Paper Pistols
Posted on May 3, 2011 – 6:16 AM | by Admin
By Niki Kangas Photo by Raoul Ortega
Ira Skinner runs a recording studio with local drum pro Matt McCord and mans the sound board at several local venues, including Luigi’s Fun Garden in Midtown. In fact, Skinner has eschewed the day job thing for seven years now, and is making a living hustling in the name of music – an enviable, albeit hard-won effort. Nearly a decade of this has taught Skinner one thing: if you want something done right – and without backtalk, drama, or other ass aches – you’ve got to do it yourself. Accordingly, Paper Pistols, which recently garnered accolades at the Sacramento Electronic Music Festival, is Ira Skinner’s new(ish) one-man-band.
A drummer, programmer, and recording engineer, Skinner is pursuing his own project of electronic, shoegaze-y soundscapes, wherein he programs electronic music and then drums along. He’s been playing some shows locally with various indie and electronic bands, and an EP is in the works, slated for release on his own label, Alley Avenue, this year. He’s previously drummed in local bands Pets (as a live contributor though not an official member) and the Evening Episode. Of the Evening Episode he recalls, “The band ultimately broke up because I needed to do something fresh. It was hard to maintain several peoples’ schedules. Running a band is hard and I was sick of doing it after 5 years… My band members used to joke around that I would eventually just replace all of them with a laptop so I could be in charge of everything. It was a joke then; not so much now.”
I tracked Skinner down for a brief interview at Luigi’s Fun Garden as he got set up for a show. Here’s what he had to say about Paper Pistols’ purpose and progress:
Why did you start Paper Pistols?
I actually started Paper Pistols because I was asked to do a solo show opening up for a friend’s band. Since I hadn’t prepared any singer/songwriter type of music, I decided to go up and play some original electronic tracks I had arranged, and pound on some drums over the top of it. It wasn’t supposed to be taken seriously, but people actually enjoyed it. Now almost three years later, I’ve been blessed enough to play to some amazing crowds on sidewalks, in art galleries, in clubs and in larger venues. Two years in a row, I was able to perform at the Sacramento Electronic Music Festival which has been the highlight of this project so far.
Tell us about the EP you’re working on.
I don’t know if I’m going to finish it anytime soon. I don’t like the songs anymore; one of the songs I recorded for it is seven years old, so I’m over it right now! It’s in the works, it’s gonna get done, ‘cause I told people it was gonna get done, and I finally need to release something.
Tell me about your recording studio.
It’s kind of sensitive right now, ‘cause we’re actually closed for this month. (Laughs) I run a recording studio with Matt McCord, Alley Avenue Studios. I recorded Chelsea Wolfe recently, Prieta, who is playing tonight, the New Humans, a bunch of bands. That’s what I do for a living.
Let’s talk about your upcoming show on May 25th.
It’s at the Blue Lamp with Them Hills and Cannons and Clouds. Cannons and Clouds is incredible, they’re from San Francisco. They have Zack as a singer- he was in a band called Jenoah that was from Sacramento. They’re acoustic, ballad kind of music, they have a harp player, and they’re pretty epic. They’re one of my favorite bands, live or recorded. Everything they do is great. Them Hills is also amazing and always has been.
How would you describe your music?
My music’s kind of space rock, trip-hop, with electronic beats in it, all instrumental.
When, and why, did music become such an integral part of your life?
My initial interest in playing music was because of my friends and our parents. I grew up playing music with Ben Edrington (Mister Metaphor) and Carson Mcwhirter (Ent, The Advantage, Hella). In 6th grade we decided to start a band. I’m now sure if it was because we wanted to be cool or if it was just typical skateboarder pre-teen adolescence. Our parents all had been friends our whole lives and some of them were musicians themselves. It was a fairly obvious decision for kids being raised in houses full of musicians. It was bound to rub off on us some day.
Paper Pistols performs at the Blue Lamp on May 25th with Them Hills and Cannons and Clouds from San Francisco. The show starts at 9PM and is $10 at the door, or $8 in advance, and is 21+.