IndieRec Interview with Brent Rademaker of Frausdots - December, 2004
By David DiSanzo
http://www.indierec.com

Brent Rademaker has been in bands making cool music since he was a wee lad. Some of his brighter moments have been in recent bands The Tyde and Beachwood Sparks. To me Brent defines the spirit of and embodiment of the rock and roll life. Influenced by all aspects of the genre, he is level-headed enough to focus those influences into coherent cleverly defined channels on each of his many excursions to disc. His latest achievement is the debut release by Frausdots, a duo featuring his girlfriend Michelle. Frausdots combine Brent's melodic visions with a chilling neo-psych/goth flair. While the music compares nicely to The Cure's late 80's releases, it isn't a throwback to a bygone era as many of the young new bands that tout the 80's influences as essential merely because they were raised on MTV are. Anyway, the new release is titled Couture, Couture, Couture and is available now via Sub Pop. It's in the racks of your favorite music shop. www.frausdots.com for further info.

IR: Frausdots - Where's the name come from, what's it mean, and how is it pronounced?

BR: It's a word my brother and I made up when we were kids...kind of an inside joke..pronounced frost-dots.

IR: Your partner in the band is Michelle Loiselle who is also your partner in life. How long have you known each other? Are the two of you wed?

BR: We've know each other for over 15 years..been together about three and we are not married.

IR: You've been in so many bands over the years but Frausdots seems to be the one where you take the reigns. Each song is composed by you and Michelle. Do you see this band as something you would like to focus on in more of a full time capacity rather than as another "side project"?

BR: Kind of, although I treat all the bands I'm in the same...I give them my full focus, whether I'm playing bass in the Tyde or part of the soup of BWS...we have really tried to make Frausdots a band thing with the guys we have now..it's tough though because of the way we recorded the record..perhaps the next one will have that "band feel".

IR: The new album reveals another aspect to the Brent Rademaker story. It reveals your love of the psychedelic revival of the early 80's with most notable influences being the early Bunnymen (less the anthem like nature of some of their material) and the Cure (less the goth trimmings - "Tomorrow's Sky" could be an outtake from Wish). The remaining melodically sublime material sounds wholly sincere and vitally original. Can you tell me what brought about this sudden desire to perform this type of music?

BR: It wasn't a "sudden" desire..I have been trying to do this for years and I have been slipping in those influences in the other groups I play in...the review of our record in the NME said "tomorrows sky" sounded like it was left off Disintegration...I'm glad you picked up on the "Wish" vibe"..that's the record I was really into the summer before I went into the studio.

IR: Your voice sounds great on this release. "Soft Light" and "The Man Who Dreaded Sunlight" are favorites of mine that you sing beautifully. Are you enjoying being the lead vocalist?

BR: Thanks..it's nice expressing myself.

IR: Do you feel that music, fashion, and art interrelate? All three are well represented on Couture, Couture, Couture.

BR: Pretty much...maybe not the art so much.

IR: That's classic. Are you musically happy in LA still? There seems to still be an over abundance of talent there these days.

BR: Actually it's a bit slow at the moment for me....I feel out of touch with the "scene".

IR: Tell me about your current project with Neal Casal.

BR: RAD/Casual...is in the dream stages now, he's working on a new solo lp and he just joined the black crowes..so I think I'll be appearing on his new record and in the future we will do our thing.

IR: What other projects are on the horizon?

BR: A Frausdots 7" and the vinyl release of CoutureX3 with different stuff on it.

IR: The Tyde are rumored to be working on new material - can you verify this and let us know what they plans are for The Tyde in general?

BR: Yeah, I've been in the studio recording bass track...classic Tyde sound and songs.

IR: Any chance of a Beachwood Sparks release compiling all of the unreleased singles and miscellaneous tracks that never appeared on an album? I am still waiting for the rest of the world to get to hear your "Windows '65"....still one of my favorite pop songs of all time.

BR: There's been some talk but nothing concrete..I think it'd be a great idea considering the break in "new" material...some of the rare and unreleased stuff would make a for a great release... I like that song too...it died in the live set though, that made me sad cause it said so much about the state of the band...the balance of the group needs to be re-adjusted before we can re-start.

IR: What music are you grooving to these days?

BR: Gravenhurst and some older stuff.

IR: Do you fear for the future of the music industry? Does digital piracy bother you?

BR: Not really....I thought the industry died a while back.

IR: Finally, do you think that rock and roll can continue to not only survive but thrive?

BR: More deconstructing needs to take place...but yes it'll thrive.

IR: Thanks Brent!!! Any additional comments?

BR: I do wanna mourn the loss of Greg Shaw (Bomp!) and John Peel, two guys who noticed what we were up to and were instrumental in our place in the music world. Thanks Dave......"stay free".