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VANGUARD MUSIC PRESENTS AN INTERVIEW WITH STALKING JANE.
By Sonya Brown
SJ Note: Sonya Brown of The Vanguard did a an interview with us for the November issue of the Vanguard. We are pasting it here for ease of reading. Interviews are listed in Date of Release - You can see it online by clicking below:
http://www.vanguardweekly.com/music.php
There's just something about... Jane. And, now there's a new Jane in town!
VM: Who comprises the core unit of Stalking Jane?
Andrew: Jessica Plotkin, Vocals, Viola; Tyler Kellogg, Guitar; and Andrew, Keyboard and Gadgetry. We are in the process of adding Percussion.
VM: Andrew, What thoughts went into your decision to choose Jessica Plotkin as your vocalist?
Andrew: The first thought was how natural it was to work with her. I had just spent most of 2004 and the beginning of 2005 auditioning a lot of very talented vocalist in Portland and other cities. There is a certain synergy and flow with the music I create that I think can be challenging for a singer to interact with. Jessica just got it. In addition, I love the songs that she writes. Working with her songs feels more like an extension of myself than merely just adding parts to something that already exists.
VM: Jessica, what thoughts went into your decision to work with Andrew?
Jessica: Andrew replied to an advertisement, that I had placed in The Mercury, with three MP3s of music he was currently working on. It blew me away. He was obviously talented and experienced, and, like he said, our vision is so similar that collaborating feels utterly natural. Nothing else compared. There really was no decision to make, unless he was creepy; which he is a little bit, but in a good way.
VM: Jessica, please describe your musical background and training.
Jessica: The first instrument I picked up seriously was viola. I started at age ten, and kept on sawing until about age sixteen when I quit orchestra to be the lead in a musical. My first musical was Annie at age thirteen, and that was the beginning of my singing career. I've had some classical vocal training. I taught myself guitar and started composing when I was fifteen. Most of my contemporary music experience has been solo, but I was in one other band about five years ago in Eugene. My early influences were Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and Cibo Matto. Now my influences have evolved into Bjork, Sky Cries Mary, and, well, still Cibo Matto, among others, of course.
VM: Andrew, where has your love for music taken you over the years?
Andrew: I have been chasing muses all over the world. Some of these ended up more as distractions than inspirations. However, some were life changing. I really enjoyed living in Asia. There was something very powerful about listening to music and scales that were created long before America was conceived. From a different point of view, playing clubs in London, like Slime Light, were also amazing experiences. There were a lot of changes going on in the 90's with electronic music. Not all of it good, but it was very exciting to be a part of it, none the less. Europe and Asia both have been very kind to me. When I moved back to Portland, I realized how much I liked the size and feel of the NW. This is really where I wanted to start this kind of a project.
VM: What is the origin of the band name?
Andrew: I have spent a lot of time looking for both inspiration and its source. A muse, if you will. The artists ultimate unrequited love story. One might say that search became an obsession. Jane seemed the most befitting name for such an enigmatic entity.
VM: Where would you place your music on a range of genres?
Andrew: Ambient Dream Pop mixed with Dance Oriented Rock that is reminiscent of all your favorite bands from 4AD.
VM: Where might fans hear your music?
Andrew: Currently you can stream us on http://www.myspace.com/stalkingjane Soon, you will also be able to find us on http://www.stalkingjane.com
VM: Where might we see Stalking Jane perform in the near future?
Andrew: In Vancouver, on Friday December 23rd at 15th Street Pub; and Saturday, January 7th at Bobby McGee's. We are in the process of putting together a show for Christmas Eve at the Ash St. Saloon [Portland]. The New Year is an open book, and we are seeking to book performances around the Northwest to showcase the music we have been writing and recording since the beginning of 2005. Booking info contact: Andrew, 503.679.6353, sunlao@att.net
VM: How do you envision your live sets developing in the short term?
Andrew: This is an exciting time for us because everything is so new. We are in the process of adding a percussionist who will add to our organic sound. Depending on the song, he will be able to fuse a variety of rhythms that are as diverse as Middle Eastern hand drum patterns to more traditional rock. Jessica is also writing cello parts for several of our songs. The cellist is very excited about joining us on stage.
- Vanguard
VANGUARD MUSIC PRESENTS AN INTERVIEW WITH STALKING JANE.
By Sonya Brown
SJ Note: Sonya Brown of The Vanguard did a an interview with us for the November issue of the Vanguard. We are pasting it here for ease of reading. Interviews are listed in Date of Release - You can see it online by clicking below:
http://www.vanguardweekly.com/music.php
There's just something about... Jane. And, now there's a new Jane in town!
VM: Who comprises the core unit of Stalking Jane?
Andrew: Jessica Plotkin, Vocals, Viola; Tyler Kellogg, Guitar; and Andrew, Keyboard and Gadgetry. We are in the process of adding Percussion.
VM: Andrew, What thoughts went into your decision to choose Jessica Plotkin as your vocalist?
Andrew: The first thought was how natural it was to work with her. I had just spent most of 2004 and the beginning of 2005 auditioning a lot of very talented vocalist in Portland and other cities. There is a certain synergy and flow with the music I create that I think can be challenging for a singer to interact with. Jessica just got it. In addition, I love the songs that she writes. Working with her songs feels more like an extension of myself than merely just adding parts to something that already exists.
VM: Jessica, what thoughts went into your decision to work with Andrew?
Jessica: Andrew replied to an advertisement, that I had placed in The Mercury, with three MP3s of music he was currently working on. It blew me away. He was obviously talented and experienced, and, like he said, our vision is so similar that collaborating feels utterly natural. Nothing else compared. There really was no decision to make, unless he was creepy; which he is a little bit, but in a good way.
VM: Jessica, please describe your musical background and training.
Jessica: The first instrument I picked up seriously was viola. I started at age ten, and kept on sawing until about age sixteen when I quit orchestra to be the lead in a musical. My first musical was Annie at age thirteen, and that was the beginning of my singing career. I've had some classical vocal training. I taught myself guitar and started composing when I was fifteen. Most of my contemporary music experience has been solo, but I was in one other band about five years ago in Eugene. My early influences were Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and Cibo Matto. Now my influences have evolved into Bjork, Sky Cries Mary, and, well, still Cibo Matto, among others, of course.
VM: Andrew, where has your love for music taken you over the years?
Andrew: I have been chasing muses all over the world. Some of these ended up more as distractions than inspirations. However, some were life changing. I really enjoyed living in Asia. There was something very powerful about listening to music and scales that were created long before America was conceived. From a different point of view, playing clubs in London, like Slime Light, were also amazing experiences. There were a lot of changes going on in the 90's with electronic music. Not all of it good, but it was very exciting to be a part of it, none the less. Europe and Asia both have been very kind to me. When I moved back to Portland, I realized how much I liked the size and feel of the NW. This is really where I wanted to start this kind of a project.
VM: What is the origin of the band name?
Andrew: I have spent a lot of time looking for both inspiration and its source. A muse, if you will. The artists ultimate unrequited love story. One might say that search became an obsession. Jane seemed the most befitting name for such an enigmatic entity.
VM: Where would you place your music on a range of genres?
Andrew: Ambient Dream Pop mixed with Dance Oriented Rock that is reminiscent of all your favorite bands from 4AD.
VM: Where might fans hear your music?
Andrew: Currently you can stream us on http://www.myspace.com/stalkingjane Soon, you will also be able to find us on http://www.stalkingjane.com
VM: Where might we see Stalking Jane perform in the near future?
Andrew: In Vancouver, on Friday December 23rd at 15th Street Pub; and Saturday, January 7th at Bobby McGee's. We are in the process of putting together a show for Christmas Eve at the Ash St. Saloon [Portland]. The New Year is an open book, and we are seeking to book performances around the Northwest to showcase the music we have been writing and recording since the beginning of 2005. Booking info contact: Andrew, 503.679.6353, sunlao@att.net
VM: How do you envision your live sets developing in the short term?
Andrew: This is an exciting time for us because everything is so new. We are in the process of adding a percussionist who will add to our organic sound. Depending on the song, he will be able to fuse a variety of rhythms that are as diverse as Middle Eastern hand drum patterns to more traditional rock. Jessica is also writing cello parts for several of our songs. The cellist is very excited about joining us on stage.
- Vanguard
Exceprts from Stalking Jane's December 23rd show at the 15th Street Pub
"From Jessica's first notes, I know I am hooked on this band and I am not alone."
"What a night!" - Vanguard (Vol. 2, No. 11 January 25, 2006)
Exceprts from Stalking Jane's December 23rd show at the 15th Street Pub
"From Jessica's first notes, I know I am hooked on this band and I am not alone."
"What a night!" - Vanguard (Vol. 2, No. 11 January 25, 2006)
Discography
Primitive Side - Played on KBOO - KPSU - KBVR
Photos
Bio
Stalking Jane performs a soundscape of musical textures and rhythm that go from soaring to searing with haunting vocals that effortlessly navigate between the bands atmospheric style and sonic sensibilities. This 4 piece band based out of Portland Oregon has ascended into a world where the organic and the mechanical live in the melodic harmonies which they produce.
Stalking Jane began in November of 2005 and is reminiscent of all your favorite bands from the record label 4AD. Ambient Dream Pop reborn with nods to ethereal female fronted acts like Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, Lush and Curve. Stalking Jane has infused sounds from around the world with electronic machines to make a sound that is familiar yet uniquely theirs.
Opening up for international acts like IAMX, Stalking Jane is drawing a fan base in the Northwest by tantalizing fans at their shows with mesmerizing vocals and beats that dance between driving and hypnotic.
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