First Band Signed To Korn's New Record Label: Orgy
"It's the chance of our life, we know ..."
Jay Gordon (voc), Amir Derakh (g-synth), Ryan Shuck (guit), Paige Haley (bass), Bobby Hewitt (drums) are the members of Orgy. Five guys with makeup and multicolored hairdos. But far more important, Orgy is the first band Korn signed on their new record label Elementree Records. So what makes them stand out from a thousand other bands who tried to get the same chance? What made Korn pick Orgy and not one of the other bands that would have been glad to get a chance on Elementree.
Jay clears his throat, sucks in air and breathes deeply.
"I know Jonathon Davis for quite a while now. He used to hang around in LA and I played in another band called Lit. I met Jon at one of our concerts and we became friends. So of course whenwe had the demo finished we gave it to Jon. He and the guys from Korn liked it and offered us a deal. They needed a band for their new label and we needed a label. They liked our sounds, we signed, end of story. I know it sounds incredibly simple and I guess it is, but who am I to complain?"
Of course nobody expects them to complain, but do they realize how lucky they are? Being signedby Korn, being the first band on the Elementree label and a deal with a major label Warner/Reprise, being part of the prestigious Famile Values limeup that featured Korn, Limp Bizkit, Ice Cube and Rammstein.
Jonathon Davis sang on "Revival", Dave Oglivie (NIN, Skinny Puppy) mastered their debut album Candyass, and it see,s like almost too much luck just for a single band. Are they prepared to face a lot of envy? It may be more help than is good for any band.
"Of course we know that we are one band among thousands who dont' get the support we're getting," admits Jay, "We're really grateful for it, honestly. It's the chance of our life. We know that it's THE chance of a lifetime. Well, a lot of other bands are really good and they never get a chance like that and it's depressing. Sometimes we feel like we're living in our own fantasy world, it really sooms to be too much. It's an incredible stroke of luck, no doubt about that, but we're really doing our best, we're working hard not to disappoint!
"But you know the best thing, the very best thing about it all is to be apart of a label that is run by real people, guys like us, and not some guys in suits!"
But even if they want to use the good fortune of lady luck, Orgy are not a band that wants to be a one hit wonder, make a lot of money and then retire somewhere at a pool. Music is their first priority.
"Sure we'd like to be able to make a living, to live off themusic, but we're definently not one of the bands who say, 'How can I make as much money as possible as fast as possible?' We don't want to sell for any price, music is too important for us to do that. You've got to keep a certain integrity, that's really important. You don't want to burn out and you don't want to have to tell yourself that you sold out!"
The story about the early friendship Jay Gordon and Jonathon Davis had is really intriguing. How did it happen that they would become friends? After all, Jon is rumored to be incredibly shy at times.
"It was all pretty simple. I know Ryan who played with Jon in a band, and he introduced us. We started talking and found out that a lot of our musical influences were the same. We talked about Bowie, Sisters of Mercy, Duran Duran, all that and somehow we just sat down and wrote some songs together. It's not a big secret and there isn't any scandal involved. It's just what happens when musicians meet, they talk about music. What else?" "Can I fuck you in the back of my car?" "The devil wants to ... sure why not!"
When pressed for information about what happened with his old band, Jay's good mood seems to dim a bit. Clearly it isn't something he is too keen on talking about.
"I think they're known now," he grumbles. "I think they might even hae an album out now, after our former singer sold the name ... they got a deal. But it's in the past now. Before we were called Lit we were called Stain, but it doesn't matter anymore. Now we're Orgy and I really have this feeling that we're going somewhere!"
It seems strange, that a band that got signed by Korn doesn't sound like Korn at all. Musically they're so different that it's hard to find a connection between the two of them. So everybody who hopes to get a Korn copy is in for a disappointment. But won't a lot of Korn fans buy the album because they hope that Orgy might sound similar? Jay doesn't think so.
"I think Korn fans are incredibly open for different styles and they know that Korn are always good for surprises. But to be completely honest, I think we can reach fans from two differen sides. On one side we have the major label, and they're not trying to market us as some Korn copy or rop off. On the other hand there's Korn, who gave the initial spark for our first release and who want to show their fans that next to their own musical style are a lot of other bands who are worth hearing.
"Nobody wants to hear Korn Part 2 and nobody wants to be a Korgy, well, we don't want to be Korgy, we're pretty happy being Orgy. Whoever wants to listen to Korn Part 2 has enough to chose from."
Jay Gordon is not too keen on divulging how he would label the style of Orgy. He doesn't want to have their style labeled at all. But toss gothic and industrial at him and he thaws slightly.
"Sure, we included some of the elements, but I don't think we sound like a band who belonds to the goth or industrial corner. That drawer isn't really ours! We had a completely different approach. We started out playing all that haevy shit, then we decided we want and need sometihng else and ew sat down and thought about it. In the end we found a style that includes everything we like, but is still pretty unique.
"At the moment it's pretty horrible in LA, because everybody is trying to sound like Korn. I think somehow we crossed British rock with hardcore trash and industrial, Star Wars with James Bond and came up with our very own thing! I think Orgy is a pretty good name for our stlye. It's not sexual, it's a musical orgy. James Bond, Slayer, Psychedelic Furs and Durn Duran ... ."
The band is influenced by the 80s, a musical period that si not always popular with musicians, but Gordond doesn't seem to mind at all.
"The 80s were great, a fantastic musical era, the most important one too! I think the music of the 80s looked into the future, they were really focused on a tomorrow, there was so muhc optimism and futuristic melodies. The only thing I really don't like about the 80s are the clothes. The clothes were pretty horrible, except Duran Duran, they were really well dressed and had great designers. Id' like to see us as some kind of freaky Duran Duran, and curious what's going to happen next.
"80s metal was really great, great guitarists, great melodies. It we really want to feel good, we're going to listen to some 80s albums like Ratt or Motley Crue. For us they are just as important parts of our musical background as drum 'n' bass and industrial. You know that whole techno and rave shit is really not so new, it's just a remake of old computer rhythms but they sell it as brand new stuff. I think as a musician you have a responsibility, you have the responsibility to move forward and that's exactly what we, Orgy, are trying to do. We want to move forward and we (want) our audience to have a great time!
Even if Korn likes to call the sound of Orgy "death-pop", their orgy seems to be really positive, even if a lot of gloom and doom influenced them. Jay agrees completely.
"Of course, that's exactly what we want, that's our intention! Don't waste your fucking time: live, let go. We don't want to waste time having useless discussions, we'd rather take that step forward and move on. Do what you must but do it! Is our motto.
"sure, we also have our downs, everybody has it, we call them our black moments and I think if our album would be human, if it would be somtehing like another band member, then it would be like us: Funny, lazy, moody, sad, energetic. Everything. Candyass is like the roller coaster of life, we used a lot of opposites and kind of wound them together.
Since Candyass is an unusual name for an album, the question where that name came from isn't too far fetches, and Jay was prepared for it, judging from the giggles and the grin.
"That's quite a story. I was in a club in LA, a bit drunk, and a guy walked up to me, he was a gigantic drag queen, completely decked out, wid, long nails, fake lashes, a dress, high heels. He, or maybe I should say she, walked up to me and asked me for my name, so I said I'm Jay. He just looked at me and said 'My name's Candyass!' That was really something, you know. Somehow we thought it would be the perfect anme for the album, even if it isn't at all about sex."
Of course that inspires the question what the album is about and Jay Gordon doesn't mind explaining:
"I think it's a collection of short stories, stories about parents, stories about good relationships and stories about bad relationship(s), different ways of thinking and everything told in my rather abstract language.
"We tried to create images, atmospheres through the songs, that sometimes you fel like in the middle of a big town and sometimes you feel like you're somewhere in the future. Some weird mix of neo-gothic future and post chaotic madness. e kept it really open and didn't try to force a message on anybody. I think our audience should have their own interpretations, their own thoughts.
