Filmstar

Village Green Productions - Filmstar mixes 80s pop with modern indie roots"

The Deli's Band of the Month spotlight is on Filmstar, performing live in Philly October 16th at Connie's Ric Rac.

The Deli: When did Filmstar come together?

Glenn: Eddie and I started Filmstar in November of 2008, but we only established the full lineup in April.

TD: What are your biggest musical influences and what bands are you currently listening to?

Eddie: I used to play drums in a band called, Rocket Fuel Is The Key and another called Cher U.K., which were both punk on one level or another. I went through phases, getting into everything on Sub Pop, Am Rep, Touch & Go, Dischord, all of that. I like to think that we adhere to a D.I.Y., punk ethic in spirit or philosophy; but, to me, we're an Indie band with pop songs. Anyway, Glenn is Filmstar's "tunesmith," Glenn?

Glenn: Well I guess mostly British stuff from the 80s and 90s, but I’ve been writing songs for a long time, so I’ve had a revolving door of musical influences spinning through my head over the years; but, with Filmstar, I’ve really tried to shut out my musical influences and focus more on what we’ve done so far, and where we can go next with all of it.

TD: What's the first concert you ever attended and first album you ever bought?

Zina: O geez, this is embarrassing. My first concert was O-Town . . . in a mall . . . enough said. The first CD I ever bought on my own was Pink, Missundaztood.

Glenn: My first concert doesn't count (my parents dragged me to it). My second concert was The Cure in 1996, they opened with "Plainsong." I absolutely refuse to reveal the first album I ever purchased.

Elise: First concert was Foo Fighters (touring behind The Colour and the Shape), and the first cassettes I can remember getting for myself were Roxette and Expose. Life is full of contradictions, no?

Eddie: I caught the Foo Fighters on that same tour (Dave Grohl was incredible), but my first concert was a local band in another city. I attempted to shoplift my first album, a cassette, from a department store. That resulted in my first handcuffs.

TD: What’s your take on the Philly music scene?

Elise: There are a lot of different circles of music that don't intersect at all, which I find fascinating. Before I got into the indie/punk/rock scene, I was involved with the singer-songwriter scene, and rarely do the two ever meet. There seem to be some incredibly talented people, no matter the niche, though.

Glenn: Yeah, it’s all worth checking out.

Eddie: I really like what's happening in Fishtown. We like playing The M Room. We're hoping to do Johnny Brenda's and Kung Fu Necktie soon. Oh, and I kinda' like Free Energy, they really know how to work that cow bell.

TD: What are your plans for the next year?

Zina: Good question?

Elise: Well, we're going to do a music video in the next couple of months, and we just got out of the studio recording some new tunes, so maybe that will turn into something bigger.

Eddie: I'd like to get Filmstar admitted to SXSW, hit some cities we haven't played yet (Boston, DC, Baltimore); gigs, gigs, and more gigs, rehearse, record, repeat . . .

Glenn: I'd like to do a show in the Falkland Islands, but I'm not sure if the rest of the band is on board with that.

TD: What’s your most memorable band moment?

Zina: The 3 shows in a row where something went wrong with the song “Run.” Good times, good times.

Elise: Mine would be the first of those three shows, when Glenn's amp exploded on stage, and we finished the song without guitar. There was visible smoke coming out of it, and it smelled like burnt sugar . . . the amp, not the song.

Glenn: That was good, but I particularly enjoyed getting heckled by the drunk Brooklyn crowd. They used every possible cliche associated with Philadelphia. At one point I think they shouted out “where are your cheese steaks,” which is slightly more original than shouting out “Free bird.”

Eddie: And speaking of Brooklyn, every time we play there, I accidentally drive us across the east river into Manhattan, and when we're playing Manhattan, I accidentally drive us into Brooklyn. It's happened several times now, and I know it's happening as soon as I make the wrong turn. Then it's, "here we go again!"

TD: What's your favorite order at the Deli?

Elise: Cheese. And pickles.

Eddie: I haven't got a look at the menu. If tuna is on there, I'll have that on toasted wheat.

Zina: Since I work at one I can't say I really order. But I would say turkey hoagie.

Glenn: Any non-meat product with two slices of bread on either side of it. - The Deli Magazine - Philadelphia