There are many zeros left in the desert
If you’ve not caught the transformation of lead singer of Alex Egbert from dance-punk scenester to into dread-haired hippy loving singer, then you will be surprised by his philosophical deliberations as much as we were at SUPERSWEET. Giving the chance to speak his mind, we sent questions over to the ex-Ima Robot member to expose his new venture, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, a feisty ten-plus folk ensemble act who aim to bring out the child in all of us.
Enchanted, we enjoyed his idealistic pondering to the extent that SUPERSWEET preserved with his ungrammatical train of thought and reworked them into spiritual words of wisdom: ‘The Revelations of “Edward Sharpe”’.
REVELATION I: TO PERFORMERS OF "EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS"
I offer my fucking soul. Splayed out and open for god to move thru.
REVELATIONS II: A UTOPIAN WORLD
It is a sensation, a pull from the gut and heart towards HARMONY, POWER, LOVE... not a world in which conflicts don’t arise but one in which conflicts are a game to be won with love. The race to victory is not the race to destruction but the race to love-solution. Victory by fear is no victory at all - it is merely a cheap cap on a boiling kettle. Victory by love is pouring the boiling water for tea, drinking, smiling.
REVELATION III: OUR INNER CHILD
We are mostly water, our bodies. To be children is the answer to so much. If things are damaged by a child it is alright.
REVELATION IV: THE STORY OF 'DESERT SONG'
Two themes and both involving my father. The first is him giving me the name 'Tahquitz', which means 'Demon' or 'Devil' for a certain local of Native Americans... the 2nd is a terribly intense vision I had (when I was 8 years old in the desert with my father) of a Native American spirit mocking me, so it seemed, taunting me. ‘Desert Song’ is about me returning to the desert, and also confronting my father, to discover the meaning of these things.
REVELATION V: RETREAT FROM THE DIGITAL AGE
It seemed more authentic in some way...and still does. There is something unsettling about digital things still. I think humans present digital technology as still in a somewhat sickly form...
REVELATION VI: THE CONVERTED GREYHOUND BUS
We are not in it right now because the bunk beds are not complete... BUT... we certainly have had fun in it, going to texas, little adventures... for me the adventure is tantamount to the expression... the adventure IS a large part of our expression. Hanging out in hotel lobbies is okay, but taking over a hotel lobby bar and playing songs is better. Showing the music in our LIVING.
REVELATION VI: EXPERIENCING UP FROM BELOW
Lifting of spirit, courage, smiles! the rumbling and exploding of joy, love! Warmth and strength.
Words: Gemma Dempster