Interview With 'The Ivories'
Firstly, introductions, can you let our readers know a little bit about yourself.
We are The Ivories, Indie Psychedelic Surf Punk Industrial Rock n' Roll Disco Indie. We like our Bass Punk Rock, and we only smoke schwag. We consist of 33.3% Erin Memento shredding the freaking axe and strumming the vocal chords, 33.3% Xavier Cruz pounding four on the floor, smacking on the skins. Bry Dawson sometimes hits a right note on borrowed basses because he doesn’t own one, and sings when he’s not trying to make his pedals work.
What were you all up too prior to the band, was this always the chosen path or did you have other dreams and aspirations?
Erin: I was in High School in Spain, studying Mandarin, getting ready to move to LA, you know how it is.
Xavier: I spent some time tripping in the woods. No this wasn’t my chosen path, I just got lost.
Bryan: I was collecting rainwater, selling Xanax and giving myself tattoos, I have a chicken bone on my leg and if I didn’t end up playing music I would have ran with the bulls!
Tell us about your latest EP and why our readers should check it out.
We just released our first song, 'Red', about a few weeks ago, and we’re mixing our EP right now. We’re planning to release it on Valentines Day. If you are crying or about to have sex, our music is applicable in both situations. Also if you are high on poppers and doing the dishes or trying to rock out, it also works then.
Where do you draw your inspiration lyrically and musically from?
Bryan: I like to set a scene in my head and visualize all the little things inside the room. For example, for the song 'Red' I pictured a pool hall with a jukebox and a girl with a velvet dress sitting at a barstool. The whole joint is filled with smoke and I have way too much cologne (florida water) on and I'm wine drunk talking to this girl and I keep forgetting her name. She asks for a drag of my spliff and gets her lipstick on it. I dont think too hard about it, as i feel if I speak from my subconscious the meaning will come later after the song is done.
As an artist what do you believe is your greatest achievement to date and why?
Xavier: Being able to convey my thoughts through my instrument.
Erin: Being able to have people relate with the emotions you are expressing through your song.
Bryan: Vomiting on stage.
Have you ever come face to face with someone within the music scene who has left you awestruck and why?
Bryan: One time I saw Pa Rappa the Rapper walking down sunset going to Rock and Roll Ralphs.
Xavier: I thought I was talking to Rob Zombie, but then he tried to steal my wallet and realized it was just a homeless man.
What do you enjoy most about touring?
Sleeping on your mom’s couch.
If we were to head out to one of your live shows what can ourselves and others expect?
Xavier: To dance, to experience something new and refreshing. Popped eardrums from how hard I hit my snare. Me destroying the house kit cuz they won’t let us use our own.
Bryan: Expect to see us body a 30 rack of rolling rocks in less time than it takes for us to play our set. I guess whenever I hit a high note my eyes roll back in my head.
Erin: We cover Blondie, Violent Femmes, Blur, P.H.F and we play them all 快速 (fast in mandarin) and Punk. We also wear a lot of makeup and risque clothing.
Bryan: I like mesh and glitter.
If you had one artist/band that you could go on tour with tomorrow who would it be and why?
Bryan: Michael Jackson hands down!
Xavier: Portugal the Man.
Erin: St. Vincent.
You can spend an hour with a musical icon living or dead, who would you pick, why and what would you speak about?
We came to a consensus that we would do coke with Rick James and James Brown.
What is next for yourself?
We are playing a show at The Mint on January 12th and at Genghis Cohen on January 18th, after we’re gonna get myself a Valentine. Shoot new music videos, and start writing the next EP.
And finally and most importantly is Die Hard a Christmas Movie?
All I care about is seeing Bruce Willis in them jeans.
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ivoriesss
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/the.ivories/
Bandcamp - https://voguehousesounds.bandcamp.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ivoriesss
