Teddy Blanks, formerly of the RVA duo The Gaskets, talks about his his time performing in RVA and the loss of a best friend and bandmate. The Gaskets were an American synth-pop/rock duo formed in 2001 by Teddy Blanks (vocals, keyboards) and Ross Harman (sequencer, guitar). Known for their frenetic stage presence and high-energy songs, Gaskets released two studio albums, and frequently performed in Richmond, New York City and Washington DC. The band was the opening act for a long and strange list of artists, including Violent Femmes, Mudhoney, Aaron Carter, Monica, Daniel Johnston, Girl Talk, and “Weird Al” Yankovic.
Mixed Tapes is dedicated to exploring the lives of unsigned and independent label bands and solo musicians working in New York City. Through a series of casual conversations and live performances, the series aims to provide an intimate portrait through discussions of the artists’ early influences, their struggles, their shifting conceptions on making music, and the challenge of living and working in the city. Taking its cue from the titular mix tapes, these conversations are then cut together to create a tapestry linking the personal to a unifying pop experience. At the end of every segment, the artist or band performs a cover of a song they love.
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Teddy Blanks, formerly of the RVA duo The Gaskets, talks about his his time performing in RVA and the loss of a best friend and bandmate. The Gaskets were an American synth-pop/rock duo formed in 2001 by Teddy Blanks (vocals, keyboards) and Ross Harman (sequencer, guitar). Known for their frenetic stage presence and high-energy songs, Gaskets released two studio albums, and frequently performed in Richmond, New York City and Washington DC. The band was the opening act for a long and strange list of artists, including Violent Femmes, Mudhoney, Aaron Carter, Monica, Daniel Johnston, Girl Talk, and “Weird Al” Yankovic.
Mixed Tapes is dedicated to exploring the lives of unsigned and independent label bands and solo musicians working in New York City. Through a series of casual conversations and live performances, the series aims to provide an intimate portrait through discussions of the artists’ early influences, their struggles, their shifting conceptions on making music, and the challenge of living and working in the city. Taking its cue from the titular mix tapes, these conversations are then cut together to create a tapestry linking the personal to a unifying pop experience. At the end of every segment, the artist or band performs a cover of a song they love.
