Brazilian Girls are comprised of Sabina Sciubba, Didi Gutman and Aaron Johnston. This summer they released their third album, named after the city where they met each other, New York City. The band is recognized for their ability to fuse different genres of music into danceable tunes, as well as for frontwoman Sabina Sciubba’s style and penchant for finding unique ways to cover parts of her face. With the combination of musicality and showmanship, Brazilian Girls play to packed venues across the globe.
In this episode of Rehearsal Space, a pregnant Sabina explains their diversity of influences, the benefits of working digitally, and the moment they knew that they were doing something special. Sabina also offers some advice to musicians who are just starting out.
Producer: Katie Camosy, Mike Raffensperger
Director of Photography: Katie Camosy
Editor: Matthew Hendershot
Special Thanks: Cool Hunting and Wayne Price
Rehearsal Space: Anton Newcombe (The Brian Jonestown Massacre)
Everyone has an opinion about Anton Newcombe. He is a controversial figure, inspiring strong reactions of both devotion and criticism. In 2004, Ondi Timoner released her award-winning documentary Dig! that followed the lives and careers of the bands The Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols for seven years. Anton has denounced his depiction in the film that propelled him further into the public spotlight.
As the founder and the only continual member of The BJM, Anton is well-versed in more than eighty instruments and equally competent at producing and running record labels. His musical prodigy and his influence on the current music climate cannot be denied. In this episode of Rehearsal Space, Anton talks about the process of making the BJM’s ninth studio album, My Bloody Underground. He explains how his non-music interests lead him to use multimedia in his art; for example, they’re releasing a video piece to go with every song on the album. Finally, Anton shares his opinions on the subjects of free music, criticism, and songs as performance art.
Producer: Matthew Hendershot, Katie Camosy
Director of Photography: Claudia Woloshin
Editor: Matthew Hendershot
Erykah Badu has been a distinctive and prominent voice in music since her debut album, Baduizm, entered the Billboard Charts at number #2 in 1997. As a poet, a performer, a style icon and a producer, this “analogue girl in a digital world” has successfully controlled both her image and her music. In this episode of Rehearsal Space, Erykah explains why her new album, New Amerykah Part One (4th World War), is the album she wanted to write all her life. She also discusses how technology made it possible. From collaborating with producers on her iChat buddy list to exploring the digital side of music production, first with Garage Band and ultimately with Logic Studio, Erykah uses technology to help communicate her highly personal urban philosophies to the world.
Producer: Megan Cunningham, Mike Raffensperger
Director of Photography: Matthew Hendershot, Nigel Degraff
Editor: Megan Cunningham
Mike Stroud and Evan Mast are the men behind Ratatat , one of electronic music’s rising stars. The duo’s chest-pounding instrumentals and innovative hip-hop remixes have earned them serious credibility and fans in high places. Shortly after the group’s formation they were signed to XL records and have toured with the likes of Daft Punk, The Killers, Franz Ferdinand and Bjork. In this episode of Rehearsal Space Mike and Evan talk about the serendipity of their success and how their music always sounds like “a really bad idea” on paper. They delve into their creative process, sharing a few tips for innovative sounds and stress the importance of never losing your original musical intent.
Producer: Mike Raffensperger, Katie Camosy
Director of Photography: Matthew Hendershot
Editor: Matthew Hendershot
Rehearsal Space: A-Trak Alain Macklovitch aka A-Trak began his music career in Montreal at the age of 13. Influenced by his older brother David (of the band Chromeo), he began scratching records on his father’s turntable. Before long, his DJ battles became the stuff of legend, culminating in A-Trak winning the DMC World Championship when [...]
Rehearsal Space: Kaki King Kaki King is an instrumentalist known for her awe-inspiring guitar work. Using a variety of techniques, her ax handling has caught the eye of musicians and fans everywhere. Over the years her songwriting has matured, and while still characterized by florid guitar picking, it is now encapsulated in a larger melodic [...]
Rehearsal Space: Andrew W.K. Through music, Andrew W.K. has been able to pursue his many disparate interests. It’s led him from Michigan all the way to the Warped Tour, the cover of countless magazines, appearances on tv shows, lecture halls at Yale, articles in the New York Times, and now to the Santos Party House, [...]
Rehearsal Space: T-Pain Singer, songwriter, rapper and producer T-Pain came up with the Florida rap group Nappy Heads, but went solo in the early 2000’s with his recording of “I’m F***ed Up” a rework of Akon’s Top Ten hit “Locked Up.” After hearing the track, Akon signed Pain to his label, Konvict Muzic, where he [...]
