Interview: Chilly Gonzales
Meet You At The Show: You just released an album that is also a film called Ivory Tower. What came first the album of the film?
Chilly Gonzales : The music came first. I started working with this guy called Boys Noize and I realized that it was going to be easy to make this album with so much help, so after a few exchanges I realized it would be easy and I like obstacles and so I decided to take on a crazy new project which was to do a feature length movie.
MYATS: So you basically did the opposite of what is conventional by writing the music and then making the movie.
CG: Yes, the music really showed the way and the music also lead us to Tiga and Peaches, because it made me think of, when in 2000 me and Peaches and Tiga all came out with this kind of electro-Berlin, electro-clash thing.
MYATS: Wasn’t it also risky to use musicians instead of trained actors? How did that work out?
CG: On paper maybe it’s risk to use so many people who don’t know how to do their job technically. The director had never directed before and obviously the actors are musicians. But when you have chemistry with people you can kind of do anything with them. Chemistry is kind of transferable. Because I worked with Peaches and Tiga before it just seemed natural. At that point you just need to know that you’ll be doing it quickly. It’s all about speed since you don’t have these guys for very long and you don’t have that much money. So it’s more about writing those parts so when they start acting they can get there right away. And I know those guys so I can put in things that they know. It’s stuff from their personal life that I know they would be able to connect with.
MYATS: Peaches, Tiga and yourself are celebrating ten years of making music, which is amazing seeing the evolution of the music industry which creates and kill artists in the blink of an eye. Why do you think you’re all still relevant?
CG: Well if I look at Peaches and Tiga, I can see that they are taking a lot of risks, but I’m not sure actually. I don’t know. Well I know I think really long term. Sometimes I do things that could look like it’s against myself but usually in the long term it ends up… you know like in chess, the strategy, you know long term strategy. I think it’s safe to say that Peaches and Tiga are some long term thinkers and their personalities are larger then life, and I think people get fascinated by those kind of personalities.
MYATS: When you played in Montreal, Katie Moore was also taking part in your shows. How did you end up meeting her?
CG: Through Socalled, because she plays a lot with Socalled. And Socalled I’ve known him since he was 14 years old, and so when I hired him to be in my band, the Together ensemble in 2007, he basically said Katie comes with the deal. No I’m kidding but he was like “it could be great if you could hire Katie, because she’s in my band and if I’m going to be on with you..”. I’m being a bit sarcastic but it was obvious. Again, we found a place for her because it turns out she plays guitar…You kind of look at the people that are around you and you kind of cast for people around you. Sometimes it’s just that there is someone there and you have to create a role for them. It’s not like I wish I had a back-up singer and guitar player: it’s more like she’s amazing and I met her and I kind of created a role for her.
MYATS: You next album is rumored to be a rap album, is this true? Are you already thinking about it?
CG: Well actually, we’re already working on it. My brother is working on it. He’s doing the orchestration. Boys Noize will be working a little bit on the album as well. In general, when I work with people I work with them again and again. For me it’s kind of a long term commitment.
MYATS: And how did you meet Boys Noize?
CG: I kind of met him through Feist, more or less, through the work he did for Feist. You know when it works… You just keep on going. I’ve started working on a third Feist album with Feist…and with Peaches we’re thinking about doing one of her next things also. I’m playing piano for Peaches’ Jesus Christ Superstar show…This is like an ongoing thing you know and you just sort of… I don’t look for new people but it just happen that the new people come into your orbit and sometimes you really get along and you just keep on rocking it.
MYATS: Even if you already stated that you do prefer to play in smaller venues, you had to play at some festivals this summer, how was it? How were you able to adjust?
CG: Yeah, I tried a new strategy which is basically I had two pianos and two drums. So basically it was this intense show with double drums and double piano. There is always somewhat more energy that you can add you know. The problem with the festival is that you have to start so high and keep it and make it higher and I didn’t want to be in a position to having to fight them like “come on, pay attention to me for my slow piano stuff” or something, but it’s cool, I’m starting to understand what can work in a bigger festival type of place.
MYATS: But did you actually like it?
CG: No. I really didn’t like it so much.
MYATS: Do you think you could ever like it?
CG: You know, generally at a festival people are kind of shopping. They didn’t come there to see me. I’m a demanding entertainer and I kind of like it better when people come for me, I demand people’s attention. They have to concentrate to follow the story carefully or else they’re not going to get it. You know I’m one of these intelligent TV shows like Mad Men, I’m not one of these stupid TV shows like Lost.
MYATS: Your song “Never Stop” was used in an Ipad commercial, how do you feel about people who say you might have sold out in a way?
CG: Really, there are still people who think that? I thought they were all there by now. If people want me to keep making movies, to keep taking risks, they’ve got to know that I’ve got to get paid. And something like Ipad it really helps You know they may get sick of that one song but in two more years they’re going to see an even crazier project from me, like maybe a tour with an orchestra for my rap album or something insane you know? And all they need to know it’s that it’s better me than someone else because me, all I do with that money is reinvest it in more projects. I love money, I love getting rich. Why? Because it let’s me do things like make movies and do things like I want to do. People have to realize that. I’m not going to say that entertainers have to eat because I’ve been eating now for 15 years, but for me, I don’t make money because I want to eat, I make money because I want to make movies, and I want to keep on making albums.
Interview Conducted by Camille Gervais
We would like to thank the amazing Chilly Gonzales for taking the time to chat with us and we urge you all to check out the screening of Ivory Tower that will take place next Wednesday, November 3rd at the Salle André-Mathieu in Laval. More information on the screening can be found here.
