INTERVIEW with DANZ CM

Music Director Ben O’Connor sits down with Danz CM, New York synth-pop musician to talk about her new album, the indie scene, Twitch.tv, and Radiohead. Be sure to check out Danz CM’s third studio album, The Absurdity of Human Existence, released on Channel 9 Music.

Link to Extended Interview

Benji: Hello, you're listening to WSOE 89.3 Elon, Burlington. I am Ben O'Connor, the music director here and I'm here with Danz CM formerly known as Computer Magic. She just released her first album under her new name, Danz CM. Say hi.

Danz CM: Hey everybody. How's it going?

B: Yeah, how you doing? How you doing?

Danz CM: I'm pretty good. Pretty good. I'm in New York right now. Just having a lowkey day, enjoying the day.

B: So I wanna start from the beginning, and I’ll start with the big questions. Where do you think your love for music came from?

Danz CM: I had been pretty obsessed with music. I think it started when, really when I was in middle school, when I was like 14 or 15. I started to become really obsessed. I went through I think, okay, so I remember like my first concert--this is gonna sound pretty funny--but my first concert was blink 182. And then, and then I got really into hip hop and r&b. My whole school that's like, all that everybody listened to is like Ashanti and Ja Rule and all that kind of stuff. And then I remember, I had MTV on in the morning while I was getting ready for school. And I remember seeing the killers and Franz Ferdinand on, on MTV. And so “Whoa, this music so cool,” like I had never heard of other than before. And I started to get really obsessed with them. And I'd go on online forums and just kind of learn everything about those bands. And then I'd see who their influences were. So like, the Killers is like, New Order, Joy Division and stuff. And, and I think my music, my love for music just kind of expanded. And then I become obsessed with like, like, if I started to be really liking the Beatles, I would feel like, Okay, well, I need to know everything about the Beatles, I need to get every record, I need to listen to every album in our discography. Um, and then I started a music blog when I was when I was in middle school, and then, and I think that's just where the obsession kind of happened. And I didn't play, I had no desire to play music, I just really listened to it all the time. And when I say all the time, I mean, like, one in your earbud in during class, like, underneath my hair. Um, so. So I had a music blog for a really long time. And that was kind of where the love, their appreciation for music was started.

B: So you mentioned how constantly absorbing of music and nerding out about not just the music itself, but also the background about it. What was the name of your music blog?

Danz CM: So it might still even be up there. Although I think all the images hosted are like, gone. So it probably looks really bad. But it was Youlovemymewzick.blogspot.com and music was spelled M-E-W-Z-I-C-K. It's really dumb. Yeah, it was crazy because you go back there like in the early 2000s I was so young. And I was like writing about Leonard Cohen and like Sonic Youth and like, you have to understand, like, where I was going to school was nobody listened to this stuff that I was listening to was completely alone or in the sense that the internet was and, and forums online, like, that's where I socialized. And that's where I could talk to people about music. But I was like the only one listening to the stuff in my school. And I remember my best friend Jessica, growing up, she was very into, you know, what everyone, everybody in school was into, like hip hop and r&b and stuff. And, and I remember I would just like drag her to these concerts. I was really obsessed with British bands, I would get that get the imported NME (New Music Express) at a Borders at the mall. And I remember dragging her to go see this band called The cribs and this band called the Kaiser Chiefs when I was younger, like these really cool bands from the UK. She was like, “all right.” I remember seeing the Arctic Monkeys when I was 16 and brought her there. And it was really cool. Because like, I'd go down to New York City to see the shows. And suddenly it was like, wow, all these other people here know about these bands. And where I went where I was upstate in upstate New York, this very small town like nobody knew anything.

B: Do you have any maybe like a favorite album of all time?

Danz CM: Yes. My favorite record of all time is Radiohead: Ok Computer. Definitely. I listened to that album so much when I was in high school. I remember like, driving down the road late at night. I'm throwing that record on. I actually did. If you want to check this out. I listed my 100 favorite records on Discogs. And it goes through like each record. If you just type in like Danz, Danz CM. I don't know if it's Danz CM. Danz CM, 100 this Discogs it'll come up? Wait 100 Favorite albums, maybe? My favorite records by Danz CM? Yeah, ‘My Favorite Records’ by DanzCM, it comes up and it'll give you each record.

B: What kind of music you're listening to right now?

Danz CM: Hmm. Right now I am listening to a lot of like really Kraftwerk. I'm also listening. This is like a very big juxtaposition from Kratwerk but a lot of like Bossa Nova music and I don't know how to pronounce his name but Cal Tjader it's C-A-L T-J-A-D-E-R. And I have a Twitch channel where I play video games from time to time and like in the introduction or in the intro before I come on, I like play some that that music but I don't know so like early Kraftwerk and then some Boston over here and there but that's like what I'm specifically specifically listening to like this week all it always changes.

B: I didn't I didn't know about your twitch channel. What do you what kind of stream on there?

Danz CM: So I've had a twitch channel it was at it's gonna be surprising but I started it before COVID I think like now there's like this crazy surge of Musicians going on Twitch. But I was just on Twitch a couple years ago, just displaying random games. And I've started playing Doom 2016. And this game I really like called Xenoblade Chronicles 2. But I was just, I just would play random games. And then I after like a year in or a year and a half in, and I was like, “You know what, I should probably do some music related stuff.” Because what was happening was I was I was just playing video games on my downtime, and then realize, like, Oh, this would be a great way to be productive if I also streamed it and interacted with fans as well. So that was why it started was because I felt like I was being, 1. being proactive. I was just playing video games. You know, by myself, I was like, I'll stream this. So at least I won't feel bad wasting all my time, playing video games. Um, anyway. So now I now I do music production stream sometimes, but I'll play.

B: You mentioned you were one of the few musicians before COVID who was streaming. It seems like it's a good way to get your personality out there more and especially in like, the modern music scene where, especially in the indie scene, you know, a lot of it is about having the personality out there having an active social media. Yeah, having fans follow you. So I want to ask what you think about the potential for using Twitch that upcoming musicians have for using it to help build up their notoriety or their brand?

Danz CM: I mean, I think, I think it's great. I think it's a great way to connect with people, I think it was definitely something needed during COVID. Because, you know, normally to discover a band without having the internet, you just go to shows, and you'd see a band that you would like playing and then to to other bands would be opening for them. And you'd be like, “oh, that they're cool. I should check them out. I'll get their CD. I'll go on their website.” But I think just Twitch is a great way to discover artists. Now. I'm not--I'm sure it'll still be a thing like once COVID gone, we can all go to shows again, but but I think it's a cool way just like to interact with people. Like for my record that just came out, I did a listening party on Twitch. And I went through all the songs, and I play a song and then just talk about it afterward and people ask me questions, and I would talk to them and it's a great way to support artists too. Because on Twitch, you could like subscribe to the channel. And, and yeah, I don't know. I think it's cool. I think it's a good way for musicians to Get get their music out there for sure.

B: And I want to ask, because you don't only make music for your Danz CM or Computer Magic, but I also read that you've done music for commercials. What’s that like?

Danz CM: So I do music for commercials, mainly in Japan, I've done a lot more for Japanese brands. It's pretty interesting. Basically, the company, how I got it is, in Japan, I’m a lot bigger than I am and in the States, and the companies would actually reach out to my label there and ask them, “Hey, do you think Computer Magic fans could be down to do this?” And if I am, then the company kind of sends me a brief and they're like, “Hey, we really like you know, these songs that you've done. Maybe something in the same vein as this,” and then I'll just sit down and I'll--we'll just write a song like I normally do, you know, like in any other day and send it and in Japan, I've done songs for Mayonaise--Kewpie Mayo for your Panasonic over there for like laundry detergent, for an energy and energy drink called ‘Body Maintain’. And then in the States it’s a little different. So I've composed-- I’ve composed music for commercials in the States, but it's not the same as Japan in that, like, these companies aren't sourcing me out. Like I'm just like working for a work for hire jingle company is. And I'm not the only person sent a brief it's like, you know, 40 other people, and we're all competing to like, make a winning song for for commercial, which I've actually stopped doing because it's just, it's, it's not really worth the time. But yeah, it's pretty, it's pretty surreal to I've been in Japan and like seeing a commercial with like the song on it, which is pretty neat. That's cool. But yeah, it's just a different, different. A little bit of a different vibe than making my own stuff. But it's just guaranteed payment, which is nice for an artist sometimes.

B: From listening to your music, I'm just seeing it in phases between the first record to Danz to now, The Absurdity of Human Existence, which is a fantastic album name. What do you see are the sonic differences in between, say something on Danz, and then something on The Absurdity--the new album?

Danz CM: I do think that there's a difference. And the difference is, in my opinion in, in the, the songwriting itself, I think that for Absurdity, I tried a new approach where I was extremely focused on the the, the lyrics and kind of capturing exactly what I felt inside. Whereas I think with all my prior releases, like Davos, and Danz and all the ups and stuff, I kind of just like skimmed the surface of what I was feeling like, okay, you know, these are my feelings this was going on in my head. Yeah, that sounds good. And then I'd move on. But I think for this record, I was really like, Okay, what, what am I feeling? Why am I feeling this way, and just kind of like digging, like really deep inside myself to the point where like, some of the songs I'd make, like, the song breaking point, I wrote out a pretty low period that I was going through, and I remember writing it and like getting so emotional, writing it, that when I'd like go and work on a song later, like, it was just, it was so exhausting took so much out of me. Because it was like reliving all those feelings again. And I know that that's not something that I've felt with anything in any of my other songs. But, or in any of my other music prior to Absurdity. But I just think that they're just a lot deeper for me that they're on, like, a different level. In terms of just the, the songs themselves, sonically, I think it's definitely, you know, it still sounds like me, aka Computer Magic, they're still like, you, you listen to those songs. And you might, if you know, Computer Magic, you might not like “Oh, yes, that's Computer Magic.” That stands. I just think like the productionI is a step up from my other stuff. And in my opinion, I think it's better but honestly, like, I everybody has their own opinion. But I think for me right now, I think it's like, definitely my magnum opus record, like 10 years of learning how to produce and write and, and learning Well, since and, and all this stuff, I think it's just everything I've learned, packed into one record.

B: And it's, it's crazy, cuz like, even on the first song, “Idea of You”, it has pretty intense lyrics. And, you know, don't want to have to force you to relive those, but what did it feel like? Like, was there a conscious decision to want to make to change lyricism, this much in between for this new album for changing your name? Was there a conscious decision? Where you're just like, I want to put it all out there.

Danz CM: I said, Well, the name change actually happened like after I had started writing the songs because I realized how different they were. And I think I was going through a not a midlife crisis because I'm not that old to get one. quarterlife crisis was going through. I had just gotten out of this relationship with a really narcissistic person. And it was really just kind of came out of nowhere. And that I'd never experienced something like this before with anybody, just like being treated the way that I had. And I feel I just felt like oh my god, like, I'm, I'm so nice. I'm so open. Like, I'm so trusting. Like, why this has happened to me is all my fault. And then I realized, like, it that's why I wrote that. That's where idea of you came from, and Domino came from and a lot of that stuff, a lot of those themes and those songs come from but but I think when that happened to me, I realized like, Oh my god, like, it's not only with this relationship, like I feel like I'm always I've always been this way in my whole life. Like, why am I Why am I this way? And then I would feel like, Well, why am I feeling guilty, like I'm, this, I'm not that bad. And, and my other self is like, the song that deals with feeling really bad by yourself. And sometimes, and then really confident about yourself others and, and that's where that song comes from. And I just think with this record, I really tried to, I was going through a lot in my personal life. And I that the record was kind of like therapy for me to make for me to get over all this stuff. And, and whilst I was getting over it, I think like songs like, I don't need a hero's like, kind of this, like, very triumphant tone kind of one. But the name change came kinda in the middle of the record, when I realized like, well, like, these songs are different. This is like, Computer Magic, but like, like you said, like, way refined. They're different. I just want to I want to shed the name Computer Magic, I've been tired of it. I actually wanted to change my name when I released the the Computer Magic Danz record. But instead of changing my name, I just named the record Danz. Um, but But yeah, I just I knew the songs were different to the name change is felt right.

B: And I think for COVID it's been hard for a lot of people and I'm sure, maybe it's pretty disappointing for you that you've hit such an artistic peak here, you feel with Absurdity. And then, you know, COVID happens, and you can't really play it for anyone, you can't play it live. So, um, yeah. How is the album release cycle for this been?

Danz CM: So I was, I wish that more people were aware of it. The thing was with this record, like, I had put all the money into, that I had for the record, into mastering it and reprinting the vinyls and the mate to making a couple videos that I had zero, absolutely zero money to pay for any PR, like a normal record was. So with this record, it was kind of just like, I put it out. And I got a I had the ability to get like a college radio PR but like for besides that, like I had no money to spend anywhere else. And PR is like $5,000 a month for like a good PR company, if you want a really good one. And like St. Vincent's PR company is like $10,000 a month. And that's like something that I can't afford. I could barely afford my rent. And so I'm kind of bummed in the sense that like, I feel like if I held out with this record for a little bit longer and sent it to a little bit more labels, like maybe I could have gotten a record deal or something and then have, have more people be able to listen to it. But that didn't happen, and it's completely fine. I think my thing was, I just needed to get it out there in order for me to move on to other other things in my life and just like sitting on these songs for, for a while is starting to get to me is like, I just gotta put it out, I just got to really sit. So it sucks also that I can't play shows and I can't tour with it. But at the same time, I know that COVID is going to be gone eventually, and we'll all be vaccinated. And I'm just going to tour then. And I also didn't really pour for the band's record, so it's gonna be like a long overdue tour. When I do get out there.

B: How was the album cycle for Absurdity?

Danz CM: With Danz I did a few one off shows, but it wasn’t, like, for Davos I did a full-blown, US tour, and for Obscure but Visible I did a full-blown US tour, but for Danz it was just a bunch of one-off shows, uh. But yeah, the next our will be, you know very fun ot just be on stage again and bea able to interact with people again in real life, not just on the internet.

B: Well thank you so much Danz for speaking with us here, it was really interesting hearing your new album and hearing you talk about it. My last question is, any words on your next project.

Danz CM: The next one is gonna be, just instrumental. I’ve been wanting to do that for a really long time, and I just recently scored my friend’s horror movie, and that was all instrumental, and that was really inspiring to me. And I think for the next one, I want it to be very, very atmospheric and.. I’ve just been really inspired by Brian Eno lately, and I wanna do something where, Not like Music for Airports where it’s just like meant to be background music. But I want it to be something you can just put on and kinda just zone out, I don’t know. I’m just really inspired by that idea, I think the next record will be completely instrumental, for sure.

B: Alright, Thank you Danz CM for coming on to WSOE, please be sure to check out her new album The Absurdity of Human Existence which just came out on Channel 9. Thank you, thank you. This has Ben O’Connor with Danz CM on WSOE 89.3 Elon, Burlington.