Interview: Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs

Photo courtesy of Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs

Tonight at Barboza, Orlando Higginbotton, aka Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, will be taking the stage with a handful of his many colorful electro dance tunes. Higginbottom has just embarked on his US tour celebrating the release of his debut LP Trouble, and is stopping in Seattle tonight after playing east coast sets including one to a massive crowd at Lollapalooza. Check out a quick conversation Orlando shared with SSG Music prior to him taking the stage tonight:

-After selling out tours in the UK, have you been confident or perhaps nervous when anticipating the turn out and reception of this US headlining tour?

Higginbottom: Just eager to get on with it.

-Of each of the songs found on Trouble, which was the most challenging to finalize? Did it also end up becoming the most rewarding track for you?

Higginbottom:  I don’t know, maybe “Trouble” itself. It was the first track I recorded a full vocal for.

-Do you have a background in fashion or visual art that affects the decisions you’ve made with your styling for live shows?

Higginbottom: Not officially.

- When will you debut the headpiece that won your fan’s headpiece design competition? Also, is it a tough process to store your headpieces for an international tour? Have you ever run into a humorous malfunction with one of your headpieces?

Higginbottom: Bestival will see the unveiling of the winning headpiece. I dont always wear headpieces, so when im flying round the states, I avoid damage by not taking one!

-How are you affiliated with Blessing Force? Are you familiar with these artists solely based on being from Oxford, or do you share a deeper friendship with them?

Higginbottom: A deep friendship for sure.

-Do you believe Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs will always be a one-man live show (aside from your dancing dinosaurs), or do you see live collaborations in the future (like bringing Luisa from “Garden” along with you)?

Higginbottom: Luisa comes along sometimes. Who knows what the future holds.

-In many cases, musicians start in bands before they are confident enough to release work under their own singular name as a representation of themselves – were you just always destined for dance music, or do you have a past filled with band performances unknown to us that lead you to TEED?

Higginbottom: I’ve always made music, I think I always will. This is what I am doing now.

-Recently, scientists have determined that pop music is becoming “louder and blander” – do you agree or do you think there are enough signs currently that point towards innovation in pop music? Do you believe machines should be able to determine such a bold statement?

Higginbottom: You don’t need machines to tell you that. Pop music has become louder and blander, uniform even. But everything else is great!

-What dance/electro song best represents Summer 2012 for you, or what dance/electro song is your favorite right now?

Higginbottom: Right now, the new album from Shed.

Will you be heading out to see Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs at Barboza tonight? Preview his set with the video below for his song “Tapes & Money” from Trouble.