Idiots!
Idiots! are an electronic duo recently relocated from Vancouver to Toronto. Roey Shemesh writes, sings and plays bass. Howard Goldbach produces and plays keyboards and laptop. Their songs are passionate and exuberant. The first time I heard them they reminded me of Prince and Mount Sims. I subsequently came to understand that in addition to getting pole on the dance floor and singing along to their infectious tunes they also have a passion for experimental sound & electronics and a background in classical & jazz music. Roey played bass for folks groups Po Girl & the Be Good Tanyas.
Why did you leave Vancouver?
It wasn't easy. There are so many great bands and musicians in Vancouver who we love and miss. We hope to come to Vancouver to play some shows in the near future. We didn't so much decide to leave Vancouver as move to Toronto. We came to Toronto last summer to play some gigs, which went really well. I was thinking that Toronto would be a great place to explore, and I was up all night one night wrestling with the possibility. The next morning, out of fate or just pure coincidence, I got a call from Howie, saying that he felt like it was a crazy idea, but maybe we should move to Toronto. I took it as a sign, and was like "I'm in". Toronto felt like the next step for us. You can't stay in the same place forever, and you can never be in two places at once.
How is Toronto treating the Idiots!?
So far so good - it feels like the ball is really rolling over here.
Do you like the scene and the city there?
Naturally Toronto is a bigger city and it seems like everywhere we are, there is someone who is somehow involved in music. This guys brother is in a band, this girl's cousin does a music column, so in that way the scene is welcoming. On the other hand, being such a big city, there is that much more of a challenge to get to know all the people who are in any given scene. Both Vancouver and Toronto have really great qualities; it would be great to be able to live in a sort of Hybrid City, with Mountains, and good pizza.
What are some up and coming Toronto bands that you're excited about?
There is a band called Robot that is really cool. Two dudes, one does insane beats, and the other is a great singer. Jacqueline Rendell is another Vancouver export that we have been playing shows with. She has a new E.P. out called Just Be Cause, and has recently formed a band to play her songs. We are playing with a band called Pony Da Look next month. It's three keyboards, and a drum kit. I feel like we have found some allies in them.
You're playing at NXNE - what's the story on the show - who you're playing with etc?
The story is that we are playing at a place called Oasis on June 10th. There are five other bands set to play. The only other band we've heard of is called the No Luck Club. There is another band called Raskin, a pretty random and far out electro band from Mexico. Every band seems to have some electronic element, and we're excited to talk shop.
I understand you're planning a tour of Ontario & Quebec this summer and the west coast after that. Do you want to talk about that at all?
We started operation mass email, and we have gotten some shows. Hamilton, Kingston. We played a great show in London a while back so we're planning on returning there. We just got an email from a band called Convertible Robots, who want to set some shows up around that time, so we're going to do some with them. We're basically trying to book as many shows as possible for the next while.
How did you come together as a band?
Howie and I have been buddies since we were in high school. Back in Vancouver we played in lots of different bands: Klezmer, free improv jazz, lots of different stuff. We got together to record some songs that I was working on. They turned out pretty good, and we had so much fun doing it that we soon had a bunch of songs recorded. The question was, "Can we do this live??and as soon as we figured out how, we were good to go.
And what's the story on the band name?
We wanted a name that was easy to say and remember.
Something fun. Nothing that would reflect how seriously we take our music, because that name would suck.
Do you want to talk about Idiots! songwriting and production process?
Usually I will come to Howie with a song that is basically finished, from beginning to end. That's how it starts. From there we flesh it out with beats, and build it up from there. Often, we're never finished recording any given song, because we're taking stuff out, putting stuff in, always trying to incorporate new production tricks. Lately we've taken a fancy to faster tempos, so we've been reckless with some of our slow jams.
What are some influences on your songwriting and your sound ?some specific bands and sounds etc. that might have pushed you towards what you're doing as a band and as individual musicians?
We both pretty much listen to a lot of different shit. With the advent of iPods, and all that stuff, it's like, your listening to Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and then Gang of Four will come on. There is so much stuff out there, that you end up with like, twelve CD's that you've listened to once, or never, and you have no idea what's on there. If we ever get asked this question, and we come up with a straight answer, I will quit music.
I know that you and Howie both have training in jazz and classical music - do you see Idiots heading in either of those directions ?incorporating improvisation for example?
I think that all these elements have come up so far in our music. It's impossible for our training to not end up somewhere in there. I see us incorporating more aspects of improvisation, and becoming more elastic as a live band.
Howie does some pretty interesting sound stuff at the live shows - crumpling paper and fanning cards and whatnot - any other new tricks up his sleeve that you want to divulge?
Because we're animal lovers and prefer not to exploit certain members of the animal kingdom, we've vetoed any notion, of sampling live birdcalls, or primate mating rituals. Plus it would be expensive. Howie and I brainstorm, and look around the house for everyday items that make cool sounds. There's no telling when we will find the next deck of cards or Chinese Stress Balls. It's a game of chance.
Have you guys been doing any side projects - jazz gigs etc since you've been in Toronto?
We have started a Klezmer band over here, and it is damn fun. That music will always be for drunken dancing, and what is more fun than that? Whiskey Whirlwind! I am subbing in on bass for my man Shaps who plays in a Klezmer-disco band, and we're going to New York this weekend to play for the Israel Day Parade. We'll be moving in a float going down fifth Ave., and I'm not sure whether or not to be wearing a helmet. Could get pretty exciting.
What have you been listening to lately?
That LCD Soundsystem CD is great. There are two CD's, one is all the singles they've released, the other is the proper album. Bakelite is also a great CD. Them's Vancouverites, eh? I'm always listening to jazz too. I like that classic stuff. I'm a sucker for the sa-wing.
You have one EP out - do you have another album in the works?
We're always putting together new EP's. We have one of eight new songs, which we're going with now. We're always writing new songs, and recording them, and yeah, we intend to get a collection of songs together for a full length, soon. Keep checking our website.
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