Silent Drape Runners
Photo by Leila Morrissey
Silent Drape Runners consider themselves the Das Racist of New Age Music. Formed in 2011 as a result of a monthly DJ night Russ Marshalek held at the much-missed Veronica Peoples Club in Greenpoint (now moved a few blocks down to Matchless in Williamsburg), Silent Drape Runners quickly became a full project when Russ and Sophie Weiner realized they had similar interests in creating experimental electronic music with emotion.Their debut single, “NEW VIBES”, was released on 1/11/12.
1. What is your hometown?
Sophie
Sebastopol, CA. An aging hippie enclave with TWO different stores that exclusively sell crystals/rocks and a homeopathic veterinary clinic.
Russ
Marietta, GA. I think that’s the same place Bradford Cox of Deerhunter is from.
2. With what fictional character do you most identify?
Sophie
Enid from Ghost World, when I’m at my worst. Or Kim Pine from Scott Pilgrim, who is a total badass.
Russ
Kate Bush. She’s fictional, right?
3. In the movie of your life, cast an actor to play you.
Sophie
Lizzie Kaplan who is incredible. Watch the short Successful Alcoholics if you haven’t seen it (and Party Down OBVIOUSLY).
Russ
Rather than an actor, I’m casting Matt Berninger of the band The National to play me. Vests and drinking too much wine? That’s me. Or I could play him.
4.) What work of art speaks to your soul?
Sophie
Way too many… the song “Unless It’s Kicks” by Okkervil River, which I’m considering getting a tattoo from. Every Mountain Goats song. In The Aeroplane Over The Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel. The movie Before Sunrise. And Peep Show.
Russ
It’d be terribly glib if i said Dogs Playing Poker, wouldn’t it? I own a bunch of prints of the work of Michael Cina’s stuff for Ghostly International.
5.) What books are you currently reading or recommending?
Sophie
I read Tom Robbins’ Even Cowgirls Get The Blues not long ago and it was AMAZING.
Russ
Oh, god, read Cheryl Strayed’s WILD. She’s Dear Sugar at The Rumpus and literally every letter she writes forms a word that absolutely wrecks your soul in the best way possible.
6.) What song or album is currently in heavy rotation on your iPod?
Sophie
Grimes’ Visions has been playing basically nonstop since the beginning of this year. It’s an amazing catchy pop record until you realize how sad it is, and then it gets even better.
Russ
Light Asylum’s self-titled debut album that just came out. It’s such a perfect, dark, epic record. Granted I’m terrified of Shannon Funchess, their frontwoman, but her ferocity makes for incredible music.
7.) What’s the last movie that made you cry?
Sophie
Very possibly The Muppets.
Russ
I don’t know, but I definitely cried at How I Met Your Mother the other week.
8.)Cat person or dog person?
Sophie
CATS, hands down. You know I work on the internet, right?
Russ
BOTH. Pugs. If you could breed a pug and a cat and make a pug-cat that’d be perfect.
9. What is more important, truth or kindness?
Sophie
They’re both important. Real is a feeling.
Russ
Both. I feel like I tend to be too true and not kind enough, and that hasn’t served me well. I’m trying to be better.
10. How do you define sin?
Sophie
Some sexist bullshit.
Russ
How do YOU define sin?
11. How do you define virtue?
Sophie
Google “John Darnielle”
Russ
Doing the absolutely best you can for others, every day, whether you feel like it or not.
12. Design your headstone: What does it say? What does it look like?
Sophie
It sure as hell will have a nice font. Although I find the whole ”burying dead people in the ground” thing a little strange. Also I’m going to live forever.
Russ
It’s a triangle. And it reads “Well…”
Bonus Question: Who would you like to see answer these questions?
Sophie
Grimes, Pictureplane, John Maus, Wes Eisold, Patrick Stickles, Kevin Barnes, Bradford Cox, Stephen Merritt, Will Sheff, Daniel Handler, Merrill Garbus, Erika M. Anderson, I could go on.
Russ
Tori Amos. Bret Easton Ellis.
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