i hardly ever do interviews on this blog, so this actually might be a first (and a last...)! But here is the promised interview with the lovely Annette from Golem, who (as I have mentioned before) will be playing at After The Jump Fest on Saturday! Be sure to check out the After The Jump website for more interviews with the rest of the great bands!Q. So there has been some debate going around about where the name Golem orginates from? Can you enlighten me?
The Golem is the Jewish Frankenstein. Actually, rumor has it that the
idea for Frankenstein was inspired by the story of the golem. A golem
is a human-like creature, created by man, which isn't human (like a
robot). The most famous golem was in 17th century Prague, created by
a certain Rabbi Lowe out of clay. The golem, a huge monster, was
supposed to protect the Jewish community from trouble, but he was a
little too wild, so had to be put back to clay eventually. Too wild
for his own good.. just like us!
Q: There aren't a lot of bands out now that sound like Golem. What inspired your sound and what inspired you guys to get together?
Our sound is inspired by very old music (Jewish, Gypsy, Slavic)..
we're a bunch of punks playing songs from the 19th century! But we
play music from Eastern Europe that has so much life and energy in
it, it melds perfectly with our own contemporary mindset. We play the
music in the here and now.
Q. I noticed that you're playing the Jewish Music Festival in Warsaw. How did you get that opportunity? How do find that crowds abroad differ from audiences that you have played for here in the US?
We've been getting some reknown as the iconoclastic folk-punk band..
and people want to hear what's that's all about, especially in
Europe, where people are familiar with the type of folk music we're
riffing on. So I'd say it's a more informed response in Europe, but
no less hearftfelt, and audiences there are even more surprised with
what we're doing with this music. This time will be our first time in
Poland, however, and we're really looking forward to it. Of course
most Polish Jews were killed in the Holocaust, and it will be
incredibly emotional to go there and scream our hearts out on stage
and show how alive both we and this music are!
Annette -- low long have you been playing the accordian?
I started out playing classical piano as a kid, and picked up the
accordion about 8 years ago because I wanted to play folk music and I
wanted something I could carry around... the accordion is a "poor
man's orchestra" because it plays melody, bass, and chords, all in
one crazy-sounding instrument!
Q: Since you certainly are combining the "old world" with the "new world," i'm curious as to what your parents think about the music you make?
They love it. The members of Golem come from different backgrounds,
Jewish and not Jewish, and I think it's that mix of viewpoints that
gives us such a powerful energy. All the Golem mamas and papas really
dig what we're doing. This music crosses all boundaries: age, race,
geography, hairstyle :)
Q: And finally, since you guys do seem so unique, if I wanted to listen to more bands that sound like Golem (new and old), who would you recommend? What are you biggest influences?
Our musical influences are long dead, but we still talk to them.....