Famines satiated with originality

The Famines

with the Angry Dragons and Hang Loose
Friday 9, October at 8 p.m.
New City Likwid Lounge (10081 Jasper Ave.)
Tickets available at the door

In a world where popular musicians are sometimes more likely to trash talk other bands than discuss their own music, it’s refreshing to meet an artist who makes music for the love of music, rather than record sales. Raymond E. Biesinger, the frontman for the self-dubbed “modernist noise garage band” The Famines has something to say to the cookie-cutter bands dominating the airwaves.

“There are too many people making that [type of music]. I find that when people ask what your songs are about and musicians say ‘well that’s for you to interpret,’ that’s a big fucking cop out. I mean, take responsibility for what you’re making. If it is just decoration and meaningless, then you can admit that easily, instead of just removing yourself from the equation. You’re an artist damn it. Stand behind what you’re doing,” says Biesinger.

These are strong words to back up, but after spending some time with Raymond in his studio, it becomes clear that he’s an eloquent, confident individual who lives his life surrounded by art in many forms. The Famines display their artistic merit not only through their energetic music, but also through their unique ways of releasing it to the public. Early this year they released a cassette tape that was packaged with a 320-page book of liner notes that included everything you could ever want to know about everyone involved in the process of making it. They just released a 7” that consists of two songs that will make vinyl lovers drool. These are just a couple of ways that the Famines are trying to stand out from the crowd and sustain their artistic image.

“I’m an absolute sucker for purpose in doing things [...] there’s a reason that physicists don’t express their theory through song and that books are so popular. I think that I would hate to be creating things of pointless surrealism,” he explains.

A musician with a history/political science degree is not exactly common. It almost seems surreal to be discussing rock music one moment and having a political discussion about WWI moments later, but that is how Biesinger sees his music.

“I think I’m a political being, a lot of how I live my life and how Garrett lives his life is dictated by ideals that we hold and it makes complete sense for us to have our songs be purposeful, have our songs well researched, have them posing arguments that people can choose to meet,” Biesinger elaborates.

Everything about the Famines puts forth an image of artistic integrity. From unorthodox album packaging to lyrics based upon an essay on the politics of the English language from George Orwell, the band does things their own way. In a time when bands are often made up of six or seven members, the Famines chose to remain a two-piece, facing the self imposed challenge of making as much noise as possible.

“We live in Alberta — theoretically one of the wealthiest provinces in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. We theoretically can do anything honestly. The most interesting thing you can do in that context is impose limitations on yourself — you can cut off a lot of possibilities and try to make do with less.”