Below, you can read our interview with artist Les Fradkin. Check out our full review of his single Remote Control here.
Q: Great to be speaking with you again, Les! What have you been working on most since we last interviewed you in November?
A: My wife Loretta and I traveled twice to the Mediterranean-Spain, France, Italy, Sicily, Greece, Turkey, and Tunisia. From the film footage we shot at those locations we released a new video for our California single “Come Fly To Fall In Love” which hit #1 in New York City. My solo song “Rehearsals For Retirement” hit #1 in New York City back in January 2024.
We also reissued my 1970 Bubblegum single by The Yummies “Patty Cake” and “Hippie Lady” along with two previously unreleased Yummies tracks. That hit #1 in New York City! it was also a top-five record in Australia, Spain, and the UK. “Come To Me”, a track off our “California Loves You” album hit #1 in Spain. And this month, we are receiving an incredible response to my recent 2021 release “Remote Control”, which, in light of current events, is very timely.
Q: You’ve written and performed in a number of different musical styles over the years. How does “Remote Control” fit into your current musical direction?
A: As a Les Fradkin solo single, it fits perfectly- Symphonic Prog mixed with an ethereal pop song sensibility.
Q: “Remote Control” touches on difficult themes about the current influence that mainstream media has on our culture. What inspired you to explore that topic?
A: The song was originally written in 1980 as a prediction of a dystopian future. Loretta updated the lyrics and she and I totally reworked the arrangement to fit today’s world.
Q: How long did “Remote Control” and the album it appears on, “Mirror Image”, take to record? What was the process like?
A: The entire EP took 5 months from December 15, 2020, until April 2021. The most interesting thing about the process was that we were abroad when this was recorded. I only had a Digital Mellotron Micro, a laptop with Digital Performer, an electric guitar, a Roland Digital Mixer, and a Ztar available to me for composing and tracking. So the entire “Mirror Image “ ep is based around those sonic options. As a result, the songs took on an ambient yet ethereal quality which I quite like. Even though the Mellotron is frequently present on my recordings this EP was different in that the entire album was based around the sonic palette of that instrument. As for the experience, we were locked down together during the pandemic in a foreign country, and we had very little to work with except our wits and our imagination. The video of the remote control and turn to the movement shows the sparse setup I had to do this recording, but it actually worked out for the better because I could focus very clearly on squeezing everything I could out of what was available.
Q: Your wife Loretta is a frequent contributor to your work. How does her influence impact the music you’re creating?’
A: I start things up and she gives me the brutal version! 😍Actually, she is particularly focused on the vocals- that they must be at the top of the mix. The critical response to the singing bears that out.
Q: Your music career has been diverse and prolific. Are there any particular experiences that have had a major impact on the artist you are today?
A: My extensive exposure to Baroque Music in school was certainly a major influence. As was my friendship with The Left Banke. My love of the Mellotron continues to adorn my tracks. But above all, my wife’s influence on the resulting recordings looms large.
Q: What advice would you give to musicians who are just starting their careers?
A: Don’t quit your day job. And find what you love and stick with it. Because if you do succeed at something, it will stick with your career.
Q: Any shout-outs you wanna make?
A: Thanks to Harvey Starr for his Ztar. And to Diana Haig for the original song collaboration.
Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
A: You never know what could happen next!
(Want to be interviewed by The Ark of Music? Click HERE.)