>>PREVIEW
ELECTRIC SIX
Saturday, November 11
Broken City
Maybe it’s their freshly pressed suits, their exuberant dance floor manoeuvres or their animalistic sexiness, but it won’t surprise you at all to learn that Penthouse "Pet of the Month" Ms. Kimberly Rogers of Australia listed Detroit’s red-hot rock ’n’ roll sensation Electric Six (E6) amongst her favourite bands. This is just the kind of thing that gets lead singer Dick Valentine’s heart racing.
Pursuant to Ms. Kim’s shining recommendation, rumour has it that the band has been given the nod by media mogul Bob Guccione to record a number for the second installation of his cult-classic film Caligula, entitled Caligula Deux: When Persians Attack.
Climbing back on that proverbial horse after a shift of recording labels following the release of their ardent debut Fire (Beggars XL), which featured such hits as "Gay Bar," "Dance Commander" and "I’m the Bomb," the Electric Six have moved to even greater conquests – most notably a recent appearance at the South Park 10th anniversary party in Hollywood. Performing at the request of the animated series’ creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the band enjoyed the exposure almost as much as the lobster pot pies that were served. Add to that savoury deliciousness the release of their tart ’n’ tasty new album Switzerland (Warner/Metropolis) and it looks like there is no respite in sight for the vivacious, "karaoke all night, Macarena till the break of dawn" sextet.
"It feels like we’ve been at it nonstop for the last nine months," whines the band’s front man Dick Valentine in a self-mocking tone. "But, yes, I do feel like playing live is what we’re all about. It’s just not the same if I’m not right there with the audience, breathing the same air and ready for a party."
In addition to enjoying the phat rewards of their celebrity musician status, the band has made the leap from stage to video thanks to director Kris Kaczor who guided the E6 through his avant-garde interpretation of their new track "Mr. Woman," effectively capturing the essence of one man’s nervous breakdown on film.
Despite all of these glamorous trappings, famous associations and a collective songbook packed with highly danceable disco-metal hits, the E6 like to keep it simple when it comes to their onstage personas. Drawing on material from their previous albums Fire (2003) and Senor Smoke (2005), as well as their latest album Switzerland (2006), Valentine, keyboardist Tate Nucleus, guitarists Johnny Na$hinal and The Colonel, along with drummer Percussion World and bassist John R. Dequindre have a reputation for setting off a high-voltage explosion with every live appearance.
"We’re peppering our sets with selections from all three of our albums – I’d say the split is about seven, seven and seven," Valentine explains. "I think every song comes across louder and faster when we perform it live. I am not sure just what it is that makes our new album different from the last two – it has some slow, dark numbers in the mix because we didn’t want to make one whole party record. I think that diversity is the key to happy longevity."
Dazzling fans and titillating censors with lyrics gleaned from porno flicks and fast-food menus, these 10-year veterans hit a wall when they were forced to change their name from The Wildbunch due to a European copyright conflict with another group of the same name. Thriving under the banner of their new name, Valentine admits that the band’s lineup is now and forever obligated to contain six players regardless of personal preference, "it’s just the way things have to be."
"Even though we are identified as a Detroit phenomenon I actually lived in New York for quite awhile. Although, having lived in L.A. I would never live in New York again. Of course, when you have a record that’s hot on the radio or blowing up in Europe people tend to keep you on the road. Fortunately, we’ve been able to make time to return to the studio and have learned to record our sound in all different ways."
So, where does this outrageous band get its fodder for their catchy and mind-boggling songs?
"We put pretty much all of it together ourselves, there’s never a shortage of salubrious material to gnaw on. I’m not a big reader, but I watch a lot of TV and I get a lot of my ideas from it. When it comes to reading books, I find that I often don’t enjoy the author’s vision – none of our songs are about escapism. I think people are happiest when they realize that they wanna be someone else."
Needless to say, as a spiritually bankrupt, semi-famous man with a fondness for yodelling and cheap thrills, there is little left in this world that impresses Valentine. Though he is a very gregarious creature by nature, apt to talk with anyone who will listen, he still prefers solitude to socialization. A trend that seems to hold boundless appeal to a man who has accumulated too many hangers-on for his own comfort.
"I try to keep a barrier between myself and those around me so I don’t get tired of them," cracks Valentine. "I’ve made a lot of friends in my day – I have too many friends and too many of them want something from me. Now I’ve set about severing those ties. Nobody knows where my studio is and I like it that way. I’m just going to sit back and focus on growing a beard, or something. Every now and then you have to clean house."
The Electric Six will be hitting the airwaves live as they simultaneously broadcast their upcoming performance at Broken City on Calgary’s own CJSW 90.9FM (106.9 Cable FM). Tune in this Saturday night (November 11) from 8 p.m. to midnight MST to enjoy a special four-hour edition of "The Nocturntable," that will feature the band’s live set as well as the program’s customary eclectic mix of variety-core favourites. Check out the station’s online live audio feeds available at www.cjsw.com and be sure to visit www.electric6.com for the latest intelligence on the band and their whirlwind North American tour. |
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