by Alex Shtaerman
In today’s all too familiar landscape of cookie cutter artists L.A. Symphony sticks out like a sore thumb. With five members from different ethnic backgrounds and a unique style that attempts to bridge the growing divide between authentic Hip-Hop and pop, L.A. Symphony falls into a category all its own. Consisting of Sharlok Poems, CookBook, FLYNN, UNO Mas and Joey the Jerk, the group has built an iconic underground following and is certain to win over many new fans with the new album Disappear Here. We had a chance to chat with Sharlok Poems and get some insight into L.A. Symphony’s modern, forward thinking brand of Hip-Hop.
RIOTSOUND.COM: There are few albums that you can listen to from beginning to end without skipping a track; Disappear Here is certainly of that caliber, how did all of you go about putting this record together?
SHARLOK POEMS: First off we started out by doing 48 songs, so we did a bunch of songs and we picked the best outta that. We made sure all five of us completely liked the songs [that we picked]. Those are the songs that we all felt should make the album out of the 48. So that is what makes the album what you hear now.
RIOTSOUND.COM: In 2001 L.A. Symphony was set to release the album Call It What You Want but your label folded right before the record was due to drop; what was that situation like and what did you learn from that whole experience?
SHARLOK POEMS: I think the main thing that we learned is perseverance. Just stick through it and don’t let that one thing take you away from where you feel god will put you. We learned a lot as far as how labels work and how they function. When it comes to financial backing and you are dealing with a label that’s pretty much indy, a lot of times those people [put money into your project] when they feel like it. So at the end of the day it’s really up to the artist to tour and do as much as you can to make sure that the album is selling once it comes out. But if you get into a situation where it doesn’t come out then get ready for legal battles [laughs].
RIOTSOUND.COM: L.A. Symphony has a sound that’s unique and definitely stands apart from a lot of other music we hear today; aside from Hip-Hop what are some of the other influences you draw on and incorporate into your music?
SHARLOK POEMS: I think a lot of it has to do with what we listened to when we were growing up. We listen to Sting and The Police, we listened to Coldplay, Prince and Michael Jackson growing up and all of those types of music still stick with us now. Within our group you have FLYNN and he listens to a lot of eclectic music and then you have CookBook who listens to a lot of deep rooted funk stuff, you have UNO Mas who listens to a lot of underground music, you have Joey who listens to everything and myself, I listen to a lot of Coldplay and drum ‘n’ bass; so it just spreads out and I think all of that comes into the music as far as the writing and everything else.
RIOTSOUND.COM: As individuals you had so many different influences, how did you choose a path as far as where exactly you wanted to go with your sound as a group?
SHARLOK POEMS: I don’t think we really knew where we wanted to go [laughs]. I think together as a group, because of the differences, that is what creates our sound as far as the writing styles and production styles. We use the voting process with pretty much everything; we have a kind of democracy [within the group]. Most votes rule or whoever likes a beat just takes it and tries to make something out of it. It’s a challenge for all of us to try and write something that’s different and away from the norm, so that’s our goal when we go in to make a song, to not make something that’s already been heard. We want to do something that’s totally different. If it feels a little awkward we work through it and do what we can and if it doesn’t sound good then we go on to the next thing.
RIOTSOUND.COM: How did the group initially come together, you have members from many different ethnic backgrounds; on a creative level what kind of dynamic does that sort of makeup produce?
SHARLOK POEMS: Well I think it makes for a very interesting one [laughs]. As individuals we all have different backgrounds growing up and I think what brought us together was that as individuals we were all doing separate material and we were doing club shows, we were doing church shows and we just kind of saw each other and we were like – wow, there is something here we are all in as far as wanting to make this music. So we began to just hang out together, have barbeques and we started doing our own [separate] shows together. And then we said let’s give it a shot and do L.A. Symphony. L.A. Symphony actually started out as a crew, the first album was like a crew effort; it wasn’t really a group at that time. When we saw what we had after we finished that record we were like, let’s try a group effort with this.
RIOTSOUND.COM: You got a track on the new album called Pops Song, what kind of message where you trying to get across with that song?
SHARLOK POEMS: The message that we are trying to get across is that the role of a father is very important and it’s really a role that is overlooked. Today in our generation it’s also so much about – well, if you’re strong enough to do it or if you can do it by yourself you don’t need anyone. And the reality is that when you’re raising a family you need two people. You need a man, you need a woman, there needs to be that balance. There needs to be some form of a father there. You need to see some kind of strength from a male figure when you’re growing up. That’s the way it works in life and a lot of people didn’t have that – myself I didn’t have that. So for me it’s foreign to meet someone who’s – I have very few friends where both of their parents are still together.
And it shows in today’s society; you see a lot of women who are out scantily dressed and doing whatever it is to make money and presenting themselves in a way for attention. A lot of times that goes back to – daddy wasn’t around and I never got that guidance or had that male figure in my life so I’m looking for a way to get one – and that’s where it comes from. So I think for us that song is very important. The record was kind of like a nod to good dads and also it was to recognize that those who are around us are very important.
RIOTSOUND.COM: You’ve played shows with Public Enemy, Jurassic 5 and many others, are you going to be touring a lot now?
SHARLOK POEMS: Yes, we are actually just now finishing up a tour with the Alkaholiks and we’re planning to go out pretty much as often as we can for the rest of this year. In January we’re also planning on another tour. We are planning to stay out on the road as much as possible and promote this record and just get the message out there through the music.
RIOTSOUND.COM: When people go to the store to pick up Disappear Here what should they expect?
SHARLOK POEMS: Expect to feel connected, that’s our goal. We want people to feel comfortable and we want to relate to people. There’s something on the album for everybody. If you don’t like one song, there’s something on there that you’ll like because all of us make sure we put our personalities into the music and we want people to feel like they know us. And that’s the main thing that we want. We never want to make music that makes people feel uncomfortable or feel distant; we want to connect with people. And it is a guarantee that you will feel connected to the record once you listen to it.
RIOTSOUND.COM: What else should everyone be looking out for as far as L.A. Symphony goes?
SHARLOK POEMS: Look out for the video for the first single Timeless and be looking for us in your town soon. We just trying to get around the world, we might be coming to your home.
For L.A. Symphony news and info stay tuned to www.LASymphony.com
Comments