The Virgo 9 is in the process of finishing up their album, “Outta My Way”. This album has slightly diverged from the noise-garage with a more soulful-juke jointy sound that reaches back to another era of music. I thought I would check in and see what’s going on with them.
1. Last year on WXDU, there was the joke that the world was going to end on 9/09/09. So we are all still here, what’s your prediction for the date when the world could potentially end?
Teresa: Really, I have no idea. I am always slightly morbid about my birthday. This year, I celebrated with Shingles and sugar cookies, so I was kind of hoping for a giant comet. But, with the current state of the world, I am in a a Cold War state of mind. Doom, at any moment, wouldn’t surprise me at all!
2. The name of your upcoming album is called “Outta My Way.” Would you like to elaborate on the where the title comes from?
Teresa: It’s a lyric from one of the songs on the album. It’s open for interpretation. For me, one of the meanings applies to the Burger King way music works these days. You can have it your way, but you have go out of your way to reach your own goals. On the flip side of that, I get sick of all the bitching and cut throat behavior everyone reaching for a musical bread crumb creates. So, it’s a bit of a personal statement. Get the hell outta my way. Shut up and play.
3. The new album has a much more soulful sound. What was the inspiration for going in that direction?
Teresa: Gavin’s massive record 60’s record collection and my growing up in a gospel church. Both have similarities in that it’s simply about emotion and unloading it into tune. The singers on these albums and in these churches sound like they are singing from the pit of their souls. I’m a huge fan of that soft spoken, druggy 90’s sound. But, after years of emulating it in previous projects, I wanted to explore my voice more. To really dig deep and to let it all out….
4. At the moment, who are you listening to on the ole turntable and iPod? What it is about that music that you are really drawn to right now?
Teresa: I’m really into Otis Redding. To be more specific, Otis Blue. The orchestration and his voice are just wonderous to me right now.
Gavin: Whatever scratchy vinyl falls out of the junk store.
5. If you could be a character in a John Hughes film, which one would you choose to be? Why?
Teresa: Ha. I’ve always thought of myself as the Ally Sheedy character in The Breakfast Club. Dark, artsy, slightly anti-social.
6. Most bands have a distinct sound where they use a plethora of effects pedals and some use just one. Which category would you fall into?
Teresa: With this album, clean, fuzz, the resulting feedback and the tremolo arm. No need to complicate things. But, I see the new songs reaching back to my effect laden roots a bit more and maybe, just maybe a return to the keys.
Bonus question: Which Misbehaved band do you think is most likely to get arrested for disorderly behaviour?
Teresa: I refuse to answer this question on the grounds that I may incriminate myself.
http://misbehavedrecords.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/6-questions-for-the-virgo-9/
