Uma das mais esperadas e demoradas entrevistas a serem publicadas no TBTCI certamente foi a dos prediletos do Pink Playground.
Meses de conversas, entre projetos e outros afazeres, eis que enfim chegou o momento de James e Tara finalmente debutarem nas páginas do TBTCI.
E o orgulho deste que vos escreve vai além, mesmo porque Destination Ecstasy é uma dos meus álbuns prediletos desta revitalização do shoegazer. É óbvio a influência e referência ao MBV, mas o Pink Playground não fica apenas na mera cópia. James e Tara incluem elementos de mais de cinco décadas de bons sons não somente no já citado e sublime Destination Ecstasy, mas em seus materias anteriores e na última pérola disponível na página deles no bandcamp e inclusa no meio de uma pergunta e outra no decorrer da entrevista que vem abaixo, trata-se da magnífica Lavandula Rough que dá o aperitivo do que vem pela frente.
Amigos, degustem o maravilhoso Pink Playground.
Ps - dedicado ao amigo Henrique Vargas, aniversariante de hoje.
***** Interview with Pink Playground *****
Q. When did Pink Playground starts, tell us about the history...
James: Pink Playground (publicly) started around 2006/2007 after we finally settled on our name and went through the final line up change. We were working on a lot of the same songs for quite awhile in previous incarnations but we didn’t put much out there or share much online for a very long time. The few people that took notice are mostly the people who put out our early recordings etc. Technically Pink Playground (officially) started a few years after meeting each other…as far as the the seed being planted and us working on our art through the years. Sometime around 1996/1997 I believe. I have a pretty bad memory sometimes…especially when it comes to times, places and names! Smoked too much I guess….
Q: Who are your influences?
James: SOME of our shared core MUSICAL influences (old and neu) in some what alphabetic order: 5th Dimension, Patrick Adam’s productions notably Musique, Amon Düül I & II, Ash Ra Tempel, Asylum Party, Syd Barrett & Syd’s Floyd, John Barry, Burt Bacharach, CAN/Inner Space etc, The Chocolate Watchband, Creed/Edge period Chrome, Cocteau Twins, Serge Gainsbourg, Francis Lai, Giorgio Moroder, My Bloody Valentine, Neu!, Pink Industry, Polvo, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Glenn Branca, Early/Mid Sonic Youth, Donna Summer, Tangerine Dream, Dionne Warwick,Yellow Magic Orchestra….and really just a ton of psyche, proto-punk, yé-yé, krautrock, soul/funk/disco, dub, punk, post-punk, synth pop, and straight up pop music through the decades. We are pretty ravenous with our musical consumption in general! My general problem is getting out of the past….
....SOME of my personal current/all time favorite songs and definite influences are:
(in no order of course..I prefer NOT to play favorites with my children!)
The Archies “Sugar, Sugar”, Brigitte Bardot & Serge Gainsbourg “Je T'Aime...Moi Non Plus (1967 Original Version)”, Francis Lai “Bozo Barrett”, My Bloody Valentine “I Believe”, Donna Summer “Try Me, I know We Can Make It”, Holzer & Kamura “Pure Love”, Yellow Magic Orchestra "Tong Poo”, Musique “Keep On Jumpin”, Ozo "Nite Of The Black Mamba (Nigeria 1980 Version)”, Andrea True Connection “More, More, More”, Angie Bee "Plastic Doll", Fantastic Soul Invention "Double Action”, The T-Bones "Moment Of Softness”, Goody Goody "It Looks Like Love”, Peter Sylvera "Lady Samba”, Gerhard Heinz "Isle of Lesbos”, Sylvia Robinson “Pillow Talk”, Al Green "Let's Stay Together”, The 5th Dimension "Aquarius", Xinlisupreme "Murder Licence”, Les Rallizes Dénudés "Night Of The Assassins”, Tame Impala "Apocalypse Dreams”, Pink Industry "Don't Let Go" Remix, Lio "Le Banana Split (Long Disco Version)”, Comet "Cometen Zauber”, YMO feat.Mari Nakamoto " Lover Come Back To Me” ….just to name a few! Better stop now!!!!!!
Tara:
Chrome - Dreaming in Sequence
Mew - A Triumph For Man
The Only Ones - Remains
MBV - Isn’t Anything
Polvo - This Eclipse
James: My all time top 5 favorite albums/comps would probably be (in no order and never in stone) :
Syd Barrett “Barrett”,
CAN “Soundtracks”,
My Bloody Valentine “Isn’t Anything”,
Amon Düül II “Yeti”,
Serge Gainsbourg “Les Années Psychédéliques: 1966 - 1971”.
Q. How do you fell playing live?
Tara: Well, I like to play live, even though I am intensely shy, and anxiety prone. It was a lot easier to do when there were four of us to get up and go. There are a few other circumstances that make it difficult for us to perform, other responsibilities that take precedence. Not to mention limited funds (I’m sure we could all use more of that!) but lately we use the little we have to invest and upgrade our home studio/set up. I would like to eventually perform for our listeners, once we feel confident enough in the quality and delivery of our sound live. Maybe do a few shows here and there in future.
James: Dehydrated, a little nervous and a bit stressed out. I prefer to only play art galleries, house parties and non traditional venues. 60’s ‘happening’ mentality etc..Its art not entertainment kind of thing.
Q. How do you describe Pink Playground´s sounds?
Tara: ….Feelings.
James: I try and never. I don’t like the idea of persuading the listener….I just prefer people to trust their own ears and make up their own mind.
That being said when I have to tell people when they ask I say that pink playground is “Upbeat, dreamy pop/rock music that is a little off and fucked up”. That’s my best description. In my mind eye its deep dreamy romantic noisy psychedelic punk rock?!?!?!
Most online journalism tags us as shoegaze…which I can’t totally knock since they are only basing it on the smallest fragment of what we have done…but honestly we are not big fans of the genre and really only listen to the usual suspects: MBV, Slowdive, Lush……when we actually do. MBV is the one I really care about mostly….and I actually don’t see them as shoegaze anyways! Hahaha…Bending notes will pigeonhole you absolutely…its ok though ;) because as time passes that’ll change indefinitely!
Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs ?
Tara: Tedious, its really not that interesting, kind of a pain in the ass. Recording is usually a technical sundae of experimenting, hours upon hours of takes and or retakes, sweat and tears. There hasn’t been any blood yet but I think i have epicondylitis in both my elbows. All from the comfort of home.
James: I actually love/hate the recording process! From my first 4 track to our current DAW. What I don’t like is being poor and not being able to use the tools that I would like to accomplish the things bouncing around in my head. Part of this is experience…so I’m pretty secure in the ideal ‘use what you got to get what you want’ etc. Not ready for that expensive gear…time and place etc. Anyways I’ve always been pretty free in the studio. I get turned on by experiments and plugging things where they are not supposed to go etc. I’d like to be more skilled at the craft of recording but in the end it’s more for the fun of it and the experience that comes with it…for me personally.
I’d love to have no responsibilities and only live in the studio…but the truth is the obstacles make it happen…I’d procrastinate for an eternity if all I could is make art all day and not worry about anything else! To quote Andy Warhol (and I should take the advice personally): “Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”
Anyways the actual process; when we are working together; it’s usually us getting into the studio and jamming until we have something we like and then I’ll work on the beat and set the tempo…record the skeleton and then we will build the song from there. I totally prefer to song write outside of the studio and really flesh it out first though! About to buy another acoustic guitar so we can do just that ;) In the last few years Tara has become more prolific in the studio (alone) so maybe she’s feeling a little burned out in that department?
Q. Which new bands do you recommended?
Neu! : Two One Six (Daniel Srungaram ~ Houston,TX) URL: https://soundcloud.com/216 , Au.ra (Tom Crandles [of Colours] & Tim Jenkins ~ Australia/England) URL: https://soundcloud.com/au-ra-sounds , Lavender Blush (Ryan Lescure ~ San Francisco,CA) URL: https://www.facebook.com/lavenderblushSF .
Been around for a minute ;) : Xinlisupreme (Kumamoto,Japan) URL: http://xinlisupreme.com/ , The History of Colour Tv (Berlin,Germany) URL : http://www.thehistoryofcolourtv.com/ , Silent Servant/Sandra Electronics (Juan Mendez ~ Los Angeles, CA) URL: https://soundcloud.com/silentservant ,
Future Blondes (Domokos ~ Houston/Austin,Tx) URL: https://soundcloud.com/future-blondes-0-0-0-0 .
Q: Which bands you love to made a cover version?
Tara: On a whim probably “Say You’re Sorry” by Mew, even though I think that one is perfect the way it is. Although in the past we have done covers of John Barry, Joy Division, Syd Barrett, Strawberry Switchblade, The Cure and MBV to name a few.
James: I’m actually still working on/will release one day “Dominoes” by one of my favs Syd Barrett. We generally get bored with covers quickly and never usually commit to recording other’s artists songs…some make their way through though. I’m very strict with the idea that a good songs should never be covered…but in the end you should just do what makes you happy and it’s whatever floats your boat…you know! I’ve actually always had this weird fascination with re-doing “Heartbreaker” by Dionne Warwick since my early teens. Trust me it would be all kinds of fucked up by the time we get done with it! Hahaha!
Q: What´s the plans for future....
Tara: Although we have been having a lot of intense life ordeals we are finally starting to work working on recording. So hopefully new release soon.
James: YES!!! New records, tapes, shirts? and whatever else we feel like/complete. Finishing the work is always the plan….till the day we die!!!!!! Next up is the still planned “Pink Love” Cs Ep on FLA in a short small run then on to the bigger picture stuff yada yada.
Q: Any parting words?
Tara: Thank you Renato, for your patience with this sorry it took so long. I am so happy to be a part of your blog. Thank you Pink Playground fans for support and faith. - Love Tara
James: Thanks for thinking about us for the interview Renato, sorry for the delay, and thanks a million for your patience!….Oh and we’d love to visit the beautiful Brazil one day….of course! ;)
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Thanks
https://soundcloud.com/pink-playground
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pink-Playground
http://freelovinganarchists.blogspot.com.br/
https://pinkplayground.bandcamp.com
