The story of Figg begins with a wedding. As attendees, Robin Peringer and Gilden Tunador, members of Seattle’s quietest band, Carissa’s Wierd, witnessed a bizarre event. The drum rolled, the bride threw her bouquet, and a violent CRASH resounded. It was followed by a voluminous, collective gasp, and then silence. At the exact moment the bouquet began its trajectory, a stolen red corvette, pursued by 3 wailing police cars, drove up onto the sidewalk and ricocheted between the garden wall and 8 of the guests’ parked cars. The chase continued for several miles, its momentum slowing only for a few seconds to shock the wedding party. That night, a marriage started with a bang. It’s a great reminder that love can be pretty fucked up. You’re bound to hit unexpected obstacles along the way, but you must keep moving forward. That can be applied to bands as well - for that same evening, the concept of Figg began. Inspired by the profundity, resilience, tenacity, and the illusiveness of Love, Gilden and Robin decided to form a band whose songs’ focus explores the edge between love’s negative and the positive. It’s too easy to write about sadness and negativity, and much harder to turn the perspective into a brighter one. While humans are naturally prone towards pessimism, Figg follows the road of ultimate optimism. The Smiths line “If a double decker bus, crashes into us, to die by your side, is such a heavenly way to die,” says it well. As Nick Cave continues to capture in his music, there always exists light with dark, the two are attracted to each other, intertwined in battle for power. Figg’s music shares the struggle to overcome negativity, creating an almost mystical beauty to it. The songs are wistful journeys about love lost but not forgotten, victory over hate, and hope over dejection. All the while Robin and Gilden were writing pieces and recording for Figg, they had separate paths to follow - Gilden left Seattle and her project Stella Maris, relocated to Los Angeles, and began Queen Maud Land. Robin moved onward to play with Modest Mouse, 764-HERO, Elliott Smith, and as a part time member of Love As Laughter. In 2008, finished with exploring other avenues, Robin and Gilden made Figg their focus. After reviewing their extensive collection of work, they compiled a 12 song debut. Truly worldly, it was recorded in hotel rooms by Robin crossing the globe on tour, a laundry room in his Delaware house, and Gilden’s Los Angeles home studio. They are honored to have their former band mates from Carissa’s Wierd altogether for the first time since its breakup in 2003, to perform back up vocals, guitars and violin on several tracks - Mat Brooke, now of Sub Pop’s Grand Archives and Sarah Standard on violin. Like Cave, Figg’s recordings embody a simple, archetypal, and heartfelt glory, but the live show feels like an exorcism, leaving the listener feeling transcended. Figg, much like a wedding, heralds a new beginning, but like anything, can be marred by destructive forces. However, love and light will continue to battle darkness and destruction, which are are all unstoppable. It’s up to the individual to choose in which direction to follow. Follow Figg. |
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