Posted on

Award-winning Static People Go Halfsies Unplugged

Half People
There’s an adage in publishing circles that goes “novelists are born at 40.” In music, however, most rock stars are dead at 40, or at least their best creative years are behind them. San Francisco Bay Area-based Static People, however, are writing their own rules and in their book, 40 is the new “shut-the-fuck-up-about-our-age-already.” It does beg the question, however, “why this band, why now?”

“I feel like I’ve been kicking off since I moved to San Francisco in 1992,” says Dmitra Smith, whose multi-octave range and keen sense of the dramatic bring a rousing energy to the act, which also features guitarist Pascal Faivre and drummer Ken Shelf as well as a coterie of auxiliary members, who are brought in as projects require. “I started dreaming the ‘self’ that I’m becoming now when I was 14, but I had a hard time hanging my ass in the wind in public.”

Smith’s reticence gave way in 2008 when she formed Static People as an act of personal survival. Continue reading “Award-winning Static People Go Halfsies Unplugged”

Posted on

New Tune from Static People: The Late Projectionist

[audio:http://fmrl.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/The_Late_Projectionist.mp3|titles=The_Late_Projectionist]

Media_httpfmrlcomwpco_fhlab

The song is a better page-turner

Static People takes you to a mournful matinee with its latest track, “The Late Projectionist.” Give it a spin here or download it, compliments of the band.

You may also enjoy the novel of the same name by Static People’s bassist, now available digitally…
Get the Kindle version of The Late Projectionist. Here?s the complimentary Kindle app for iPhone (launches iTunes). As always, The Late Projectionist is available in paperback. Very cheap.

Posted on

Static People CD Release Party

Sonoma Valley?s most secretive music endeavor, Static People will release a self-titled five track CD, 9 p.m., Friday, May 28 at Sonoma?s Moose Lodge, 20580 Broadway, Sonoma.

Static People, comprised of vocalist Dmitra Smith, guitarist Pascal Faivre, percussionist Mundo Murguia and bassist Daedalus Howell (c’est moi) formed as a secret project last September when the four working artists discovered they all lived within blocks of each other in Boyes Hot Springs.

Since then, the band has diligently honed a ?indie art-rock? sound at a Sonoma warehouse in the shadow of a 19th century iron and stone gate that once contained the inmates of a French insane asylum (Faivre imports such curiosities for his design business). Under the guidance of multi-platinum producer Jason Carmer (Third Eye Blind, The Donnas, Run DMC, Kimya Dawson, Chumbawamba and Korn), Static People have made occasional appearances such as at the recent Sonoma International Film Festival where they played to a capacity crowd.

The 21 and over gig is open to the public. Tickets, available at the door, are $10. Doors open at 9 p.m., Moose Lodge, 20580 Broadway, Sonoma. An optional pasta feed is an additional $8. Static People CDs are $6.

For more information, visit StaticPeople.com or Facebook.com/StaticPeople

Posted on

Static People provides soundtrack for Sonoma International Film Festival

Photo by Cathy StancilSonoma band plays filmmakers? bash at Sonoma?s Little Switzerland

SONOMA, CA (April 7, 2010) Sonoma Valley?s most secretive music endeavor, Static People will provide a living soundtrack to the Sonoma International Film Festival?s Filmmaker?s Bash, Saturday, April 17 at Little Switzerland in the rustic El Verano area of Sonoma County.

Static People, comprised of vocalist Dmitra Smith, guitarist Pascal Faivre, bassist Daedalus Howell and percussionist Mundo Murguia, formed as a private, artistic project last September when the four Sonoma residents discovered they are neighbors living within blocks of each other in Boyes Hot Springs.

Since then, the band has diligently honed a ?post-punk-rock-opera? sound at a warehouse in Sonoma under the guidance of multi-platinum producer Jason Carmer (Third Eye Blind, The Donnas, Run DMC, Kimya Dawson, Chumbawamba and Korn).

In keeping with the spirit of the film festival, both Faivre and Howell will also be debuting films at the annual event. Faivre is an actor in the French language film Quand Tu Veux and Howell is director of the art documentary Life of Making.

Joining Static People onstage are The Dont?s (spelling intentional) , a critically-lauded San Francisco-based act. ?Fusing 90s alt-rock with Talking Heads quirkiness, The Dont’s create a truly eclectic sound,? reports CMJ.

The gig is open to the public. Tickets, available at the door, are $12 (gratis to credentialed filmmakers and media). Doors open at 9 p.m., Little Switzerland, 19080 Riverside Dr., Sonoma. (707) 938-1616.

For more information on the Sonoma International Film Festival, visit SonomaFilmFest.org. Information on the talent is available at StaticPeople.com and TheDonts.com.

Listen to Static People tunes at StaticPeople.com/music