I first met Travis Egedy of Pictureplane when I walked into the IHC office and noticed there was someone sleeping on the couch. Like, really zonked out. Total R.E.M.
This was mystifying, because it was 11 a.m. and everyone in the office was blasting music, taking calls, yelling at Peggy the office canine, and making enough clangor to awaken a hibernating bear. Pretty sure an intern was crying, as they do. The fact that this person was sleeping through this was thoroughly impressive.
When Franki (IHC head-dude) told me the sleeping beauty was Pictureplane, I immediately wanted to crawl in bed with him and do a bedside interview. Is that weird? It must have been, because when he woke up and I asked him if I could, he just giggled.
He was shooting the video for “Hyper Real” at the time, and was too busy to talk just then, but I wrote up a bunch of questions for him on the spot so I could ask him later. Admittedly, a lot of them were sleep-related. Why? Because I’m sick of reading about people’s “#inspirations.” I want to know how they sleep.
Also of interest is the “Hyper Real” shoot and video which just premiered on Entertainment Weekly, his Denver roots (I’m also from Denver, so hai … WEED), the meaning of “realness” and … S&M? Yep; S&M.
Let’s get into it, then. Here’s my on-the-spot Pictureplane interview.
What was it like working on a video for 1NFINITY? All I know about it is there are goths, face-melting, and people making out. Speaking of, how do you want people to feel watching this video? It was such a rad experience! I have had dreams of making a horror film with handmade special effects and gore since I was a little kid, and that is basically what we did … so it was sort of like a dream for me! I wanted the video to be in contrast to the song, which is really pop-y and fun … I wanted the video to be dark and genuinely scary.
How do you sleep after shooting a music video like that? What did you dream about? We were up shooting until literally 6am! I can’t remember any of my dreams that night, we were all so tired.
Speaking of sleeping, let’s talk about it … I’m just gonna ask you creepy questions about it. What’s your favorite position? I love sleeping. I like sleeping on my side, and sometimes there is just a really special person whose body perfectly fits in to yours when you sleep. That is nice, but rare.
What’s your morning ritual? I enjoy getting up and making tea and cooking lunch or breakfast and reading books … listening to some free jazz or some native American flute music. Some music that relaxes me and massages my brain. I think checking Twitter and Instagram is part of that ritual too.
You’re our second-ever 1NFINITY artist. What kind of feels does that give you? IHEARTCOMIX has always showed me so much love, and we have had so many good times together! It’s a privilege to work with them!
Thank you. How do you and Franki know each other? He threw some really great Pictureplane shows in LA in like 2010. He always supported me and went on a two week tour together in 2011. It’s easy to bond with people when you are on tour.
You lived in Rhinoceropolis, which was a DIY art/ music warehouse in Denver, and now you’re sleeping on Franki’s couch. Do you have a home? What was that like and how did it influence your creative projects? Rhinoceropolis is a very special place that really changed my life and made me in to the person I am today. It was a collective of artists and musicians and we all worked hard together to really transform the underground in Denver and ourselves in the process. Yes i have a home! Lol! I live in Brooklyn. I travel a lot, so I am used to sleeping on floors and couches. I love it. It’s a DIY lifestyle.
How do you go about creating a punk persona when you’re an electronic artist? What kind of response have you gotten to that? How did you get people to mosh at electronic shows? There has been tons of music throughout history that is electronic but totally punk in spirit. I like music that is loud, fucked up, physical and visceral. Electronic music can be all these things of course. I didn’t even really try to “create” this persona, it’s just who I am. A lot of it comes from living in a crazy art punk house for six years. People don’t really “mosh” at Pictureplane shows anymore, but i kind of wish they did. All the moshing happens at rap shows now. It’s rad. Rap is super punk again right now.
You talk a lot about “Realness.” Please explain. Well real is a feeling! An intuition. “Real” is very subjective and can mean a lot of things to a lot of people.
Speaking of reality, which of the following should be the realest? Burger meat, voices in your head, restless leg syndrome, or love at first sight? I am not trying to fuck with fake burger meat.
You recently did an S&M-inspired art project in Brooklyn, you have a song called “Power Exchange,” and you have a collaboration album with Young Lauderdale and Mister Belvedere with dominatrix-y album art. What draws you to S&M? Is 50 Shades of Gray the Starbucks of S&M? I was drawn to S&M at first just because I really liked it visually. Black latex and leather, bondage masks; it’s just a good look stylistically. I think the S&M scene is really just people exploring their bodies and their inner desires and fantasies, which I fully support. And yes that 50 Shades of Gray movie looks so lame! Haha.
Are there any other aspects of kink you’re drawn to? I think its just really important to have fun with your sexuality. Why oppress yourself or be close minded when it comes to sex?
Exactly. Any sex tips? Try not to hurt peoples feelings I guess. Ha!
Who are you listening to right now? Bones, Civilized, Slug Christ, Vapordog,
If you could go to space, would you? What if you could never come back? Hell yes I would go to space! I would want to come back to earth though. I like it here.
If you were a ghost, how would you haunt someone? I wouldn’t want to haunt someone, that is just rude.
What’s the most overrated cheese? Goat cheese or blue cheese.
Thank you for your honesty. Will you try to remain DIY and underground-ish, or are you thirsty for fame? I want both really.
You design all of your album covers and t-shirts. Where do you get the ideas for your designs? If you had to design an IHC t-shirt, what would you put on it? My ideas come from all over the place and are mostly about my interests at any given time. chaos magic, the occult, ancient civilizations and knowledge, sexuality, alternative history and archaeology.
What’s your favorite album cover that’s not one of your own? The first Ministry album.
This interview happened before we booked Pictureplane to play Austin Party Weekend, so unfortunately, I didn’t get to ask him about that. But don’t you worry, if I don’t do it down at SXSW, someone else will. Check him out at the IHC showcase on Wednesday, March 18th @ The Main. RSVP@AustinPartyWeekend.com.
