"..Friends, family, fellow audiophiles I have asked you many times by now.. You NEED to hear this band. For those of you that have, you know what I am talking about. Mix Thom Yorke, with Sinner DC, Woven, Colder and maybe a little bit of Deftones .. yeah I know, sounds great doesn't it? This futuristic rock band should in-theory capture your "ear-heart" within first listen.."
Home Video
Externalizing Posterity Mech Pop
Home Video Bio:
Home Video are Collin Ruffino and David Gross, transplants from the misunderstood landscape of New Orleans, now living in the brooding brownstones of Brooklyn, New York. Here they revel in a self-created world of references to Edward Gorey, Massive Attack, The Brothers Quay, Smashing Pumpkins, and a dusting of Chopin, references that they have been collecting for nearly ten years.
They connected in high school art class in 1997. Under the instruction of an eccentric painter, who claimed to have been raised in a Louisiana chateau where servants peeled grapes for him to eat, they spent hours drawing still lives of twisted vegetables and rendering the chiaroscuro of adolescent self portraits. Outside of art class, they made a short narrative video starring David, and directed by Collin, a collaborative set up that continues still and perhaps an influence for their band name.
At the time Collin wore all black, listened to Nine Inch Nails and Smashing Pumpkins, and was in a band called The Great and Secret Show. David, a classical pianist in training and the son of two classical musicians, had been sheltered from the Top 40, or anything composed after 1900. It wasn't until Collin played him a cassette tape of The Great and Secret Show that David realized pop music had the potential to be as emotionally impacting as classical. Collin continued pulling him into the 20th century, introducing him to albums like Mezzanine, Dummy, and OK Computer. David started playing keyboards for the band.
College scattered the members of the Great and Secret Show, David in Boston studying music and philosophy, Collin in New York studying film, but they remained in touch and created music together during summer breaks. Once the distraction of higher education was out of the way, they reconvened with New York as home and soon discovered a new sound as their latest incarnation, Home Video. The first Home Video song came to them in the dead of winter, the blizzard of 2003. As the piling snow erased the landscape outside his window, David huddled over the warm vibrations of an analog synthesizer creating the simple loop that first inspired their minimalist sound. The fear and anxiety of New York's atmosphere at the time had eaten its way onto the pages of Collin's tattered notebooks and became their confessional style of lyrics. Underlined by a thumping, bass-rich beat, the pairing of the two worked well and the song evolved into "Melon," the first Home Video song created and the closing track on the album. Inspired by their new philosophy, other songs quickly followed and the band sent out demos.
Originally discovered by Warp Records, the label released Home Video's first two EPs in 2004, both packaged in sleeves illustrated by Collin's dark, Gorey-esque drawings. "That You Might", a 10" single, immediately picked up considerable attention in Britain from BBC Radio 1 and the NME, while the five song Citizen EP earned the band a feature in Rolling Stone. In 2006, New York based Defend Music released their debut full length, No Certain Night Or Morning. Grammy-nominated DJ Sasha picked two of the songs from this album to remix for his recently released Involver 2, which also included reworked songs from Thom Yorke, Ladytron, M83, and Apparat.
As electronic-rock producers and performers, they record everything themselves, then adapt it live into a full on rock show with live drums and hypnotic visual projections. After sharing a bill in London at the start of Home Video's first European tour, Blonde Redhead were so impressed that they invited the band to support them for three weeks of shows in North America. Since then they have opened for such diverse acts as Justice, Yeasayer, Flying Lotus, Pinback, Colder, Radio 4, and His Name is Alive.
"It Will Be OK" is the first new material Home Video have released since 2006, and illustrates the band's new direction in both sound and attitude. The new music has a thickness and complexity that their early minimalist work lacked; the gloom and darkness gives way to glimmerings of hope marked by sublime swells of sound. For the first time, they've been recording with their touring drummer, Jim Orso, who adds a third dimension and brings new life to the beat.
Surrounded by the trend-infested-quick-high of the New York music scene, Home Video are slow-burning pop that will invade your dreams and memories.
They connected in high school art class in 1997. Under the instruction of an eccentric painter, who claimed to have been raised in a Louisiana chateau where servants peeled grapes for him to eat, they spent hours drawing still lives of twisted vegetables and rendering the chiaroscuro of adolescent self portraits. Outside of art class, they made a short narrative video starring David, and directed by Collin, a collaborative set up that continues still and perhaps an influence for their band name.
At the time Collin wore all black, listened to Nine Inch Nails and Smashing Pumpkins, and was in a band called The Great and Secret Show. David, a classical pianist in training and the son of two classical musicians, had been sheltered from the Top 40, or anything composed after 1900. It wasn't until Collin played him a cassette tape of The Great and Secret Show that David realized pop music had the potential to be as emotionally impacting as classical. Collin continued pulling him into the 20th century, introducing him to albums like Mezzanine, Dummy, and OK Computer. David started playing keyboards for the band.
College scattered the members of the Great and Secret Show, David in Boston studying music and philosophy, Collin in New York studying film, but they remained in touch and created music together during summer breaks. Once the distraction of higher education was out of the way, they reconvened with New York as home and soon discovered a new sound as their latest incarnation, Home Video. The first Home Video song came to them in the dead of winter, the blizzard of 2003. As the piling snow erased the landscape outside his window, David huddled over the warm vibrations of an analog synthesizer creating the simple loop that first inspired their minimalist sound. The fear and anxiety of New York's atmosphere at the time had eaten its way onto the pages of Collin's tattered notebooks and became their confessional style of lyrics. Underlined by a thumping, bass-rich beat, the pairing of the two worked well and the song evolved into "Melon," the first Home Video song created and the closing track on the album. Inspired by their new philosophy, other songs quickly followed and the band sent out demos.
Originally discovered by Warp Records, the label released Home Video's first two EPs in 2004, both packaged in sleeves illustrated by Collin's dark, Gorey-esque drawings. "That You Might", a 10" single, immediately picked up considerable attention in Britain from BBC Radio 1 and the NME, while the five song Citizen EP earned the band a feature in Rolling Stone. In 2006, New York based Defend Music released their debut full length, No Certain Night Or Morning. Grammy-nominated DJ Sasha picked two of the songs from this album to remix for his recently released Involver 2, which also included reworked songs from Thom Yorke, Ladytron, M83, and Apparat.
As electronic-rock producers and performers, they record everything themselves, then adapt it live into a full on rock show with live drums and hypnotic visual projections. After sharing a bill in London at the start of Home Video's first European tour, Blonde Redhead were so impressed that they invited the band to support them for three weeks of shows in North America. Since then they have opened for such diverse acts as Justice, Yeasayer, Flying Lotus, Pinback, Colder, Radio 4, and His Name is Alive.
"It Will Be OK" is the first new material Home Video have released since 2006, and illustrates the band's new direction in both sound and attitude. The new music has a thickness and complexity that their early minimalist work lacked; the gloom and darkness gives way to glimmerings of hope marked by sublime swells of sound. For the first time, they've been recording with their touring drummer, Jim Orso, who adds a third dimension and brings new life to the beat.
Surrounded by the trend-infested-quick-high of the New York music scene, Home Video are slow-burning pop that will invade your dreams and memories.
Hello, how are you?
Great thanks.
What are you currently listening to?
The new Hot Chip single, John Maus, and The Big Pink
Are you full time musicians or do you have day jobs as well?
We do have other part time jobs, a step up from "day jobs" but still time away from making music.
What has Home Video been up to these days?
Since playing a marathon 5 shows over the course of CMJ in NYC, we've been focused on finishing our 2nd full length. it's so close. we are hoping to have it done by the end of the year and then released into the world as soon as possible.
Is there a name as well as release date for the next full length?
We don't have a name yet, although we have a few ideas... and the release date is still TBD.
It seems you guys have been keeping busy with various remix’s for other bands/projects, what has been your favorite remix to do so far and why?
They've all been really fun, but our favorite is probably the remix we did for our friends The Naked Hearts. We love their stuff and got to pick the song we remixed, so that one really stands out because of the personal touch.
Got any crazy tour stories?
One time I got bird poo on my jacket at Kings Cross station. Sorry that's not so crazy I guess. Opening for Justice New Years Eve 2009 was exciting - I decided to make a real night of it. I drank heavily after we played and then blacked out, completely missing Justice's set. I was there, with a camera around my neck and pictures to prove it, but I have absolutely no recollection. I really regret that. Oh yeah and I tried to speak to them in French, although I do not speak French, which I'm sure would have been embarrassing for me if I had been aware of what was going on.
What is a song you wish you wrote?
Oh man, so many. Talk Talk - "Life's What You Make It", The Cure - "A Forest", Kate Bush - "Running Up That Hill", the new Hot Chip - "Take It In"
You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?
Brian Eno & Harold Budd - The Pearl
Are you living your dream?
Getting there!
Great thanks.
What are you currently listening to?
The new Hot Chip single, John Maus, and The Big Pink
Are you full time musicians or do you have day jobs as well?
We do have other part time jobs, a step up from "day jobs" but still time away from making music.
What has Home Video been up to these days?
Since playing a marathon 5 shows over the course of CMJ in NYC, we've been focused on finishing our 2nd full length. it's so close. we are hoping to have it done by the end of the year and then released into the world as soon as possible.
Is there a name as well as release date for the next full length?
We don't have a name yet, although we have a few ideas... and the release date is still TBD.
It seems you guys have been keeping busy with various remix’s for other bands/projects, what has been your favorite remix to do so far and why?
They've all been really fun, but our favorite is probably the remix we did for our friends The Naked Hearts. We love their stuff and got to pick the song we remixed, so that one really stands out because of the personal touch.
Got any crazy tour stories?
One time I got bird poo on my jacket at Kings Cross station. Sorry that's not so crazy I guess. Opening for Justice New Years Eve 2009 was exciting - I decided to make a real night of it. I drank heavily after we played and then blacked out, completely missing Justice's set. I was there, with a camera around my neck and pictures to prove it, but I have absolutely no recollection. I really regret that. Oh yeah and I tried to speak to them in French, although I do not speak French, which I'm sure would have been embarrassing for me if I had been aware of what was going on.
What is a song you wish you wrote?
Oh man, so many. Talk Talk - "Life's What You Make It", The Cure - "A Forest", Kate Bush - "Running Up That Hill", the new Hot Chip - "Take It In"
You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?
Brian Eno & Harold Budd - The Pearl
Are you living your dream?
Getting there!
Thanx HV!
Home Video are currently wrapping up their next full length album, look for that in 2010..
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