Interview: Orion Simprini

Just like the constellation that bears his name, Orion Simprini is a shining star on the New York music scene. The charismatic Simprini is the front man for the new wave band that shares his unique name: The Orion Experience. I had the pleasure of sitting down to talk to Orion at the White Rabbit, a funky and laid-back lounge on Houston Street right in the heart of the good old Lower East Side. While film clips of people like Madonna and Bill Clinton played on the clean white walls, we talked about where the Orion Experience fits into the NY music scene, the meaning of “indie cred”, and how playing on stage can be orgasmic.

How would you describe the sound of The Orion Experience?

High energy, dancey pop rock. It incorporates a lot of influences from stuff that you may have heard before - people have compared us to the B-52’s and also the New Pornographers. I also feel like there is a little ABBA in there, but I think there is something completely new about it as well. So, there are a lot of retro elements but overall it is a fresh and modern sound that has been unexplored as of late.

What you mean when you say “unexplored”?

I think that we’re very different from a lot of other New York bands. When you come and see The Orion Experience it’s a high energy party atmosphere that just doesn’t seem to be in vogue right now in New York or in indie music so much.

Yeah, right now it seems to be about being depressed and jaded and looking down at your shoes.

(laughs) We don’t play mandolin…..

How do you see the Orion Experience fitting into the New York music scene?

To me New York is like a big black landscape and the Orion Experience is this rainbow in the corner. I think we fit in quite nicely. This city is so drawn to night life and people really like to party here, and the Orion Experience offers a soundtrack to a Saturday night in New York.

I was lucky enough to see one of the Orion Experience shows at the Annex on the Lower East Side, and I have to say it was a really good time. It was a nice change of pace from that “trust fund, ivy league graduate, jaded and depressed indie rock”, that seems to be coming out of Brooklyn and the Lower East Side in abundance these days.

Yeah, we totally try to put out as much energy as we can…but it’s hard for me to say what it looks like from the other side. But I know when I see an audience’s reaction, I feel like they are giving back that same positive energy.

I felt like I was back in the 80’s, but it was very smart.

Back in the 80’s - that’s a great thing! It’s like if you saw a Culture Club show back in the day. While it’s not the exact same thing as an Orion Experience show, it has those elements and it knows what it is and it’s there to make you smile and have a good time. I feel like the perfect Orion Experience show would be when you go there, you dance your ass off, you see a really cute person and you go make out in the bathroom somewhere. Then you laugh the whole way home.

I got that vibe that I was at the Pyramid circa 1985 watching a really cool band…but yet it was very now and modern.

Right! When I sit down to write a song, I’m always trying to write something that I would want to hear at a rock show. And just from my earliest days, stuff like Culture Club, Duran Duran and Michael Jackson - those are the kinds of things that really started me down the musical path and I try to emulate that.

Besides being smart and fun, the Orion Experience seems to have a sexual element as well.

Well for me there is a feeling of excitement and energy in my brain when I’m on stage that is closely related to sexual energy.

Would you call is orgasmic, then?

Definitely, it really is! It’s funny because the French have a saying, “la petite morte”, for an orgasm, which means “the little death”. For me it’s strange, it’s like I blackout when I get on stage. I remember getting up there, and I remember a few things on stage. But when I get off, I don’t remember much about the show because I’m in such a heightened sense of awareness that I don’t really remember that much and it’s sort of like that “little death.”

How much of your songwriting is influenced by sex?

Eighty percent of my songs are about frustration or longing for someone. Those are the kind of things that I really need to express. When I really love someone or am obsessed with someone and they aren’t giving me what I need back…I have to write about it.

Isn’t that what half of rock and roll is? Many of the greatest rock love songs of all time were created in that vein.

Absolutely - and it’s also really great to write songs about someone who has a cool name…

Like Orion?

Right (laughs). I love songs that have people’s names in them.

I’ve noticed that you guys play a lot not only in NYC but also LA. We’ve talked before about the differences between the NYC and the LA scenes, and the differences between the audiences. You’ve said you find NY audiences to be a little smarter and LA audiences to be a little more outrageous.

I would say that in LA they are much more prone to really like you right off the bat, whereas with NY audiences you really have to win them over. They aren’t so quick to be like “oh that was great”! In New York you get some real genuine feed back. The LA audiences that we’ve had have been really great though, and they are very receptive to New York bands.

How would you see the Orion Experience fitting in outside of LA and New York? In other words, fitting into the mainstream?

I don’t think there has ever been a more mainstream band then the Orion Experience. With the right kind of exposure we’d be Z-100’s (well known NY top 40 radio station) biggest band. I think it is smarter than stuff like Fall Out Boy, but it’s just stupid enough for everyone to get it. I feel like if the stars align we’d be as mainstream as they come!

But still retain that indie cred?

I really don’t care about indie cred. I’ve been playing in rock bands since before I could get into bars, so I’ve paid my dues and then some. It doesn’t matter to me if people think I don’t have it, I would rather reach as many people as I can than have only ten people who know us but have “indie cred” (laughs). Take a guy like Jack White from the White Stripes. He is a great example of someone who took indie music and brought it into the mainstream. Everyone likes the White Stripes - and I’ve heard him say in interviews, “I want to make a career out of music and I don’t want stay obscure forever.”

I heard that you are you guys are going into the studio soon.

Yes we are recording four new songs which could become our second album. I’m very excited!

Besides going into the studio soon, what else is on the horizon for the Orion Experience?

I hope this is the year that we reach the masses. One of the things we’re trying to do is some touring on a larger scale. We are going to go to the UK, which is going to be great. We’re going to try and get a much bigger online presence and in blogs such as yours. This is the year that we really need to find our audience, and I think this is the year that it’s going to happen. We’re always looking for ways to circumnavigate the music industry, and besides press and concerts we’re trying to get our music on television shows. I think this is the year we’re going to hit that next level of exposure, although I’m not sure how that is going to happen. Right now what we’re focused on is continuing to put out music and becoming the biggest band that we can be in New York City. Beyond that, making a name and reputation that people such as yourself are picking up on is an encouraging sign.

To find out when the Orion Experience will be in your town or to hear their music check out their myspace page;

www.myspace.com/theorionexperience

Or you can go to their website at: www.theorionexperience.com

- Amy Grimm

Tags: Interview • Music • New Wave • NYC • Orion • Orion Simprini • The Orion Experience