Gold Star Details

Marlon Rabenreither has always created music signposted by his own memories, experiences and emotions. Austrian-born and LA-based, the musician first came to our attention as the frontman of frantic trio CG Roxanne and The Nightmares, but has since gone his own way, writing and performing under the solo moniker Gold Star.

Conjuring tales of love, lust and lost hours on winding roads – both psychically, through dusty deserts and towering cityscapes, and metaphorically, through life’s twists and turns – Rabenreither has always straddled that line between expansive sound and introspective soul. Never is this description truer than with his newly released third record, Uppers and Downers, which, as the name suggests, takes the listener through highs and lows via a hazy yet experienced emotional compass.

A soulful continuation of the great songwriter, troubadour canon, this latest recording process took Rabenreither to LA’s historic Valentine Studios. Having previously played host to many of the greats – including The Beach Boys, Frank Zappa and Jackson Browne – the studio had closed for over three decades before it was reopened just two years ago, by Rabenreither’s producer friend, Nicolas Jodoin. A unique time-capsule that echoes with stories of the past, the venue proved an ideal setting for this songwriter to sharpen his scope before zooming in on the different corners of his own narrative.

From translating memories to sound to setting them to film, here Rabenreither traces fifteen photographs taken by photographer and friend Cameron McCool. From meeting his girlfriend for the first time to honing his record in the studio, the pair talk us through the memories behind each moment.