JEREMY GLOFF
PRESS ARCHIVE
Interview: Jeremy Gloff
-from
the blog "Ridiculously Inconsistent Trickle Of Consciousness"
-April 29, 2011
-written by Clark Brooks
If
you like your music to serve up joy and pain, love and anger in the
form of broadly generic and easily digestible songs to which we can all
relate, singer/songwriter Jeremy Gloff may not be for you. His songs
say, "Yeah, I don't know about you but this is how I'm feeling." So
it's fitting that his newest album is titled THIS. Gloff, originally
from New York is now living and working here in Tampa where he is a
columnist ("Cynical and Southern") for TheNewGay.net in addition to
being a prolific musician. He will be celebrating the release of THIS,
his 17th album, with a party at The Social Club in Ybor City on May 9th
(info below). He graciously took time out of his very busy schedule to
answer some questions for this blog...
You refer to THIS as a comeback;
where were you?
After feeling really bad about the world for a couple years (and one
album) I’ve returned full throttle and I’m ready to do THIS.
What's your approach to recording and
releasing a new album? Is it when you have a statement to make or when
you have a collection of songs you want to get out?
It’s as if there’s a silent timer going off that dings when
it’s time to make a new album...you just KNOW. A collection of
songs just hovers around and announces that there are no more songs to
be written, and it’s time to make that album. It’s a rather
expensive announcement.
What statement are you making with
THIS?
Oh, THIS is what it is.
Is the album still a viable means of
making a musical/artistic statement or is that a thing of the past?
I believe it is a thing of the past. It seems things have gone full
circle. In the 1950s it was a singles market and once again all these
years later it’s a single market. In keeping my arty outcast
leanings I’m still of the school that an album is an ALBUM. I
believe the album is still a wonderful means of artistic statemnt. I
also believe that a lot less people pay attention than they once may
have.
The collapse of the recording
industry as it existed for decades: ultimately good or bad for artists?
I think the oversaturation of grass-roots artists makes it super hard
to stand out these days. Everyone has their generic professional bios
and Myspace pages. I also think that labels don’t spend the time
and money to cultivate long-term careers for the artists on their
roster. The song was called “drop it like it’s hot”
but in the industry, they drop ‘em when they’re not hot.
You recently made your old albums
available for sale on a "pay-what-you-will" basis. How did that work
out?
I made a few extra bucks and I made more room in my closet.
You've lived all over the place; does
where you are geographically influence your songwriting? Are there
songs you've written in Tampa that couldn't have possibly been written
in New York, and vice-versa?
I do wonder what kind of songs I would have written if I ended up
living in San Francisco. Tampa is inspiring in a strange way. Tampa is
like the weird kid stuck in the back of the classroom. Tampa is the kid
who doesn’t have the coolest clothes, the best grades, or the
most impressive collection of books by trendy authors. But Tampa is one
hell of an interesting kid if you sit down and talk to him.
If Tampa was in The Breakfast Club...
You've expressed frustration with the arts
and culture scenes in Tampa and your attempts to make changes. Do you
hold out any hope that things could change or are you resigned to
accepting it for what it is...and isn’t?
I certainly got bored with trying to make a difference around here. I
have kick-ass friends and cheap rent. I throw some fun shows here and
there. It would be easier to open a nun’s legs than to open the
minds of some of the people in power around here. That said,
there’s really super, super rad people creating and operating out
of this area. And then there’s some really, really shameful buddy
system, closed-minded bullshit too. Like anywhere, maybe. But probably
a little bit worse.
I’m incredibly envious of the
fact that you’ve met and hung out with one of my all-time
favorite people and artists, Jill Jones. Tell me something that will
make me even more envious, please.
I was a fan of Jill’s growing up but when we met it as if we were
always kindred spirits. Last time I was in NY we wrote two wonderful
songs together and shared a meal of chicken parm sandwiches.
Jill’s daughter co-wrote “Back & Forth” with me
on THIS. Jill is one of the easiest people I’ve ever written
songs with. It’s as if our hearts beat in the same way.
How can we get her to come to Tampa
and take her out for dinner to the Columbia or some less-touristy place?
Jill is always one to defy expectation. Now that she is in L.A. I see
less of a chance of her making it down here unfortunately.
Hmm, she defies expectations and
Gloffy's
expectation is that she's not likely to visit.
I see what he did there.
So are we (gays & straights) cool
now? It seems like there's a healthier level of acceptance than there
used to be, aside from the extremist knuckleheads who don't want to get
along with anybody, of course. Or am I wrong and there's still
considerable progress to be made before we can all feel good about it?
I think living in Tampa is sort of like being in a safe bubble. In my
12 years of living here I’ve never had ONE homophobic slur said
to me. I know the rest of the world isn’t as friendly. That said,
I do think the lines have been lightened a little. Thankfully.
Intolerance is just plain old dumb.
Are you looking forward to saying
"'THIS is my new album" and having Abbott & Costello-style "Who's
On First?" hilarity ensue?
You can bet your life on THIS.
"THIS is not your new album.
THIS is Jeremy Gloff's new album."
THIS
Monday, May 9th * 9:00 PM
The Social Club, Ybor City
1909 N.15th Street
Tampa, FL
"Square
One presents JEREMY GLOFF'S THIS Album Release Party & Show
featuring special appearances by Shunda K, MACAViTi, Anye Cole &
more
Music by DJ Sirius
Purchase your copy of THIS, the comeback album from Tampa superstar
Jeremy Gloff, for $5 night of show.
FREE ADMISSION"
www.jeremygloff.com
www.crunksnotdeadrecords.com