Roddy Bottom talks to NATN
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"Now I can sing. I can get words across. I can play guitar," Bottum says. "It's a lot more freeing being involved with people who I actually care about."
Out of this freedom has come an entirely new sound for the musician -- one that surprised many Faith No More fans when Imperial Teen's '96 debut Seasick was released.
No longer was Bottum pounding through loud, heavy rock songs -- in fact it was quite the opposite. Simple, melodic pop songs reigned on Seasick, and the former keyboardist was on the front lines singing about relationships, gender issues, and sex.
It was a complete turnaround, and critics rushed to attribute the change to something unknown. Bottum's sexuality became most people's explanation. The musician has never hidden his homosexuality, but regardless of any effect this may have on his music, Bottum refuses to take all the credit for Imperial Teen's sound.
"I'm only 25% of this band," Bottum says. "It's completely collaborative. We rely on everybody's personalities and input."
The true collaborative nature of Imperial Teen is clear as Bottum rarely uses the term "I," almost always opting for "we" instead. The importance of this synergy is apparent on What Is Not To Love, everybody seems to do everything in this band.
Bottum shares lead vocals and guitar with Will Schwartz, and they both also dabble in keyboard work. Meanwhile, the female half of the group is just as busy, with Jone Stebbins on bass and sometimes guitar, and Lynn Perko on drums and sometimes bass. And they all sing back-up.
Aside from allowing Imperial Teen a range of vocal sounds, Bottum says the 50/50 gender split of the group affects the entire musical process.
"I think it brings in a sexual tension," Bottum says. "I think we feel sort of free to really let our guards down and the fact that it's women and men ... I think your guards come down in a different way."
The male/female dynamic of the group has also led critics to point out the gender-bending aspects of much of their work. On "Lipstick," for example, Bottum asks a woman "Why you gotta be so proud? / I'm the one with lipstick on," and in many of the group's other songs, the gender and/or sexuality of their characters is ambiguous.
"I'd like to think we're doing something in a sexy sort of realm," Bottum says. "We aren't gonna write, you know, a the-chick-and-the-dude-gettin'-it-on-in-the-car sort of pop song. We like to sort of stretch out and make it interesting for ourselves."
What Is Not To Love is full of songs about relationships which are made allusive and mysterious through the band's use of wordplay and imagery.
"The last record, lyrically, was a lot more literal from my perspective," Bottum says. "I think this record is a little more poetic."
The combination of Pixies-influenced rhythms and suggestive, yet endearing, lyrics on What Is Not To Love makes it one of the sweetest (as in sugary), dreamiest and most fun pop records of the year. The joy that the band seems to get from working together comes through in their music, and the head-bobbing rhythms will make you happy, too.
KATHARINE KELLY |