Videosyncrasy is a new feature on Local Cut wherein a musician is asked to answer questions or comment on video clips that either feature his/her/their band's music or are connected to their work in some fashion.
Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang will always hold a place in the canon of American independent music thanks to their work as the rhythm section for the dream-pop trio Galaxie 500. But in the years since that band dissolved, the two have tarried on as a duo, releasing a series of gorgeous, bucolic albums that play like psychedelics-induced dreams. Damon & Naomi's latest, False Beats & True Hearts (released last month on their own label, 20/20/20), rings out with spacious atmospherics, lilting folk and some fantastic guitar work by Michio Kurihara of the band Ghost. As well, the two started Exact Change, a small publication house that has released an impressive roster of surrealist literature and poetry.
Damon Krukowski was kind enough to check out some video clips and answer some questions for Videosyncrasy via email. Be sure to check out Damon & Naomi when the play Bunk Bar tomorrow (Wednesday, June 1) with Amor de Dias. ---
How did this video [or still image, rather] collaboration come about?
You worked with Marker on a CD-Rom that came out on your Exact Change imprint. Was this his idea or did you work with him on it?
What is the status of Exact Change? Someone had mentioned recently that it wasn't a going concern, but are you still going to be releasing books through it?
Your new album isâlike The Earth Is Blueâcoming out on your own label. Is it better for you to be controlling everything to do with your music rather than working with outside folks?
You've released one solo album by Michio Kurihara and the International Sad Hits collection on the label. Do you foresee signing any artists to the label or releasing other work by other artists in the future?
International Sad Hits
You always choose such interesting covers to tackle. What is it that inspires you to take on a particular song?
What was it that attracted you to this song?
This video features Michio Kurihara on guitar...how did you get to know him and start working with him?
This is another video where it was visually represented by an artist - in this case Cedrick Eymenier. Do you prefer to have music videos like this that don't feature the band at all?
How did you end up working with Cedrick on this video?
1001 Nights
Do you have any particular artist(s) or filmmaker that would love to collaborate with on a video project like this?
Do you remember this gig at all?
How do you feel about having videos like this floating around capturing shows from over 20 years ago?
Don't Let Our Youth Go To Waste
Yeti Books is gearing up to release an oral history of the band. Are you happy that there is still interest in the band after all this time or would you rather people put their focus on your current work?
Dean Wareham has been doing a lot of touring lately playing nothing but Galaxie 500 material, but you've tended to shy away from performing Naomi's songs in the years since the band broke up. Is that a conscious choice on your part?
You released a CD featuring Kim's work on your label, alongside three other Asian folk singers. Was the idea just to bring their work to a larger audience?
What draws you to the music of Kim Soo-Doo or any of the other artists you featured on that collection?
Are there plans to do another CD collection from other parts of the world?
You tend to tour more overseas then here in the States - at least that's how it looks from my narrow frame of reference. Do you feel like your audiences are bigger or more interested in your sound in Japan or Europe? If so, why do you think that is?
WWeek 2015
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