NTERVIEW WITH FRENCH HORN REBELLION

Post By: Rachel Ong

You'll probably be amused if French Horn Rebellion's music were to be partly influenced by Disney. The Brooklyn brothers from French Horn Rebellion spill the juice about handling pressure and being fancifully free with what they love making - music.

1. Do you guys prefer staying in the indie scene or you would prefer to move towards a more commercialized market like MGMT?

David: French Horn Rebellion stuff is really fun to do. It's a passion project for us, something we do and don't make a lot of money with it. In Brooklyn, I have my own business and have invested into the project in the hopes that we could do something really unique to ourselves and share a bit of the excitement we have for living and exploring the world etc. I think we're going to be forced to find ways to make money from it in order to keep it going since there are so many expenses to keep things running. I have a few ideas (most of them have to do with Robert selling his keyboard solos for quick cash -- I mean I could do without them anyway:) ) The future is very elusive, so you never really know what's going to happen.

Robert: Well, I think MGMT did exactly what we've been doing (making music that is special to them, not knowing what the world will think) and everybody just loved it. So, I think we'll just be doing the same thing we've been doing, and hopefully people will like it. So far, things have been going pretty well, considering we are completely independent.

2. Your new EP that was recently out, This Moment, swells. So what's concept behind it?

Robert: This Moment is about having fun and also finding out about the importance of each moment as they pass by. The B-side, 'Last Summer,' is about reflection and nostalgia and wondering whether or not what you did in those past moments were the right thing.

David: I think the EP encourages us to continue to move forward and change. Sometimes, there is so much sticky nostalgia though I do love remembering my childhood and the newness of everything at that time. It's not that I think fond memories are bad, it's just that too much of looking back I think has paralyzed me in the past from moving on to new things... like Orpheus.

3. What was the best gig you guys had in your memory?

Robert: We've played in a lot of countries.I think the best ones in recent memory were when we played in Madrid and Barcelona. People are literally crazy there - party time doesn't happen until midnight, and we didn't perform until the peak hour, which is 3 in the morning! Needless to say, everybody was ready to get down and lose control. Dancing was an epidemic, even the best doctor couldn't have stopped it!

David: Spanish Tapas is amazing.

4. How do you keep things fresh yet original to the flavour of your music?

Robert: Every time we go into making a track, I think we always think of whether or not the music we're making is really tickling us. I think that is the way we keep the music fresh, because we're always changing, and the music is reflective of our experiences.

5. What are your biggest influences in music? Be it a person, place, moment, or music itself.

Robert: My biggest influences would have to be my horn teachers of yesteryear. I loved it when my old horn teacher would play any of the Mahler Symphonies-- no. 1 was always my favorite.

David: I love the way Disney Imagineers create such incredible environments with their projects... engaging on some many levels physically and emotionally... and all of it you're able to share with other people while you're doing it.

6. Where do you see yourself after five years?

David: Working on all kinds of new projects. I've always wanted to collaborate with people in other fields of study to create something really amazing that I can't even imagine what it is right now.

Robert: I think we'll always be making music, but hopefully in 5 years, we can start to write some film scores, or work on art installations. I've always wanted to go back to school for contemporary composition!

7. What are you working on for this year? Any pressure?

Robert: We just completed our debut album, and are now out and about touring the world trying to let people know about it. There is some pressure to do good shows, especially in the places where we have record labels. Overall, though I think music is about trying to escape the pressure and not let it get to you.

8. What's the most important thing in your bag when you're on tour?

Robert: My French horn, of course!