The Dresden Dolls | Main

To describe the eclectic duo that is the Dresden Dolls, we must first have a history lesson on the philosophy of Bertolt Brecht and the Epic Theater. Brecht believed that theater should appeal not to the spectator's feelings, but to his reason, while still providing entertainment. In the Realistic Theater of Illusion, he argued that the spectator tended to identify with the characters on stage and become emotionally involved with them rather than being stirred to think about his/her own life. To encourage the audience to adopt a more critical attitude to what was happening on stage, Brecht developed the "alienation effect" --the use of anti-illusive techniques to remind the spectators that they are in a theatre watching an enactment of reality instead of reality itself. Together with songwriter Kurt Weill, Brecht brought to the stage the classic "Three Penny Opera" – known mostly in modern circles for its devilish hit "Mac The Knife." The Dresden Dolls - whose self-dubbed ‘Brechtian punk cabaret' genre gives an ironic nod to Brecht's theater techniques - have been traveling across the modern stages of America, doling out doses of emotional medicine to a country steeped in doubt, fear and a deep un-named sadness over the death of authentic musicianship and entertainment. With songs reminiscent of Kurt Weill infused with the rock n' roll energy of Patti Smith, Joan Jett, Nick Cave and The Violent Femmes, this Boston-based duo's home lies somewhere between a Weimar-era cabaret and CBGB's. Just as their name suggests both the utter devastation of a firebombed German city, and the delicate femininity and innocence of a porcelain figure, The Dresden Dolls' sound ranges from seductive whispers to full-on rock & roll crescendos. Consisting of songwriter Amanda Palmer on vocals and piano, and Brian Viglione on drums and guitar, The Dresden Dolls' authentic story-songs offer listeners the bruised intimacy of a torch singer, yet with all the fury and grit of pure rock. Palmer's thunderous and shimmering piano style rests on the shoulders of Jerry Lee Lewis and Nina Simone, while Viglione's drumming is sophisticated yet primal, providing in turns a delicate cradle of rhythm and a piercing bed of nails onto which Palmer lays her raw, tragically comical lyrics. The star-crossed duo met on Halloween night of 2000 when Viglione saw Palmer playing solo at a Boston loft party. Amazed by the open-wound honesty and intensity of Palmer's songs and delivery, Viglione knew that he had found his musical soul mate. They began by building on Palmer's deep roots in the Boston arts community, rehearsing and performing in the artists' collective where Palmer still lives (also home to filmmaker Michael Pope who directs the band's music videos, comedienne Zea Baker who assists the band with costumes and artwork and The Martin Brothers who designed the band's award-winning website). Palmer supported the band by performing around the world as a whitewashed living statue dubbed "The Eight Foot Bride," now a legendary part of Cambridge's artistic lore. Circumventing the local club scene, the band paid its early dues in galleries, lofts and salons in Boston and New York, with Palmer often playing impresario at their own multi-media events. But it wasn't until the Dolls won the WBCN Rock n' Roll Rumble in May 2003 that they were ultimately brought to the attention of Boston's rock community. Says Palmer, "We were a little unsure about what the real world would make of us, but the music is not difficult to grasp. We sing about the universal themes that resonate with most people – love, pain, fear, childhood..." Indeed, even as they gather more mainstream fans, the band has retained a diverse following of artists and oddballs. The all-encompassing demographic at a Dolls show is apt to resemble ‘Pepperland' from "Yellow Submarine;" with tweed-clad intellectuals sipping cocktails alongside moshing, Trash-and-Vaudeville teens. Propelled by the release of their debut CD on Palmer's own Eight Foot Records in September 2003, the band is now selling out clubs throughout the Northeast – their following rapidly expanding with each riveting live show. Improvisational costumes and unexpected antics are rigorous, and audiences are inevitably moved by the intense on-stage chemistry between Palmer and Viglione, which allows them to play with both spontaneity and precision. Like their live set, the Dolls' debut CD – produced by Martin Bisi (Swans, Sonic Youth)– alternately seethes and explodes...often within the same song. A prime example is "Coin-Operated Boy", whose skewed nursery-rhyme melody moves from despondent resignation to a desperate plea for true love...all in under five minutes. Explains Palmer: "Human beings are complicated little things. I try to present them that way in my songs". The life of a Dresden Doll is a busy one and the band is already looking forward to its next release and production of a full-length DVD. They have opened up for the likes of Beck, The B-52's and Jane's Addiction and have toured the U.S. twice; first with Edward Ka-Spel of The Legendary Pink Dots (one of Palmer's favorite influences) and twice with Sleepytime Gorilla Museum (another band known for it's psycho-theatrical stageshow and costumes). Their watershed already filled with sparkling new material, the band has been recording with the Boston producer team Sean Slade and Paul Kolderie (of Fort Apache, known best for their work with Hole and Radiohead). An extensive European tour is in the works. Palmer, who studied and worked in an avant-garde theater in Germany, is eager to return to the land that gave the band so many of its influences. "I think Europe and the Dolls were made for each other," says Palmer. Like most of the artists who have given pop music a refreshing kick, The Dresden Dolls' aesthetic may initially raise some eyebrows, especially since it is missing rock's usual antenna to the gods: The Guitar. But it seems not to matter. The Dolls continue to attract fans of every musical persuasion, all hungry for music that is authentic and emotionally honest.