MySpace Discovery Wednesday: Vernon J. Price

Sometimes out of nowhere, an artist comes along that you weren't expecting and last week, we were hit with an electro fireball of a track that has had us dancing around the loft every night...Electroqueer readers - allow me to introduce you to dance artist - Vernon J. Price.

Vernon's new single 'Killer' is a dance remake of Seal's famous classic, but with a twist.  Vernon's version of 'Killer' has a hot, updated electro/dance makeover with Twisted Society and Vernon's voice is almost exactly the same as Seal's - it's uncanny.  So much in fact that Seal tried to stop the record from being released - which is now tearing up the German (Top 10 already) and French dance charts and is being picked up all over Europe as you read this.

We had a chance to catch up with Vernon J Price about the release of 'Killer'.

EQ: Why do you think the dance world is ready for another version of 'Killer' - it's been done quite a few times already. ie: George Michael...Sugababes to name a few.
VJP: The difference is that the Twisted Society version didn't use the obvious BASS line that has a huge identity of its own throughout the entire original song. This time it's the melody of the vocal line and the Anthem chorus that carries the song. The dance world needs to know that the POP world is not the only place for voices that sound similar. The POP world has so many Britney and Puff Daddy copies. But where are the Madonnas, Shannons, Robins and Seals of today?  We need more incredible vocals on the dance floor.  Not POP artist who have had their song remixed "just in time" but DANCE songs with vocals that make us scream the chorus along with them because the artist / songwriter found that melody and words that reaches that part of our brains that just scream....yeah that's what I wanna sing on the dancefloor!

EQ: What has the response been to the single in Germany and France? 
VJP: The song reached the TOP 10 of most German Dance charts such as DDC, DDP, DMC, ECC, ODC.  The song is running up the Radio and dance chart in France in the TOP levels.

EQ: How did you react when you first heard 'Killer' in the clubs and radio?
VJP: Funny, the first time I heard the song was in the Internet at www.inbeatradio.com. The second time was on the Radio, one day after finishing the Video in Slovenia. We were just heading towards the Airport bound for Frankfurt, Germany and just before we got out of the cab, the song came on the Radio. The reaction is always the same. I get tears in my eyes.

EQ: So - what happened with Seal?  Did he really try to get the record from being released?
VJP: Good question. Not so sure. We got the rights almost two years ago to do the track.  I guess he thought that someone had lifted his vocals.  The record company had to assure, what I guess, legal representation that the vocals were not his.

EQ: What is your interpretation of the word 'Electroqueer'.  We seem to get a lot of different definitions from readers - curious as to how you might interpret the word...
VJP: Electroqueer = The Queer Eye for electric & pop topics, be it music or otherwise!

Vernon has offered up an exclusive download of 'Killer' for Electroqueer readers which you can download below.  Make sure you check out Vernon's MySpace page as well!

Vernon J Price - Download 'Killer' [Electronic Flipside Vinyl Mix]
Vernon J Price - MySpace
Video - 'Killer'