You know what I love? Remixes. I am super into remixes. But what I love even more than just any old remix is a remix done well. What is a well done remix you ask? One that doesn’t turn a song into a speeding hyper-driven repetitious nightmare where I feel like my cd is skipping, skipping, skipping....This summer; I've lucked out as far as remixes are concerned. One of my favorite albums this summer season has been, Lily Allen’s ”It’s not Me, It’s You.” It’s fun, it’s catchy, it keeps me content while I sit, sweating in rush hour traffic. And like a kid with ADD I was more than ecstatic to find out the album was completely remixed by Doctor Rosen Rosen. Who doesn’t love a fresh twist on a good thing, especially when it sounds great?
I had heard about this project sometime ago when I found the Doctor Rosen Rosen remix for Lily Allen’s song ‘Never Gonna Happen,’ and then got word that the entire album would also be released. (Check it out and download it free @ http://doctorrosenrosen.com/) Because the haunting, eerie remix for ‘Never Gonna Happen’ stayed lodged in my head for quite sometime, I was determined to find more music by Doctor Rosen Rosen and couldn’t have been more please with what I uncovered. Catchy self-released originals with mucho 80’s synths and dirty dance beats (check out ‘Names’ off of the Volume I, Brooklyn Instrumental and ’Weekends’) landed on my Ipod next to emotion evoking remixes (check out Department of Eagles ‘1997’ remix).
Doctor Rosen Rosen released his full remixed album entitled “It’s not Me It’s… Doctor Rosen Rosen” on his blog July 20, 2009. Since then over 5,500 people have gone and downloaded this awesome album. I recently chatted with the Doctor to learn more about the guy behind the music.
mm: So I have been doing so researching on you and I must say I'm quite intrigued. I was very intrigued after I listened to the Phoenix ‘Lisztomania’ remix as well as the Department of Eagles ‘1997’ remix. I can't seem to stop listening to either. I think you certainly have found a niche sound that you can call your own. What I'm interested in knowing is how the 80 influence comes in to play. I’ve read quite a bit about you being inspired by Prince?
Doctor Rosen Rosen: Is it that obvious? Hands down, Prince is my favorite artist of all time. I was the kid who had a picture of Prince in his locker in 7th grade. My first guitar was neon yellow because of Prince.
mm: I think that's awesome. He's an amazing guitar player and amazing overall musician. Was the guitar your first instrument? (And I can listen to Purple Rain on repeat for days and days)
Doctor Rosen Rosen: Pretty much. I took Piano lessons when I was around 10, but didn't really get into making music until I got that yellow electric guitar for my 13th birthday. (purple rain = MASTERPIECE)
mm: How did that lead to mixing and remixing? It sounds like this is somewhat a new thing that has come up within the past year and a half to two years. [Doctor Rosen Rosen was previously in the band The Handsome Public, based out of NYC. He did all the keyboards, production and split vocals with bandmate/friend Vickers Bastard Gringo.] Certainly a solid year and half on the books, though.
Doctor Rosen Rosen: Yeah, in high school I started learning more about multi-track recording and using computers, drum machine, and synthesizers to make music. Gradually, this became my focus (I stopped playing guitar regularly). So I've been making electronic music for over 14 years it's just I had never done a remix until the last year. A friend of mine suggested I try to remix Katy Perry's ‘I Kissed A Girl’ sort of as a joke/challenge. I posted it on YouTube and it got a ton of hits... so I was like... hmmm this might be a good way to get my name out there. Now I really enjoy remixes.
mm:I think it’s something that is certainly current and in demand especially with sites like rcrdlbl.com and the millions of music blogs. I know I always enjoy finding songs I love and hearing them in a different format based on different influences and styles. And mash-up artists are obviously huge now, too. So I guess in a sense it's sort of like the Pop Art movement for music.
Doctor Rosen Rosen: Yeah. To be honest I'm pretty new to the whole "remix culture" and hopefully that has something to do with my success. I approach each remix as an opportunity to 1. Bring something new to the song 2. Showcase my musical voice. 3. Make it accessible / enjoyable to people ears.
mm: Very cool. I have one more question before I want to talk about the Lily Allen project; or actually two. How did you get involved with the Chris Cornell remix (listen to it at http://doctorrosenrosen.com/main/?p=132 )?
Doctor Rosen Rosen: The Chris Cornell remix is the first official major label remix I did. An A&R guy from Interscope found me on Hype Machine and sent me an email. I was so excited to work on that track because the original was produced by Timbaland. So in the back of my mind I was thinking "I got to make this better than Timbaland did"... because I look up to him so much.
mm: Nice! It’s great to see that putting yourself out there on sites like hype, last.fm, and even twitter can yield positive results.
mm: On your original material (Instrumental Volume 1: Brooklyn, Weekends, Eat Pray FU*K, etc.) are you singing the vocals?
Doctor Rosen Rosen: Anything that is not a remix that is on my site or myspace (http://www.myspace.com/drrosenrosenmusic) is my original material-- It is me singing.
mm: So onto the Lily Allen album.
Doctor Rosen Rosen: Yeah definitely
mm: This project originally started with the remixes of four songs, and then it kept building? When did they idea of the whole album come into play?
Doctor Rosen Rosen: Actually, I decided to do the whole album the second I heard that all of the parts were available... Once I started the project though, I hit a wall after about 4 remixes and was stuck creatively for about a month.
mm:What were the first four songs?
Doctor Rosen Rosen: 1.’Who'd Of Know’ 2.’Back To the Start’ 3.’The Fear’ 4.’Not Fair’
mm:Was the roadblock something where the songs styles weren't matching? It’s pretty seamless, sound-wise. “Back to the Start” is pretty upbeat in comparison to the rest; but over all I think it's a seamless album.
Doctor Rosen Rosen: Actually the roadblock was I was afraid the songs would sound too alike. So I think I was trying to take some of the songs into more "poppy" areas, but I kept coming back to this darker sound. Once I stopped fighting it and just went with my gut... the creative juices started flowing again. I'm glad the record (for the most part) has a sound, and isn't all over the place.
mm: It totally does have it’s own sound. It’s seamless, but I wouldn't say it’s matchy matchy. Overall what you have done totally fits the lyrics that she has presented. The album as a whole has a much more vulnerable, raw sound than her original LP. I think you kind of bring more of the emotion out of the lyrics. 'Never Gonna Happen' is so eerie. It’s almost haunting.
Now I catch myself on several songs going back and really listening to the lyrics and paying much more attention to them. You've really brought them out, where as on the original I’m jamming along because the beats are fun and I’m just singing along not paying too much attention.
Doctor Rosen Rosen: ‘Never Gonna Happen’ is definitely one of my favorites. I really love those lyrics and I think they become so much more potent with the eerie backdrop I put them on.
mm: Totally. Even ‘The Fear’ and ‘22’ emit much more emotion than the originals. I’ve been catching myself having to rewind and really listen to these lyrics when I'm driving around and then going saying ‘holy crap!’
Doctor Rosen Rosen: Ha!
mm: And Perez Hilton even posted something about you too?
Doctor Rosen Rosen: Yeah, Perez really got the ball rolling with one Tweet...
mm: That's incredible. The power of Perez Hilton, it’s shocking.
mm: And now you're remixing your remixes with people's comments? Can you tell me about that?
Doctor Rosen Rosen: Yeah just started doing that... kind of a fun way to try to engage people…that is until Lily Allen leaves a message.
mm:Will you remix each song?
Doctor Rosen Rosen: As the voicemails come it I'm gonna post them.
mm:And she hasn't left a message yet, I'm shocked! She must know by now.
Doctor Rosen Rosen: Then I will flood the internet with her voicemail remixed 1,000 different ways
mm: Where did you get the idea to integrate voicemail messages? Any drunk messages?
Doctor Rosen Rosen: I was trying to think of something fun and I got an email from Google inviting me to use Google Voice. No drunk messages yet.
mm:I want to go back to the making of the album, where did the inspiration come from? I know you wanted it to be a bit darker, which you achieved. But as far as starting each song, did you focus on the lyrics first, the original music, how did building process start?
Doctor Rosen Rosen: The first step for me is getting the vocals on a timeline set to the proper tempo. Once that is set up I'll loop a phrase I like and start trying to find a melody or bassline that seems to fit. I tried to NOT listen to the original arrangements unless I got really stuck. So for the most part the songs are totally inspired by her lyrics or tone of her voice or emotion in her voice.
mm: Did hear the album prior to making the record?
Doctor Rosen Rosen: Yeah, I listened to it once all of the way through. I got to say I'm a big fan of Gre Kurstin who produced all of the tracks. I never imported the CD into my Itunes though, just kept it in my car
mm:Interesting. And you are a producer yourself, correct? Is that your full time gig?
Doctor Rosen Rosen: Right now I'm a full time musician whether I'm remixing, producing tracks for myself, or producing tracks for other artists it is all good :)
mm: So what's on the horizon for you? Are you playing any shows? Do you play out in LA a lot?
Doctor Rosen Rosen: I just started putting together a new show that will focus much more on my production/remix work, that I will start playing out in September. Other than that, I've been working on a lot of collaborations that you will hopefully start to see soon (I don't want to jinx anything though) and there will be a ton of new remixes in the next few months.
mm:Are you looking for a label to carry you? Or are you planning on a self release?
Doctor Rosen Rosen: Well the remix work will show up on various labels, as far as my own work, my team and I are still navigating those waters... It would obviously be amazing to stay independent-- but at the same time there are some labels doing pretty exciting things we'll see.
mm: Good to hear. Well, I think you're doing a fine job self promoting! Is there anything I haven't covered that the world should know about Doctor Rosen Rosen?
Doctor Rosen Rosen: Ha! Thanks so much. I drink way too much Mt. Dew... I don't know why they haven't sponsored me yet.
mm: HAHAHA! Maybe with time.
Go to http://www.doctorrosenrosen.com/ to download “It’s Not Me…It’s Doctor Rosen Rosen” and check out his other remixes and originals, NOW!
-interview by: Vanessa, vanessa@messymagazine.org
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