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Gothamist Band Interview: The Subjects

Jen Carlson

Published Nov 14, 2006

Modified Mar 7, 2008

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Jen Carlson

Published Nov 14, 2006

Modified Mar 7, 2008

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One of the bands playing our Movable Hype show tonight, The Subjects, met at a New York City high school. Two of them students, two of them teachers...and their band name came from an argument about grammar. We love them already.

They play a unique brand of psych pop-rock, the perfect sonic outcome of a student-teacher collaboration. Thought-rock that you can dance to. So come check 'em out tonight, they go on at 8pm.

They've got an album coming out in February, but for now you can listen to their Lounge Act on WOXY here.

Let's get this out of the way, where did your band name originate?
JS - Subjects
DS - We had an argument over grammar and did it out of spite because we were mad at each other.

What is your first conscious memory of living in New York?
JS - Light!
DS - Taking the tour of Rockefeller Center and thinking, "Wow. There is so much awesome history right here. Only in New York."
MP - China Town. I saw a lot of dead chickens. I was in a blue car

What is your favorite place to drink in NYC, and what's the best night to go out?
JS - Margaritas at Chipotle; Monday - because it's a great way to kick the week off, and you aren't hung over at work tomorrow.
DS - Margaritas at Applebee's in Times Square (great food, too); Saturday - they play the best music and there's the best crowds.
MP - Margaritas at Chipotle are pretty great but i'm going to have to pick Margaritas at the Coco Cubana; Thursdays - The next day is friday so it is a nice way to bring in the weekend.

Now its time for some fill-in-the-blank action

"You know you�ve made it when..."
DS - When you get to go to space, or become president, or when you have a bank account in your own name.
JS - Don't know.
MP - 5000 friends on myspace

"It'll be time to pack up the gear for good when..."
DS - When Whet Rose and White Dolphin both ship platinum.
JS - Don't know.
MP - They stop selling Margaritas at Chipotle.

"It'll never forget the first time I..."
JS - Fell asleep on the subway.
MP - Ate Sushi with Joe.

"It'll never forget the first time [insert another band members name here]..."
JS - Jimmy.
MP - Jimmy went to Maine

Let's have some fun with word association. Give me your immediate feelings on the following (if you�ve got no discernable feelings, make something up that won�t embarrass you in the morning)

Yankees
JS - They made Don Mattingly cut his hair.
MP - Mets are better

Mets
JS - Amazing.
MP - Rage!

CBGB
JS - Gone.
MP - The Lost Souls.

Britney
JS - Somebody made a statue of her giving birth or something.
MP - MMC 4 Lyfe

Pitchfork
JS - Those things are great for moving mulch around the yard. Much easier than a shovel. And they also have great music reviews.
MP - Take The Handle.

Blogs
JS - Those things are going to be huge.
MP - Daytrotter.

Gentrification
JS - Chipotle on Flatbush.
MP - Park Ave.

A few quickies on the music tip

What was the most played song on your iPod (or an equivalent music playing device) in the past week?
JS - JT - Sexy Back
MP - The End of The World - Show Your Age

Who would be in your ultimate music supergroup, your all-star Olympic team of rock?
JS - Eric Clapton on drums, Billy Corgan playing 7-string bass, Duke Ellington on rhythm guitar, Wolfgang Amadaus Mozart on lead guitar, Rudolph Guliani on lead vox, the guy from Phish on keys, George Clooney, Uma Thurman and Randy Jackson on backup vox, Jay-Z rapping, Mix Master Mike on the wheels of steel.
MP - Joe Satriani, yngwie malmsteen, Ben Smith - Guitar , Mike Porntoy, Rob Stillman - Drums, Stephan Marolachakis - Vocals/Bass , Duff - Bass, Matty Pickles - Projections/ Grand Piano

If you released a 7� what would you put on the cover?
JS - Thong.
MP - A picture of Apes & Androids and us wrestling naked on top of a mountain. there would have to be a lot of sweat and we would probably have to photoshop our muscles.

What was the first/last album you bought on the day it was released?
JS - The Beatles - Meet the Beatles.
MP - first - 311: Soundsystem. Last - The End Of the World: Your Making IT Come Alive

If Josh Schwartz, creator of the OC, asked your band to perform on his tv show (as Modest Mouse, the Killers Tom Vek and the Walkmen have) would you?
DS - Why not?
JS - Who are those bands?
MP - Just send us the contracts. We are pretty much free.

And finally...What came first, the music or the misery?
JS - The fans always come first. We make sure of that every night we're out on stage pouring blood sweat and tears everywhere.
MP - I read Misery when i was a kid. But i have been listening to music forever.

Tagged

band interview

china

China Town

city

dance

food

high school

history

love

Movable Hype

Music

new york

new york city

nyc

rockefeller center

The Subjects

Times Square

Jen Carlson

Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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