Electrical Umbilical Cord

I am committed to capturing those artists who embody raw art and Electrical Umbilical Cord is a Brooklyn band that cannot be left unheard.

As unconventional as the genre (described as Alternative Electronic industrial Darkness) and band name may sound, when band mates Wesley Thatcher (vocals) and Corey Crawford explained their reasoning behind both, the titles breathe innovation.

“We like the acronym E.U.C. and feel like it has a solid flow yet stays somewhat elusive … the idea is that we become connected to our music through our electronic instruments and in a sense it becomes our musical lifeline. It’s somewhat long and the word ‘umbilical’ can sound awkward but we like the fact that the name at length usually retains a response from people whether negative or positive… It seems to provoke curiosity or remembrance.

AVANT: Why did you move to NY?

E.U.C.: We both grew up in California and felt like we needed a new inspiration and felt the urge to inhabit a city. We also wanted to get somewhere that was closer to Europe so we could tour there as well as the states.

AVANT: What are your musical influences?

E.U.C.: Einsturzende Neubauten, (early) Cure, Death in June, Swans, The Wake, The Chameleons.

AVANT: How did you guys get together?

E.U.C.: We have been friends since elementary school. We started jamming in punk bands in jr high then experimenting with instrumental electronic music in high school and eventually developed E.U.C. when we were both finishing college.

AVANT: Explain the genre industrial darkness.

E.U.C.: We get flustered with the whole genre thing because it’s hard to describe what we are creating as just electronic music. People immediately have their own response or affiliation with a particular genre and we wanted to describe ourselves the way the music makes us feel instead of an organizational easy-to-digest genre.

AVANT: When was your first show?

E.U.C.: We played our first full show on our friends driveway in Santa Barbara. We had a makeshift pvc backdrop that ended up collapsing behind us. It was loud and raw with sound cutting in and out but our debaucherous friends made it fun none the less.

AVANT: What are the roles within E.U.C.?

Corey: The majority of the music is made and created between both of us. We both will develop songs on our own and share them with each other to add or write lyrics to. From there the song starts to take shape with lyrics sung by Wesley and sound design, synth layout and recording done by me.

AVANT: What does music do for you mentally?

E.U.C.: Heightens emotional outlets. stimulates surrealism in daily monotony. rejuvinates and brings closest feeling of nirvana.

AVANT: What music did you grow up listening to?

E.U.C.: Our parents infiltrated our ears with a lot of Neil Young, Jimmy Hendrix , The Doors and Roy Orbison. Our older brothers introduced us to bands like The Cure, The Cramps, The Birthday Party, Depeche Mode, Minor Threat etc… we both grew up listening to a lot of San Diego bands like Three Mile Pilot, Boilermaker and Drive Like Jehu.

AVANT: It is understood that people are too cool to dance today. Do you dance?

E.U.C.: We definitely like to dance when the music is good or the mood is right. Some people may seem too cool to dance or like to judge but when inhibitions are eliminated you can feel good shaking your ligaments and getting obtuse on the dance floor and you know you are having way more fun than the people watching. I (Wesley) think it just becomes muddied by pretentiousness or insecurities. We do a DJ set every third Friday of the month called “No Soul Dance Party” at K&M bar in Brooklyn and we have been getting a good crowd of people that come to dance and let loose.

AVANT: What are your favorite bands to dance to?

E.U.C.: Old ministry “With Sympathy” album.

AVANT: If you could be reincarnated, what would you be?

Wesley: A pteradactyle. i think it would be awesome to be the first flying reptile, a cold blooded creature soaring and hunting from the sky. Sounds fun.

Corey: I would totally be some sort of a cephalopod, probably a giant squid. Their ability to elude and change forms is quite impressive.

AVANT: Cereal or pancake breakfast?

E.U.C.: Pancakes or french toast but we are both pretty keen on breakfast burritos.

AVANT: Favorite late night dessert?

E.U.C.: Ben & Jerrys, or Ralphs famous milk ices in Brooklyn.

AVANT: Do you have any upcoming shows?

E.U.C.: Anyone can check our myspace for show updates none currently planned. Looking for European booker for spring 2010.

myspace.com/electricumbilicalcord

Their newest single, Heater can be heard during their practice session at Honeyland Studios in Brooklyn, NY.

-synmia nichols