sept 'o0
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