Photographer Sterling Andrews Interview

I recently interviewed California based photographer Sterling Andrews about her most recent project, Gooseberries, for the Short & Sweet NYC blog and I wanted to share it. Gooseberries is a series of portraits taken of musicians in the local Silver Lake & Echo Park area along with hand painted backdrops and props, is about to be released as a limited edition set of 11”x11” prints along with a DVD of time-lapse videos and interviews through Eenie Meenie Records. The project features unique whimsical photos of bands such as the Silversun Pickups, Rogue Wave, and Great Northern and will be issued in LP packaging.


Gooseberries is such an interesting project that is truly multi-media from painting the set to photographing the bands and producing the stop motion short films- where did the idea come from? How about the name?

I began painting my own backdrops early last year. Something like that is actually pretty difficult to pitch to a band - when one hears 'backdrop,' one is apt to think of glamour shots or laser portraits or something - so I made a time lapse video and kept it on my iPod. When I approached someone with whom I wanted to work, I'd show them the video. The project was meant to draw attention to the process of creation as a driving force in all artists - which we so often forget when we’re tweaking and twisting and obsessing over the final product. There’s a short story by Chekhov in which a man discusses his uncle, who - after years of miserly living and dreaming of having a farm with gooseberry bushes - finally harvests a plateful of these bitter, yet somewhat bland berries. The story is a gorgeous way of illustrating that sometimes it isn’t the thing itself - rather, the idea of the thing - that truly drives us.

What was the process like in creating each one of these pieces? How long did it take?

I started with a color palette for each shoot. I knew I wanted Great Northern’s to be red and black. I knew I wanted Earlimart’s to be shades of blue. I knew that Afternoons ‘needed’ green with flecks of red. I don’t know why, but those colors just made sense - and in my mind there weren’t any other options. If Rogue Wave had told me that they wanted to be shot with purple and orange (I used yellow and black) I would have drawn a blank. Once the backdrop was painted, I'd build from there. Each shot in Gooseberries is the final product of about two days' work - one day of prep (painting took about 4-6 hours, dressing the set took an additional 4-8 hours, including shopping and driving around town to borrow or purchase props). All of the images were shot between May and August of 2008.

It’s great to see a photographer pick up a paintbrush- what is your background in fine art and photography? How different is this from your previous work?

I'd taken a few art classes while growing up, and worked for a friend of the family who was a trompe l'oeil artist when I was in my early teens. I also worked for a children's musical theatre company for a few years and painted many of the sets for the kids' productions. Painting was always something I liked doing, but I never thought of myself as an artist. It was sort of the same thing with photography; I didn't think of myself as a photographer until I realized I had boxes upon boxes of negatives and proofs in my closet and a camera with me at all times.

How much of a plan did you have going in to each shoot? How did you plan things? Were there any happy accidents?

I knew what I wanted from the beginning - it was just a matter of getting the right positioning and expressions. When I shot the Pity Party, I had originally imagined doing a sort of Lawrence of Arabia meets deco heiress/ Rudolph Valentino in 'The Sheik' theme, but I hadn't the time to find a costume for M oddly enough, he and Heisenflei had a very similar idea, and M brought a scarf and headband with him - and they were completely ready to do some of the over-the-top theatrical poses I had in mind.

Each band’s photograph appears very individual, was that done intentionally? Do the backgrounds you created relate specifically to the bands at all? Did the bands add any input?

The concepts had little to do with the bands themselves; I had these images and these colors in mind, and I wanted to use fun, creative people as my subjects - people who knew one another and had more of a bond than a mish-mash of models. That was, admittedly, a bit jarring to some of the bands at first - most of the time when a photographer is shooting a band, he or she is working for the band, and the band has a lot of artistic freedom. This was different - the shoots weren't about the bands, they were about the project. I really wanted the final products to have the same feeling as those stiff, posed oil portraits which were commonly commissioned in Europe by elite families in the 18th and 19th centuries, so I kept my subjects moving in ways that felt very unnatural, and didn't really 'represent' the bands the way they might see themselves. Of course, that makes for a miserable shoot, so we’d shoot for about twenty minutes, then take a break and have a drink and relax for a half hour, then go back to shooting.

How did you choose the bands to be photographed? How close-knit are the Silver Lake & Echo Park music scenes (I’ve never heard of them)? How did the bands like the photographs?

I had already worked with about half of the bands, the rest - like Le Switch and The Henry Clay People - were people I'd met and seemed as if they'd be fun to work with. The only band I didn't know was One Trick Pony; I saw them open for Rademacher while I was in the middle of shooting Gooseberries and really loved what I heard, so I asked them to be a part of it, as well. The Silver Lake and Echo Park scenes are integrated enough to where I'm no longer surprised when I find out that someone I know from, say, my old apartment building in Korea Town is close friends with one of the bands I just shot. When people think of Los Angeles, they often think of Hollywood - so competitive and cold and snarky. But the creative folks on the East Side really enjoy being inspired by one another. They play on one another's records, they talk about their projects without trepidation, and are genuinely excited - not threatened - by the creativity around them. They're very supportive; sometimes the bands even liked the photographs more than I did.

How exactly is the final product being put out? It seems like an interesting format? Vinyl?

I didn't want to make just another coffee table book; Gooseberries is a collection of loose prints in a gatefold LP sleeve, and the included DVD is mounted on a hand-painted vinyl 12". I feel as if the importance of the tactile experience is waning in the digital age; remember what it was like to buy a record and tear it open to reveal photos or fold-outs or fun surprises included in the packaging? This project is sort of an ode to that. Open it up, pull it apart, have fun with it; that's what it's for!

The stop-motion films of the shoots are really fun, where did that idea come from? How much of a collaboration were they?

When I showed my first time-lapse video to Rademacher, they suggested doing a music video. Brad Basmajian (who was in Rademacher at the time) used the time-lapse footage from their shoot to make the video for “What I Want.” We liked working together, so we made one for Henry Clay People and Earlimart as well. My friend Ryan Reichenfeld stepped in to co-direct and edit the video for "Like I Needed" (Rogue Wave).

How do you feel about the finished product? Are you particularly proud or happy with any of the photographs in the series?

I really love the image of Le Switch with the silver ping-pong balls, and the Death to Anders shot with the pears makes me smile. I also thought that Jeff Mizushima did an amazing job of shooting and editing the short documentary for the DVD; that guy is so talented.

What’s your advice to young artists and photographers out there? How did you break into the industry? What’s your creative philosophy?

Admittedly, it's much more difficult to 'break in' now than it was when I started shooting. Back then, digital photography was a very new thing (my first digital SLR was 5 megapixels and cost $1500 for the body); if there were any other photographers at shows, they were shooting film, and film is expensive. Now, almost everyone is taking photographs with their iPhones or 'prosumer' digital SLRs. When I was starting out, I always tried to be nice, and to pay attention. I networked with other photographers and compared my shots to theirs. If they looked virtually the same, I thought about what I could have done differently. I never thought that a camera gave me the right to be intrusive. I made friends with tour managers, stage managers, security guards, venue staff, and the people who waited for hours in line to get a spot at the front of the stage. If anyone asked me not to shoot something - even if I knew I had the right to do so - I wouldn't. At least, not until they weren't looking.

How long did the whole project take? What did you learn from this process? What was most rewarding about it? What’s in store next for you?

The whole project took about a year to complete. I learned a lot about taking risks, pitching ideas, collaborating, and - surprisingly enough - event planning. Putting together the release show for Gooseberries was a lot of (exciting/fun) work; I almost felt as if I'd gotten married. I've just begun the research phase for my next project - and I'm having a gleefully childish time doing so. I plan on using my newfound collaboration and planning resources to get involved with some charity and fund raising events in the coming months. There are so many great organizations that are hurting right now. I mean - really, if one can help - why not?

A sample of Sterling’s work can be found on her website shutterface.com and for a glimpse at the project check out the Gooseberries blog.

Tim Needles: A Year in the Life Opening

I just wanted to thank everyone for coming out to Toast last night for my art opening. It was great to see so many people and I hope you all enjoyed the show. The work will be up through May 5 and we are also going to have a special opening for the Strictly Students Film Festival complete with a stand-up comedy performance on April 23 at 7pm. So if you missed the opening stop down for breakfast or lunch (I highly recommend the Original Breakfast Burrito and Crunchy French Toast with Bananas and Raspberries) or come down for the film festival event. Also special thanks to Terry and everyone at Toast and Rob and Allen at FRESH for hosting the show!

Album Review: Dan Deacon's Bromst

Here's a really interesting musician that I reviewed recently for Kevchino. His live performances seem like a totally interactive experience and the new album is a must hear polarizer for music lovers.

Innovative is the all important word when one listens to Dan Deacon’s new album Bromst, but in addition to pushing the envelope, the music is textural, melodic, and downright fascinating. One day after the nuclear bombs fall we are going to need something to listen to while we are running through our futuristic landscape and snorting electricity and Dan Deacon has stepped up with the perfect soundtrack. Deacon is a well respected electronic musician who was born in nearby Babylon, NY and is well known for his digital soundscapes and musical experimentation but his new album offers listeners an interesting medium between popular music and sonic art.

The album is intense in its quick tempoed percussive layering of instruments such as rapid fire player pianos and sped-up audio samples and it sounds a bit like life in fast forward. Deacon also does a great job in slowing it down at times for pause after what at times is like a 3-4 minute audial orgasm. “Snookered” is one great example of this and one of the best tracks on the album with its down tempo beginning that ramps up progressively as layers build. The song feels almost tribal at times with a startling percussive melody that has tremendous range and simple but wonderfully universal lyrics. “Wet Wings” is another such track that works on a much more base, spiritual level as it builds from a chanted, folk sample which builds to become nothing but a lingering chord with slight variations, it’s a interesting note towards the end of the album.

Deacon’s bread and butter though are his high energy sound-madness tracks such as: “Red F”, “Get Older”, and notably “Slow With Horns/ Run for Your Life” which scare old people and entice music lovers. Some might dismiss the album as gimmicky but on closer listening, the album is truly a musical wonder in its originality and blend of ancient and modern with seamless success. The songs are musically virtuous but not for the casual music fan due to their occasional abrasive nature and startling lack of familiarity.

Where the Wild Things Are film trailer

One of the best children's books of all time, Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, is being made into a film by director Spike Jonze. I'm really happy to see how the preview looks (especially with one of my favorite Arcade Fire songs) because the story and illustrations in the book are epic and I was hoping the film wouldn't kill it.

Flash MGMT

Undead Cyclops Boss from The Behemoth on Vimeo. I'm a huge fan of the latest version of Adobe Flash and watching Dan Paladin draw in flash along with some MGMT music makes it all the more cool. Here Dan creates the Undead Cyclops boss for the Xbox game Castle Crashers.

Tim Needles Art Show

Next week is the opening for my latest solo photography show, "A Year in the Life" which includes a photograph from each day of 2008 using an inexpensive point and shoot camera. The show is presented by the FRESH art collaborative and opens on April 9th at 7:30pm at Toast in Port Jefferson and run through April.

Interview with Anthony Gonzales of M83

Recently I had an opportunity to interview Anthony Gonzales of the French electronic band M83 for Kevchino. M83, named for a distant galaxy, was formed in 2001 by Anthony along with Nicolas Fromageau (who has since left) and early on they were compared to shoegazing bands like the Cocteau Twins. Since their first album in 2001, they have released four more, and their sound has continued to progress from spoken words with music to full-out singing and greater popular and dance sensibilities. Their most recent album, 2008’s Saturdays=Youth, mixed its 1980s film soundtrack quality with a blend of old and new. I had a chance to speak to Anthony Gonzales in New York during M83’s latest tour.


TN: I wanted to start off by asking you about France and America. In America there is a common belief that the French don’t really like America or American values. As an artist who really seems to understand both France and America, I wanted to know what your perception is of that belief.

AG: You think that France doesn’t like America?

TN: I don’t really know, but many Americans believe that the French don’t like America.

AG: No, no, that’s not true. When you are French and you are a kid growing up in France and you are listening to American music and watching the American television, you are eating the same food, you are buying the same products, so, no, I think we have the same kind of culture even if we grew up in a different country. I think it is absolutely not true. [laughing]

TN: That’s interesting. Maybe it’s just a misperception. How do the French feel about the election of Barack Obama?

AG: I think it is a great move for France, and for America first. Our French people were really active in this election. I think it is going to maybe change things for the world and the U.S. and the connection between the world and the United States, so it is absolutely going to be a good thing for everyone.

TN: I wanted to ask you a little bit about your hometown of Antibes in the South of France. The area has always attracted artists and creative people. How has it influenced you as an artist?

AG: Well, it is difficult to say because it’s just a beautiful area; there is the sea and the beaches. But the thing is, there is no life out there, especially for the music. When you are a teenager and you want to go and see shows, it’s almost impossible because nobody, like, no band comes to play the South of France. I think it’s one of the negative parts of living in the South of France. Otherwise, it’s fantastic. I love it, especially when you are a musician, ’cos it’s really quiet and you can really focus on your music, but it’s a bit boring. [laughs]

TN: Your music definitely has a sense of the cinematic. I wanted to know if you ever had any aspirations of actually making a film along with the music yourself one day?

AG: I don’t know if I’d be capable of doing a movie, but I am definitely interested in making soundtracks in the future for movies. My brother is a movie director, actually, so he’ll do the movies and I’ll do the music.

TN: How much does having a brother in film help you understand the world of cinema?

AG: Oh yes, when I was a kid, he showed me plenty of good movies, and because of it now I am huge fan of cinema. I can’t live without watching movies and stuff like that. It’s definitely a more classic influence than the music.

TN: I wanted to ask you a bit about your new album, Saturdays=Youth. It’s a bit of a departure from your previous work, a little more upbeat. What was going through your mind when you were making it?

AG: I guess the first thing was to do something different from the previous album. That was my main concern, just trying to come up with something different. I wanted to try something more pop. That was the reason why, working on this album, there are a lot more vocals on it. But I guess that’s the thing—I just wanted to create something different, sort of like keeping my sounds and keeping my identity, but also adding something different to this album

TN: Do you see it as a challenge at all when you are adding more vocals and pushing the sound forward? Does that come naturally to you, or was it a difficult process?

AG: It was difficult for me because I’m not a singer; I’ve never been a singer. I’ve been doing it in the studio, but it is difficult for me singing live because I’m not really good. That’s the reason why on most of my albums I am singing with other people, you know? [laughing]

TN: Right, on this most recent album, you worked with a couple of new musicians like singer Morgan Kibby of the Los Angeles band the Romanovs. How did that come about?

AG: I was just looking for a girl with an 80s style in her voice. When I first heard Morgan’s voice, I really had a crush on her voice. She was, like, perfect for this album. She has the voice I was looking for, and I am so glad that we met each other. It went pretty well. I mean, it was a good experience with her. She is a professional. She speaks French as well, so it was very easy to talk to her and to explain what I wanted from her, and she is coming along on tour with us. We started to work together, and now she is a really good friend of mine. Yeah, she is great. I love her.

TN: It’s funny. She has a background in films too, doesn’t she?

AG: Yeah, she works on trailers and soundtracks too.

TN: With the new album, there is definitely an obvious 80s influence. I was wondering if there was ever a fear of making it too 80s and not having a modern-enough feel to it?

AG: Yeah, that was the trap. We really tried to make it as modern as possible. That was the reason why I said I wanted to keep my identity on this album and not treat it like a tribute to the 80s music, because a lot of bands have already done that, so it was useless to do the same thing.

TN: In the past you had a chance to collaborate with many musicians and do some great remixes with them too. Are there any musicians out there that you would really like to work with in the future?

AG: I love the voice of the Chairlift’s singer. Chairlift’s album is one of my favorites this year. I would love to work with them.

TN: Your music has a lot of variation from ambient instrumentals, to dance, to the more poppy sound with vocals. Do you try to embrace the variation and the experimentation, or do you see yourself building towards something?

AG: I mean, I always start with creating a melody, and after that I’ll start with tracks and tracks of music. That is the way I do music (laughing), so it doesn’t have a chance in the beginning.

TN: Your music often features some spoken word segments and different ways of using words in general. What is the inspiration behind that?

AG: I guess it’s movies. Sometimes I just want to create movie scenes in my albums, and that is the reason why I am doing that. I am always interested in and inspired by movies.

TN: Have you given any thought to what direction you might go next? I know you are on tour right now. Is it a slow process when you are coming up with the idea for your next project?

AG: Yeah, it is very slow (laughing). You said it; we are on tour right now, and my head is, like, focused on the tour. I really don’t have the time to work on music, but I definitely have a bunch of ideas in my head for the next album, but it is too early. My head is still in this album for now, and I am going to wait a while before I starting working on it.