At Staircase - September 9, 2003
Teenage Girls are actually four uber-cool guys based in Philadelphia, Bob (vox), Buhler (bass), Mike (guitar), and Gene (drums). Bob did an email interview with us about the scene in Philadelphia, what gets in the way of his/the band's goals, and some odds and ends.
What is your take on the scene in Philadelphia? Do you find it welcoming to artists?
The idea of a unified Philadelphia scene is a myth. What Philly seems to have are three or four separate and completely isolated faux scenes. All of these so called "scenes" generally revolve around a specific venue or venues. The Grape Street Pub tends to cater to original rock bands that focus on song writing and professionalism. I use the term rock when speaking of GSP generically, as the club houses many varying hybrids of the rock genre. GSP is considered by many the most welcoming of the venues in the Philly area, even though it does not exist in Philly proper.
I'd ramble on about the other scenes but why bother? I find them to be very exclusionary and generally suffering from the American ailment of an over inflated sense of self-worth.
Now the people of Philly are very welcoming. It's one of the few cities where the girls and their boyfriends still understand that Coke and Whores are mainstays of rock. Philly is very giving.
Favourite local bands/venues/zines/stores?
My favorite venues are the Grape Street Pub, the Trocadero and the TLA.
My favorite bands in Philly are Metroplex and Kitty Kat Dirt Nap. My favorite locals in NYC are Imaginary Bill, Black Cat Revolver, Mr. North and The Giraffes.
I don't read local zines. However, to keep appraised of what is happening in Philadelphia I generally read Origivation.
My favorite record store hands down is Viking Disc on South Street. Nicky the Bat, sole proprietor of the joint, is a hardcore legend.
At Staircase - September 9, 2003
Being independent, how important do you think it is to be aggressive (in terms of selling CDs and merchandise, booking shows, etc)?
Aggressive? I don't believe in being aggressive with sales. If your product is good people will buy it. The music should stand on its own without a fevered sales pitch.
Do you think it is possible to achieve some kind of success and still stay independent?
Of course it's possible. However, why would one want to stay independent and have to peddle their material when a major can do the work for you and you can collect royalty checks while sitting on the beach sipping a martini with three super models who are so hopped up on crystal meth that they think you're the next Sinatra? I mean the American dream is to have other people do your work for you while you relax. I just want to write, perform and engage in debauchery. Sadly, the independent scene doesn't offer that lifestyle.
Are you looking for label support?
Every band is looking for label support. Those that say they aren't are pretentious wanks who need a good buggering to clear their heads.
What are you looking for in a label?
The same thing I'm looking for in all of my relationships, a partnership. I don't need much from a label. Nothing more than opportunity to deliver our brand of rock, our "ism" if you will to Western Culture. We're debaucherous enough to appeal to the herd and intellectual enough to appeal to the lonely brooding elitists with braces hiding in their bedrooms sobbing along to the Smiths "How Soon Is Now." Quite honestly I am a star! It will take but a small marketing initiative to introduce the world to this fact. I guess in the end I'm looking for the label that has the balls to start to my revolution and then sit back at my right hand and reap the rewards of its intestinal fortitude.
What are your goals within the band/what do you hope to achieve with the band?
My goal is to entertain, debase and enlighten the herd, to prove that Zarathustra was an idiot and to add real personality to what has become a very bland pop music industry.
What obstacles (if any) do you find get in the way of touring? Or of the band in general?
The main obstacle is that the industry is currently reeling from its years of poor decision making. As such, labels are loathe to take a chance on a new sound that hasn't already "tested" well. Further, public opinion is spoonfed, hence the popularity of cover bands. Let's face it, cover bands are bottom feeders and yet, because they regurgitate what people already know, and don't displace the public comfort zone, they are often revered by people longing for something, obviously anything, to adore. Let's be honest, Teenage Girls embody all that is to be adored.
Grape Street Pub - October 7, 2003
How is song writing handled within the band? Musically? Lyrically?
Basically I come to the band with a chord progression, melody, lyrics and a thumbnail sketch of how I would like the song arranged. The band then works forward from that point. We constantly re-write and re-arrange our songs.
What kind of priority is given to things like CD covers/posters/photos and other artwork that is used to promote the band?
Sadly, we don't pay enough attention to our marketing efforts, other than the name of the band. We're trying to rectify that problem now because, sadly, image is everything these days.
Tell me about your experiences recording. Did you find it easier the second or third time in the studio?
Recording is easy. However, finding the right engineer and producer to capture your sound is very difficult. Bands should really shop around for somebody that understands what they do. Our biggest mistake in recording was working with people that we could name drop or who were reputable for working with other larger bands. We didn't realize that many people in the industry get their breaks not because of their work ethic or talent but because a friend or family member landed them a gig or they stumbled into something blindly that just happened to work out. We are currently in the process of working with multiple producers in an attempt to find the right fit for our sound.
Playlist (5 songs you're listening to now)
1. Armor For Sleep - Dream To Make Believe
2. Metroplex - Monday Morning
3. The Smiths - I Keep Mine Hidden
4. Chokebore - Sunshine of My Life
5. Say Anything - Woe
6. Saosin - They Perched On Their Stilts, Pointing and Daring Me To Break
7. Hey Mercedes - Knowing When To Stop
8. Shellac - A Prayer
9. Taking Back Sunday - Some new unreleased material a friend of theirs slipped to me (their second record is going to be even better than the first)
10. Matchbook Romance - Playing For Keeps