Interview: Roland Stringer (The Secret Mountain)

RolandStringer_lowres.jpgFounded in 200, The Secret Mountain initially focused solely on music CDs for children in Canada and France. It started released book/CD cominbations in 2003; in 2005, it started releasing titles in the U.S. market. Over that time, though they've covered a broad range of musical artists, from longtime Canadian artists to Trout Fishing in America to a collection of Jewish lullabies from around the world, one theme that runs throughout their collections are an attention to detail and quality in their product. I recently talked with The Secret Mountain's founder, Roland Stringer, about the genesis of his company, how the book/CD combinations come about, and more about the company's latest release, Sunday in Kyoto. Zooglobble: What were your earliest musical memories? Roland Stringer: I was born in 1960, so I was part of that whole wave that grew up on the Beatles. I had that cliched scene of my sisters going crazy because they were watching the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. I grew up in a small French-speaking town in Western Canada, so I heard a lot of traditional French music on the radio. As I grew up, in pre-teen years and beyond, I listened to Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, James Taylor, Simon and Garfunkel -- these North American artists. What led to the founding of The Secret Mountain? By the end of the '80s, I was doing artist management, music publishing, touring, a lot of everything. By chance, one of the artists I was working with did their first children's record in 1990. It was a project for freinds and family, but it went over well. So I produced kids records through the '90s. In 2000, though, vinyl was gone, and the CD is a piece of plastic. I though it'd be nice to give the kids something more imaginative, involving storytelling, pictures, drawings, with music from around the world. I was wanting to work with illustrators on one end, storytellers on the other, and they really were doing the same thing. I was just coming up with the package. You know, I was always interested in looking at the vinyl -- I remember studying those album covers from the Who or Genesis. How do you decide on the music?

All Weezer's Friends Are Insects, Apparently

Weezer. Yo Gabba Gabba! How could this not being anything but appointment TV, right? I mean, even if it failed, it would have to be something worth viewing. So, yes, the alternative-rockers that first burst onto the scene with a video inserting themselves into an episode of Happy Days recently taped a video for the show for a new song called "All My Friends Are Insects" that indicates that, yes, you will want to watch. The four guys, all dressed up as insects, rock out with guitars and basses, and in the case of drummer Pat Wilson, as a praying mantis with four drum sticks (what better way to get those hi-hats, I suppose). Entertainment Weekly's Music Mix blog has the behind-the-scenes video from the video shoot, including some muddy sound. (Original hat tip: Pitchfork.) Seeing Weezer prance around in dorky costumes (what could be more appropriate on October 30?) makes me think that Yo Gabba Gabba! is kinda become a Soupy Sales Show for the new millenium. Sales was known for getting a bunch famous guest stars to come on his show, and the idea that Dean Martin, Tony Curtis, Burt Lancaster, or Frank Sinatra would be willing to get a pie in the face is kinda amusing to me. Now, big stars (or at least medium-sized stars) are willing to come onto YGG and wear silly costumes or dance geekily. When Oprah shows up and does her own Dancey Dance, we'll know they've hit the big time...

Songs For Halloween (Updated Yet Again)

Like a zombie, you just can't stop my continually-updated and rattily compiled collection of Halloween kids music. I've taken last year's list and updated it further with help from last year's comments and Bill's Halloween show. As always, please add stuff I've missed in the comments... First, Ira Marlowe's put out an album called The Chills, which is chock-full of Halloween tunes that are a little scary (but not too much so) for elementary-aged kids. The music's OK, but if your kids are looking to be tested a bit in their courage, you could do a lot worse than this disk. Other newer(-ish) songs: -- The Hipwaders - Bonobo Joe and the Voodoo Queen (see here) -- Baze and His Silly Friends - Scare Me Scare You! -- Mighty Weaklings - The Monster Under My Bed -- Laura Freeman - My Brother's a Monster -- Secret Agent 23 Skidoo - Boogieman -- Keith Munslow - Boogieman -- The Sippy Cups - Day After Halloween

Interview: Dave Poche (Imagination Movers)

Imagination Movers PHOTO3.jpgEver since the Louisiana band Imagination Movers has had their own show on Disney (the favorite show of the Official Nephew of Zooglobble, I might add), the visibility of the high-energy jumpsuited band has grown exponentially. While up to now they've been producing the series in Louisiana, this fall they're embarking on their first national tour, helping to solve idea emergencies in a city near you. We had the chance to catch up with red-hatted bassist Dave Poche as he was getting breakfast while on tour in Paducah, Kentucky. We talked about his musical influences, the genesis of the band, the status of lunches with his wife during filming of the TV show, and the one bad thing about being on tour. Zooglobble: What were your early musical memories growing up? Dave Poche: When I was very young, I had a Credence Clearwater Revival cassette, and of course a Beatles tape -- that was the first of my own music. I also liked Schoolhouse Rock. And I was really part of the early MTV generation. As for when I was older... Rich had been involved in music for a long time and Scott sang in college. But I only had picked up the bass when I was 20 or 21. And when we formed the band, we needed somebody to play bass, so I started again. This project sparked a lot of creativity. My father was in the LSU marching band, so I guess it just took thirty years to tap into [that creativity]. What was the spark for starting the Movers?