BrightestYoungThings: Blisspop Preview / Fort Knox Five Interview

BYT is proud to present another installment of Blisspop tonight (11/13/2008), here's all the details:

To get you jazzercised, here is a sweet new online mix from Ursula 1000: http://www.ursula1000.com/Winter2008Mix.mp3

Aaaaand a little back and forth with Fort Knox Five by BYT contributor Alex Nicholson:

Brightest Young Things: Can you give us a bit of a road map on how you guys became Fort Knox Five, all your side projects and who you collaborate with?

Fort Knox Five:We started Fort Knox Five and Fort Knox Recordings as an outlet to release dance-floor oriented music. We had several other projects that were being released on other labels. We wanted to have a label that would allow us to do whatever we want at any time. We can put out hip hop, reggae, go-go, breakbeats, indie, or anything we feel like making. Fort Knox Recordings is all about the Fort Knox Family. Our crew in DC are all musical geniuses. It is great to work with such talented peeps.

BYT: How did you get hooked up with See-I. They seem like the perfect group to get set up with for this 9:30 club show.

FK5:We have been tight with the See-I crew for years. They are part of the Fort Knox Family. Rob plays guitar, and works on production with them. We initially worked with See-I on Thunderball, and for International Velvet on The New Gold Standard compilation. They have been working on live record which will be released via Fort Knox Recordings. They are so talented. It is great to have such fine representation of Reggae in DC. They rock it hard every Wednesday at Eighteenth Street Lounge! Big ups!

BYT: Where do you like to play when you're home in DC? Where are you guaranteed to have the most friends show up for support?

FK5: It has been strange in DC over the last couple of years. We played a lot for M3, BUZZLIFE, and through a bunch of our own events over the last several years. It has been hard to find places to play in our own hometown. We have a massive travel schedule that keeps us quite busy, but nevertheless it would be great to have a good residency in your hometown. There are lots of cool spots opening. We are sure an opportunity will open up soon. Rob is rocking it every Wedesday with See-I at ESL. That is always a blast! The best recent gig we have done in DC was HAPPY FK-Xmas. That was last Christmas at Rock and Roll Hotel. We did the show with See-I, Slant & Bjoo, and it was Mat the Alien's first DC performance! What a great night! 930 Club on November 14th is going to top that for sure!!! BE THERE!!

BYT: Besides DC, where else does FK5 love to be?

FK5: We love the West Coast of Canada!! It has an amazing vibe, but DC is our home.

BYT: Crazy tour story, I know you have one, go:

FK5: We are not Guns N Roses!! It is much more mellow than you would expect!

BYT: Wait, are ther actually 5 of you?

FK5:It is four of us to be exact. Sid Barcelona, Jon Horvath, Rob Myers, and Steve Raskin. Sid, Steve, and Rob were all members of Thunderball on ESL Music. Rob also has been part of the Thievery Corporation Live Band since 1997. He played on Thievery classics like Lebanese Blonde. People often ask who the fifth member is. We reserve the fifth spot for a rotation of collaborators. The fifth spot is open to Mustafa Akbar, Afrika Bambaataa, Asheru, Rex Riddem, Javier Diaz, Ian Svenonius, Sleepy Wonder, King Kamonzi, or Rootz & Zeebo. It is really dope to have such amazing talent in your own backyard.

BYT: Funk for Peace is super-political. Can you tell us a little about the video and song and how you felt when you heard Barack Obama was elected president?

FK5: We wanted to make a cool video for Funk 4 Peace. Rob and Steve made up some images, we all give some input, Sid really masterminded it It was an amazing feeling. Lots of tears of JOY!! We are stoked and optimistic about the future, and the true hope for CHANGE.

BYT: Your records are always stunning visually. How important is design in who FK5 is?

FK5: Steve, Sid, and Rob are all graphic designers. They have an integral role in the branding and design of the label & Fort Knox Five. It is really important to have a visual aesthetic for Fort Knox. The music and design go hand in hand. It makes it so people visually associate with the music, as well as from an auditory standpoint. The design will always be just as important as the music.

BYT: Horvath - what's up with the hair?

FK5: It has a mind of its own!!!

BYT: Finish this sentence... One time at Burning Man

FK5: I met someone very special!!!