4/22/2005

MP3: Orgy - The Obvious (Single Mix)

SAMUEL AARON: Jay, let me thank you for this interview, it is truly an honor.

JAY GORDON: Not a problem.

SA: What happened to your record deal with Reprise? For a while there you just seemed to have disappeared.

JG: Yeah well, it took a while to get things back in gear. With regards to Reprise, they had a major staff change, and we were sort of sitting around waiting for them to replace their entire staff, which for a major label, can seem like an eternity. After months and months, and wondering if they were going to drop us off their roster, or not, we decided to put the 3 rd record out on our own, and asked them to let us go. I started D1 for the 2 nd time, with my father Lou, which also took a while. Meanwhile, The band almost broke up completely, and we all started side projects. It was a mess. So yeah, these things can take some time. In our case, way too much time.

SA: What side projects are you currently involved in?

JG: At the moment I am programming for a project called “Anonimus.” I am also producing and programming some beats for an artist named “Hott Wheelz”.

I have my own thing (currently no name) too, which I have put on hold for the time being, due to Orgy obligations.

SA: Why did you decide to start your own label?

JG: It was just something I had always wanted to get in to. I always wanted a label that was somewhat Artist/Fan driven you know? It was that, and the stuff I was talking about above, that made it all happen.

SA: How has the response been?

JG: Well, really good, considering we are an INDIE label. It’s not easy without the big budget machine backing your every move. You have to be a lot more inventive, when it comes down to $ vs. “How do we get people to know it’s out there?”.

SA: Where do you want the label to go, stylistically?

JG: Well, if I looked at it from a stylistic point of view, I would love it to be a label full of great selling crazy-ass original sounding bands. That doesn’t seem realistic at all these days though. These days, to be successful, you have to look at all kinds of music. Not every band can sound the same. I like a lot of different stuff. I think labels survive when they diversify. Not too much, but try bit a little of everything.

SA: How has the response been from other indie labels and music fans?

JG: As I said earlier the response has been good thus far, and the fans showed up for all of the shows on our last tour, which is absolutely the best case scenario, when you haven’t been around in a while.

SA: Would you consider going back to a Major?

JG: I’d have to consider anything that makes sense. Right now, I am happy doing what I’m doing, and that’s all good. I try and look at every situation as a new thing. New things are always worth looking in to. I am optimistic enough to believe, that eventually even the old dogs, can learn new tricks. Even the Majors.

SA: What is it like working with your father, most people would flinch at the idea of working with family, but it seems you two work very well together?

JG: We actually do okay. It isn’t easy though. Lou being my dad is one thing, but him running the label with me is another.

SA: What is your opinion on mp3 sharing, and downloading?

JG: I don’t have a huge problem with the actual process or anything. I just wish people realized that downloading is pretty-much killing the industry. If there was a way to make it possible for people to download files, and us to still be able to get paid for doing our jobs, that would be the shit. Meanwhile, the industry is nose-diving at a catastrophic rate.

SA: Do you believe the music scene has changed for the better or worse over the last decade?

JG: Definitely worse, but there are the usual few exceptions. Some stuff is okay though.

SA: Your first hit was a cover song, how has that effected people’s perceptions of Orgy as a band, do you find it holding you back?

JG: Not really, we’ve had other hits since then. That was definitely the biggest at the time it came out though. Everyone loved the original so much, that one had to work.

SA: Many people call Orgy a one-hit wonder, do you consider that a plus or downside?

JG: Well that would definitely be a downside if it were true, but as I answered in your last question, “Stitches” “Opticon” and “Fiction” as well as “Vague” from the new record, were all hits. So people that say that shit, should probably suck a dick and do some research before saying things that make themselves out to look like total fucking dumb-asses. Ha!!

SA: I think it all really depends on what people consider hits, personally I have always considered you guys very successful for the style of music you perform.

JG: Thanks very much. I am speaking clearly from a statistical point of view. I would have to say that we at the very least, are a 5 hit wonder. Some bigger some smaller, but those are the hard cold facts.

SA: Does Orgy have any plans for a new album?

JG: I, speaking on behalf of the band, always have plans for new albums. I’m sure everyone else feels the same, even though we all have other endeavors.

SA: You have worked with a lot of different projects outside of Orgy, most noticeably singing on the Queen of the Damned soundtrack and your work with Coal Chamber – is there any specific work that stands out for you?

JG: I love it all. I am very happy that I have been given the chance to work with tons of talented people. That is something that I can always be thankful for.

SA: On a personal note, who was the song “Pure” written for?

JG: Well, I wrote it about a lot of people’s relationship’s as well as my own. So I would have to say no one in particular.

SA: What kind of music did you grow up listening to?

JG: Everything from Funk to Metal, Hip-Hop, and Drum & Bass. I’m still growing up too, so ask me again sometime, and I’ll give you an update.

SA: Ok then, so what bands really influences you to start performing?

JG: MY own family, was probably my first source of inspiration as far as performing. I come from a large roster of performers that just happen to be my relatives. Other than that bands like motley and the metal bands, as well as guys like Gary Numan, and later Ministry, but Bowie was always the one that stands out the most.

SA: Has any band or record label caught your attention in the last year?

JG: I like Muse, and lots of Hip-Hop shit. Other than that, in the rock world, I like “the Used”, and not much else. Record labels never really turn me on that much. It’s cool though, that certain record labels cater to only one genre. I thought of maybe starting a different label that was genre-specific, but haven’t really figured out which way I’d like to go with that lately.

SA: You seem much more focused on Hip-Hop then rock, do you feel that more talent is coming from that direction now?

JG: Why would you think that? They are two completely different things. Hip Hop has always been something that was always interesting to me. But let’s get serious, my focus remains the same: it is all of the above and then some. I like to fuck around and mix it up.

SA: Has it been hard to adjust to the change in the music landscape, with pop-punk and emo bands clogging the rock scene?

JG: Not really. Change is part of the game. Lots of people adapt themselves these days. It just doesn’t get as much attention as it used to back when people like Bowie did it. That used to be more appreciated. Now it is more expected, I think.

SA: Do you believe that Orgy will change with the times?

JG: Orgy as a unit, are capable of so much more than the public has ever seen. If we can actually show the people what we can do, we have the potential to set the pace, as well as set the next trends. The brainpower, and skill that everyone in the band possesses, is a pretty unstoppable engine, when we are on the same page. I guess time will help dictate the next level.

SA: There was a rumor published on MTV that you overdosed on coke a while back, and that you have struggled with different drug problems in the past, is that true?

JG: Coke? I’ve always hated coke. I have never really struggled with the other ones either. I just used to like doing them too much. I had to stop that shit though. It tampered with my creativity too much. I don’t like making decisions period, let alone, making them all fucked up. It’s all overrated.

SA: Orgy’s latest album was very much a stylistic change from your last releases – was that on purpose?

JG: Well, the record was supposed to come out 3 years ago, when that type of sound was really huge.

SA: It also alienated a lot of fans (although it pushed you into our 7 Greatest Bands of 2004), did you foresee that?

JG: I wasn’t really sure if it actually alienated a lot of Orgy fans, although a lot of them didn’t understand why we did that. I also had a lot less to do personally, with that record than the previous 2. It was more of a joint-effort on Punk Statik. Not blaming anyone though, that’s just how it went down at the time.

SA: So is Orgy becoming more of a group effort?

JG: Sure why not? I thought it always was.

SA: If you could put together a dream tour, who would be on it?

JG: I’m putting together something like that now actually. It’s going to be called Pop-Science. It should be very interesting to say the least, but I am not allowed to give out names just yet. It will hopefully be this coming fall, or shortly thereafter. If it could be anybody, I guess I would say Bowie, Ministry, Slayer, DM, NIN, and Orgy. That would be psychotic, but the crowd would probably kill each other.

SA: Where do you see Orgy (and yourself) in ten years?

JG: I can’t really predict those kind of things, if you could just call Cleo and ask, I’m sure she’d have all of those answers. As for myself, I will be glad to be doing, whatever it is at the time. Hopefully something musical though.

SA: Thank you so much for your time, you are an inspiration.

JG: Thanks a lot, I appreciate it.



To hear more about Jay Gordon and Orgy, visit their website: punkstatik.com or d1music.com