Inspired #141 - ALKE
Los Angeles based alternative pop duo Alke (Jameson Flood & Audrey Karrasch) released their track Gemini earlier this year, they took a moment to discuss the inspirations behind it.
Who are your top three musical inspirations?
Jameson: My musical influences have/and are ever changing through the years. If I were to match some artists or bands with extended periods of my life based on where I was or how I felt, I’d say that it would be The Strokes and Radiohead for my teenage years, Whiskeytown and Jeff Buckley were my early twenties, and from there on it was D’Angelo, Bill Evans, The War on Drugs, Rhye, and a few others.
Is there a certain film that inspires you?
Jameson: There’s different movies for different genres in terms of inspiring something musically in me. I think the more 80’s and 90’s tone of our band comes from watching John Hughes movies when I was a kid. I’ve never been a movie buff though. I was always more into weird Japanese anime shows that my brother introduced me to when we were growing up. Cowboy Bebop really inspired me to listen to more jazz music and eventually led me to Bill Evans who I named my dog after.
What city do you find the most inspiring?
Kelsey: It’s difficult to chose what city inspires me most. New York will always have a special place in my heart. I love the history, the surge of energy I feel when I’m getting to where I’m going.. lately I feel most inspired when I have a sense of peace & stillness. Spending a couple of days in the mountains/at a lake gives me that.
Who is the most inspiring person to you?
Jameson: There’s isn’t a single person that inspires me more than others. I don’t like to idolize or obsess to much over an individual. I worry that I would lose myself by doing so. There’s a saying that I like, “never meet your hero’s”. It’s okay to be fascinated but make sure it helps you become fascinating.
What were your inspirations when writing the track?
Kelsey: When I was younger I dated someone that I thought was so out of my league. The physical attraction outweighed the emotional & mental connection needed to give the relationship depth. If over time they could emotionally evolve and their outer beauty could match their inner it seemed worth it, or if I could just find someone that looked just like him maybe I’d forget about how empty I felt inside staying with someone that didn’t connect with me. Looking back it’s funny to see the irony in that. I hadn’t given that guy much thought over the years, but with Jameson’s chord progressions & a little red wine it’s easy to get nostalgic.
How would you like to inspire people?
Kelsey: I want to inspire people to use their voice to elevate those that need justice. Something I am passionate about is helping people escape abusive relationships. As a survivor of abuse I strongly believe that if there were laws against coercive control in this country more people would report abuse when they see it, thus making it easier for victims to get the help they need.