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Alexander Price Interview

Posted: 18th September 2009
Review Info
Artist:
Release Date:
7th Sep 2009
Label:
Toyboy
Reviewer:
Patrick McKiernan

Interview

Q: Congrats on the single, it's great stuff. How does it feel to have it out there in the public domain?
Thank you. Im really happy that Ive got one of my songs out and its doing well because having played lots of gigs this year people were always asking to bring something out and begin my career properly my way. It is doing well and the response has been enthusiastic which is really flattering.
Q: Even though it's very early doors in your career, how do you feel about the direction your music is going?
I am working on my first album at the moment. Im working with a producer named Andrew Friendly who is more like a friend as well as a collaborator. I met him in a club when he was djing and I was doing a short gig. He has some fantastic ideas and always comes totally original. Im really happy with the way my music is going, the response to it and my shows has been so positive. I would like to see it released to a widespread audience because I certainly feel it deserves it.
Q: After the popularity of 'Toyboy' did you feel any pressure or expectation when it came to future work? It did enjoy great reviews.
I love Toyboy it is a great song. Its the first proper song I wrote and I performed it at my first proper gig at a club night called Duckie at The Royal Vauxhall Tavern a couple of years ago. It went down well in clubs like Heaven and has been quite successful on dance floors. I close my sets with that song now. I cant say I felt a huge pressure to top it because my moto has always been to move forward and I did when I met Andrew after first starting out.
Q: A lot of musicians seem to be leaning towards electro lately. Is it hard for you to make music that stands out in the crowd without sacrificing your ideals?
Well I come totally from a club background and I used to hangout in clubs like The Cock and The Nag Nag Nag a couple of years ago. So this is the music that I kind of danced to and I listened to artists like Tiga, Felix da Housecat, Soulwax and LCD Soundsystem. So for me its a totally natural sound to explore. But I like to incorporate other elements like punk, disco, glam rock and rave and mix it all up into a traditional pop song structure. I also try to provoke a little with my lyrics.
Q: How much does your experience as an actor and trained dancer help when going out on stage?
It helps enormously. I really appreciate having trained in the theatre and in dance because a lot of what I do is like going into character and enhancing a part of myself to the extreme. Also I have a girl dance troupe on stage and I am always choreographing and dancing a lot. Its kind of musical theatre and cabaret meets performance art with a pop music twist.
Q: Obviously live performances are important to you. Do you like to engage the audience as much visually as musically?
Thats really important to me. The communication I have with my live audience. Its always my aim to have them stimulated on every level and a challenge to see how everything goes down. As I said I work with a girl dance troupe and I bring dance into it a lot. I believe in the old school way of not being self conscious and introducing your songs and chatting to the audience. It always annoys me when bands don't do that.
Q: Tell us about the experience of recording the music video for 'Spend A Little Time'
It was an amazing day. We shot on location at the BFI Southbank. A place with a lot of cinematic history and I had all my friends ,mostly from clubs coming to appear as fabulous audience members. My best friend Rosie did all the make up and we just went for it. Its a kitsch performance video with elements of street and club fashion thrown in. It was directed by a fabulous girl named Jenny Sadler who is a really amazing and focused talent and knew exactly how to visually embody the song. I was thrilled to work with her. I have great memories of that day.
Q: Your name is growing ever more in the UK with constant radio time and a growing fanbase but how did you feel when you heard about getting airplay in Sweden and Australia?
I was very surprised and really happy. The response has been amazing. I thought it would just be a London thing so I was really excited.
Q: Your single has a modern feel to it but also conjures up to my mind classic 80's pop with hints of David Byrne and Blondie. Do you think the best music is the type that draws from artist's influences?
In a way yes. Of course you, the artist must have something to say on record. I do adore Blondie and how knowing and quirky Debbie Harry is as a performer and vocalist. I like to tell stories in my songs much the same way that Talking Heads and Blondie do. I love words and playing with words and their meaning and I am interested in how people interpret things through words, movement and fashion.
Q: What's next in the cannon for you then?
I will be doing more gigs, I am working on my album. I would love to tour nationwide at some point. My next single In The City will be out in the New Year and really tells my story about escaping suburbia and heading to London. Im looking forward to people learning more about me.
Q: Finally on a serious note: The return of Wispa Gold. A good thing or was it best left to memory?
I am very partial to a Wispa dunked in my cup of tea. Its made a welcome return!

Patrick McKiernan