12/24/2007
Exclusive Interview With Philadelphia's Pop Astronauts, GANG!
l to r: Amanda, Nicole, Tim and Jaclyn
Philadelphia definitely has its share of weird and interesting bands. The hip-hop meets electro meets opera meets space disco group known as GANG, may be one of the most interesting. Made up of four friends; Amanda (vocals), Jaclyn (Glockenspiel, Vocals, Percussion), Nicole (Bass, Keyboards) and Tim (Drums), their live shows are high-energy, choreographed mini-spectacles that feel like pep rallies in outer-space.
I recently caught up with the band, at a gig in Philadelphia, and proceeded to pick their brains about aliens, influences and the future of the band...
So first off, great set, I really enjoyed it! I love the choreography aspect! How did you guys come together as a band?
Tim: Thanks! GANG was essentially born on MySpace. Nicole and I were making music and beats as The Big Kids. Amanda and Jacklyn were putting together songs on their own and they asked Nicole and I to put some beats to their songs...so we did...and it just went from there.
So do you two (to Nicole and Tim) primarily write the songs?
Jaclyn: We all do. Amanda and I do the choreography and Nicole and Tim let us know if it sucks.
GANG live in Brooklyn
Haha, nice. Yea it is definitely a really fun, entertaining show. It's pretty intense. Tell me about the name, are you trying to evoke a certain level of toughness?
Amanda: Haha, do we come off that way?
(sarcastically) I was very intimidated.
Jaclyn: Well, in the dictionary the word is defined as: a group of youngsters or adolescents who associate closely, often exclusively, for social reasons, esp. such a group engaging in delinquent behavior. So, that pretty much sums us up.
Perhaps if you doubled the name and called it GANG GANG it would be even more powerful...kind of like Duran Duran. Think about it. If they were just called Duran they probably wouldn't be as good.
Nicole: Yes, but unfortunately there is already a band who does that, Gang Gang Dance, so we should probably just stick to GANG.
Amanda: Yes, all in caps too. We wince when people write it in lowercase!
Yea it looks lame in lowercase (ex: gang...ew!) So who would you guys cite as major influences on the band?
Amanda: Well, after The Walrus turned me onto Klaus Nomi, I have been pretty obsessed with his music and his whole persona. I think I may be him, reincarnated.
Tim: Amanda weren't you born in 1983...the year that he died?
Amanda: Oh my god!
Haha. Yea that guy was really amazing! You definitely have a similar approach with your vocals. Did you catch the documentary Nomi Song?
Amanda: Three times! It's so great!
Nicole and Tim: Haha, we kind of fell asleep watching it...it was really late.
Jaclyn: Yea, I watched the first hour and Amanda filled me in on the rest. I definitely enjoyed what I saw though.
Amanda IS Klaus Nomi!
Well, I'm sure Amanda will provide you with many more opportunities to watch the whole thing. It's a fascinating documentary. If there were to be a documentary on GANG, who would you want to film it?
Amanda: Hmm, David Byrne? I think he would get us. Or maybe John Waters?
Tim: Yea I think John Waters would be perfect because of his whole weird persona but also because he is such a great filmmaker.
Amanda: David Byrne could definitely make it into an awesome Power-point show though.
Haha, yea he could! So your songs have a lot to do with space exploration and aliens. If aliens invaded tomorrow, and they asked you to play a set, what song would you lead off with and why?
Amanda: Probably "Past, Present, Future." I think it would speak to them, and after all, it is a true story.
Really? That is definitely my favorite GANG song. Have you guys ever seen the 80's film Explorers, where a group of kids build a spacecraft out of junk and go to outer-space after being contacted by aliens? Have you guys ever considered doing something like this?
Amanda: I'm not familiar with the movie, but yes we have done something similar. Unfortunately, it's sad and hard to talk about these days.
Tim: I sometimes have nightmares about it...
Yikes! So what do you guys do when you aren't creating music and contacting aliens?
Jacklyn: I'm a fashion designer and I make the GANG T-Shirts that we sell at shows.
Nicole: I enjoy photography very much. The GANG music video was really fun to direct.
Awesome! So what's next for the band?
Tim: We are going to release a free single, featuring the song "Earthquake."
Nicole: Yes and after that, we hope to do a full-length album.
That's great. I look forward to hearing that. I think your live shows are definitely where it's at. In terms of gigs, is there anywhere you guys hope to play in the future?
Jaclyn: A bigger place, with a bigger stage, so that I can run around more!
Amanda: A place with better acoustics.
Nicole: I'd love to open for Fischerspooner...or better yet, Peaches. I think we would be a great opener for her.
Yes! I agree. I'll have the Walrus get in contact with her people right away!
Nicole: Haha, thanks!!!
Well, guys that's about all I have for ya. Thanks for taking the time to sit down and talk with me.
GANG: Thank you, Michael! Thanks for coming out!
Add GANG to your MySpace Page so you can stay updated on upcoming shows. You can also purchase their EP at Hot Dog City Records.
Posted by Michael on 12/24/2007 2:43 PM in Electronic, Experimental, Interview, Local Music
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