Pearl Lion – Dark

By starrymag | July 26, 2017

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) I’m going to release two EP’s (Light/Dark) that are like Yin and Yang. Light is melodic, emotional, vibey, and focuses the lighter side of what I do. Kind of hints to the Bon Iver, Sigur Ros, Daniel Lanois music world. And the Dark EP is the high-octane, rock, older brother. Think fuzzy guitars, synths, big drums, etc. If you can imagine Jack White/Jimmy Page meets Nine Inch Nails meets Ratatat, Hudson Mohawke and a little bit of Kanye? I know, that’s a lot.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) My entire musical life has constantly evolved so that always changes. I’m taking the classic rock influences of my childhood (Zeppelin, Clapton, Hendrix, etc) mixing it with some of my jam-band creative world (Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers Band, Phish), songwriting world (Tom Petty, current pop zeitgeist), indie/emotional world (Bon Iver, Sigur Ros) and lastly the beatmaker/producer world with people like Hudson Mohawke, Flume, Flying Lotus, Skrillex, Diplo, Metro Boomin’, MurdaBeatz, Cashmere Cat, etc.

 

Q) How did the name Pearl Lion come to be your moniker?

 

A) When my grandmother was in hospice many years ago. I was able to say my last goodbye the day before she passed. She was in and out of consciousness and we knew the end was soon. The day before I left, I made her a promise that I would carry her positivity and spirit with me. Her name was Pearl. The “Lion” part is a bit trickier. I met a cranial sacral massage therapist one night at a round table dinner type event. I was having issues with my shoulder and booked an appointment with her. Once I was there, I started having visions of a lion laying in a field of grass. We spoke about it and she explained that the visions were related to protecting the heart. At the time, I wasn’t creating my art and had been conflicted about that both emotionally and physically. The lion signified, to me, getting back in touch with my heart and making sure I made music I believed in.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “NYC.”

 

A) I started out jamming on a guitar as many Pearl Lion songs start and out came those riffs. I put together an arrangement on a demo and the energy of the song really felt like the chaos and intensity of NYC. Also, the spacey parts where it slows down reminded me of the 4-6am window of time before the city revs back up again.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) I think there’s this pounding energy in the music that feels like the fight of everyday life in NYC. And in general, just frantic, high-intensity energy. I think it’s great for getting psyched up, working out at the gym, getting ready to go out on the town. Just has that “getting you amped” kinda vibe.

 

Q) How does the video for “NYC” play into the message of the song?

 

A) I approached the director, Blaise Beyhan, about doing a vid based on NYC and let him run with it. He wanted to really capture the grit and intensity of NYC the same way the music did. To me, NYC is about all walks of life existing in one place and how they interact with each other ad he captured tons of different people. Everything from boxers at the gym, a deli owner in front of his store, cab drivers, homeless, a couple fighting and getting steamy in the bedroom, etc. He threw in some easter eggs in regards to my life there: Rockefeller Center (“SNL”), Ice Skating (I’ve been learning to play ice hockey the past three years), Chinatown (my love of travel, food and especially Asia), etc.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) Typically, for this project I sit down with a guitar and start writing. Sometimes a guitar pedal may inspire a whole song. For example, I did a guitar promo video for Strymon Engineering for a pedal called “Big Sky.” A week or so later I plugged it in at home, turned on a preset sound and started writing what came to be the song “Big Sky.”

 

Since this is an instrumental project, I don’t worry about lyrics at all. I wanted to focus on my strengths, making music. There’s something about instrumental music that can let you escape to your own thoughts and world. There are no boundaries there or lyrics influencing you at all.

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) I write and produce all of it myself. I typically play the majority of what’s on the tracks as well, but I also bring in friends to lend some of their skill sets from time to time. There’s a song where the “SNL” bandleader Lenny Pickett has a sax solo, Fitz and the Tantrums bassist (brother-in-law) plays bass on a song and other friends playing some synth/paino stuff along the way as well.

 

Q) What can fans expect from a live Pearl Lion performance?

 

A) Once the live show starts getting put together I want to utilize a lot of the creative musical exploring that I grew up loving. I’d like each show to be different – different musical sections, intros, outros, etc. I want to create an atmosphere of exploring music and taking the listener/viewer on a ride. I’d ideally love a sick light show and visuals as well since the music is instrumental. I think that’d be really key visually.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) I started playing at Madison Square Garden last year for many of the New York Rangers home games (hockey) and playing MSG is always incredibly thrilling. There’s nothing like it. I think what makes that place so special is the history, the fact that I grew up in New York and it’s THE arena. I grew up going to concerts there and stuff. I also love playing Carnegie Hall. I’m a member of the Sting and Trudie Rainforest Benefit House Band and that’s the venue we play. Been there since 2008. Again, it’s the famed history ya know? You grow up hearing about it as this magical place for music. I will say, it’s acoustics are remarkable for acoustic instruments and looking out from stage gives us a gorgeous view.

 

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from your upcoming EP Dark?

 

A) I honestly don’t have an answer for that because I want people to attach their own meaning to the EP. All I ask is that they listen and not be distracted by their phones and allow themselves to be effected by it.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) I’d love to work with Kanye. I think we could make some super sick music together.

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

 

A) I’m currently mostly on Spotify digging through playlists. I love so many styles of music so it’s great to hear everything from Trap to bubble gum pop. The last album that floored me was the latest Bon Iver album. I also really dig the new Francis and the Lights and Lumineers records too.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) I do social media, but I’d rather do without. I’d personally prefer to make music and have that be how I speak without worrying about getting likes, followers, etc. But it’s the world we live in now so I’m doing my best to put out content and interact with those who interact with me.

 

What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) I would like to say thank you. It honestly means the world to me to have people hear and support the music I make. I’ve always wanted to make music that people felt connected to or have an emotional reaction to. That’s what music did for me and I’d like to do the same for others.