Synth-pop duo telly are preparing to release the Episode 1 EP on 11 October (pre-save). The Brooklyn-based pair joined TGEFM ahead of the release for our Roll of the Dice interview series.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congrats on the release of your new singles. What can you tell us about Telly and your sound for readers just discovering the band?
Thank you! We’re a synth-pop duo with some mixed-in elements of dream pop. We’re really interested in digital and manipulated textures, but fitting that into a more pop structure.
What album or band or significant singles made you go “Yeah, this is what I want to do” – not just an influence but who or what was the catalyst?
(Ashlee/shlee Claude: vox, production) It’s hard to boil it down to just one thing but I think the age of “bedroom pop” and self-produced artists made me realize how accessible making music could be and I was super motivated by Grimes, The Dø, and Clairo.
(Max/mix Solomon: guitar, synths, sfx, production) I think the catalyst was hearing “Somewhere I Belong” by Linkin Park in the first grade.
With “Blink”‘s allusions to FOMO, I’ve gotta ask, What is Telly most afraid of? How do you both cope with the prospect of missing out on something?
(telly) we are afraid of nothing.
(mix) I used to feel FOMO about some social things but that seems to have subsided a lot over time. Do things that are fun to you. Whatever that is. That way if you miss an event or don’t get invited to something, it doesn’t matter as much. I also think learning to have fun alone is important.
(shlee) I feel like the older I get the less I really think about it. But actually, it’s one of the things that I like best about being based in new york, sure you’re missing out on plenty of things everyday but you’re also smack dab in the middle of everything.
We’ve all got a few, what is your biggest regret? A gig you turned down, advice you didn’t take, what one thing do you wish you handled differently as a musician?
(mix) I’m not sure there’s any value in holding on to any kind of regret. Maybe I regret not completing half-written songs when I was younger, because now that I know more about production and writing, I have trouble writing as freely and naively as I did then, and I think that’s really cool. Doesn’t mean any of those songs would’ve been good though.
(shlee) Honestly, the only regrets I’ve had musically are times when I didn’t speak up, I feel like it’s a world where it’s very easy to get steamrolled sometimes and I think it’s important to make sure my voice as an artist gets heard.
The world has undoubtedly been going through some shit. What affect, if any, have the cultural (and/or political) landscapes of the last few years had on your music?
There’s definitely a lot to be in shock and disgust about. There are 2 ways to approach this in explicit regard to creative output: 1 is to use your means of expression as a statement or activist medium against this “shit” or 2 use your means of expression as an escape. #2 is a more (initially) selfish measure to take but we find it works very well.
One of our obligatory questions in these interviews also tends to be the one I have found most important on a personal level. Who are some bands on your radar that TGEFM readers may not know about, but you think they should?
We are lucky to have some friends who make great music. Junius Karr is one of those friends who has also been an important collaborator for telly. Couch Prints is also making great music.
Now that the world has its hands on these singles, what’s next for Telly?
More. Particularly in the form of more EPISODES, and then eventually an album.
What do you wish I asked about or that you had more of an opportunity to speak about during this interview?
We’ve loved these questions but… we want to know what you’re afraid of.
Roll of the Dice is a short interview format with a variable amount of questions. A pair of dice is rolled and the total, between 2 and 12, is the amount of questions we can ask. All questions are given to the interviewee(s) at once, and no follow-ups are allowed. The interview may be lightly edited for content and clarity.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed’s musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he’s self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/
