Introducing Spacehog’s Timo Ellis……
This Thursday, Spacehog fans fortunate enough to be at New York’s Rockwood Music Hall, will not only be amongst the first to hear live performances of tunes from the upcoming new album, but they will also be there for the debut of Spacehog’s new guitarist Timo Ellis. “Wait, what???,” you might be saying. That’s okay. Take a minute, I’ll wait.
Yessssss, you did read that correctly. There is a new album, As It Is On Earth, due out this May, and joining Royston, Jonny, and Rich, is The Netherlands’ Timo Ellis, who has stepped in on guitar and vocals for Antony, as Antony pursues fame and fortune in film on the west coast.
Hello Timo!
For those who may be wondering about this fresh face in the band, Timo was kind enough to allow me an interview.
Charlotte: Jonny Cragg once mentioned jamming with you and Sean Lennon back in the summer of 1994. Was this when you first met? What was your impression of the Spacehog guys at that time?
Timo: ..I just remember initially thinking that they were sweet and totally hilarious (and then not too much later that they were making a really great record!!)
C: On your website you list yourself as performer, producer, tv/film composer, arranger, drummer, guitarist, bassist, singer, songwriter, ukulele-r, programmer, visual artist, and graphic designer from New York City, and on your Facebook band page under genre you list that you do it all. Is it fair to ask if there is an instrument, a role in the music world, and/or a specific type of genre that you like best or is that too much like asking a parent which kid they like best?
T: I’m a drummer first but I’ve been playing guitar and bass for almost as long..in recent years I’ve done a lot more composing/ recording/ producing stuff as distinct from really becoming more virtuosic on any one instrument…+ “genre-wise” on a professional level it would probably help me if I really aesthetically refined/ simplified my “brand”, so to speak, but well, I don’t really feel like doing that, frankly!
Space Oddities interview w/ Biggles
Photo: Tabea Hüberli
In 2008, the Swiss musician Biggles released his third album, “Oh My God, It’s Full of Stars” which featured Spacehog’s Royston Langdon on bass, Jonny Cragg on drums and Bryce Goggin producing.
This April 1st, Biggles will release his latest album, “Beauty Knows No Pain” on the Swiss label, Chop Records and internationally on iTunes.
Biggles, Grüezi! Please introduce yourself, and don’t be modest.
Grüetzi Captain, thanks for that nice welcome. It seems you’ve done some research there! I’m a Swiss singer and guitarist who is very much into 70s Glamrock, Krautrock and many other Rocks. Writing and performing my songs I try to keep a tradition alive – the tradition of making music for human beings. These days I think too much music is being made only for the charts. I always wanted to keep the listening experience not too easy and still have everything simple and full of melodies.
The charts have certainly become a very dreary place for music lovers. The music made for the masses has become very sterile, safe and disposable. The music industry has completely lost touch with its customers and is completely floundering right now. How does an artist such as yourself survive in today’s musical climate?
You have to be flexible and keep things simple and small. For example: Having a degree in photography and art I design a lot of the visual items myself. I enjoy taking care of covers and flyers and so on. At the moment I am even cutting the first video clip for my next album on my iMac. That’s a luxury people in the 80s simply didn’t have. For me it’s nice that I don’t have to do those things out of necessity but because it’s fun. For me it’s a way to complete the picture and it helps to keep check of the finances.
A look back…Jonny Cragg Interview 1996
As we all look forward to new Spacehog music, here is a peek at the past. It’s 1996 and Nickel City Scene is interviewing Jonny Cragg at Melody Fair during the 1996 EDGEfest concert. Enjoy!
Contributor Magazine/Q & A Les freres Langdon
Have you ever longed to know the candy of choice of your favorite Langdon brother? Favorite car? Favorite year?
Whether the questions ever crossed your thoughts or not, they fortunately were on the mind of Contributor Magazine editor Sophie Caby who posed all three questions to Antony, Royston, and Christian in a recent interview. Three simple questions to three talkative musicians, resulting in eight lengthy and amusing answers (plus one answered as only a father could).
All this, and new photographs to boot, can be found here:
http://www.contributormagazine.com/344.php
You’ll find a place to leave a comment after the interview. Don’t be shy! Rumor has it, that your comments are appreciated!