published: 12 /
2 /
2007
Anthony Strutt chats to Jeffrey Greene from the Connecticut-based indiepop outfit the Butterflies of Love, who are back for second interview with Pennyblackmusic, about their third album 'Famous Problems' which has just been released on Fortuna Pop !
Article
The Butterflies of Love recently returned to Britain to promote their third album, 'Famous Problems'.
The group, which comes originally from New Haven in Connecticut, have released records in the United States on Coffeehouse and Secret 7 Records, and in Britain on Fortuna Pop !, which has also released 'Famous Problems', several singles and their two previous albums, 1999’s ‘How to Know The Butterflies of Love’ and 2002's ‘The New Patient’. Their melodic and occasionally psychedelic pop sound has drawn them critical comparisions with Galaxie 500 and the Go-Betweens.
The band is fronted by vocalists and guitarists Daniel Greene and Jeffrey Greene, who are not related, but who are also the group’s songwriters. They are currently assisted by Neil 'O'Brien on drums, Peter Whitney on bass, and Scott Amore on keyboards, and have now added a sixth member Jeff Mills, the Greenes' childhood friend, on guitar.
Back for a second interview, we spoke to the tall Greene, Jeffrey Greene, about the new album
PB : The last tour and album was back in 2002. At that point you were going to go off and record a solo album under the moniker of the High Barnets. You did tour as the High Barnets after that. What happened to the album ?
JG : I did some of the solo album, and then I forgot about it for a while, and Jason Mills joined the band,and that's a big part of what has happened. The band are now united in our efforts to get him out of the band. and that so far hasn't worked (Laughs). He has come with us to England. It's Jason's first tour of England. It's actually his first time outside of the States. How about that ? It's amazing. So that's the biggest thing that has happened and we also recorded the new album. We recorded it in seven days with a guy in a hardcore rap band called D`alek in New Jersey in his parents basement. Things are looking up as you could say.
PB : Are you going to finish the solo album then ?
JG : Totally. I did the solo thing, because I was angry with the band, No, I wasn't angry with them. The band is dynamite, but there is only so much we can do with the group because of our geographical locations at a time. It is strange that it has lasted this long.
PB : As this is Fortuna Pop's 10th anniversary do you have anything planned it tribute ?
JG : I'm going to write and read a list of all the things that Sean Price (the label boss-AS) has done to fuck up in my life.
PB : In song form ?
JG : Between songs 6+7 tonight(Which he does on stage later that night, but in a nice way-AS).
PB : The Butterflies of Love are coming up to being 10 years old. Has the way in which you write changed much?
JG : Yeah, because Dan and I used to live togetheer. We used to live in a warehouse together, and we use to write songs together. We were living the same life, and we shared the same experiences. Now I live in Brooklyn, and he still lives in New Haven and is married. I live in the city alone, and my girlfriend lives in Phladelphia. I have a complete different life to Dan now.
PB : Anything else you would like to add ?
JG : Yeah, Pete is the most successful member of the band outside of the group. He flew in from Las Vegas for this. He designs T shirts, which are just amazing.
PB : The last time we spoke you were working in an art gallery. Are you still doing that?
JG : No, I am doing alot of Artist in Residence stuff, doing lecturing which is dynamite. I just like to freak them out. I was only joking (Laughs).
PB : Thank you.
The photographs that accompany this article were taken by Bob Stuart and originally appeared on his website www.underexposed.org.uk
Picture Gallery:-
