ARTIST PROFILE
RAINY ORTECA from New York and joan as police woman .. much more detail coming soon about this amazing 6 track mini album / ep . Released April 2008. For now visit her myspace.
Dead Air is the DIY, futuristic musical guise of Rainy Orteca: already known to over 30,000 United Kingdom album buyers as an integral member New York trio Joan As Police Woman!
A self taught guitarist since the age of 12, Rainy’s pre-teen musical diet included Bowie, Zappa, Bonzo Dog Band, the Clockwork Orange Soundtrack, Fleetwood Mac and T –Rex. Her teenage years brought a far wider musical influence: Jazz, Folk, Punk and of course New Wave in all it’s glory, the Pretenders, Clash, Human Sexual Response, the Cars, Blondie, Ramones, B-52s, Laurie Anderson, Flying Lizards…this girl was musically obsessed!
By the time she reached college Dead Air was born, but as a name for her radio show which she rarely attended because of the very late nighttime slot (hence the name "Dead Air”). When she did show up, listeners would hear Chris and Cosey, Bauhaus, the Fall, Talking Heads, the Smiths, Violent Femmes, the Cure, the Normal, Kate Bush, My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr, Sisters of Mercy, Pere Ubu, Heavy Metal, Siouxie, Throwing Muses, etc., before she dropped out and moved to Philadelphia to work in an art museum and play in a noise band.
At this time, America’s grunge scene was at it’s height and when Courtney Love’s band HOLE lost their bassist, Rainy brazenly submitted tape and a letter to Hole’s manager.
Soon after, a friend had tipped her off that Courtney and Kim Deal of the Pixies had been in Philly ‘ fucked up looking for you last night ‘ which led to her getting flown out to rehearse with the band by Geffen Records.
Learning bass started with rehearsals for “Live Through This” by Hole and despite Rainy not joining, it lead to a ‘weird buzz’ about her work and another call (this time from Joan Osborne). Rainy initially turned her down but subsequent calls and a hit song later, she decided if she was to sell her soul it had better to take her to Japan!
So for the next three years, she toured Japan and the rest of the world, appearing on Top Of The Pops, The Grammy Awards and all the rest of the major television and radio shows and also co-wrote two songs with Ms. Osborne before quitting music (temporarily) to take up a position at Nickelodeon TV as a graphic designer working and living in New York City!
Comic Sarah Silverman coaxed her out of early musical retirement to join her band to make a movie and Rainy tip toed back in with other work with Lloyd Cole and Dave Derby’s then band Brilliantine. The next call was from Joan Wasser, who had recently started Joan As Police Woman. “I was really intimidated at first because I hadn't ever played ‘soul’ music before and I didn't understand why she wanted me to play...but I said I'd try it because I really wanted to play with Joan and Ben Perowsky, I knew he was an excellent jazz drummer and I thought it would be interesting to challenge myself and learn from him.“ This lead to Rainy to numerous other recording experiences one of which included playing bass on Antony And The Johnsons Mercury-Prize winning album “I Am A Bird Now” on his song “Fistfull Of Love” (which also features Lou Reed on guitar).
In 2007, after years of playing other people’s songs, Rainy recorded the song “Elephant Decision” in one take at her home studio. She posted the song on Myspace and the response was phenomenal. Dead Air was reborn: through improvisation and experimentation, entirely self-written, produced and engineered. Publishers soon became aware of Rainy as a writer and she was asked to write with EMI’s French chanteuse Camille and The Divinyl’s (The fruits of which will appear on those artists new records this year).
So here we are in 2008, the year when Rainy Orteca will step out on her own with the Dead Air mini-album, filled with 6 breathtaking songs from a true artist who possesses a highly skilled, innovative and unique musical mind.
From the mouth of Dead Air:
“ Electrical Heart” is a digital love letter from abroad and I guess talking about cyber affairs, etc. That was the first song on the "EP" where I actually "wrote" lyrics. It's more like a long poem set to music. “Tin Drum” began as a stark, acoustic ballad and then I thought it would be nice if it grew in atmosphere and instrumentation...it's lyrics are largely improvised-- I was obviously was watching a LOT of indie film at the time. And I also remember that moment in the documentary about the Monterey Pop Festival when Mama Cass is watching Janis from the front row--looking up at her...and she (Mama Cass) is really high...wearing big sunglasses or something and her mind is completely blown...I think it would've been great if other people from different creative worlds could've been sitting there, too, witnessing all of that. I guess I would've liked to have seen Madonna's expression...or I guess I like thinking about it. “ !
“ Mostly, I think with Dead Air that I'm trying to tell stories that might exist in another place. It's abstract, sometimes edgy and futuristic but I am always hoping it’s at the same time warm and accessible. You know? For example, maybe if that female computer voice in the film “Alien” made a record. The one that says "T-minus 60 seconds and counting…". It's at the end of the movie and she's telling everyone they have 60 seconds to live--the information is coldly delivered but at the same time--SHE sounds so warm and inviting… “ *
“ DEAD AIR “ mini album
( Reveal 40 ) is released on April 21st 2008 and Rainy will tour throughout the year with Joan As Police Woman and also as Dead Air.
GIGS
| Date | Time | Location | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Apr, 2008 | 8pm | The Wilmington | London |
| 23 Apr, 2008 | 8pm | Slaughtered Lamb | London |
| 24 Apr, 2008 | 8pm | Earmusic@ Moneky Chews | London |
| 25 Apr, 2008 | 7.30pm | BBC 6 MUSIC | Manchester with Marc Riley |
| 27 Apr, 2008 | 8pm | Cross Kings | London |
REVIEWS
“ Electrical Heart” is a digital love letter from abroad and I guess talking about cyber affairs, etc. That was the first song on the "EP" where I actually "wrote" lyrics. It's more like a long poem set to music. “Tin Drum” began as a stark, acoustic ballad and then I thought it would be nice if it grew in atmosphere and instrumentation...it's lyrics are largely improvised-- I was obviously was watching a LOT of indie film at the time. And I also remember that moment in the documentary about the Monterey Pop Festival when Mama Cass is watching Janis from the front row--looking up at her...and she (Mama Cass) is really high...wearing big sunglasses or something and her mind is completely blown...I think it would've been great if other people from different creative worlds could've been sitting there, too, witnessing all of that. I guess I would've liked to have seen Madonna's expression...or I guess I like thinking about it. “ !
“ Mostly, I think with Dead Air that I'm trying to tell stories that might exist in another place. It's abstract, sometimes edgy and futuristic but I am always hoping it’s at the same time warm and accessible. You know? For example, maybe if that female computer voice in the film “Alien” made a record. The one that says "T-minus 60 seconds and counting…". It's at the end of the movie and she's telling everyone they have 60 seconds to live--the information is coldly delivered but at the same time--SHE sounds so warm and inviting… “ *
“ DEAD AIR “ mini album
( Reveal 40 ) is released on April 21st 2008 and Rainy will tour throughout the year with Joan As Police Woman and also as Dead Air.
CONTACT
| Label, Agent and Euro contact | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tom Rose tomreveal@mac.com |
||
| po box 7535 Derby DE1 0NF | Tel: Mob: |
01332 552220 07779017236 |
