Keep Art Alive :: Photography by Steve Gullick

Keep Art Alive :: The 10 Questions Project :: Featuring Al Spx

1. What music (or other art form) inspires you when you create your art?

I used to find inspiration in a lot of male singers for some reason. Recently, I’ve been listening heavily to women like Grace Jones, Kate Bush, Nina Simone, and PJ Harvey.

2. Long distance road trip: what three people do you invite along (fictional or non-fictional, dead or alive)? 

Nina Simone, David Bowie and Chris Cundy.

3. What is your favorite breakfast cereal?

Mesa Sunrise.

4. What is one thing that is hanging on your bedroom wall?

I moved into my apartment in May and have yet to properly move in. At the moment, all my walls are bare. My entire apartment currently consists of a mattress on the floor, a record player, a table and a chair.

5. What smell/scent evokes strong memories for you?

I used to have a really gross roommate who had this horrible scent. It was a mixture of poor hygiene, stale cigarettes, filthy girls and mouldy clothes. Sometimes his scent would end up in my room and I’d scream. Thankfully, this living situation did not last very long. 

6. Coffee or tea?

Chai tea, baby.

7. What has been the most impactful compliment, or criticism, you have ever received?

This might sound a little strange but I’ve been obsessed with perfect, glittery eyeliner flicks recently. Whenever someone notices, I smile. You see, I take pride in my flick skills.

8. Three words that describe you?

Saucy, Sparkly, Short.

9. What is/was your cartoon character crush?

I never watched cartoons. 

10. The world is ending in ten minutes and you get to listen to one, and only one, song: Which song?

Kate Bush, Cloudbusting.

Cloudbusting :: Kate Bush

Editor’s Note: What a fantastic last song on earth choice! Have you ever covered this? I think you’d do a fantastic cover of it.

Have you listened to Cold Specs album, Neuroplasticity? If not, what are you waiting for? I discovered Al Spx’s fantastic release under the moniker Cold Specs when I reviewed the album here. I was completely blown away by what I heard, and have been telling everyone I know about her, and the album, ever since then.

Here is how I summed up the album in three sentences back in August:

Gothic soul infused with blues and a dose of gospel (goth gospel? yes, yes it is) that is like listening to a post-modern great-grandchild of Nina Simone who hangs out on the corner, and in smoky dive bars, with Siouxsie Sioux, Chan Marshall and Allison Mosshart. She (Al Spx) describers her style as “doom soul”, and I’m right there with that description, and the grown-up goth girl that I am is really digging this. I want to hear her record something with Nick Cave, and I want American Horror Story to use some of this album to soundtrack the show.

You can learn more about Cold Specks via this website. You can also be “Social” and friend Cold Specks on Facebook here, follow Cold Specks on Twitter here, or add Cold Specks on Tumblr here and see some shots on Instagram here.

If you are in the Los Angeles area, like me, you can join me on Wednesday, November 19th, at the Echo – buy tickets here. For other dates in other places, check out the tour listings here.

Bodies at Bay :: Cold Specks

Do you want to hear more? Do you want to buy some music? Do you want to help “Keep Art Alive”? Click here to purchase via Cold Specks directly, or via iTunes here.

Check out a recent keen session with CBC Radio here, and listen to more music on Soundcloud here.

I want to thank Al Spx for participating in the Keep Art Alive: 10 Questions Project. Neuroplasticity and the Bodies at Bay single are on my currently obsessed with musical radar, and so many songs from the album have found their way onto so many of my playlists. I cannot recommend checking-out her music enough. Go…go now…go and listen.

And while you are at it, please remember to support the artists you enjoy and discover – be a part of what KEEPS ART ALIVE by going to shows, buying what you can, and promoting what you love. ALWAYS.