trippin' the rift can you trip like i do?

Star FK Radium (Washington DC, USA)

"We are a band that plays music for people who like our music"

There are things about Star FK Radium that are hard to believe. Like the fact that a lot of trip-hop fans would absolutely love their music, even though they are a 3-piece instrumental group - acoustic guitar, violin and drums. Or that they not just list such diverse music genres as grunge or 60's rock as their influences, but you can clearly hear the reflections of those influences in their works. If a picture is better than a thousand words, then Star FK Radium's music is better than a picture - within every song they create a live, vibrant, ever-changing world, that a thousand words would fail to describe.

I asked Bill Martien (guitar), Matt Clarke (drums) and Alissa Taylor (violin) a few questions about their music, their fans, and, naturally, trip-hop.

tipkin - How did you guys meet?

Bill:  Matt and I met through friends.  We played together a few times and it just clicked.  Alissa and I were dating at the time and another musician friend suggested she break out her violin and join.  I essentially hired "family" which was good and much more stable.

t. - Was it the initial plan, to start a 100% instrumental act? It takes a lot of guts and confidence to try to make it out there without any vocals, wouldn't you agree?

B.:  It was our initial plan to start an instrumental band.  I was in several bands and could write okay singer songwriter material and even performed it. I naturally gravitated towards writing instrumental guitar parts and found it was what I really enjoyed.  I listened to a tremendous amount of Boards of Canada at the time and really got what they were doing.  We are influenced a lot by them but you wouldn't know it.  The feeling you get listening to Star FK Radium is a whole different experience than what someone pulls out of Boards of Canada. I never considered vocals except possibly as an instrument, but Alissa's violin speaks for our band. It was hard for me to put all my eggs in one basket (go 100% instrumental) at first, meant I had to give up writing and performing vocals. People responded well early on and that helped a lot.

Matt:  I don't think it takes any more guts to start an instrumental band than it does to start a band with vocals.  Which would you rather do- sing in front of people or play an instrument in front of people?  I would choose an instrument any day.

Alissa:  By the time I came into the picture, it was definitely Bill's intent to start a 100% instrumental act. But I would say the attempt was less "hey, let's make an instrumental band," and more an attempt to find the genuine collective voice of the three of us coming together musically as songwriters and performers. I think it takes more guts to try to be something you're not, and it's always been of utmost importance to all of us to develop the sound that fully speaks to who we are, specifically and personally.

t. - Do any of you have a classical music background?

B.:  I have none.

M.:  I was in orchestras when I was younger, and I love music history and music theory.  I pretty much only listen to classical music now.

A.:  I studied classical violin starting when I was ten, and played through my early twenties. I never truly saw a future for myself in a huge orchestra, but always loved chamber music, and its simple isolation of unique voices coming together to make music. In a way I have found that in Star FK Radium.

t. - do you consider yourselves an elitist band (or your music elitist music)? Are you "chamber music for people who don't like chamber music" or "rock-n-roll for Vivaldi enthusiasts"? If there was a music festival, what bands/artists you see yourself playing alongside with?

B.:  I don't consider ourselves an elitist band from the standpoint that I like all music regardless of genre or locale.  I do think there are too many 'coveriginal' bands and solo performers out there who might be more talented at something else.  I mainly see our sound in a way that is neither classical or rock.  We were riding together after a gig in Northern Michigan where the landscape is very monochromatic.  It was past dusk and the gently rolling forest of similar trees formed this dark band of nature set between us and a heavy overcast sky.  The area is very unpopulated and this feeling of an overpowering sense of nature overtook me.  Our music, especially "Training Wheels" has this sad but comforting "voice" of the environment.  Literally blew me away. A number of our songs have a similar quality including "Life In Slow Motion". Classical and rock are only a way to try to describe Star FK Radium to someone who has not experienced what I described.  I could see us playing at the same festival as Sigur Ros, Explosions In the Sky, Mono Japan or perhaps at a metal festival. Actually we have a few music journalists that write for metal and really like our band.

M.:  That is a really good question, but there is no answer.  I like classical and also listen to our stuff.  But I know a lot of people who don't like classical at all, and still like us.

A.: We are a band that plays music for people who like our music. I think we're still discovering who these people are, and are pleasantly surprised that they span a large range of age, geography, and musical taste. Hopefully we're "chamber rock for thoughtful music enthusiasts (of classical, or rock, or jazz, or chamber music) who are interested in new musical explorations."

If we played a music festival, I think we could span a range of complementary artists. From Sigur Ros and Radiohead to Abigail Washburn or Phish, I think there are a lot of doors we could walk through to a positive reception.

t. - Why do you think trip-hop fans would be interested in your music?

B.:  I like Sneaker Pimps and Björk who I believe are both considered to be trip- hop. Trip-hop to me is a slow infectious groove that sucks you in. Sneaker Pimps make me feel good and even my temperament. I think our music in a way does the same and might be interesting as a diversion from trip-hop to a less densely layered sound. I've been to bluegrass festivals where they have one or two bands that are a different genre but allow the audience to take a breather and then come back to what they really came for.

M.:  To the extent that trip-hop is psychedelic and emotional, fans of trip-hop might like us. Also to the extent that trip-hop is non-mainstream, fans might like that in us too. However our rhythms are very different that those found in trip-hop.

A.:  I think that trip-hop, more than just presenting a lyrical storyline, creates a mood, an environment, an ambiance. Our music does the very same thing, and I think that any person who looks to music to accompany, enhance, create or validate their human emotions could be a fan our music.

t. - If you would do an instrumental cover of a trip-hop album/song, what would that be?

B.:  We do not cover anything.

A.:  I agree with Bill we do not play covers.

t. - Not that you guys need it it, but do you think that vocals can be used just as another instrument? Or would lyrics themselves ruin the harmony that you are creating and won't leave any room to listener's interpretation?

B.:   I think you got it.  Lyrics would not leave room for anyone to have their own interpretation.

M.:  I think the a voice can be used like an instrument.  Most good vocal music over history is not in English anyway, and if you don't know the language, then what they are singing is arbitrary to the extent that you can put meaning to it only in the same way that you can put meaning to an instrumental melody.  The violin however is the closest instrument to having the expressive quality of a human voice, which is why we use it.

A.: I absolutely think vocals can be used as just another instrument, it just happens that we don't have that instrument in our lineup. Until we hit a wall where we feel our sound is lacking in depth or growth potential due not having a certain instrument in our lineup, we will stay with guitar, violin and drums. But I do think that not having lyrics allows any listener to create their own story for each song, which definitely broadens the listening experience.

Come create your own stories at Star FK Radium's live shows, buy their album Blue Siberia and visit their website for music, videos and updates.