Orgy will be gyrating through area, playing shows March 28th at Headliners in Toledo, OH, and March 30th at Machine Shop in Flint, MI. Though founding member and lead singer Jay Gordon was feeling a little under the weather, he took time out to talk about the music, the tour and his career. In addition to being in Orgy, Jay started his own independent label, D1 Music, and he produces, mixes and engineers albums for acts such as Coal Chamber, Crazy Town and Linkin Park.
Author Marisa Williams: What is your home town, and is that where you live now?
Jay Gordon, frontman of Orgy: San Francisco originally, and now, Los Angeles.
Marisa: How did you get started in music? Did you come from a musical family? What were your biggest musical influences?
Orgy: My Godfather, people like him; it was a crazy time in San Fran growing up. People like him, David Bowie, a lot of crazy funk music and stuff influenced me.
Marisa: What instruments do you play, and how old were you when you learned to play them? How did you make the transition from musician to producer and engineer?
Orgy: I grew in the years. I started off with guitar, drums, and bass was my favorite. Then, I grew into producing when friends of mine, their bands would go to record and it sounded awful, so got interested in producing. As far as becoming a producer, with my dad, it runs in family.
Marisa: When you were looking to breathe new life into the band, what were some of the key qualities you were looking for, and do you feel as if you found that in the end result?
Orgy: I kinda wanted someone who would know what was up, that could deal with what it's supposed to sound like. I knew these guys could pull it off; I knew these guys had it all in them. I thought Jamie (Miller, formerly of Souls at Zero, Snot, and ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead) was an amazing drummer. I always wanted to be in band with him. With Carlton (Bost, formerly of Deadsy and Berlin), the rest all fell into place.
Marisa: How do you go about writing music? What comes first for you: drums, guitars, vocals or something else? Has the process of writing changed for you over the years at all?
Orgy: It changes all the time, day to day. Basically, I write about anything that's kinda going on at the time, or things that aren't. I draw from sources all over the place. There's no process, but I record as go along. There's no formula.
Marisa: Has the band lived up to its name?
Orgy: No, as far as orgies go, no.
Marisa: What's the coolest thing about your latest project?
Orgy: I don't know, just the vibe of the music.
Marisa: What is the scariest thing about being on the road?
Orgy: Getting sick.
Marisa: Career highs and lows?
Orgy: Low points would be stopping for a while, and the high point is success.
Marisa: What's your favorite way to travel and why?
Orgy: Planes, because they're fast, but I don't love 'em. I'd rather be on a bus, but planes are the fastest.
Marisa: What's your favorite place to travel to, and is there anywhere you have not been to that you would like to go to?
Orgy: Oh, we just went there last night, New York. Oh, yeah, and Europe, Japan, Australia and Brazil. Japan, for sure...
Marisa: What's your biggest musical fantasy?
Orgy: Sing with David Bowie; that's about it.
Marisa: If you were an unicorn, and you could be any color but white, what color would you be and why? Would you have any special powers?
Orgy: I'd be a black unicorn, and I would have, I don't know, I would have whatever special powers unicorns get. I'd be happy with that, and I would also have the power to make people happy. That would be a feat in and of itself. You gotta admit, that's a hard one.
Marisa: If you were yogurt, would you be mixed fruit, fruit on the bottom, what flavor and why?
Orgy: Fruit on the bottom; Jack Daniels and Strawberries.
Marisa: Describe yourself as either a dog, a cat or a cartoon.
Orgy: I would be long and lanky, one of those cats, like on Tom and Jerry, the walking cats that stand up, and kinda crazy.
Marisa: Do you collect anything?
Orgy: I have a weird flashlight thing I guess.
Marisa: Do you have any hidden talents or special skills?
Orgy: Yea, but I'd have to kill you to tell you what they were, or we'd have to sleep together, so maybe we should just skip over that one for right now.
Marisa: What's the most important thing to remember?
Orgy: To stay focused. I have a horrible time with that.
Marisa: What's your best aha! Moment?
Orgy: The minute we get on stage.
Marisa: If you were not doing music, what would you be doing?
Orgy: Directing movies.
Marisa: What are three things you must have with you when you are on the road?
Orgy: A bus key, a Z-pack, and warm clothes.
Marisa: Any advice for musicians starting out?
Orgy: Don't give up. It's not easy, but, you know, with perseverance and drive, you can get higher than anyone else, just by driving yourself to achieve and have fun
Marisa: Where can people find your music?
Orgy: All the usual channels, as well as www.orgymusic.com and www.grimeofthecentury.com
Marisa: Closing thoughts and additional comments?
Orgy: Thanks for having me, and I'm looking forward to seeing everybody on the road.
The author of 100 books, Marisa Williams earned her Master's in Writing at the Johns Hopkins University; for more on Marisa, visit www.lulu.com/spotlight/thorisaz.
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