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Jonathan Bree (Total Fantasy) : At the Trabendo Paris, France, 2023

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Interview : Jonathan Bree

Jonathan Bree at Le Romandie through my Olympus Trip, October 2018.

A couple months ago, Jonathan Bree and his band were playing at Le Romandie in Lausanne. I was very happy when I got a response from his management saying that Jonathan was down for an interview and pictures- I discovered him 7 years ago (along with Princess Chelsea and her legendary Cigarette Duet), and have been a fan ever since. Under the mask, I got to meet a man who was just as kind as he was dedicated to his art. The concert was amazing, and I would describe it like this: strange, hypnotizing and beautiful both for the ears and the eyes. 

We did this interview via email, a little while after Jonathan’s concert in Lausanne. We talk about his new album Sleepwalking, his time machine, the people he collaborates with, his music videos, and a lot more.

Jonathan will be touring Europe, USA and Australia next year, and I highly recommend going to one of these upcoming concerts!

Many thanks to Jonathan Bree, his band, Dolphin and the team at Le Romandie for their kindness!

Before asking you about your music, I wanted to get to know you a little bit better. What's a normal day in your life like in New-Zealand when you're not touring?

Jonathan Bree: I’m normally tucked away in my home office and studio, working on new material or old demos. There’s a few beautiful small beaches and bush-walks near my home that I like to visit for timeout too.

In what ways has your life changed since 2011?

I guess the main difference is I have been dividing my time between my own projects, as well as others.

Jonathan Bree and his band performing at Le Romandie, through my Olympus Trip.

Let's talk a bit about Sleepwalking! Before its release, you put online that great interview called Inside the Iron Curtain. Where did the idea of Soviet Union come from, and was that some kind of humorous but nonetheless "fuck you" to eclectism and maybe interviewers?

I just decided to jump in the ol’ time machine and take it for a spin. Helps break the monotony

On the album (and on stage!), you collab with three different singers, Crystal Choi, Clara Viñals and Princess Chelsea with whom you work often. How do you choose the people to feature on your songs?

I’m good friends with Crystal Choi and Princess Chelsea, and am also a fan of their vocal and musical abilities. It makes sense for us to work together, and we work together well. We all live in the same city too, so that helps. I don’t know Clara well but she sang on my friend’s album (Scott Mannion) recently and I also thought she had a wonderful voice.

What do you think of women's voices, compared to mens' ones?

I like them both.

I also wanted to talk about my favorite song, Coke. What's the story behind it, how did it come to life?

It’s basically about reconciling with an ex lover and agreeing to not hurt each other again. The themes are a bit dark, but the arrangement with glockenspiel and horns, and almost tender male/female vocals make the song sound light. It was a deliberate contrast.

I really liked the music video for Valentine as well. It was very funny, and I liked the contrast between the video and the lyrics. Was it your idea, and do you like Japanese anime?

Thank you! Yeah, it was a video I made with my friend Kermath, it was an enjoyable shoot. I’m not too familiar with Japanese anime, but I can understand the comparison.

Is it important to you, to maintain this balance between the sometimes very dark songs on the album and strange yet funny music videos?

I guess the nature of doing somewhat normal things (singing, playing bass, dancing), while being masked just naturally brings a surreal element to the music videos. I like it.

What can we expect from Jonathan Bree in the future?

In 2019 I’m heading overseas to play my first American and Australian shows, as well as another extensive tour of Europe. I will also be working on the follow-up to Sleepwalking. It’s looking to be an exciting year

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Too fast to live - Princess Chelsea

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