Selebrities | Soda Shop
Brooklyn
Maria Usbeck
I could go ahead and tell you all about me. Where I’m from, weird quirky things like how I can say hello in about 10 languages now and I fold paper boats with anything that comes to hand. Instead I’m going to explain why I play music. I studied classical piano until the age of 12. Started around 7 because when I was 6 I refused to stay in class. Literally would not let go of my moms hand. She figured might as well wait one more year. I was very shy as a child, had very few friends and wasn’t comfortable in any way. Except I loved playing with my dad. He would rock that acoustic guitar and I would sing along. As I became a teenager like everyone else, I started getting interested in other things besides playing music. I left the piano and the singing locked up inside and forgot about it. Started listening more, became a spectator, a collector of music. It wasn’t until college that I met my best friend Jeremy. Together we discovered the idea of creating songs. Full of hopes and emotions and so selebrities was born. It was a mess for so long, until Max came along and glued all the pieces together. I’m excited to announce that Selebrities is now part of Cascine, a great label and we have a 12inch with two new songs being released Nov 22th as well as many other very exciting things in the works. Other great news is my side project with my friend Drew called Soda Shop is also releasing a 7inch through Shelflife Records My soda consumption has skyrocketed. I was just in Berlin and tried Afri Cola, best soda in the world!!!
When I write a song I tend to focus on emotions and my mind wonders. It’s priceless to be able to share how I feel with the world
I’m sitting here thinking of a boy, confused really, but happy. I don’t look for anything in particular in a person. I like to be surprised. Like the first time you look into someone eyes and you can’t look away.
Work:
Selebrities- Time
MP3: Selebrities-Time Selebrities photographed by Anthony Espino, vid by austin robert
Maria: I’m all over the place in terms of music. Which I think it’s very important as a musician to do. Selebrities sounds 80′s. We are 80′s synth pop. Reminiscing of The Cure, New Order, Altered Images and some more obscure ones like The Desert Wolves, The Chameleons and Mecano. The Soda Shop vibe is more of a Shangri-Las meets The Cardigans.
Soda Shop
Soda Shop
Farewell When You’re Lonely
Zeitgeist:
The Ramones – 53rd & 3rd
NYC, just a dirty city. The feeling of walking around wanting to kick some trash cans while listening to this song.
Current Obsession:
Cria Cuervos – Porque te vas
Latest musical obsession is Jeanette. A friend of mine reminded me of this song a few weeks ago. Her voice is fantastic, genuinely pure. The lyrics and music are incredible. Melodic dramatic poetry. Bought everything she has ever made the same day. Despues del invierno mantengan sus oidos en busca de el cover que voy a hacer de”Porque te vas” de Jeanette. Chao a todos!
The Scene
Selebrities is an instant heart throbber, new waving, up beat, sweetly sorrowed and leveraged by Maria Usbeck’s magical vocals. While Soda Shop vends out sophisticated Twee pop. Both Leading to inevitable over dosing. Follow both acts here—> [selebrities, Soda Shop]
Selebrities
MP3: Selebrities- Secret Garden
Altered Images 
MP3: Altered Images- I Could Be Happy
[Myspace]
Betty And The Werewolves- Paper Thin
[Myspace]
The Raincoats- Lola 
[Myspace]
Young Wrists – July 1986
[Myspace]
Pipas 
MP3: Pipas- No Puedes Pensar
MP3: Pipas- Bye Bye
[Myspace]
Bela Tarr- Salty Lights
by valentina dell’aquila. [Bela Tarr]
The Desert Wolves – Skin Deep
[Myspace]
