Jeff Schneider - I’m not really the brightest bulb in the chandelier, so it took me a while to understand what you are doing, and I am still not sure I really do. I can say that my gut reaction was something like when I first read Henry Miller, sexual, surreal, a persona is developed, free-spirited and dirty but at the same time very intelligent. What made you do it?
Naomi Elizabeth - I am motivated by boredom and frustration a lot of the time. My attention span is short, I feel like I've had time in life to process all the music I ever liked, enjoy it, and get bored of it. I'm trying to move on to anything that interests me in a new way. Which at this time happens to be smut (among other things).
J. S. - What is your stance on censorship? Do you think people should prevent lewd acts, like GRUNT for example (XXX rated misogynist noise artist), for the sake of the common good?
N. E. - My opinions about censorship don't exist, I'm not the boss of this civilization, I'm just an observer. I think it's hilarious though, that society is trying to run the media with certain standards, for example so little kids don't grow up to be monsters, but they are doing a pretty terrible job of it. It makes me laugh how much raunchy stuff is on tv. People swearing, naked ladies, etc.
J. S. - What do you think about the current music scene? American Idol to Mika Miko?
N. E. - I think it's all pretty boring!
J. S. - Naomi Elizabeth music sound is pretty straight forward. Have you had any desire to make more insane sounds or do you prefer smooth stuff?
N. E. - Insanity is a matter of perspective. I've listened to a lot of music that's too "weird" for 95%-99% of people, and to me it sounds normal. I can listen to a 20 minute song that sounds like a vague recording of a washing machine - without thinking, where is the rhythm, where is the melody? Also I think, upon close inspection, that the music on FM radio is sometimes way more fucked up and crazy than any bands, or noise projects, or sound experiments.
(photo by Elsbeth Villa)
J. S. - Has engaging this project changed you at all as a person?
N. E. - No, probably not.
J. S. - It seems like so many more young women are willing to show a little body these days. So there are “Cabarets” and some girls do “modeling” and not porn (see Isobel Wren), then there are some (like Sasha Grey) are totally doing the vilest extreme porn. Part of Sasha’s argument is that she is opposed to the (what she sees as) Puritanical paradigm most other women are still in when it comes to sex. I am not saying you are like this at all but what is up with that whole aspect of your project? The nudity and using sexuality?
N. E. - Honestly, it's a response to being desensitized to other, more subtle forms of human expression. I am not making a feminist statement.
J. S. - How would you like people to receive a Naomi Elizabeth show? Dancing?Observing? Moshing?
N. E. - Dancing is good, and I like it when people can hear the lyrics and sing along. That happens sometimes. I like awkward uptight audiences who just stand there too. That's fine.
Youtube Clip (Live at Echo Curio)
J. S. - What kind of stuff are you currently listening to?
N. E. - I'm really, really sick of music right now. I do listen to a little bit of stuff, but the topic kind of makes me sick!
J. S. - Last, do you think Music influences people’s behavior? Is there a piece of what your doing that is requesting that things change and can it be changed in such a way?
N. E. - Yes, I think the contents of your mind are largely determined by what music goes in there. I am not the boss of other people, but if anyone is benefited or changed by my ideas that's cool.
nihilism now!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuDS353EsIw
ReplyDeleteThis video is seriously damaged , thanks posting this article Jeff.
I am soo happy that someone out there is is doing this.
ReplyDeleteI guess I don't get it. The video interview is interesting,,,,but I have to say that when someone is so "over" ALL MUSIC and ALL ART and EVERYTHING, it sounds kind of pretentious and suspect. It comes across as totally superior, like, "oh, I hate everything, nothing is new, nothing is good anymore, nothing phases me blah blah" makes it sound like she's tricked her plebean audience into thinking that this music is totally original and devoid of references. and the subtext is that THIS THING IS THE FUTURE OF ALL MUSIXX AND PERFORMANCE ART. I, uh, don't buy it.
ReplyDeleteI had similar reservations. Maybe that's why we play music together? Ha. I do think this kind of stuff happens pretty often in relation to certain segments of noise-making types that I've met or known about.
ReplyDeleteI'd never listen to this lady's music , and I doubt I'd wanna be her BFF.
ReplyDeleteThat said I do think she's doing really interesting stuff with juxtaposition . Mindless pop music kind of is the perfect anti-everything statement.
Over the past few days I've wondered if her rhetoric is disengenuious or not (as perhaps a prank on the noise scene or whoever her audience is ?) but have decided that either way it doesn't really matter. I just like the fact that what she's doing raises debate.
I don't think it's supposed to be original at all. In another interview I read with her she claims to be mining the lowest common denominator. Many performers do that , few will admit it.
yr last point makes it seem more interesting. I just get frustrated with some of the tone. However,I'd go see it live to understand what it was all about.
ReplyDeleteI'd go see her live too.
ReplyDeleteThe tone is def. is a little superior but I like confrontation, even put-on confrontation.
I find it almost refreshing to see an artist who claims to hate everything after years of "positivity" being used as a cloak for utterly vapid music that is often prostituting the underground to advertisers.
meh I'm pretty sure that she is just insecure because her own music can just as easily be passed off as any other shit out there....
ReplyDeleteThe truth of the matter is that she likes top 40 music and she wishes that her music was being played on the radio. She realizes that she is probably too old at this point to make it big. She has no choice but to use sex to sell her product to youth culture or they would ignore her. Her position on what her project is about shifts constantly. it's all a ruse, she has no idea what she means. If you criticize her for abusing sex to sell merchandise then she's making a feminist statement. If you criticize her for using worn out ideas from the 70's then she's just appealing to the lowest common denominator. If you post negative remakrs to her youtube videos she has to disable them. Is this really the behaviour of somebody who can handle the controversy they are intentionally creating or that of a defensive narcisist?
ReplyDeleteI have a question, have you made song called generic viagra, because I watch a video and I'm pretty sure It was you performing it.
ReplyDeletethanks for the post, nice interview.
the music is simply brilliant.
ReplyDeleteShe is so beautiful, I think that if I have sex with her I will need some Generic Viagra, it is amazing , the interview was so good!
ReplyDelete