In every interview post, I write about the artist being interview but this time I'll let you discover She'll Be Eating... with Bekurov's words because it is a rather interesting and entertaining interview: he talks about his teenage years in former URSS, songs to a former love, drunkenness for writing songs, airport bathrooms to record vocals...
His first single was released on Holiday Records. More songs can be found and downloaded on his bandcamp.
This is honest music with brilliant indie pop moments - lyrically and melodically speaking - and you can listen to the best example below, in 'Stay (or Go Away)'.
(Bekurov also is the editor of Famous Magazine, in Russia and runs a site where he talks about design, music, arts, fashion and sports).
Actually I spent my teenage years in USSR. And it wasn’t Moscow or St. Petersburg. I was born and lived in Vladikavkaz (North Ossetia, North Caucasus). Nice city but provincial one. It was not easy to get any music there that time. There were only stupid Duran Duran around… But I was lucky – my brother used to buy vinyls in black market. It was dangerous – for example, David Bowie was banned… I really liked him. Plus T. Rex and Marc Bolan. I still think he was great. Then were The Smiths. But, to be honest, I’m also in love with this brit-pop stuff and mod culture of 60s. Though my favorite band now is The Divine Comedy. As for my earliest musical memory, think it's strictly connected with Beach Boys. They formed the style of music I love till now and my passion about surfing, though, to be honest, I'm a bad surfer…
When I was about 19, I played bass in a band called «The Buicks”. We were bad. Though, quite popular. Got an album. Played on local TV and radio. Our aim was to attract girls – nothing more. But girls found our music boring – everybody liked Queen, you know. And we played something like Oasis or garage stuff… Plus, we were (and we are) ugly and stupid…
I finished two faculties in my native town – Journalism and Foreign Languages – and then, in 1998 moved to St. Petersburg to write PhD dissertation. You must know that St. Petersburg is the center of Russian non-commercial music, but this fact didn't influence me in general – I always hated “Russian” rock…
Once I lost a girl I really loved. I love her now too but it's a sad story – don't wanna deep in it. It still aches. Anyway my heart was broken – I needed a glue. That time I bought guitars and new software… Just started recording some stupid songs just instead of writing stupid letters to her. Thought that if I’d be famous, she’d be fucking sorry she left me. She’d be eating her nails, you know… I liked this idea, though it was stupid. But I decided to name my project “She’ll Be Eating Her Nails When I’m Famous”. To be honest before this it was even more horrible title. “Me and My Minibar”…
2.You are deeply involved with arts in general: you have your site where you share references from different creative fields, also is the editor of a magazine in Russia… What else do you do? And when did you decided to start making music?
I can’t say I’m deeply involved with arts – I just like to talk with interesting people. Majority of them deals with arts – that’s why it seems I’m in it. The only one thing I really enjoy writing. To be honest I just want to be a writer. That’s the thing, I’m sure I’m able to deal with really good. I wrote 2 books – “That’s me who killed a DJ” and “Spare Planet”. First one sucked. The second seems to be successful – though my publishing house didn’t advertise me, the book is almost sold out. Actually the book is about the chances we are wasting. And, of course, about love and this kind of shit. Probably it’s not as good as I wanted, but anyway…
I’m also associate professor in the Faculty of Journalism, St. Petersburg State University with PhD and this kind of boring stuff. But there’s nothing to be proud of…
3. If your music was a landscape or planet, how it would look like?
Like Afganistan. I’m kidding… Once I did a mistake and wrote “The first Moon on a man” instead of “The first man on a Moon”… Think this is like my music – stupid, simple, primitive but honest in the same time. Maybe like Portugal. Or Disneyland on Mars…
4.Your music is quite sad and bitter. Always talking about girls breaking hearts, break ups… What influences you and what are your references?
Because it’s always about me. And about the girl I lost. Actually she never liked my songs… It’s already 2 years we are not together but I’m still sad about it. Yes, I’m always sad. Because I’m always drunk… Sometimes I think that if I was happy, I’d never write any song… And, to be honest, I always liked a kind of melancholy in books and songs. That’s why I’m in love with D. Albarn’s song “Up On Melancholy Hill”. Especially BBC Lounge Session version. He is a genius…
5.You released a single on Holiday Records. How did the contact happened?Well, it was quite funny. One night I was terribly drunk. Wanted to listen to some new music. Found the links to Holiday Records site. Liked it. And emailed something about 12 songs to Jacob in the middle of the night. In the morning I even didn’t remember I did it. After 2 days I got an answer. Jacob wrote that all songs sucked but one he really loved. It was “Stay (Or Go Away)”. And they did it as EP for their Free Singles Club. I was fucking happy – that seemed to be an unbelievable thing to me. Then they also took my song “I Wish You Married Xmas” for their Xmas Compilation. Kill me but sometimes I’m really lucky when I’m drunk…
6. I’d like you to say a few words about two songs in particular: first ‘Stay (Or Go Away)’ - the song that introduced me to your music – with its Stephin Merritt-esque feel for its half proud half conformist feel; and ‘My Huckleberry Friend’, one of your best lyrical moments.
Well, to be honest I’m proud of these songs. I know, I’m bad in singing and recording in general but I’m sure they are good songs. Because they’re honest – I felt like this, you know… As for lyrics – usually I want to write simple lyrics. Like Marc Bolan in 70s, when he realized that nobody needed his serious and thoughtful poetry and did Hot Love…
7.How do you record your music? Are you a bedroom artist? Do you record everything by yourself or there’s actually a band with you?
Bedroom artist? I even don’t have any bedroom. Live in a small room in 4-rooms flat. But I don’t even need this room because I’m always traveling. Maybe I’m a kind of airport artist because I use to record my music sketches everywhere – in airports, on planes, in trains… Of course, when I need live guitars, I record in my small room. But, for example, the vocals for “Stay (Or Go Away)” were recorded in the toilet of Vienna airport. I use simple software like Logic or even sometimes Garage Band. But if song is good, you can produce it even in Fruity Loops. Melody is the most important thing. And actually I hate guitar solos and saxaphones… In my room I got simple mixer, microphone, laptop, bass guitar, guitar and old drum-machine from 80s. Sometimes I invite friends of mine to help me with vocals. But they're singing as bad as me to be honest. Maybe you're singing good?
8.What's next for She'll Be Eating Her Nails...?I don't know. Wanna record 7 songs of mine in a normal studio with normal musicians. Think, I'll do it before August in my native town. What else?... Then I'll become famous. And she'll eat her nails. Or smile for a second. I'll be happy for this… Everything we do – we do for the girls. That’s the fact….
9.Place and time to hear your music.
Maybe hangovered mornings in the kitchens. When cigarettes are over. And you're lazy to buy new…
10.You’re from St. Petersburg. How's the independent scene there? Can you recommend something?
As I said I hate Russian rock. But there are lots of good indie bands anyway. Of course, you know Motorama and Palms on Fire… In St. Petersburg I like Major Tom, EU, St. Petersburg Ska Jazz Review, Segodnya Nochju, Padla Bear Outfit… In Moscow – Manicure, Pompeya, Everything is made in China… There are lots of great bands from provincial cities – Dasaev, Cheese, FPRF… In Vladikavkaz we got a really nice band called The Shakemakers. Actually you can listen all this on my page called cheburashka. Sure, you’ll like this music…
11.Anything else you feel like saying?
I created the slogan for my stupid music. “Short songs! Long drinks!”. I’m always trying to follow it, you know… Plus I always love my own phrase «The Declaration of Human Nights” I'm really bored of those who are fighting for human rights. Sometimes you need to care just for one human Night...
site
bandcamp
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