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Switchblade Symphony’s Tina Root leaves L.A. to launch Tre’Lux
Mirror:
Okay, first things first, why did Switchblade Symphony break up? Tina Root:
There were so many different reasons. One reason is that Susan [Wallace]
and I became one person, we started to smother each other creatively.
My goal with music is to reach as many different people as possible
and, towards the end, we were only playing to one scene. I love the
gothic scene, but I just want to see more diverse audiences. But it
was so good while it lasted and it was a really mellow breakup so, some
day, we may play together again, I don’t know. I just wanted to
prove to myself that I could do something without her. M: Okay,
so explain the live situation. TR: I didn’t
think Tre’Lux was ever going to play live, it was just a bedroom
project, me and my computer and my keyboard. I’m going through
a private phase right now so I didn’t want to play a show here
in L.A. right away. But I was like, “Ooh, Montreal’s really
far away, I’ll feel safe there,” and Maurice [Roy, show organizer]
was so sweet, I said, “I have two songs written, there’s no
way I’m gonna be able to play.” He was like, “I’ll
give you six months, I know you can do it.” So I found Alison and
Jake, but the show is still in an experimental phase, so it’s gonna
be really loose, with a lot of ad-libbing and live writing going on. M: How do
you think Switchblade fans will react? TR: I really don’t know, but I’ve always been surprised. I remember a Switchblade show a long time ago where I wore this really bright, floral dress, and I was afraid the audience was going to freak out on us because I had turned into this pink cartoon character, but they loved it. I feel that that audience has really accepted me for whatever I do, and the scene seemed a lot more strict seven years ago when you were only allowed to listen to Sisters of Mercy and the Cure. It’s become much more broad and open-minded, kinda raver, so you see a lot more bright green, fun-fur coats, which I totally love because I love colour. Really. : With Midsegue
and DJ Satronica at la Sala Rossa on Saturday, Jan. 19, 9pm, $18–20
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“Tre’Lux
is much more loose, with more of a trip hop/hip hop influence, but it’s
also lighter, more sensual, and it has a sense of humour. Switchblade
was very serious. I’ve relaxed a lot.” So says singer Tina
Root of her new band, which graces Montreal with an exclusive gig this
weekend. Far from the murky, mecha-goth tones of her old duo, Root has
delved into DIY-electro with two live demos (www.trelux.com) and a cover
of Moby’s “South Side” for yet another Cleopatra Records
tribute album. For her inaugural performance, however, Root will debut
a whole new set co-penned and played with a pair of pros known as BeatDestruct,
namely “jazz keyboardist” Jacob Aginsky and trance-tech-house
DJ Aiko (aka Alison Hughes). The Mirror spoke to an excited Root about
black vs. colour, Montreal vs. L.A. and Tina vs. Susan.