Published: Thursday - May 11, 2006
Words by Allen Stabury
Gnarls Barkley (Photo: Atlantic Records)
The sometimes odd member of Goodie Mob is back once again, this time with a partner-in-crime by the name of Dangermouse. The duo are prepping the release of their widely talked about project under the alias Gnarls Barkley, which has already made history in the UK by hitting no. 1 solely off internet downloads and they hope to make the same kind of impact in the U.S.
With the stateside release of Gnarls Barkley's St. Elsewhere coming soon, one half of the duo (Cee-Lo) sat down with BallerStatus to speak about how the project was contrived, where the music direction went and how it relates to much of the singer's past work.
The duo's time in the studio resulted in a wildly unique and different body of work. Read the thought process the pair went through to get to Gnarls Barkley and what you should expect upon picking it up.
BallerStatus.com: First off, tell us how you and Dangermouse linked up.
Cee-Lo: Yea, me and Danger met during the time he was recording Ghetto Pop Life with Gemini. I did a remix for a joint called "What'cha Sitting On?" with them. During the end of the session, [Dangermouse] had asked if he could play me a couple things he was working on to see what I thought about it. What he played for me was very interesting to me, provocative...and ultimately, it resulted in what you may know as Gnarls Barkley.
BallerStatus.com: What inspired you to call the group Gnarls Barkley?
Cee-Lo: Gnarls Barkley has been around for centuries; he's a wise old man. The one thing I can say about him is: he is like the wind. I'm just a fool to believe I have anything he needs.
BallerStatus.com: You're know for your Southern style of soulful music, so how does Dangermouse and his music fit into the type of music you make?
Cee-Lo: One of the first tracks that I heard was "Storm Coming," and the familiarility of it was a Clay D beat break..."Get Funky" by Clay D, which is a known Southern classic. I thought that was interesting, being that we were both from Atlanta. Booty shake, Miami bass and all things alike happened to be etched into our rearing...like our similarities. That's kind of what the relationship was, like why I got it. I thought it was just cool and interesting how he improved upon it.
BallerStatus.com: The album is called St. Elsewhere, so talk about the concept of the album and how it relates to the title.
Cee-Lo: Well, St. Elsewhere is anywhere opposite of an issue, a problem or circumstance. It's the paradise of the mind I believe. There's a definitive reason that you would pursue St. Elsewhere and there's a definitive reason for it being an option or alternative for a place to be. So, it's a piece of mind literally and it's peace of mind.
BallerStatus.com: I noticed that in a lot of the press photos out for the project, you and Dangermouse are dressed as parodies of characters such as the characters in "Clockwork Orange" as well as the characters in "Pulp Fiction." So, does that comedic vibe reflect in the music of Gnarls Barkley?
Cee-Lo: Well, yea. It's just us not taking ourselves too seriously. At the end of the day, it's received as good clean fun and that's what it is. There's no harm in that.
BallerStatus.com: How would you say the Gnarls Barkley project compares or differs to the two solo projects you have out?
Cee-Lo: Gnarls Barkley in itself is incomparable. It's the first of its kind, so it's not to be compared to Soul Machine or Perfect Imperfections. Actually, all three of them are incomparable in their own right, in that they can't be compared to either one, even though they are done by the same artist. They can only co-exist in the company of each other. It is evolution and it's a continuation of a sentiment of a statement of a stance, and the common bond that ties them all together is soul.
BallerStatus.com: Would you say they are all different in sound and vibe?
Cee-Lo: I would say so. The key element is me and the presentation of the performance is very soulful, almost like sinner's gospel.
BallerStatus.com: The single "Crazy" is getting a lot of recognition worldwide, how has the response been for you?
Cee-Lo: It's well on its way. We made history in the UK, hitting no. 1 solely from digital downloads. It was the first of a kind.
BallerStatus.com: Why do you feel that the UK and overseas embraced you more than the States?
Cee-Lo: I really don't know. This particular album has two separate deals. We have a States agreement with Atlantic and also signed with Warner UK. So, therefore, Warner UK was very efficient and took the initiative in getting it out there. I'm in as much awe as you are, actually.
BallerStatus.com: Well, it's good to get recognition in other countries besides the US.
Cee-Lo: It's a great thing, because again, a lot of my unspoken inspiration is 80's pop like Culture Club and Duran Duran. And of course, all these names are ones that ring a bell in you as well, so you shouldn't be surprised that I know them. As a matter of fact, everybody knew them and that was a time when music was unbiased and it was colorblind. And it involved a great deal more people, like it was on a come as you are type of basis. It was more about the quality, then to represent or to be grouped off into a genre. So, I believe that when the music unified, then so are the people and vice versa -- when the music is divided, then the people are divided. I think that it can all be done because all music is a derivative of the other. It is all expression and it is all soul music, it has no choice. That's all it could ever be because soul is expression of one's experience, and one's experience is life. And art imitates life, that's all it ever does.
BallerStatus.com: When St. Elsewhere drops in the States, what can people expect?
Cee-Lo: I guess, if anything, they can expect the unexpected. But then again, I guess, in some regard, it's traditional Cee-Lo, but what is traditional Cee-Lo? Cee-Lo shakes it up and is unpredictable like making a new and playing by your own rules. You'll see that. My first priority is to expand and broaden the horizons of my peers and my predecessors alike.
There still is a great deal of my idols that are alive and well, and I like to be pleasing in their sight.
BallerStatus.com: That is something you always do -- shake it up. Like last year, you did the collabo album with Jazze Pha called Happy Hour. It was different, but in the same sense, it was still Cee-Lo, as far as you being different and unique just like all your music.
Cee-Lo: Exactly, it was completely different from Gnarls Barkley and completely different from anything else I've ever done. But, I'm the water, like Bruce Lee says, "The water my friend." I'm able to shape into a form where I'm able to adapt to the situation at hand. My understanding of fluidity is solid, can you dig it?
BallerStatus.com: I noticed this is the second collabo album you've done in the past year and a half, so it that something you plan on doing more in your career?
Cee-Lo: I have the right too. Being that I'm not formally contracted to any one label, I'm able to do different projects simultaneously. So yea, it kind of would be a cool outlet and alternative for my music, just to try something new out. Like I could be like, "Hey, I want Kanye to produce me," so I could see what that chemistry would produce musically. As long as I'm willing and I like the approach of an artist, I'm willing to try anything. It might start a trend all its own.
BallerStatus.com: Well, a lot of what you are doing already is trendsetting. By just trying things outside the norm, it can inspire others to do the same. That's a good thing.
Cee-Lo: Definitely. Any true artist would agree that it's a crime to the canvas to paint the same picture twice.
BallerStatus.com: What else is Cee-Lo working on?
Cee-Lo: There's a new Goodie Mob record in the works. We have a few songs down so far. I'm working on a project with a few of my frat brothers, the Good Time Guys. Be looking for us to be living it up in a city near you.
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