Michael Benjamin Lerner is the man behind Telekinesis – and though he may not be able to levitate objects with his mind, he can definitely move bodies through his music. For me, his show felt something like a giddy mouthful of Pop Rocks and soda. I was lucky enough to catch up with Lerner via email as he shuttled from city to city touring for his new LP, 12 Desperate Straight Lines. Follow along if you have a shared love of analog tape and classic Cure songs…
So… Telekinesis, huh? How’d you settle on that name? Are you a believer in the occult sciences?
Ha! I don’t really remember exactly how it popped into my head, but it kind of just stuck. It’s one of those super weird things, if you research it. No one can really prove that it’s fake, or if it’s real. And that’s kind of super rad. So, whether or not you believe in it, it’s really quite fun to think about it all.
I caught your show in Philly and was bowled over by the high levels of adrenaline. Some bands just play their albums but Telekinesis, to me, was a whole different animal live. Is the stage where you find the most joy?
Aww, thanks! Yeah, it’s really fun to play your record live. Every night, it’s a different thing. And you can really vent your frustrations, or just have a really great time. I love playing live. I love all of it, actually. The making of records and playing them live. Both are really exciting in very different ways.
I noticed your kick drum at the show – it was decorated with florescent tape and Gumby and Pokey were straddling the screws, waving to the crowd. I’ve read that people with happy childhoods tend towards bright colors and hold onto certain relics from that time – is that the case with you? What kinds of things were you into when you were a kid?
I’ve never heard that analogy, but I suppose it’s possible. My childhood ruled. I grew up in a great neighborhood, with lots of kids my age running all over the place. And my parents were so supportive of anything I did, including music, later on. I remember being way into sports. And also riding my bicycle. As a kid-kid, I loved baseball cards and Nintendo and such! The normal kid stuff, I think!
The making of 12 Desperate Straight Lines came at a time when you decided to spend the winter in Berlin. Why did you choose that city as your destination point?
Well, I just needed to get away from everything. And Berlin seemed right because I knew people there, and logistically it was the simplest way to achieve the “getting out of here” thing. It was unbearably cold at times but I loved every single second of being there. I wouldn’t go back and do it any other way.
In Berlin, you were writing songs with almost a monastic kind of concentration. That environment – away from home, cold, solitary – seems antithetical to the mood of the songs that you compose. Did a wintry Berlin mess with your process? Are certain places better than others for your songwriting or is it all about where your head’s at?
Nah, I think it really was just a catalyst for lots of things. I was more just able to focus really hard on writing. No distractions. That was really helpful for me, I think, especially because there happened to be so many distractions in Seattle at the time.
I first saw you when you were touring for your self-titled EP, opening for Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. Those guys are big fans of yours – what did you take away from traveling and hanging out with them?
They are the sweetest people! I loved their records, and meeting them was just fantastic. I am so happy we got to tour with them. I seriously couldn’t say anything negative about that experience.
Like SSLYBY, you also collaborated with [producer and Death Cab for Cutie frontman] Chris Walla in the production room. I’ve read that you first recorded your songs to analog tape. Why go old school?
It’s just a pure way of doing things. It also makes you commit to things in the moment, and that’s a really great thing for me. I’m not into tinkering too much. I like doing something, and moving on. I guess you could say I don’t have a certain form of patience in this digital world. Analog is still king for me.
Speaking of tapes and nostalgia, you’ve said that 12 Desperate Straight Lines was influenced by some heavy listening to the Cure’s Disintegration and Mark Robinson’s [of Unrest] side project, Flin Flon. These are powerhouse influences for sure. What threads were you tugging on here that you wanted to synthesize into your own work?
For sure the bass on Flin Flon! That was huge for me. And the Cure thing was just hearing that record for the first time, and freaking out. That happens a lot for me.
What’s your favorite Cure song?
“Lullaby”!
A fellow drummer/front man recently announced his “retirement” from the industry. Any thoughts or remembrances you’d like to share about the estimable Phil Collins?
Please please please don’t make fun of the guy. He’s a genius, and he’s amazing. Enough said.
[Ed. Note: This question was asked un-ironically! Phil Collins most definitely is a worthy icon!]
Of the Telekinesis catalog, which song would you hold up to the world right now and say, “This is me at my most me”?
“50 Ways”!
by Stacey Pavlick
See Also: Telekinesis- 12 Desperate Straight Lines
