STFU - It’s All About The End Result

AÑO: 5 | NÚMERO 46

THE 13th UN A R E V IS TA IM A GINA RIA

STFU IT’S ALL ABOUT THE END RESULT

[ Interview with Preston Maddox from STFU by Darío Martinez.

Photographs: C. Coffey, Bobby Talamine and Renee Gardinier. ]

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE END RESULT

Deeply English, somewhere between Primal Scream and Massive Attack, between Rock, Psychedelia, Electronic Music, Shoegazer and Trip Hop is STFU. The musical project carried out by Dean GarcĂ­a and Preston Madox.

They have edited "Yum" which is the successor to "What We Want" (2016) and comes by two. Yum 1 with the original versions and Yum 2 with remixes.

Recently we have asked Jarek Leskiewicz from Blurred City Lights and SPC ECO. How do you select the songs for each of the different projects?

Dean is the center of this particular universe, all comes back to him, so his style and ability is always present and is a common thread. With STFU both of us contribute the beginnings of songs to the mix, we send things back and forth and then eventually it becomes a song. By the end of the process it’s kinda hard to tell who did what, and it really doesn't matter to either of us really. To simplify the differences between projects Id say Blurred City Lights is more desolate, SPC ECO is more lush, and STFU is more kinetic.

Can you tell us something about the composition and recording process?

Dean works in his studio in London and I work in mine in Austin, with parts being transferred over the internet (shout out to Wetransfer!) The songs start with one of us sending the other a demo and then it goes from there. I do the vocal part and then Dean does the first arrangement, I send some instrument parts over, and then Dean works and reworks the song until its finished. Often times things I think should happen are a revision or two away so I just shut up and let him work. Very hands off approach from both of us, we leave creative space for each other to work and leave it at that. I don't think either of us care for having a head over Listening to the album I felt that our shoulder. It’s all about the end rethey were somewhere between Pri- sult, the process only serves that purmal Screem and Masive Attack, be- pose. tween Rock, Psychedelia, Electronic Music, Shoegazer and Trip Hop. This is for Preston. Are the lyrics Two questions in one. before or after the music?

Are they positioned somewhere in Lyrics come after the music, but I do these to begin? often have a big idea coming into the alWe don't go into the project with any bum that ends up dictating the direction intentions of that sort, we just pursue of the rest of the record or my contributhe music and let the parts fall out whe- tion to it, even though I've often moved re they may. Though I do love Primal past it when the record is finished. For Scream and Massive Attack and can this record I wanted the lyrics to have a hear the similarities. I think we could rhythmic bounce to them, which I think use some more sounds like that in our I achieved on "Blind" really well. Theworld and and happy to contribute. matically I just go where the song takes

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me and don't think too much about it. I love her voice and vocal style. don't limit myself in any way, and when the lyrical gods bless me with some Do you have some shows or a viwords for the song I tend not to ques- deo to take the music to a visual plation. Sometimes a blank sheet of paper ne? is the best lyric book.

Playing shows is pretty doubtful, that's all up to Dean and I think its gonna be I've heard at least two references tough to get him out of his studio and to Curve songs on the album. Is this back onto the stage. Playing a show is true? one thing but the hours in between are Obviously I love Curve but I don't another entirely different thing, and you think about them much if at all when can't have one without the other. We working on this. Sometimes when I are planning on working on a short film go back I think "that could have been with music from the record so there will a Curve track" but then a lot of them be some visual stimulation coming. could have been. Being a Curve track has everything to do with Toni's voice; The record of remixes you did it in Dean working with her is just going to a different way to what the majority be different than working with me or an- does, that they deliver the songs for yone else. I've was influenced by her others to remix. singing style in my formative years, so Two questions in one. that's gonna show up regardless of inHow did this idea come about? Did tention, and I'm quite happy with that, I they do it between the two?

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Dean and Monti were heavily involved in the workings of the remixes, where I was more involved in the push towards that. From the outset I wanted the new record to be more dance oriented, and many of the initial songs are, but the YUM2 tracks are all pretty much ready for the club or for afternoon summer driving. The records to me are an evolution of our styles blended into one singular thing instead of the sum of our input. At first I only wanted to release the YUM2 tracks as the official record but I often get wrapped up in the newest tracks regardless of relative quality, and I think presenting them side by side was unique and perfect for this. "Shadow (big cloud mix)" off of YUM2 is a big favorite of mine, but I really like the first version as well, I'd hate to leave one in the vault for no reason. Another point to make is that remixes being done by other artists as a rule is a relatively new idea, back in the day for a release of a single would have two or three different versions from the artist or same production group, then maybe another artist coming along.

This David Bowie single I got has that, a few alternate mixes and then a Leftfield remix.

What plans does STFU have for this 2018?

The future of the band is pretty immediate at the moment; press photos, video work, etc. I imagine we will make another record and if I have my way it will be even more dance oriented than the last, but I don't go into the project with much in mind aside from wanting to have fun and make cool music. All in

good time.

They can tell us something of what they are doing or plans that they have on their own.

Bloody Knives just put out our fourth lp "White Light Black Moon" and we are still in the press cycle with that one.

A couple new videos are in the works.

We just finished a US tour, putting together some more dates for the US, and are on our way back to the UK in October. We have a few surprise releases coming out over the next few months, and a collaborative project with another band that is coming together quite nicely. And of course we have already started demoing the next record but that is at least a couple years away from completion.

Thank you for this opportunity to ask these questions, we leave this last space to tell us what they want to close this interview.

Thank you for the interview Dario and for covering our music. Releasing a record in 2018 is like shouting at the edge of a canyon; at first the sound is loud and you hear some echoes coming back but ultimately the moment is short and you can't tell who heard it, if anyone at all. Knowing that people are supporting and listening is its own reward in addition to getting to make the music in the first place and I'm deeply grateful for opportunities like these to share the music we've made and for the appreciation and support of that. Cheers.

Thank you Preston.

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The13th U NA R EVISTA IMA GINA RIA