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kibbe 11/9/18 kibbe 11/9/18

[Interview] FEMMEHOUSE DJ LP Giobbi On Empowering Women Through Production, Going 'Tits First' Into Her Career

"I feel very passionately about having women control that narrative and having them control their own voices," she says, "Or at least be able to speak the language when they do get into the room with a producer. That to me is what FEMMEHOUSE is all about."

Los Angeles FEMMEHOUSE producer and DJ LP Giobbi (born Leah Chisholm) is a bit of an anomaly when it comes to her trajectory into present day and without a doubt Some Kind of Awesome. Raised by a couple of Deadheads in New York, she started playing piano when she was in 2nd grade and experimented playing in bands as she grew up. "I was always the music kid. I played in the bands," LP explains, "I was that person." When it came time for college, her supportive parents encouraged her to pursue her passions, and she found herself taking all music classes at UC Berkeley in Los Angeles, California. She graduated with a degree in jazz piano and, drawing inspiration from her upbringing, sought out a job at Another Planet Entertainment, home of Outside Lands Festival, Treasure Island Music Festival, and more. After reading the biography of legendary rock promoter Bill Graham, who worked with the likes of The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and The Rolling Stones, she decided to write a letter to president Gregg Perloff, who had worked directly under Graham for many years.

"I wrote a letter as to why they should hire me and I literally walked down to their office, found their address, rang the buzzer and asked for Gregg Perloff," she recounted. "They assumed because I had so much ignorant confidence that I did have a meeting with him and they let me in." As luck would have it, Perloff actually stepped out of his office around the same time that the APE staff were trying to assess what the then-nineteen year old's intentions were. "I think at that moment they were like, 'There's a stalker in the office'", she said, "but I walked over to him and I said, 'You know, you would really benefit by hiring me and here's a letter as to why'." Completely blown away by her go-getter attitude, Perloff read her letter while she stood in of him and then hired her on the spot.

This is one of the many stories that LP would share with me during our conversation the evening before her set at Brooklyn nightclub Output, alongside Animal Talk labelmates Crush Club and label founders better known as electro pop sensations Sofi Tukker. While her attitude towards life is often more of a "Tits First" policy, leaping into everything assuming that a safety net will appear, it took a while for her to be honest with herself about wanting to pursue music full-time.. "After a lot of soul searching and conversations with the best pals, I learned it was actually fear of not being able to make it as a musician [that] was putting me on the industry side of things," she explained.

By chance, she was approached to be part of an all-female electronic project, LEX (later known as LJ Laboratory), despite not knowing the first thing about making electronic music. "I did not even know what a synthesizer was or how to turn it on," she admitted. In true Tits First fashion, she would spend the next three years familiarizing herself with DAW systems, ProTools, Abelton, and sound design, which helped bring her to her present-day production prowess.

During that time a friend invited her out to catch house legend Tornado Wallace. Entirely unaware of the inner workings of electronic music, the experience blew her away almost instantaneously. She recounted, "I was like, 'Is there a piano up there? Where's all the music coming from? Like how is there one guy playing all this music?'" For the reminder of the set her friend would proceed to break down everything that Wallace was accomplishing on his own on stage, going so far as to pounding on her shoulder during the 2/4 time signatures.

Beyond being impressed by Tornado Wallace's technical ability, LP was wholly captivated by the sophisticated yet simple nature of house music. "What was so interesting about it was that I had spent the last 4 years in college intellectualizing music," she recalled. "When I was at this club listening to this music it was all about the body. It was like meditative almost. It was the first time in a long time that I had a connection with music on a non-intellectual level."

After that encounter she knew that was the kind of music experience that she wanted to curate for her listeners. She explained, "I wanted to understand it. I wanted to know how to make people tick with it. That's what I wanted to be a part of."

LP admits that her "inner music major" can get in the way as she works on new music: she occasionally struggles with over-intellectualizing. "[In college] it was like 'Let me show off and show you how much I can say really quickly'" she said. After graduating college, however, she was challenged by some sage advice from a songwriting partner. "The very first thing she did," she recalls, "was rip up all my music and said, 'I don't wanna hear how many things you can say, I wanna know WHAT you're saying.'

It's something she still battles with in present day. She detailed,

"The note that I get back from Tucker [Halpern (Sofi Tukker)] every time I send him a track that I think is ready to be released, is 'DO LESS'. 'Take things out'. 'Say more by saying less'. My motto in life is 'More is more' so that's been really challenging for me, *laughs* but ultimately it has benefited [me], I think, for like focusing in on what I'm trying to say. It's been a really good challenge for me."

When she's able to achieve the perfect balance of doing less and saying more, the result has been nothing short of deeply impactful. An easy example of this is her debut single, "Amber Rose", which features Hermixalot reciting lines from a poem she wrote 10 years ago about then-girlfriend of rapper Kanye West and present day feminist icon, Amber Rose. When she's not making songs about women reclaiming their agency you can find her making more clever club-filling music. In "These Are Your Children" she pays homage to the history of New York City nightlife by sampling former club kid king Michael Alig’s 1990 interview from the Geraldo Rivera show. Her latest single, "Kupsa Kupsa" features a collaboration with French rapper H3RY LÜCK and is a playful song entirely in French about how making music is akin to cooking and is simply a blend of all the best ingredients.

One of the most admirable things about LP is that despite being involved in the electronic music scene for a somewhat short amount of time that she's already making a point to pour her heart into the community that helped her connect to music on an emotional level. She specifically makes it a point to leverage her white privilege and opportunities to provide a platform for other women, specifically women of color, in addition to the LGBTQ+ community.

Earlier this month, she partnered with Live Nation and launched the first of a series of events in San Francisco at their new August Hall venue under the name FEMMEHOUSE. The events give women the opportunities to take DJing and sound design classes prior to a series of performances of which there will be a few spots kept open for the women to practice the skills they've learned. "I think our whole goal in all of this is to be gatekeepers where, you know, the gatekeepers have normally been white men, she explained, "We wanna give them a stage and we wanna give them a voice and we wanna give them tools to use those things."

For LP, teaching women music production is a way to empower women in music, specifically vocalists, who are often at the mercy of their male producers."I feel very passionately about having women control that narrative and having them control their own voices," she says, "Or at least be able to speak the language when they do get into the room with a producer. That to me is what FEMMEHOUSE is all about."

“I feel very passionately about having women control that narrative and having them control their own voices, or at least be able to speak the language when they do get into the room with a producer. That to me is what FEMMEHOUSE is all about.”

— LP Giobbi

In addition to FEMMEHOUSE, LP is also responsible for being the driving force behind the Santa Barbara Girls Rock camp being able to expand their course offerings to also have a music production class. Upon leveraging a recently made relationship with Native Instruments, she pressed the company to donate the necessary gear, and then even taught at the inaugural music production camp. "We taught [10 year old girls] how to make a song in Abelton," she gushed, "They used a bunch of like the Native Instruments keyboards and DJ controllers and it was SO FUN." The experience actually ended up inspiring to flesh out her then-initial stage idea for FEMMEHOUSE.

It is no surprise given how excited she was while we talked about her experience at the Santa Barbara Girls Rock camp that she has found a happy home within the artist collective Animal Talk, born from Sofi Tukker members Sofi Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern. According to LP, "Animal Talk is more than a language *laughs* Animal Talk is the best place on earth in my humble opinion."

Born around the idea of tapping into your child or animal, she explained the importance of being a member of the collective,

"Sofi [Hawley-Weld] always talks about how as an adult you go and meet with one of your friends, you sit down and have a beer, and you're like, 'This is what I'm doing with my life', you catch up, and that's it. But as children, we would play. We would build sandcastles. We would play dress up. We would play make believe. We would create things together. That was such a natural state of being and in adulthood that gets killed, so we wanted to make Animal Talk a place, like a physical/spiritual place. Physical in the parties and spiritual, you know, offline. In that reminding people that we can still play, we can still create, we can still be children. A place where they can free themselves and where they can tap into their inner child or inner animal and, you know, remember what it's like to play and to create. I think that that is the key to joy in life."

This interview has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

kibbe 4/13/16 kibbe 4/13/16

[Watch] LANY - "WHERE THE HELL ARE MY FRIENDS (Official Video)"

Have you ever encountered a song that is such a #selfie you find yourself chuckling as you bob and dance around to it because it's just too real? My latest "song #selfie" comes from Los Angeles group LANY. The track, "WHERE THE HELL ARE MY FRIENDS", now complete with an accompanying video (below), details a Friday night alone consisting of wine and the internet thanks to some [presumably] flakey friends.

Um, hi. lol. That was mostly me when I first moved to New York and occasionally me now when I think I have a show but I don't. It's funny that the only thing that's changed in 10 years is I went from Sparks to fancy pants wine, but the sentiment is still the same.

Anyway, I'm fairly certain everyone can identify with this video, which features lead singer Paul Klein awkwardly trying to navigate a party despite being obviously disconnected from all of them. Klein was fortunate enough to pair up with director Nadia Marquard Otzen for the video. “There needed to be vibe but not at the expense of narrative," he said, "I was insanely lucky to work with Nadia on piecing together a concept that delivered both.”

The band is currently gearing up for the first ever headlining tour in May, which equally surprises me and doesn't that it has already sold out. They'll also be making the rounds at a bunch of festivals, so hopefully you'll luck out seeing them in your town.

Check out their latest EP, Make Out along with their upcoming dates below.

LANY On Tour

U.S. HEADLINE TOUR DATES

May 1                    Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour *Sold Out*
May 2                    Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour *Sold Out*
May 10                 Dallas, TX @ The Cambridge Room at House of Blues *Sold Out*
May 11                 Dallas, TX @ The Cambridge Room at House of Blues *Sold Out*
May 12                 Houston, TX @ The Studio at Warehouse Live *Sold Out*
May 16                 Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel *Sold Out*
May 17                 Boston, MA @ The Sinclair *Sold Out*
May 19                 Brooklyn, NY @ The Knitting Factory *Sold Out*
May 20                 New York, NY @ The Marlin Room at Webster Hall *Sold Out*
May 21                 Philadelphia, PA @ World Café Live *Sold Out*
May 24                 Denver, CO @ Lost Lake Lounge *Sold Out*
May 25                 Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue *Sold Out*

FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES
May 14                 Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees Festival
May 27                 George, WA @ Sasquatch!
June 5                   Cincinnati, OH @ Bunbury
June 9                   Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo
June 16                 Dover, DE @ Firefly
June 26                 Rothbury, MI @ Electric Forest
July 22                   Oro-Medonte, ON @ WayHome
Aug 5                     San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands

Adrian 4/16/13 Adrian 4/16/13

[News] Outside Lands 2013 Announces Lineup

The official lineup for Outside Lands Festival 2013 is here, and it looks to be pretty good. Topping off the bill are Paul McCartney, Nine Inch Nails, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phoenix, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The National, Vampire Weekend, D’Angelo, Kaskade, Pretty Lights, Jurassic 5, Willie Nelson, Hall and Oates, and Grizzly Bear.

Rounding out the eclectic lineup are Wavves, Young The Giant, Band of Horses, A-Trak, Yeasayer, Matt & Kim, The Tallest Man on Earth, Foals, Youth Lagoon, Gary Clark Jr., Jessie Ware, Dillon Francis, Kurt Vile and the Violators, Surfer Blood, Chromatics and Smith Westerns. While not as good as last year's lineup, which was headlined by Metallica, Neil Young, The Kills, Foo Fighters, Jack White, Beck, Sigur Ros, this year seems promising. Check out the full lineup here or below in a ridiculously charming announcement video.

Tickets go on sale this Thursday, April 18th, at 12 noon PDT at the festival's official website. Outside Lands takes place August 9-11 in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.

Adrian 8/22/12 Adrian 8/22/12

[Outside Lands 2012] A Photo Journal

I recently had the opportunity to fly down to San Francisco with my best friend Samuel Boardman Parker to attend the city’s burgeoning Outside Lands Music Festival. Who could pass up a chance to see Stevie Wonder, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Beck, Sigur Rós, Justice, Jack White, Passion Pit, Bloc Party, and so many more amazing and talented musicians? With Sam taking photos and myself interviewing artists, we flew down the West Coast to embrace all the experiences the festival had to offer. While the photo journal below includes only a fraction of the places we went, the people we met, and the bands we stared in awe at, it displays in brief the fucking craziness that was San Francisco and Outside Lands Music Festival.

Adrian 8/21/12 Adrian 8/21/12

[Outside Lands 2012 x Interview] YACHT

Photos by Samuel Boardman Parker

Everyday is full of experiences, whether it is an uneventful one or an undoubtedly strange one. Whatever the case may be, it is an experience nonetheless. When it comes to music festivals, though, chances are those experiences are some of the most unique and odd you'll come to encounter. Ridiculous costumes, people from all over the world, the infusion of drug after drug after drug, and the inherent love and passion for music all combine in one location to make for unforgettable happenings. Outside Lands Festival proved to embrace that time honored tradition.

I found myself in one of these memorable encounters on the second day of Outside Lands, meeting up with Claire Evans and Jona Bechtolt of YACHT under the same trees that Electric Guest and I found ourselves in one day later. The quirky contingent that is The Western American Utopian Triangle proved to be an absolute joy to talk to, as photographer Samuel Boardman Parker and I dished out questions regarding YACHT's live performances, the danceability of their music, and what Claire's favorite dish at Olive Garden is. Stream the full interview below.

Adrian 8/20/12 Adrian 8/20/12

[Outside Lands 2012 x Interview] Electric Guest

Photo by Samuel Boardman Parker

One would assume that a festival taking place in the middle of one of America's largest cities would feel crowded, unnatural or weighed down by the looming presence of San Francisco itself or those that dwell within it. And this is where I say, one would assume wrong. Outside Lands Festival is an insane experience. That's just it. It's one strange story or crazy experience after the other, and with the festival grounds being surrounded by beautiful greenery and natural isolation, Golden Gate Park makes for a dream setting. The isolation alone gives the festival an incredible feel, as you can bask in the wonders of live music amidst walls of towering trees and odd yet charming people from all walks of life. It truly is amazing.

It was this natural setting and captivating environment that made my interview with Los Angeles band Electric Guest so enjoyable. In the early afternoon on the last day of the festival, I met up with Asa Taccone and Matthew Compton in the designated media area, at which point I opted for some place else, a more secluded location, to have the interview. They promptly agreed. Finding our way out of the media area, we settled up in the winding branches of a nearby tree to chat about all things Electric Guest, from their quick leap into the public eye to recording their debut LP Mondo with Dangermouse. Asa even complimented me on my jacket prior to our interview. Well, to be fair, it's technically not my jacket, but that's beside the point. Hear what Asa, Matthew, and I had to say in the player below.

8/14/12 8/14/12

[Watch] Jack White Perform "Hotel Yorba" & "Love Interruption" in the woods @ Outside Lands

Last weekend, Outside Lands took place in San Francisco. During the madness of the festival, Jack White found some extra time to do an impromptu in the woods! Included in the set though with his all female band were renditions of "Hotel Yorba" and "Love Interruption". The latter is after the jump while the White Stripes classic is up at the top.

Last weekend, Outside Lands took place in San Francisco and included sets from some of musics biggest acts. During the madness of the festival, Jack White found some extra time to do an impromptu set in the woods! Included in the set though with his all female band were renditions of "Hotel Yorba" and "Love Interruption". The latter is after the jump while the White Stripes classic is up at the top.

Adrian 8/10/12 Adrian 8/10/12

[Outside Lands 2012] Our Most Aniticipated Artist of the Festival

Today marks the beginning of this year's Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco, the fifth edition of the cultural highlight. SKOA will be attending the festival this year, and each day leading up to the festival we will be dishing out a feature focused on the bands set to appear at Outside Lands. Today, the final day of our preview coverage, we look to answer one important question: who is our most anticipated artist of the festival?

With such an incredible and diverse lineup, Outside Lands offers something for everyone. Stevie Wonder, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Metallica, Foo Fighers, Sigur Rós, Jack White, Beck, The Kills, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, Passion Pit, Santigold, MSTRKRFT, The Walkmen, YACHT, Andrew Bird, you name it, there is a band for each and every attendee to get excited about. For us, though, there is one band that sticks out at the forefront, and that is Australian psych rock outfit Tame Impala.

Ever since Tame Impala dropped their debut LP Innerspeaker back in 2010, the psychedelic stylings of the Perth band have never left my eardrums for more than a few days. Somehow, they have perfectly captured what was so good about psychedelic rock in the '60s and '70s, the carefree attitude and the general sense that all that needs to be done is to play the hell out of some fucking instruments and put on a damn good show. When listening to Tame Impala, it's not uncommon to feel as if you're listening to Eric Clapton, transporting you to a time when the biggest names in rock were at their peak. This new wave of neo-psychedelia has been rising since the early to mid-1990s, but Tame Impala directly utilizes the styles and sounds of the 1960s, and they pull it off so well.

For every band that is performing at Outside Lands, the collective love we have for Tame Impala trumps even the biggest names. Hearing their brand of psychedelic rock in a live setting sounds infinitely more tempting than any of the other offerings at the festival. Call me crazy, but the idea of dancing under the influence of who knows how many narcotics to the addicting psychedelic soundscapes of Tame Impala seems like an amazing experience to me. In fact, I'm more sane for thinking so.