Your band The Selectrics - in a few words, how would you
describe your sound?
Retro, James
Bond, 1960’s Mod. Major musical influences on The
Selectrics? Red Wine.
Anything
Phil Spector did. Nancy Sinatra, The Ronettes, The Ramones, The Cramps,
April March, The Raveonettes.
How did The Selectrics come into
being initially, and what can you tell us about your partner-in-crime (and
not only that) Greg Camp? When Greg Camp, co-founding member, guitarist and
primary songwriter for the band Smash Mouth, left that band in 2008, we
started The Selectrics. Greg’s
a multi-talented creator. The
Musician, The Songwriter, The Producer and The Performer; he does it all.
Through all the different bands that he creates, he manages to stay true
to what inspires him. You can
see just a small part of his track record by listening to what he created
for Smash Mouth. Currently,
besides working on The Selectrics EP, he’s collaborating with Benji
and Joel Madden from Good Charlotte, as well as creating a another project
with Josh Moran. Our first project was recording a few holiday songs for
our family and friends and that transpired into a full-length original
album available now. We
plan on releasing the earlier recorded holiday album later this year to
the public after we add a few originals. What are The Selectrics
studio sessions and live shows usually like?
In the Studio we
transform into our alter-ego’s Collin
Sik, and Venus Honeytrap. We
debate, and bicker, and then come up with some amazing sounds. Then when it’s all said and done I praise Greg on his many
talents and he praises me on my perfect pitch. When we’re playing live Greg and I flirt with each other and try
to throw one another off for fun. We
want to keep the shows light and entertaining. How would
you describe your vocals, and what got you into singing in the first
place? And what can you tell us about your singing experiences prior to The
Selectrics? My vocals are brassy and sassy and a little bit classy.
J After perfecting Ariel's
& Belle’s Disney voices, and being a Karaoke star (in my own mind),
Greg heard me singing in the car. He
asked me if I ever wanted to make music and I told him I always wanted to
make a holiday album. We turned one out for our friends and family prior
to the original album and that holiday album is coming out this year,
2013.
The Selectrics have placed songs
in a few movies too, right? So what can you tell us about these movies,
and what kind of a feeling is it to see your tunes set to someone else's
vision on screen? When you actually see and hear your music placed within
a story it’s a bit euphoric and surreal to know that your sounds are
part of the creative process and it’s feeding the minds of so many
viewers. Greg composed and
scored the entire film Valley Of The Sun. He
used Pucker in one of the scenes, and we also performed a cover of Peter,
Bjorn & John’s Young Folks for the end credits. Arrangements was an interesting project to place a song in,
because I also had a supporting role. In one scene that I was in Wrong was placed.
I felt like a scene hog because my voice was everywhere. I think I pretty much giggled through that entire part during the
screening. J And Truth Be Told was
a film shot in Los Angeles that used all instrumental versions of our
stuff. I have to say,
mixing two of my favorite things together, film/music, is a dream come true
for me. I’d like to do this
much more often.
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Speaking of movies, you are also an
actress - so what can you tell us about that aspect of your career? I love acting. Even
all the pressures that come along with the creative process.
Becoming those characters, and conveying my creations to film, and
to the director, is exhillerating and sometimes very scary. Would
you like to talk about some of the movies you were in? Sure. I
had the most fun creating a character in the film Arrangements where I played a mortician.
Old Brown Shoe is a dark comedy sort of inspired by Dr.
Horrible Sing-Along-Blog. It was the creator’s rendition of the
Beatles song. I’m also
gearing up to direct a few of my own writing projects. What
got you into acting, actually, and what can you tell us about your
training as an actress? When I was a little girl, I used to to record myself broadcasting
make-believe news. I’d then
bring my project to my friend and we’d play Newscasters. What I would do to find those tapes!!! J I then started to put
together my own plays (probably about 3 minutes long) and put them up in
front of all my stuffed animals. They
loved me! Acting classes
began. It was The
Beverly Hills Playhouse where I learned how to use my tools. I think before realizing I had a toolbox I could draw from it was a
crap-shoot. J I continue to grow my
craft in a class and will always have a coach to keep me warmed up and
greased.
Would you also like to talk
about Gina Marie Camp the photographer for a bit? I’d love to. I
started shooting objects about 5ish years ago. Greg left his skateboards around the property.
Surfboards, bikes; it was Santa Cruz and so there was a lot to
shoot. Once I graduated from
cats and dogs to humans I realized that what I loved about shooting was
the framing aspect of a beautiful personality. I say “personality” because there is always something behind
those eyes and that smile. It’s
a life I’m trying to show; I want to find ways to capture that in one
single image. Any
other talents of yours I forgot to mention you'd like to talk about? I am a writer. I
have a crazy imagination and something will pop into my head and I have to
pen it as soon as I can. I
have about 20+ short stories, short screenplays, and 2 feature length
screenplays that I’m always working on. Any
future projects of whatever nature you'd like to talk about? I think I already mentioned most of our upcoming
project but let’s bring it home… J Greg and I are putting out an EP in the next few
months. The Selectrics are
going to rough it up a bit and see what happens. We also have a holiday album coming out about Sept 2013.
It’s a bunch of your favorite holiday covers, along with a few
originals. Greg project with
Benji and Joel. And Greg is
also a part of a killer band with Josh Moran that I’m a huge fan of. As for me, I have an upcoming project
Wilt - The Wilt
Chamberlain story that I’m looking forward to being a part of.
I hope to produce 2 of my short films and direct another by
the end of this year. Musicians,
singers, actors, photographers, whatever else, who inspire you? As for currently working
artists:
Daniel Day-Lewis blows my mind with his transformations and
magnificent work. And as for past & present Daniel Craig & Sean
Connery are my favorite James
Bonds, and there is something about Burt
Reynolds and his thick black hair that gets me excited! Garry Winogrand (who is at the SF Moma right now and I’m jealous
that I can’t go) shows that personality that I was talking about earlier.
I love his stuff. Your
favourite movies? This is hard because it changes every year.
Argo at the moment. It
was my top pick this year. Greg loved Rust & Bone.
I think we can both watch Pulp Fiction and Resevoir Dogs every day
if possible. ... and of course, films you really
deplore?
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My new years resolution is to try to find the art in
everything I see and hear. No
criticizing. Let me tell you, it’s tough but amazingly I’ve managed to
keep my mouth shut. But now
you’re asking… Okay fine,
I give up. I was not a fan of
Silver Linings Playbook. Am I
horrible for saying that? The
weird dance scene just threw it whacky for me. I enjoyed the characters that both Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley
Cooper developed, and I thought the dark story was pretty brilliant, but
when that whole competition thing happened I was like “WHAAAA?”
I’m a total jerk right now. Your/your band's website, Facebook, whatever
else?
www.facebook.com/theselectrics
www.theselectrics.com
www.ginamariecamp.com
www.seavoldsound.com
We’re on Twitter too,
but I don’t know how to find us or use it yet.
Ha. J
If you want a taste of
some of the things we create check out some songs at:
www.soundcloud.com/theselectrics
www.soundcloud.com/greg-camp-musique
www.soundcloud.com/moshjoran-1
Thanks for the interview!
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