Personnel: David Pistrui, vocals, guitar, bass; Phil Rainey, bass, keyboards, percussion; Skip Fantry, technical support (programming
instruments).
Formed: 1985 by Pistrui, who had just moved to Chicago from Kalamazoo, as a studio-based, dance-rock duo.
Current lineup together since: 1986. Rainey joined as a drummer, became Pistrui`s chief songwriting partner, and Pistrui`s original collaborator left. Pistrui says Fantry, who also directs the band`s videos, joined around the same time as Rainey.
Sound: ”It`s not just straight dance music, it`s not just straight rock- it`s more of a blend, a global perspective,” Pistrui says. ”I`ve been to about 25 countries since I formed the band, so I`ve been able to receive a lot of influences. It`s become more polished. I think we`ve become better songwriters.”
Influences: Pistrui cites Motown and ”black wave” bands such as Joy Division, Crass, Gang of Four and Pop Group. ”The best comparison I`ve heard is sort of a cross between Iggy Pop and New Order.”
Songwriting: Pistrui says he and Rainey write all the songs, with Rainey often beginning with the drum track and keyboards and Pistrui adding guitar, lyrics and vocals. ”And sometimes we just get grooving on something.”
Onstage cover versions: Sweet`s ”Love Is Like Oxygen.” Pistrui says the band also used to do Patti Smith`s ”Dancing Barefoot” and Iggy Pop`s ”Cry for Love.”
Memorable concert experiences: ”One of the most memorable was playing with Ministry at the Exit early in our career,” Pistrui says. ”We were really a new band, and the place was absolutely packed. Playing in front of that many people early on really gave us a lot of energy and encouragement.” Extracurricular, I: Pistrui co-hosts a weekly, hour-long radio show that is produced in Chicago and broadcast on Romania`s national radio station. It`s called ”Chicago Bucharest Tur-Re-Tur (round trip).” ”We play everything from rap to hard rock to dance,” Pistrui says. ”It`s a mix of alternative and popular.”
Extracurricular, II: Pistrui is in the process of compiling ”East Meets West,” a CD featuring Romanian, Hungarian and American bands. He hopes to have it available on his White Records by March.
Overseas: Pistrui has toured Romania, Hungary and Yugoslavia, keeping the name Terminal White but playing with Romanian musicians instead of Rainey. ”I do a third Terminal White tunes, I do some cover tunes, and I do some Romanian tunes. I`d say the biggest show was playing in Romania at a rock festival in front of 30,000 people.”
Namesake: Pistrui says the band can`t escape being ”terminally white,”
but they do strive for soul and danceability.
Recordings: Terminal White has released two EPs, a single and a six-song album on White Records since 1987. The band`s just-released 10-song album,
”Color-Line,” was produced by the band with Vince Lawrence at Lawrence`s studio, Chicago Trax and Streeterville. Pistrui says ”Color-Line” ended up as sort of a concept album that is ”a cross between Walt Whitman and W.E.B. Dubois.”
Philosophy: ”Work hard and play hard and have a good time,” Pistrui says.
Goals: ”Obviously success for this new release, playing some shows nationally in support of it, and bon voyage over to Europe for some touring,” Pistrui says.
Next appearance: A record-release party (no specific date yet) in late February or early March.
