Monday, April 9, 2012

A Conversation with Rook by Rook of Mandrake Mechanism

     
Q: What is the Current Line-up of your band?

A: Mandrake Mechanism is now made up of Chris Anander on Bass, Mike Macbeth on Drums, Anthony Volpe on Guitar, and Myself on Guitar and Vox. Our original guitarist left for a life of penny stock trading (We’ve been trying to gain the crowd sympathy though. With rumors of his death by various freak accidents)

Q: How would you describe Mandrake Mechanism?

A: Mandrake Mechanism is really different than any other project I’ve played in before we all come from different musical worlds and together make something that I don’t think has been described yet. It’s one of those ask 100 people and you get 100 different answers type to scenario’s. I like to call it ambitious noise super hype funk party music. Nobody has adopted that moniker yet.

Q: We’ve heard some tales about your love of performance art?

A: The way I see it you go to a show to see a show. I like my musicians a little crazy and on edge. I’ve gotten flack from a bunch of music insiders from playing in my underwear or woman’s clothes on certain occasions. When you start limiting what can happen on stage you aren’t an artist anymore. I’ve just learned to not tell the band what I’m planning because they will try and talk me out of it. Still working on convincing them that these crazy ideas I have are really important to our live show. I’ve had to take down my strobe light wall before due to the fear of causing a crowd wide epilepsy attack. Which would be more than I could wish for.

Q: Your songs seem to range from political to romantically inclined to outright nonsense. How do you tie it all together?

A: Most of our songs we’re written and my lyrics hadn’t been added in yet. I would just freestyle lyrics derived from how the song made me feel. I am really seriously into politics but find that people just try and convince you of joining one side or the other without stating facts and letting people decided. Same with relationships. The hardest thing to really ever understand is how another person thinks. As for nonsense songs they usually mean something but I code it for myself so nobody understands what I’m actually talking about. It’s sort of like a self-help therapy session in front of a bunch of strangers a every time we play. It’s refreshing being looked at funny.

Q: Why did you interview yourself?

A: Why wouldn’t I. I’ll never ask a bad question.

Monday, April 2, 2012

WE ARE BACK IN HARTFORD RAGING WITH PUSHMETHOD AND CASTLE. April 27th at Sully's Pub. Won't you come down and join us. Tri-State Triple Treat..... Now that is a show flyer. - ROOK