k: Ok, first of all, can you introduce Mahogany to
someone who has never heard anything about You? Andrew: We're an
electronic-based music group, writing pop songs using drum machines,
guitars, singing, synthesizers, cello, and other instruments too. k:
Do You have a kind of recurring image to describe figurately Mahogany's
music? For me, your music sounds extremly oneric, blissed-out, - it's
like Shakespeare's Ophelia in the river with all flowers
around (but she's singing ^_^), - my sister has got a John Mi
llais'
print (about 1850), and i don't know why, - but i used to put these two
impressions together, - perfect Music for reading or just dreaming. Andrew:
When I work on the music I think of lots of different things, but they
always somehow relate to one another. I've been more and more fascinated
by cities, trains, and architecture over the past few years, but I
always think of pre-war painting and design, by artists like Frantisek Kupka, Theo van Doesburg, Maholy-Nagy, Sonia Delaunay, Rodchenko + Stepanova,
and others too, like the Futurists and Synchromists. k: Do You
think Mahogany
play happy music? According to you, what does characterize your music? Andrew:
I think the music we do has associations of all kinds. I wouldn't want
to focus on just one kind of emotion. Working on music, for me, is like a
distillation or synthesis of everything I experience, so everything I
go through affects what it might sound like. k: What have Mahogany been
doing recently? Any new releases? Andrew: The last six months
there's been some new releases. We just did a song, "Accelerations," and
the cover design for the latest 'Little Darla' compilation (vol. 18). There's a compilation
tribute CD to OMD [Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark -
k's note] called "Pretending to See the Future" that we
worked on, for Shelflife
Records-- we covered "Bunker Soldiers", did the cover design, and did
production for some other bands on that disc. Shelflife also released a
children's book called 'One', and we contributed a song ("Sophie
Taueber-Arp") for the CD included with the book. Auburn Lull
just put out a new 7" on Zeal Records in Belgium, and I did production and
artwork for that; the reissue of their album 'Alone I Admire' has just
been released on Darla
Records. We also produced projects and artwork for two new bands, an
album for a UK group called Saloon, and a 7" for a duo from the US called Kanda. Lorraine
also lent her voice to her friend Jon DeRosa's project Aarktica;
that record is part of the Bliss Out series on Darla. The Kanda record,
"Dormitory Heartbreaks" is out on 555, and the Saloon album will
be coming out in April. This last year was fun and busy (those seem to
go hand-in-hand). I like working on different projects-- some who don't
necessarily sound similar to Mahogany, and some who do.
k: [!!!! greetings!] Tell me about "Sophie
Taueber-Arp" song, it's an interesting story. What's been the approach
with the children-sphere? Andrew: The "One" book is by Jill Bliss, who
runs Shelflife
Records with Ed Mazzucco. "One" is a children's story that talks
about the evolution of a city. Jill also put together a CD of Shelflife bands--
it comes along with the book, so you can listen + read... I think Jill
felt that we fit in with the idea of the book-- maybe because of the
theme of construction and architecture. I really admire Jill's
work. We had talked a few times about the nature of cities; she's got a
lot of really great ideas regarding urban development and I came out of
those conversations with a lot of respect for what she's doing. So I
borrowed Ed's drum machine and wrote a song with it for the
compilation. I was very happy to be asked to contribute. k: I
read Allysa left the band to continue her studies in sculpture.
But that was in 98, - now what is she doing? Another band? And how has
the sound changed with her leaving? (You know, at moment i know Mahogany's
music only referring to the two discs i have). Andrew: Allysa
works at the Miami Art Museum; she's involved with the curatorial end
of things there. I think the sound has changed gradually over time, as
it should-- I don't think it has to do with any one person entering or
leaving the band. k: Then Allysa is not more involved in
any other music project? Doesn't She miss playing Music? Are You still
in touch? Andrew: Yes; I don't think she's working on music;
she's really involved with the museum. k: [what a pity..] Does Lorraine
sing on past songs too? (i mean, where once it was Allysa at
vocals) Andrew: Yes, and I sing on parts Lorraine once
sang; when Jason Kolb (from Auburn Lull) plays with us, he'll sometimes play
the parts I usually play on guitar. My sister Marissa is on a
few of the Mahogany
records as well. So we're always trying things out differently, to see
if it'll work better. k: I read about the John Peel show
in the UK, - what are Your memories about, is there a record of it
somewhere? Did You play any other live show in Europe? Andrew: We
did a 3-week tour of England & Scotland in the summer of 2000,
right before the album came out, and that was great. We played almost
all of those shows with our friends in Saloon, and it
went well. Some of our records have been played on Peel, and
people in the UK have been kind enough to tape those shows for us. It's
definitely an honor. (!) k: Can you remember why you chose to
learn an instrument and put together a group? Andrew: My mother's
side of the family has a long tradition of music, math, and tinkering.
My grandfather was a violinist and inventor, and my great-grandfather, a
guitarist and mathematician-- so there's a feeling of ancestry, like
I'm a part of this interesting little lineage. My parents were always
very supportive of us learning music as children, also drawing, building
things, so I think that wanting to put together a group comes out of
that. When we were kids, there was always some project going on in the
house! My mother often says that my brother, sister and I have a knack
for music, but I think she really instilled it in us. k: Forgive
the question - can you live on Mahogany's income, or do you have a job? Andrew:
No, I don't think I'd ever want to live off the music. If money comes
in from the music, we put back into instruments or equipment for the
studio. I work in graphic design, which I enjoy a lot-- it feeds into
the music. I like finding the equivalents between the two. k:
What bands do you listen to? I read you have a background in classical
music. Andrew: I've had a large interest in Factory Records since
I was about 13 or so. I have a great love for bands like Section 25, Crispy Ambulance, and the Wake, as well as Joy Division/New Order.
I'm fascinated by just about everything produced by Martin Hannett,
too. I grew up playing piano, cello and bass, an
d
was in the composition program for a while at my university before
going into graphic design. I was very much set on playing classical
music for years. I've always loved Debussy, Ravel, Shostakovich, Crumb -- mostly 20th century work, but not all
in the same vein; I very much admire Gyorgy Ligeti, Pierre Schaeffer, and Steve Reich. And
the bossa nova sound-- Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao and Astrud Gilberto.
k: Do you know any italian bands? Andrew: No, but Italian
soundtrack records from the '60s are very popular here in the US.
There's a few labels who have been putting out collections of them for
some time now. k: What's your favorite movie? [in case you have
one] Andrew: This is such a difficult question. My first impulse
is to say "2001" [by Kubrick, k's note], but I saw "Pandora's Box"
again the other night, and Louise Brooks is so beautiful. (!) "Two or Three
Things I Know About Her" [by Jean Luc Godard - ndk] is
a favorite of mine as well. k: Will you ever stop playing music?
(hopefully you won't!) Andrew: No. :)
_________________________________________
Mp3's and get in touch: www.mp3.com/mahogany [update 'o6: mahogany.nu]
Interview featured on komakino#1o, march 'o2, by p.m.
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