Stellastarr*
The city is full of bad, lazy bands who believe their blurbs and insist on playing the Mercury Lounge two weeks after they debut. And many of the better, more patient bands like current sensation Interpol have limited their NYC shows, knowing that courting kids in Europe can be more important than being recognized in their own neighborhood. Its strange that many local bands have to become stars in England before they chart at Other Music, but thats New York.
Stellastarr*, a playful, new-wavy three-pretty-guys-and-one-pretty-girl group who sound like a sunnier Echo and the Bunnymen, are neither bad nor lazy, and they havent yet had the means to head to Europe. Although Stellastarr* are being seriously courted by major labels, their next show is another freebie at Luna Lounge on Jan. 11. This show may very likely be the last time youll be able to see them for free, but with this band, you never know.
I chatted with frontman Shawn Christensen at the Fat Black Pussycat the day after Stellastarr* returned from two Los Angeles showcases in mid-December. Christensen is also a great painter whos been supporting his current musician lifestyle by selling inventive rock-star portraits (shawnyboy.com).
Tell me how the L.A. trip went.
We did two showcases out there at the Derby and Spaceland, and we had a lot of meetings and photo shoots and interviews because were kind of new out there. Ive never been to L.A., and [guitarist] Michael [Jurin] actually had never been on a plane before. So his face was kind of glued to the window the entire trip both ways.
Did somebody in particular fly you out there?
Yeah, two labels flew us out there, actually: Capitol and Interscope.
So they flew you out, but you didnt get paid to play?
We did get paid to play because we brought in 100 people on our own in the Derby. Spaceland didnt have a cover, so we didnt get any money there.
How have the meetings been going?
The meetings are going well. Theres pros and cons to everything. Were looking at indie labels and major labels. Major labels, theyre going to want a five- or six-album deal with you. The indie labels dont want all that. You go with a major, basically, its your life. And if you fuck up, you really fuck up. Because you could go to a major label and get shelved or whatever, and then you disappear into the abyss.
Ive been listening to your EP, and want to ask: Why do you think theres a stigma with New York bands who are trying to write poppy songs right now? Why do so many bands think thats uncool?
Im so glad you asked that question. Its something thats really bothering us. Theres this huge indie thing going in New York. What a lot of people dont realize is that a lot of these bands wouldnt really fly on a major label or would never have flown on a major label. Its definitely an indie movement.
With us, we enjoy writing songs that are going to stick with people, that have a little bit of a pop sensibility. But at the same time, its not so catchy that the first time you hear it, youve heard everything. Because songs like that, by the 10th time youve heard them, you get tired of them already. I think were really into writing songs that are going to last a while, not some avant-garde 40-second pile of shit just for the sheer sake of writing it.
I assume youre in kind of a hurry to make a deal because youre full-time musicians and still have bills to deal with.
Its funny, we didnt realize until we went to L.A. how we can act impatient sometimes. I think that sets us back a little. We walked into meetings, and I think we sounded a little more impatient than we would have liked–because [Stellastarr*s full-length] albums been in the can for so many months now. We really feel like it would be a good summer album.
Have you just been selling your art to make money?
Yeah. You know the expression, "Life finds a way"? Its like that. Right when I dont have rent for the next month, somebody comes up and buys a couple of paintings, and, boom, I can live for another month and a half.
When you play the Luna Lounge, you may get $60 to split among four people. Many other bands dont like doing this.
One thing that was important to us was a fan base. And what we did to build a fan base was, we took beautiful people with a mailing list and we played our show, and we had these beautiful people wander around the room with the mailing list. It was kind of a funny thing at the time, but now, looking back on it, we have a really dedicated fan base in New York because of what we did.
People love not having to pay a cover charge. The simple fact is, nobodys going to spend $8 at Brownies to take a chance on a band. Even though Brownies was a great club, whos going to, like, walk by and say, "Lets just spend $8 and throw all caution to the wind and go find out what band is inside." I mean, maybe we should be playing the Bowery by now, and we will or whatever, but its always just nice to throw a show down [at Luna Lounge].
There just seems to be something about being in a New York band that makes people feel dirty and just brood. Your EPs different.
I think everybodys going to brood. You can do it inside a good melody. You dont have to write chord changes that arent in key with each other just to make something darker. You can make something that people can relate to. Isnt the idea that they should relate to your lyrics and to your music?
I think theres a lot of quality music here. But I think people are still unhappy. Theyve been unhappy for two years.
That brings us back to the Strokes, doesnt it? Because their songs arent like that. Their songs arent these indie, dark songs. They have this amazing pop sensibility. Theyre pretty songs.
Yeah, the songs are about girls mistreating them or being too drunk. Its the exact same themes as everybody else, but its almost like its a celebration of the city instead.
Hes singing it in a way, and theyre presenting their music in a way where a person very far away can relate to it. We used to play with them before anybody had heard of them. In fact, our second show ever, we headlined over them in Baby Jupiter in 2000. Back then, I felt like, wow, if anybody found either one of us, they would really like whats going on. But I felt so defeated back then. I didnt feel like our band was going to go anywhere. And sure enough, the Strokes did. I felt really great for them because there was nothing quite like that at the time.
Stellastarr* play Sat., Jan. 11, at Luna Lounge, 171 Ludlow St. (betw. Houston & Stanton Sts.), 260-2323; and Fri., Feb. 7, with Apples in Stereo, at Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St. (betw. Bowery & Chrystie St.), 533-2111.