The Dresden Dolls (SkinnyFest3)
I don't think the audience needs to lose themselves. <br/>I'd rather they found themselves. I'd rather, in fact, that they found <br/>each other
| 14 Aug 2006
For those who worry that rock is dead and that all the ghouls and goblins have disappeared now that Marilyn Manson is going door-to-door trying to shock people, fear not.
Drawing upon Brecht and Kurt Weil as much as Black Sabbath, the Dresden Dolls, along with The Tiger Lillies, occupy just about the most exciting form of rock around, the dark cabaret. The duo of Amanda Palmer on piano and vocals and Brian Viglione on drums show that you don't need guitars to rock when vaudeville will do the job just nicely.
Intensely theatrical and thrilling, Amanda answered a few questions ahead of their four day residency at The Spiegel Tent this festival.
For the full live show, how important is it that the audience 'lose
themselves'? and how important is the live show to the music?
"The live show is pretty essential if people want to know what we're
all about. But I don't think the audience needs to lose themselves.
I'd rather they found themselves. I'd rather, in fact, that they found
each other, which is exactly what happens."
Will you be seeing much at the Festival while you're in Edinburgh?
"God I hope so. I have never been disappointed there before. I may even busk a bit myself."
You'll be playing a (ersatz) German beer hall in Edinburgh, do you
feel more comfortable playing regular rock venues or the more
irregular ones?
"It depends. Sometimes a rock club is exactly what we need. We used to
play clothing stores and living rooms, we can adapt to fucking
anything."
How did the band come about? Who were your influences?
"Brian and I collided back in 2000 at a Halloween party at my
house. We jammed a few days later and knew instantly. Our influences
range from the Muppets to Black Flag and from Nico to Soft Cell. We're
all OVER the fucking place, man."
Do you wish it could be Halloween everyday?
"Hell no. How boring would that be?"
What is a Dresden Doll?
"An actual Dresden Doll is a little miniature doll made of Dresden
porcelain. They're wonderfully kitsch."
What was the last art/book/film whatever that blew you away?
"I was pretty blown away by 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' by
Bill Bryson. I slowed down to a crawl towards the end, reading a
paragraph at a time, because i didn't want it to be over. Brilliant
stuff, amazing."
Drawing upon Brecht and Kurt Weil as much as Black Sabbath, the Dresden Dolls, along with The Tiger Lillies, occupy just about the most exciting form of rock around, the dark cabaret. The duo of Amanda Palmer on piano and vocals and Brian Viglione on drums show that you don't need guitars to rock when vaudeville will do the job just nicely.
Intensely theatrical and thrilling, Amanda answered a few questions ahead of their four day residency at The Spiegel Tent this festival.
For the full live show, how important is it that the audience 'lose
themselves'? and how important is the live show to the music?
"The live show is pretty essential if people want to know what we're
all about. But I don't think the audience needs to lose themselves.
I'd rather they found themselves. I'd rather, in fact, that they found
each other, which is exactly what happens."
Will you be seeing much at the Festival while you're in Edinburgh?
"God I hope so. I have never been disappointed there before. I may even busk a bit myself."
You'll be playing a (ersatz) German beer hall in Edinburgh, do you
feel more comfortable playing regular rock venues or the more
irregular ones?
"It depends. Sometimes a rock club is exactly what we need. We used to
play clothing stores and living rooms, we can adapt to fucking
anything."
How did the band come about? Who were your influences?
"Brian and I collided back in 2000 at a Halloween party at my
house. We jammed a few days later and knew instantly. Our influences
range from the Muppets to Black Flag and from Nico to Soft Cell. We're
all OVER the fucking place, man."
Do you wish it could be Halloween everyday?
"Hell no. How boring would that be?"
What is a Dresden Doll?
"An actual Dresden Doll is a little miniature doll made of Dresden
porcelain. They're wonderfully kitsch."
What was the last art/book/film whatever that blew you away?
"I was pretty blown away by 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' by
Bill Bryson. I slowed down to a crawl towards the end, reading a
paragraph at a time, because i didn't want it to be over. Brilliant
stuff, amazing."
The Spiegel Tent, August 21-24. 20.00, £12.00 (£10.00)
*Alex, this may or may not go in the magazine, but can you stick it up ASAP? Cheers http://www.dresdendolls.com
*Alex, this may or may not go in the magazine, but can you stick it up ASAP? Cheers http://www.dresdendolls.com