In our latest interview, we share a few words with John Famiglietti from Los Angeles electro-noise lot HEALTH about plans for 2013 and a new record!
“I’m looking forward to HEALTH being a band again!”
S] Hi mate, can you set the scene – what’re you up to today?
J] “Right now, I am waiting for the plumber to show up, but after that I’m going to be meeting with guys to work on the record some more. We’re finishing up, we just want to write two more songs to balance out the album, and we’ve been tracking and mixing right now as well.”
S] What’s the progress like on your TV show and clothing line – is that still something you’re working on?
J] We aren’t doing the show anymore. That’s definitely not going to happen, but the clothes are coming along. We are currently working with designers in LA. We’re not going to make a big announcement or anything, but more and more elaborate items will start showing up online soon.”
How was it composing for ‘Max Payne 3’ this year – did that take you out of your musical comfort zone in terms of writing?
J] Well yeah…but after the adjusting period it became easier comfort-wise. When we write for the band there’s constant stress over how it’s working, with the videogame, you would play the music and watch footage of the game, if it’s not working you chuck it; the goal is always clear. With ‘Max…’ we wrote music much faster and easier than we normally do.”
You’ve said in a previous interview that you write for a specific location (your first record was written with favourite LA haunt, The Smell in mind for example), so what locations and spaces are inspiring HEALTH now?
J] “It’s hard to fully be aware of it, but I know we’ve been writing for the stages were used to playing now, as well as listeners’ earbuds and soundsystems without any consideration of the live performance. We’ve been thinking of things very differently from The Smell days however the intent is the same.”
S] How do you look back on the success of tracks like ‘Die Slow’ and ‘We Are Water’ at this point?
J] Fondly? Thankfully musically we were never part a sub-genre with a specific sound or anything, so we’ve dodged all the pitfalls associated; we missed the bonuses too, but it’s better for ‘the long game’.”
S] Are you putting the same pressure on yourselves that you did when you started out in the band to put out music, and to sound a certain way?
J] “Yes and no. We’ve opened up a bunch and have given ourselves huge freedom to do many things that were verboten [forbidden] before, but we’re policing all of that just as harshly, we just have to make new rules!”
S] Your Facebook has some pretty random and personal updates – how important is social media to the band?
J] “Very. The entire life of this band has been on social media, and it happens to be that talking about blowing a dog is a great way to connect and stay connected with fans!”
S] Are you looking forward right now, or working on any more remix material?
J] “We’re more like stressed right now! We want to make a ‘DISCO3’ and it needs to live up to 1 and 2; to go back to an earlier question about ‘Die Slow’ and ‘We are Water’, ‘DISCO1’ sounds dated as fu**. Remixes have also had their star fall heavily since then. We’ll see if we can pull it off.”
S] Are there any bands from our side of the pond (UK) that are challenging you in the right ways at the moment?
J] “Oh, most definitely! I really like this Dark Sky‘s ‘Radius EP’! I’m pretty sure they’re from London.”
S] What are your major plans for 2013?
J] “I am really looking forward to being a band again. ‘Max Payne…’ broke the cycle and, at times I forget I’m in a band! I can’t wait to be touring most of the year again.”
S] What have you learned about yourself, through the music you’ve made over the years with HEALTH?
J] “I have learned that I can fearlessly take a sh** anywhere, anytime no matter how foul the locale [location] is.”
