The entire little chit-chat we had with Prashant "PV Wonder" Vallury of the Chicago-based hip-hop outfit, Animate Objects was fantastic – just about every answer shedding some serious light on the subject matter we wanted to talk about. So many pieces of the conversation (which you can easily read below right now) stood out to us, but my favorite line has to be “While we may look out of place, we never feel out of place - we are too diverse of a band.” It defines Animate Objects perfectly – they’re perfectly out of place. No matter where they are, they’re able to relate with their audience; hell, even with just the people on the streets of the cities they’re playing. But it’s more than that.

Animate Objects are pushing a new version… a new generation of hip-hop. You can call it smarter, you can call it amazing, you can call it whatever you want… but boy, does it ever pull from so many different places and genres. They’re being recognized for it too, from their first victory in 2004 for best hip-hop band/group from the local media in Champaign-Urbana to their latest in 2008 as independent music award winners for best hip-hop song for their tune “El Dorado.” You can sample the sounds yourself from the new EP, “Dubs, Grunts and Things.” Vallury talks about the new collection, “So many fans of music think that the trend of copycat pop is something new but the music industry was built upon a strong foundation of 'creative reinterpretation.'  We're setting out to make clear that we are an amalgam of all varying tastes and styles, so hopefully we can emerge as a new artist, ripe for re-imagining.”
 
If you get your hands on the EP, you’ll have yourself a pretty good idea of the Animate Objects live show – they’ve tried to build these songs on the strength of their in person performance. Without a doubt, look into the schedule for an upcoming show and pick up “Dubs, Grunts and Things.” If you didn’t already, read on for more in the XXQ’s.
    
XXQs: Animate Objects

PensEyeView.com (PEV): Having been involved in music for a very long time, how and when did Animate Objects first form as a band? Was it an instant connection from day one?

PV: It was a process.  CZAR was doing the solo thing and myself, Steve and DJ Mabbo were in our own live hip-hop band (with a release forthcoming!).  I was introduced to CZAR and we put it together.  A-Dub was an easy sell, he lived with CZAR.  Zirafa and DJ Spinnerty were fellow members of the Urbana Champaign Hip Hop Congress with CZAR and A-Dub.  It was mos def an instant connection - the first song we ever practiced together eventually developed into what is now 'Bluebloods' which kicks off the new EP - so its been rather cyclical for us.

PEV: With such a diverse collection of musicians, what kind of music where you listening to growing up? Does the band all agree on the same tastes?

PV:  We listen to everything and agree on nothing.  Personally, I was a classically trained pianist, violinist and Indian carnatic vocalist growing up, so I listened to the masters of those particular crafts.  But I was obsessed with Motown and post-punk bands.  Groups like R.E.M., early U2, and the Police were in constant rotation along with Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and later on, Michael Jackson.  Then hip-hop hit in the form of A Tribe Called Quest in 1992 and I've been exploring everything ever since.

PEV: When and where was your first live performance? How have you changed since that first one?

PV:  First performance was at the Triangle Fraternity at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  We were thinking it was a one-off thing.  We've made so many changes since then, but the most notable is perhaps the fact that A-Dub no longer lugs around his desktop computer to load his computer based synthesizers.  Thankfully, he scraped together enough loot to get something with sounds built in.  Otherwise, we're still the same band - excited to be up on stage for someone, somewhere - making mistakes that we hope only we hear.

PEV: What can fans expect from your new EP "Dubs, Grunts and Things"?

PV:  Fans of our live show have lamented that our debut record never seemed to capture the energy of the live set.  So we tried our level best to replicate that - albeit on a budget - by doing all the production in house.  And for those that dig the soulful nature of the band, we wanted to share 'Look to the Sun' which we have been dying to release for a few years now.

PEV: How is "Dubs, Grunts and Things" different from other music out today?

PV:  I think the first thing you hear on the record -  a reference to the cookie-cutter pop music that prevails, is our mission statement.  So many fans of music think that the trend of copycat pop is something new but the music industry was built upon a strong foundation of 'creative reinterpretation.'  We're setting out to make clear that we are an amalgam of all varying tastes and styles, so hopefully we can emerge as a new artist, ripe for re-imagining.

PEV: When you sit down to write music, what kind of environment do your surround yourselves in?

PV:  We just hope the environment is free from smells that melt our innards.  Otherwise, we've written in warehouses, homes, apartments and perhaps most often, on stage during an improvisational portion of our set.

PEV: What is your take on the current mainstream music scene today? Where do you see Animate Objects making the biggest impact?

PV:  I think the industry has gone full circle.  It appears that we are starting over again, perhaps when music really had its 'big boom' commercially in the 1950's with the Rockabilly, Skiffle and Jazz giants that permeated the scene.  We have all the imitations, innovations and exploitations that accompany it.  I think that there is a frustration with the lack of creativity in much of the 'bigger' genres - i.e. rock, and hip-hop but in other fields, great strides are being made, with artists like M.I.A. making significant gains in mainstream culture.  I think that with our unique background, sound and look, we may make an impact in alternative markets, colleges and perhaps more 'pensive' listeners - not just intellectuals - but rather those music heads that want to understand and deconstruct a song from inside out.  I really feel insulted when someone says we play music for 'smart' people - as if to imply that an advanced degree is required to enjoy a certain style of music.  Simply put, if you like to deconstruct and rebuild - we're a good band for you, lyrically and musically.  

PEV: How has your musical styling changed since your first years in music or over the years?

PV:  Well, prior to joining this band, I spent most of my time playing sonatas by Muzio Clementi - I enjoyed it that much.  So I would say that while that fire still burns, the skills to play classical instruments has wholly diminished.  Since joining this band, we have gone from more of a heavier sounding funk band to a more soulful and organic group.  But if recent trends from the songwriters indicate, we might be on the move again - this time exploring ambient electronica and synthesizers and the broken beat stylings prevalent in the UK.

PEV: Tell us about the first time you stepped into a recording studio as a band. What was going through your head?

PV:  It was a recording session in 2003 for Green Street Records.  We went in to record the song 'FlipCut' later to be renamed 'Riding (In Fast Cars With Your Momma)'  It was at Pogo Studios in Champaign, where bands like HUM cut their teeth ten years earlier.  Mark Rubel, the head of the studio, is a legend in Champaign and a wonderful bass player.  So for me, personally, I was mortified.  I had only been playing the bass for a year and a half at this point.  We had photographers documenting us, the kids who ran the label were watching us and CZAR and A-Dub decided to argue about something.  The rest of us just watched.  After a truce was entered, we played and played and played, and I've been addicted ever since.

PEV: No strangers to touring, what is "road life" like for you? What are the best and worst parts?

PV:  For me, the only drawback is having to be on call, all day, since we are a large band with a unique setup.  I LOVE waking up every morning in a foreign place.  I just wish I had more time to wander around and really get to understand a place before I leave it.  Who knows, I might just end up leaving Chicago for this place.  It's especially rewarding to share it with this ragtag bunch, since we have such different upbringings.  Watching A-Dub converse with the locals in his broken Spanish while we were on tour in Honduras was something to behold.  Walking through Harlem and Compton with Steve is another such moment.  While we may look out of place, we never feel out of place - we are too diverse of a band.  

PEV: In all your travels, which city (International or US) do you think offers the best music scene? Why?

PV:  Based on where we have been, I would say that it is a tie between Austin, TX and New York, NY.  I know it is a cliché answer.  A-Dub and I had the pleasure of attending SXSW in 2007 and it was mind-blowing.  My cousin is in a phenomenal project, Canopy, making waves there and he is just part of a greater scene.  We got to headline a showcase at the 2008 CMJ Music Marathon and no matter where we went; we saw some great band from Brooklyn.  If I were to base it off my personal travels, London and Paris would also be up there.  I would give anything to have a few years to sit and write in London and Paris.
 
PEV: Who is currently in your CD player or on your iPod right now?

PV:  I just acquired the samples Q-Tip used for 'the Renaissance' which I thought was the best album of 2008.  Then we started following each other on Twitter and he posted for all to see that he was about to work on the reels from the shelved Kamaal the Abstract project from 2002.  I have a rare promo release on vinyl.  I'm now bumping that in anticipation.  Otherwise, I've been bumping Joe Jackson's 'Look Sharp!', the new TV on the Radio and the Four Tops' - Changing Times.

PEV: Is there an up and coming band that you think we should all be listening to?

PV:  Yes, us.  And if we are not an appropriate answer, then Canopy, Andrew Collberg, and Caravan of Thieves - the latter two having been artists we saw at CMJ.

PEV: Having played with several elite artists in the business who would you wish to collaborate with that you have not had a chance to yet?

PV:  I'd just love to have Q-Tip, Mark Ronson, and ?uesto sitting in the control room with Tom Dowd at the board.  It might be a challenge to achieve at this point.

PEV: What do your friends and family think about your musical career? What's it like when you get to play your hometown?

PV:  I have the most supportive family one could ask for.  As I write this, I just turned down a potential job offer from a very nice law firm because if I were fortunate enough to receive an offer, I would have to quit this band and move upstate.  My parents fully supported this decision.  So now I'm still looking for a means to pay my student loans.  

Frankly, playing Chicago is rough.  Its a very tough town and music heads here are rarely willing to show support until you leave town and make it big somewhere else - then all the cries of 'don't leave us' begin.  Just ask Common and Kanye. They got big elsewhere first and then came home.

But if you are fortunate and talented enough to win these hearts over, you will never want to leave.  Chicago has more heart than any other town I have ever been in or anticipate going to - save perhaps for New Orleans.

PEV: What has been the most memorable part of your career as Animate Objects so far? Why?

PV:  Right now, it was winning our first award, for best hip-hop band/group from the local media in Champaign-Urbana in 2004.  We had left town to make our move to Chicago and here we come back to a packed house, cheers when our name was called, and I got to give a speech while being heckled by a fan who wanted another winner.  It perfectly sums up our career to this point.  No matter what happens, good or bad, it’s an entertaining story and often leaves us scratching our heads asking, 'How the hell did we get here now?'  We've won many awards since, played a ton of memorable shows, but you can never forget your humble and fortuitous beginnings in that wonderful college town.

PEV: What is one thing we'd be surprised to hear about the members of Animate Objects?

PV:  Our DJ is a dentist.  Literally.  Licensed and practicing in Illinois, probably drilling someone's face as we speak.  In fact, one of my favorite things to do is surprise people who think we are just a bunch of stupid kids playing music everyday.  Anytime I read a contract, someone offers to help me interpret the language.  When I explain to them that I am a licensed attorney, the look of shock and horror on their faces leaves me laughing.  It's hilarious.  Each of us have moments like that.  Just ask Steve what its like when he tells someone that he is the lead guitarist and one of the songwriters in an award-winning hip-hop band from Chicago.  That right there is worth the price of admission.  

PEV: Where do you think the band will be in 10 years?

PV:  I really hope we are overseas touring somewhere.  But in all likelihood, we'll be stranded on a highway, having run out of gas, on a way to a show in Decatur, Illinois.  Mabbo will be eating a FiberOne bar.

PEV: What one word best describes Animate Objects?

PV:  Aberrant.  We do nothing by the book.  Including the very act of reading the book.  We start from the middle, turn left and then tear it to shreds.

PEV: So, what is next for Animate Objects?

PV:  I'm awaiting a response to a question I posed a friend about the best places to eat and shop for records in Iowa City.  I've been waiting two days.  I'll sit here and wait until I have my answer.

For more information on Animate Objects, check out: www.animate-objects.com