Artists Off Stage - Ganser

by LEXI MCCOY

Alicia Gaines has been spending her time off-stage in Chicago, IL campaigning for the latest Ganser Record, losing her mind on twitter, fighting racism in the arts industry - and running into the woods, screaming

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Hi! What is your name and pronouns?

Alicia Gaines, she/her

If you had to pick any album to describe your current mood, what would it be and why?

I've been listening to The Durutti Column's Vini Reilly on repeat. It's both otherworldly and extremely familiar sounding (I have a running theory on the music listening habits of 90's video-game composers, I think they liked Durutti Column). I've been very focused on artists that make art seemingly to amuse themselves, so a lot of recent post-punk isn't actually on the list. Peter Gabriel, Backxwash, early Gorillaz...I just want to listen to people amusing themselves, trying to seem cool is kind of repellent to me right now.

Without being able play shows, we're asking artists how they've been spending their time during quarantine. What have you been doing to stay busy?

Working on the album campaign for Just Look at That Sky has been a good distraction. It was nice to meet artists online that I wouldn't have otherwise, basically all laughing into the void about the idea of even trying to promote a new record in this moment. We actually shot the music videos straddling lock-down, so there was some work there too editing and color correcting the videos. Outside of music, I've been making time for freelance design, video editing, and light hikes. It's been incredibly freeing, especially when there was so much troubling news, to run screaming into the woods. I've dyed my hair blue, speaking out on racism in design and music, generally losing my mind on twitter daily, big "fuck it" energy on this end.

"Just Look at That Sky" is one of my favorite album releases of the year. What were some inspirations for the album? (artists/films/anything)

Oh wow, that's very nice of you to say. I think there's a bit of slightly unhinged, ecstatic energy in the album (Possession and The Passion of Joan of Arc are favorites). The idea of a woman in that near-grotesque state is challenging, especially in rock music, but I find it compelling. You can't really help people being intimidated by that aura, but it certainly helps as a filter. It's been very fulfilling to find those that are getting our joke, so to speak. 

Primarily, coming from a visual arts background and embracing things like film direction and design with this band, I think our influences lie outside of music. Because we collaborate on lyrics, trade lyrics... the combined effect is something like an existential cypher(s) we're both singing from the perspective of. So, there's references from Waiting for Godot there to Harold and Maude to some Fleabag vibes. Abjection was also a concept on my mind as a general interest, but also how that applies to the multiple, inter-sectional racial, gender, and queer/straight identities in the band. The world at large has certainly made us aware we do not look like a typical band, and I think that energy goes a bit into the music. It's kind of an itchy, uncomfortable, ill-fitting reality kind of feeling that's always going to be there in our work.

What's next for Ganser?

We've got a couple of live-streams coming up, those should be announced soon. We're also working on some updates to the album, collaborating with some people we have huge admiration for. Beyond that, because we're very conscious about mental health given our music's subject matter, we're looking ahead to how we can write the next album during a quarantine spent inside during Chicago's usually brutal winter and staying somewhat sane. For the first few months, as a band we were basically just checking in on each other, asking "Are you okay?" Now, though, we're starting to write again. I don't think we're going to try to sound cool, whatever that means. We're not cool.

What are a few songs you've been currently listening to?

"Say the Name" by Clipping from their album Visions of Bodies Being Burned (Release Date: 10/23/2020 on @Sub Pop) https://smarturl.it/Clipping_VOBBB Clipping...

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This interview is part of Artists Off Stage - a series of snapshot style interviews and photo-stories highlighting how musicians are spending their time during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

All interviews are done remotely as we continue to practice social distancing. For resources and information regarding COVID-19, click here.

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Interview by Lexi McCoy