Interview: Kurt Feldman (Ice Choir)
80s romantic Kurt Feldman of Ice Choir talks to us about video games, the 80s, babes, and what he’s been up to lately this summer.
Can you explain what happened with Milf & Teen Gallery promoting “Afar” on twitter?
Well, as you know, since John Peel died in 2004, the only dependable source for discovering quality new indie music has been the Milf & Teen Gallery. Am I surprised that M&TG gave the ‘Choir some serious props on our wildly successful and critically acclaimed debut album? No, it was really only a matter of time. Getting their seal of approval feels good though, you know?
Where did the name “Ice Choir” originate from?
I think i wrote the song “The Ice Choir” first and then named the band the same thing because i’m not very creative. Coincidentally, it’s also a patch for an Ensoniq synth.
Since “Afar” was written on tour and described a sort of isolation, what will your next release reflect?
i’ll let you know when i write it.
What was the inspiration behind the design for your album cover for ‘Afar’? Other than the 80’s vibe of the album, I felt a little bit of japanese / anime influences.
D.V. Caputo, the artist who did the album cover, is into anime, so i’m sure that was intentional. Patrick and I also collected a bunch of images to use as a mood board for the cover. A few things i can remember being in there were Eizin Suzuki, Hiroshi Nagai and also some stills from Sentinel Returns and Out Of This World which are some atmospheric/artsy videogames from the 90’s.
Name a few of your favorite video games / video game soundtracks? Are you planning to produce any more soundtracks for video games? Have you experimented with creating your own video games or maps for video games?
Yeah, i’m working on a soundtrack for a game called Gunsport which will be on PS4 and Xbox. I actually designed a game in 2010 for iOS called TileWild and did the soundtrack too. No one bought it.
What are some of your favorite video game soundtracks?
-Pilotwings (SNES)
-F-Zero (SNES)
-Bionic Commando (NES)
-Journey To Silius (NES)
-Blaster Master (NES)
-Vib Ribbon (PSX)
-Katamari Damacy (PS2)
-Ridiculous Fishing (iOS)
-Paint It Back (iOS)
-Espgaluda II (iOS)
Name a few of your 80’s crushes.
1.) Kelly LeBrock
2.) Kelly LeBrock
3.) Marlee Matlin
Did you ever create more episode of “A Box of Memories”? Where did the idea to recreate themes in a Nintendo Sound Format come from?
No, not since the last one i uploaded to YouTube! I did several more programmed covers of old TV shows but i never did any of the videos for YouTube… Probably because my webcam in 2006 was terrible or the printer i used to make the intro cue cards ran out of ink or something. I think a few of my friends have these tracks, but i don’t even know where they are. I have no idea why i thought to make those covers… It was kind of a fun distraction during a time when making “8-bit” versions of stuff was still a thing, i guess.
Karaoke go-to songs?
I never do karaoke but if i did, pretty much any Creed song.
What have you been listening to over summer?
Creed
But i also like that new Literature album and Devon Williams’ new record too.
Have your dance moves progressed since that video of you and your brother dancing to the Ghostbusters Theme?
I think you need to ask my brother that question because that routine was flawless besides the hi-five which he bobbled at the end.
What do you remember most about the 80’s?
My neighborhood in the West Village where i grew up, my school and my friends, restaurants and parks i used to go to with my parents… Music, movies, TV shows, and videogames i used to play… certain scents like Egyptian Musk and Shalomar
Upcoming plans, shows, or releases?
Yeah, maybe!
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