BLACK MUSIC MONTH FOLLOW-UP: An Interview with Gordon Voidwell

Two weeks ago, I featured Gordon Voidwell as a newcomer to watch in our Black Music Month series. I was able to catch up with him, to talk about style, summertime, his influences, and what's in store. Here's Gordon setting the record straight.

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BLACK MUSIC MONTH FOLLOW-UP: An Interview with Gordon Voidwell

POSTED: Wednesday, July 13, 2011, 10:00 AM

Filed Under: Music

Two weeks ago, I featured Gordon Voidwell as a newcomer to watch in our Black Music Month series. I was able to catch up with him, to talk about style, summertime, his influences, and what’s in store. Here’s Gordon setting the record straight.

City Paper: Where are your peoples from? The Islands? States down south? Has it had an effect on your music at all?

Gordon Voidwell: My mom’s side were colonial Euro-American-type people. They were apparently Quakers and didn’t own slaves but that might just be something they said to ease tension at Thanksgiving dinners. My father’s family were brought here — with a lot of Africans during that same colonial period, I forget what it’s called. Oh yeah — slavery. So yeah, father’s side is from the Southeast and mom’s side from the Northeast. Both sides probably had documented and undocumented love affairs, coerced or willing, with Native Americans. As such, my people are sorta from all over this country and world. I can’t draw a direct line on how that’s affected my music, but yeah, I’m sure it has.

CP: You come from a musical family. What are some the artists that you were raised loving?

GV: It’s a bit random. My family was heavy into jazz, but my mom loved top 40 radio in the ’80s and ’90s. It ranges from like Fats Waller to Madonna, Whitney Houston to Miles Davis. And then Stevie Wonder is like the Holy Grail.

CP: Has anyone ever tried to goad you into a debate after hearing your lyrics?

GV: Surprisingly, not really. Not like a mean-spirited one at least.

CP: What are your favorite looks for this summer?

GV: The only time I like to dress-up is for shows. Otherwise, summer time is a time for basics. That means most days it’s Cheap Mondays, lightweight sneakers like Keeps or Vans and American Apparel tees. On days where I’m trying to say more, I’ve really been digging Hixsept’s summer collection. They have an amazing palette/design.

CP: What music, if any, do you listen to when styling?

GV: If by styling, you mean looking into the mirror and styling my hair (as I do everyday), it varies. But mostly Prince’s B-Sides, 1980s B-Sides and bootlegs.

CP: You’ve got a reputation for putting it down onstage. What dancers do you look up to, and what stage performers have influenced you most?

GV: The main three are Annie Lennox, Prince and Ian Curtis. They’re all so different, but embody different parts of what my music’s trying to say. My live show is about losing myself, finding myself and convincing the audience to make the same leap. I’m extremely self-aware of all my movements when I’m performing and I think it makes my show a much more dynamic experience than most shows.

CP: You’re writing, arranging, producing and recording your music yourself. Do you think that you’ll do it all on your own forever, or would you consider working with other writers and producers in the future?

GV: I’d be interested in working with a producer, in the old-school sense of the word. Like, a Quincy Jones, Nile Rodgers or Gamble and Huff, but I like writing my music, lyrics and making my own beats. I’ve never heard another beatmaker’s beats that makes me want to sing and write like the way my beats do. It’s funny to think most artists literally just write lyrics and pick someone else’s music to sing on. That’s like damn near karaoke...which is cool, but not where my artistic aspirations lie. So yes, I’m interested in finding the right producer, but it’s like finding the person you’re going to marry. You can’t rush it or force it; it’s got to be an organic/natural process. For now, I’m ok with being independent.

CP: George Clinton had a spaceship. Well, not literally. But, if you had to choose a mobile transport for taking people to the Void, what would it be, and what would it look like?

GV: A pair of really expensive shoes.

CP: Is anybody not welcome to the Void?

GV: Na, the Void is public domain.

CP: What are your favorite all-time club tracks?

GV: Aly Us, “Follow Me” — Strafe, “Set it Off” — Luke, “I Wanna Rock (Doo Doo Brown)”

CP: What can we expect from your debut album?

GV: Sounds and melodies. Guitars and things that go brr-peeeuow, frrrshhh. You know?

CP: When are you next playing Philly?

GV: Probably, hopefully this fall.

CP: Any last words for our readers?

GV: FIGHT THE POWER!

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Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

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