JUNK

The Jesus and Mary Chain, 'Psycho Candy'

Although The Jesus and Mary Chain were not necessarily a direct influence on this particular album, they have been longtime favorites of mine. There is no doubt they have inspired my direction and musical taste.
The Jesus and Mary Chain is such an important band so it is a honor to be special guests on their upcoming U.S. tour of ‘Psycho Candy’ in May.

Man Ray

During the writing and recording process I would spend a lot of time looking at photography and imagery because I was looking for the visual accompaniment to the themes and moods of the music we were making. I spent quite a bit of time looking at Man Ray's imagery; such beautiful, dark, mysterious imagery that tells enough of a story, but also ignites your imagination.

Joshua Tree

We’ve spent quite a lot of time in Joshua Tree since we moved to Los Angeles and most of the album was recorded here.
We love the openness of the desert. You can feel completely isolated in the most beautiful way; it's so quiet, peaceful, and magnificent. There is no doubt the surroundings had a huge influence on our writing and music.

Photographed by Aimee Nash

James Turrell

I saw James Turrell’s exhibition at the LACMA three times. I would have seen it more if I could have because his ability to achieve an ever-changing perspective is mind blowing.
I can’t even describe how great it was because it was something you had to experience: the colors would take over the whole room and could affect you on a very deep level.

Marchesa Luisa Casati

Marchesa Luisa Casati was an eccentric Italian heiress, muse, and patroness of the arts in early twentieth century Europe. She has been the muse of many including Man Ray, Jack Keroauc, Alexander McQueen, and Jean Cocteau.
She was enigmatic, decadent, and a force of nature. In 1930 she had a debt of over $25 million, so you can’t say that she didn’t have a good time. I admire her style, her daringness and lack of inhibitions.

Francis Bacon

While in Australia, I saw the Francis Bacon exhibit at the Art Gallery of NSW. What I loved most about Bacon's work was that it was so dark and tortured but also honest and un-compromised, which made it incredibly powerful and beautiful. Art can inspire the creative mind in such a vivid and emotive way.

Jack Kerouac's 'Dharma Bums’

My dear friend Jules Ferrari gave me this book as a gift. I read ‘On The Road’ as a teenager, but this is a different kind of story about the ongoing journey and the search for enlightenment; it seemed like the perfect gift and time to read it. This is a book that has stayed with me, 'On The Road' is great and all, but ‘The Dharma Bums’ is where it’s at.

Popol Vuh

During the making of our record Scott and I didn’t listen to a lot of other music, we mostly didn’t have the head space for it. When we did listen to music we gravitated towards more instrumental music, krautrock, and music that was less about lyrics and voices but more about atmosphere and dynamics. Popol Vuh was one of our most listened to artists because the music allowed for that space and it also had a soothing effect.
Albums in particular to note: Affenstunde, Agape, Aguirre.

Marjorie Cameron's ‘Song for the Witch Woman'


I saw this exhibit twice at the MOCA because I had to get another look at Cameron’s work up close. I recently read her biography ‘The Wormwood Star' and her story is so fascinating.
She destroyed most of her work, she felt it was accessible to those who could find it on the astral plane, so there isn't much of it left. There is magic in her art and story and I feel so fortunate to have experienced it in person.

Suzy Poling

I’m so grateful to have connected with Suzy Poling who is such an amazing artist and dear friend. Her work transports you into a magical realm. After a year or so of getting to know each other we collaborated on some ideas, themes, and art projects.
She created the cover art for our new album and we could not love it more. Recently she has been working on films for our upcoming live shows.