JK: A common reference point in writings about your music is the Magnetic Fields. Is that fair? Is Stephin Merritt a conscious influence, or is that just an easy connection to make due to the gay themes?

GG: Yes -- it is fair. I am a big fan of Stephin Merritt's work.

JK: Gay themes have been prominent in underground music since the VU if not earlier, and taken to a new level by Bowie. But as far as the mainstream goes, do you think we're anywhere near the time in the US, when a boy-boy love song could be universally embraced?

GG: Given the way that the music industry, radio, mtv, etc. work, it will probably happen when the market is there. Probably more than focusing on boy-boy love songs, though, we're interested in less rigid gender in songs.

JK: Do you think gay musicians have an obligation to deal with their romantic lives unambiguously in pop songs?

GG: No, I don't. I'm not that pushy. Plus, that's a big category. I'm especially uninterested in preaching any sort of agenda to queers of color, gender non-conforming queers, blue collar queers...

JK: How do you feel about straight bands like Franz Ferdinand feigning gay in their lyrics, for some sort of a "hip" factor?

GG: It's totally wrong and unethical. Just kidding -- it's fine as long as they're willing to suck a little cock from time to time. Also, if you're fat and have a beard, then you're a cub/bear in my book, and that makes you fair game.

JK: Was it a deliberate decision to make "I Hate the War" as universal and non-specific about politics as possible? Did you ever second guess yourself writing it, thinking it was too glib an interpretation of such a serious subject?

GG: It didn't occur to me that the song might be glib until recently when a friend of mine told me that he was kind of offended by it. He said, "War is an awful, terrible, scary thing," and of course he's right. In fact, Craig and I wrote an essay about it in a book that's coming out. But to answer your question, I don't know if I would call "I Hate the War" or any of the songs I write deliberate. I'm sure I was just fiddling around on the guitar, wanting to write an anti-war song, and the chorus came into my head: "Na na na na na na na na na I hate the war." Really the question is why do some things stick and other things you let go. And sometimes that does involve deliberation, "Do I really want to say this thing that I've come up with?" Ultimately for me the feeling was sincere with "I Hate the War", not glib.

JK: Have you been writing much new material since completing Mattachine!?

GG: My songwriting process has gotten slower over time as I try to push myself more. We have about four new songs that aren't on Mattachine!

JK: With a sound that relies on pretty intricate string arrangements, did you have trouble putting together a band for live performances?

GG: Things are more slapstick. I thought we'd secured a permanent cellist when I started writing cello parts, and then when Ginger joined the band, I went back and added violin parts. But now that we don't really have a cellist, we're considering moving in a different direction, maybe losing the strings and getting a drummer. We'll see.

JK: As you get more comfortable as a band unit do you anticipate involving others in your songwriting process more?

GG: It's one of those things that has to evolve naturally I think, but I'd probably be better off for it. It's tough, because a lot of the satisfaction of writing a song for me comes from being able to articulate something very precisely. I pore over details, fitting things together just so. But sometimes I get stuck and it's like "I wish I had the skills to work through this collaboratively" and sometimes I get stuck it's like "I need to be alone for 20 hours and figure it out."

JK: Are you planning on touring outside of New York (or the Northeast in general) in the near future?

GG: We're trying to put something together for this summer.

Lightning Round!!!

JK: Preferred shade of neon for:
A: Vegas marquee?
B: Highlighter pen?
C: Bicycle shorts?

GG: Lavender, lavender, lavender

JK: You've previously documented the alluring power of corduroy. Any other particularly enticing fabrics?

GG: Gingham. Does anything rhyme with that?

[Young, Bringham - ed.]

JK: If they were to make an interpretive ballet of your everyday routine,
which activity would demand the most majestic leap?

GG: Riding my bicycle through midtown. If that's not ballet, I don't know what is.

// the Ballet - website
// the Ballet - MySpace
// Neon Lights - MySpace