Pepi Ginsberg Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Mar 2nd 2010 12:38PM by Evan C. Jones
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An eclectic palate of influences shapes singer-songwriter Pepi Ginsberg's music. With her fourth record, 'East by East,' released earlier this year and a full complement of tour dates, she's one busy woman. Spinner recently caught up Ginsberg to discuss her impending stop at SXSW and her guilty pleasures.

Describe your sound.

If you take somebody who really likes writing songs and has a lot of story ideas, but also really likes rock 'n' roll and likes to have a good time -- I think if you put those two together, you'd get my music. It's sort of a landscape of images and sounds that back them up. It's high energy, for the most part, especially live. I think it's got a brightness to it, even despite its darker lyrical themes.

How did your band form?

I just started writing songs and became a creative writing major the last three months of college. I told them I was going to do this thesis presentation of songs. I didn't know what I was doing at all at that point. I just started writing a lot of songs and got really into it. One thing lead to another, and from there, I just started doing stuff on my own. I made a record with some friends, and I made one by myself. Then my friend Scott [McMicken] from Dr. Dog got in touch with me, and we made that record together. That was the first time I'd done anything on that scale. We got a label to put it out and I needed a band to tour with. The handful of band mates we started touring with became the band that created the last record that I made, 'East Is East,' that just came out.

What are your musical influences?

There's always a handful of musical influences that I absolutely love, but I'd also have to say visual artists and films. I've always been a big fan of film. In college, I got really into French New Wave cinema and '70s New York pictures. I really like boxing movies a lot. Growing up, I listened to Brazilian music at home with my mom. My dad loved the Rolling Stones and Steely Dan. Bob Dylan [was an influence] early on for me. Later, I started discovering other things. For this record, it was a lot of Van Morrison and his record 'Princess Nicotine,' which we really love listening to. There's a tape from Sublime Frequencies -- I think it's from Burma. It's a guy... Oh, what's his name? He's the guy from Sun City Girls. I forget. He makes these tapes and compiles stuff off the radio.

What's your biggest vice?

I cannot give up rice bread. Everyone in the band is laughing at me! I really love millet toast every morning. I can't give up coffee. I don't consider myself a smoker, but there's something after playing a show; it's very hard to not have a cigarette.

What's in your festival survival kit?

My guitar, I suppose. Or my computer. Actually, probably a notebook. SXSW is so crazy that I need something that I can escape [with]. Listening to music is inescapable, which is great, but sometimes you might need a moment of quiet. I think I'll need a notebook to truly survive.

Who was your first celeb crush?

It's something weird. Oh yeah, Joaquin Phoenix. I love Joaquin Phoenix. It's so sad about what's going on with him. Now he's best friends with Miley Cyrus, so I don't know if I could really get in there and be pals with him.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

I love that song 'Brandy.' 'Sports' by Huey Lewis. I guess the problem is, and I know it's a lame answer, but there's not much I feel too bad about. Can I get back to you on that one?

Who's your favorite Beatle?

I like John. I know when George died, my mom cried and she said, "He was nobody's favorite Beatle!" I don't know if she actually liked him or just felt bad.

Evan C. Jones is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.