Authenticity… It’s a term that leads a tenuous existence. We strive towards it and hope for it, but most often fall short of what shouldn’t be such a lofty goal. Hollywood has always had a flimsy relationship with authenticity, which is obvious to anyone who’s probably over the age of 7.
Indie/electronic act friend slash lover has revealed the brand-new single, “As Seen On TV (I’m the Actor Playing Me),” a punchy, groovy, blunt commentary on Hollywood culture. The song was inspired by that defining sound of the ’80s, personified by artists such as Tears For Fears, and ’80s-era David Bowie. It all comes ahead of the release of friend slash lover’s brand-new EP Mugged On Memory Lane, which will be released this fall.
Explaining the origins behind “As Seen On TV (I’m the Actor Playing Me),” “The song started out years ago as sort of a sarcastic love letter to LA. The original chorus was ‘Oh, Los Angeles, I hope you don’t mind if I forget some of my lines,’ but I expanded on that idea and wrote the new chorus as it is now. The city itself becomes one of the characters in the opening lines, ‘Hollywood got a facelift, but who took the bandages off of Los Angeles? Because everything’s such a mess.’ The idea that everyone is fake, or at least projecting something inauthentic about themselves, is personified in the chorus: ‘Have you seen me on TV? I’m the actor playing me.’”
For fans of friend slash lover, Mugged On Memory Lane has been a long time coming. The concept EP comes after a full seven-year hiatus. The songs will explore the album’s main character’s feelings of displacement and disenchantment, while trying to navigate their way through the realities of modern day LA. The EP is particularly relatable, for the undeniable role and influence that Hollywood has on virtually everyone. It diffuses culture globally, and affects us in ways we don’t even know or realize. Mugged On Memory Lane is both a love letter and a critique of Hollywood at the same time. It has moments of humour, sarcasm, and gloom, as the main character meets various highs and lows. The EP is a socially conscious set of songs, that show how thoughtful and introspective of an artist friend slash lover is.
