Lakeshore Records sat down with Kathy Ng of KYBD, to discuss her song contributions to Wednesday (Original Comic Book Soundtrack). The album, as well as the Wednesday (Original Comic Book Score), will both be released on September 18 on Lakeshore Records. See below for song teasers.
Stompbox13 presents WEDNESDAY Book 1, currently available at Comixology, Amazon and wherever comics are sold.
How did you come to be interested in making electronic music? Do you recall anything specific that sparked your interest?
I grew up listening to a lot of electronic and Industrial music, although I didn’t listen to music based on categories. Bands like Depeche Mode made really great music with experimentation and by sampling their own sounds. I loved knowing that there are limitless creative possibilities with electronic music.
How would you categorize the music you make? Were you aiming for a certain genre? How would you describe the characteristics of that genre and what about it appeals to you?
I don’t think I have a defined style, although I am heavily influenced by ’80s post-punk and New Wave music. I was asked to contribute a song with a retro vibe and I tried to be true to the story of Wednesday. I studied Wednesday Book 1 from cover to cover and immersed myself in her world; she lives in a post-apocalyptic world that barely resembles what earth once was before civilization was brought down. I wanted my music to reflect Wednesday’s point of view as a teenager in this harsh world.
Your song is called “Desert Ride.” Does the music illustrate something specific from the Wednesday story or were you capturing a general mood or feeling?
I was thinking about what a teenager would do when she gets her first car. She would totally take it for a spin. Speeding across a desert landscape would be so much fun, I imagine. The song represents a moment of freedom from her over-protective dad. She’s having the time of her life without a care in the world.
“Desert Ride” is a song you wrote and recorded solo, while “Teenage Mechanics” is a collaboration. What did you contribute to “Teenage Mechanics” and how were the two approaches different for you?
For “Teenage Mechanics,” I contributed the lead synth melody and some bells and whistles here and there. My collaborator, John Bergin, contributed the drums, bass and badass guitar riff at the end! I asked John to send me an original drum loop and I would work around that, building in the melody. It was slightly more of a challenge because I had to use the drums to inform the direction of the song, whereas “Desert Ride” started out with a melody from scratch.
In the story, Wednesday has no friends, so she builds three robotic sock monkeys to be her friends. If you had to literally make your own best friend, what/who would you build?
I’d love to build my own invisible id monster, like the one from Forbidden Planet (1956). It protects me from deadly swarms of nano-machine bugs and brings me coffee every morning.
Finally, what are you working on now?
I am working on songs for a new album inspired by a sci-fi series I started on Vine over a year ago.
Thank you, Kathy, for taking the time to chat with us!
