Interview with Pink Skull before the Saturday Show in Hanoi
Sat 07 Dec 2013, 8 pm
CAMA
73A Mai Hac De
It’s not every day that eclectic electronic DJs from Philadelphia, U.S.A stop by our city, so we thought it would be a good idea to hear more about Julian Grefe, one third of entrancing ghost-house outfit Pink Skull, and get to know him more before he plays this weekend. We chatted to Julian over email just as he was arriving in Hanoi…
CAMA: What and where are the beginnings of Pink Skull (the trio)?
The Pink Skull has had many incarnations over the years, always with Justin and myself at the center. The current line up is that of Justin Geller, Joe Lentini and myself. It’s been the most productive and the most prolific. Everyone complements each other well in the studio, and we’re all advocates of semi-responsible psychedelics usage.
CAMA: What kind of thing can we expect in your DJ set on Saturday?
I’ve always been an advocate of the eclectic side of musical selection regarding DJ’ing out. I’ve never been a purest, really. I find it tiresome, and a trap of sorts. I find that the crowd dictates a lot of what comes out of the set, but, I do like to keep it smart and soulful, if you will, as much as one can with electronic dance music, without resorting to cliched r-n-b vocals and canned disco baselines (not entirely true… sometimes).
CAMA: Where is your Asian tour taking you?
I’ll be playing here in Hanoi and in Hong Kong for New Years eve, after that I’m headed back to the states to work on the next record in the studio. I’ve been writing it for the last few months whilst on the road.
CAMA: Have you been to Hanoi / Vietnam before?
I’d never been to Vietnam before, my lady had lived here for a couple of years working for VICAS, and we decided to stop through and pay a visit to her old colleagues and see how she felt about her old haunt…as we’ve been considering relocating to this side of the other pond for a while now.
CAMA: If not, what are you excited about?
I can’t say there’s one thing I’m most excited about right now- everything seems pretty awesome.
CAMA: What do you take away from touring?
Travelling allows me to center/ground myself. As one grows older, it’s easy to settle into behavior patterns that aren’t necessarily healthy. Stripping away the safety and illusion of home does a lot to push one’s gaze inward. This is probably not a line of conversation that screams ‘let’s get drunk and dance’, but so be it. Buy me a shot later and we’ll talk about it some more.
CAMA: Do you keep up with all the new releases whilst your on the road (or in the air!)
The internet, when it’s available, is indispensable, and Justin is great at rifling through promos and sending me the stuff he knows I’d like.
CAMA: And as we’re nearing the end of 2013, here’s a couple of look-back questions..
– One new thing you learnt…
I learned how to make it the whole way through the Bikram Hatha yoga series without keeling over.
– One new musical discovery…
Hmmmmmm. That Dan Avery record is tits.
– One film discovery…
Jordan Belson
– One especially memorable moment…
Walking out of what WAS my house in Philadelphia on October 5th.
Catch Pink Skull’s Julian Grefe DJing, live this Saturday night. This event is free entrance, don’t miss it!
