Most casual music listeners head for the hills when they hear the words “experimental” and “cross-genre.” But hold your horses, Batman, Big Bang TV is here to save the day! With swirling synthesizers, sentimental vocals, spooky electro loops and post punk guitar, this band has it all. After debuting their groundbreaking, four-song EP SEND/RECEIVE in 2007, the band is getting ready to drop their first full length release in September. They plan to set out on a 17-20 city US tour in October to promote the new record, whose name is currently classified information. If you can’t wait until then, you can get your dose of Big Bang TV at their upcoming show on June 20th at New York City’s Mercury Lounge opening for Crocodiles and ArpLine. Be sure to grab this week’s download of “Hollywood” off SEND/RECEIVE. You can listen to it while you read my Q&A session with Big Bang TV’s guitarist/singer Matt Brehony and turntable master Scott Neagle. Also chiming in are keyboardist Andrea Hendrickson and drummer Joe Sinopoli:
The last time I got the chance to sit down and talk with you guys was last year before a show in Boston with Bearstronaut and Meowskers at the Hard Rock that was part of an East Coast tour. If I remember correctly you won over a few “younger fans” who were lunching it up on a field trip during your soundcheck. Would you guys ever consider doing a BBTV kids album and if so what would you call it?
ANDREA: “Kids for Breakfast”
SCOTT: Haha, that would be dope! I would call it “Little Bang.”
MATT: Yeah, that was wild. I had an eleven-year-old tell me that I had beautiful eyes. That was the closest thing I had to a “groupie” experience all tour.
How did the rest of that tour pan out?
SCOTT: That tour was a blast, and we sold a lot of T-shirts, and I think we made a bunch of new fans.
MATT: For a first tour, with no industry or financial backing…and really no idea what we were doing, it was a huge success. We had a lot of fun, played some really good shows and didn’t kill each other. Plus I think, when all was said and done, we actually made like $70.
A little birdie told me that you guys have a new recording in the pipeline. How did the process of recording this new record compare to recording your first EP, SEND/RECEIVE?
MATT: Well that birdie is a deadman for revealing our secrets but, since it’s already out there…yes we are recording an album and it’s going to be great (I think). As far as how the process for this one is comparing to that of SEND/RECEIVE, it’s like comparing apples to oranges (specifically, oranges that cost a lot of money and take several months to produce). We recorded SEND/RECEIVE in our practice space over the course of a weekend. Our friend [Mark Lewis] engineered it and the entire cost came from the one day we bought him a coffee and a sandwich. For this new album, we’re working with a producer [Paolo deGregorio] and taking our sweet time. Instead of revealing what this record is costing us to make, I’ll just say “Thanks dad!” and “I and/or my unborn children will pay you back as soon as humanly possible.”
SCOTT: The new album has to date taken 5 months of work in actual studios and cost more money than I personally want to know about. That’s why we hired our accountant, Matt Brehony, have you heard of him? We’ve also worked with some people who do this stuff full-time and are amazingly talented when it comes to making us sound how we want to sound. Also, SEND/RECEIVE was good but the new album is going to be the best rock album ever. Move over Heaven Tonight!
One thing that I’ve always admired about BBTV was that while you guys all come from four distinct musical backgrounds, that the over all sound of the group comes off as a natural fusion of your different styles instead of uncomfortably forced. Was it difficult in the beginning trying to figure out a way how you would all fit together?
MATT: Absolutely! It still is a challenge…though much less so. Every once in a while a song will just magically come together. But most of the time there’s always at least one point where it’s like we’re speaking four different languages. So far, it’s a challenge that’s entirely worth it though. In the end, we’re creating something that none of us could produce on our own.
SCOTT: I feel like if anything the writing process has gotten more difficult over the years. The more we pursue the “Big Bang TV sound,” the more our individual musical inclinations are challenged. These challenges are the enjoyable part though.
Since you guys are based out of NYC —which seems to have been churning out awesome new bands every five seconds since the 70’s—what venues around the city do you recommend checking out to catch new acts?
SCOTT: I’m a big fan of Goodbye Blue Monday. Also, Union Pool is probably the best place in the city to see live music —the stage is ringed with light bulbs!
In the indie music scene, there’s a lot of debate about bands selling sync rights of their songs to companies for use as background music in commercials. We all know that you’ve got to eat, but if a marketing person from Depends approached you guys to change the lyrics to one of your songs for a jingle would you do it?
JOE: Depends no, Russ Pizza yes.
SCOTT: I don’t know about changing the lyrics… although I do kind of want a song on a commercial. A cool commercial, though, like one for a local seafood restaurant with a guy dressed like a lobster.
MATT: In all seriousness, this is something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately (well, not so much the Depends aspect). When I first started playing in bands I thought it was the worst possible sin to license your music for ANYTHING. However, with the industry the way it is nowadays, it seems more and more like a necessary revenue stream for keeping a band alive and free to make the music they want. Depends though, huh? That’s a tough call. What’s their carbon footprint like as a company? Do they operate sweatshops in Southeast Asia? I’ll have to do a little research and get back to you.
Have you guys ever given thought to doing shows in matching outfits like The Hives; what would you wear?
MATT AND SCOTT: BUCKET HATS!!!
And finally, the most personal question you could ever ask another human being: Corey Haim or Corey Feldman. And why?
JOE: Easy, Haim. Anyone willing to sell their teeth on Ebay to score wins a special place in my heart.
MATT: We all have a little bit of both of them inside us. The lovable loser and the ego-driven opportunist both contribute a necessary aspect of the actualized self. It’s called the law of Coreys and IT’S REAL!
SCOTT: Bill “Spaceman” Lee
