Interview by Ed Stuart
Who’s answering the
questions?
Mike Holt
Gish (a.k.a Michel S)
Rita Fine
Jerm
How did the band
start?
Rita: I guess the band started roughly 2 years ago. Mike and
I were already jamming together. We decide to look for a singer and found Gish
on Craigslist. He was totally into it. For the longest time we searched for a
bass player, just couldn't find anyone good enough. So we decided to contact
our old friend Jeremy who had played with us years ago in Ballpit. The four of
us just seem to mesh.
Mike: About a year and a half ago Rita and me where trying
out singers for a new project and we met Gish. We just tentatively titled the
Craigslist ad "Singer wanted for FUTURE Project." So we where trying
to think up a name and Gish said, "I like Future Project." We said
“Hey what about "Gish & The FUTURE Project" and there it was. So,
we just ran with that name & concept.
Gish: So I’ve been a singer
songwriter for eons and when I came to Orange County I continued to produce my
own music. My music tilts towards sounds like Daft Punk, Imogen Heap, Coldplay,
Radiohead, Thom Yorke, Beatles, MuteMath, Foo Fighters and a shitload of
trance. So the moment came where I felt it was time to start putting a band
together so I can play my music live.
I went on the
search. As part of that search, I was like, why not, let’s see what Craigslist
has to offer, after all I did buy a road bike from their once; how bad could it
be? So, I posted an ad or two looking for guitarists, bassists and drummers.
The people writing back were not who I was looking for in their style of
playing.
I was looking for people
who knew of bands like MuteMath and other bands that infuse electronic sound
with alternative rock sound. This would be the starting point for where I
wanted to innovate. I bit the bullet and said why not look for people looking
for vocalists and maybe find something that way. So I did. I found an ad posted
by a guy called Mike and his music was under a heading called “The Future
Project”. It involved him and Rita (drummer).
After listening to the
music and especially the guitar work in one of his tracks, and, how he infused
some electronic sound into it, it seemed like we may be on the same page
musically; that, and the fact that he was a MuteMath fan.
So, we got
together, and started sharing some music ideas. Both of us started playing each
others music to each other and then began to innovate from those ideas
sculpting those songs ideas into new songs that started a base fabric for this
musical collaboration.
During this time
of exploration, innovation and song building we finally roped in, our now, bass
player Jeremy who weaves his bass strings into this musical fabric to
contribute with Mike, Rita, and I to build onto this musical adventure called
“Gish and The Future Project.”
Jerm: The band had already been together for about 6 months
before I joined. I guess Mike and Rita put an ad in a paper and landed up
auditioning Gish, and the FUTURE came to light. One day I got a call from Mike
and he asked if I would be willing to play bass for them. Mike, Rita, and I
have a past playing in other bands together, so I said, “Yes.”
Who is in the band
and what instrument do they play?
Gish: Vocals, Keys
Rita Fine: Drums
Jerm: Bass
Mike: Guitars
Any bands you were
listening to a lot while starting the band?
Jerm: NIN and Mute Math
Mike: MuteMath and NIN. I would say these bands are our main
influences now, but we are always trying to add new sounds and rhythms to our
style. We are constantly looking for new and exciting music.
Rita: For me music is all about "How I am I feeling right
now at this moment?” When I’m in a good mood, I listen to bands like MuteMath,
and Nine Inch Nails. When I feel mellow, I like classic rock like the Beatles,
or some old Aerosmith. When I feel like I need some inspiration, I like to
listen to newer bands like White Stripes or Black Keys or Yeah Yeah Yeahs. But
these are the bands that get me going.
Gish: MuteMath, all kinds of
Trance from the DJs of “Above and
Beyond”, Radiohead, Thom Yorke, Daft Punk, Imogen Heap, Coldplay, Beatles, Foo
Fighters.
Where can people hear
the band?
Gish: Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/gishthefutureproject
Website: http://www.gishfutureproject.com/
FaceBook:
Mike: We are playing Monday Aug. 27th at the DETROIT Bar in
Costa Mesa and Thursday Sept. 27th at the TIKI Bar in Costa Mesa also.
Jerm: We go on at 9pm for both shows.
I’m just going to ask
to get it out of the way. How are you bringing the future to the present?
Gish: By keeping everything new
and fresh. New in + our hearts and minds = New out.
The future is
giving something new that innovates beyond what exists. Innovation comes once
we have explored the essences of what exist until we are inspired to naturally
and optimally produce something that does not truly exist, but yet can provoke
and inspire our-self and others.
There are no rules; all
I know is that I am a vessel and communicator of the universe. Input from one
end and output from the other. My vehicle just happened to be music. I did not
choose music, music chose me. I’m a singer/songwriter, just as a fish is a
fish. Sounds, songs, emotions, desires, and many things will influence me and
us as a group, and as a natural reaction, the desire is to “Song” it out.
“Gish and the Future Project”
is an element in the universe made up of strong atomic pieces with strong
musical and songwriting agendas. As a musical body we have no choice, but to
reformulate and export out the new essences that we experience into new sounds and
songs that invoke, provoke, create love, entertain and inspire.
Rita: Just
trying to be original and play for the heart. Have no boundaries.
Mike: We are bringing the FUTURE to the present by
introducing NEW sounds & rhythms to the people NOW.
Jerm: We really mix a lot of what people like today, with
the influences of the past, and throw in electronica to infuse the FUTURE. Music is like a living entity. It has its own course.
Do you think music
can still be a vital force in such a disposable age?
Mike: YES! If you can write a GOOD song it is just as vital
today as it was 10 or 30 years ago. But not many people are doing that or are
trying to; they seem to just rewrite a song that is on the radio or copy a
sound they have already heard a million times. A good song will have staying
power and be just as good a year or so later when you here it, you say "Ow!
Ya I love this song!" Then you turn it up and it feels great.
Jerm: Music is the key of life. Everyone one is moved by
music. All cultures and all ages are moved by music. People are moving at a
faster pace more than ever. Yet, music follows along at the same rate. How many
kids do you see these days without ear buds in there ears?
Rita: Of course music is the future.
Gish: Yes, but I think the art
form will evolve. It will remain a vital force nonetheless. Singing, and
creating music, is a wonderment of the human species. Music plays on the
natural frequencies of sound. Until we speak in song, the moment we are born
and have a string-plucked sound come out of our nose when we sneeze, putting
these natural frequencies together will still remain a beautiful art form that
depends on creativity as well as talent. Just as we evolve as a species, we
will evolve in how we create songs. We have no choice but to create as a
species and thru song we shall continue to create in order to speak to one
another in the most beautiful language of all: Emotion.
I know Mike has a
recording studio called Drop Dead. Is it open to the public or only for the
band?
Mike: Well we just renamed the studio, since we got the
street sign from out front.
It is now called Pepper Tree Studio and no it NOT open to
the public. It is for the FUTURE to practice & record there. We do record
some friend’s bands and we have done some tracking work for some other people.
Rita: The studio is not open for the public, but [Mike] does
do recordings for friends and family. Occasional voiceovers and drum tracks. I
have a classic rock band that I play in and he has recorded us before.
Jerm: Just for the band and very close friends. We don’t
need the whole world invading the FUTURE.
When is the debut
single, EP, LP coming out? I ask this because the band has easy access to a
recording studio and I saw videos of tracks being laid down for recording.
Gish: Soon. Stay tuned.
Rita: We are constantly recording. An EP should be out soon.
Mike: Well, we have recorded about a full CD of tunes, but
we are releasing a 4 song EP at the Tiki Bar show in Sept. We will have a
couple new tunes to debut at the show as well.
I saw the band had
played some battle of the bands shows. How did those go?
Mike: I don't remember doing that?
Jerm: Umm, I don’t think I was there for that. I always saw
battle of the bands was for the High School kids that had their first band, and
wanted to show it off.
Rita: I don't think we ever did the battle of the bands.
Most of those make you pay to
play and we will never be a band to do that.
Gish: We did not do battle of the
bands. We had several gigs though, but no battles.
What’s next?
Rita: Live it, love it, play it good!!!!
Mike: Well with the near conquest and acquisition of Mars we
will probably be playing some shows their and bringing the FUTURE to Mars.
Jerm: A beer and a nap.
Gish: I’m going to get a coffee
now. But after that I’ll get back to my studio, conjure up something that
inspires me. Then meet up with the rest of the GFP band, and jam on some sick
sounds and produce something awesome that inspires us, record it and a few
more, post them, get people to love it, gig again and again, open for other
even more awesome bands that we love, gain a fan base of people who love our
stuff just as much as we love our stuff and love to entertain them, become a
lead act, become millionaires, save the world. The End.
