Danny Fasold
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Danny Fasold

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The best kept secret in music

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"Antique Imp EP Review"

The name Antique Imp conjures up an image of an aging elven creature regaling younglings with tales of times gone by, and this name actually applies to the music—this is a band that carefully thumbs its way through the crate of your most beloved albums and helps you see them as a cohesive whole. Antique Imp explains their own take on your R.E.M. and My Bloody Valentine LPs, telling stories about when they first bought their copy of Eno’s Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy and describing exactly why Syd Barrett is so influential. Their music is comfortably familiar but still illuminating and enjoyable. Their new EP begins with the spare folkish guitar of “Wine And Roses,” winding its way through distorted strings and crooned couplets. “Marmalade” mingles synth strings and classical guitar into a sort of Vini Reilly tone poem, adding ascending vocals that echo and return. “Tribal Presence” lurks behind delayed guitars and soothing and thick distortion that oozes over tom toms and explorations of things existential. “City Boy” rounds out the EP—howling melody and rhythm more blinding than deafening. Those accused of often staring at their shoes will find Antique Imp a fitting soundtrack.

—Eyad Karkoutly - The LA Record


"Antique Imp"

Antique Imp
A big hello to Danny Fasold from Antique Imp. Danny plays guitar, synth and sings.

Leicester Bangs: Tell us a little about yourself, and your band.
Danny: Antique Imp originally started as a personal project. For well over a year, it was just me recording out of my bedroom, using an old Roland 4-track that must have been like 30 years old. All of the music back then was really lo-fi, and really limited due to the technological restraints. But after a while I finally convinced my old friend Dryden Van Cleave to join me in L.A. and form a band with me, so we did. We found Oscar Higuera to play drums with us after we posted an ad on Craigslist, and through him we found Wes Hawkes for bass. Wes and Oscar have been long-time friends, so it was kind of interesting, have this dynamic where each half of the band has known each other for years.

LB: How did you start out making music?Antique Imp
Danny: I got into the game way late, when I like 18 or had just turned 19. I remember I was on vacation with my family in England, and I was listening to a lot of OK Computer, and suddenly it hit me that I wanted to learn to play guitar. When I got home I bought my first acoustic - it was a Yamaha - which I played to death, over and over again, every day. I still have that guitar, but I can't play it anymore because it's got quite a few dead spots from pressing down on the frets too hard. It's weird because I didn't even think I liked music for the longest time. The reason is because up until the age of 12, I'd spend most of my time at my babysitter's house before and after school, and her whole family only listened to country music. I'd hear songs like "Boot Scoot 'n Boogie" on the radio and think, "This is what music is? God, this sucks!" It wasn't until way later where I discovered things like grunge and punk. I don't think I ever listened to the Beatles at all until I was 18. Weird, thinking back on it. Every kid should be exposed to the Beatles!

LB: Who did you grow up listening to and how do they influence what you’re doing now?
Danny: The first bands I really liked were Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Bush, Tool... '90s bands, you know? I guess I'm still pretty influenced by grunge, even if I barely listen to it these days. A lot of people tell me they hear a strong tinge of grunge in my music. I swear, if I hear another Eddie Vedder comparison, though, I'll have an aneurysm. I always thought Pearl Jam sucked (laughs).

LB: Tell us about your latest release.
Danny: We just put out our first EP. It's self-titled and has four songs that we all worked really hard on. I've heard from some people that the music is rather depressing, but I happen to disagree. I think some our stuff is quite joyous, depending on how you hear it.

LB: Do you get out and play your music live, and if so, what can an audience expect at one of your shows?
Danny: Yes. We play live as much as we can, but only in and around Los Angeles. Check our Myspace page periodically to see where we're playing. Audiences can usually expect lots of big sweeping synths and multi-part harmonies and some cool light effects. We just bought a new light machine which is really fun. Our drummer sometimes brings along his fog machine, which maybe is kind of campy but who cares, it's really cool to see that smoke drift along your frame of vision as I'm singing "smelled the smoke in your clothes...".

LB: What aspects of playing and recording music do you most enjoy?
Danny: Jamming. Finding happy mistakes. Sometimes you can turn a relatively boring lick into something completely mind-blowing by fucking up in exactly the right way. Recording's a whole other entity, I think. These days, when I record, it's usually alone. I don't think I work really well with others in that respect. But it's a lot of fun. It's a great way to go inside my head and find out new things, new sounds, learn up on some software. There's a lot more attention to detail when I'm recording, I think. When I'm playing with the other guys, we're still working to improve our songs, but primarily we're focused on having a good time.

LB: Where can people find (and buy) your music?
Danny: Our stuff just went up on CDBaby, and not forgetting our Myspace page.

www.myspace.com/antiqueimp - Leicester Bangs


Discography

Antique Imp, our debut EP, is our only release thus far. It has received some radio airplay.

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

Some would describe Antique Imp’s music as “folky.” Others might deem it “eerie” or “psychedelic” or “stoner-friendly.” The Imps wouldn’t refute any of this. Their music is an open slot, a blank space waiting to be filled in by the listener, steered by whatever impressions their sounds might stir. Because the truth is, there is no easy way to categorize Antique Imp’s music. Sure, those listening for it will find traces of Syd Barrett or Grizzly Bear or the ethereal wanderings of an in-his-element Brian Eno, but when all is said and done, Antique Imp stands on its own two scuffed feet.

The EP was recorded in the latter months of 2008. The drums were laid down at the renowned Private Island Trax studio (familiar to artists such as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Warren Zevon, Lou Rawls and many more) in Los Angeles, right there on the Sunset Strip with all the worn and wasted and jaded straggling by. As for the rest of the music, this was done in the comfort of singer/songwriter Danny Fasold’s Hollywood apartment on a laptop connected to many wires connected to many instruments.

Known for their use of swooping choruses, woodsy guitars and molasses-thick synthesizers, Antique Imp’s music thrives on mood. It’s both relaxing and suspenseful, aesthetic and horrid, depressing and uplifting. In only four songs, the band’s eponymous EP covers much ground, touching on isolation, nostalgia, longing and, finally, the boundless potential that exists in all of us.

Antique Imp is not afraid to cross boundaries. It is not afraid to venture into the dark, or look deep inside itself. It wants you to not be afraid as well.

About Antique Imp

Deep in the darkest depths of Danny Fasold's bedroom, one cold year when the boy couldn't drive, nor could he sing, nor could he carve furniture from blocks of wood, Antique Imp was born. Recorded on a dusty old Roland four-track from the Triassic age, Danny slaved for countless hours trying to get everything perfect in one take, for punch-ins were still very much a mystery at the time his ancient Roland was built. His efforts were put online and received with much applause from lots of people he’d never met before.

The boy’s spirits were high. He moved to Los Angeles and decided to kick things up a notch.

After while, he was joined by longtime friend Dryden Van Cleave, who would offer his skills on vocals, guitar and keys. The two of them eventually crossed paths with drummer Oscar Higuera and bassist Wes Hawkes, both SoCal natives. Now the four of them happily spend their free time pounding sounds together and making sweet, nauseating noise. The Imp abides.