Danger
And why it's time to bring it back.
Playing it cool is not an option for me these days. It’s hot as shit in Vienna, it’s seldomly worth it anyhow, and oftentimes it can prevent you from experiencing the things you so wish to.
So when the opportunity presented itself to meet and interview an artist that I’ve been an admirer of for a good decade, I knew I had to bring it, my passion, my questions, my humility, and bring it all, even when it’s kind of embarrassing. I’m talking about St. Vincent of course, which if you know anything about me, my music or my tastes, you know is one of the artists that have shaped me like no other. And strangely, when you spend a lot of time with someone’s music, they don’t feel like a stranger to you, on the other side of the coin, meeting fans never really feels like meeting strangers either. When you put into your work honest to god observations and catalysts of your true life experience, your true life’s work, the danger of it is to be known by anyone who listens with true intent. Sure, you aestheticise, you poeticise, but it is you.
That’s what makes it fun, as does unpredictability, and passion, as St. Vincent lets me know throughout our conversation, we used to be bound by the things we loved instead of the things we hated, and it’s time we bring that back. Both being hardcore kids growing up, we agree by the end of the conversation that it’s time to bring music back in a big way, it’s time to bring danger back, and it’s time to bring back that element of danger in music. We’re not talking Mayhem, we’re not talking GG Allin, we’re talking about what is dangerous right now to the status quo, what flips expectations on its head. A conversation that went many places, and letting me gush and interrupt with excitement, St. Vincent was the most gracious interview partner. We talk production and mixing, migraines and Steely Dan. Later in the day, I would find out that her idea of implementing danger into her show would be explicit gayness with every butch in the front row (and bless her for this), and to hand me her guitar with the words ,,just fucking play’’ during All Born Screaming.
Writing and chipping away at my record, as I have been for months, the days and weeks bleed into each other, embedding experiences, feelings, sights and scents into every decision made in every mix. Some songs are brute sketches between scenes of a life lived, other songs carefully crafted and beautiful oil paintings, and some blurry photographs taken as if a crime scene. The week I met St. Vincent, played her guitar and saw Nine Inch Nails and Justice while temperatures beyond the 35 Celsius were boiling Vienna alive will stay with me a tiny golden statuette in my pocket, unimpressed by heat or cold.
Making way for an artist who has become almost routined in braving the dangers of being who you truly are, and putting that foot down in your music, this week’s edition of the Pop Shop focusses heavily on Mavi Phoenix and his new record Drama Cowboy, which I was lucky to work on in small bits as well.
Things that are worth gatekeeping
Honestly? Almost all the info I’ve given you above about that meeting seemed too private and precious to divulge.
But you, dear reader, are privy to these things, and that is dedication that is stronger than black motorcycle boots in JulyLesbian code.
As all things that seek integration into this perverted state we call societal normalcy, lesbians and their culture are seemingly up for grabs, as hankies and carabiners hang from everyone’s idiot brothers’ Levi’s shorts. Time to come up with your own culture perhaps?
Things that are not worth gatekeeping
This absolutely harrowing, intense, innovative story I’m reading.
Cue the corresponding Deafheaven song if you’re so inclinedMy favorite women’s soccer team in these Euros.
Wales, I’ll love and miss you forever, and we’ll see each other at the World Cup!