Jared
Artaud (guitars, vocals, lyrics) and Brian MacFadyen (electronics,
vocals, drums)
By Samuel Quinn
Vacant
Lots are back on tour, best of all they are back in Portugal.
They are as complex as a five-piece band could be, except they're a duo with very special skills able to produce noisy, dark dancing rock, chaotic atmospheres as dual as themselves, with powerful beats and great riffs. They've worked with some amazing musicians like Sonic Boom or Anthon Newcombe, or even Alan Vega, and that is not exactly a coincidence or something that happened by chance, it's somehow the universe recognizing they're ability to create and opening up to them and by consequence to all of us. So if you like to dance to the sound of guitars and powerful drums, don't even think of missing this.
It will be next Friday evening, the 14th of June, in Lisbon, at Sabotage Club, don't miss it for all the sardines in the world, but before that take a peek at the interview with Jared and Brian, discover what else they've been up too, and specially go and discover all the great songs from The Vacant Lots.
They are as complex as a five-piece band could be, except they're a duo with very special skills able to produce noisy, dark dancing rock, chaotic atmospheres as dual as themselves, with powerful beats and great riffs. They've worked with some amazing musicians like Sonic Boom or Anthon Newcombe, or even Alan Vega, and that is not exactly a coincidence or something that happened by chance, it's somehow the universe recognizing they're ability to create and opening up to them and by consequence to all of us. So if you like to dance to the sound of guitars and powerful drums, don't even think of missing this.
It will be next Friday evening, the 14th of June, in Lisbon, at Sabotage Club, don't miss it for all the sardines in the world, but before that take a peek at the interview with Jared and Brian, discover what else they've been up too, and specially go and discover all the great songs from The Vacant Lots.
THE
VACANT LOTS - "Suicide Note" (Vocals by Alan Vega) OFFICIAL
VIDEO
Songs
to Nowhere – How did the two of you knew each other and assembled
Vacant Lots?
Jared
- We met in Burlington, Vermont when we both used to live there.
Songs
to Nowhere – Why this name, Vacant Lots?
Jared
- To fill a void. And I like the duality of it.
Songs
to Nowhere - “Endless Night” is a reference to New
York? If so in which way do you feel influenced by New York? I ask
this specifically because as I look to your artwork it makes so much
sense, knowing you're from New York...it evokes the skyscrapers but
at the same time all the loneliness that comes within being
surrounded by strangers…
Jared
- I like that but it isn't that direct. It runs deeper than one
city. There is no doubt that NYC inspires me, but Endless Night is
about something more universal and infinite.
Mad Mary Jones - Departure - 2014
Songs
to Nowhere – You’ve got some very cool participations, do you
enjoy giving your own vision and sense to songs of others? like
the one in Psych-Out Christmas with “No More Christmas Blues” a
Suicide cover, Why did you choose this song?
Jared
- We didn't know what other song to do and we discovered the
ZE Christmas LP and that Suicide song was on there, so we said let's do
that one. It's a great song and we wanted to reinterpretat it and rev
it up. We send that song to Alan Vega after it was released and that
was how we met him. He liked our version and invited us over to his
apartment to meet us.
Songs
to Nowhere - Another great version you have is She Smiled Sweetly on
the compilation Stoned – Psych Versions of the Rolling Stones, Why
did you choose this song to feature here?
Jared
-We
were asked to be on this Stones cover album and we didn't know which
song to do. So I asked Sonic Boom which song and he said "You
should do a Vacant Lots version of "She Smilled Sweetly".
The money we got from doing this song we used to record our second
album.
No
More Christmas Blues - Vacant Lots, Suicide cover for Psych-Out
Christmas - 2015
Songs
to Nowhere – All your artwork seems to take us into a parallel
universe, do you try to reproduce this optical illusion in your
shows?
Jared
- Yeah, through the music.
Songs
To Nowhere – Your EP Berlin from 2016 had a very close
collaboration of Anton Newcombe, Could tell us a bit more about it?
Jared
- It came about spontaneously. A week before we left for tour I knew we had a
couple days off in Berlin so I invited Anton out to dinner and he
said "Fuck that, let's make a record, come ready with your
ideas." So we hustled to writte some songs and ideas for that
recording session. That was one of my favorite recording sessions
ever.
Songs
To Nowhere – You’ve been having great collaborations since the
beginning like Peter Kember (aka Spacemen 3’s Sonic Boom). He mixed
and mastered “Departure” – what was it like working with
him?
Jared
- Educational and inspiring, Sonic's an architect of sound. We
learned so much from working with him. He continues to be a
mentor to us wich we are really grateful for. I think something we
share artistically is the idea of minimalism in music and making the
most out of the fewest elements possible.
Songs
To Nowhere – You are returning now to Europe after a few months
away, do you notice differences between the audiences in the US and
Europe, or even the rest of the world?
Jared
- People dance more in Europe.
Songs
to Nowhere – I read that Jared has a poetry book, Empty Space and
that Brian has his own signature TVL Fuzz Pedal, can you both tell us
a bit about these other parts of your creativity becoming something
concrete?
Jared
- I started writting poetry before I picked up the guittar. I got
into rock n'roll from the idea of combining poetry with music and
things started to form from there. I have two books out "Empty
Space" and "Tomorrow". I just finished writing my
third book.
Brian
- I got into electronics in my late teens and fell in love with
analog circuitry. What began as a hobby turned into a degree and I've
continued to work on new audio circuits that are informed by the past
but incorporate new configurations. I plan to have a few new
pedals built for the upcoming european tour.
Songs
To Nowhere – Your third album is also having the magical touch of
Anton Newcomb, what boundaries did you try to push this time? Ask
this because I read that one of the things you enjoyed about working
with Anton was that he always pushes you a bit further….
Jared
- It's not our third album, It's our second EP we made with Anton. Anton pushes you to take
risks to take your music further. It's almost like he has this
endless creative energy he taps into. You want to work with a
producer that can bring things out of you you can't do on your own.
When Brian and I work on music we are always working within the
limitations of what two people can do with sound. Anton brings his
own vision to the mix and it adds a new element to the Vacant Lots
that only Anton can bring.
Jared Artaud
Songs
to Nowhere - Where did you learn to play? Did you have lessons
or anything like that?
Jared
- I taught myself how to play guitar. I had a couple guitar
lessons were I asked to learn the chords of "I'm Waiting For the
Man" by The Velvet Underground and "Satisfaction" by The
Rolling Stones. They both share that Bo Diddley E chord that I love.
I never wanted to learn music academically, I just wanted to follow
my intuition and instincts. I learned the theory later on, but it's
the patterns I'm after.
Brian
- There was an older guy who lived across the street from me growing
up who was an excellent drummer and taught me a lot. He showed me a lot
of latin grooves that I really internalized. I love the power and
syncopation that they are known for - qualities that would seem to
work at cross purposes but in fact reinforce each other.
Songs
to Nowhere - How did you buy your first gear?
Jared
- When I was 18 I sold my truck to buy a Gretsch Country Gentleman.
That's when shit got real & it all started for me.
Brian
- Most things I just got second hand at local shops or through
friends. I started it to get into building gear because I got sick of
paying for it.
Songs
to Nowhere - Can you tell us how was your first rehearsal?
Brian
- It was in my parents basement, I was still in high scholl and we
first played with a third musician. It took only an hour or two to
determine the real connection was between the two of us. It was a duo
from then on.
The
Vacant Lots - Never Satisfied (Anton Newcombe Remix)
Songs
to Nowhere - How did you got acquainted with your current
label?
Jared
- Anton has his own label A Recordings and he releases the albuns
that he produces.
Songs
to Nowhere - If you could time travel, were would you like to
go see a show or play?
Jared
- Detroit to see the Stooges in the late 60's or New York City
to see Albert Ayler.
Songs
To Nowhere – You’ve played in Portugal before, what’s your best
recollection from it?
Jared
- I always enjoy coming to Portugal, the cities are built to wander
through and you're never far from excellent food and wine. We tend to
meet a lot of inspiring people there and the shows are always special
because of it.
Bells
- Exit EP
Songs
to Nowhere – You have new songs, Bells was released May 6th,
can we expect to listen some more of your new songs on the upcoming
shows?
Jared
- Yes, it's the first song from our new Exit EP with Anton
Newcombe out soon.
Brian
- We will be playing a few songs from the EP, as well as a slightly
reworked versions of a couple setlist standbys.
Songs
to Nowhere – The last word is yours!
Jared
- Obrigado!
Interview by Isabel Maria
Interview by Isabel Maria
Sem comentários:
Enviar um comentário