| Advertisement |
|
Local Guides
|
|
|
LEDERHOSEN LUCIL
|
by
Ric Taylor
September 18-24, 2003 |
|
Synth-pop oddity Lederhosen Lucil (alter–ego of
Montrealer Krista Muir), taking a penchant for electropop
performed in Pee Wee’s Playhouse, has fashioned a
Bavarian–accented chanteuse that is clever, cute and
creating catchy tunes that strike a chord with everyone
she meets.
“She’s just one of those weird cosmic things that just
happens and you can’t really explain why in logical
terms,” says Muir about her creation. “She’s a fun,
imaginary girl that I dreamed up and she’s great on
stage. Krista Muir’s great on stage too — but I get to be
me every day so I like to get dressed up at night.
“She adds that comedic element between songs but
when she sings it’s actually my voice that comes through
when she’s performing,” she clarifies. “If I could have it
my way, I could have two bodies and have her come out
and introduce the songs and I would sing the songs, but
since that’s not going to happen — I kind of took on this
character so I could have her perform my songs. The way
I express myself is through this musical theatre. It
combines the theatrics of the stage with rock and roll.”
While the blonde, pigtailed, lederhosen–clad figure
seems a tad surreal, there are similarities between
creator and creation. Since her debut cassette in 1999
and
the following three CDs (culminating with the recently
released Tales From The Pantry) Lucil is becoming a
phenomenon well beyond the Cultural Studies and
Communications Graduate’s wildest dreams. Lucil has
created and headlined Soiro Bizarro, a carnival/concert
that was the must see show this past July in Montreal
and now has secured a spot opening for Kid Koala, one of
her biggest fans, on the forthcoming Short Attention Span
tour set to hit hotspots across North America.
“Things have changed drastically in the last two years,”
muses the singer about her growing fan base and their
expectations of her performance. “It’s been evolving and
getting stranger. There’s always some weird theatrical
antics based on the audience participation level — the
more feedback the more experimental Lucil can get. But
it’s as serious and as funny as the audience takes it to be.
For me, I’m just having fun but there are definitely more
serious songs that are sweet and moving and if you close
your eyes it becomes a little bit more dream like.”
Since the age of eight, Muir has liked to express herself
visually, often traipsing around town in a pink tutu and
sneakers. Her current career choice is simply an
extension of that desire to create and communicate from
her own perspective. Incorporating all of her vices, she
entangles her music in punk, country, hip hop, and
Broadway, all with a jaunty new wave tilt — it’s pop music
in the most basic sense of the word.
“That’s what I grew up on,” she laughs. “In the ’80s, new
wave, disco, the folk music my parents listened to and the
classics I studied in school. I really love the camp. In
terms of performing, I find it more liberating than
anything else. If I could go back in time and come out of
Pee Wee’s pantry and hang out with the stuff in the fridge
that would be pretty much a dream for me.
“Theatrics are coming more to the forefront,” she
continues. “Musicians are realizing you have to do more
than just play music, kind of like Devo did, taking on this
whole intergalactic perspective, poking fun but having a
good time and making it really accessible. I think it’s a
really positive thing to be able to dress up and
experiment with different sides and bring new things to
the stage.”
With songs like “Doin’ The Ganglion”, “Anarchavid” and
“Meine Augen,” Lucil is a pop phenom who can easily
laugh at herself and still offer some thoughtful
discourse.
“I definitely think people can make a difference. You have
to do something if you want to make a real difference, but
it also comes in small steps. The absurdity of our
day–to–day living is a lot of what makes me laugh. I’ve
never taken a philosophy course so I guess I’m the
accidental existentialist.”
And while her dreams are slowly becoming reality, Muir
is excited to occasionally peer through her special looking
glass at the future.
“I see music videos, I see a kid’s television show, I see a
carnival theme park, I see a natural food product line, I
see a lot of things. I would love to be remembered as a
great and fun entertainer that made people laugh. Music,
comedy and art are fused and they’re inseparable when it
comes to Lucil. I don’t think it’s meant to be understood…
I think it’s meant to be enjoyed.”
LEDERHOSEN LUCIL
with THOMAS & THE EVIL COMPUTER
Thursday, September 18
Absinthe (233 King E., Hamilton)
905.529.0349
www.lederhosenlucil.com
|
Share on
 |
No comments yet... be the first! |
|
