Todd Millenacker interview with Star Tribune:

The following is an interview with Todd Millenacker of Avenpitch taken from the Star Tribune.

Electropunk: Officially a Genre
By Chris Riemenschneider

The definition of electropunk is still as open to interpretation as a Jim Jarmusch movie, but the genre is taking on a clearer focus locally with this week's release of the "Twin Cites Electropunk, Vol. 2" compilation CD.

The first "TC Electropunk" disc brought together 10 acts that, to put it in general terms, use a lot of neato-keeno electronic gadgets to make their music but are still generally rock or pop (not techno). Most of those groups and several more make up this second compilation.

The point of both discs, said organizer Todd Millenacker, "is to gain some respect for these acts, and maybe some gigs."

"It's hard to get into most venues around town if you don't have a drummer," said Millenacker, whose band Avenpitch actually does feature "real" drums but is only one of four on the new CD to do so.

Besides Avenpitch's frantic, New Wavey rock, the music on the compilation ranges from Telephone!'s coy, girly pop to Trashed Actor's hard-hitting digi-rock, and from OBCT's 311-like rap-rock to the bizarre libido static of Mark Mallman's and Ryan Olcott's duo act Future Wives.

Before you rock purists go imagining a bunch of Mac geeks sitting in their basements pretending they're rock stars, you should check out some of these acts. Yes, it's true, they use a lot of computers, drum machines, digital samplers and maybe even an electronic toy or two. But it isn't true that they're all just basement tapers. Except for Future Wives -- who will be represented by Olcott's new circuit-bender act FoodTeam -- all of the compilation's artists will perform at an upcoming release show, originally scheduled tonight at the Varsity Theatre (see next item).

"It's actually one of the requirements of the CD that you do play live," said Millenacker, who said a lot of these musicians play, or have played, in conventional rock bands, too.

One of the compilation's main participants, Telephone! singer Lolly Pop, believes the electropunks might be even better as live acts. Ms. Pop herself is so into her stage act that she didn't even want me to use her real name.

"There's more room to experiment with electronic music, and you're freed up more to carve out your act," she claimed.

I'm not going to lie: Some of the music on this compilation should be downloaded straight into the recycling bin, in my opinion. At least two or three of the tracks sound like they were made for Mike Myers' old, black-clad "Saturday Night Live" character Sprockets.

However, some of the tracks are pretty great, especially the New Order-like closer by the Tim Rally Gold, which I have no idea who or what it is.

And taken as a whole, the compilation's overall concept might be what's most exciting. Really, "TC Electropunk" represents a brave new world in musicmaking, which you also can see around town in acts such as Askeleton, Melodious Owl and Halloween, Alaska. Even if the "punk" in the name doesn't always reflect the sound, I do believe it reflects the spirit of this compilation.