We decided to conduct a short interview with the brothers from Youngstown, OH in light of their upcoming show at one of Cambridge’s best kept secrets, PA’s Lounge (show info: 1/12/07, $8 for 21+ and doors open at 8:30 pm).Band info:
-Myspace/partydream
-www.partydream.com
-www.audioeaglerecords.com
-Buy Bloodsongs
From talking about their childhood to releaving themselves on the toilet while playing Nintendo, this interview with Gil and Donny from the Party Dream has everything that I would expect out these characters. I hope you enjoy their repsones as much as I did.
Here’s what we know:
You are two brothers from Youngstown, OH. You are on Audio Eagle (which is the drummer from The Black Keys label). Your last album, Bloodsongs, came out on the Audio Eagle label and brought you guys some noise in the industry. But really it was the live show that seemed to be giving you a major buzz. The album for me really started to take form after I saw your show. Your shows don’t just involve music but an overall stage performance
that includes costumes and brotherly love antics.
Square -So you’re brothers, who’s big bro?
Gil – Donny.
Square -The band’s called Gil Manteras Party Dream. Why not Ultimate Donny’s Party
Dream?
Gil – That’s a ridiculous notion.
Donny – That’s just the way it is.
Square – How did you get originally hooked up with Audio Eagle and Patrick?
Gil – The music world in Ohio is pretty small. Jamie Stillman, who co-runs the label, is in my old roomy’s band, Teeth of the Hydra. I don’t know exactly how Pat came across us, but I’ve known his younger brother for years and like i said, it’s a small world. It seems like everyone’s paying attention to everyone else, even in different towns.
Donny – Patrick saw us at the Lime Spider and was impressed. Audio Eagle originally was only going to put out 7-inches but decided to put out our full length.
Square -This tour you’ll be joined by another Audio Eagle band, Beaten Awake. What’s their story? (correction: Beaten Awake is not on tour with Party Dream, they are just going out on tour at the same time)
Gil – That’s news to me, but great news! I’m usually out of the loop. Beaten Awake is a really cool band with a great bunch of guys in it. Great tunes. Great show. No bullshit. I think with the right stuff, they could go very far. They probably would appeal to fans of My Morning Jacket and Band of Horses, but then again, I’m not too knowledgeable of exactly what those bands are all about and what people like anyways.
Square -I noticed recently Audio Eagle uploaded the Fleetwood Mac cover you do, “Dreams”(and most recently it was taken down). Are you working on any other covers?
Gil – I don’t think there was a reason to take it down other than making room for other stuff. We did the same thing to add my weird Troll shit. I’m going to do a solo project that’s all covers like that… synthy with vocoder vocals. I’ll do very recognizable hits like “Let’s Dance” by Bowie and “Jailbreak” by Thin Lizzy and “Drive” by the Cars. I’ve been looking into getting a sound responsive laser as the light show while I’m performing, just to make it dramatic. The idea is, I’ll work cheaper than i do with the Party Dream, so I can do fun opening gigs here in the ‘burgh. I’ll probably make my own CDRs and sell them for a little extra cash on the side. Jackson from Grand Buffet did the same thing with his karaoke CDR.
Donny – Although you’ll see collaborative thoughts come to fruition if we ever get the money. We spent a lot of time on the road in 2006 and came up with some dope-ass shit that needs to be made for us.
Square – Donny, when you guys are up on stage it seems as if Gil tends to push your buttons and often a short fight will ensue. While it comes off as brotherly love, is there some hidden resentment for Gil? As kids, was Gil always the one to score the ladies? What was childhood like for Gil and Donny?
Donny – There’s no resentment, but we do tend to piss each other off in a real way on stage, especially if technical problems and alcohol are involved. That’s when things seem to get the worst.
Gil – Childhood wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. We got along very well and actually hung out with each other. Donny was a cool older brother that took me out to shows and bars when I was still in middle school. He had a ton of cool albums that I got into while other kids my age were still listening to radio crap. I used to borrow his T-shirts and shit. Our parents got on our nerves, so we did our own thing.
Square -Now, since your stage act can at times come off as a bit homoerotic, do you get some meatballs in the crowd that call you guys queer and try to ruin shows? Not that I’m assuming anything here, for all I know you both could be homosexuals but that’s not my point. Besides, I saw you both with the ladies after the last PA’s show so we’ll just leave that question at bay. Hopefully you guys understand my point here. If this has happened, I’m imagining that you expose these fools during the show and really make them feel uncomfortable. Any stories?
Gil – Donny’s got a good one about a show in Bowling Green, Ohio. The meatball shit has died way down over the years. The homoerotic thing has been proven to be very rock n’ roll time and time again, but it doesn’t feel gay to me when I’m doing it. I feel great. It’s naturally what came to be. I think we have some male superfans with some latent homosexuality though, and that’s honestly weirder than someone wanting to kick my ass, or fuck it for
that matter.
Square – You may not remember, Gil, but last time at the PA’s Lounge you stumbled off the stage and bumped in to my friend, Syrah, who was skeptical at first of you two and when this occurred, she freaked out. Of course, she is now a devoted fan. I think it was Donny who came back as the peacemaker and said, “Hey, we’re just here to make you guys dance.” Any way, I was getting some where with this question; do you often fall off stages? If so, do you have any horror stories? I would imagine so as you tend to bounce around a
bunch.
Donny – The worst fall I can remember was at Birdie’s in Indianapolis – high stage, concrete floor.
Gil – Yeah, land like a fish is what I always say. I had one of the worse incidents playing to about 10 people including bar staff in Indianapolis. I stepped back, and no more stage… I fell flat on my back off of a 5 ft stage, I shit you not. I must have been on some drunken monk shit, because I walked away without a scratch! Some of the most incredible stuff happens when the room is empty. We actually got the sound turned up for us that night because the owner loves Rush and we played our very “YYZ” inspired instrumental.
Square – There is a rumor that we’ve heard and I’d like to clear the air here and now. Did Gil and Donny go to a show in Ohio where the band that was suppose to play didn’t show up so you guys jumped on stage instead and jammed it out?
Gil – That’s kinda true. We had about 3 hours notice and then went onto to wing the first Party Dream show ever, on Christmas Eve I think.
Square – Now, you mentioned that you use to drink PBR’s as it was a better choice then Bud but now Donny is a fancy beer drinker and Gil, you are a jack on the rocks drinker. Is the Party Dream starting to see some escalating success in the CD sales? Or is this just a personal preference change?
Donny – I’ve preferred fancy beers for many years but took what I could get. We hardly ever settle for the cheap shit anymore. We deserve better.
Square – Damn straight you deserve better.
Gil – It’s just a part of growing up and trying new things.
Square – What’s a day in the life of Gil and Donny like on tour? For example, what’s a common toy on your tour bus?
Gil – In the Tour Bus de Honda Civic? We rock bouncy balls pretty hard. There’s usually always one in there for when we need to kill time. I just got a Nintendo DS, which is nice for taking shits and lonely nights.
Donny – Some things we’ve picked up on the road include a chirping caged bird, a chirping bird (without the cage), rubber dinosaurs, cowboy hats, a shitload of movies on VHS from quaint, old school video stores and countless other objects that escape my recollection.
Square – What is better about being on tour: the women or the drugs?
Gil – The drugs I want haven’t come into play as much yet. But when they do, I’m not even going to be able to get my dick hard!
Donny – Playing shows when we’re too sick to walk.
Square – Who are your biggest influences? You have “no way, Jose” on your myspace. Does this mean you have no influences?
Gil – We have many influences… probably too many to list. We’re not trying to keep it a secret or anything, it’s just that it needs constant updating. I’ve been listening to a lot of the obvious stuff lately like Italo disco, The Cure, Joy Division, Heaven 17, Sparks, Lio, Pet Shop Boys, Killing Joke, Telex, Vangelis, Liaisons Dangereuses, Alphaville, Ultravox, ESG, etc…
Square – What was the major impetus that has made your music sound like it does today?
Gil – I’d say destiny. It’s cool being in an electronic band and we are, well let’s be honest, pretty cool! Other than that, working with sequencers and drum machines brings about that certain sound… the user interface, limitations, possibilities, sounds, etc…
And finally…
Square – What does the future hold for Gil Mantera and Ultimate Donny? Studio work? Looks like you have two new tracks on your myspace page – “Troll Soundpiece 1 & 2″. They are quite experimental. Are Gil and Donny exploring their sound right now?
Gil – I did the Troll music a year ago and it hasn’t yet been brought to light with the animation it’s supposed to accompany. I figured it would be cool to get people’s opinions on something that’s not too Party Dream sounding. After this tour, we’re taking a break to work on a new record. As far as experimenting, I think I’m doing more four on the floor based beats. I’ve got better gear that sounds nicer too. I’d like to make it more album-like
than Bloodsongs. I’ve also been talking to a female opera singer, who is pumped to lay down some tracks. That, of course, is for the record only, but there may be some songs or segues that we won’t perform live.
Square – Now, can you leave the audience with a joke? And how do you feel about Ed Rooney (Jeffery Jones) from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off being a pederast?
Gil – I’ll leave with depressing enlightenment instead. I’m a cold-hearted snake. I don’t care. If it was Kurt Russell, who wouldn’t do that sort of thing, I’d be sending him all of my money for court fees and such, but this other guy hasn’t done shit for me. At least he’s got NAMBLA’s weird gay shoulders to cry on, but hey, freedom of speech is what i always say. Let ‘em have their websites and blogs if it means something to them. It definitely means something good to me that they still can in a country that’s going down the
shitter little by little.
Square – Have a great tour.
Gil – Thanks!
