MUSIC INTERVIEW: PIGEON JOHN
A Man On a Quest with his New Album, 'Dragon Slayer'
(Quannum Projects) Pigeon John is a man on a mission. Nah, make that a quest. His new album, Dragon Slayer, was just released, and already, the lead single, "The Bomb," is all over your TV screens in a VW ad featuring Gene Kelly and Danny Kaye dancing in their (car) seats… Buzzine caught up with John right before he hit the stage at Thrillist’s Best of the Best Food Truck Rally at Siren Studios in Hollywood, California to talk music, touring, trucks, and French women…
Stefan Goldby: It’s been a couple years since your last solo record, but there are certainly lots of things going on with you right now. Give us just a little intro of where things are with Pigeon John right now...
Pigeon John: Last year--2009--was the craziest year of my goddamn life. But let’s do 2010. It’s been a great year--2010. Working on the Dragon Slayer album, finally getting that out. Personal life is in the shithouse, to be honest, but you learn. I feel like a goddamn child. [Laughs]
SG: Let’s focus on the ‘great year’ part and turn to your new album, Dragon Slayer, and working with General Elektriks' Hervé Salters. How did making a record with him change the way you make music?
PJ: Herve Salters changed the record because [I’ve been] making the music in the bedroom alone on the MPC, so giving him the songs to traditionally produce was never something I’d done before…so it made it kinda cohesive and it gave the songs something where it became not about myself so much. I love myself. I love the way I look, so it was great to see a different person’s perspective on the same song. He really just tore up the record…it was awesome.
SG: Is there a moment from the making of Dragon Slayer that stands out in your mind?
PJ: Working on the production in Berkley with Herve. That was super dope--rerecording the tracks from the ground up with Herve in a garage with a keyboard. We were forced to use what was in front of ourselves. It was great.
SG: Another thing that changed for you on this record was having people play live instrumentation, kind of sampling yourself as opposed to sampling outside sounds. Why make that change now?
PJ: Since I was a kid, I always wanted to do that. I love melody and I attached hip hop to melody and ran with that. So this is my first time working on the music and letting it sit alone with no special guest. So there’s no finesse to it--it’s just going to do what it’s going to do. But I’m very happy we got it done. It was the longest short novel I’ve ever written in my life.
SG: Does that make it much easier to bring it to a live show than before?
PJ: Yeah, doing the show is a nice blend of the record because we’re just trying to make it sound like the record in a traditional hip hop sense with a track and emcee but using the music where it’s not straight hip hop, so leaving it as is, and if it’s good, it’s good, and then if it’s good you just got fucking lucky. You’re like, “What? This shit is working.” If it works, it is magic.
SG: When we first got to know you, you were dating our sister, then we were hanging at your pool party. Tell us about the dragons you’re slaying these days.
PJ: Ooh - Good question! How can I sum that up? A first record causes a lot of artists to jack off to themselves and are like, “Yeah, you did it, bitch.” Living it up, taking 15 minutes to celebrate… But with Dragon Slayer, it’s accidentally become a super fun thing to do, regardless of where it goes, so it’s like the war is over. I already won, for me personally. Monetarily, I’m going to hustle. I’m going to make my money. You have to work. It’s like working on a small-ass table--for years you have six friends designing it and then boom, it’s here. Pretty cool, even though it’ll only become wood for burning later.
SG: Between the last solo record and now, we saw you play in Rootbeer. Did that change the way you came back to a Pigeon John record?
PJ: Touring with Flynn Adam and then Mike and Amy and Peter, and doing that set within the PJ set was dope because, coming from the LA Symphony group, I grew up loving groups all my life, so it’s cool to ease back into that. So doing the solo stuff was freeing… Actually, not freeing at all--it was scary as fuck. Because it’s easier, it’s different with people and stuff. You play your part and it’s unison and fun. Working alone is small and terrifying, but it is rewarding.
SG: Let’s talk a little bit about being part of the Quannum family--the business background and the support they can provide. How big of a deal is that to you?
PJ: Working with Quannum was always my dream… What if I start crying and shit? Wouldn’t that be embarrassing? [Laughs] Working with Quannum is great because it was always my dream to do five records with the same team, so this being the second one is cool. Working on the third one as well. So it’s been pretty good. They have a good ear and stuff.
SG: Pretty decent musical background at that label…
PJ: Yeah, Shadow and the gang–not too bad at all.
SG: So today, this show is a new one for me. I haven’t seen a concert at a food truck rally before. How do you come to be involved with something like this?
PJ: I have no idea, bro.
SG: Are you a fan of the food truck?
PJ: The food truck on my corner, 6th and Alvarado--that’s the best one in LA. Three dollars for a hot meal. Two tacos and beans and rice. But I’m not up on all the cool ones, but they’re super tasty.
SG: So today is kind of a sample of that?
PJ: That’s right.
SG: Here’s what I was starting to think: find a food truck you like, take it on tour. Consistent food wherever you go, instant crowd wherever you go.
PJ: And that’s your food to sell and make money?
SG: Exactly. It’s a whole new way of touring.
PJ: I like that idea. Hot meat.
SG: Are we still talking about food?
PJ: Hell yeah. Two tacos, two bucks, comes with a CD for $12. What? Hot Mexican bitches. Excuse that. There’s a young lady present.
SG: I’m thinking two bucks, two tacos, two verses. You’ve got to get your exchange rate set. Maybe a trailer behind the food truck. Portable stage. Outdoor mealtime shows...
PJ: At Walmart with free Budweiser. White people only. Omaha. “What the fuck are you doing here?” “Selling music. Free beer for you.” “For us?” “Hell yeah, drink it.” That’d be fresh. I wish I had money to do that. Actually, I’m going to do that. I’m going to force myself to do that.
SG: It pays for itself. The food truck pays for itself and then you can just tour in the SUV. Gear goes in a tow truck behind the food truck.
PJ: Cadillac Escalade.
SG: Much better–that is why you are the artist and I’m just this guy. So this is the first date of your tour to promote the new album. Tell us how the rest of the year looks for you…
PJ: I’m going to hit the road with DJ Abilities from Minnesota--great party smasher--and Dark Time Sunshine out of Seattle and Chicago. Musically, I’ve been heavy into these two dudes, so it’s great to have them on the road and see them a part of the show. I’m a super fan already, so it’s a great night for me. We’ll be doing that October, November, and heading to France in December. Trying to get someone pregnant over there. I haven’t been there in two years. All the women dress in black. And they’re already women at 20. Make my lips start to quiver and shit. They make you lose all your cool.
Pigeon John’s ‘Dragon Slayer’ is out now on Quannum Projects.
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