Interview: Atom and His Package

interview by pr!

atom

Atom and His Package is Adam Goren and… actually it’s just him and music gear. And while there are a million clones of electronica artists like Moby, there are few similar to the music of Atom and his Package. The sound? Lotsa punk, some pop and all done in a ‘here it is’ fashion. Adam is funny, smart (should be; he actually has college degree(s), a word that is hardly used by most of us and never pluralized) and most importantly, honest, so his music is usually received quite well. Not to say there are not naysayers; they exist, pointing in his direction, hating on his style, making fun of his lyrics. To those, I bear good news. Atom and his Package are really never going to play a show again. This saddens me. I challenge Adam to a mind meld. Hmm, should I be referring to him as Atom? Nevermind that. Ohmmmmmmm…

Punk-to-families:
I didn’t think that these were mutually exclusive concentrations.

The FCC:
Not all governmental regulation is bad… one of Reagan’s (harmful) successes was to convince everyone that regulation (‘big government’) is bad, so lots of governmental things that are meant to regulate businesses and keep them in check and make sure they serve the good of human folks have been rendered impotent.

Government censorship:
[John] Ashcroft [a] million times more scary than Howard Stern.

Dead Kennedys touring without Jello Biafra:
Sounds boring.

Kitchen Fresh Chicken:
Chicken fresh kitchen.

A fantasy date with Ms. Condaleeza Rice:
We’d chat, and I’d get discouraged about the world most likely. We’d end up probably getting rad hockey tickets because she ’s Condaleeza Rice though. That’d be good.

Mars:
I don’t need to see it up close.

The Skull And Bones white conspiracy/oppression of minorities in hockey:
I’ve not heard of this. I do however have mixed feelings about the Flyers’ goaltender Robert Esche. I love the Flyers, and he’s playing well, but for fuck’s sake, he has a drawing of Kid Rock on his helmet. This is really really unforgivable.

Growing up with inverted knees:
Like your feet kick outwards? Probably a big help at walking backwards.

Iraq:
A big mess. Hopefully, something at some point, good will come out of this. Though it will be expensive and bloody and would have been a lot easier had Bush not been our president and a dope.

Why end Atom, why now? I know you’ve answered this before, both in interviews and in your e-mail newsletter… but I don’t think everyone knows yet.
I stopped playing shows as Atom and His Package for a combination of reasons, but mostly because I had toured intensely for 7 years, and was ready to be home. Of course, entering babytown, and needing health insurance also factored in.

Will Atom and His Package tour again?
No.

Record again?
I think so. I still love writing and recording songs on my own. I’ve had a lot less time to do this of late, but I believe I’ll always write and record music.

Are you still writing?
Yeppers.

Does that mean side projects? Anything we should know about?

I’m playing in a band called Armalite. It’s really fun. I’m not sure if anyone should know about it.

Smooth spreading peanut butter, or honey nut super chunk?
Smooth. Definitely… Jif.

www.atomandhispackage.com