TLOBF Interview // Perfume Genius

With a life descending into darkness and danger Mike Hadreas, aka Perfume Genius escaped to the sanctuary of his mother’s house to avoid being forever lost to the shadows. Whilst there he sat down at the piano and began to write and record – the results are Learning – a haunting album of raw emotion that will no doubt top many of the end of year polls. Adrian Mules recently caught up with Hadreas for some learning of his own….

You’ve made an utterly amazing album; can you give us a bit of background about yourself and how you got this point in your life?
I don’t know why it is so much easier for me to condense experience creatively. Probably because I have control over what the questions and answers are. As a person I am entirely too worried about what people think of me, how I come across. Somehow that worry is completely bypassed when I make music. This point of my life is insane. Everything is completely legal, I have been clean and sober for some time, I am going to be travelling and singing in front of people. My background, if I look at it, shouldn’t have led up to this point. I am super pumped and scared at the same time!

So, has making this record been a cathartic experience for you?
Hell yeah!

Did you start to write and record as a release for yourself or were you aware there would be an audience for your work?
I started off without any intentions really. It was just sort of a compulsion, almost a therapeutic one. It became a daily thing: writing, recording, making videos. I just had this overwhelming feeling that I was doing exactly what I should be for the first time in my life. I started to share them with my friends, set up a myspace and youtube and things started to grow.

But I have always tried to write for other people, for my family and people I’ve known. So even if the intention wasn’t to share them initially, I would hope they translate.

Is all the material from personal experience?
For the most part. Sometimes they end up being mash-ups of my experience, my mother’s, close friends etc.

Is there anything you’ve found too hard to convey in song?
Generally whatever is the most difficult to talk about, those songs end up being the most important. Writing indulgently, suicidally – that comes really easy. But I always throw those away. It’s like reading my journal from 8th grade. If there isn’t an intention to heal, to have perspective, to change – whatever comes out is a load of shit. If I am drawing from some deep shit that has happened, something real, it’s hard to betray that. Does that make any sense?

Totally. Has anyone been unhappy with their portrayal or inclusion in your work?
Not so far!

How did you choose the name Perfume Genius?
Honestly, it was just the phrase that came to my head when I was filling out the myspace registration form. It was something my friend Caralee said while we were watching this awful movie. “This guy thinks he is some kind of fucking Perfume Genius. Look at this fucking Perfume Genius, what is he going to do next.” If I would have known it would become more than a myspace profile, I probably would have given a name more thought. Maybe something without the word “genius” in it for Gods’ sake! But I like how weird and ridiculous and moody it is.

I think it suits the music well. So where did you record the album?
At my mom’s house in Everett, WA.

And when did you start to play the piano?
I started taking lessons around 7 – I never learned how to read music; I was a terrible student really. But I kept at it until around 15 – my teacher eventually gave up on me and taught me all the pieces by ear and having me put my hands over hers while she played.

You switch to synths and organs on some tracks – I’m loving those – why did you make the decision to step away from the piano?
Thank you! I don’t know! I think I just had specific, slow-motion moods in mind. Those ones are very visual to me, almost like I can see them first. Like making a soundtrack to something that didn’t exist yet.

What was your earliest musical memory?
I was born in Iowa, there were a lot of tornado warnings. We would have to go in the basement where my Uncle Bob lived to wait it out. One time he played Thriller in the pitch black while we were all waiting for a fucking tornado to rip down our house. That is so fucking scary Uncle Bob! And awesome, when I think about it.

You’ve gone on record as being embarrassed by your voice, but your ability to convey emotion is unparalleled. Do you still have any embarrassment over it?
I do. I have always thought just my speaking voice, if I ever heard it recorded – I sound like an elf tranny. But I am gaining confidence for sure.

I don’t think anyone likes the sound of their own voice though. What was the last record you loved?
There have been a bunch recently. But I think “Outside Our Gates” by Liz Durrett is amazing, I don’t know why other people aren’t losing their shit over it.

With the album finished, what happens next for you?
All kinds of things! I am going to be all over the place playing music. I am insanely excited and terrified. I am still writing a lot too, hopefully to release something else not too far off…

Learning is released on the 21st of June. But why not try before you buy? The album is streaming in full via Turnstile right now. And, if that’s not enough – download the title track below.

Perfume Genius: ‘Learning’