Todd Millenacker interview with Space Junkies:

The following is an interview with Todd Millenacker of Avenpitch taken from Space Junkies.

Wednesday Elektra [Wednesday]: Hi Todd, how are things in Minneapolis these days?

Todd Millenacker [Todd]: Very well thank you. It’s finally warming up and I’m about to start Ultimate Frisbee in a month so I have no complaints. Musically, things are as they always are - write, play, record - as always we’re plowing forward.

Wednesday: The last time I interviewed you was for a compilation album series you organize of electro-punk bands from Minnesota called "Twin Cities Electropunk". Have you found any new artists that you'd like to share with us at this time? Also, could you tell our readers a little bit about the idea behind the "Twin Cities Electropunk" albums?

Todd: "Twin Cities Electropunk" is a compilations series I organize here in Minnesota. Thus far, the process has been to gather up 10-15 electro-flavored Twin Cities’ bands, print 1000 CDs and then give the discs away for free at all involved artists’ shows. We also post the compilation online at www.tcelectropunk.com for download. So far, we’ve racked up close to 5,000 downloads worldwide. It’s pretty cool how it’s spread; grassroots marketing at its finest!

As for new bands, there are a few I’ve got my eye on, but time will tell how serious these bands pan out to be. One of my favorite local electro-tinged acts, Askeleton, have ditched almost all of their Casios in favor of indie rockdom so that’s sort of disappointing, but nevertheless their new album is pretty good. Mystery Palace is sweet! The instrumentation consists of two circuit-bent Yamahas, bass and drum set with no computer sequencing involved at all. We played with a band called Trophy Wife at our release party and they where pretty solid. They’re like the Killers, but a lot younger, dancier and better looking. I’m sure they’ll go places if they stay together. Our old keyboardist has an experimental project called Ka-Baalim I’m keeping an eye on as well.

Speaking of the comps - both Thosquanta and Mach FoX [featured on TC Electropunk 1 & 2] have new albums out that are well worth checking out!

Wednesday: I noticed that, like your self-titled debut, "Butterfly Radio" is released through Omega Point Records. We’ve covered nearly all of their artists in the past, could you tell us a little bit about how you ended up on Omega Point?

Todd: We ended up on Omega Point Records by pure luck. Before Avenpitch I had a band called the Fleshpeddlers. For the Fleshpeddlers, album promotion consisted of searching the internet for press contacts and then I’d email the rags hoping they’d review our CD-R in their webzine. One day, I came across a webzine called 100% Unnatural (which was a self-described "Poptronica Webzine"). I immediately emailed the editor and sent him a disc. About two weeks later, I got a call from Emil Hyde (the guy who ran 100% Unnatural and now Omega Point Records) raving about the Fleshpeddlers’ album and telling me how it completely blew him away. Up until that point, it was probably the most enthusiastic response I had ever received about my music and I must admit it was quite a boost to my musical self-esteem.

Shortly thereafter the Fleshpeddlers disbanded and I started putting together Avenpitch. Emil and I remained friends and while he was expanding Omega Point Records he invited Avenpitch to join the roster. It’s been really good for us. Not only have we been associated with some pretty great artists (Zom Zoms, Ming & Ping, Mystechs, Corporate MF and the Casionauts just to name a few), but it’s forced us to treat the band a little more seriously.

Wednesday: Who does what in the band when it comes to writing songs and how was everyone involved in this CD?

Todd: Up to this point I’ve been responsible for all of the songwriting. My main concern is to put out the best possible music, regardless of who wrote what, so I’m always after the guys to bring in some cool ideas. Darren is promising me a "mind-blowing" song for the next record and both Paul and Sarah claim they’ll bring in a couple tunes as well, but we’ll see, I guess time will tell.

As for the actual songwriting process - with this album I brought the songs to the band and then we’d hammer them out at practice, play them live and then revise them based on what does and doesn’t work in a live setting. Some songs were pretty much together when I brought them to the band. Whereas others, such as "Wouldn’t It Be Nice", went through 5 or 6 arrangements and tempos before we found something we could all agree upon.

Wednesday: What's your favorite track off of the new album and what is the song about?

Todd: I know every songwriter says this, but it’s hard to narrow it down to just one favorite track. Just to get the song to the point where I can call them finished means I saw something in them all along. That said, if I had to pick just one song I’d say "Dusseldorf" mostly because it’s so quirky. I wrote most of the song when we had a show cancelled on us in Chapel Hill, NC. We showed up at the venue only to be told the gig wasn’t going to happen. While the rest of the guys went out drinking, I returned to the motel thinking I had to do something to make the night amount to anything. I wrote all the music right there on the spot, which is unusual because I don’t really write songs like that anymore. As for what it’s about - it has something to do with arrogance, desperation, Frederick Nietzsche and Kraftwerk. I haven’t quite figured it out yet either.

Wednesday: Are you already working on a follow-up to "Butterfly Radio"? Anything you can share with us?

Todd: Yup. I’ve been writing quite a bit recently for the next Avenpitch release. We’re weighing the pros and cons of releasing a double album. Part of me thinks it would be awesome for an unknown band to release a mammoth two disc set, but then again, I don’t know if it’s logistically really that smart. Both because we’d have to eat up the extra cost, plus musically we’d have to come up with 120 minutes of brand new mind-blowing material. I’m not delusional - I think Avenpitch can put together 30-40 minutes of really solid music, but 2 hours may be pushing it a little too much (especially if we want a new album out in 2007).

Regardless, my goal is to make a "weirder" album. I still want to have our music based around pop songs. I agree with Ray Davies (Kinks) in saying that "the three minute pop song is one of the most expressive inventions of the 20th Century." But my goal is to really push the "sonic landscape" of the new tunes and make a record that sounds inherently wrong. "Butterfly Radio" did a great job of capturing what we sound like live in a conventional format, but now I’m eager to go off on a different tangent.

Wednesday: Are you going to be touring behind "Butterfly Radio"? If so, whereabouts do you plan to play and what are a few of your upcoming shows?

Todd: I’m a big believer in the Henry Rollins’ philosophy that unless you get in the van and go to the people no one is really going to care about you. I think, especially with electronic musicians, there’s this misconception that all a band needs to do and is post a song or two online and fans will just "discover" you. I agree, it’s worked for a couple bands in the past, but I refuse to base my career on the off chance that people will just "discover" us while surfing the net. There are far too many really great unknown bands out there all competing for their little moment in the sun.

To answer your question we’ll be on tour in April, May and June. We’ll be carting around Minnesota at the end of April and then we’ll be in Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Illinois throughout May and June. Check our website - http://www.avenpitch.com - for all the latest and greatest details.

Wednesday: What's your favorite part about being in a band?

Todd: The camaraderie - when something goes great; it’s awesome to share the experience with three other people I consider friends. Even when everything goes wrong; it’s great to know that there are three other people who have got my back (this often comes in handy for the occasional Avenpitch street fight).

Wednesday: If forced to make a choice, which do you prefer: writing and recording or playing out live?

Todd: I’ll be writing songs until the day I die; so definitely writing and recording. I do enjoy playing live, but it takes a little more work to psyche myself up. Not to mention that I don’t need to haul equipment, load the van or find a place to stay when I’m done.

Wednesday: Where can our readers go to find out more about Avenpitch and your new album, "Butterfly Radio"?

Todd: We’re on the web at http://www.avenpitch.com or http://www.myspace.com/avenpitch

Wednesday: Thanks Todd for the interview!

Todd: Wednesday, thank you for the interview and being so supportive of us. We really do appreciate it!

Wednesday: Anything else you'd like our readers to know about Avenpitch that I haven't covered?

Todd: "We’re an American band. We’re coming to your town, we’ll help you party down!"