Maren Parusel Interview: SXSW 2010

Before venturing out on her own, Maren Parusel sang and played guitar with the female trio Wild Weekend. The punk outfit, which began as a Zeros cover band and then expanded into original material, was nominated for a 2009 San Diego Music Award. Parusel can now be found perfecting her piano-driven pop melodies made pleasant and poignant with her charming vocals, subtle lyrics and inviting earnestness. The German native turned California transplant recently released a 7-inch on Single Screen Records that she plans to follow up with a full length album for this summer. Spinner caught up with Parusel before SXSW to talk about songwriting and her hopes for her new sound.

Describe your sound in your own words.

The stars and the universe, my dreams, the ocean, the wind and driving fast with my hand out the window!

How did your act form?

In Los Angeles, I met Rolan Bolan [Marc Bolan's son]. He had a studio in his house and I was fascinated by the whole recording process. I started playing music more seriously. After a while, I started writing songs. I loved it! When a song comes out of me, it feels like everything disappears around me and whatever I feel is manifested. It just hit me then that I really wanted to make music and have my own band. That's how it began. I started Wild Weekend, because I liked the Zeros and thought it would be a fun project to get some girls together and play a couple gigs covering Zeros songs. It went from there and we started writing our own songs and became an original band. Alongside punk rock, I also wrote melodic piano songs. I think I just developed musically as a songwriter and wanted to challenge myself a little more. I love the songs we played in Wild Weekend, but I think my new project and my current songs are closer to who I feel I am as a musician and I'm expressing myself better through my music.

Who are some of your musical inspirations?

I love great catchy songs regardless of the style. I always looked up to Chrissie Hynde from the Pretenders and I like songwriters like Leonard Cohen and John Lennon. I also like the Velvet Underground, Iggy Pop and the Ramones. I like songs by Chuck Berry and Little Richard and when I'm angry I listen to ACDC really loud. I like classical music like Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and Debussy. They had some amazing simple hooks in their compositions back then.

What do you miss most about Germany?

I like the food in Germany and Europe. I don't miss the weather in Germany. California is beautiful. I can be at the beach, the mountains or the desert all in one day. I like thinking and writing songs in English because it just fits so well with pop/rock music. Mostly I miss my family, but I usually visit them each year for Christmas.

You came to Los Angeles in hopes of breaking into film. How did you end up in music?

I always liked taking pictures or making music. A combination of both is the best. After high school, I was going to film school in Germany and had an internship at a photo studio. I went to Los Angeles for an internship at Constantin Film, because I knew someone who worked there from Germany, so I called him up and I flew to Los Angeles. On the plane, I met this guy and we exchanged our e-mail addresses. I didn't really know anyone, so I contacted him and he invited me to a party somewhere in Silver Lake, Calif. That's when I met a lot of musicians and I got into writing songs. That's when I chose to do music instead.

What was it like to perform both with Wild Weekend and as a solo artist during last year's SXSW?

I had a band for both projects. I always wanted to play with a band because I like to have a full sound and my music has lots of layers which need to be played. Wild Weekend was just simple pop/punk rock with very high energy and my solo music is more melodic. It took me a year to find the right musicians and I'm glad I will be performing with a full band this year. I have viola, keyboard, drums, bass and guitar players.

How does being classically trained affect your songwriting?

Songs have to be catchy and stick in your head all day. Classical music is full of hooks and I believe it influenced my songwriting. A lot of Western classical music is based on melody. I like layering different melodies on top of each other in order to create the full sound of in an orchestra. Even after so many years, people all over the world can still sing the melody to Beethoven's 'Für Elise' and almost everyone remembers the catchy theme of his famous 'Fifth Symphony.' They are so simple! It just fascinates me.

You've said that you currently have about a hundred songs. How do you choose which songs to record?

I usually pick the ones I feel the strongest about. It's hard sometimes because I feel stronger about newer songs and relate to them emotionally. They are very fresh and new.

What is your ultimate goal as a musician?

I would like to make many records and find a way to record my songs the way I hear them in my head! I like to challenge myself and hope that I will become a better musician with every step I take. I want people everywhere to enjoy my music and relate to it emotionally. Personally, I always wanted to make that perfect driving song. You know, that song you listen to when you drive on the freeway along the coast when everything is passing by so fast and you play that song that makes everything just perfect?

Any plans for an upcoming release?

I'm planning on recording a full length by this summer.


Kelly Staskel is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.