Back to the Future the Ride: 'Think intergalactic, shop local'

Back to the Future the Ride is the newest creation of Deathbomb Arc/Rose for Bohdan/Foot Village mastermind Brian Miller (aka Charlemagne Lazarus). And I’m happy to report that what could have been a throwaway side project has, in Miller’s skilled hands, been developed into a potent new musical force.

Part New Age transcendence/part aural lawnmower, BTTFTR is more proof that great musical minds make great music no matter what genre they decide to tackle.

But don’t just take my word for it.

Back to the Future the Ride (BTTFTR) is Brian Miller of Foot Village’s sparkling new solo project. Though Miller’s devotion to his Methuselah-like “Charlemagne Lazarus” persona and BTTFTR’s haunting jams have got me wondering—is he really from the distant past…or the far future?

How old are you and where do you live?
Long story short, in January 2010 I discovered how to harness the gravity of the solar system to time travel around the universe. Thanks to the Lazarus Pit-like qualities of some planets, I’ve been able to maintain to my appearance. That said, I am a youthful 42,012; living the back of a reptilian rainbow, plucked out of the sentient void itself.

What do you do for a living? Is music your only job?
Lately I’m populating circuit boards for a living and for fun.

What was “Back to the Future the Ride”?
It is a sort of dimensional portal powered by excitement. It currently resides in Japan where human thrills are being used to charge it’s battery. Once fully charged, a door to anywhere in space and time can be opened. Considering it is controlled by Universal Studios, I have to wonder how wise their choice of door opening will be! It is fascinating to me, all these various time travel experiments going on. I think about time travel a lot when I write these songs. I had lots of potential mascots to name the act after, but this was the one that evoked the greatest sense of fun, I thought.

When did you start BTTFTR?
Around the beginning of the year when I stumbled upon this photocell guitar that I use at American Way Thrift in Burbank. Think intergalactic, shop local.

Was this a reaction to or an escape from Foot Village?
Oh! Escape From Foot Village would be a great name for the next Foot Village album! Like Escape from Los Angeles, but with even more tidal wave surfing while wielding machine guns! Well, probably not. The new Foot Village album we’ve starting working on is a party album and will have a sexy title.

How would you describe your music to a stranger?
I just want people to feel happy and take a moment to relax. Depending on the stranger, I would tell them anything from sound extracted from the virtues of gravitational relativity to simply “yoga music”.

What’s your set-up like? What can we expect from tonight’s show?
Minimal. A photocell guitar and reverb. People should be prepared to form one big cuddle-puddle.

What releases do you have out so far? What’s coming out in the near future?
Bill from Rale is about to release a BTTFTR cassette called Pronoia Sunsets on his Gifts Nobody Wants label. I’ll have copies at the show. Bill is the best tape dubber I know of, he has made these sound so delicate and beautiful. I put out a tape called MTV on my own label, Deathbomb Arc. It is sold out, but you can listen to it here.

There is also a free online release here.

The next release I’m working on is a doo wop themed set of songs. That release will be called God Has Given His Daughter To Us.

What’s your favorite song now and why?
The Fat Boys & The Beach Boys “Wipe Out” … the ultimate American party anthem!

Where’s music going in the next couple of years?
We’re at goth again now, right? Did the grunge revival happen in 2010 or was that later? My music history is a blur. As Captain Ahab’s Jonathan Snipes correctly predicted, in the future people can’t even tell the difference between Reggaetone and Harsh Noise when it comes to music from this era. It just sounds like grandpa pop to kids that like Slightwish and Nothingr.

If you could design a ride, what would it be like?
What BTTFTR was to the Back To The Future trilogy, my ride would be to this.

Hear/download “Sanity” by Back to the Future the Ride

Read about BTTFTR’s show mates, Psychic Handbook

Don’t miss tonight’s show…