THE PLEASE PLEASE ME SHAKE A LITTLE HARDER IN 2013

By Tom Semioli

This feature appeared in No Depression, January 2013 

Stop, look and listen to Jessie Torrisi, the sultry, sexy, super-charged  singer,  songwriter, guitarist, band- leader of Austin trio Please Please Me and you’d think she was born and raised to be a roots rocker ala Shelby Lynne, Lucinda Williams, or Ryan Adams.   Now for the truth – she’s from Philadelphia, and made her bones playing drums in one of New York City’s most notorious glam-punk- shock rock outfits in the 00’s– Unisex Salon.  “I woke up one day and I was a part of it” says Jessie of her proudly checkered past.  “I was prey for these charismatic characters… there’s this evil little sister side of me that makes me dress me up and wear outrageous clothes and make-up!” Jessie pauses for reflection. “ I’ m an only child and my mom’s gay so there was no fashion sense instilled in me – I was happy to be pulled into other people’s vision. “

That was then and this is now. Inspired by, among others, a performance by Patti Griffin at SXSW along with an inner voice (aside from the aforementioned devious litter sister) prodding her to follow her muse- Jessie packed her bags and migrated from the unforgiving Big Apple to the Live Music Capitol of the World. “I really felt like I had this songwriter’s soul inside of me –and New York City was impossible for me to realize that truth. I'd wake up and I'd feel as if I were ten years behind. I don’t have famous parents, I'm not rich, the pace was too fast - I felt like a ‘nobody.’ I’m too vain –I needed to go somewhere where I could create something.” Welcome to Austin, Texas.

Not long after her arrival in The Lone Star State,  Jessie waxed her debut solo record Bruler Bruler -that's "burn burn" in French - and earned accolades aplenty whilst seamlessly making the transition from rock ‘n ‘roll side-women to roots rock chanteuse. She found kindred spirits and toured the country in planes, trains, and automobiles to rave reviews, drawing comparisons to Chrissie Hynde and Patti Smith.

However Jessie yearned put together a steady band rather than employ a rotating cast of players who may or may not deliver night after night, nor have the dedication to help realize her artistic vision. Fate intervened with an unlikely cast of cellist Alissa Schram and drummer Agustin Frederic – aptly dubbed The Please Please Me.

“Alissa is the cream in the Oreo” proclaims Jessie.  One of the first people Jessie befriended upon her move to Austin, Alissa had no previous experience in anything remotely resembling a rock / pop music ensemble.  But that didn’t stop her. “Being in this band was a real left turn for her” notes Jessie. “She was the first one to get all these crazy effects pedals – she has to be the bass, the soloist, the keyboards - Alissa brings all the cool sound-scapes to our music – she has electronic bombs going off!”

Jessie lovingly refers to Agustin as “the military hippy”. “He’s slight but strong, has hair down to his ass and goes to yoga – the dude is hardcore Type A!”  A busy local sound engineer who works the console for stadium shows, theater and club gigs, Jessie credits Frederic for the band’s thoughtful arrangements, vastly improved sound and for kicking Jessie’s ass to get her guitar chops up to speed. “Yeah, he put a gun to my head and convinced me to be a guitar player –which I had no previous intention of doing – there’s too many Stevie Ray Vaughn characters in Austin…for every time I’ve wanted to kill Agustin, I realize I could not have improved without him!”  In turn, Jessie has taught her drummer a few things as well, such as the importance of supporting a song with a groove and dynamics.

To make Shake A Little Harder a reality, Jessie, Agustin, and Alyssa turned to Kickstarter – a website which allows artists the platform to raise money for creative projects by crowd funding - i.e. "kicking in." Among the noted artists who've utilized Kickstarter to fund their independent projects include photographer Spencer Tunik, and filmmaker / actors Ed Begley Jr., Whoopi Goldberg, and Mathew Modine.

"What started out as a brilliant idea for struggling indie artists has blossomed into a viable model for established artists,” emphasizes Jessie.  “I have a fan base and they’ll cut me a better deal than a record company – and it’s more genuine –it says something profound that we cut out the middle-man.” Some of the extra perks for Please Please Me patrons include a limited edition cover for the new EP, and practical goodies including officially sanctioned Please Please Me underwear. “I am taking credit for the panties…it’s our biggest seller on the road!”

With CJ Eiriksson (U2, Live, Phish) as producer, making an album from start to finish under their own financial power also offered the band a rare opportunity to find out who they really are –artistically. “This would have never happened with a record company – at the end of the day, everyone gets signed and dropped –if you don’t have something that really rings true to you and your fans and something that is unique – it’s not worth it.  Doing it ourselves was the best way – it was a tremendous learning experience.”

The tracks which comprise Shake A Little Harder were road-tested to ensure the best quality for your consumer dollars. “You can sit in a rehearsal studio all day long-but playing before a live audience is the real deal. There are certain truths that emerge when you play in-front of real people.” The Please Please Me opted for the mini album format based on the advice of producers, their musical peer group, and numerous industry folks. “They keep telling us it’s a singles world…we’ll get more bang for our buck…nobody gives a shit about albums anymore…it’s sad, but we have to adapt to the marketplace.”

Among the standout tracks on Shake A Little Harder is "Dreaming" - a song which was filed away in Jessie's drawer for over a year. The retro melody is undeniable. "There’s something about those 1960’s song hooks like ‘Be My Baby’ reveals Jessie. "I debuted the song at a party and kept it simple. That was a song I had to muscle to the finish line – I still don't know where it came from…"

Can The Please Please Me make a dent in a musical landscape dominated by an X Factor, American Idol mentality? “I think half of Austin has been on those shows” laughs Jessie. She says she won’t disparage those brands which have defined the music business for the last decade – but she does anyway. “They’re all make-over shows…none of them get to the truth of the art. Could Lou Reed sing? Kind of. Could he play? Kind of. But he can write his ass off! And he can put forth a unique attitude. And that’s what I feel like The Please Please Me have to offer – together as a band and as recording artists, we are what is in short supply in the music world today.”

Shake A Little Harder is slated for release in April 2013 – and will be available at major retailers. Keep tabs on The Please Please Me at www.thepleasepleaseme.com

YEAH YEAH YEAHS: MENAGE A TROIS

By Tom Semioli  

This interview feature, the first ever by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, appeared in Shout NY, December 2001

“The lyrics to the first track  ‘Bang’ came to me during a masturbation session” recalls Yeah Yeah Yeahs ‘ singer Karen O. “Nick’s guitar and I rival each other like two people fucking!”

Taking their overt sexual and musical cues from late 1970s classic Gotham City rock, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs parlay more than a few obvious points of reference, namely; the swagger of the New York Dolls, the Velvet Underground’s sexual abandon, and the Ramones’ penchant for skipping the foreplay. Yet the unholy trio of singer Karen O, guitarist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase are not merely inspired by the act of balling as it were.

Armed with nihilistic rhythms fused with Brill Building melody, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ eponymous EP documents the lucid frustrations of the urban post-adolescent id. From a technical standpoint, the primal configuration of voice, guitar and drums appears razor thin minimalist and bereft of harmonic interplay, “Nick plays through two amps” counters Chase, “which eliminates the need for a bass player.” Go figure!

The less-is-more-or-less attitude has helped the Yeah Yeah Yeahs garner recognition in underground rock’s most competitive environs in less than a year. After one rehearsal, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs had enough material cobbled together for their official live bow - an opening slot for the White Stripes at the Mercury Lounge. They followed up their ragged yet acclaimed debut with a string of successful gigs supporting local heroes such as The Strokes, Moldy Peaches, and The Walkmen, among others. Their need to release a definitive collection became obvious- however the process of making Yeah Yeah Yeahs a reality took a few scant days in the studio from start to finish.

“The record is basically rough cuts” reflects Zinner, who also swears his allegiance to analog recording and early takes. The songs – which typically emerge from O and Zinner’s riffing until their half-completed ideas are molded into final form by Chase, were self-produced and recorded with tea and sympathy from engineer Jerry Teel (Knoxville Guns, Chrome Cranks & The Honeymoon Killers,  Boss Hog).

Although the Yeah Yeah Yeahs apparently make no attempt to sound ahead of their time, they’re not entirely out of it either. Witness the EP’s final anthemic cut, “Our Time,” with the unintentionally topical refrain “…it’s the year to be hated!”

“After the terrorist attacks, people have been demanding to hear that song at our shows,” O reveals, waxing poignant in a moment of clarity she never could have predicted. “It’s become a rallying call to arms. It’s events like these when people look for songs that bring everyone together.” Observing the burst of patriotism at sporting contests, religious gatherings, and political campaigns, Chase chimes in “yeah, we’re all New Yorkers now!”

Some of us more than others.

JOHNETTE NAPOLITANO: RUNNING SCARRED

By Tom Semioli 

This feature appeared in Amplifier Magazine, April 2007

“In his diaries, I loved the way Eno described Japanese painters who took all day to prepare, grind ink, and select brushes to be ready for one stroke. So that’s what I did for my first record.”

Known to the rock ‘n’ roll masses as Concrete Blonde’s singer – songwriter – bassist, Johnette Napolitano’s moment has arrived. Though she has participated in highly acclaimed side-projects (Pretty & Twisted, Vowel Movement, The Heads) composed for films Wicker Park, Dead Science and Underworld, and dabbled in electronic music  (Sketchbook and Sketchbook 2), Ms. Napolitano makes her long awaited solo debut with a decidedly kaleidoscopic collection entitled Scarred.

“Before Concrete Blonde, I was a ten year old kid playing guitar on my bed. Call it midlife or whatever, but I need to get back to her and really be that person again.”

Melding folk, techno, garage rock, and punk, Scarred also emerges as a showcase for the talents of Napolitano’s collaborators Will Crewdson and Sultan Ahmed of Catfish Star, whom she met in London fifteen years ago.  Recalls Johnette “Will actually recognized me in a record store! I was so flattered.  We stayed in touch on and off over the years.  Then, about a year ago, he sent me tracks and I just fell in love with them. The songs just wrote themselves. “

Napolitano composed “Save Me” during the horror that was Hurricane Katrina. “I couldn't sleep for a week and just wrote to Will’s tracks. Later we went into a Hollywood studio and the first vocal I laid down as ‘Like a Wave.’ I knew in a minute that it was special, and so did everyone there.” Also on board for Johnette’s bow was ex-Concrete Blonde guitarist Jim Mankey, who served as engineer and guiding light.  “Jim has a lot of respect for Will’s playing and sensibility for guitars…and, in turn, Will has tremendous respect for Jim as well, so the back-and-forth between them was amazing.”

Despite the fact that Scarred  was recorded in different studios over an extended period of time, Mankey’s telekinetic knob-twiddling along with Napolitano’s penchant for working quickly made for a cohesive song-cycle. “After every mix, Jim would comment about a lyric or a vocal he liked and that made me feel confident. We even kept a few of the rough board mixes – I’m a firm believer of walking out of the studio with something you can live with the rest of your life…”

Among two pleasant surprises on Scarred are two unlikely covers: Coldplay’s “The Scientist” and the Velvet Underground’s “All Tomorrow’s Parties.”

“Danny Lohner and I worked on the Underworld soundtrack. He received the call for us to cover “The Scientist” for Wicker Park. We weren't that enthusiastic about it because we’re both writers and we would rather have composed something, but of course, we did it. I drove around in my truck listening to the song for a couple of days since I’m a bit of a method actor when it comes to delivering a vocal. I was damn depressed for days!”

“All Tomorrow’s Parties” was Will’s idea. I’d worked on a song for an Australian film, Candy,  which had a Nico temp track ”Wedding Theme” which they couldn’t clear, so they called me in to replace it, which I did.  I’m constantly online with Will and as soon as I told him about it he came up with the Velvet’s song. We did it on one take! Even my die-hard Nico friends love it!

Johnette Napolitano’s Scarred will be released May 29, 2007 on Hybrid Records.