Fun Fun Fun Fest 2014: ASTR Interview

By Janelle Abad
Assistant Music Director, Senior Production Assistant

I’m Janelle Abad, here with ASTR (at this year’s Fun Fun Fun Fest). Do you guys mind saying your names and your role in the band?

Zoe Silverman: I’m Zoe (Silverman), and I’m a singer and a writer.

Adam Pallin: Adam (Pallin). Producer and drummer.

JA: Welcome to Fun Fun Fun Fest. Are there any bands you want to see or have seen?

ZS: We just got in, so we haven’t been able to see anything yet. But I really do want to get around later. If I can get back to the Blue Stage I think things are going to be poppin’ over there.

JA: Your music video for “Blue Hawaii” has a vibrant 80’s/90’s kind of feel. Where do you draw your visual inspiration from?

ZS: That video in particular was just something that really came together well. Between us, the stylist and the director there was a synergy, and it just became a tropical paradise that kinda had to do with the lyrics that came. In one day we wrote those lyrics, so it was all just very fluid and natural. We wanted it to be a vapid paradise and we just saw it. We had to execute!

JA: In your “Blue Hawaii” video, you guys also explain how the song revolves around the idea of escaping to a tropical paradise. Coming from New York, how do you think your music would’ve changed if you lived somewhere on a beach side or in the country?

AP: More ukelele.

ZS: I feel like the song kind of is dark, kind of like when people go to tropical places to cash out on their lives; there was a dark spin on that. It wasn’t supposed to be like, “This is living the life!” It was kind of a parody of that, of going away and living your life somewhere. It must feel a little weird at times not having seasons, being from New York. It must feel a little strange for it to be perfect all the time because inside it’s never perfect all the time.

JA: What do you think influences your music the most: the past, present or future?

ZS: I think the past. Memories come up all the time. But the present as well. When you’re in it, and the seasons are changing, you’re in New York City, you can’t really say, “It’s everything.”

AP: There’s this great, great quote that’s printed on the opening scene of the movie “Magnolia” that says, “You might be done with the past, but the past is not done with you,” and I think that’s probably very relevant.

JA: In a previous interview, you said something that really struck me: “Perception always feels different when you’re on the inside.” Can you explain that in more detail?

AP: We were talking about when someone said, “What’s it feel like to be blowing up?!” and you were like, “Well, I don’t know.” You don’t really have perspective from the outside when you’re waking up and working on music, or doing a show and on the road. You lose perspective from the outside, from maybe your progress or who’s really out there that’s paying attention.

ZS: I think that’s a very human thing in general. I think most people don’t really have the greatest perception of themselves or what’s really going on.

JA: What is on your career bucket list? Any dream collaborations?

ZS: We’re really excited to get this next body of work out. We have a bunch of new music to play for people and we want to be touring more and more. I think the goal is just to get it out there. We’re still in this place where we exist to music people, but it hasn’t really popped in a way where everyone know’s what’s up. So I think that’s the next move.

AP: We might play Hawaii in December.

ZS: We’re trying to travel well while we’re at it!

JA: Speaking of touring, how was your last tour? I hear that today is your last day. Any crazy memories?

AP: Craziest memory was getting robbed last night.

ZS: Adam got robbed last night. That wasn’t fun. It kinda ended the tour like that. It was kinda like a, “Okay, hi, buzz.” We have had some really good times along the road. We were in Palm Springs for a little bit.

AP: We almost got murdered by some gangsters in the middle of Nevada

ZS: It was pretty scary! But yeah, we’ve had some adventures in Vegas; went to see Britney. Yeah, we did it. We were in New Orleans for Halloween. We had a really good trip. It’s been fun.

JA: What’s next for you in the future? What can we see from you guys in 2015?

ZS: New music! And more, more stuff!

JA: Thank you guys for hanging out with us! Where can we see more of ASTR?

AP: In 2015? We don’t know what the rest of the year has in store yet.

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