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Black Tape For A Blue Girl
Black Tape For A Blue
Girl are one of the most popular etheral/darkwave bands around. We thought it
was time to put the spotlight on Sam Rosenthal, who is the brain behind the band
as well as the famous Projekt label (www.projekt.com).
We asked Sam a few questions - see for yourselves what we resolved...
How would you describe your music for someone who has never heard Black Tape For
A Blue Girl?
- That's a very hard question to answer, for me as the artist....
I generally would say "gothic ambient" --- but who knows what that really means.
Let's say that if you like Brian Eno, Dead Can Dance, The Cure or Nico, then you
might like my music as well.
Sam tells that each album by Black Tape
For A Blue Girl has a specific theme that it communicates. Something that Sam
wants to say. Often the material deals with emotional relationships and situations
between lovers.
When was your first live performance? How did it go?
- The first black tape for a blue girl live performance was the Projekt Festival
in Chicago in 1996. That was in front of about 1000 people. Even though the band
had already been around for a decade, it took that long for me to get interested
in playing live. I would say the show went well; however, after touring a LOT
in 1998 and 1999 . . . We were much more comfortable playing live, so I think
those later shows were much better. I have to say that the best show we did was
the very last one, where we played in a Church in Philadelphia. That was a great
show!
Sam
Rosenthal is also the brain behind the label Projekt, which has existed since
1983. Projekt has been the home to numerous great and talented artists. Except
for Black Tape for A Blue Girl, bands like Lycia, Love Spiral Downwards and Attrition
have released material on the label.
How come you started creating music?
Anyone in your family who got you started?
- My mother used to play some piano,
but i never took lessons and wasn't really encouraged to play music. I think I
used to sit around and bang at the piano or organ, which is basically the same
process that I use right now. I just sort of sit down and start playing random
stuff, and eventually it forms into the basis of a song.
What kind of music do you listen to?
- Well, if you are talking about
"outside of work." then i listen to very little music. I guess I prefer ambient
music such as Steve Roach or Vidna Obmana.
So, what do you do when you
are not working with music? If you have any such time, that is.
- Free Time?
Hmm? Probably the normal stuff: watch movies, eat dinner, play with the cat. I
guess that Projekt is my Hobby, outside of Projekt, my job!
Future plans
for Black Tape for A Blue Girl - new albums/releases?
- I recently set my
studio back up, and have started noodling around. I hope to have a new album in
the late summer of 2001. I usually end up taking extended breaks between albums,
because I get so busy with Projekt. But when I start working on music, things
happen pretty quickly. I guess it builds up, and then it HAS to come out....
We're looking forward to the coming works from Black Tape for A Blue Girl and
wish them luck.
/Liza Andersdotter & Johan Astemark
Band members:
Sam Rosenthal - electronics, song writer, some vocals
Vicki Richards - violin
Lisa Feuer - flute, some vocals
Elysabeth Grant - vocals, viola
Images
are from the Black
Tape For A Blue Girl homepage. Used with permission.
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