Anonymous asked: Are fan sites irrelevant in times of email/twitter/tumblr etc? Do you like that you have fan sites/blogs? People can have pretty direct contact with you at the moment (pending your burst into superstardom lol). You have contact with the fan sites and things, but do you feel like you need to give them more.. or do you feel like there should be more of a barrier? Like there should be separation, or something? A distance. I’m not sure what I mean, but hopefully you get me..
VE: Regretfully, I’m unable to grasp the second part of your question. However, it seems to be somewhat related to the last question in this Q&A so I’ll save part of my answer for that. As for the first part, I have never created a fan site or been part of one for another artist so I have no opinion about whether they are relevant or have become obsolete, as you seem to suggest. But I view all the things you mentioned (email/twitter/fan sites) as tools that are available for anyone who wants to use them. For some people, these tools provide a voice. Personally, I speak best through my art. The rest of these media tools I can live without. But if they give others joy, if they give others a voice, that’s great. I don’t see myself as having anything to do with any kind of fan site or blog or whatever. Those are other people’s mouthpieces, not mine. If it gives a person joy to create a separate space online where people can discuss my work with other fans, that’s great. I’m flattered that anyone cares enough. But that’s someone else’s outlet, someone else’s means of expression, and I can’t comment on that.
Anonymous asked: If you could please act in some gay indie movie my life would be so much better.
VE: I didn’t realize there was such a thing as “gay indie movies.” Is that a genre that I’m missing out on? Would the film Shortbus fall into that category? If the script/director/role is good, color me rainbowed.
Anonymous asked: What do you mean by “But this verdict is misguided justice.” in your tweet? Like, it was too harsh? Or not harsh enough?
VE: This is way too complex an issue to write about in a blog and not have someone take it the wrong way. Nevertheless, I tweeted about it and already opened up the can, so I might as well elaborate. Ravi won’t be sentenced until May so it remains to be seen how “harsh” his punishment will be. And the case will surely be appealed. But based on my restricted knowledge of the case—obtained through conversations with a family member who is a judge in the district and a buddy who is a lawyer; and news coverage, mostly an extensive New Yorker article which discussed the evidence—it seems to me that Ravi’s actions were more immature, insensitive and jerky than sinister. Let me make it very clear. Like I said in my tweet, Clementi’s death was tragic and Ravi’s actions were horrible and wrong. I’m sure someone will jump down my throat because they believe that I’m somehow downplaying Ravi’s actions and/or Clementi’s death. I’m not. I don’t mean to be.
Some background about where I’m coming from in regards to two relevant factors in the case: The first, sexual orientation. I actively support gay rights. What does that mean? I participated in anti-Prop 8 campaigns in California, make contributions to the Courage Campaign Institute, write letters to politicians, sign petitions, and tweet/facebook repeatedly about my support of marriage rights for everyone everywhere. Some of the evidence suggests that Ravi may have cared more about Clementi being poor, tech-illiterate and co-opting their shared room than being gay. The second factor—I’ve had to deal with suicide and depression in my family. You come to realize that as much as you try to help, at the end of the day it’s out of your control. You can lock someone in a room to try and save them (I’ve tried), but sadly, that person is going to do what they’re going to do.
As far as Ravi and his actions, I did tons of stupid shit when I was in college, broke many laws. I bullied other kids when I was in grade school. I terrorized certain people. I have no idea why. I no longer recognize that kid who did those things. I’m ashamed of him. But that’s part of being young: acting irrationally and often recklessly. I don’t believe I was/am a bad person. I think I was naive, stupid and careless.
The two roommates barely talked. One wonders what might have changed if instead of speaking through social media and their resident advisor, they spoke to each other. When Ravi finally tried, it was too late.
Like I said, there’s too many aspects of the case to boil down into a short blog entry. I’ll end by saying this: I don’t know what the right verdict is but I know this one feels strangely unjust to me. What I meant by “misguided” in my tweet was that in these tragic situations people want answers and a person to blame and this particular answer feels too convenient (even though, according to my lawyer friend, that’s the way the law about bias intimidation is written and the only real course of action—if one disagrees with it—is to lobby against the law). Ravi will likely be deported, though he’s spent most of his life here. Clementi’s death filled me with sorrow: as a human, as an equal rights activist, as a person who’s battled depression personally and within my family, and as a Rutgers alumnus. However, for some reason, now, at the end of the trial, I feel even worse.
Anonymous asked: Do you believe in a thing called love?
VE: See my song “Cover Up.” That’s how I feel on bad days. Other days I’m optimistic. Love is one of those words that is too messy to define. So many different meanings. In short, yes, I believe. But wow, it’s a rare thing. Near impossible to find. And yes, I love that song by The Darkness.
Anonymous asked: How would you describe the idea and state you were in for each album, any songs you look back and think WTF or wow I can’t top that?
VE: This is such an expansive question. In the interest of time, I can boil it down to these descriptors, all arrived at in retrospect.
- The Fifteen Minute Relationship: test run
- Slow Down Kid (1): discovering, testing
- Slow Down Kid (2): tenuous, aggressive, strenuous, misguided, sterile
- Sunlight Searchparty: rebirth, searching
- Songs, Volume 1: Woodstock: limitless, abandon, in the moment
- Little Daggers: precision, layers, levity, methodical, solitary
- Looking For A Feeling You Never Knew You Needed: experimental, careerist, dramatic, boundless
- Aide Memoire: fearless, nostalgic, communal, pure
I have no idea what any of that means.
Slow Down Kid (2) has some WTF moments. I think it’s too polished. But overall I’m okay with what I’ve done over the course of my career. What hasn’t been released, that’s some of the questionable stuff. Conversely, I can’t think of any songs that are so well-executed or expertly written that I can’t top them.
Anonymous asked: Your music seems to always define exactly what is going on in my head. You have mentioned in the past releasing a box collection of all your music, is there any chance for new music this year?
VE: At the moment, I have no plans to release more music.
Anonymous asked: Hey Val - What are your views on celebrity. Your music is so raw and personal but you rarely delve deep into your own personal life (which I respect). Do you feel that in today’s industry, musicians are selling themselves more so than their music?
VE: I go back and forth on this. Sometimes I think if I shared more about my personal life, maybe people would feel a stronger connection to my music. But other times, I remember that what I love about my favorite musicians is the mystery. Even this blog sometimes feels too revealing to me, even though I’m only sharing fifty percent of what I’m really thinking.
This dualism is a problem in my life. On all issues, I’m pretty much torn down the middle. I see both sides. It fucks with my head. I wish musicians didn’t have to be in salesmen mode. That’s how it used to be. But it’s a different world. You have to self-promote. I fucking hate it. And it’s probably held me back. Part of me wishes that I could tweet something true and honest (not that I lie, I just filter). But I feel sort of embarrassed by the whole social network thing. I wonder, Who cares what I have to say or what the fuck I’m doing? And I get embarrassed for others who do it. I don’t know why it bothers me. So I mostly stay quiet and repress it and end up exploding in my personal life. Hopefully that turmoil finds its way into the art. Or else I’m extremely stressed.