motel void

MOTEL VOID: Could you introduce your project in a few sentences?

ELLIS (DEAD BANDIT): Dead Bandit is a long time recording collaboration between James and I. We’ve made music together since we were teenagers. About 4 years ago, we received a message via soundcloud from Rufus “hi, who’s behind this project?”, who was just starting his record label Quindi. He has kindly released 2 albums for us, in addition to my 3am lp.

JAMES (DEAD BANDIT): Sounds created over space, time, and distance by two people that have been playing music together, in different capacities, for more than a quarter century.

MOTEL VOID: You’ve just released an amazing new single ‘Memory Thirteen’, one of the best instrumental songs I’ve heard in a while! It’ll be part of your new record, when is it due?

ELLIS (DEAD BANDIT): Thank you for such kind words. We played this track live on our spring 2023 European tour and I especially remember playing it in Rome at Funfulla. It was a very messy, dark, and hypnotic night. Our new record comes out on Quindi February 9th 2024, as a limited vinyl release, with artwork beautifully done by Karolina Kolodziej.

JAMES (DEAD BANDIT): Thank you for that compliment, that means a lot to hear!

MOTEL VOID: Could you tell us more about the recording and writing process of your songs? Do you both live and record in Chicago right now?

ELLIS (DEAD BANDIT): I live in Chicago, and have been here since 2008. Typically James or I will come up with a sketch of a track and email the stems to the other. It will then be overdubbed, chopped and rearranged by whoever has it last. Which can produce an interesting result that you wouldn’t get sitting in the same room.

JAMES (DEAD BANDIT): I live in Western Canada, in a small town in the Okanagan. I have a studio in my basement that I record in when the house is quiet. The recording process usually starts with an idea; or sometimes a full song, that one of us will send to the other to manipulate, enhance, or transform. Ellis and I have been playing music together for over twenty-five years and our first album was made with songs that we had recorded in the late 90’s on cassette and added to years later. Our new album, Memory Thirteen, feels more cohesive and represents a soup of our current sound as well as influences that inspired us to start recording years ago.

MOTEL VOID: Your biggest music inspirations right now?

ELLIS (DEAD BANDIT): Lately I’ve been obsessed with Jules Reidy‘s record Trances, the Necks discography and anything that comes out of the Chicago label International Anthem. For the Memory Thirteen LP, one of my biggests influences was Bill Nace. He changed the way I thought about the electric guitar, noise and loops.

JAMES (DEAD BANDIT): Lately I have been listening to Rival Consoles, Will Van Horn, Nils Frahm, and the album Riceboy Sleeps. Additionally, Ellis recently introduced me to Canadian artist Tim Hecker, who’s music I have been devouring.

MOTEL VOID: Your plans for 2024?

ELLIS (DEAD BANDIT): We are currently recording new music, and hopefully will get to play some shows in Toronto and Montreal in the spring. We’d also like to go back to Europe again at some point.

JAMES (DEAD BANDIT): Writing and recording new music, and possibly playing some shows in Eastern Canada / USA.