Richmond – You may not be familiar with his material, but you have most certainly heard his influence at some point.  Paleface was initially inspired by Daniel Johnston to write music, and his roommate at that time was Beck.  Together, the three young aspiring musicians would frequent open mic nights around New York City, yet each developed a very individual style.  Beck even cites Paleface as a major influence on his early work (check out One Foot in the Grave for proof).  He has since been featured on three albums by the Avett Brothers and was deemed one of the “Top Ten Live Performances of SXSW 2010.”  His current project features simply himself on acoustic guitar and harmonica accompanied by drummer Mo Samalot.  The duo made a stop at the Camel on their latest tour, a performance that had Paleface jumping off the stage and dancing in the faces of the audience, positively demanding their attention and participation.  His onstage persona is that of a snake-charming cartoon demon disguised as a televangelist.  Featuring songs from his upcoming release One Big Party, due out in October, Paleface tore the Camel a new one before answering the following questions. 

33: A lot of people throw around the term “anti-folk” when describing your music/scene.  There seems to be a lot of grey area in that description.  What do you consider to be “anti-folk,” and would you use the genre to describe yourself as an artist? 
Paleface: Yeah, it is a shifting term... It started when folk musicians in the 80s who were into punk couldn't get into the folk clubs that were still stuck in the 60s vibe.  It’s definitely changed a lot over the years, but it’s essentially a DIY thing for artists who couldn't get a band or didn’t want one.  I am identified with it, so whatever, but I never think about it.  Mostly, I respond to energy, and if I can translate that onstage the people that can relate will enjoy the show.  I don’t really try to go down the road of defining what it is.  When you do that you are eventually going to run into a wall creatively and start making the same record over and over again with diminishing results.

33: How would you compare your experience with self-releasing material independently to your experience dealing with labels?  Do you prefer one to the other?  Any positive or negative reflections of your time spent in the “industry” side of music that really stand out?
P: The music biz is just that – it’s a biz.  It doesn’t matter how good or bad your music is.  If you sell they love you, and if you don’t you might as well be a bum holding a cup for all the respect your going to get.  It’s show biz, you know?  It’s a popularity contest.  Self-releasing is just less constraining, but people tend to take you less seriously.  I guess most people need that stamp of legitimacy before they will open themselves up to it.  I wish it was all independent, but that’s not really a reality.  You need a team working for you to get the word out.
 
33: How has your method of songwriting changed or evolved over the course of your career, especially on your newest record One Big Party?
P: One Big Party is very transitional.  I was trying to get more art into the songs and have songs that would work as a duo live.  I'm rooting around for those kinds of tracks these days.  But there are a few that we just liked as songs so we recorded them.  Albums are like that - I bet even the Rolling Stones have songs they never played live.  As far as consciously changing styles, I don't think I've ever been calculating about that.  I change naturally, and so do the songs.

33: How has your lifestyle changed since your hospitalization in 1997, both at home and on the road?
P: No more drinking brings more focus to you.  In New York you could stay out drinking until nine o’clock in the morning.  With after hours clubs and just the way the city is, you didn't really have to stop.  The rest of the time you’re hungover, so basically it’s one big FOG that you’re in.  After I hit bottom my health was so poor I couldn’t really do much for a couple years.  I would have periods where I was all right, but they were short and then I’d be unable to go out.  I couldn't work and became the classic joke:

Q: What do you call a musician without a girlfriend?
A: Homeless.

Anyways, I didn’t tour for ten years.  This really left me way behind, because if you’re not playing, people don’t know you exist.  So, basically I had to start all over in 2007.  I try to tell people this is a new thing, but I guess they look at the history and the people I supposedly influenced and think I’m grizzled or something. Hey, I’m fresh, I’m ripe, I’m ready to be squeezed.  Cook me dinner, and I’ll sing you a song.

33: How did you come to work with the Avett Brothers?
P: Nicole Atkins was booking a small club in New York called Radio Perfecto.  She thought putting us together would be a good bill.  At some point after that we exchanged CDs, and they invited me to play on Four Thieves Gone.  So I became the fourth thief.  We both really enjoy writing songs, so it’s nice to hang around with them.  They have a special ability to make whoever's around them feel important.  I enjoy the time I get to spend with them however short it is - after all, the road is a very fleeting place.
Mo Samalot: Ha, from Radio Perfecto to Radio City Music Hall with the Avett Brothers!  We're so honored to have been able to celebrate onstage with the bros at their sold out Radio City Music Hall show this week.  We have a love and respect for our dear friends. 

33: How did you meet Mo, and what is the nature of your collaboration (i.e., is the songwriting collaborative or more of an individual process)?  How does your approach to writing with Monkeybone compare to your current duo setup?  Any plans to revisit a full band in the future?
P: Mo was working in New York and hanging out on the scene.  She got inspired by all the creativity she was witnessing and decided to learn how to play drums.  Eventually, she quit her job and decided to hit the road with me.  As far as collaborating, I pretty much write the songs and then ask her to play like this or that.  If it’s not working she will try to come up with something on her own.  With a song like “One Big Party” I thought it would be cool to have sort of a pop feel to it, so I just gave it to her.  She worked out all the background singing herself, and I just said, “Cool, I like it.”  Monkeybone was totally different - just raw kind of hip-hop, beatnik, hipster city rock ‘n’ roll.  As far as the future, at some point I would like to have a big revue - do a lot of high energy, rockin’ soul music mixed in with some stirring compositional stuff, but we'll see.  One step at a time.

33: Of all the varied and diverse musicians you have toured with in your career, with whom did you receive the best reception from audiences?
P: I like Avett Brothers audiences because they seem so excited, and I like playing with my friend Kimya Dawson because her audience is so young and searching for something - they really get wild.  The best audience is, of course, a neutral audience - like a college show where people just go cause their friends are there, and they may not have heard of you at all, and you're able to rock face and get them all dancing to music they've never heard before.

33: How was your experience at this past South by Southwest?  As a performer, did you find that you could get adequately noticed at such a massive, sprawling and chaotic event? 
P: Festivals are fun because your friends are playing, and you get to hang out.  We didn’t really do it to GET NOTICED as such.
MS: There is so much going on during SXSW that it can be a bit overwhelming for anyone.  We were not worried about who would be there.  We just wanted to put on a good show and have some fun. 

33: Care to comment on the events surrounding your “lost” album Generic America?
P: It’s not the only album that I failed to make.  What can I say?  Sometimes shit just doesn’t work out, and eventually it just eases past you under the bridge.

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By Editor-In-Chief and Correspondent: Andrew Lutwin

Andrew is originally from Boston, but has spent equal time in Richmond and considers both home.  He graduated VCU with a B.A. in English and looks forward to seeing if his degree will be worth a damn.  While attending Northeastern University, Andrew began covering music for the Zig-Zag Live website and tour campaign, which won him the undying affection of Bostonians because of his access to free rolling papers.  He is fortunate enough to have parents with great taste in music and owes much of his musical sensibilities to them.  Some of his favorites include the Beatles, the Clash, My Morning Jacket, Mastodon, Mission of Burma, all 70s R&B, and anything that can be considered "outlaw."  Other hobbies include food, guitar, whiskey, hiking, Boston sports, and maintaining his beginner-level fish tank.