Melodic
Hypothesis: The Quantum Pop of Hello Dragon
Centered around
the dynamic duo of Julie Chadwick and Chris Zerby are a collective
of amazing Los Angeles musicians known as Hello Dragon. Their latest
CD, The Quantum Explorers, is a fantastic voyage into the unknown
variables of D.I.Y. epistemology. Chadwick, Zerby, and friends redefine
and recreate the limits and the textures of alternative music. Musically,
they intertwine the edginess of late seventies L.A. punk with the
pop sensibilities of eighties new wave and the harshness of nineties
grunge rock into a refreshing mix for the new millennium. Lyrically,
their words read like born again existentialism: they are witty while
being gritty; they are caustic while being ecstatic.
Recently,
I chatted with Zerby from the Chadwick/Zerby compound in Echo Park,
the increasingly gentrified neighborhood from which newly-christened
LA rock stars and denizens of hip seem to emerge these days. With
the tre fashionable address and a potent fan base evidenced by Hello
Dragon’s myspage page, I expected at least some dose of pretension
from Zerby and crew. To my glee, I found them to be refreshingly unaffected,
exuding that rare strain of unassuming charm that can only come from
an innate blend of self-effacing wit, applied intellect, and modest
confidence. The address, it seems, is a geographically desirable crash
pad between rehearsals at their Highland Park recording studio and
the impressive amount of shows they play at the coveted rock venues
dotting Silverlake, Echo Park, and Hollywood (including a few stints
on KROQ Locals Only bills). Do yourself a favor and explore this band:
if this is the future for music, then music has a future.
DK:
I am proud of the fact that the first movie soundtrack I bought was
the Paint Your Wagon record. What was your first movie soundtrack
purchase? What was the inspiration? Does it still inspire you?
