Stages? Who needs stages?
Taking the whole playing in unusual locations game to ridiculous new heights (think freeways, tunnels and probably your nan’s garage too), Emperor X a one-man band that puts Vincent Moon’s Takeaway Show project to shame. In fact, this guy crops up in so many weird places, it’s almost as if when he decided to start making music, no one bothered to tell him that you were supposed to play on a stage.
The brainchild of high-school science teacher turned cosmically-inclined lo-fi indie/folk maestro Chad Matheny, armed with nothing but a journeyman’s soul and a well-seasoned guitar Emperor X manages to capture his audience’s hearts with every song he comes out with. With four albums under his belt, it feels like he has then entire internet in the palm of his hand sometimes, with Pitchfork and The New Yorker swooning over his last release and Plan B hailing him as a "swollen inter-fusion of capricicous brilliance." Heck, some have even suggested that he’s the indie world’s version of Prince.
Currently touring Europe, he’s playing his first ever London shows on July 14th. Starting with a few al fresco sets in our nation’s lovely capital - probably in a trading estate somewhere in Feltham, he’s then heading down to The Waiting Room in Stokey to play a ‘proper’ show.
But before all the madness happens, I caught up with the Emperor to see what’s on his mind...
Emperor X -- "Tanline Debris" by emperorx
If you really were an Emperor, what Imperial Realm would you be most into ruling? What rules would you impose/introduce?
Oh man. Totally not what I had in mind when I picked that name fourteen years ago, as I have no desire to rule anything - so I guess I'm qualified, by Arthur C. Clarke's Mark III Constitution, to rule, right? Only the reluctant deserve power was his principle. So by that token, I don't know, how about a Martian colony? And I'd impose the will of the colonists, constrained only by the sustainability of their desires with respect to the fragile terraformed ecosystem.
What would be your Imperial theme song?
Oh, we're really going with this whole literal interpretation of the project name thing, huh? Okay. I'd go with the entirety of the _Well-Tempered Klavier_, so people would be forced to listen to it in its entirety.
National sport of choice?
Australian rules football, because it combines the brutality and strategy of American football (minus the wussy plastic armor) with the non-stop action of regular ol' FIFA football.
National food of choice?
Split yellow peas. Perfect protein source.
Also, being Emperor means that you'd probably have first pick of the men/women, who would be that lucky gent/lady?
I think a lot about the false transactional nature of so many relationships. We all have the pick of whoever we want. If power buys something it's transactional and false. You can't force someone to see infinity when they look at you. It happens or it doesn't. You can force them to pretend, and that sad state's about as good as brute power will get you in love.
What Emperors do you look up to?
None. Anyone who claims the title is an authoritarian fascist at worst and a delusional ceremonialist at best. Or, I guess, an American indie folk tech DJ artist semi-band thing.
What inspires the locations you play at?
Sometimes, people will write me and ask me to play in strange locations. Speaking of empires and stuff, just yesterday I walked around the old Hapsburg part of Vienna and rhythmically kicked trash cans and sang really loudly for a small crowd of people, and that was because this awesome artist from Vienna named Lona Gaikis invited me to do it. Sometimes it's because the sound is flat or boring or somehow uninspiring in the show and I just want to go outside and sing there instead, which is what happened here.
What's the most unusual place you've played?
Maybe the trash cans outside of the old Hapsburg palace, yesterday! Maybe not, but that's the freshest in my mind right now.
Could you ever see yourself playing there again?
Sure, why not? I think I'd come with more percussionists next time though, so we could really cause a ruckus. I can only do so much with my feet.
And finally, have you got any words of advice for the youth of today?
DON'T PANIC!
As previously mentioned, Emperor X plays The Waiting Rooms next Saturday (14th July).
http://emperorx.tumblr.com/
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