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Thelonious Monk w/ John Coltrane |
By: Allen Starbury
The sometimes odd member of Goodie Mob is back once again,
this time with a partner-in-crime by the name of Dangermouse.
The duo are prepping the release of their widely talked about project called
Gnarls Barkley, which has already made history in the UK by hitting #1 solely
off internet downloads and they hope to make the same kind of impact in the
U.S.
With the stateside release of Gnarls Barkley's St. Elsewhere
coming soon, one half of the duo (Cee-Lo) sat down
with BallerStatus to speak about how the project was
contrived, where the music direction went and how it relates to much of the
singer's past work.
The duo's time in the studio resulted in a wildly unique and
different body of work. Read the thought process the pair went through to get
to Gnarls Barkley and what you should expect upon picking it up.
BallerStatus.net: First off, tell us how you and Dangermouse linked up.
Cee-Lo: Yea, me
and Danger met during the time he was recording Ghetto Pop Life with Gemini. I
did a remix for a joint called "What'cha Sitting
On?" with them. During the end of the session, [Dangermouse]
had asked if he could play me a couple things he was working on to see what I
thought about it. What he played for me was very interesting to me,
provocative...and ultimately, it resulted in what you may know as Gnarls
Barkley.
BallerStatus.net: What inspired you to call the group Gnarls
Barkley?
Cee-Lo: Gnarls Barkley has been
around for centuries; he's a wise old man. The one thing I can say about him
is: he is like the wind. I'm just a fool to believe I have anything he needs.
BallerStatus.net: You're know for your Southern style of
soulful music, so how does Dangermouse and his music
fit into the type of music you make?
Cee-Lo: One of the first tracks
that I heard was "Storm Coming," and the familiarility
of it was a Clay D beat break..."Get Funky" by Clay D, which is a
known Southern classic. I thought that was interesting, being that we were both
from
BallerStatus.net: The album is called St. Elsewhere, so talk
about the concept of the album and how it relates to the title.
Cee-Lo: Well, St. Elsewhere is
anywhere opposite of an issue, a problem or circumstance. It's the paradise of
the mind I believe. There's a definitive reason that you would pursue St.
Elsewhere and there's a definitive reason for it being an option or alternative
for a place to be. So, it's a piece of mind literally and it's peace of mind.
BallerStatus.net: I noticed that in a lot of the press
photos out for the project, you and Dangermouse are
dressed as parodies of characters such as the characters in "Clockwork
Orange" as well as the characters in "Pulp Fiction." So, does
that comedic vibe reflect in the music of Gnarls Barkley?
Cee-Lo: Well, yea. It's just us
not taking ourselves too seriously. At the end of the day, it's received as
good clean fun and that's what it is. There's no harm in that.
BallerStatus.net: How would you say the Gnarls Barkley
project compares or differs to the two solo projects you have out?
Cee-Lo: Gnarls Barkley in itself
is incomparable. It's the first of its kind, so it's not to be compared to Soul
Machine or Perfect Imperfections. Actually, all three of them are incomparable
in their own right, in that they can't be compared to either one, even though
they are done by the same artist. They can only co-exist in the company of each
other. It is evolution and it's a continuation of a sentiment of a statement of
a stance, and the common bond that ties them all together is soul.
BallerStatus.net: Would you say they are all different in
sound and vibe?
Cee-Lo: I would say so. The key
element is me and the presentation of the performance is very soulful, almost
like sinner's gospel.
BallerStatus.net: The single "Crazy" is getting a
lot of recognition worldwide, how has the response been for you?
Cee-Lo: It's well on its way. We
made history in the
BallerStatus.net: Why do you feel that the
Cee-Lo: I really don't know. This
particular album has two separate deals. We have a States agreement with
BallerStatus.net: Well, it's good to get recognition in
other countries besides the
Cee-Lo: It's a great thing,
because again, a lot of my unspoken inspiration is 80's pop like Culture Club
and Duran Duran. And of course, all these names are
ones that ring a bell in you as well, so you shouldn't be surprised that I know
them. As a matter of fact, everybody knew them and that was a time when music
was unbiased and it was colorblind. And it involved a great deal more people,
like it was on a come as you are type of basis. It was more about the quality,
then to represent or to be grouped off into a genre. So, I believe that when
the music unified, then so are the people and vice versa -- when the music is divided,
then the people are divided. I think that it can all be done because all music
is a derivative of the other. It is all expression and it is all soul music, it
has no choice. That's all it could ever be because soul is expression of one's
experience, and one's experience is life. And art imitates life, that's all it
ever does.
BallerStatus.net: When
Cee-Lo: I guess, if anything, they
can expect the unexpected. But then again, I guess, in some regard, it's traditional Cee-Lo, but what
is traditional Cee-Lo? Cee-Lo
shakes it up and is unpredictable like making a new and playing by your own
rules. You'll see that. My first priority is to expand and broaden the horizons
of my peers and my predecessors alike.
There still is a great deal of my idols that are alive and
well, and I like to be pleasing in their sight.
BallerStatus.net: That is something you always do -- shake
it up. Like last year, you did the collabo album with
Jazze Pha
called Happy Hour. It was different, but in the same sense, it was still Cee-Lo, as far as you being different and unique just like
all your music.
Cee-Lo: Exactly, it was completely
different from Gnarls Barkley and completely different from anything else I've
ever done. But, I'm the water, like Bruce Lee says, "The water my
friend." I'm able to shape into a form where I'm able to adapt to the
situation at hand. My understanding of fluidity is solid, can you dig it?
BallerStatus.net: I noticed this is the second collabo album you've done in the past year and a half, so
it that something you plan on doing more in your career?
Cee-Lo: I have the right too.
Being that I'm not formally contracted to any one label, I'm able to do
different projects simultaneously. So yea, it kind of would be a cool outlet
and alternative for my music, just to try something new out. Like I could be
like, "Hey, I want Kanye to produce me," so
I could see what that chemistry would produce musically. As long as I'm willing
and I like the approach of an artist, I'm willing to try anything. It might
start a trend all its own.
BallerStatus.net: Well, a lot of what you are doing already
is trendsetting. By just trying things outside the
norm, it can inspire others to do the same. That's a good thing.
Cee-Lo: Definitely. Any true
artist would agree that it's a crime to the canvas to paint the same picture
twice.
BallerStatus.net: What else is Cee-Lo
working on?
Cee-Lo: There's a new Goodie Mob
record in the works. We have a few songs down so far. I'm working on a project
with a few of my frat brothers, the Good Time Guys. Be looking for us to be
living it up in a city near you.
Posted:
Source: ballerstatus.net
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