"The Starving Artist and the Enchanted Vending Machine" is my new concept record about an an Evil Record Label Boss, a Starving Artist and a Magical (Persian) Vending Machine capable of transforming an emaciated + lame singer songwriter into a Kick Arse Pop Star!
The musical context of the current record is very different from how I normally approach music and I must say that it took a lot of convincing from Producers Jay Martinez and Jason Martinez to get me, as you guys say "into the swing of things." Glad I did though as the writing process for this outing has really been a learning experience. Very often as singer and writer I tend to hide behind intellectualism preferring to write about "the other" in a very objective way. I do the research, I convince myself that an event in time or as experienced by a certain individual is "important" enough to engage with musically and morally. I think a lot of people who've heard my music often feel alienated by the subject matter of my songs, my accent and this gloomy post vampire like image I've carefully garnished myself in. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I take my self too seriously and in a very big way this reality has effectively alienated me from music buyers and appreciators...not a good move as a relatively unknown musician.
The new record is much more relaxed and fun...it shows that I do have a sense of humor and that good music does not need to regard intellectualism and discussions pertaining to morality. For the first time ever I've actually ventured into a recording booth without a vocal plan. I pretty much wrote the new batch of songs as a response to Jay and Jason's electronic wizardry. They have so much fun with music and I desperately need to have more with music in general; as per all of my friends' and musical peers' back round chatter. "Ok, guys! Chill out now...I'm trying to have fun here!"
The record does have a lot of piano work, odd time signatures, wordy lyrics, ethnic vocal chants and some references to Persian Religion and Gods such as Ahura Mazda. These traits are signature to me as a musician...this time however we mixed things up a lot with European inspired synth melodies and beats, video game like bit crushing and a brighter even romantic lyrical tone. I'm sure you guys will pick up on the "f!@ck the music business as it operates today" underlying theme throughout the whole record. I'm a lot funnier and approachable now than let's say a year back on the previous outing; "Die Probleem met Picasso" as produced by Jason Magnuson and DJ Pennington. I'll still kick your arse though on a night of debating issues pertaining to all things Religious, Political, Video Game Scores and Yada Yada Yada!
"The Starving Artist and the Enchanted Vending Machine" is scheduled for release in December of 2010. Look out for the first single and accompanying video off the new record to be released in November of 2010. Thanks all the guys and girls working with me on this one aka Jason Martins, Jay Martinez, Nikye Pennington, Stamatina Prekas, Ymki van den Berg, DJ Pennington, Jason Magnuson, Paul Seeds and all the wonderful guys and girls who work with Nikye and Stamatina. I love, respect and appreciate you all very much. "Ek is niks sonder julle nie."
Best;
Gerschweyn Matthews
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