Interview
by
Steve Brydges
What has the band been up to since you
last toured?
We have been writing a lot of new songs. We have been in the in the studio recording with Donnie Newenhouse at Centel of The Mile (Coachwhips, Battleship, Film School, Holly Golightly). The working title for the new album is Another Life.
How'd the recent recording sessions go? Did you finish everything for the new album?
We're still working, but it should be soon!! We are very excited about this new album. The songs have a lot of meaning for us. The record tells a story and it feels like things are really coming together with the songs on this new album.
I see you now have a male drummer. What did the marketing team say when you told them you were no longer going to be an "all-female band"? You'll never get a gig on a late-night talk show or stand-up comedy venue now!
Jesse Rivkin is our new drummer and he is more that happy and willing to go drag if it means playing Boyskout songs for late talk show gigs! He is actually contributing vocally for our new record. The funny part is that is singing voice is much higher than mine and he can do a mean falsetto!
Have the songwriting duties changed at all since the new drummer came aboard?
Actually Jesse is a great songwriter. He has a lot of interesting ideas, especially in the backing vocal department.
Is this where he has primarily been contributing, songwriting-wise, with backing vocals? Does anyone besides you write melodies for BoySkout?
I'm the main writer for Boyskout but everyone has been contributing. It's a dynamic line-up. A lot of personality and creative excitement.
Are there any other lineup changes to report?
Yes! We are always changing things up! No really, we are excited because we have added two members. Jennifer Chochinov and Christina Stanley. Jennifer is our new secret weapon on guitar and Christina plays violin.
Word has it you are heading to Europe this winter. Where to and when? Is this not the most exciting BoySkout news ever?
Yeah, we are very excited. We have been gearing up for our first European tour. Cargo Germany released School of Etiquette on October 26th, 2005. We will be making seventeen appearances in Germany and one in France this December. The tour is being presented by Germany’s most influential music magazine, Intro.
How'd this all come about?
We were talking to the Chicks On Speed label about an upcoming compilation that a Boyskout track will be featured on and our label realized there was a lot of interest around Boyskout in Germany. Cargo Germany offered to release our CD and then talk of a tour began.
Think an Australian tour will follow, now that you have distribution in that country as well?
We don't know yet. It would be fun though!
Bring lots of sunscreen! I'm still racked by a photograph I saw in
National Geographic of some bloke affixing his prosthetic nose to his face. Skin cancer done ate it away.
I'm actually Irish so I already wear SPF 35 even in San Francisco's mild climate.
You received a fine review of your SXSW performance. One thing I noted was that you three ladies were referred to as "androgynous." I guess short hair isn't feminine. What's up with that?
My hair has grown a bit since then. Maybe I'm feminine now! Our new member Christina has very long hair.
How'd your video for "Jesse James" do at the 4th Annual Indie Music Video Festival? Very cute video. Better than anything I've seen lately from Brittney or Christina A.
Great! People seem to get the humor and style. It is playing in various festivals all over the place, so I guess it's a hit! It has won a few audience choice awards. I've been getting very positive responses for the video. It has been playing in festival all over the states and in Europe. I think that it is about to be picked up by a major college video distributor, so it should be available on college video programming soon.
Who came up with the theme for the video? Who directed it and shot the film?
I did. I filmed it, and had an assistant help with the shots that I was in. Since I wrote the lyrics, it felt easy and natural to write a visual story to accompany the song. The editing came quite easily and naturally as well.
What sort of experience did you have with film before you shot the video? I'm quite impressed you did this.
My first short video got picked up by Sundance film festival. It was a short called "Scar." I was featured at Sundance 2001. I also made a video called “Back to Bed.” It is in Quicktime on our School of Etiquette CD.
Videos always seem like such an extravagance, like something only bands on major labels can afford. And yet, here we have an indie video festival. Maybe where the cash comes in is in distribution and pay-o-la. What are the chances folks will be seeing this video on MTV2?
So far it has happened in Australia. It's hard in the states. I don't think it's about creativity here.
Does Australia have an MTV? I'm still trying to reconcile visages of Australia from early Mel Gibson movies and from when the Simpsons went to Australia so Bart could apologize to the Australian government. I'm sure the former is gonzo and bonzers - I mean, c'mon - and that the latter is all playful stereotype, but I'd like to think they were accurate. I mean, how amusing would that be to visit? Oh, and then there's the movie about the drag queens - Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. That's how BoySkout should roll through the Outback!
I'd prefer to hang in Sydney or Melbourne.
How's the new album coming along? When might we see it released?
Check our web sites for updates. It is all written, but we don't want to rush anything. Soon, though!
How is it going to be a progression from School of Etiquette? Where has the band improved the most and what spurred it?
The songs are the same but different. You’ll see. I'm very proud of the new album. I can't wait to let others hear it!
Local SF band Morning Spy was quote in an article in CP24 that they've "found that it's better to be from San Francisco than in San Francisco." I've heard this from other bands as well. John Vanderslice, in an article in the same issue (both written, coincidentally, by Eric J. Iannelli), is quoted on SF as well. To wit: "When I'm at a show I'll be talking to one person and I'll say, 'Have you met..?' It's almost guaranteed they don't know each other. There's not a communal space or environment here. There's a lot of stuff going on, but I wouldn't say that a lot of the stuff that goes on is very connected." What is your opinion of the music scene in San Francisco and how has BoySkout dealt with it?
I agree. There is a scene and we are certainly in it but i don't think that it is the best place to have a band.
You lived in NYC for, what, how long? How was that compared to living in SF? Why'd you return and would you consider moving back to NYC?
I lived in New York for four months. Boyskout became the talk about town rather quickly. I like new York and would live there again. It is a good place to present one’s work.
We have been writing a lot of new songs. We have been in the in the studio recording with Donnie Newenhouse at Centel of The Mile (Coachwhips, Battleship, Film School, Holly Golightly). The working title for the new album is Another Life.
How'd the recent recording sessions go? Did you finish everything for the new album?
We're still working, but it should be soon!! We are very excited about this new album. The songs have a lot of meaning for us. The record tells a story and it feels like things are really coming together with the songs on this new album.
I see you now have a male drummer. What did the marketing team say when you told them you were no longer going to be an "all-female band"? You'll never get a gig on a late-night talk show or stand-up comedy venue now!
Jesse Rivkin is our new drummer and he is more that happy and willing to go drag if it means playing Boyskout songs for late talk show gigs! He is actually contributing vocally for our new record. The funny part is that is singing voice is much higher than mine and he can do a mean falsetto!
Have the songwriting duties changed at all since the new drummer came aboard?
Actually Jesse is a great songwriter. He has a lot of interesting ideas, especially in the backing vocal department.
Is this where he has primarily been contributing, songwriting-wise, with backing vocals? Does anyone besides you write melodies for BoySkout?
I'm the main writer for Boyskout but everyone has been contributing. It's a dynamic line-up. A lot of personality and creative excitement.
Are there any other lineup changes to report?
Yes! We are always changing things up! No really, we are excited because we have added two members. Jennifer Chochinov and Christina Stanley. Jennifer is our new secret weapon on guitar and Christina plays violin.
Word has it you are heading to Europe this winter. Where to and when? Is this not the most exciting BoySkout news ever?
Yeah, we are very excited. We have been gearing up for our first European tour. Cargo Germany released School of Etiquette on October 26th, 2005. We will be making seventeen appearances in Germany and one in France this December. The tour is being presented by Germany’s most influential music magazine, Intro.
How'd this all come about?
We were talking to the Chicks On Speed label about an upcoming compilation that a Boyskout track will be featured on and our label realized there was a lot of interest around Boyskout in Germany. Cargo Germany offered to release our CD and then talk of a tour began.
Think an Australian tour will follow, now that you have distribution in that country as well?
We don't know yet. It would be fun though!
Bring lots of sunscreen! I'm still racked by a photograph I saw in
National Geographic of some bloke affixing his prosthetic nose to his face. Skin cancer done ate it away.
I'm actually Irish so I already wear SPF 35 even in San Francisco's mild climate.
You received a fine review of your SXSW performance. One thing I noted was that you three ladies were referred to as "androgynous." I guess short hair isn't feminine. What's up with that?
My hair has grown a bit since then. Maybe I'm feminine now! Our new member Christina has very long hair.
How'd your video for "Jesse James" do at the 4th Annual Indie Music Video Festival? Very cute video. Better than anything I've seen lately from Brittney or Christina A.
Great! People seem to get the humor and style. It is playing in various festivals all over the place, so I guess it's a hit! It has won a few audience choice awards. I've been getting very positive responses for the video. It has been playing in festival all over the states and in Europe. I think that it is about to be picked up by a major college video distributor, so it should be available on college video programming soon.
Who came up with the theme for the video? Who directed it and shot the film?
I did. I filmed it, and had an assistant help with the shots that I was in. Since I wrote the lyrics, it felt easy and natural to write a visual story to accompany the song. The editing came quite easily and naturally as well.
What sort of experience did you have with film before you shot the video? I'm quite impressed you did this.
My first short video got picked up by Sundance film festival. It was a short called "Scar." I was featured at Sundance 2001. I also made a video called “Back to Bed.” It is in Quicktime on our School of Etiquette CD.
Videos always seem like such an extravagance, like something only bands on major labels can afford. And yet, here we have an indie video festival. Maybe where the cash comes in is in distribution and pay-o-la. What are the chances folks will be seeing this video on MTV2?
So far it has happened in Australia. It's hard in the states. I don't think it's about creativity here.
Does Australia have an MTV? I'm still trying to reconcile visages of Australia from early Mel Gibson movies and from when the Simpsons went to Australia so Bart could apologize to the Australian government. I'm sure the former is gonzo and bonzers - I mean, c'mon - and that the latter is all playful stereotype, but I'd like to think they were accurate. I mean, how amusing would that be to visit? Oh, and then there's the movie about the drag queens - Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. That's how BoySkout should roll through the Outback!
I'd prefer to hang in Sydney or Melbourne.
How's the new album coming along? When might we see it released?
Check our web sites for updates. It is all written, but we don't want to rush anything. Soon, though!
How is it going to be a progression from School of Etiquette? Where has the band improved the most and what spurred it?
The songs are the same but different. You’ll see. I'm very proud of the new album. I can't wait to let others hear it!
Local SF band Morning Spy was quote in an article in CP24 that they've "found that it's better to be from San Francisco than in San Francisco." I've heard this from other bands as well. John Vanderslice, in an article in the same issue (both written, coincidentally, by Eric J. Iannelli), is quoted on SF as well. To wit: "When I'm at a show I'll be talking to one person and I'll say, 'Have you met..?' It's almost guaranteed they don't know each other. There's not a communal space or environment here. There's a lot of stuff going on, but I wouldn't say that a lot of the stuff that goes on is very connected." What is your opinion of the music scene in San Francisco and how has BoySkout dealt with it?
I agree. There is a scene and we are certainly in it but i don't think that it is the best place to have a band.
You lived in NYC for, what, how long? How was that compared to living in SF? Why'd you return and would you consider moving back to NYC?
I lived in New York for four months. Boyskout became the talk about town rather quickly. I like new York and would live there again. It is a good place to present one’s work.