The Buttress is a person, first and foremost. One of the most hardworking artists in the underground, she is consistently creating her version of reality. Be it her philosophical lectures in Phenomenology Club, the intriguing horror films brought about through the art collective Ghost Gang, or her comforting combination of abrasive instrumentals and forceful, thought-provoking lyricism, Buttress remains an ever-changing, ever-evolving voice for what she deems to be true and important.
Born in a hyper-religious New Jersey household, raised by drugs and the internet, with teeth cut in the Chicago House scene, Buttress is both a product of her environment while also existing as an outlier. While some of her art school classmates took cookie-cutter creative jobs for organizations such as Vice, Buttress’s creative career took a much more experimental route, one fraught with financial struggles and existential woe, but one that also seems to have imbued Buttress with a sense of belonging.
Buttress in KUSO.
2018 is set to be Buttress’s most creatively fulfilling year yet; last summer, she was one of the stars of Flying Lotus’ feature-length debut KUSO (her scene alongside Zack Fox, one which takes place in an abortion office, is exactly what you would hope for). Buttress was included on Brainfeeder’s Best-Of Mix for 2017 thanks to “We Survived!”, a song specifically recorded for KUSO. Most recently she can be heard on the track “Insurance Man” from Parliament’s newest album “Medicaid Fraud Dogg”, headed by the legendary George Clinton, another KUSO alumnus. At the moment, Buttress is hard at work on her new passion project, Phenomenology Club, where she aims to help educate individuals about expression and communication, be it the subjectivity of art, the implicit logical bias of language, or anything else that she thinks would be useful to someone who has the drive to to do something, but not necessarily the know-how.
We got to speak with Buttress.
Underground Underdogs: So Buttress, I wanna thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview. First things first, did you know that they discovered a second brain in the butt? Does this information surprise you?
Buttress: Hell yea dude! Thanks for asking me. I actually saw someone post something about that the other day, but I didn’t even click it because I thought for sure it was just some dumb clickbait title about some not nearly as cool recently discovered scientific factoid. Now I might have to click it.
Why are butts so relatable?
It’s just a funny word. Butt.
Have you ever felt the need to make relatable music or do you just do it for personal satisfaction?
I’m definitely of the mindset that we don’t make art solely for ourselves. I think art is very much like language; it’s just a presentation of an idea. Just like talking to yourself is fun, so is making art for yourself. At the end of the day, if you are keen on saying/making interesting things, I think the natural inclination is to want to share it. In that way, I think since I do make everything, on some level, with the purpose of being shared, I’d definitely call it “relatable.”
At the same time, I don’t really ever pay much mind to trying to make things that people will find some relatable message in. I just hope they relate to the idea I have in that it is a thing worth being shared.
That kind of intellectual independence that you inspire is definitely evident in your tweets and interaction with your fan base as a whole. I’ve seen you talk with your fans on a very personal level, and in your interview with Kinda Neat, you said that you’ve contacted other artists before just to express your admiration.
Do you think that the level of accessibility we have to our favorite artists is, in any way, detrimental to the creative process? Or is it beneficial to hear from the people who listen your music, and if so, in what ways?
Hmm, I’m not sure whether I believe being accessible online is necessarily detrimental to my creative abilities. I don’t think it really has any bearing on them. However, speaking from a business standpoint, it might be detrimental. I know that being elusive online is sort of the ideal for a lot of artists. I honestly feel like I don’t really give a fuck. I don’t really feel as if I am a part of the “industry” period, and even if I was, I’m not sure I respect it enough to play by its rules.
At the same time, Buttress is such a small component of what I do, even if the public hasn’t really been made aware of that fact. For one, I’ve been going pretty hard trying to get my philosophy club, Phenomenology Club, up and running. Spewing a bunch of ideological bullshit online is actually good for that facet of my “brand.” So it’s like, who even knows?
Either way, it’s whatever, ’cause end of the day I just love talking to people. I’ve been going crazy on online discussion forums since I was like 13. The only thing that’s changed between then and now is I have some attention on me, so fuck it! I’m not ’bout to shut up just ’cause people are telling me I should be all quiet and mysterious ’cause “business.” I got a big ass mouth.
Phenomenology Club has been really interesting, just seeing it grow. I saw a brief clip about your lecture on the subjectivity of art, but I’m a broke bitch so I couldn’t see the full thing on Patreon. What topics can we expect to be discussed in Phenomenology Club?
Ay, no big, I can just link you! Honestly if anyone can’t afford the club I just send them links, I really don’t care all that much. As far as topics go, there are so many I plan on doing, but the overall focus of the club is “art.” Even when a discussion really has nothing to do with art, I try to frame it in that context, at least in some way. The series itself really is ultimately an “art project”. The lectures I upload are the meat of the content for the Patreon members at present, but the overall project is a narrative series, which I am going to try to get on television somehow, even if it’s just public access, which would be highly appropriate.
In addition to art outside of Buttress, can you tell me a little about Ghost Gang and how it formed? Specifically, I would love to know about the conception and shooting of Bogglegog, I’m a big fan of that short.
“Ghost Gang” is the name a bunch of friends and I came up with to describe our little tight-as-fuck-knit group of artist friends from when we were all living in Chicago. For much of my time there, I lived with 2 other filmmakers, Zhou Yun Chen and Matt O’Shaugnessy. We would just work on shit all day long and help each other out with our various projects. It was awesome; at all times, someone would be developing some 16mm in the basement, someone might be doing some experimental bullshit with the projector, someone else might be jamming the fuck out with some other random Chicago improv musician.
We were like this little art cult, and not just us, but a few other local friends as well. Most of us have since left Chicago. There’s only one member of Ghost Gang still living there; Adam Rose, the creepy shaved head guy who’s been in a bunch of my videos. That being said, the bond we formed in Chicago was so intense that I think we will be collaborative partners for life. We even have matching tattoos, which is so sentimental and something I usually wouldn’t do, but I just fucking love those people.
It’s hard being an artist and finding other people that eat that shit up all day every day like you do. I find a lot of artists just kind of approach art like a hobby. But for all of Ghost Gang, it’s all we wanna fucking do ever. When I do find myself in the same city as one of them, we always make sure to make something, that’s why me and Marc Riordan made Bogglegog. I was visiting Chicago at the time, right before he headed out to LA. So yea, that’s that.
The name “Ghost Gang” happened because one night we all went to some Halloween party together and didn’t know what to go as, and one of us had white face paint from some film project, so we all just painted our faces white and went as ghosts and said we were “Ghost Gang.” The name just kind of stuck. It felt especially fitting too since we all are sort of horror nerds.
Living with like-minded people who are all about the art must be incredibly fulfilling. Was there any difference creating in Chicago as opposed to New York/ New Jersey? Do you have any advice for aspiring artists who are trying to find their voice?
Creating in Chicago was definitely different from creating out here. For one, the scene at that time was just seriously awesome. Chicago is chock full of weird-ass DIY people that make shit all day, and for a long time it was financially feasible for a lot of them to do that. However, rent everywhere is going up, and a lot of people and venues are being bought out, so sadly, the scene has changed a lot in the past few years.
When I was there, I was at free jazz shows like four nights a week, then at some experimental-ass film screening the next night, a noise show the following night, doing drugs at some techno warehouse rager in the middle of nowhere the night after that; it was so amazing.
But regardless of the scene, the thing that made living in Chicago the best, as far as creativity is concerned, was the fact that I lived with and surrounded myself with so many artists that were as dedicated to their various projects as I was, and that I think would be my ultimate advice for artists; surround yourself with like-minded, productive people.
It’s almost like having a personal trainer around you at all times. When you’re surrounded with other people being creative, it really makes you wanna jump into your projects as well. As far as financial advice and all that, I’m not sure I’m the one to ask [laughs.] I think everyone has to do what works for them. If you’re determined to make shit, you’re just gonna do it. No one can teach that. If that means quitting a job or whatever, then the person that truly feels that desire, truly feels that motivation just will.
I think the ultimate hurdle in my own life as an artist, and what I try to talk about with other artists when they are feeling frustrated with their craft and its potential, was the initial hurdle of learning my materials. When I started making things, I often felt so listless, not ’cause I was unmotivated to do things, but I just didn’t know what the fuck to do.
I’d sit and try to learn random video editing software and I’d get frustrated, not only with the program, but with my concepts. What is the point of just sitting here editing random videos? I don’t even like what I’m doing or how it’s turning out. But, after hours and hours of just fucking around in programs, fucking around making random little video clips, fucking around playing music, fucking around making the most random, dumbass things in the process, eventually a huge-ass world opened up to me.
I still am nowhere near as masterful of my materials as I would like, but at the end of the day I’m pretty damn skilled. I’m always trying to learn new techniques and materials, ’cause the more I do, the more I like what I do. Making things becomes so much more fun and rewarding once you are in control of the ship you are trying to steer.
I think the ideas follow the skills, too. Don’t even worry about the overall aesthetic value of a thing you are trying to make if you are still learning how to make it. Invest as much time as possible in learning about your materials. The more you do this, the more confident you will be in your own ideas and abilities. That’s my number one piece of advice to artists.
Beyond that, don’t make art to get rich. It probably won’t happen. You’ll probably just make a bunch of shitty art trying to make it happen. Make art for art’s sake and if not, leave it alone. Unless of course you are just trying to foster some sort of creative career in the corporate world, which I really know absolutely nothing about, so I can’t help.
That DIY attitude is incredibly motivating, I remember seeing a picture you posted of like 100 shirts that you were screenprinting yourself, like holy shit!! I also remember the artwork for your first album Behind Every Great Man, the copy I have looks handmade! Did you single-handedly draw the artwork for each copy of that album?
Behind Every Great Man (2014)
Well, it’s no secret I love Adderall [laughs.] I’d say that’s probably how I did the 100 shirts!! Or at least, it helped greatly.
Also, I find that once you get acclimated to a thing, it just becomes kind of therapeutic/fun. Like screenprinting 100 shirts just feels like washing dishes for a few hours or something, you know? I just listen to music and zone out.
But at first, learning how to screenprint shirts was a nightmare! Which kind of goes back to what I was just saying, focus on learning your materials and the rest will come!
I didn’t do individual covers for ALL copies of Behind Every Great Man (there are hard CD copies/vinyls printed), but I did hand-draw a bunch of covers for CDs, as well as draw on a bunch of vinyls for people. I like drawing/painting a lot, so I have art sales relatively often. I find people like the personal touch.
Would you ever consider making how-to videos once you get a full mastery of your materials? I feel like a Buttress walk-through of Ableton could be very informative.
I do think about it! But I usually find whenever I’m doing something, I’m so preoccupied with doing it I don’t ever want to stop and make a video about how I’m doing it (laughs). I wish I would though, especially on video shoots ’cause I have so many weird, DIY tips for people who have no budget and wanna get crazy with their videos.
I think an Ableton video would be reasonable. Actually, that’s part of why I make sure to let people know that Phenomenology Club is an “art club” more than a “philosophy club”, ’cause I actually do plan on doing some weirder art-related videos, one of which could very well be a tutorial!!
I’d also like to have some friends do a demonstration as well, since I have so many friends into super nerdy shit like designing, building circuit boards, and optical printers. I definitely wanna utilize those resources.
Going back to music for a second, I know you’re featured on Parliament’s newest album, Medicaid Fraud Dogg specifically on the track “Insurance Man”. That’s kinda mind-blowing. I’ll admit, I’ve yet to listen to it (again, broke as fuck), but it’s on my list! The last thing I heard from you was “We Survived!” from the Brainfeeder 2017-18 mix. I know your creative experience is different for each song, but how did “We Survived!” come to life?
“We Survived!” came about because FlyLo had an idea to do a music video segment in KUSO. He sent me a few beats, so I just wrote and recorded some verses for him based on my character in KUSO. Thankfully he liked it! And yes, definitely check out “Insurance Man,” if you want to, or don’t, I don’t really care about anything anymore, ’cause I’m on a goddamn Parliament album. Like, what? This year I’ve had a feature on a Flying Lotus track, and I’m featured on a Parliament album, like I don’t even know where to go from here, might as well just punch myself til I die.
Final question, how is your little bunny Steven doing?
Steven is WEIRD. About a week ago, I gave him an ice cube and he is STILL ANGRY at me; I guess he was shocked that it was so cold? He’s been pretty much living under furniture, which he usually does during the day. But he usually comes out at night, and now he’s not coming out at all, so it’s officially pissing me off. I’m gonna take him to the vet cause that’s how extreme this is.
Jack (battle rapper Jak Tripper) says that he’s just hot so he doesn’t wanna come out as much, and I think he’s partially right. I’m sure he’s fine, I keep popping under to make sure he looks alert and comfortable, and he totally seems fine, he just won’t fucking come out. I think it’s cause he’s pissed at me, he never stays this reclusive.
But whatever, I’m just glad he seems to be doing fine and is just mad about the ice cube. I love Steven so much, even when he’s a dick. Bunnies just look nice but they all got attitude problems if I’m being honest. But I do too so it’s fine. We get along great, Steven is the best. He is going to live forever.
Any parting words you’d like to give the readers of UU?
“DICK ASS”.
You can follow Buttress @cockspit on Twitter, @bschit on Instagram, and check out her YouTube page for Ghost Gang content, music videos, and Phenomenology Club teasers. I hope this inspired you to do whatever you want to be doing. If not, why did you read this far you procrastinating piece of liquid garbage? I love you, fuck you, good night.