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 The exquisite AMANDA PALMER talks about her band’s latest release No Virginia and their ‘reputation’ with DAN RIDLEY.
When it concerns the release the Dresden Dolls B-sides album No Virginia vocalist and pianist Amanda Palmer is unabashedly frank.
“There is a bunch of reasons but the initial reason was, as crass as it sounds, I just wanted to get the songs off of my desk and off of my song writing pile!”
This is not to say the album was simply a dumping ground for half-hearted and abandoned tunes; all press concerning the album testifies to the contrary. Consisting of four unreleased recordings, one old demo, a cover and five new recordings the album, she explains, is for all other intents and purposes a cathartic cleaning of house.
“We had a handful of these recordings and we didn’t want to just randomly release them on the internet or tack them onto to other things cause we thought the songs were too good to do that. And I also didn’t want to go into the new dolls record with an arsenal of old tunes. Because I knew if we did that all of those songs would be up again be up for contention whether they would make the next record or not and I really wanted to go into the next record and not even think about them. ” Palmer explains.
The duo’s accordion crazed rendition of Psychedelic Furs song Pretty In Pink draws particular attention. The attraction, it seems stems, from the songs pop overtones and brooding lyrical content.
“The contents of that song are really, really dark when you listen to the lyrics. Which is great because it is such a poppy sounding tune but the lyrics are really brutal (laughs).”
The penchant for the morbid is something the Dresden Dolls have become well renowned for. This coupled with the cabaret trappings has seen the two-piece develop status as a theatrical troupe of monolithic proportions. The later accolade Amanda admits the duo is baffled to be presented with. She is quick to dissect what could be called the Dresden Dolls conspiracy with a certain glee.
“What fascinates me is with that, costumes that fit into a paper bag and pick up at any drug store pretty much or at any Five & Dime, [that] with no set what so ever, no back drop, no stuff, no dry ice and no stage pieces we have gained this really unshakable reputation as being this theatrical band that has this incredibly theatrical show. And I don’t know whether to take that as a huge insult or a huge compliment!” she laughs.
This elaborate and grand scheme was achieved on the humble budget of 40 American dollars.
“Finically it definitely works out. But it’s funny to me because there are bands out there that have huge stage sets and actually do spend time and money on designing costumes and creating really complicated lightshows and all this extra stuff. But they don’t earn this reputation as an incredibly theatrical band. I think it’s really probably the way we perform - we are really animated performers. If that’s what people are looking at maybe that’s what people are taking home and in their imaginations behind us there are giant red curtains, spinning balls and dancing girls in fringe and that’s awesome (laughs). Everybody loves pretty girls. Even if they are imaginary.”
NO VIRGINIA is out now through Roadrunner Records.
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