Why Phone Joan?
There are many reasons why we think you should, but mostly because you could. Just dial +47 917 99466.
Can you tell us a bit about where you are from and how you got together?
Most of the band members rose from the cold and wet basements of Oslo, Norway’s indie-rock scene during the financial crisis that took place around 2008-2009. All of us were starved for anything with substance. The superficial and tiring Norwegian music scene needed someone to shake things up a bit. So we all decided to call her. She’s the one bringing us together. This, and the fact that we were promised lots and lots of beer (and if you think about it…. who the hell could say no to that?) made us form Phone Joan in 2009.
You’re video for ‘Damned’ is pretty powerful stuff, tell us more.
You know, information is so shock oriented. More and more of it is aimed to produce an emotional rather than rational response to what is presented. And most of the propaganda gladly vomited on us is only aimed to create fear. From one day to another, it seems the only question is how to top it. Everyone’s ending up screaming at each other, but none of us ever get the time to sit down and listen.
This video doesn’t cover the aspect which the song is about, but portraits some of these issues, for better or worse, because nothing is forbidden in the struggle against indifference.
It is produced by “FOLKEFIENDER,” which directly translates to “public enemy” and it portrays this beautiful woman’s “walk of shame” ending up, right back, where she started. It’s so beautifully shot giving the viewer a glimpse of our city Oslo.
Who has influenced your music the most?
It depends on who you ask. Elisabeth (drummer) is more into soul, jazz and hip hop. Randi (bass) could like most anything, while Carina (vocal) and Rikard (guitar) are more into the older stuff. The mix which she creates is more in the middle of everything; gluing it all together into a ramshackle 70’ shoegaze thing. Some say they hear a lot of Neil Young, others say The Dead Weather and Ida Maria.
If you phone Joan and ask her, we think she can relate to any of those.
What was the first piece of music you ever heard that really left a mark on you?
Again it depends on who you ask, but we all think Ida Maria is an awesome person who needs to be mentioned just because of that.
Mentionable “Joan likes” though are: Wildbirds and Peacedrums, Blind Faith, Janis Joplin, Neil Young, Jack White, Beyoncè, Erykah-Badu, Led Zepplin, Prince, and a bunch more….
Name one thing no one knows about the band?
Well everyone thinks this is a band that consists of 3 women and 1 man, but in fact there are no evidence yet been presented that Rikard actually has a penis. In fact all of us, even Rikard himself, are convinced of the opposite.
Where do you stand: MP3 or Vinyl?
Vinyl! You can’t touch or fondle with the mp3. +47 91799466 will only come out in full version on vinyl. Only 9 of the 12 tracks will be made available for digital download. We don’t do this only because we need to have a product that is just that…. an actual product, but also because we think vinyl gives more authentic sound quality to the recordings.
Music entertainment has already lost most of its core value and is surviving on fumes right now. This is not necessarily because of digital download, but because we can only take so much. The overflow of meaningless shit is grabbing the last of the true believers with them and sending them straight into the void of apathy. And this is where we are right now… packed heavily with good intentions ready to fight it off. But as the song says “we are worried that all of these efforts that we’ve made here, would be worth nothing.” Vinyl is the only thing left with a glimpse of reality in this overpopulated music world although we recognize the value of convenience.
What are your hopes for 2012?
That we might see a shift in the media’s focus and that this year will go into history as the year were music died and then came to life again.
Finally, when the last warning goes off, what track do you stick on your iPod?
Actually, right now, that would be the starting track of the album +47 91799466, a song called “Plastic Rubber Souls,” where the first lines are, “A ball of fire lights the sky, seems like something’s gonna change. Streak of massive orange light, now we be on our way; new plastic rubber souls, new spiritual defense. This bad imitation of life has been giving a second chance.”
