Originally published in GLAM Magazine, November 2013
It’s the kind of story that movies are made of, two people from different backgrounds come together and fall in love. In the case of Starnes&Shah, it’s the stuff albums are made of. The New York folk/rock duo, comprised of Dania Abu-Shaheen and Zilpha Starnes, partners both on stage and off, are set to release their fourth full-length album, Shilling for Dreamtown on November 9, 2013. The album, comprised of 12-tracks, including the previously released single “24 Million” and current focus-track "Gatling Girl", explores the themes of loss, new beginnings and the journey of indie musicians. Shilling for Dreamtown features the duo’s signature sound: plucky synth paired with thick guitar and interwoven with poetic lyrics. GLAM recently caught up with Starnes&Shah as they prepare for their upcoming album release. How did you two meet? D: We were introduced a handful of times while we were both students at Sarah Lawrence College, but it wasn’t until the year after I graduated and needed a roommate that a mutual friend put us in touch. Zilpha was starting her senior year, had failed to sign up for campus housing, and, as a result needed a place to live. Z: Even after we were living together, our paths rarely crossed. I was keeping crazy college hours (staying up all night doing papers and art projects and sleeping all day) and Dania was working 9 to 5 and in rehearsals for her band in the evenings. But when we were both home together, we discussed common interests and music was one of them. I invited Dania to see me sing with "Treble in Paradise" the all-girls a capella group at SLC, and Dania shared with me her previous recordings. And what led you to pair up musically? Z: Each of us knew the other could sing, but it wasn’t until I graduated and we moved to Queens that Dania and I begin to work on material together. We were both unemployed and looking for work, and, as a result, home together a lot. Dania, had also recently parted ways with her band and was beginning to work on more singer/songwriter acoustic material. D: One day I was working on a song and had an idea for a harmony. I asked Zilpha to come and sing a few bars so I could hear it. She put her own spin on the harmony, and we clicked right away. Our voices sounded unique, so we started performing in the NYC folk scene. That is how Starnes&Shah began. Do you come from musical families? Z: Yes. I remember going to watch my mother and a group of women from our church perform the music of The Great American Songbook in lipstick, feathers, and the full regalia, complete with choreography and costume changes (all done behind a portable partition that the hauled to every gig). Their venues were Dallas social clubs and nursing homes, but I think her group was definitely my working model for gigging in NYC. And I am sure my mother’s Ziegfeld costume with all its sequins and feathers played a large part in my creation of my own “on stage” look. D: My mother is also a big music lover and she nurtured that in me. She plays piano and sings. One of my earliest memories is riding in the car with her singing at the top of our lungs to Whitney Houston's "My Name is Not Susan." She introduced me to a wide range genres and artists that are still among my favorites like Bonnie Raitt and James Taylor. My four older siblings are also big music lovers but none of them ever learned to play an instrument or sing. My mother tried to get all of us to learn to play the piano, but it never stuck. At age ten, I decided I wanted to play the drums and then moved to bass and then guitar. Zilpha, I grew up in the Dallas area of Texas, as you did, and I found it difficult being accepted there. What was it like for you growing up? Z: For me, being involved with music was key to feeling a sense of belonging. Sure, I may have had different viewpoints from some of my peers, but when it came to singing all of that took a backseat. That's what is so great about music. It brings people together. Dania, you come from Lebanon where being gay is seen as a criminal act. What was it like growing up in that environment? D: I loved growing up in Lebanon. I lived in a small town and had an idyllic childhood in the country. As I grew into my teen years, I knew that I had differing opinions and beliefs from many of the people around me. I knew I was opposed to the traditional ways in which sexuality in general was treated. But, home is where the heart is--even if it has its complications--and you've got to make it work. It was important for me to be surrounded by like-minded people who valued critical and progressive thinking. Luckily, it was pretty easy for me to find those folks because I was involved in music. The people I met through a shared love of playing and listening to music were all about progressive and critical thinking. We loved bands like Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, we played fun rock shows, and we even put on annual music festivals featuring local bands. At the festivals, it was great to see people from all walks of life coming together. Like Zilpha said, music has a wonderful way of bonding people and breaking down boundaries. It was an exciting time because I felt that we were really making a difference and leaving a meaningful imprint on our beloved home. For me, the subculture my friends and I represented gave me hope. Where there's a progressive community - no matter how small - there's hope. Throughout my life, I have been truly fortunate to know people who are allies in free thinking and tolerance. You have to hold on to those people and celebrate them - they are what makes the world go around (and what makes it get better)! Have you been back to your hometowns recently? If so, how was that experience? Z: Dania and I have traveled to Lebanon twice together, and we visit Dallas regularly. The experience is not very different from anyone else's experience of going home. Our memories of being younger make us feel nostalgic, but they also remind us of how much we thought we wanted to get away. You argue with family and friends, and then you have good times with family and friends, and then you leave knowing you'll miss it. Visiting Lebanon with Dania was an amazing experience for me. I had so many fears because it's of its history of instability, but I was amazed to see how people could combat such constant uncertainty with community. The strength of the bonds between family and friends was astounding and inspiring. It was a very warm and welcoming place and you felt safe in your community no matter what was going on politically. D: We both love and value our hometowns, and we're committed to maintaining our connections. If you disappear from a place just because you're different, there will never be any change or diversity. Who are some of your musical influences? D: So many...here are a few: Oasis, Pearl Jam, Bonnie Raitt, The Cars, Dire Straits, Fleetwood Mac, Ani DiFranco, James Taylor Z: Tammy Wynette, George Jones, Martha Wainwright, Neko Case If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be? Z: Learn a sport and stick pre-calculus out D: Relax, it gets better, then worse, then better, then worse, then better and so on...just go with it have fun when you can. What is the greatest piece of advice someone has passed on to you? D: My sister once told me that your life is your own and you can't wait for anybody to give you things you want. You have to do the work and hope for the best. That was really great advice. Z: Misting your face with hairspray before a show can keep make-up from running. I sweat like a pig. Can you tell us about your new album? Z: We're very excited about this one. It's our fourth, which is hard to believe! In the past, we've imposed a misguided sense of urgency on the recording process. This time around, we threw out the schedule restrictions and our habit for haste. The resulting freedom allowed us to further refine our arrangements, focus much more on post-production, and just have fun. The way you are feeling while you're in the studio comes across on the recording. We were feeling good--relieved really--to be recording, and that is apparent when you listen to the album. D: The songs on Shilling For Dreamtown are also much more introspective than our past albums. With this album, we share more about ourselves and what life has been like over the past eight years of performing together. The title refers to promoting a way of life that is assumed to be great--on the outside. In NYC, where there is a lot of competition for industry attention, it is easy for music to stop being fun and become more like a rat race. We used to feel a lot of pressure to hold ourselves to some external definition of success. This album was our way of reconciling our frustrations with our initial love of creativity. For us, being able to sing and perform in front of an audience is the dream. You were recently married. How do you feel your relationship influences your music? Z: Being in a relationship has really characterized this project. It's our joint labor of love: love for music, love for performing, and above all love for each other. Sure, we argue and fight - what couple or band doesn't? – but, at the end of the day, each of us knows the joy that music brings the other, so we press on. When you love someone, you want to see them happy and at their best. For us that's when we're making music. On the logistical side, it's great being in a busy band with your partner, because the many hours spent rehearsing and touring are hours spent together. We feel very fortunate for that. Being in a band is time consuming and it can be difficult to keep up with a musical life and a family life. For us, they're one and the same. Anything else you want to share with our readers? D: Thanks for reading! Z: We hope you enjoy “Shilling For Dreamtown.” Starnes&Shah continue to tour in cities around the northeast. Their previous records include an acoustic EP titled Here Again on the Island (2006), as well as full-length albums, Summer in the Woodshed (2007), and Pink White Blue Green (2009), which featured full band arrangements, and Red Brick Tide.
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