GreyRevellInterview

Grey Revell interview

Grey Revell

Interview

<Brad> Hello

<Brad> Grey?

<Anonymous90> Hello Brad, I'm here..

Anonymous90 is now known as Grey.

<Brad> Cool

<Brad> How you been, baby asleep?

<Grey> Baby's going to sleep as we speak, Patsy made a great dinner and we're settling

down for the evening.

<Brad> We're making pop corn here.

<Brad> No baby yet though my wifes been workin' me

<Grey> Ah popcorn, called maize by my father's folk...

<Brad> Is your dad Native American?

<Grey> Yaqui Indian mixed with French through Sonora Mexico

<Brad> If you get kicked off, guy, just come right back, okay? Seems to happen

sometimes.

<Brad> Wow. YOu study your family history?

<Grey> No worries.

<Grey> Family History? I know a bit from stories told by my parents. My mother's story is

very interesting.

<Brad> do tell

<Grey> My mother was one of the children flown over from Cuba during the fall of the

Batista regime in the ;'50's. It was called the Peter Pan Flights I think. She settled with

her mother and her brother i

<Brad> i've heard of that

<Grey> in Miami for about ten years before moving to LA

<Brad> My wife's family moved to Miami, too, but from Venezuela

<Grey> In fact all of my maternal relatives still live in Florida. It's pretty country...

<Brad> how'd you land in nyc?

<Grey> I took a Greyhound from Los Angeles. The trip was four days.

<Grey> I landed in midtown, and spent my first night in an Armenian hotel on 43rd street.

<brad> When was that? (sorry, I got kicked off)

<Grey> March 28, 1998. Exactly three years later to the day, we had my son.

<brad> Wow.

<brad> You met Patsy in NYC?

<Grey> Actually three years AND a day. Julian was born on the 29th. But Patsy went into

labour on the 28th.

<Grey> Yeah, at an open mic in the West Village called the Gaslight.

<brad> How's having Julian changing your life?

<Grey> In more ways than you can possibly imagine. There's a profound value to having

to take care of someone like that.

<brad> IS that going to carry over into the music?

<Grey> How do you mean?

<brad> Are we going to hear references to all of your new feelings and experiences?

<Grey> I would venture to say that the SOUND of the next album is much more straight

ahead.

<brad> Ah.

<brad> Did having Julian also affect your reaction to 9/11?

<Grey> I imagine that reflects a certain sobriety and sense of purpose. A sort of

no-bullshit approach.

<brad> Makes sense.

<Grey> 9/11? My family was in LA actually. I was stuck out here trying to finalize a job

hunt. I got hired to Bank of America on the 10th.

<brad> You coming down here, they're based in Charlotte where I grew up.

<Grey> My job was to have been carrying stock info from Wall Street to the Bank of America

Office in the Trace Center.

<brad> Ooh. Wow.

<Grey> sorry...trade center with aD

<brad> Wow. So what's the job situation now? You unemployed like me?

<Grey> If the Lady had shown up on the tenth to fingerprint me, the 11th would have been

my first (and last) day

<brad> Shit. That's craaaazy.

<Grey> NO I work. I monitor commercials and proofread them for an advertising company.

<brad> Interesting. My wife is in pr.

<Grey> How's your wife? She was very good about keeping at me to send you CD's for

christmas.

<brad> Hmm. Being unemployed, I "monitor" commercials, too. You anyone who could

use a new MBA?

<brad> My wife? She's cool. Three year anniversary tomorrow.

<Grey> Congratulations. Job-Hunting's hard.

<brad> And she forgives you for waiting until February to send the cds. They made good

birthday presents for me.

<brad> Job hunting sucks. Hard.

<brad> You've been working on the new album for a while, right? When's it going to come

out?

Grey> We're recording it next month. I plan on releasing it in October.

<brad> Great, so I'll have it by Christmas?

<Grey> I promise...

<brad> Put our order in now, heh.

<brad> I thought on your site you said you were working on it and it was going to come out

soon. Did 9-11 delay it?

<Grey> Sure...and make sure you remind me every fifteen minutes or so

<brad> She wasn't that bad, was she?

<Grey> No, I meant that. I really need to be hounded to get things done. I'm the worst.

<brad> You need an agent, and I need a job.

<brad> My wife can do the pr

<brad> and babysit. She freaking loves babies.

<Grey> Nice. My catalogue is being represented in LA by Falling Elevator entertainment.

They're lisencing me for TV and film.

<brad> That's cool. Next thing you know, you'll be in Diet Coke commercials

<brad> Let us know when you're on the big screen.

<Grey> Don't bank on it, but I'll keep you posted.

<brad> What songs are going to be on the new album?

<brad> Will you be touring?

<Grey> The record is going to be eleven tracks. Mostly very quick and sharp pop.

Touring? Outside New York? I don't know.

<brad> Come, come to N.C. We do chicken right.

<Grey> People are flying across the pond to capitalize on this door that the Peaches have

opened. But I can't say where I fit into it yet.

<brad> I read a review in Antimatters on the GReen TRain that says it was the best album

of 1969.

<brad> Do you consider yourself really of another era?

<Grey> Someone may convince me of that someday. I just do what sounds good to my

ears.

<brad> That's cool. I didn't catch that either.

<Grey> Catch what?

<brad> Who are your influences? Crazy Like An Ambush was my favorite song of 2000

(along w/the Tony Hightower song)

<brad> - I meant catch what they said about you in that review. Being from the '60s

<Grey> The big influences on Ambush were Grant Lee Phillips, The Verve, Eno. Definitely

a psychedelia thing.

<brad> Ah, so those are cds you've been listening to lately?

<Grey> No, not at all. That was 98-99. The influences change with every CD.

<brad> So, what's been influencing the new album?

<brad> 98-99 was pre-Patsy, pre-Julian...

<Grey> The new CD is Television, Big Star, The Pretenders, Warren Zevon, that kind of

thing.

<Grey> Yes, the alternate title for Ambush could've been "Grey's Bachelor Opus"

<brad> Are you involved in Au base

<Grey> I do editing for the new zine (on stands in May, folks), and am doind an interview

with Jeff Lewis for the debut issue.

<brad> You bastard! I need a bio from him to post on his page on my fansite.

<brad> Can you snag me a copy of the new issue? I'm guessing it won't be on newstands

down South.

<Grey> Absolutely, we'll send you one when it's ready.

<brad> Ah, the benefits of having a fansite.

<Grey> .......

<brad> Did you used to work with Jeff Lewis? I saw that in a Hammel comic that Jeff drew.

<Grey> Yeah, me, Jeff and John Kessel all worked the ticket booth for Blue Man Group on

Lafayette.

<brad> We saw them in Boston. Fucking rocked.

<Grey> Nice guys.

<brad> Really?

<Grey> Really. There's at least twenty blue men now. The original three are loaded. They

bought the building next door to the theatre (they own that to) and live there

<brad> So, what's the story with Au base. Will it be monthly and how can those of us who

don't live in NYC get it?

<brad> - There are actually even blue women now. My wife asked me to add that. -

<Grey> Blue Women? Well, nothing lasts forever does it? It will be monthly, and anyone

who wants can get a hold of us and ask.

<brad> Have you checked out my site yet? Its official launch is tomorrow.

<Grey> Yes. Very very well done. You should be proud.

<brad> You're one of the most popular artists on it. You have more hits than anyone right

now.

<brad> Thanks man. We aim to please.

<Grey> God bless them. I'm a lucky man.

<brad> Patsy want her own page, too?

<Grey> Absolutely. you can email here a patsygrace@mail.com. She'd love to set you up

with something.

<brad> Sweet.

<brad> Cool Mo Dee.

<brad> Hoping to add more artists.

<Grey> Like who..?

<brad> Looking for Paleface, Kirk Kelly, Lenny Molotov... a whole bunch.

<brad> And also people to write columns, stories, ramblings... rants.

<brad> The Moldy Peaches are working on a bio, too.

<Grey> Good taste...If I had a picture I'd send you some info on California Littlefield, a

great writer and friend of mine. He was something. A real character

<Grey> The opening track on Ambush 'Morning Sun" is his..

<brad> Oh, I like that one.

<brad> Anyone else I should add? Who's missing man? How can I make the site more

relevant?

<Grey> Have you added Brer Brian to the roster?

<brad> I'm just missing info about Artichoke Heart.

<brad> He says it's on the way, guy, but you for sure know how that goes... Life gets in the

way.

<Grey> Unfortunately Brian has a way of getting in his own way sometimes, but bless him

he's a real talent and a great soul./ and

<Grey> a killer on guitar.

<brad> Cool. I'll sic my wife on him.

<Grey> good going.

<brad> Were you in a musical? Tell me about it...

<Grey> I was in two that I can recall. I was in a musical adaptation of my wife's story "the

Wise Sophia", and also in "the Last Dodo" by Peter Dizozza

<brad> Do you enjoy that kind of stuff? How were they different?

<Grey> Loved it. How were they different? Christ, night and day man. "Sophia" was an

enchanting folk tale and "Dodo" was a surrealist romp. But their themes were similar.

<brad> Did you act or play music, or both?

<Grey> Both. Patsy and I wrote the soundtrack for "Sophia". I sang in both productions.

<brad> Cool.

<brad> I just got "Pro Choice..."

<Grey> Peter's mental trip through Colonial Williamsbug? I love him. He's our Van Dyke

Parks

<brad> Who's playing on the new album with you?

<Grey> Peter's mental trip through Colonial Williamsbug? I love him. He's our Van Dyke

Parks

<brad> Who's playing on the new album with you?

<Grey> Same rhythm section as on Green Train. Matt Cusack on Drums and James

Telfer IV on bass. No special guests this time.

<brad> Are you a Jonathan Richman fan?

<brad> In a round about way, I found Antifolk through him,

<Grey> More a Modern Lover's fan. Roadrunner of course I loved it so much I covered it on

MIdnight Eye.

<brad> Have you seen Jonathan live? Recently? I have, lots, and he's great. Emotes like

all hell.

<Grey> Never seen him live. Love the fact that he writes about such wacky things though.

<brad> He's just so serious on stage. It kills me.

<Grey> And somehow finds an emotional resonance in them

<brad> Exactly.

<brad> WHat's your favorite song that you've ever written?

<Grey> They're like your kids. You like different ones more at different times. Sometimes

they come and hit you on the head. If you ignore them too much they might get in trouble.

<brad> Good answer pop.

<Grey> ......

<brad> What song do you like to perform most?

<Grey> Actually a new one called "dig yer own hole" is my current live favorite.

<brad> What's it about? Got a tape?

<Grey> It's either about crack addiction or the loss of faith, probably both. It's a CCR type

ballad.

<brad> Cool.

<brad> You have any questions for me?

<Grey> Maybe I'll send you an advance copy in June and you could review it for the site.

<Grey> the album I mean

<brad> That's be cool. Really cool.

<brad> That'd be, I meant.

<brad> I would love that.

<Grey> Do you have all my CD's?

<brad> I have three. Is that all of them?

<Grey> you got'em. I actually have two new songs on my website. They'll be on the new

CD.

<brad> Cool. Your page on my fansite links to where you can buy your cds, and to your

site.

<Grey> You're very thorough.

<brad> I try. Automatic for the People baby.

<Grey> "Deliver Hell on Me" was derived from an REM song. "Driver 8"

<brad> Oh cool, didn't catch that before.

<Grey> Similar chords, different key. Pretty much how I write everything.

<brad> Anything else you wanna say, guy?

<brad> I have five quick questions for you, and then you're off the hook.

<Grey> shoot.

<brad> What'd you eat for breakfast?

<Grey> an egg sandwich, OJ, and a sugar donut. I'm a health freak.

<brad> What kind of guitar do you play?

<Grey> Acoustic: a Yamaha, Electric: a black Epiphone SG

<brad> Favorite board game?

<Grey> The chess game in Star Wars. I wanted my Dad to buy me the moving creatures.

He never did. It stayed with me.

<brad> Never upset a Wookie.

<brad> What flavor of baby food don't they already make that would convince you to eat it?

<Grey> right..

<Grey> Coffee.

<brad> Alright, last one...

<Grey> I'm ready

<brad> What color socks you do have on?

<brad> do you...

<Grey> They were white this morning.

<brad> Thanks for playing, guy.

<Grey> Thanks. God bless.

<brad> It's been really cool talking with you. I'm sure you wanna get back to your evening.

Hope you had fun.

<brad> And, please do tell Patsy to be in touch. And I'll remind you about getting a copy of

Au Base for me.

<brad> ... and the new cd!

<Grey> Great Fun. Can't wait to do it again. Patsy'll get back to you, and you'll get hooked

up, trust me.

<brad> Seriously, man, I had a great time. Wish I was up there to do it in person.

<Grey> Life is long. You may still get your chance.

<brad> Actually, it's very likely. My aunt lives up there, and I plan to take advantage of that

as often as possible.

<Grey> My brother in law lives in NC. We talk about visiting him all the time.

<brad> Where in NC?

<Grey> Charlotte, I think.

<brad> Jesus, that's where we're from. Grew up there.

<brad> It's 90 minutes from here.

<Grey> Well, there you go.

<brad> If you come down, I'll buy you some Krispy Kremes. We live in their hq's city

<Grey> We'll bring Jon Berger. He loves Krispy Kreme

<brad> We can hook him up with some fat KK stuff they don't sell up there.

<brad> I'll have to tell him they have donuts here that they don't sell anywhere elese.

<brad> They test them at one of the stores here. Very cool.

<brad> Maybe Jon will let me trade some donuts for his bio... which I've been trying to get

for the site.

<Grey> sounds great.

<brad> Thanks, man. Take care.

<Grey> Great Fun. Can't wait to do it again. Patsy'll get back to you, and you'll get hooked

up, trust me.

<brad> Seriously, man, I had a great time. Wish I was up there to do it in person.

<Grey> Life is long. You may still get your chance.

<brad> Actually, it's very likely. My aunt lives up there, and I plan to take advantage of that

as often as possible.

<Grey> My brother in law lives in NC. We talk about visiting him all the time.

<brad> Where in NC?

<Grey> Charlotte, I think.

<brad> Jesus, that's where we're from. Grew up there.

<brad> It's 90 minutes from here.

<Grey> Well, there you go.

<brad> If you come down, I'll buy you some Krispy Kremes. We live in their hq's city

<Grey> We'll bring Jon Berger. He loves Krispy Kreme

<brad> We can hook him up with some fat KK stuff they don't sell up there.

<brad> I'll have to tell him they have donuts here that they don't sell anywhere elese.

<brad> They test them at one of the stores here. Very cool.

<brad> Maybe Jon will let me trade some donuts for his bio... which I've been trying to get

for the site.

<Grey> sounds great.

<brad> Thanks, man. Take care.

<Grey> God bless you. Have a great night.

<brad> You, too. Later on.