MAY 2007 - 60s pop fans: it appears that our undying quest to bring you a smorgasbord of rock variety has come up with another winner. It occured to me recently that while we've covered many types of artists at Peacedogman.com, we've never really featured cover bands before. But NJ's THE ROYAL PURPLE are far from a typical cover band. Their sexy, souped-up 60s-style arrangements could make a CAPTAIN & TENNILLE song into a a groovy, tambourine-shaking good time. Plus, the band's snappy, colorful discography is available for free via their website. Drummer and founding member Mike Sin was kind enough to spend some time discussing the history of the band and what the future has in store. Read on!
Marchman: When did THE ROYAL PURPLE come together, and what was the original concept of the band?
Mike Sin: In 2003, Stu Rutherford and I got together with the original intent of forming a new working group. Stu was winding down his involvement in the Creatures of the Golden Dawn, and my group, the Insomniacs, was starting to decrease its activity. Stu was slowly constructing a recording studio in his basement of his house in New Jersey. The "new group" never really materialized, but in the summer of 2003, I mentioned to Stu to that I'd like to record and mix a version of PINK FLOYD's "Cymbaline" at his burgeoning studio with just the two us singing and playing all the instruments strictly for "our own enjoyment". It all blossomed from there, step by step. Stu had some ideas for some other tunes… I suggested other tunes, and we decided to professionally mix the tracks. We decided to package and distribute real CDs. We invited guests to help sing some tracks… etc. Now, it's become an annual project. Actually, it's more like a social event than a group or project - it's a reason to have fun, make music with old friends, and stay creative on some level.
Marchman: How do you decide which obscure covers to include on each album?
Sin: Stu and I each pick them as we see fit. I think we just like to find some tracks that are fairly obscure and that we enjoy, but usually conjure creative thoughts of alteration in our heads - "That tune is really cool, but if I was cutting it, I would have sped it up and added a dulcimer during the bridge and added high harmonies during the last verse" or some such. We have no desire to cut tunes of which we are immense fans or those that we consider "classics" - in these instances, we wouldn't hear any room for alteration or modification.
Marchman: Where did you come up with the idea for the album sleeves - the artwork is almost unified, similar artwork on each disc, just with a slightly different theme.
Sin: Bill Grapes, formerly of the Mortals, Cybermen, the Buzz, etc., is now a graphic artist and designs all the sleeves with some minimal direction from us. Like everyone else who we bring in to help on these CDs, he is a friend first. We try to keep the cover designs vaguely unified - the designs are mostly abstract, and somewhat conceptual… very much like the Royal Purple itself, I guess.
Marchman: What's the normal demographic at a ROYAL PURPLE show?
Sin: THE ROYAL PURPLE does not play any live gigs - We are strictly a studio creation. Most garage bands that have an image or a "face" like to hone and craft their sound on the stage, and then try to recreate that in the studio. Their goal is to capture a spontaneous, visceral moment, as it were. THE ROYAL PURPLE is completely opposite - we are constructing the tunes, piece by piece, strictly for the studio. There is just as much "thinking" as "feeling" that goes into the process. Sometimes more. The "science" of the project is just as important as the "art", as it were. Again, the Royal Purple is a project - it's not really a traditional group as it will never have a visual or marketing image. Our goal is too make cool records.
Marchman: Speaking of originals, it seems that each disc has a couple. Do you think you'll ever do a disc of all originals in ROYAL PURPLE?
Sin: I doubt it. First off, I don't have the talent, time, or inclination to write complete songs. Maybe lyrics if I had to. I'm more of a fan than an artist. My best talents are "manufacturing" and "enabling"! Stu, on the other hand, could probably write an album's worth of songs, but I doubt he'd want to do that in the context of THE ROYAL PURPLE. The original intent of THE ROYAL PURPLE was to cut and transform cover tunes and, with the addition of guest vocalists, create a consortium. All original tunes would probably homogenize the sound. Cover tunes unconsciously function more democratically for Stu and I as well the guest vocalists because there is no direct ownership and the original vision of the author is of no consequence!
Marchman: What's the story behind the guests on all the records? It seems like a lot of guests, are there any that you've made permanent members of the band? How do you choose?
Sin: Because the first disc only contained six songs, Stu and I cut all the vocals. When we decided to cut a full-length record, we figured we'd bring it guests because we thought the listeners would smash the disc in half if they had to hear just our singing voices for 14 cuts! All the guests are actually friends first. They're either musicians that we've known and maybe haven't seen in a few years or they're people in bands that we see around NYC now. We've only sought out a singer who we didn't just one - and that was because we needed a track sung in Korean! Because all THE ROYAL PURPLE CDs are distributed free and the project is not a money-making venture, the guests have to be cool and casual about the whole thing. No one is "hired for the job" - the recording sessions are reasons to socialize, drink, and have fun. All the singers have gotta be able to deal with that!
Marchman: Bibi's vocals sound terrific on your cover of THE HONEYCOMBS "Something I've Got to Tell You".
Sin: Bibi Farber has become the unofficial third member of the Royal Purple. She was the first guest we ever recorded, and has subsequently supplied a lead vocal on all but one of our CDs. In addition, she's the go-to person anytime we need soaring high harmonies. She's improved so many of our tracks throughout the years.
Marchman: Are you all hopeless music collectors / vinyl junkies?
Sin: Hell yes. I don't collect as many original records as I once did, but Stu still keeps up. I'm more into "volume" these days - I'd rather seek out a compilation with 20 cuts on it than search for an original single at this point.Marchman: What do you think of garage or 60s-type labels like Crypt Records or Bomp! ?
Sin: Both of those labels had great affect on my consciousness! Bomp especially. When I became the crazed '60s beat/garage/psych idiot in my teens back in the early '80s, "Pebbles" and whatnot were a golden treasure trove. Bomp was the first label that was so devoted to reissuing rare and obscure '60s tunes on compilations. I am personally indebted to the late Greg Shaw. He was a true original. I can't imagine my youth without the records he reissued. Tim Warren/Crypt refined the concept with "Back From the Grave" and more importantly with "Teenage Shutdown". I applaud his maniacal attention to superb sound quality and comprehensive liner notes.
Marchman: The track "I Want More Lovin" on your last disc ["Transcendental Medication"] seems a particularly strong track. Who originally recorded that one and why do you think it jumps out so much after a couple of listens?
Sin: This track was originally cut by the Chylds - They were from the US and the tune is from '66. Because I had a hand in creating these our version, I can't be objective as to what effect it has. As the listener, you'd have to tell me!
Marchman: "Turning Back the Page" is another very addictive track. Who plays on that one, and what's the story behind choosing it?
Sin: I play drums and all percussion, while Stu plays all the other instruments. Bibi Farber is handling the lead vocal. This track was originally cut by the UK band called THE FLIES in '67, but was never released until a CD reissue in the '90s. It features a male lead vocalist. I'm the one who suggested cutting it. My original instructions to Stu were: "I'd like to create something akin to a bombastic hymn that one would hear at a psychedelic Roman Catholic mass freak-out at a high-ceilinged cathedral"!
Marchman: Do you change a lot of the arrangements in contrast to the original recordings when you cover a song for a ROYAL PURPLE album? What are some things you change when covering a song?
Sin: There is no set formula to changing the arrangements - it varies from a little to quite a lot. Most of the time we work backwards from an abstract endpoint - "Let's make this bridge sound more eastern '68, less R&B '65."; "Pretend the '67 Byrds supplied the rhythm track for this cut"; "Let's imagine a '65 Shel Talmy production on this…"
Marchman: Many sixties pop bands, like the ones on the Nuggets box, were better known for a few singles than full albums. Who were some of the bands from this era that you felt made strong full LPs? Or is each record more valuable for a couple of good songs?
Sin: Most of the Nuggets bands never had a chance to make a proper album due to lack of success, and consequently they never got a chance to fully develop (which might have been a good thing in some cases!). Most bands could never top that one great single. As far as bands on the Nuggets box set who made strong albums:THE ELECTRIC PRUNES, THE OPEN MIND, THE REMAINS, THE 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS, TOMORROW, THE MOVE, THE SMOKE, THE MOTIONS, etc. The list is bigger than one would think.
Marchman: Your cover of DILLARD AND CLARK's "Lyin Down the Middle" had me seek out some of their records. Have you turned some of your fans on to seek out the original records or CDs by these artists? Is that a big part of what THE ROYAL PURPLE is about, getting people to dig in and discover some of these more obscure 60s bands?
Sin: Yes, indeed. A few people have emailed me asking about the original versions. And yes, that is one of the reasons why we do this: to turn people on to some tunes that might have other been forgotten or overlooked. We don't charge for our CDs - anyone who wants one can get it for free.
Marchman: So what's the future hold for THE ROYAL PURPLE project?
Sin: Our fourth release entitled Psychoacoustics is slated to hit the streets on June 1, 2007. Guest vocalists include Jet Weston, Jahna Rain, Sunny Kim, Mike Fornatale, Dave Woj, Bobby C, and of course, Bibi Farber. Instrumentally, we've got contributions from Mike Lowe, a superb all-around musician. We're very excited about it!
Marchman: Can't wait to hear it. Thanks again for your time and all the great music.
THE ROYAL PURPLE are Stu Rutherford (formerly of THE CREATURES OF THE GOLDEN DAWN) and Mike Sin (from THE INSOMNIACS) plus a rotating ensemble of friends making guest appearances. Their latest album, "Psychoacoustics", as well as their other discs are available free upon request at their website, www.myspace.com/theroyalpurple.
**The web version of this article can be found at www.peacedogman.com/ptirp**
