In this interview spotlight, I chat with Now Defunkt about the latest music, surviving the pandemic, technology and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
What’s something you’d like readers to know about your latest project?
Built on bold love and a fierce sense of interdependence, Now Defunkt emerged out of lockdown as a creative collective producing primordial sound-box of the soul shifts with a twist of lemon. Given the realities that we have all been living through, we are hoping to give a resonant nod to this good creation and shift our collective focus towards deep hanging out and restoration.
If there’s one thing you can count on when listening to a Now Defunkt song, it’s that you’re in for a wild musical ride. Just when you think you know where the music is headed and what genre it most closely correlates with, we dig deep into our vivid jam adjacent jar of funkt sauce to keep you on your toes, and it’s this intentionally accidental vibe that keeps each Now Defunkt song feeling fresh and full of hootness.
How does this project compare with your other release(s)? Was there anything specific you were trying to accomplish?
At the beginning of the pandemic, three friends – Scott Macklin, Steve McMahon and James Hunter with the help of their super groovy children – Nikko, Case, Anastasia, Amaris, Aeden and some amazing friends released an album titled Skills Are Handy, Feel is Gold. The album art depicted the image of a girl running off of a cliff while flying a kite and not knowing if her fate was to fly or fall. We now move into our next phase with the release of Shifting Into a Lower Gear with the image of the girl who is now a bit older floating through liminal space with faith and balloons as her ballast and fuel.
What motivates you to create music?
Listeners with an ear for passionately crafted independent music that manages to capture both the weight of reality as well as a sense of levity will fall in funkt with the sound that we have constructed and the specific lyrical message and emotional underpinnings of our songs promise to leave a lasting impression on fans of Funky, Jam-adjacent styles and Soulful expressions of sonic artistry.
What’s one of your first or most powerful music memories? Did that play any role in driving you to create?
Growing up, Saturdays were always an adventure with my Mom trekking around Costa Mesa in a VW Karmann Ghia with 3 brothers stacked inside. Making the rounds from the Swap Meet to garage sales to the laundry mat. One of the best pieces of advice my Mom imparted on me way-back-when was, “Never buy underwear at a garage sale.” And The Commodores were our Saturday soundtrack.
I was 16 and had just received my driver’s license…it was now time to learn to drive a stick shift. I met my Mom and Pops at the Ohio University Coliseum parking lot expecting a lesson on how to use a clutch, instead they drove off in the Buick tossing me the keys saying, “you’re a somewhat smart kid, figure it out and we’ll see you when you get home.” It was a jaw drop moment. I opened the door to the Fiat 128, sat down, grabbed the steering wheel, put the key into the ignition and did what any somewhat smart kid did…popped Rush’s Moving Pictures into the cassette deck, cranked up the volume and proceeded to grind some gears. This album deeply parallels and reflects my fears, anxiety, and eventual mastery of driving a manual 5 speed transmission.
In college, I hit a heavy funk. It felt like I had stubbed my head. It was one of those June rainy weeks in Ohio and I was holed up in my basement listening to way too much Prog Rock: King Crimson, Yes, Pink Floyd and the like. I was suffering from PRHS (Prog Rock Hole Syndrome) the continuous sense that one’s feet are not quite connecting to the ground while simultaneously experiencing the feeling of a paper cut on the eye ball. I needed an intervention and an antidote.
In step (or down step) into Haffa’s Records on Union St in uptown Athens, Ohio owned by Ron Esposito. After hearing my plight, Ron prescribed a dose of Double Nickels on the Dime by the Minutemen to be ingested via Vinyl transmitted through a Harmon Kardon 580i receiver. Taking all the money I had been saving to buy a new / used car by working at Wendy’s (Home of Fresh, Never Frozen Beef), I heeded his advice and added a pair of Boston Acoustic speakers – HiFi – Best diagnosis ever.
If you could collaborate with anyone – dead or alive, famous or unknown – who would it be and why? If it’s an indie/DIY artist, please include a link so readers can check them out.
On our upcoming album, “Shifting Into A Lower Gear” we wrote a song in critical tribute to the Six Million Dollar Man and Evel Knievel. In that song we name those we would have loved to had the opportunity to collaborate with…
Lola Falana made the scene
& Bruce Lee reframed the screen
Mother Theresa won the nobel prize
& Susan Dey had the bluest eyes
Cesar Chavez raised the wage
& Billy Jean King served up rage
What was the last song you listened to? And who is one of your favorite all-time bands/artists?
Where is the best place to find you and stay connected?
I really appreciate Your time. Anything else before we sign off?
We dedicated our new album and our song Fluerry Quo Garden to the life, memory and good work of our Grandmother, Shirley Morrison who recently passed away at the age of 99. Shirley was a fierce warrior for social justice and the leader of the Raging Grannies. Rest in Power and Rage On!
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