Catching up with Cyrus Shahmir of the N.E.C.
The N.E.C. frontman part-time Double Phantom producer/engineer talks about the band’s forthcoming EP and his love of cassettes
?
Related cover story: On the haunt: Double Phantom Records breathes new life into Atlanta’s DIY scene
?
Chad Radford: Tell me about how you are involved with with Double Phantom Records.
?
Cyrus Shahmir: I recorded my band, the N.E.C.’s side as well as the Jovantes side on our split 10-inch on Double Phantom. I recorded our 7-inch as well as the Carnivores and Abby Go Go split 7-inch... I’ve been making music for a long time, and I’ll make things that could potentially only appeal to me, but that’s just in an exploration of sounds and shit. But I have always wanted to write songs, and I actively think about how to do it. When I started getting interested in Rob’s House Records a few years back it was a very fertile time here in Atlanta. It was right when the Selmanaires had just come out with their first 7-inch on the label and the Gringos — or I guess they were still A Fir Ju-Well — did a single with Rob’s House. But also the Black Lips and Deerhunter were there and the variety of that time was what appealed to me about everything that was going on.
?
I was trying to figure out how to put something out on vinyl and Double Phantom friended me on Myspace – and that’s a good example of the value of Myspace. That alone facilitated me getting my first 7-inch pressed. What’s funny is the e-mail that I sent to them said ‘yo dudes, we’re trying to put out a 7-inch. Who’s got the vision?’ I wanted to see if they recognized potential and my whole point is that maybe what you see right now is not all that it will become. I have always strived to be better and better and better.