In 2006, Quentin Stoltzfus was forced to retire Mazarin, the dreamy, strummy Philadelphia-based project he debuted in 1999, due to threats from a litigious Long Island classic-rock band of the same name. If not for that, the new Light Heat album would be a Mazarin album, and could have come out years ago. The catalyst for Light Heat’s debut came from Stoltzfus’ friends and former tourmates the Walkmen. That band, minus singer Hamilton Leithauser, backs Stoltzfus on the LP, although Light Heat itself, like Mazarin, is essentially Stoltzfus and whomever he plays with. Stoltzfus will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our new feature on Light Heat.
Stoltzfus: Some years back, on a family vacation in Florida, I was randomly introduced to Francisco Goya’s masterpiece Los Caprichos. The Ringling Museum Of Art had on display a number of the original etchings that Goya had created while recovering from unexplained medical ailments, possibly Meniere’s disease in its worst form. During this time, he delved into the French Revolution and the philosophies behind it. Los Caprichos is a collection of acerbic cultural and societal observations from the 18th century that could easily be applied to our modern world. Each etching comes with a brief though cutting description on the piece: The Sleep Of Reason Produces Monsters, And The House Is On Fire and Here Comes The Bogeyman are some of personal faves. I’ve carried this book around with me to every writing and recording session that I’ve done since I discovered it.
Video after the jump.
