'Our Friends Electric'

Art pop, where the weird and experimental meet the sublime and catchy, has long been the providence of New York City.

Dynasty Electric continues in the tradition of art-pop bands such as The Talking Heads, Blondie, and the Velvet Underground when they mix conventional guitar and synth with unconventional saxophone, theremin, and other electronics.

An electro-pop powerhouse on the verge of releasing their stunning second album, Dynasty Electric (Jennifer DeVeau - lead vocals, synth, theremin; Seth Misterka - vocals, guitar, saxophone, computer; and Chad Hodge - drums, electronics) is on the cusp of something big.

Taking some time out recently with lead singer Jennifer DeVeau from Dynasty Electric, I first wondered what her musical influences had been growing up and how many still factor into her music today? "When I was a teenager my first band was a Beatles cover band called "Girl". We were only 15 but we became very popular locally and made it all the way to the UK for a tour! The Beatles still blow my mind. They were really tuning into to something magical. They transformed people and were heralders of a new way of being."

"I feel like we are now at the beginning of another transformative era like the 60s. That's my inspiration. If there's any way I can shine a light - help others to grow, experience, act, or just feel good - then I'm diggin it. But seriously, my range of musical interest is so varied. I love whatever is true. My grandmother played piano and sang beautiful romantic pieces from the 1920's and 30's when I was young. Also my Aunt used to play Simon & Garfunkel and Fleetwood Mac songs on the guitar. She taught me to play my first chords."

For the Average Joe who may not have heard of you and was thinking of buying your upcoming new CD, how would you yourself describe your sound? "A psychedelic electro space dance punk experience."

Listening to this CD and the vocal stylings (let alone the actual sound) certainly takes me - at 43 years-old - back to those heady days of such greats as a young Debbie Harry, a young Siouxsie, and a young (and much calmer) Lene Lovich! Not knowing your age, are you a product of the '80s via your parents' record collections, or did you discover the era by accident one day? "What can I say. I love the music of the 80's, but I also love the 60's, 70's, 90's, 00's.... I listen to a lot of satellite radio. There were so many amazing female singers in the 80's- sexy and powerful. Blondie, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Berlin, Missing Persons, Siouxsie, Pat Bentar, Joan Jett...Wicked! Also, artists were experimenting with new synthesizer and video technologies- a really exciting time. Music became a muliti-media, multi-dimensional platform. Great outfits and hair too :)"

And so, with that in mind, where does the bands name originate ... and what else could it so easily have been called? "Dynasty originally started off as my bandmate Seth's punk jazz band and was called Seth Misterka's Dynasty - a band that included our friend Ed on drums. Ed quit drumming to run 50-mile ultra marathons, we started programming our beats and synths and became Dynasty Electric."

Which turned out to be your favorite track of the six ... and why? "I really have a thing for Move My Feet. It's a call to action. It's my signifier for the end of apathy. Express yourself. Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Be free. Think outside the box. Don't think. Feel. Go deep inside. Find what's true and act on that. Act exuberantly! Let's get it going on people!"

Being that this CD was actually recorded in late October last year and is now out among the masses, just how excited are you to see your 'child' finally born?! "I'm so thankful for the opportunity to do what I love and have it be heard! I believe people are really gonna dig it. I hope they make it to the live show too. Our friend BP Fallon (former manager of Led Zeppelin and T Rex!) described it pretty well I thought, "The surrealist electro pop brain probes of Dynasty Electric was a sexed-up amusement park ride brimming with pure pop pleasure, twisted and hot. Think Suicide meets The Carpenters. Tremendous"."

Indeed, how easy (or hard) is it to create a new, vibrant, wanted-by-the-public sound that both builds on and surpasses the musical wonderment's/accomplishments that preceded it within the industry? "All we can hope to do is become as much ourselves as possible. We also believe in magic :-)"

Did you know there was a company out of CA that is also called Dynasty Electric (www.DynastyElectric.com) that offers residential, commercial and industrial 24 hour emergency service re: all electrical work! Can you offer such a guarantee, perhaps ... because if so, I have a new sound system that needs installing, thanx?! "LOL! I guess Dynasty Electric is quite a popular name. There's also an electric car called "Dynasty Electric"."

OK, if asked to record one for charity, what '80s (and possibly cheesy!) pop/rock song would you love to cover today ... and why?!" "99 Red Ballons by Nena. It's a sassy, sexy political protest song. I can really relate to that."

Lastly, and throwing you a journalistic curve ball, Exclusive Magazine love Penguins ... do you?! "Totally! They spend half their life in the water and half on land. I grew up near the ocean and I love it!"

Interviewed by: Russell A. Trunk

www.DynastyElectric.net

Dynasty Electric on MySpace

If you would like to win a copy of this brand new CD .. AUTOGRAPHED ... and you think you know all there is to know about the band, just answer this easy question: On March 9th of this year, Dynasty Electric allowed everyone to download the mp3 of one of their songs ... for free! What was the name of that song?!