Edie Sedgwick
5.13.2009 | Interviews, News
Edie Sedgwick produces wildly addictive music. His songs make your body move and your head bob in a dance worthy manner. His humour infiltrates his titles and with songs like ‘Rob Lowe’ you would be hard pushed not to grab your nearest and dearest to celebrate with.
Glasgow PodcART caught up with the man in question prior to his Hinterland performance and European tour. We talked about the festival, his influences and his album ‘Things are Getting Sinister and Sinisterer’.
For people that are not familiar with Edie Sedgwick how would you describe your music?
It’s kind of like ‘Ol Dirty Bastard beat up a guy from Philadelphia and made him put on a bad wig and a dress. In a kind of brain damaged way.
What do you think of Scotland so far? Have you been before?
I have only been here for 15 minutes but these 15 minutes has been great and everyone has been very friendly. I love this city, it reminds me of some cities on the east coast and it feels familiar. I have played here a few times before. I played Nice ‘n’ Sleazy 2 or 3 times before and Barfly. I have had a small tour before.
How did Hinterland come about?
Well I know Claire Lim one of the organisers and she had asked me a while ago. I had come to Europe once when I was a solo artist and I have never played as a band. I thought it would be good to have a date far in advance and play a fuller UK tour round. We are playing places like Leeds and Exeter as well so it should be good.
You are influenced not only by other musicians but also heavily by artists and actors. Your songs are curiously named as well, what are the ideas behind the titles?
The reason why my songs are generally named after film actors is to do with the American trash culture. It is as much a part of my aesthetic as deep philosophical ideas. It’s the combination of high art and low art and the idea that you would write a serious song but it would be about Angelina Jolie. If I wrote a political song, it wouldn’t be called ‘I Hate George Bush’ but would be called ‘Martin Sheen’ who played the president in an American TV show. It’s shrouding big concepts in a bit of humour and fun.
Do you think people take you seriously?
No, God no. People definitely don’t take me seriously on any given day. In fact, sometimes I worry that the whole endeavour is so ridiculous that it would preclude people from taking me seriously. I get suggestions from people saying that I should maybe think about writing songs about Brad Pitt or Macaulay Culkin I find it a bit strange. It would be like me going up to people like Oasis and saying maybe you should write a song about love or a song about strife in the third world. It just strikes me as very odd but I am sure for other people it might be normal.
Do you have an album released?
Yeah I put out a new record in November and its called ‘Things are Getting Sinister and Sinisterer’. That is the one we have slogged all around Europe with and most of our set is comprised from songs off that album. We focus on a more live sound now.
What do you find are the main difference between the UK and America in terms of touring?
The UK is tough in that there is less money and there isn’t a beautiful bed for you to sleep in every night. Unlike America I feel people are more interested in things they haven’t heard of. They will buy the records and turn out for things that they are not so familiar with. They have an open mind which is nice. In some places in America it is not the case, it is a very small scene in America. It is a small world here but it is a more friendly one and one that I find more familiar.
Are you happiest now that you are ‘Edie Sedgwick’?
I think it is important to always change what you are working towards because when you get there you may have no where else to go. When I was in other bands it was a group effort and a lot of compromise. This is the first time that I have been mainly in charge aside from suggestions from the group. If the show is good I can celebrate if not I feel bad. I guess it what I have been working towards.
Who are your musical influences?
‘Ol Dirty Bastard, Frank Sinatra, The Sex Pistols. Pretty much anything I heard from the ages of 13 and 19. I may not sound like them to others but in my mind its me emulating other people in a twisted way.
Are there any acts coming from your hometown that you would recommend?
I put out a record by a band called The Points its kind of like a super basic Ramones style punk band and hopefully they will be over here sometime in the Autumn. There is a band called Medications, a band Gestures (who are) a local DC band that’s horns and two drummers.
What do you think Edie Sedgwick will bring to Glasgow?
Some torn panty hoes , a really smelly dress I haven’t had a chance to wash it. I think my band is starting to smell too. Yeah, some smells, mainly its an all factoring experience. Also, the spirit of fun and freedom.
Halina Rifai
Photograph By Alistair Burton
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