Colonel K Speaks

Ra Ra Rasputin Mixtape Vol.1

2011-01-06T12:30:00.002-05:00

There are few things better than discovering a song for the first time. Playing music is the closest we've come to duplicating that feeling of discovery. These songs may seem all over the map, but for us, they all speak to the sincerity in the wild and exploratory process of making music. We risk it by putting it out there. Sometimes it's distorted and quiet, other times it's pulsing and frenetic. That's the kind of music we're always working to make and love listening to.
-Ra Ra Rasputin, January 2011

More information about each song after the jump...

Anna
“Tidal Wave” Grouper Dragging a Dead Deer Up A Hill (2008)
Liz Harris' music constantly surprises me, which is always my goal when writing. I'm really inspired by her sound and have spent much of the last few years recording everyday sounds and building dark, moody patches around them. Her quiet, under-watery songs are undeniably awesome.

“Heart of Gold” Neil Young Harvest (1972)
This song is my first memory of music - it's always with me and I love it.

“Egyptian Shumba” The Tammys Egyptian Shumba 7" single (1963)
These ladies were the original girls gone wild. I'm sure I've listened to this song one thousand times, and I still love it just as much as the first play. The classic 60's intro and the sex crazed shrieks and grunts are so wacky and fun I can't help but shimmy shimmy.

“Is It Medicine” The Knife Deep Cuts (2005)
Anyone who knows me knows that I have a deep and undying love for Swedish musicians. The Knife is one of my all time favorites and this song has a groove that wins gold.

Ken
“A Journey to Reedham [7 A.M. mix]” Squarepusher Big Loada (1997)
Squarepusher has a wonderful ability to find really nice melodic phrases, loop them and then throw some incredibly active drums over top as the lead instrument. I think this song is a great example of that. There are some really crazy/impressive sounds. I love the synth riff that comes in at 01:34.

“Ye Ye De Smell” Fela Kuti and Africa 70 Live with Ginger Baker (1971)
Fela Kuti always found those basslines and grooves that, for some magical reason, you can just jam on for hours and hours (sometimes literally). This song is from a live album featuring Ginger Baker from Cream, who traveled to Africa to hang out with Fela and study African rhythms.

“This Must Be the Place ” Talking Heads Speaking In Tongues (1983)
I considered adding one of the more percussion-heavy Talking Heads tunes from Fear of Music or Remain in Light, but I just really love this one. The bass and drums - which don't change for the entire song - lay down such a pleasant foundation for the vocals and synth melodies. The lyrics are really nice. And there are all of these fun sounds in the background. The video is really great too.

“Music for a Large Ensemble” Steve Reich Octet - Music for a Large Ensemble - Violin Phase (1980)
This is my favorite piece by 20th century minimalist composer Steve Reich. Another wonderful example of hypnotic repetitive interlocking rhythms. I love the subtle variations and time signature changes. Even after listening to the piece dozens of times, I still consistently find the big horn swells (02:18, for example) to be genuinely moving. The piece reminds me of one of those fast-forward shots of people getting on and off trains at rush hour. It was all recorded live, I think. Beautiful music.

Brock
"(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang" Heaven 17 Penthouse and Pavement (1981)
2 of the 3 original members of The Human League, Ian Marsh and Martyn Ware (It was Ware who came up with the name "The Human League") quit the Human League and started a new band called Heaven 17. Human League (with Phil Oakey) ended up having way more success, but Heaven 17 came out with a couple of jewels. This song is a classic.

“Hole In My Head” Box Elders Alice and Friends (2009)
This band is from Omaha, and that's where I grew up. This song is perfectly catchy and short. The drummer, Dave, is a bartender at one of my favorite bars, Brother's Lounge, ran by an awesome couple, who keep a jukebox that I would copy and rip off if I ever owned a bar. If any of my friends visit Omaha, I tell them to stop in at Brother's Lounge to listen to good music, play pool, and cheap shots. Box Elders recently toured with Black Lips, and I went to the show with a friend, and they put on one of the best performances I've seen.

“Contort Yourself (August Darnell remix)” James White & the Blacks Off White (Original, 1979, Remix 2003)
The original is good, but this is an example of where the remix is simply dancier.

“586” New Order Peel Sessions (1982)
There's a reason that England has a holiday dedicated to Peel. Listening to Peel Sessions is like having a time machine and hearing the hundreds of bands that have gone through the process of recording live. It's really quite unlike listening to a band's album. From David Bowie to the White Stripes (to bands that never recorded any Albums), an appearance by Nirvana before Nevermind ever came out. It's an encyclopedia of bands. I learned about a whole lot of bands that I'd never heard of because of Peel. This is a song by New Order, which the album version sounds nothing like! It's one of my favorite builds of a song, and I really like the tone of the chorus and lyrics "Yes, I heard you calling..."

Patrick
“Scene II” Will Sergeant Themes for ‘Grind’ (1982)
Good ambient music is all about tone and subtlety. And Detail - careful attention to detail. And that's why this track from Will Sergeant's soundtrack to an unreleased* film is so stunning: not a single note is wasted and every note is beautiful. It’s incredible that he was able to coax such other worldy sounds using only guitars, an autoharp, cheap keyboards and a handful of effects pedals. You can definitely hear echoes of this album in his work with Echo and the Bunnymen, especially on “Heaven up Here” and “Porcupine.”
*The tapes were stolen out of director Bill Butt’s car

“ Poppies” The Teardrop Explodes Kilimanjaro (1980)
Before we started Ra Ra Rasputin, I had never really played bass. I was, first and foremost a guitarist. But I quickly found that the kind of music we were playing required me to do more than just plunk around playing root notes. In early 2008, I started listening to the Teardrop Explodes' first album a lot and took about a month to learn the album's guitar and bass parts inside and out.

“Take A Chance” Mr. Flagio Take A Chance 12" Single (1983)
Our friends Scott Bauer and Ed Porter used to spin this at their Velodrome night back in 2008. It’s an over-the-top slice of heaven that was released when Italian producers were at the peak of their game. The melody is just infectious; you can't help but scream along when the chorus comes in. And the ending is perfect.

“Fortune” Felt Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow 12" Single (1984)
I'm convinced that the most innovative rock guitarists are those who originally studied classical music: Robbie Krieger of the Doors, Tom Verlaine of Television, Vini Reilly of the Durutti Column and Maurice Deebank of Felt. Deebank's intricate classically-influenced playing served simultaneously as a foil for Lawrence Hayward's simple open chord strumming and a compliment to the airy and melancholy lyrics. I've always found it a bit tragic that Felt were so overlooked. It certainly didn't help that most of their albums were unavailable in the US for years. (Felt's entire back catalog was lovingly reissued by Cherry Red Records, their original label). To this day, I'm always overjoyed when I meet someone who is familiar with Felt.

Tennis System "The Future of Our History"

2010-05-06T09:43:00.005-04:00

Washington DC's Tennis System have gained a certain amount of notoriety for their visually intense, high volume shows. While touring their way down to Austin for this year’s South by Southwest festival, two of their shows were shut down by local cops because of noise complaints. But stories of police intervention and hysterical sound engineers don’t serve as a solid foundation for establishing a band’s reputation. And while Tennis System concerts are wonderful experiments in sensory overload, it’s on record that the band really shines. Nowhere is this more evident than on the group’s debut full-length, “The Future of Our History.”

Unlike many musicians these days, Tennis System are not afraid of searching for “the sound.” A quick listen to the first few tracks reveals a group of young men who’ve spent countless hours coaxing the right tones and sounds out of their instruments. Yes, this is a very loud record. But there’s sonic dynamism that makes “The Future of Our History” stand out from other “nu-gaze” records. Guitarists Matty Taylor and Drake Eidson’s guitars shimmer, scream and shine across every song. And while the influence of a certain Anglo-Irish combo is certainly evident, Matty and Drake never let their love of Kevin Shields & co. oversaturate their sound. In fact, I’d say that Tennis System have a lot more in common with Ride or Pale Saints (and at times Swervedriver). But the most surprising aspect of this record is the strong presence of Tennis System’s rhythm section. Drummer Brad Fullilove and bassist Clinton Cool are never reduced to “drum machine & bass throb” status. Nor do they muck up the sound by being too flashy. In their playing you can hear the sounds of Led Zeppelin, Blue Cheer and and even go-go (Washington DC’s official sound, for those of you who aren’t in the urrrrrrrrrrrea)!

As I mentioned above, this band has no problem turning the volume up to 11. But at times, their love of noise can undermine the power of the songs. Interestingly, in the last few months, Tennis System have started to turned down a bit! They are still louder than most bands, but the decrease in volume has resulted in a much fuller and more dynamic sound. In venues with a decent PA and competent staff, they‘re a real pleasure to see. But in places where the sound guy is screaming at everyone or half asleep, things can get kind of hairy. Either way, you won't go home disappointed. Check them out, as they've got a very busy schedule planned for this summer.

Upcoming shows. PS DON'T FORGET YR EARPLUGS.
*Saturday May 8 Comet Ping Pong with (the sounds of) Kaleidoscope Washington, DC
*Saturday May 15 9:00P ESOTERIC VIDEO SHOOT Washington, DC
*Saturday Jun 12 8:00P Velvet Lounge with Asteroid No. 4 Washington, DC

Recommended tracks: Beautiful Mistake, FS, Demonator, Here’s a Thought

"Here’s a Thought”, live at Union Pool, Brooklyn, NY 2010

"FS" live at Done&Done, 2010 in Queens, NY

“Esoteric” live at For the Love of DC, December 2009

Matty and the author performing Spacemen 3’s “Walking with Jesus”

Detox Retox, Dum Dum Girls and Male Bonding at DC9

2010-03-27T18:51:00.003-04:00

Over the last year or so, DC9 has become THE spot for catching up-and-coming bands before they make the leap to bigger venues. The club’s intimate layout, good sound and convenient location makes it one of the best places to see artists before they sell out the 930 Club or Black Cat. So when the opportunity to see Sub Pop rising stars Male Bonding and Dum Dum Girls came along, I figured “Eh, Why not.”

To conservative concertgoers, local openers Detox Retox could be seen as an odd fit on this bill. In my opinion, however, it would’ve been boring to see three bands that all looked and sounded the same. Detox play punk-pop that sounds like a mix between Silent Alarm-era Bloc Party meets the Police before everyone’s egos went out of control. Toss in a few flourishes of power-pop and the occasional gang vocal breakdowns and you get the kind of musical tension that guarantees that no two songs sound alike. Thursday night’s performance seemed very “on” for the lads, as they were all smiling and filled with energy. Singer Michael Parker was unusually charming, despite the fact that he’d been puking outside the club before load-in. The band is set to return to the studio in May,and I'm looking forward to hearing what they come out with next.

Dum Dum Girls came on stage around 9:50pm and begin their set with a haunting cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Play with Fire.” But from there, things began to go downhill. A quick scan of the stage revealed no less than two Holy Grail pedals being used to wash the vocals in a sea of reverb. This misguided attempt to recreate 60’s studio techniques actually rendered the vocals inaudible. Even more tragic was the girls' paint by numbers approach to being a gang of late 1950s bad girls. Matching Silvertone 1448 guitars? Check. Super short skirts and ripped tights? Check. Frosty ‘tude towards the crowd? Double check. Now, don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with the wholesale appropriation of a certain look or being slightly detached on stage. But Dum Dum Girls lacked the songs and the chemistry to come off as really memorable. When they left the stage, I didn't feel anything. It was though I’d just attended some miserable excuse for a tribute show. Why this group is as feted as they are, I haven’t the faintest idea.

Male Bonding proved to be even more frustrating. Again, here was a blog buzz group wearing “cool” clothes and group playing nice looking gear (points for the vintage Fender Mustang Bass). But the overuse of reverb and lack of memorable melodies sabotaged any enjoyment that could’ve been drawn from Male Bonding’s performance. If you didn’t know anything about Sub Pop(or Rough Trade during the early to mid 80s), Male Bonding could maybe come off as a pretty cool band. But knowing what we know about the history of underground pop-music, Male Bonding (or Bondage, as the Dum Dums insisted on calling them) come off as painfully unoriginal. See here, lads, messthetics are bullshit if you don’t stand for anything. And there are few things more irritating than a trio of Englishmen with nothing to say. Shame on USCIS on approving these guys for P-Visas and letting them into the country!

Interview with Byrds of Paradise

2009-10-07T19:24:00.005-04:00

Born and raised in suburban New Jersey, Kenny Brown moved to Washington, DC to attend university. A talented multi-instrumentalist, he was in and out of bands during his tenure in DC. But for one reason or another, none of these projects ever got off the ground. A harrowing bicycle accident in spring 2009 forced him to re-evaluate his approach. While recuperating during the long hot summer, Brown began to write and record songs under the name Byrds of Paradise. Two of his songs, "Rosebud" and "Rowena," were recently featured on Pitchfork's Forkcast.

First off, what got you into playing music?
My friend Jack got a guitar when he was like 11, and he got me into everything. I remember we used to have epic sleepovers and he taught me how to play Green Day's “Brain Stew.” I was hooked from there. I played all day, and then the following Christmas I got a drum set. I played every day from then until the end of high school. I never took any lessons.

And where did you grow up?
I grew up in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. It's a small town about 45 minutes west of New York City; full of a bunch of dickheads. I honestly don't know who I'd be or what I'd be doing if it wasn't for the scene I came into.

What was it like being in Jersey when the local hardcore/punk scene was at it's peak in the late 90s, early 00s?
Growing up in that scene was awesome, because that's how I met my best friends, not the shitheads from my high school. I mean, I started going to ska and pop-punk shows when I was 11, and didn't really realize how privileged I was to see some of the bands I was seeing at the time. Laugh if you want, but I went to Midtown's first show. I saw At the Drive-In before I hit puberty. I've seen Saves the Day probably more than any other band. I was there for all of it.

There were two shows that had a really big effect on my musical taste when I was younger. The first was Jimmy Eat World at the Wayne firehouse, when I was 13. Gabe from Midtown and Cobra Starship's brother, Ricky, would throw these awesome shows at the firehouse. I think it was in 2000, so Jimmy Eat World were probably doing their Clarity tour. I was in 8th grade, rocking cargo pants and hoodies, and I didn't know what to expect. It was unbelievable. We pushed to the front because we were the youngest and shortest ones there. I have never seen a band to this day play as tight and as powerful as they did. That whole year after that I was all about turtlenecks and messenger bags.

The other show was Converge at Club Krome. That’s another band that still blows my mind with each release; I've seen them probably 4 or 5 times now, but that first time was unbelievable. That's what really got me into harder stuff.

So after all this, how did Byrds of Paradise come out?
Well I've always wanted to do a band, but just didn’t have the right resources. Since coming to DC, I couldn’t find people who were dedicated enough, able to practice, or had the same vision as me. I was jamming with Mike Mimoun, from Family Portrait, for a while and we were calling it the Council of Cool. It was fun and all but we weren't really doing anything and obviously he had his loyalty and priorities to Family Portrait, which makes sense because they're doing big things and are good. After that we added you and my roommate, Forgan, and started doing that Sperry Boys project, which was going well; it had a Britpop vibe and the songs were tight and executed well. Of course, you had your priority to Ra Ra Rasputin, Mimoun with Family Portrait, etc, etc.

I was stuck in a rut and getting real frustrated. At that point I was like, "fuck it, I play everything anyway, I'll do it on my own". My only problem is that I can't sing for shit.

This was all in April. Then I took a nasty spill in a biking incident and broke my leg pretty bad. I went home to Jersey for a month and then came back in the summer. Everyone was working during the day, except for Ari (Stern, of Family Portrait). I'd crutch over there every day and just chill with him. That's how "Rosebud" came about. I'd bug him all day to record me when he wasn't busy packaging and shipping records. I said "Ari, I wrote this song for you" and I played it for him and he wasn’t into it. One day I was dicking around on the guitar and played two chords in the style of "In a Big Country" by Big Country and he’s like, “Wait a second, I like that.” We wrote and recorded it off those two chords in about three hours. It was sent to Brody (also of Family Portrait) and he put the words down and I got it back like a month and a half later. Three days later it was on Pitchfork. After that, I bought my own Tascam 8 track and moved back to my parents’ house in Jersey and recorded with Jared and Alan. Now the HEARTS OF PALM cassette is almost complete!

Just out of curiosity, where’d you get the name from?
I got the name Byrds of Paradise from Planet Earth, actually. I used to watch it every night when I went to sleep, putting it on mute and giving it a personal soundtrack. My favorite was the rainforest one. The birds of paradise use different forms of dancing, flashy colors, and calls to attract their female counterparts; humans do the same thing. But we call it STUNTIN hahahaha.

It must’ve been a bit of a mindfuck seeing “Rosebud,” and later “Rowena,” posted on Pitchfork, huh?
It was pretty satisfying. I always felt like I was overlooked because no one was stoked on my music the way I was. I've been writing songs since I was 12, and I'm pretty confident in my writing, but no one's ever wanted to take it a step further with me. Maybe I'm just an asshole (laughs).

Either way, I feel like this is a step in the right direction that the Byrds of Paradise can keep going. Getting on Pitchfork was pretty unbelievable too. I'm glad to know there are people all over that are listening and anticipating what's coming next. We actually already got offers to release some singles, so my mind really is pretty fucking blown. It makes not being able to find a job a little softer around the edges.

In the last couple of months, you recruited a couple of new members to help flesh out the band’s sound. Tell me about these dudes and how y’all know each other.
Yeah, I did add some new members. Alan and Jared are friends of mine from way back. We met through shows and such, fell out of touch a little bit, but now I'm back and it's like nothing changed. We’re all a bit taller and older, it's weird. We also grew musically into the same type of niche. Everything fit together, like pieces of a puzzle. I can't sing, and I'm an alright drummer; Jared has surprised me with every recording we've done, and Alan just KILLS the drums! It's awesome I can write these songs and get an outside perspective to work with that fits within the same vision. I hate recording by myself: it feels more like an errand, than a good time.

Who are some of your favorite groups right now?
There's a lot of sick hardcore going on in DC. Check out this new band called D.O.C. (Disciples of Christ). Nolan shreds on guitar so hard, and Chris Moore is probably one of the best drummers I've ever seen. I feel like Police & Thieves is underrated too.
In New York, there's so much shit going on. I just got back, so I don't even know what to look for.
In terms of hardcore, I think that New Jersey is killing it. All the kids that I grew up with are still doing big things and that's awesome. It's like I never left for DC. Check out Mount McKinley, Will Stratton, and Pow Wow. Mount McKinley is fucking AWESOME, Will has a new album out, and Pow Wow is playing some great shows.

So what do you think of the scene(s) down here in DC? How has it changed? How has it stayed the same?
This question is loaded for me, and you know that, hah! It's too small. Not enough people doing enough things for me. Brightest Young Things is cool and all, but the whole city can't rely on that for music and culture. That's what I think is cool about DC hardcore, which I was never a part of but got to see from the outside: it's tight knit, communal, yet welcoming to outsiders, and self-inspired to host shows with new bands, find new venues, and keep DIY alive. (Instead) it's the same bands playing the Black Cat, the Velvet Lounge, and the same DJ's spinning at Wonderland.
Don't get me wrong, I still read Brightest Young Things. But I wish that it wasn't the big fish in a small pond, you know? I wish more new faces would be at more shows, and that people would go to different things even if it wasn't featured on the website.

Strong words. But, could you ever picture yourself returning to DC to play music?
As a musician, I don't know if I could make it back to DC. As I said, there's not enough going on for me like that. Playing with the same bands to the same people isn't going to get me anywhere, there aren't any labels really to rely on, and there's no real motivation. The bands are good, but they only want to go so far; that's the difference with New York City. In New York, if you can get it up there, you can make it work mostly anywhere.

Byrds of Paradise "Rosebud"
Byrds of Paradise "Rowena"

Wavves, Ganglians and Tennis System @ Rock & Roll Hotel 10.1.2009

2009-10-05T10:19:00.003-04:00

I woke up from my nap around 7:45 PM and realized that I had about 20 minutes to shower, get dressed and make moves to the Rock and Roll Hotel. With the onset of fall, I no longer have the luxury of making night moves at a leisurely pace. In other words, the colder it gets, the more hurried my life becomes.

When I arrived at the Rock and Roll Hotel around 8:30pm, Tennis System were still doing soundcheck. To pass the time, I decided to head upstairs and read a newspaper. From my seat at the bar, I could feel the vibrations of the music from downstairs. Apparently Matt, Drake, Clinton and Brad were living up to their reputation as DC’s loudest band before the doors had even opened.

There are few things I love more than when a band begins their set with the song I really want to hear. Tennis System started the evening right by opening with a searing vesrion of “FS.” Despite the fact that they’ve only been playing out for about a year, this band is definitely making a mark on the DC scene. Their set featured Mogwai influenced freak-outs and jangly psychedelic numbers that were reminiscent of early Ride - the ideal combination, if you ask me. Their LOUDquietLOUD antics, combined with the use of moody and sometimes disorienting lighting, make for an intense live experience. Assuming they find a way to keep local soundguys from tearing their hair out, I see a very bright future for these lads.

Next up were Ganglians, a Sacramento based quartet who are currently on tour with Wavves. I expected them to be yet another middling fuzzed out indie pop group, but boy was I wrong. They kinda sounded like a rock version of DC’s Exactly. The vocals and guitars were washed out in delay and reverb, while the drums and bass throbbed like a speed freak’s heart. Even when they slowed down for keyboards based tracks (note: keyboard being a little Casio CZ series), there was still an air of menace. While I thought these guys were excellent performers, I would’ve preferred to see them in a smaller, slightly sweatier venue.

Now a lot of people have written a lot of things about Wavves in the last four months. Nathan Williams’ “meltdown” at Primavera Soundsystem earlier this year had a lot of people pointing and laughing. And a recent altercation with Jared from Black Lips was touted as a lo-fi version of the 1990s hip-hop wars. It could be argued that a number of people in the audience were there to see if the whole thing was gonna be some kind of freakshow.

Well, it wasn’t. Yes, Nathan was a bit weird, but he was certainly in good spirits. And the addition of powerhouse drummer Zach Hill made his songs sounds MASSIVE. I mean, the music wasn’t groundbreaking, revolutionary, whatever whatever whatever. But Wavves were a lot of fun. And everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves.
I had a chance to speak to Nathan after the show and I found him to be really laid back and funny. So much for the drug inhaling, glass-smashing monster that the rest of the blogosphere has made him out to be. Don’t believe the hype, kids…
Tennis System on MySpace
Ganglians on MySpace
Wavves on MySpace

Summer is over and the trees are bare...

2009-09-04T16:49:00.001-04:00

100 dBs, fresh off a vacation in Bermuda, has posted a new Brian Wilson mix called "All Summer Long." Download it for free over at his website.

Ringo Deathstarr will be releasing "In Love" and "Summer Time" on 7" on September 14th. They've also posted two new songs "Two Girls" and the thrillingly beautiful "So High" on their MySpace. They will be returning to Washington DC on Monday October 26th @ the Black Cat.

THIS WEEKEND NYC: 2 dope events for Saturday Aug 22

2009-08-20T10:59:00.006-04:00

Underwater Peoples Summer 2009 Showcase
Fresh off the heels of a Pitchfork-approved compilation and a couple of new singles by Real Estate and Ducktails, the lads at Underwater Peoples will be hosting the mother of all-dayers at Market Hotel in Brooklyn. The folks at UP promise lots of ill music, lots of beer, pleasant company, tons of fun.

AUGUST 22ND @ the MARKET HOTEL. BROOKLYN NY.
Show Starts 4PM $5.00 @the door
Subway: J to Myrtle Ave Stop.

BANDS (in no order; official set times will be posted in a couple days):
AIR WAVES
ALEX BLEEKER & THE FREAKS
PILL WONDER
FAMILY PORTRAIT
DUCKTAILS
FRAT DAD
FLUFFY LUMBERS
BIG TROUBLES
DANA JEWELL
LIAM THE YOUNGER
ANDREW CEDERMARK
BEACH FOSSILS
REAL ESTATE

And while he may not be performing, Kenny Brown of Byrds of Paradise will be holdin’ it down.

ArtCrime this Saturday at 205 Chrystie featuring System D-128 (Mad Decent)
Join Theory Events for a night of audio-visual crills with guest video artist System D-128 (Mad Decent/Stemspot) and resident djs It’s Overture, Voidstar Runner, DJ Scallywag and 100dBs burning up two dance floors, upstairs and down.

System D-128, a.k.a. Duey FM, is coming to us from Illadelph, PA. In late 2004, he created a DVD for Diplo’s Florida LP. He has also worked with Obey, M.I.A., Ed Banger, Stones Throw Records, Ghostly International, A-Trak, and MF Doom on a variety of projects. He is currently working with Mad Decent, Mishka and his independent production company Stemspot.

Music by:
System D-128
100dBs
DJ Scallywag
It's Overture
Voidstar Runner

The 411:
205 Chrystie Street. New York, NY
10PM-4AM
21+
Free for ladies
$10 for dudes ($5 on guestlist: guestlist@theryevents.com)
Subway - Take the F/V to 2nd Avenue OR the 6 train to Bleeker

DON'T SLEEP!
Official Site

EXACTLY !

2009-08-13T09:36:00.010-04:00

As individuals, the members of Exactly have gained a certain amount of notoriety in DC’s small, but closely knit indie scene. Whether for their outrageous sense of dress, or their hard partying antics, Jesse (Keyboards, Vocals), Cole (Drums) and Adrian (Keyboards, Vocals) have cemented their reputations as very colorful characters. So you can only imagine our surprise when these three announced that they were forming a band.

(Photo by Sam Goldstein, for Brightest Young Things)

Their first show at Asylum was a reverbed-out performance art spectacle that left some folks wondering if they’d just had the wool pulled over their eyes. (In all fairness, the soundguy did a terrible job). But all doubts were jettisoned when the group staged a show at their warehouse/practice space in October 2008. By turning down the reverb and actually crafting songs with discernible melodies, Exactly managed to channel the sounds of Suicide, Big Black, Kiss and Animal Collective. (Let it be known that I was the first one to compare these guys to Suicide, not DCist).This performance was particularly memorable due to the fact that the entire group (and their topless dancer) were covered in fake blood and surrounded by strobe-lights.

(Photo by Zach Callahan)

Since then, Exactly have continued to perform in the DC area, and even managed to take their act to Baltimore and New York. Check out their MySpace and pray that they decide to play a concert hall near you! I strongly recommend "Jenny's Fine" and "Empire."

Playing @ the 930 Club TONIGHT

2009-07-10T09:05:00.002-04:00

For all you readers out there who've been wondering why I've been absent, allow me to bring you up to speed.

My band, Ra Ra Rasputin is playing at the 930 Club here in Washington, DC. It's been an insane month, lemme tell you. Rehearsals, a guest DJ spot here, and some serious flyering all day/every day. It's been absolute chaos. But two years of hard work and toil have finally paid off. So in honor of US I've decided to post a few things.

Ra Ra Rasputin - Synaptic from MOPEDLORDS on Vimeo.

Ra Ra Rasputin - Sundowning from MOPEDLORDS on Vimeo.

Ra Ra Rasputin - Fade To Grey (Visage) from MOPEDLORDS on Vimeo.

More information:
Ra Ra Rasputin MySpace
Interview with DCist
Interview with Bands in Town

"We Fought the Big One Mixtape - June 2009"

2009-06-04T15:36:00.005-04:00

Ra Ra Rasputin is playing a show with Love Is All tonight @ The Black Cat, and I, Colonel K from Ra Ra Rasputin will at DJing at "We Fought The Big One" on Friday @ Marx Cafe in Mt. Pleasant, DC.

Brandon and Rick, the hosts/DJs of WFTBO invited me to compile a mixtape to celebrate my ascension to "Guest DJ" status. Enjoy!

Simple Minds “Changeling”
Between 1979’s “Life in a Day” and 1982’s “New Gold Dream,” this Glaswegian quintet ambitiously fused Krautrock, ambient pop, Italo-disco and glam rock into a sound that was chaotic, yet inspired. But buried in the confusion, there are stunning moments of glory. Look no further than “Changeling,” an incredibly danceable single from 1979’s “Real to Real Cacophony.”

Family Portrait “Mega Secrets”
This is a band featuring some younger friends of mine here in DC. (They’ve all just completed their bachelor’s degrees at GW). I had no idea that these guys were in a band, and I was gobsmaked when they played me the rough version of this song. Recorded on a reel-to-reel somewhere in suburban New Jersey, “Mega Secrets” is a piece of enjoyable lo-fi pop by a very secretive band (they’ve only played 2 or 3 shows).

The Pop Group “She is Beyond Good and Evil”
Bristol’s the Pop Group were one of the most intense and experimental groups to emerge from the ashes of punk rock. “She Is Beyond Good and Evil,” is an aggressive bouillabaisse of free-jazz, punk, and dub - all of this topped by Mark Stewart’s fanatical, Yoko Ono-esque vocals. The lyric “Our only defense is together as an army, I’ll hold you like a gun,” sends shivers down my spine every time I hear it. If Liquid Liquid can get back together for a series of concerts, why the hell can’t these guys.

The Pale Fountains “Always Something on My Mind”
I discovered the album “Pacific Street” while working as a teacher in the suburbs of Paris. “Always Something on My Mind,” a sunny Love/Burt Bacharach-influenced tune, was my favorite song on the album. A song that kept helped me keep my mind off the Continental winter.
One evening, while I was thumbing through paperbacks at a small bookstore in the Latin Quarter, I met a lovely American girl named Caroline. We would get together to sip drinks and complain about the weather. We ended up moving to DC around the same time and continued to post up. While driving around in my car one Sunday morning, we listened to my copy of “Pacific Street.” When I dropped her off, I gave her the CD as a reminder of old times.

Hey Paulette “I Really Do Love Penelope”
There was a period back in ‘07 when I could not fall asleep at night. I’d stay up for hours watching either stand-up comedy or looking for old music videos. One night I searched for “C86″ and found this song. It wasn’t the most groundbreaking video -it was just Super8 footage the band playing in a warehouse (actually Temple Lane Studios in Dublin). But the guitar playing was heavenly and the lyrics made me laugh out loud. I tried to dig up information on the band, but came up with very little.
Hey Paulette were an Irish group whose sound referenced the jangly guitars of the Smiths and the self deprecating lyrics of Edwyn Collins. Typical of most bands of their era, Hey Paulette released one album, two seven inches, one twelve inch and a Peel session. And despite their brief blip of a presence on the indie-pop radar, the band somehow managed to attract fans in Japan and the Philippines. And thanks to today’s reissue culture, all of their material has been compiled onto a CD that is available on I-Tunes. I love it.

Felt “Fortune (12″ Version)”
This version of “Fortune” (which appeared as the b-side to “Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow), is much better than the original found on 1981’s “Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty. Lawrence’s vocals sound a lot better when they’re up front in the mix. And Maurice Deebank’s atmospheric approach to classical scales sounds so much better with the right amount of chorus and reverb. In my opinion this is probably one of Deebank’s finest performances. Felt really suffered when he decided to leave the band. Sure they gained Martin Duffy - but he didn’t really start to shine until he joined Primal Scream. But that’s another argument for another day.

Ringo Deathstarr “Starrsha”
The key to playing shoegaze/dreampop is VOLUME. A Place to Bury Strangers knows this. Screen Vinyl Image knows this. And Ringo Deathstarr definitely knows this. This Austin quartet has played DC five times in the last year, and will probably be here twice before the end of 2009. If you haven’t heard their music, do so ASAP. Along w/the aforementioned APTBS and SVI, they manage to carry the torch of early Jesus and Mary Chain/Isn’t Anything era My Bloody Valentine without sounding hopelessly derivative. “Starrsha” is the second song on their debut EP, which was recently reissued by on vinyl by none other than Fan Death Records.

The Style Council “Long Hot Summer”
Some people will never forgive Paul Weller for breaking up the Jam and forming the Style Council. And while Weller and collaborator Mick Talbot did many questionable things during the 80s, they always looked sharp and always came through with dope and soulful songs.

Nite Jewel “What Did He Say”
In his review of 2009’s “Good Evening,” Ian Cohen of Pitchfork complained loudly about the album’s tape hiss, unquantized drum programming and shaky playing. But something tells me that he’d never complain about the poorly tuned guitars and flat vocals that seem to dominate most indie rock.
Rockist statements from crabby reviewers aside, I sweat this song cuz it reminds me of hot summer evenings. You know, when you’re getting ready to go out and you have the AC on blast and you’re trying to find a good shirt. Much respect to Spin Magazine for writing a little blurb these ladies in last month’s issue.

The Teardrop Explodes “Like Leila Khaled Said”
I love this song for the sheer audacity of the subject matter. Leila Khaled was a member of Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) who was briefly imprisoned in the UK due to her involvement in two high profile airline hijackings in 1969 and 1970. In today’s post 9/11 world, I can’t think of any group that would dare to compose such a love song. But considering the fact that Palestine is no longer a cause célèbre amongst the young and hip set (most people wear kaffiyehs without even acknowledging the political significance of that particular garment), I doubt anyone would care.

Jacob Miller “King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown”
I used to trade cassettes with this dude Johannes, a hip Filipino kid from San Francisco. We met during an exchange program in Nice, France and instantly bonded over music. Upon returning to the States, we began trading mix tapes. He’d send me cassettes of late early 90s house, Kool Keith and dub reggae. In turn, I sent him tapes of underground NY hip hop and hardcore punk.
This version of Jacob Miller’s “Baby I Love You So,” was the first dub song I ever heard. I damn near destroyed the cassette because I kept rewinding it to hear the huge spaced out drum fills in the middle of the song.

Liechtenstein “Roses in the Park”
In age where so many artists are using AutoTune in the studio and on stage, it’s such a relief to hear the sound of a singer’s natural voice. Liechtenstein’s vocal arrangements not only sound beautiful, they are also very well thought out. This was the first of their songs that I ever heard and I instantly fell in love with it. Some pundits have compared them to Kleenex and Liliput. Some of my BYT Colleagues swear they sound like the Mo-dettes. Me? I think they sound like the Shop Assistants or Darling Buds. Whatever you think they sound like, they sound great and I can’t wait for them to come back to DC.

Antena “Camino Del Sol”
Les Disques du Crepuscule was more than just a dumping ground for A Certain Ratio and Durutti Column 7″s. In the early 1980s, they released several recordings by one of the innovative groups to come out of France’s electro scene - Antena. By mixing Afro-Brazilian rhythms (played on cheap rhythm boxes and drum machines) with icy synths and jazzy vocals, the group created “electro-samba” (a term coined by Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant, who reviewed one of their early singles).

This mix and the accompanying notes were originally posted on Brightest Young Things

A lot of words with Nate Frey (of Last Tide, Detox Retox)

2009-06-01T08:53:00.004-04:00

I’m not 100% sure how I met Nate Frey. I do remember remarking that he was wearing Uniqlo T-000 jeans. I gave him much respect for this, as I can only think of a few people in DC who enjoy going up to NY and shopping at Uniqlo as much as I do.
But this is not an interview about fashion – no. Nate is a talkative fellow and he's in a couple of bands. Detox Retox is his longtime band and I've had the pleasure of sharing the stage with those guys several times. Homeboy also has a new band called Last Tide and they'll playing at Red and Black on Tuesday June 2nd.

Nate you’re a pretty busy guy(he also has a post-rock group and occasionally does noise sets). How do you find the time to devote this much energy to making so much music - I mean you do have a full time job as well!
It's pretty much my favorite thing in the world. I could easily spend every waking minute playing music and be happy.

Boring question - what made you wanna pick up the guitar?
I started playing when I was about 13. At that time I was mostly trying to learn a lot of classic rock, stuff like Jimi Hendrix, The Police, Neil Young.

Who are your primary influences?
Depends on the project. Here's a few of the more obvious ones:
Last Tide: MBV, Slowdive, Red House Painters, Smashing Pumpkins
Detox Retox: Talking Heads, !!!, Modest Mouse, Head Automatica
Reversal: Mogwai, Don Caballero, Explosions in the Sky, King Crimson

And then there are loads of others who've influenced me in more subtle ways.

What’ve bee you listening to in the last 6 months?
Old:
"Isn't Anything" - My Bloody Valentine
"Year After Year" - Idaho
S/T (I) - Red House Painters
"The Name of this Band is Talking Heads" - Talking Heads

New:
"Dark Was the Night" - VA. (The Bon Iver song on this record is incredible!)
St Vincent - I saw her play at the Black Cat the other week, not knowing much of her music, and I was really blown away.

Now, your band,Detox Retox, has been quiet for a few months due to the fact that your singer is doing an internship abroad. When is he returning and what your plans are for the next few months?
Well, we have some tracks recorded that we're hoping to have Justin Moyer (Edie Sedgwick) mix in the near future. Not quite enough for another EP though, so when Parker gets back we'll need to record another song or two before we can do an actual release.
Show-wise, we just found out we're playing MidPoint Music Festival in Cincinnati in late September, so we're probably gonna do a couple additional Midwest dates around that. Plus, there will definitely be some local shows later this summer that aren't quite nailed down yet.

And I just heard that y'all are playing the Warped Tour. Congratulations!
Yeah, that is definitely happening, July 14th at Merriweather on the Kevin Says Stage. We're looking at it as a great opportunity to get some exposure to an audience we probably wouldn't have access to otherwise, and to get to see Bad Religion play for free... among other things. I think it probably means even more to the other guys than it does to me; they all went to Warped Tour as kids, but yeah, we're all pretty stoked.

It's great that you've managed to make so much progress. But it must be a bit odd to have so much momentum and then have to switch focus to another project.
Playing in Detox Retox is a blast, but I've also always loved a lot of dense, moody stuff that doesn't really fit in with what we do. When I found out we were going to be taking a break from April to July awhile back, I seized the opportunity to start up another project.

So what's Last Tide's songwriting process like? Do you hand the group finished songs and say "play it like this" or is it a more communal effort?
With Last Tide, usually Libby or I will have a fairly complete song, and we'll take it to the band and try to work out an arrangement collaboratively. I tend to think that it's pretty hard to "jam it out" with this type of music, particularly in a five piece band.
In Detox Retox, on the other hand, usually songs start with Parker bringing a riff to the band, and then all of us collectively jamming the rest out.

So how'd you manage to start a new group and book a mini-tour of the East Coast on such short notice?
Well, I went into the project with a lot of songs I wanted to play already written, plus Libby's written a bunch of great songs too, so we weren't short on material like a lot of new bands are. Beyond that, everyone has been good about practicing regularly, which is helpful.
As for booking the shows, I have a lot of contacts from doing almost all the booking for Detox Retox, so I was able to use those connections to my advantage.

There are a lot of bands experimenting in post-rock and shoegaze. In your opinion why is there so much interest in this sort of music right now?
I guess I have two answers to that. Taking a very broad view, God only knows what drives public opinion. But more narrowly, I would say that it may be related to the fact that bands like MBV and Slowdive made such amazing records, but had very little mainstream exposure stateside. And now with the advent of digital music, it's been easier for people to obtain their music, and it still sounds fresh because there really never was a mainstream record anything like Loveless, and because the best shoegaze records were years ahead of their time in terms of production and arranging techniques. That's totally a guess though.

(Photo by Andy Watts)

Ok, so how does one approach such a popular sound and still come off as original?
I think it's important to keep an open mind about what your sound is and not let yourself be constrained by some preconceived notion of what the music should sound like. For example, I started Last Tide as a "shoegaze" project, but there's a lot of other stuff that's made its way in, psychedelic music, minimalist stuff, some punk, all kinds of things, and I'm not even sure a purist would consider what we are doing to be shoegaze music at this point. And that's okay with me. We just try to let the deciding factor be whether we like it or not, and so far, that's worked out pretty well.

Now for inevitable "the scene questions." What do you think about the Washington DC scene right now?
Another broad question. There are a lot of bands I dig, True Womanhood, Imperial China, The Tennis System, Greenland, Title Tracks, Mittenfields, to name a handful, but there are loads of others. (Apologies to any friends I failed to mention!) My biggest disappointment has been that so many DC bands seem to not capitalize on the buzz they accumulate for one reason or another, and seem to end up just another great band that nobody outside of DC ever heard of.

Favorite venues? Are there any places you'll never play again?
Well, maybe it will be different with Last Tide, don't really have enough experience to say yet, but with Detox Retox... we've found Rock and Roll Hotel's sound to be really good, the best we've had probably. Velvet Lounge has a really cool vibe to it that we like a lot. I've never played Black Cat or DC9, so I can't really speak to those from a performer's perspective, but I love seeing shows at both.
Outside of DC, there's this BYOB space in Philly called Connie's Ric-Rac which is just a huge party, (the place Detox Retox played with you guys a few months back), that was just a great atmosphere.
There actually haven't been very many places I've disliked playing. I'm easy to please, I guess.

And who are your favorite bands to play with?
These are all bands Detox Retox has played with, though I am really stoked to play with some of the bands Last Tide is sharing bills with in the next couple months. We love playing with you guys (Ra Ra Rasputin), we love playing with Loose Lips. Oh, and I definitely have to mention the guys in Fight the Bear; they've been great to us basically from the beginning, and they rock so hard.

And finally, I must acknowledge our many conversations about musical equipment we findon Craigslist and Ebay. Tell me about some of your recent purchases. Any regrets?
I spent a few months this winter acquiring a small arsenal of cheap guitars. In retrospect, some of them probably weren't worth buying, but they are gonna make fun DIY upgrade projects, so I don't really regret them. I will say that I regret buying three chorus pedals that all kind of sucked before finally spending the extra money on a BBE Mindbender, which was what I wanted in the first place. But c'est la vie.

Do you have any predictions on how the economy will affect the market for vintage instruments?
I had to sell some stuff a few months back and I can honestly say it's very much a buyer's market right now. I think the future direction of the market depends upon the state of the economy at large, and if I knew that I'd be a much richer man.

Last Tide will be playing @ the Red and Black on Tuesday June 2nd. Doors are at 830pm , first band is on at 9pm.
Last Tide MySpace
Detox Retox MySpace

Simple Minds “New Gold Dream (81, 82, 83, 84)” (1982)

2009-05-22T09:59:00.004-04:00

New Gold Dream holds a special place in my heart because it is the first Simple Minds record I ever owned. It was the record that really got me to dismiss their “80s Music” legacy and seriously examine their back catalog.

The story of "New Gold Dream" begins in January 1982, when the group recorded demos for “King Is White and In the Crowd,” “Promised You a Miracle,” and “Hunter and the Hunted.” Following these demo sessions, the group returned to the road until the end of spring. A completed version of “Promised You a Miracle” was released as a single in April 1982. Much to everyone’s surprise, it crashed the top twenty, landing at number 13.

With a top-20 U.K. single and a supportive record label, Virgin, behind them, the band retreated to Fife in late spring to record some more demos for the new album. Producer Pete Walsh would later recall “They would jam for two hours on the same song, and then we would listen to it back on cassette, pick the good bits and make the song around that. A lot of it was what they'd call pure shit, or not very good anyway, and there were some magic bits that maybe were never captured on the album.”

Following the Fife rehearsals, the group headed to London to record the album’s basic tracks. Virgin encouraged Walsh to capture the energy of the group’s live sound, and so it was decided that the album would be a live studio album with minimal overdubs. To achieve this, the band would play each song several times, and Walsh would assemble an edit of the best performances.

Now, lineup changes were nothing new to the group. So it was rather unsurprising when they ran into drummer issues while recording the album. Drummer Kenny Hyslop, who played on “Promised You a Miracle,” left the group after that single’s release and Mike Ogletree was quickly drafted in to replace him. But despite his competence on the road, the other lads found his style of drumming was not meshing well with the new material. In an attempt to rectify this, Pete Walsh suggested his friend Mel Gaynor to fill in the gaps. Ultimately, both Ogletree and Gaynor are credited on the album’s sleeve:

Ongletree plays on:
“Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel"
"Somebody up There Likes You”
"New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)

while Gaynor plays on:
"Someone Somewhere in Summertime",
"Big Sleep",
"New Gold Dream.",
"Glittering Prize",
"Hunter and the Hunted"
"The King is White and in the Crowd".

Upon completing the basic live tracks, the band again moved house to record the overdubs. This time to Virgin’s “The Manor Studios” in rural Oxfordshire. The manor was more country club than recording studio, and the group regularly dipped out to swim or play ping pong when they found themselves feeling stuck. If only every band had this sort of luxury...

Interestingly enough, Simple Minds did not stop touring altogether while recording. A quick examination of their 1982 calendar shows that they managed to squeeze in a number of European Festival appearances between June and August. That the group were able to keep such a hectic schedule AND be productive in the studio is impressive. It really makes me wonder how bands today can defend taking such lengthy pauses between touring and recording.

The first word that comes to mind when I think of “New Gold Dream” is FOCUS. “Sister Feelings Call/Sons & Fascination” and “Empires and Dance” may have been ambitious, but they were cluttered and even sound unfinished in some parts. But it seems as though the heavy experimentation that defined Simple Minds’ first four albums paid off. On “New Gold Dream,” they emerge as a band with a sound that is very much their own. While the album does sound glossier than previous releases, it never comes off as boring. The melodies are strong and memorable, and the songs are cohesive. So unlike "Empires and Dance," it's much easier to listen to this album start-to-finish on repeat.
My favorite song on the album? “Hunter and the Hunted,” because it features it features a keyboard solo byHerbie Hancock. Apparently, the jazz-funk legend was recording in a studio next door when the band asked him if he’d like to contribute to the album. His solo is probably of the most poignant and moving performances on the album.

*Interestingly enough, this album sits very comfortable next to Roxy Music’s final release, Avalon, which was released in June of 1982. Simple Minds, like many of their contemporaries (e.g. Duran Duran), were heavily influenced by Roxy Music. So it’s rather interesting to notice how their work matched up stylistically in 1982.

More Information HERE
Wikipedia Entry HERE

Simple Minds “Empires and Dance” (1980)

2009-05-11T10:52:00.002-04:00

For better or for worse, people will remember Glasgow’s Simple for two reasons
1) “Don’t You Forget About Me” from The Breakfast Club
2) Their performance at Live Aid.

While the band certainly benefited from the exposure, it’s unfortunate that they became so bland and pompous in the late 1980s. To me, it seemed as though this group had produced nothing of any real value. So you can only imagine my surprise when I learned that the cover of the Manic Street Preachers “The Holy Bible” was inspired by Simple Minds’ “Empire and Dance.” I remember thinking “Wait, what? Simple Minds? The band with the song from the Breakfast Club – get the fuck out!” Since then, I’ve gained a real appreciation for Simple Minds’ early albums and I’ve decided to share some of the things I’ve learned about this group over the last couple of years.

First up, 1980's “Empires and Dance.”

At the end of 1979, Simple Minds embarked on a tour in support of their sophomore album, “Real to Real Cacophony.” While their record label, Arista, initially refused to release the album, critics loved it and the band was excited to hit the road and expand their audience. Between October 1979 and June 1980, they performed in the UK, Germany, France, Sweden, and the Benelux region. They even managed to squeeze in two dates in New York.

It was the European leg of the tour that turned out to be the biggest eye-opener for the young band. The Continent was stumbling further into economic and political crisis thanks to a spike in oil prices, civil unrest, and a recently reignited Cold War. Singer Jim Kerr would later recall “I was twenty, and I looked around me. We had the talent always to be in the place where the neo-Nazis exploded another bomb. Bologna, a synagogue in Paris, a railway station in Munich. Don't tell me anything like that could leave you unmoved.” Despite the ever present instability, the tour was a resounding success and left a profound effect on the young group.

Upon returning to the UK in June of 1980, Simple Minds immediately began work on a new album. This time around, they were much better prepared to record. Seven new songs had been road tested and demoed by the time the band entered the studio. The album, which was produced by John Leckie, was completed during the summer and delivered to Arista Records, who refused to release it. But after much pressure from the band and their management (Jim Kerr took it upon himself to regularly telegram label representatives to release the album), “Empires and Dance” was released in September 1980. But this was not without controversy; Arista initially pressed 15,000 copies, waited for those to sell out, and then pressed another 15,000. As a result the album stalled at number 41.

(That’s all well and good, but what about the music).

The album begins with the stunning, “I Travel,” that was inspired by the group’s visit to a divided Berlin and tumultuous changes in geopolitics. Jim Kerr’s lyrics reflect both fear and fascination. (Again, he was only 20 years old at the time). Musically, it’s one of the most exciting songs the band ever produced. Drummer Brian McGee and bassist Derek Forbes provide a funky backdrop to Charlie Burchill’s soaring guitar and keyboardist Mick MacNeil’s gurgling synthesizers. At times, the song recalls Donna Summer’s 1977 “I Feel Love,” a song that went to #1 in the UK Charts. That such a danceable track could come from a Glaswegian band is actually no surprise. Dance Music was immensely popular among the post-punk crowd, with groups like Orange Juice singing the praises of Chic.

Now, while “I Travel,” is an excellent leadoff track, it is a bit misleading. Yes, the album has its groovy moments, e.g. “Celebrate,” and “30 Frames per Second,” but the remainder of the songs are not that dance floor friendly, and they draw more heavily from the experimental end of the Krautrock spectrum. “Twist/Run/Repulsion,” seems to capture the feelings of confusion and alienation that one might experience in a European train station – complete with announcements in French. (The French announcements are actually passages from Lolita read by Chantalle Jeunet, a friend of the group).

The album’s undeniable apex is “This Fear of Gods,” a song that best be described a Giorgio Moroder track being played at half-speed. The steady bass and drums are augmented by screeching saxophones and synths; all of this topped with a distant and ominous vocal by Jim Kerr. “Don’t You Forget About Me,” it is not.

Listening to “Empires and Dance,” I get the impression that Simple Minds were a young band in a hurry. They were full of ideas and wanted to commit them to tape as quickly as possible. Perhaps they should’ve taken a little bit more time to polish their ideas and make a more cohesive record. This is not to say that this is a bad record. But I can sort of understand Arista’s frustration with the group.

Almost immediately following the completion of this album, Simple Minds hit the road. This time as an opening act for Peter Gabriel, who was touring in support of Peter Gabriel III (aka Melt, featuring the songs “Games Without Frontier”, “Biko”). Problems with Arista Records would come to a head in early 1981. The label had routinely failed to promote albums, singles and concerts and the band nearly broke up in order to avoid dealing with the situation. Eventually, they were let go from their Arista contract (at considerable cost, the band was forced to take on a significant amount of debt) and signed to Virgin.

Download the album HERE
Buy the excellent reissue from Amazon.
A very helpful source of information on this album HERE.

A Friendly Chat with 100 dBs

2009-05-04T16:14:00.003-04:00

I have a really wonderful story about Dan “100dBs” Brenner. Back when were students at University of Maryland, he expressed an interest in Dj-ing at one or two of the local bars in College Park. He went to every bar in town (all four of them) and handed the nightlife promoters a copy of a reggae/hip-hop mix he’d made.

None of them returned his calls.

A year later, me, him and a few of our roommates began throwing parties at a dilapidated colonial house that we called the Francis Estates. The combination of Dan’s dj-ing, cheap drinks (dollar shots, $4 for all you can drink beer) and a very good looking crowd made the parties legendary. If only the folks at Cornerstone and Santa Fe knew what they’d missed out on…

It is now 2009, and 100 dBs has not DJ’d a grimey college basement in at least two years. But his strong sense of independence and belief in DIY ethics has not diminished one bit. If anything, it helped prepare him to navigate the unfriendly waters of the NYC hip-hop scene. Homeboy was kind enough to take a few minutes to speak to us about setting up an independent label, real vs fake DJs, and NY’s finest fried chicken establishments.

TOMORROW'S HEROES TODAY:

Right off the bat son, tell us a little bit about your new label, Drum Attix. What is the label’s philosophy? Who are your artists?
Drum Attix is the label I'm officially launching this year. I think our goal is the same as any label: bring dope music to the people. But I think I have a unique perspective in that I really embrace technology while maintaining interest in traditional techniques. All of us are down with that philosophy in some way. There are a few rappers I'm producing for... of course Ryan-O'Neil (we're working on a second LP now), Sirah (really fly girl from LA), and Hicoup (dirty Jersey all day).

We've got DJ Scallywag, whose club mixes are just phenomenal. I swear, I lived in Maryland for years but didn't fully appreciate Bmore Club til I started spinning with him. DJ Far East is a young cat who is really ahead of his time with the mashups he's been executing. It's Overture are also killing it with the mashups, and their mixes are always flawless. Nefarious and Voidstar Runner are working on a grimy EP of breaks and blips.

One of the projects I'm most excited about is a full-length dub treatment of NYC's own Slackers. A while back Dave Hillyard handed me the masters to their back catalog and I've been slowly compiling a series of remixes for them. So yeah, I have my hands full, and we're coming from all angles.

What are some of your upcoming releases & projects for 2009?
#1. Sirah's EP. This girl has tons of attitude and an appreciation for classic material that is pretty hard to find these days. I went out to LA this past January to record with her and we did this release from scratch in five days. She is a beast in the studio.

#2.Hipster Bullshit Redux. This is really just a bunch of leftovers that people have been asking me about. No real concept, just remixes and such that didn't see the light of day for whatever reason.

#3.Voidstar / Nefarious Split EP. Nefarious is a jungle producer (yeah, jungle) with an attention to detail that scares the shit out of me. Voidstar makes breakcore and electronic compositions that bump. These guys are going to blow out your eardrums

What advice do you have for artists who are trying to release their music independently?
Forget about getting signed. Put out some QUALITY music for free, do a lot of shows in your hometown, and build a support system. Slow and steady is the way. Everyone is so worried about blowing RIGHT NOW that they're missing the point: if you release garbage today, nobody will be listening tomorrow.

What’s changed the most about your working habits and lifestyle as a producer/DJ?
I think a few years ago I was still pretty scattershot with scheduling sessions and knowing how something is going to form. These days I'm still pretty random, but I generally know what's going to work and what's not before I even approach it. I've also learned how to work with different artists and understand who needs to be pushed and who needs to be left alone. It's important to focus on the human aspects of producing a session; definitely even more important than the technical ability to do so.

"MOVING.... WE KEEP MOVING..."

OK you seem to be a bit of a serial mover. When you first moved to NY, you were in Sunset Park. Then you were in the East Village. Then you were in Bushwick for a minute, now you’re back in Sunset Park. What’s real good man?
I'll tell you what's NOT real good. Scumbag landlords who don't turn on the heat in the winter. To tell you the truth, I'm really happy to be back in south Brooklyn. The rent is reasonable, kids don't have asymmetrical haircuts, and there are (a few) trees. And people are definitely less uptight. No one can yell at you for swamping your building with dub basslines when they're cranking bachata all day.

Well I'm sure Sunset Park is glad to have you back. You spent quite a few years in the DC area, and you’ve made a handful of appearances here since you left. What do you think it would’ve been like if you’d stayed?
Well, I think I probably would have started a dancehall/reggae party somewhere and that would be that. Not that there isn't any opportunity for growth in DC, but I found it sort of... anti-competitive. I feel like it's easy to get comfortable and stay "in a scene" down there.
In New York, I feel more stimulated, but yeah, I grind my teeth at night.

If you could move to any other city to continue doing what you’re doing (DJ ing, producing, etc) what would it be?
I really like Berlin, but it's really cold there. I can't quite deal with that, but the scene there is incredible. Still cheap as hell, and very friendly to artists and musicians.
If I'm honest, I'd like to go to Bucharest for a while too.

"UGH, KIDS TODAY...."

It seems as though these days everyone’s a DJ. But in my opinion, you’re not really a DJ if you’re not beatmatching, scratching, and doing good transitions between songs. Is it just me, or are people too drunk to realize that so many cats are trainwrecking for hours on end? What’s your take on the rise of the amateur DJ?
It's not just you. Those people are drunk.
Here's the deal: clubs don't want to pay twice as much for entertainment if they don't have to. So kids get Serato, show up to the club, and are happy to take $100 home for the night. The really great DJs (who aren't huge yet) are losing jobs to these guys... it's just the market playing out, but in the end the bar patrons are on the losing end.

It's funny, my brother (a senior in high school) recently told me he wanted to start DJing. Well, I went back home to surprise him with two turntables and a mixer... and he immediately asked about Serato. I told him he should run blind for at least half a year or so until he can blend properly. There's no other way to truly understand the mechanics of what's going on. We're losing the physical and tactile "feeling" of playing with instruments. We'd rather see what's going on than feel it, because it's a shortcut... and I think this is a vital oversight. And in more practical terms... what happens when your Serato box dies in the club?

What makes a good remix of a rock or pop song? What makes a bad one?
I think often times, producers feel like they have to outdo the original. A great remix is one that goes down a totally different avenue but respects the original ideas.
Redos are boring. I don't know.. take Rihanna when she did Tainted Love. Terrible. I would be embarassed to put that out. But I'm not Rihanna. An example of a good one? I don't know... oh! Diplo's old remix of Peter Bjorn and John's "Young Folks" was kind of cute. I like what he did to it.

"LAST CALL"

Last time we spoke, we spent quite a bit of time discussing the work of J. DIlla. Is there anybody out there who, in your opinion, is carrying on Dilla’s legacy?
Well of course, everyone's talking about dudes like Flying Lotus and such... I think he's as good a torch carrier as any, really. It's good to see people loosening up their drums again.

Your thoughts on the return of MF DOOM?
Uh, he already returned. The new album was OK. At least there are some Dilla beats. He should probably stop trying to rhyme the last five syllables of every couplet just for the sake of doing so, though.

Favorite chicken spot in NY?
Birdie's in the East Village. Unfortunately the rent has gotten so high that the owner is closing it down soon. Mara's (also in the Village) is great too but kind of expensive. Nowadays it's just JFK halal chicken in Brooklyn.

Best record you’ve stumbled across in the last few months?
Recently I signed my mom up for Last.FM and she's been putting me onto a bunch of shit. Have you ever heard "Magic Fly" by Space? I feel like Animal Collective's video for "My Girls" really ripped off their video. Anyway, it's a 70s electronic pop jam that kind of blew my mind. Not too much new shit is really jumping out at me right now. Recently I've been listening to a lot of Stax shit. Booker T and the MGs' Soul Dressing is a classic, anything by Carla Thomas is great too.

Editor’s Update:
On 4/20/2009 100 dBs released Mr. Echo Inna Killah Dub. It is available for download here.

UPDATE YOUR CLUB & CONCERT CALENDAAAAAR
Friday May 8th 2009
100 dBs and Scallywag will be spinning at Flat Out!
@ Rock and Roll Hotel in Washington DC.

Saturday May 9th 2009
100dBs, Scallywag, Ryan O’Neil, Balagan, Hicoup,Outputmessage, and others will be spinning/performing
@ the Hexagon in Baltimore, MD

April 2009 in Washington DC

2009-03-30T11:35:00.002-04:00

UPDATE YOUR CLUB AND CONCERT CALENDAR!!!
An * indicates a DO NOT MISS EVENT.

Black Cat:
Wed Apr 1- Exit Clov, Black and White Jacksons, Typefighter

*Thu Apr 2- Impossible Hair(CD Release), The Caribbean, Olivia & the Housemates

*Sat Apr 18- Second Saturdays featuring: RA RA RASPUTIN, Buildings

DC9:
Tue Apr 14 Ladytron (DJ set), Depressed Buttons (Todd & Jacob of The Faint), Live set by FIGO
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS THE LADYTRON AFTER PARTY.

Tue Apr 21 The Wax Standard, The Interiors, The Jet Age, Mittenfields

*Wed Apr 22 Tesco Vee and the legendary Meatmen

Thu Apr 23 Ponytail, Imperial China, The Gagged

930 Club (For Eff’s sake, half the good shows are Sold Out):
*Mon Apr 6 The Brian Jonestown Massacre

*Tue Aprl 14 Ladytron & The Faint, w/ Telepathe, Figo DJs

Sat Apr 25 MN8 Presents DJ ?uestLove of the Roots (as if you didn’t know that).

Rock and Roll Hotel:
Fri Apr 3: DISCO City w/ Chris Burns and Maxmillion Dunbar

Wed Apr 8: US Royalty w/ Lissy Trullie, Seas, Garutachi DJs Cassidy & Fabiana

Fri Apr 10: All Our Noise Presents FLAT OUT w/ Resident DJs Micah Vellian (Marquis/Demerit) and Outputmessage (Marquis/Demerit/Melodic/Ghostly)

Sat Apr 18 Justin Jones & the Driving Rain w/ Olivia & the Housemates and The Moderate.

Sollys:
Thu Apr 2 Reversal w/the Sun Committee and Foreign Press

Tryst:
Thu Apr 2 The Laughing Man

A Few Words with Screen Vinyl Image

2009-03-11T11:18:00.003-04:00

On May 23rd, 2008, Screen Vinyl Image played a set at Velodrome dance party. At the time, Velodrome was being hosted in the backroom of a small Eritrean restaurant. No biggie, right?
Wrong.
When photos from the show were posted on Brightest Young Things, some folk decided to use the comments section to sound off about the band being “too loud”. But as you’ll discover below, there’s so much more to SVI than just volume. Their music betrays the influences of Italo-disco, psychadelia and even John Carpenter (see below).
So without further ado, the final installment in our “Fortnight of Noise” series, an interview with Jake and Kim Reid (no relation to the brothers Reid of the Jesus and Mary Chain) of Screen Vinyl Image.

First things first, last year you guys played at Velodrome and some people complained that you were way too loud. I think that the room at the venue (Selam) was way too small. What’s your take on the situation? (I personally believe that people should carry earplugs, regardless of the venue).
Kim: We enjoyed playing Velodrome and actually were not aware until days later that there were complaints about the volume. Usually when the volume is too intense people leave the room, but there was a crowd the whole time. We did try to compensate for the room and I thought the show sounded fine; however the room was essentially like playing inside a reverb tank. I do agree that everyone should always bring earplugs to shows, regardless of the venue or band. The volume we play at live is just the volume we are accustom to and yields the sound we want. We never think about it as being really loud. I personally love seeing intense bands. It is an experience instead of just being background music. It is amazing to not only hear, but also feel the music.

You list John Carpenter as one of your influences. Are you talking about his films or his music?
Kim: Both influence us. The films are dependent very much on the soundtrack. Early Carpenter is very DIY and the minimalist electronic soundtracks are amazing. Just a simple beat and synth lines make a memorable movie moment. Early Carpenter films, such as “Assault on Precinct 13”, “Halloween”, “The Thing”, and “Escape from New York”, influence us.

How do you feel about the term “nugaze?” Do you think that it describes your sound accurately?
Jake: We’ve heard the term mentioned a few times, but I don’t know how well it has caught on. I think our sound tends to fall more into an electronic/psychedelic realm.

Could you explain what it’s like making music in the DC area in 2009? More specifically, do you think that the legacy of Dischord, politics and hardcore is burden or a blessing?
Jake: We don’t really think about it much I guess. There are positive things about DC and not so positive things too. We practice in an awesome studio called One World, and we know a lot of great musicians that live here, but we also enjoy getting out of town and experiencing new cities and seeing what’s out there.
As far as Dischord, I think the legacy is a blessing. I got into Minor Threat and Fugazi in high school, then The Make Up, then Nation of Ulysses, etc. That music is very unique and often sounds like nothing else that was being made at the time. So did Go-Go and I got into that music as well growing up. I liked listening to something like Skillet by Backyard Band and it sounding like this massive wall of percussion slamming your speakers. I really like the fact this music came out of DC and sounds so unique.

What bands in the area do you enjoy playing with? Are there any you’d like to play with in future?
Kim: We enjoy playing with Ceremony from Fredericksburg and The Water from Baltimore. When the band was together we always enjoyed playing with the Antiques. It is also great to play with Greg of the Antiques solo project, Teething Veils. We would eventually like to play with Lorelei or Loderunner.

Jake, your previous band, Alcian Blue, used to tour with Skywave (somehow these guys have come up in all 3 interviews for Fortnight of Noise). Now do you have any cool stories about them vs. soundguys?
Jake: Yeah, I think both bands got banned from more than a fair share of clubs for volume levels. We all were in Canada on tour and I remember the bartender telling Oliver that Skywave would sound good if they just brought it down to “Slayer” volume levels.
And, when I was with them, we did a show in NY once where after the first song the bartender came running over screaming at us to turn down and we turned the amps up louder and she saw it and started yelling “You turned the knobs the wrong way,” as if we didn’t know what we were doing. We only got through a short set before the cops showed up.

And keeping up with the life on the road theme, do you have any fun/weird/exciting/harrowing stories from being on the road with SVI?
Kim: At a show in a punk club in Cleveland Jake broke his guitar and asked if he could borrow a guitar from one of the other bands. After seeing him abuse his guitar I don’t think anyone wanted to sacrifice their guitar for us to finish the show. We ended up improvising a version of The Midnight Sun that attracted people from the bar next to the room to come see what was going on. After the show they all pitched in to help us get paid which was really cool.

Jake: Also on the same tour we were driving from NYC to Cleveland in a day. It’s not impossible, but we hit a ton of traffic and you also have to drive through the Pennsylvania wilderness, which never seems to end. We got to the motel and it was 3:30am and we turned on the tv and it was an old episode of Soul Train with Yellow Magic Orchestra as the guest. Maybe it was being so out of it from the long drive and wilderness, but it seemed like a surreal reward for making it to the motel.

Tell me about your favorite pieces of equipment that you use in the studio. Guitars, basses, pedals, samplers. Etc.
Kim: I love my SCI Pro-One. I can get all kinds of crazy sounds from that synthesizer. I also love my Moog Prodigy and Arp Omni 2. We have a lot of effect pedals we’ve collected over time and I like experimenting with the synthesizers and different effect pedals.

Jake: I love my Future Retro Mobius Sequencer cause we can hook it up to any of our synths. My favorite guitar is my Fender Jaguar, and my favorite pedals are my Death By Audio Fuzz Saw (a mod of the Sound Saw) and my Russ Meyers octave/compressor.
Also, we have a new member of the band named Nathan who plays live drums and triggers samples. He wasn’t featured on the album (Interceptors), but we’re working on a lot of material right now and it’s been a great addition to the band. He’s been touring with us since February.

Last question! My Bloody Valentine had a very successful reunion last year and they’ll be at Coachella this April. Are there any other first wave shoegaze bands that you’d like to see reunited? Me personally, I’d pay top dollar to see Ride or Slowdive.
Jake: We actually went up and saw MBV in New York and it was a great show. It was amazing that they weren’t just dialing it in for the sake of it, but still very tight and very into putting on a total experience for the crowd. I’d personally love to see Curve come back together and tour.

Screen Vinyl Image will be playing a secret show show this Friday the 13th with Ringo Deathstarr and Averkiou (If you're trying to roll through, get at me for details).
They'll also be playing at Solly's in Washington DC on March 23rd with Sad Crocodile and me and Laura Reading.

INTERVIEW: Averkiou

2009-03-09T08:49:00.002-04:00

About 80 % of the music posted on MySpace is garbage. And a lot of the times, these crap bands will try to friend you. But every now and then you’ll hear a band that actually strikes your fancy. As some of you readers know, I’m quite a big fan of first wave shoegaze, and I’ve really warmed up to a lot of the newer groups who were influenced by My Bloody Valentine and wave. And in continuation Colonel K Speaks’ “Fortnight of Noise,” I present to you an interview with David from Averkiou.

First of all, could you please explain the name? A phonetic pronunciation would also be a huge help.
Ahv-er-kyoo. It's the last name of Nicole and Gene Averkiou, local favorites and favorite friends.

Shoegaze was a short-lived movement in the UK. What made you guys want to collect as many pedals as possible and start playing loud? Was it the original UK groups like Ride and My Bloody Valentine that inspired you? Or more recent groups like Skywave and Alcian Blue?
Ride and MBV are obviously favorites... who doesn't like them? It's not as if we set out to do anything specific. We just play what we want to hear. We're all in our late twenties and early thirties so most of us grew up listening to those bands. That and a lot of old punk and hardcore. It's all very simple, really. We just like loud music, so that's what we play. Pedals are a part of the process-- not the origin.

What is your songwriting process like? More specifically, do you build the songs around your effects and instruments OR do lyrics come first?
It usually starts with an idea and ends with a song.

Could you explain the complexities of traveling with so many effects/equipment?
It's no harder than finding a place to shower. We each have a case full of our pedals and chords. The hardest part is making sure everyone has everything. And power outlets. that's a pisser.

A couple of bands have mentioned troubles they’ve had with soundguys. Ringo Deathstarr, who use Fender Super Reverbs, yet always seem to incur the wrath of soundmen whenever they go over past “3.” Have you guys ever had situations like that?
I mean, soundguys will generally see a bunch of huge amps and assume the worst. Who wouldn't? We tend to give the soundguy the benefit of the doubt. He's usually spent a lot more time in the room than you have, so it's important to hear him out. But you have to trust your ear, too. So if what the soundguy suggests sucks, you change it.

According to your schedule, you’ll be coming through the DC area twice (March 9th at DC9, and March 13th @ Basement Speakeasy in Arlington, VA). Are you excited about double dipping through DC? Have you ever been through here before?
Very excited. We love the area. Matt's from Columbia, MD, so we know he's gonna be happy. And twice is generally better than once.

OK, so My Bloody Valentine’s reunited. Give me a list of the top five groups who existed between 1984 and 1995 that you’d like to see get back together.
In no particular order:
1. Nirvana.
2. Rodan.
3. The Stone Roses.
4. Kid 'n Play.
5. Talk Talk.

What’s the best thing about playing music in Gainsville, FL. What's the scene like?
It's home. We love it here. The scene is diverse, but it's close-knit. Gainesville is the heart of Florida. It's an oasis.

What’s the worst thing about playing music in Gainsville, FL.
Getting home alive after the show.

Averkiou will be playing @ Velvet Lounge on Monday March 9th and the Downstairs Speakeasy on Friday March 13th. Also on the bill, Screen Vinyl Image and Ringo Deathstarr.

INTERVIEW: RINGO DEATHSTARR

2009-03-01T20:11:00.005-05:00

I first met the members of Ringo Deathstarr in February 2008 when my band opened for them at Wonderland. From the wobbly opening chords of "Starsha," I was hooked. Yes their influences (Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, Ride) were obvious, but they added fun and swagger to the sound. We stayed in touch and the next time they came to DC, we stayed up ridiculously late and drank way too much.

This Austin quartet will be returning to play shows at University of Maryland (Sat the 7th) and in Arlington, VA (Friday the 13th). Elliott Frasier, the band's primary vocalist and guitarist was kind enough to take some time to answer these questions.

Congratulations on being featured in Magnet magazine. How'd that come about?
Simon from SVC records in the UK arranged that. He sent them the CD and did the correspondence with them and then on our first tour we met with the photographer and did the photo.

By the time you wrap up playing your show on March 13th, it'll be your 5th show in DC in the space of a year. Is this a coincidence, or are we that cool?
We love playing in DC, there was a lot of support for us the first time we played there, and we were surprised by how awesome everyone is there...

It's just funny cuz y'all have played DC more times than a lotta bands in NYC and Philly. What are your impressions of our loveable Capital City?
So far, we have not really been able to see much of the city, but we always stayed near the Whole Foods in Tenleytown, and the place we stayed was awesome but the guy Dennis who lived there has moved to Pennsylvania. The Metro is pretty cool. The people we have met are great.

You guys opened for the Dandy Warhols a couple of years ago. Are they still a fun band, or have they become a lot more cautious and reserved since Dig! Came out.
They are still party animals I'd say. They were pretty cool to us, and when we played with them on Halloween, they and their whole crew were dressed as characters from The Wizard of Oz.

Now let's backtrack a bit. Tell me about how y'all ended up in Austin and playing in this band.
I moved to Austin in 2004 and initially I played drums but the band i was in fell apart after the other guys moved here. I had written a few songs for that band and some of them were rejected by the rest of the band, so i decided to start a band where i played guitar and sang, and those songs were "Some Kind Of Sad" and "Summer Time," the latter of which was meant for a female to sing. After a while i met Alex cause she worked at this store called Factory People, and when i told her i was looking for a new bass player she jumped at the chance, but i was skeptical at first cause she had to go out of town for a couple of weeks, but when she got back she was all business, plus she had her own equipment which at the time was a big plus. She has known Renan for many years and so we asked him to play Guitar. Our drummer Daniel is an old friend of mine from high school. We work well together, and we try and not let things get too serious cause if i have learned one thing, its that arguing with band mates blows.

The thing I like about you guys the most is how loud you are. Do you do it to be confrontational or because you find that there are certain tones/sounds that can only be revealed through playing at high volume.
I'd say its the latter. The way the Sound wraps around you like a blanket gives a great sensation, and plus, it is just more fun. I am pretty sure that people like Pete Townsend and Jimi Hendrix were much much louder than us though, and our amps are not turned up to nearly the volume they would have had. I guess since the places we play are relatively small, it seems a lot louder than it is, and that is why we had to start bringing our own sound man cause we are sick of them telling us to turn down when our amps are on 3.

Have you or your bandmates (past and present) ever sustained any hearing damage from playing so loud?
Sometimes ears ring for a while but it goes away. I have permanent ringing in my ears but i had it long before this band began. It is cause of the way i beat the hell out of my cymbals when i was a drummer, plus working in a dry cleaners for 8 hours a day for a few years. When it is loud on stage, we all like it more.

Is Austin all hype? Or is it really the live music capital of the US?
Well, as far as the amount of live venues per capita i guess it is the live music capitol. Plus, most of the venues are in one area. Now, if watching a bunch of wankers play Blues Rock Fusion is your thing, then this is the place for you. Other than that, its probably the same as a lot of other towns kind of known for music, because there are a lot of resources and community support here.

Do you instantly feel a connection when you meet a fellow Texan in other states/countries?
Not really, unless they are like a friend of a friend or something

Do you wear cowboy boots. And if so, how many pairs do you own?
No cowboy boots, just "Beatle Boots"

What can we expect from you guys in 2009? Perhaps another 2 visits to DC before the end of the year?????An Album?
We will be back to DC way more than 2 times i guarantee. Also, we will have various 7'' singles, and an album by the end of summer. We were too busy getting our touring stuff sorted out last year so we didn't really get to the studio much, nor did we have labels wanting to release stuff, but now, we have a few different independent labels that are gonna release the various stuff and it will all be on vinyl for you geeks out there.

NERD Question. Life or death: Ride's "Smile" or My Bloody Valentine's "Isn't Anything."
Smile

What's more fun that drinking Natty Bo until 5 o'clock in the morning while a hurricane is raging outside?
Nothing

Check Out Ringo Deathstarr on MySpace!

Washington DC area shows March 2009

2009-02-24T09:16:00.001-05:00

*Indicates a "Do Not Miss" event

BLACK CAT:
Thu Mar 5
BLACK LIPS, GENTLEMAN JESSE AND HIS MEN, SUNS OF GUNS

Mon Mar 9
VANDAVEER

Sat Mar 14
Second Saturdays featuring: TRAVIS MORRISON HELLFIGHTERS, POOR BUT SEXY

*Thu Mar 26
GLASVEGAS, IDA MARIA

930 CLUB
Fri Mar 13
Modest Mouse w/ KINKY
Sold Out

*Sat Mar 14
The Feelies

*Tue Mar 17
The Pogues w/ Ben Nichols (of Lucero)

Fri Mar 20
The Ting Tings

Mon Mar 23
Cut Copy w/ Matt and Kim, DJ Knightlife

DC9
Thurs Mar 12
Tom McBride & the Whig Party, Hypernova

*Sun Mar 15
Crystal Stilts with Women, True Womanhood

OTHER:
*Sat Mar 7th WMUC @ University of Maryland, College Park
Ringo Deathstarr, Flying Eyes, TBA

*Fri Mar 13th
Ringo Deathstarr, Screen Vinyl Image
Venue TBA

*Monday Mar 23 @ Sollys
The host of this blog, Colonel K, performs with Miss Laura + other guests TBA.
Details coming soon.

VELVET LOUNGE:
Sat Mar 7
Five Four, Caverns, Mother

Tue Mar 10
Mi Ami (Quarterstick, ex-Black Eyes), Food For Animals, Lexie Mountain Boys

*Fri Mar 13
Velodrome featuring Imperial China. DJ sets by Scott Bauer and Ed Dudes

Thursday Mar 26
Spindrift (ex-Brian Jonestown Massacre)

INTERVIEW: DJs Scott Bauer and Ed Dudes of VELODROME

2009-02-10T00:33:00.003-05:00

Velodrome, a monthly dance held at the Velvet Lounge, has become one of the most exciting underground nightlife options in DC. DJs Scott Bauer and Ed Porter specialize in Italo-disco, house, post-punk and electropop from the late 1970s and 1980s. More often than not, they spin records most people have never heard. This, of course, does not stop them from dancing. As an added touch, each Velodrome night features a half-hour set by a band. Among them, Screen Vinyl Image, True Womanhood, Exactly, Ra Ra Rasputin and the Spiritual Machine.

Below is a lengthy interview that I conducted via email with Scott and Ed. As a bonus, I've also included a link to the page that holds the pair's latest mix. Enjoy.

How many venues have hosted Velodrome? What were the advantages and disadvantages of each one?
Ed: Ugh, Jesus, like let's see, three now. We started at Selam. It's a cool divey english basement Eritrean restaurant on U Street. I've done a bunch of other parties there back in the day (old Blackout parties with Rob Hart when electro wasn't terrible), so it was convenient to talk to the people over there. Unfortunately, the back room there sounds like pure ass when you get a band in it. It's just too small for what we wanted to do.

(Photo: Fitsum Belay. More info: http://illimeter.com)

Scott: In many ways I thought the smallness was cool, some of my favorite memories of the night is DJing right around midnight with the bands setting up right behind us and getting hit in the head by guitars and and like cueing up records and checking mics at the same time. Or crawling underneath equipment aimlessly attempting to adjust levels on our little mixing board because we had to try to also do sound for the band while they were playing. It felt VERY underground throwing our night in a basement restaurant which really fit the vibe of the party since we billed it as an underground dance music night. The family who runs Selam are good people too. After a few months of throwing the party we realized we needed to move it. The tile floors and low ceiling were fine for playing dance music but were also awesome at bouncing around hit-hats and reverbed guitar strings which was painfully loud. The bands literally gave people headaches, even though they were headaches of radical.

Ed: So we started looking elsewhere. We talked to DC9 and Velvet Lounge, eventually settling on Velvet Lounge. Unfortunately, they weren't ready to take us on for a couple months.
So, then we moved to Civilian Art Projects. Civilian is such a cool art gallery. Jamie over there was really nice and helped us out a lot by letting us throw the party there until Velvet Lounge opened up. We did two or three Velodrome there. It was an awesomely large space with an art gallery attached, so it made us seem intelligent. But, it didn't have a sound system or an elevator, and at the top of three flights of steps, it wasn't exactly the most conducive to bands with a bunch of gear.

Scott: Yeah CAP was a cool spot to do Velodrome. The vibe was cool and there was artsy art all about. Hanging out in China-Town was cool too as very little things tend to bring me down there. For this spot we had to carry all of our equipment and provide our own PA which usually was a logistic nightmare. I got no less than 3 parking tickets when we did Velodrome downtown at Civilian. The True Womanhood show we did there was a highlight. I felt culture, french culture.

Ed: But, now we're settled at Velvet Lounge. They've got merely a single flight of steps, an installed soundsystem and a soundguy. It's also small enough to keep the party intimate, so we can book bands we really like and not play to the masses.

Scott: I like how the technical term for the guy who works on the sound is actually "sound guy".

Epic.What gives you to confidence to play songs that most people have never heard?
Scott: Whiskey is the sole source from which I draw confidence. A lot of it I guess is just a hope that people like to dance as much as I do and that other people actually want to hear new music as long as it is good. Before we started doing Velodrome I would send a lot of music out to friends and would get a really positive response to it all so that helped me to believe that people would get down to my wierdo music. A lot of the post punk and no wave we play is fairly well liked and known so we try to mix that stuff in to please people as well. I'm really not that much of a DJ and am not good at things like predicting what a crowd is going to like and all that stuff so I just tend to play what I would want to hear and hope that the crowd will like it too. It usually works out pretty well but if not then Ed can usually jump in and set it right for me, he is a very good DJ.

Ed: Ha, thanks, Scott. I don't think it's confidence. I think it's more a lack of common sense or urgency. We could easily play top-40 and party rap all night long, any night of the week, and actually make money as DJs. Unfortunately, that music makes us sad. As reasonably well funded, working people, we don't need the cash. As such, we play whatever we want (thinly veiled label reference). Actually, I think I'd play what I want no matter what anyway. Fuck bad, crowd pleasing music. I like some really popular stuff, so I can pull off more mainstream housey sets and be fine, but for the purposes of Velodrome, it's really about striking a balance in the context of bands/show going people who don't like dancing/and partiers. So, I guess I just play music people haven't heard because it's the only way I know how to do it. Fuck, I babble a lot.

Could you name a couple of records that've garnered a really good crowd reaction?
Ed: People like weird things. I remember at Selam people going absolutely nuts to hi-NRG like Sylvester - Sex. I've also always had a good response to the patrick cowley remix of I Need Love and dumb stuff like 'Atomic Dog'. I think Daniel Wang - Like Some Dream I Can't Stop Dreaming is timeless too. It's just infectious. Ha. Nothing I listed is Italo, House, or Post-Punk. We're so eclectic.

Scott: Yeah, you really never know what the crowd is going to like. Like Ed said, people like the hi NRG, the stuff at around 130-140 beats per minute made in San Francisco and Florida mostly. Passion by the Flirts does very well. I think the ultimate Velodrome record is still the Italo track "Take a Chance" by Mr. Flagio, its one of the best songs ever made and I've defiantly overplayed it at our night but there is always a point in the night when I decide that the next song that needs to go on is "Take a Chance". Also, when all else fails, play anything by A Certain Ratio. Even the furniture will dance to "Shack Up" or "Do the DU". Or "I Want More" from Can.

What's y'all's secret to finding such rare records? Where and how do you shop?
Ed: I think Scott lives on ebay. I, personally, don't have what I would consider a burgeoning rare record selection. What I do have is songs I like a lot. I find them a number of places. I like Som, here in DC, most out of any of the established shops. Really, other than Red Onion, I feel like it's the only real record store in DC to used dance records that aren't horribly overpriced or just junk.

I also dig a lot, so thrift stores, flea markets, and the like are all prime spots. For the more weird stuff we do at Velodrome, I think the best place is the internet. I buy a lot on ebay and discogs. I also follow a lot of people's charts and listen to a lot of mixes. I do use Serato, and I do download a fair amount of music too (a good portion of which I pay for at sites like beatport, traxsource, and ttl digital), but I consciously do not read blogs. Blogs are the death of taste and selection. It's a fact. Do some work for your shit.

Scott: Yeah I mostly live in the realm of getting my records online from ebay or discogs and to a lesser extent, gemm. I've been collecting records for about 10 years and have more than 1000 so nowadays if I get vinyl then I want it to be something I will actually listen to. Back when I lived in Tucson I was blessed with this record store called PDQ which was this huge warehouse of used vinyl. 10 years ago no one was buying old synth funk, old electro and disco so I was grabbing some great stuff for cheap. This was when electoclash was getting bigger and indie dance was just starting and this old stuff went really well with what was coming out then. That's what started my love for dance music from the late seventies and early 80s that continues to this day.

I get a lot of stuff from Red Onion records, Josh, the guy who owns the place is everything you wish for in an owner of an independent record store. He is very knowledgeable in his records and he knows more or less what I like and so will sometimes hold onto stuff for me that he knows I will like even. That's where I get most of my weird synth rock and post punk records. Like Ed said, Som has some great stuff too. I listen to a lot of radio mixes from the olden days to learn a lot about music, i have my friends that turn me onto different stuff. There are also these Internet heroes that have put like every record ever on YouTube so once I find out about a song, I can usually hear it there before buying it. Ebay allows you to find anything as long as you are willing to pay. Most of the music I listen to tends to be in record collections through out Europe so I've come to dig less in resent years and get it online since the chance of finding it here is rather slim. In the end it usually come down to going by labels and producers and sometimes even just like, which record has a cool cover. Its a lot of bringing your record player in and just playing everything that remotely looks interesting.

There's been talk of incorporating synths and drum machines into your sets. How are you gonna pull this off?
Ed: Trade Secret. It will be cool, and it will be awesome. We've been practicing, and it's going to get progressively more and more interesting as we practice and work in the coming months. We expect to be fluidly building songs on the fly in the future. We want to produce really organic and exciting sets, melding new technology to old technology. It's the only way to bridge the gap and not become some dude pressing buttons in Ableton for a couple hours.

Scott: This project has been Ed's Holy Grail since I've met him. Since we play such an eclectic set it can be hard to bring so many different genres from different time periods together. The production techniques for the different genres and eras are very different so what we needed was to bring in our own beats to bridge between different genres and to pump up some of the older songs with no compression. I wont go into what we are doing but rest assured, it is wonderful what we've been able to do these past couple weeks, and it will only get cooler with time!

Are there any artists or producers right now whose work you think will be played in clubs 20, 25 years from now?
Ed: A lot of people from a lot of genres. Daniel Wang, DFA, most of DC Recordings, Todd Terje, Henrik Schwarz. I dunno, that's just off the top of my head.

Scott: I think people will someday geek out for all the DFA releases. They have been on top of dance music at every step since 2002 or so. They will be the Factory records of our time. I think some of the more Epic stuff from Daniel Wang and Lee Douglas will do very well in the future. We just had a conversation about how "NY Story" is one of the best songs to come out in the last 10 years. For some reason, everything that comes out of the country of Sweden is great, I don't know why. A lot of what is being made right now I feel is pretty disposable, but I imagine that's a complaint that has been given by music listeners for pretty much forever.

One of the most unique aspects of Velodrome is the half-hour set by a local band. What made you decide to incorporate live music into your night?
Scott: There are a few dance nights in DC that incorporate live acts, i guess ours is different mostly in that we tend to book local bands. Our initial reasons were lofty; there are A LOT of dance nights in DC and they tend to dominate the weekend bookings at the better clubs. We wanted a night where local bands could get more attention by being showcased but also still allowed people to go out and dance on the weekends. We wanted to show that people can dance to rock music and rock to dance music. We don't necessarily always book a dance band, but as long as the band is trying something different, then they fit with the night. We have been pretty lucky with the outcome, i think it works pretty well. This month we have Mas y Mas from Virginia Beach. They are immensely awesome and promise to be one of the greatest most energetic and fun bands we have books so far.

Ed: Because everyone's doing a DJ night now. It's fucking boring. And we decided it was time to do something all-inclusive and organic. I actually want to start doing the night 18+, because when I was 18, I didn't know there was good dance music. I think by having a band play, we get to trick people who wouldn't normally go to a night mostly about dancing into coming to our night. We can also convince people to come and dance to bands, which usually doesn't happen either.

Are there any bands that you would really really like to make an appearance? I was thinking Liquid Liquid. They'd be very appropriate, but I'm sure they' want a lot of money.
Scott: Ha, could you imagine having Liquid Liquid play at Velvet lounge?
Ed: or ESG!
It would be a pretty awesome show though. Right now we are trying to decide if we want to expand the night and bring in bigger acts or not. There are only so many bands to draw from locally that fit with the night so as long as we keep going we will inevitably start bringing in bigger bands from elsewhere. Of course money is always an issue, we try to keep the night cheap for every one.

What are your most memorable moments, thus far?
Scott: I'd say my most memorable moments are interacting with the bands we book. Its a long night usually for everyone involve with the band loading in usually around 8 and not being able to pack up til at least 3 in the morning. We get to help them load in and sound check together and Its great to meet so many people and see what people are doing musically.

Ed: Going wild with lights at Selam, sweaty and dancing so late to Hi-NRG. People going deaf to Screen Vinyl Image. The trainwreck of artsy music at the first Civilian show. True Womanhood carrying an obscene amount of gear up three flights of steps and not dying.

Final question. Why is Velodrome the best underground dance night in DC?
Scott: Are we? If so its because we are able the attract the likes of Patrick Kigongo so often.

Ed: I hesitate to say we're the best underground dance night in DC, Chris's nights at TnT & the perennial Nouveau Riche are stiff competition, but we're definitely the most unique. Why? Because, we're cool dudes, and we don't have any idea what the fuck we're doing.

Velodrome will be held at the Velvet Lounge on Friday February 13th. It is located at 915 U St NW, Washington, DC. Conveniently around the corner from the U-Street Cardozo Metro Station.

February 2009 in Washington, DC

2009-01-23T08:52:00.002-05:00

Because the party just won't stop. An asterix (*) indicates a DO NOT MISS EVENT

BLACK CAT:
Feb 3- PASSION PIT, PAPER ROUTE, CALE PARKS

*Feb 9- THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART, THE DEPRECIATION GUILD, THE SUGARPLUMS

Feb 15- KEVIN SECONDS (of 7 Seconds), VIC RUGGIERO (of The Slackers)

Feb 19- THE POINTS, CLOAK/DAGGER

Feb 20- NO SECOND TROY, OLIVIA MANCINI & THE TERRIBLE TWO, MEREDITH BRAGG $10 Ma

VELVET LOUNGE:
Feb 09 Deleted Scenes, Batata Doce (ex-Rock*A*Teens), Mittenfields

*Feb 13 Velodrome featuring Mas Y Mas, Resident DJs Ed Dudes and Scott

*Feb 19 The Bees Knees featuring Loderunner, fffever

Feb 20 Screen Vinyl Image, The Payola Reserve, SikSik Nation, Nerd Parade

*Feb 22 Teedo

DC9:
Feb 11 Lenka, The Spring Standards
*Feb 25 Drug Rug

ROCK & ROLL HOTEL:
Feb 05 Millionaires, Cash Cash, I Set My Friends On Fire and Watchout!There's ghosts

*Feb 21 The Dance Party, The Known Unknowns (CD RELEASE PARTY), The Roosevelt
(This show is expected to sellout. Please buy tickets in Advance).

Feb 26 ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead

Lykke Li featuring Bjorn Yttling “Hustlin”

2009-01-22T10:47:00.003-05:00

Normally I roll my eyes whenever I hear about a rock group covering a hip-hop song. But last night I was over at Pampelmoose (Dave Allen from Gang of Four’s blog) when I stumbled on something really amazing. It was Lykke Li and Bjorn Yttling(of Peter Bjorn and John fame) doing an impressive cover of Rick Ross’ “Hustlin.” There is nothing funny or ironic about her performance. With her strong command of the lyrics, she manages to make the song her own without sacrificng the cool, yet menacing swagger of the original. Sigh, I now regret not seeing her at Black Cat.

Lykke Li @ NTBR Part 4 - "Hustlin'" from Drew Innis on Vimeo.

Oh and if you’re wondering why I haven’t been posting during the last couple of days/weeks, here’s why:

Inauguration of Barack Obama from trapoplus on Vimeo.

Amen.

January 2009 in Washington DC

2008-12-29T10:22:00.003-05:00

An asterix indicates that this show/event is HIGHLY recommended.

Black Cat
Jan 15th- NIGHTMARE OF YOU, US ROYALTY, BOTTLE UP & GO
Jan 17th- THE RAVEONETTES, NICKEL EYE
*Jan 19th- Hideout/ Chicago & Interchange Present: The Big Shoulders Inauguration Ball w/ ANDREW BIRD, TORTOISE, WACO BROTHERS, ELEVENTH DREAM DAY, JON LANGFORD, SALLY TIMMS, DAVID "HONEYBOY" EDWARDS, KEN VANDERMARK, FREAKWATER, ICY DEMONS and JUDSON CLAIBORNE, plus special guests.

DC9
Jan 17th Andy O's Birthday Bash, Back Before Dawn, Gist, Left of Avalon
Jan 20th Nappy Roots
*Jan 24th Black and White Jacksons with Ra Ra Rasputin, Four Fins Of The Rocket,Loose Lips

930 Club
*Jan 1st WU-TANG CLAN featuring Raekwon • Ghostface Killah • Inspectah Deck • RZA • GZA and Masta Killa w/ Cappadonna, DJ Mathematics

Velvet Lounge
Jan 15th Skeletonbreath (mem. of O'Death/Rad Racket), Whistlin Charlie, Bama (of Family Hemerlein), Armida & Her Imaginary Band, Andrew Bucket

*Jan 16th Velodrome Dance Party. Italo Disco, No Wave, Post-Punk featuring DJs Ed Porter and Scott Bauer. Special guest performance by Exactly

Jan 31st Beatnik Flies, Sister Ex, Dollar Bin

Rock and Roll Hotel
Jan 16th Middle Distance Runner with Mobius Band, The Black Hollies and The Nunchucks.

Jan 24th Via Audio w/ Modern Skirts

Solly's Tavern
*Jan 23rd Mittenfields with the Carribean.

Forgotten Greats of Liverpool, England: The Teardrop Explodes

2008-12-18T09:19:00.001-05:00

In the spring of 1977, Julian Cope formed Crucial Three along with Ian McCulloch (later of Echo and the Bunnymen) and Pete Wylie (Wah!). The group rehearsed regularly, but they never actually got around to performing live.
Around 1978, the Teardrop Explodes came into existence. The initial lineup of the group included Cope on bass, drummer Gary Dwyer, Dave Simpson on keyboards and Mick Finkler on guitar. Simpson would soon be replaced by Zoo Records founder Dave Balfe, and Finkler was exchanged for Alan Gill.

The Teardrops quickly became popular because of their ability to fuse post-punk and disco rhythms with swirling pyschadelia. And like Echo and the Bunnymen, the influence of the Doors is quite noticeable. But what really set the band apart was their employment of a horn section. Like fellow Scoucers the Pale Fountains, they were huge admirers of Love’s use of Herb Alpert-style trumpets on 1967’s “Forever Changes.” This wild combination of sounds and styles was successfully blended into their debut album, “Kilimanjaro” which was released in 1980. (Interestingly enough, “Kilimanjaro” features a wild version of a song called “Books,” a joint composition with Ian McCulloch. This song is also featured on Echo and the Bunnymen’s first album, “Crocodiles.” Download both and decide which one you like better).

"Reward" (A single that was added to reissue versions of Kilimanjaro):

"Sleeping Gas" (Very rare video featuring live footage and shots of the band on tour in the USA. Embedding disabled by the fine people at Universal Music Group. Ugh....)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fed3j2zkdgg

"Ha Ha, I’m Drowning" (Live on UK TV):

"Treason (It’s Just A Story)":

The group’s second album, “Wilder,” is a bit of a grower. While it does contain some of the horn driven bombast of “Kilimanjaro,” it also features more quiet and introspective songs and even a few synth driven numbers. It was a strong second album, but it failed to recapture the spark that made their debut so exciting. The hooks are not as strong and “Wilder” ultimately bewildered much of the group’s audience. Behind the scenes, the group was falling apart. In addition to several lineup shuffles, creative tensions were at an all time high. When the group reconvened to record a third album, Balfe and Cope argued incessantly about the direction of the group. Despite recording nearly an album’s worth of material, the sessions were abruptly terminated and the band was dissolved. These songs were eventually released as “Everyone Wants to Shag the Teardrop Explodes.”

"Seven Views of Jerusalem"(Live on the Old Grey Whistle Test):

"The Culture Bunker" (Live on the Old Grey Whistle Test):

Julian Cope soon went on to have a successful career as a musician and as a writer on music, the occult and ancient British history. Dave Balfe went on to start Food records, which was the home of Blur for most of the 1990s. Other members of the group would also continue make music well into the 80s. Despite a series of reissues and compilations, the Teardrops have yet to receive the kinds of accolades that Echo and the Bunnymen have received.

It should also be noted that there is a long standing feud between Julian Cope and Ian McCulloch. While they were friends and bandmates in the late 70s, their relationship soon became one of acrimony. In fact, the feud continues to this very day. In a recent Spin Magazine cover retrospective on Echo and the Bunnymen, McCulloch stated “There’s a certain group and a certain person I don’t want to talk about. He’s a thief and I always hated his group anyway. I thought they were rubbish. The initials of the group are T.E.”

Bands to Watch in 2009

2008-12-12T15:01:00.006-05:00

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart:
New York band puts a new twist on the buzzy British guitar pop of the 80s. This is the video for “Everything With You.” Kinda reminds me of the Wedding Present’s “You Should Always Keep In Touch With Your Friends.” Speaking of the Weddoes, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart will be opening for them in the UK. They’ll be playing at the Black Cat in February.

Zarif:
Like the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, I first read about Zarif in the Guardian. It seems as though the UK is chock full of soulful young ladies. Think of her as a less abraisive version of Lily Allen (And that’s not a knock on Lily. I adored her first album and had the pleasure of seeing her perform before she got freaked out by the boredom of touring).

Ida Maria:
I kept seeing Ida Maria's name pop up in Brooklyn Vegan and on other blogs. Apparently she's a very hit or miss performer. When she's on, she's intense and commands your attention. When she's off, apparently she's a bit of a trainwreck. If she manages to hit Washington DC in the near future, I'll make sure to be there so that I can make a proper assessment. Until then, this video for "Oh My God" will have to do.

The Spiritual Machine:
A DC trio who really seem to enjoy throwing darts at the concept of hipsterdom. They successfully manage to mix the braggadocio of funk with the buzzing guitars and heady lyrics of the Fall. They're a fantastic live act and they will crash your after party and totally drink all your drinks.

The Spiritual Machine - The Scene/That Wasn't Me from Jason Mogavero on Vimeo.

And as a bonus:

The Spiritual Machine, Ra Ra Rasputin and Friends - Crosseyed and Painless (live at DC9) from Jason Mogavero on Vimeo.

Gallows Destroy Pub. Punk Rawk Idiocy Is Alive and Well.

2008-12-04T13:45:00.000-05:00

Gallows, a hardcore punk band from Watford, Hertfordshire, have been getting quite a bit of attention in NME for a recent gig at a pub London’s Old Blue Pub. Singer Frank Carter was instrumental in leading the crowd to tear the place apart, destroying several chandeliers and a few antique chairs. Having been out of the hardcore/punk loop for many years now, I was a little bit surprised to see such wanton acts of old-school violence getting so much attention from NME.

For a number of reasons, violence has always been tied to the punk rock myth. In the UK during the mid to late 70s, punks rioted and spit to express their frustration with a faltering economy and a broken society. In the United States, much of the violence could be attributed to suburban boredom, as many of the influential hardcore groups came from the suburbs of Washington DC, New York and LA. While I do enjoy going to shows and seeing people dance, and maybe shake each other a bit. But seriously, I am bored by punk violence. There is nothing entertaining about seeing someone getting punched in the face while they’re trying to enjoy a show.

Furthermore, violence at shows is pointless because it can lead to the closure of venues. Thanks to Gallows, it may be possible that no other band may be allowed to play at the Old Blue Pub. That’s fine for them, considering that they’ve got a million dollar deal with Warner Brothers. But for all the little bands that may not have a million places to play this is another hurdle. I remember hearing about VFW halls in New York and New Jersey that refused to have punk or hardcore shows after kids did stupid things like shitting in a cup and leaving it for some old vet to find. It’s sabotage, and it’s stupid.

Gallows' "Staring at the Rude Bois (Ft. Lethal Bizzle)"

BONUS: Footage from the infamous North London Poly Riot, where fans destroyed an entire Student Hall during a performance by the Jesus & Mary Chain.

BAND TO WATCH: Mittenfields

2008-12-02T09:15:00.000-05:00

Despite the fact that DC is a small city (appx. 600,000 residents), it seems as though there a million things going on at once. FACT: I actually debated whether or not see half of this show and then bee-line over to Commonwealth to see Clipse do an instore. Thankfully I chose to take it easy and watch Mittenfields.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect of the band. Dave Mann, the band’s bassist sent me a handful of mp3s, but stated that they were very rough and that the band was “still in rehearsal phase.” For whatever reason, his band was hesitant to start making the rounds on the live circuit. But two songs into the set, I wondered “Why the hell aren’t they playing more. Why have they been laying in the cut for so long?” It is very, very rarely that I’m impressed by a first performance, so this lot are definitely doing something right.
Mittenfields can best be described Radiohead (circa the Bends) meets Sebadoh meets the lighter side of Mogwai. Their performance was very tight, which was impressive as it seems to be difficult to play a really tight set when you add more people/pedals/equipment onto the stage. (See early performances by Belle and Sebastian and you'll understand what I'm saying).

Befriend Mittenfields and demand that they post some mp3s: www.myspace.com/mittenfields

Mittenfields plays on Jan 23, 2009 @ Dahlak with The Caribbean.

DECEMBER IN WASHINGTON DC

2008-11-24T10:10:00.001-05:00

ALL THESE EVENTS ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
*Indicates a DON'T MISS THIS event.

BLACK CAT:
*Mon Dec 1- Mittenfields, Teedo, Loose LIps $8 Backstage 9:00

Fri Dec 5- Sorted Dance Night: Britpop, Soul, Indie Pop w/ DJ Stereo Faith $6 Backstage 9:30

Sat Dec 13- Mousetrap: DC's Biggest Britpop Dance Night $10 Mainstage 9:30

*Sun Dec 21- ROCK'N'SHOP: A Rock'n'Roll Garage. free Mainstage 8:00

*Mon Dec 29- THE DAMNED, THEO AND THE SKYSCRAPERS, ELECTRIC FRANKENSTEIN $18 Adv/ $20 DOS 8:00

930 CLUB:
Mon Dec. 1-Vampire Weekend w/ The Teenagers
7pm Doors.Sold Out

Tues Dec. 2-Vampire Weekend w/ The Teenagers
7pm Doors. Sold Out

Fri Dec. 5-Nada Surf w/ Delta Spirit & The Jealous Girlfriends
8pm Doors. $20.00

Mon Dec.8-Ray Davies w/ Locksley
7pm Doors. $40.00

Sat Dec 13-Ghostland Observatory w/ Dmerit -DJ Set
7pm Doors., $20.00

*Fri Dec 19- THE LAST POETS
7pm Doors .$25

*Sat Dec 20 - CSS
7pm Doors. $20.00

DC9:
Sat Dec 6-KIDS Dance Party (Meistro of Dirty Bombs/Top ranking, Lil El, and Jackie O)

*Wed Dec 10-Ra Ra Rasputin w/the Spiritual Machine, Fffever and Exactly.
$8.

Velvet Lounge:

Tue Dec 9-PWRFL People, Kitty Hawk, Pree (of Le Loup), Hume
Doors 9pm/Show 9:30pm/$8/18+!

Sat Dec 27 -A.C.
Doors 9pm/Show 10pm/18+

BACKSTAGE

2008-11-14T11:25:00.001-05:00

I was bored at home the other night when I stumbled upon the Smoking Gun’s list of celebrity riders .(A rider is a contract that specifies a list of what amenities should be provided for the performer). The demands that some artists make on the staff at venues range from typical, easy to find comforts (booze, sandwiches, adult magazines) to the maddeningly trivial (special aged cheese, no leather). Some were simple (Guns N Roses, Eric Clapton) and others were very complex (50 Cent, Kiss, Paul McCartney).
As I glanced over these lists, I realized that there is no way I'd ever make it as an event coordinator. I'd probably just crumple up these lists and toss them in the garbage.

Complaints aside, here are some of the more amusing ones (Click to view the full document):

MIA
One container dried mangoes, one container of dried blueberries, aged cheese. What the hell? Eight (8) Ferro Rocher Gold Balls. Heaven forbid you provided MIA with six or seven.

COLDPLAY
48 Cold Strong Continental Lagers (Becks or equivalent, Not Stella, Not US Beers). Ugh, snobs

THE KILLERS
8 packs of sugar-free gum; 20 lint free clean backstage towels; 40 lint free backstage towels.

50 Cent
50’s rider demands that you not only provide dinner, but breakfast and lunch as well. And while his demands for Cuban cigars are somewhat reasonable, it’s actually against the law to obtain them.

U2 (1992 ZOO TV Tour)
Sadly, the entire rider is not posted. Thankfully someone was able to get a copy of the most important page: ALCOHOL REQUIREMENTS. Good to know that Bono and co. still know how to bro down after a show.

I understand that a good number of the demands for food and drink are somewhat reasonable. Just like how every employee of X office deserves health-care, sick days and the occasional promotion, a touring musician should be allowed certain comforts to make them feel at home when he/she is on the road.
However, I do believe that most riders tend to be incredibly wasteful. There’s no doubt in my mind that a sizeable percentage of the food, drinks and supplies that are provided backstage are thrown away. And while I wholeheartedly understand the need for towels after shows, why on earth do the Killers need forty towels? If your band has 4 people, that’s 10 towels per person. Who the fuck sweats so much that he needs 10 towels to dry off?

And as pointed out in the Sonic Youth biography "Goodbye 20th Century," expansive tour riders take money out of the artist's tour earnings. Despite the fact that Sonic Youth were on Geffen Records for a little more than a decade, they rarely asked for more than some light food and drink, maybe a bottle of hard alcohol here or there. In the end, the band continues to turn a profit while on tour, and even managed to finance their own studio. Then again, Sonic Youth and many other bands I admire come from the punk rock school of thought.
But it's something to think about. All that food and drink is coming out of your pocket! Spend wisely.

For the Smoking Gun's full list of backstage riders, click HERE

NOVEMBER IN WASHINGTON DC

2008-10-28T11:02:00.000-04:00

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BY YOURS TRULY:

Black Cat:
Tue Nov 4- DEERHUNTER, TIMES NEW VIKING, KNYFE HYTS $13 Adv/ $15 DOS Mainstage 8:00

Wed Nov 12- DIPLO, NO AGE, ABE VIGODA, BOY 8 BIT, TELEPATHE $15 Mainstage 7:30

Tue Nov 18- LITTLE JOY (featuring Rodrigo Amarante of Los Hermanos, Fabrizio Moretti of The Strokes, and Binki Shapiro), THE DEAD TREES $10 Backstage 9:00

Sat Nov 8- THE SEA AND CAKE, DEATH VESSEL $15 Mainstage 9:00

9:30 Club:
SUN. NOV. 2 Hercules and Love Affair w/ The Dance Party 10pm

MON. NOV. 24 Sondre Lerche w/ Sylvie Lewis 6pm Doors.

WED. NOV. 26 The Still High Tour • METHOD MAN and REDMAN w/ Termanology & Big Pooh
7pm Doors.

SUN. NOV. 30 Q-TIP w/ The Cool Kids & Pacific Division 7pm Doors.

VELVET LOUNGE:
FRI. Nov. 7 Velodrome Dance Party (Italo Disco, HI NRG, etc)
FEATURING A SPECIAL SET BY Ra Ra Rasputin.
DJ sets by Scott B. and Ed Porter.
9pm

THE ROCK AND ROLL HOTEL:
SAT. Nov 01 Murs, w/ Kidz in the Hall, Big Pooh of Little Brother, and Isaiah
830pm

SAT. Nov. 15 The Dance Party w/Ra Ra Rasputin, Greenland, and the Nunchucks
DOORS 8:30PM. FIRST BAND 9PM
(and upstairs on that very same night)
Garutachi Indie Dance Night! with DJ Ca$$idy and Austin.
21+ | 930PM-230AM

Scottish post-punk legends Orange Juice to REUNITE

2008-10-27T21:59:00.000-04:00

What an incredible piece of news I've just received (courtesy of Jason M. of the Spiritual Machine). According to Idolator Orange Juice will be reuniting when they are honored by Nordoff-Robbins, a music therapy organization. Edwyn Collins, the group's frontman suffered a debilitating stroke several years ago, and later contracted a serious infection while in hospital. While his road to recovery has been a difficult one, he has never given up hope. Furthermore, in recent years, the his work with Orange Juice has gained recognition from a new generation of post-punkers. Fellow Glaswegians Franz Ferdinand, for example, have repeatedly praised the work of Orange Juice.

Now the real question is, which version of Orange Juice will be performing with Edwyn? Will it be the scrappy Postcard era version of the group? Or will it be the awkward, yet more confidently funky Polydor lineup? Maybe both? I have no idea. I know this sounds a bit absurd, but I do believe that it would be worth the money to fly to the UK to witness this evening.

So please enjoy these clips from YouTube. We love you Edwyn!

"Poor Old Soul" and "Rip It Up"

"I Can't Help Myself"

"Dying Day"

The Smiths to reunite for Coachella 2009 ???

2008-10-24T09:10:00.002-04:00

The Pixies
The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Smiths

These are among the messiest and most painful breakups in pop music. Frank Black dissolved the Pixies and informed his bandmates by fax. The Jesus and Mary Chain notoriously split on stage at a House of Blues show in 1998. But the Smiths, probably had the most difficult breakup of all. Johnny Marr left the group before their final album was released. And in the 1990s, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce, band’s rhythm section sued Marr and singer Morrissey claiming that they’d been jilted out of songwriting royalties.

In the last five years, however, we’ve seen the reunions of both the Pixies and the Jesus and Mary Chain. We’ve also been lucky enough to see Gang of Four, My Bloody Valentine and Mission of Burma return to the stage. So you can imagine that I was not that surprised when I checked out NME this morning to see a story about a possible Smiths reunion for Coachella 2009. Apparently “the buzz around the people who used to work for the band is they could play Coachella for a ludicrous amount of money.” Now, rumors of a Smiths reunion are nothing new. But given the current musical climate, maybe we need the Smiths to come back and remind us why they were so great in the first place. And it seems as though someone may've come up with enough cash to get them to forget about the fact that there was a showdown in a British courtroom a decade ago.

Now I saw Morrissey back in 2005, and he was pretty good. His voice was strong and he was very impressive as a performer. And yes, I sang along when he played songs from his old group. Nonetheless, those songs sounded incomplete without Marr’s jangling guitars, or Rourke and Joyce’s solid bass and drums. I they reunited, I know it wouldn’t be the same. But the Smiths broke up when I was 5 years old. They're all still very strong performers. I'd be a fool to miss a chance to see them live. And who cares about the money. If it means that they can live a little more comfortably, then great.

I have suffered horrible conditions and long waits for only a few bands (ahem, Radiohead). After all the Smiths have done for me, spending three days in the California deserts would be nothing.

“Bigmouth Strikes Again”
(From the Old Grey Whistle Test, 1986
Featuring Craig Gannon on rhythm guitar).

UPDATE:
The story has just been refuted by Johnny Marr's management.
Click here for the whole story. Sigh

Kanye West Rips off Tears for Fears

2008-10-23T15:12:00.003-04:00

About a week ago, Stereogum posted a new track by Kanye West called “The Coldest Winter.” The song is built around “Memories Fade” by Tears for Fears. Now, we’ve always known that Kanye has been down with sampling stuff that’s a little more adventurous than what we’re used to in hip-hop (e.g. CAN, Paul McCartney and Wings, obscure 70s prog rock). But it seems as though Kanye has basically nicked the entire song! Hell, he effectively rewrites the chorus with his own lyrics à la Diddy.

Tears for Fears “Memories Fade” (Live on German TV)

Kanye West “The Coldest Winter” (Ripped from the radio, so apologies for the less than stellar sound quality).

I think that one commentator on Stereogum hit the nail on the head:

After heartless and love lockdown i listened to this and was like "awesome" and got some faith restored in him, especially the awesome "goodbye my friend." then i clicked on that tears for fears link and was like "nevermind" because tears for fears wrote that great hook. this isnt like rapping over a sample, this is just like covering a really good obscure song and taking the credit for it. good thing that tears for fears link was there.

I do believe that Mr. West is finally starting to run out of steam. In my opinion, the quality of his lyrics has been sliding down hill since Graduation. The man is no longer as funny and audactious as he used to be. Production wise, he’s still very much on point, but ultimately the thing that drew a lot of us to Kanye was the lyrics. He rapped about hard times, being broke and hustling for better things. Certainly the man has been going through some very difficult times due to the loss of his mother. But this song doesn't sound very inspired and it sounds more like a demo than a track on an album that's due out by Christmas.

And what's with the heavy use of autotune/vocoder ? You have all the time and money in the world, Kanye? Why not take a year off and learn how to sing?

VIDEO MAGIC: Hey Paulette "I Really Do Love Penelope"

2008-10-14T10:25:00.000-04:00

Earlier this year, I had a lot of sleepless nights. The combination of a hectic social life and incredibly depressing job left me unable to lay back and close my eyes. On many nights, I used to watch videos on YouTube, in hopes that I would find something that would take my mind off the stress.

One night I decided to search for “C86.” For those of you who are unaware, C86 was a mixtape compiled by NME as a celebration of all the clangy, jangly guitar groups that had arrived in the wake of the Smiths. While many people complained that C86 was essentially a codification of indie clichés, the songs are not without their charm. Anyway, I digress. One of the groups that turned up on the video search was Hey Paulette, a quartet from Dublin, Ireland. “I Really Do Love Penelope,” is a tribute to a girl who couldn’t care less about the narrator. The lyrics are undeniably influenced by Orange Juice, yet musically they are a bit closer to the Smiths.

I’m not sure why I became so taken with this song. Perhaps because of my celebrity crush on Penelope Cruz. Or maybe it was because of Derrick Dalton’s melodic guitar playing. Either way, it felt really cool to hear something that instantly spoke to me. For a very long period, I was listening to albums that required repeated listens to get into. It was a relief to hear something so fresh. Even though the record is 20years old….

Click HERE for a nice little FAQ on the group

Hey Paulette’s complete discography is available on the compilation album “Long Ball Into Nowhere.” Believe it or not, you can actually download this on I-tunes.

October Recommendations for Washington DC

2008-09-30T10:30:00.002-04:00

Miraculously, I didn’t lose my hearing at last week’s My Bloody Valentine concert. If you’re interested in reading my review of the show, you can go here: www.brightestyoungthings.com/music/my-bloody-valentine-roseland-nyc.

So, without further ado....

Black Cat:
Oct 11th: The Wedding Present
Oct 12th: Ra Ra Riot

930 Club:
Oct 11th: Wire
Oct 13th: Yelle
Oct 22nd: A Place to Bury Strangers

Rock and Roll Hotel:
Oct 3: Glasvegas (assuming that these guys don't have anymore visa problems...)
Oct 9: Laura Burhenn (ex-Georgie James) with Lode Runner, The Spiritual Machine (formerly known as KOKO), Olivia & the Housemates.
Oct 18: US Royalty, with Fever.

Velvet Lounge:
Oct 25th: Lode Runner, with Mr. Moccasin and Ringo Deathstarr

DC9
Oct 19th: The Little Ones
Oct 27th: Grammar (these guys are not headlining, but they are awesome).

Colonel K + Dell'ante Present: "Kiss Kiss Kiss to Make My Heart Shake"

2008-09-20T13:00:00.004-04:00

This week's entry was co-written with my "smooth-brother" alter-ego, Dell'ante. I must admit, I hesitated to write this article for a long time. Every time I tried to write a draft, it came off like something you'd read in Maxim. Hopefully this version isn't too laddish.

What is make-out music? And why is it that when it comes to spending a little quiet time with that special someone, the first albums that come to mind are releases by Al Green or Maxwell? Now, I think these artists (as well as everyone mentioned in Kanye West's "Slow Jams") make wonderful, terrific music. But it's hard to believe that hot-buttered soul is the only appropriate music for a night in.
I'd be a fool to argue that there are certain albums that’ll make a night go perfectly. I will say, however, that the strong arrangements and unique production values of the albums listed below can definitely enhance the mood of your evening.
In other words: If your game is tight, putting these records on only enhances your cool.

Air "Moon Safari"
(Virgin 1998)

2 French producers
+
Analog & Vintage Synths
+
Singer Beth Hirsch
=
INSTANT CHILLOUT CLASSIC. What more do you need?

DELL'ANTE'S VERDICT:
Take the opening track, "La Femme D'argent." This song is so perfectly arranged for coupling, that if you wait until the piano break around 4 minute mark, you'll be overcome by the desire to cease conversation and proceed to suck face.

My Bloody Valentine "Ecstasy and Wine"
(Lazy Records 1989)

Having disposed of their original singer, Dave Conway, My Bloody Valentine moved away from fuzz pop and towards their trademark ethereal drones. "Ecstasy and Wine" combines two EPs that were released during the run up to 1988's landmark "Isn't Anything." While the album is lo-fi, Kevin Shields and company were dropping hints that they were onto something otherworldy. Conway's C86 era yelps are replaced with Belinda Butcher's beautiful blissed out vocals. The guitars are still loud, but they're not as jarring as they were on earlier releases. And like much of their later work, the songs from “Ecstasy and Wine” sound great at a low volume, but are breathtaking when played really loud.

DELL'ANTE'S VERDICT:
This compilation, along with several other pre-Creation EPs, has been out of print for sometime. Emphasize this when discussing My Bloody Valentine. Make it apparent that you'll go a long way to get something you really want.

Antena "Camino Del Sol"
(Les Disques Du Crepuscule 1982.
Reissued and expanded by Numero Group, 2004)

Originally released as a mini LP in 1982, "Camino del Sol" was one of the more interesting curios to come out French "Cold Wave" scene. Though the group was short-lived, their unique blend of chanson, Brazilian rhythms and lo-fi electro was years ahead of its time. Tortoise sampled the drum loop from "To Climb the Cliff" on one of their early singles. And some of the tracks on this album would fit comfortably in Stereolab's vast back catalog (given Isabella Antena's tendency to sing in both English and French).

Reviewer's jargon aside, the reissue of Camino Del Sol could ideally serve as background music to a dinner and stiff drinks night. Isabella's voice is playful, yet undeniably seductive. Even more alluring is how fantastic samba rhythms sound when played on synths and drum machines. One would never think that such frigid instruments could accommodate the soul and bounce of Brazilian music.

DELL'ANTE'S VERDICT:
If you decide to put on this lost classic, don't be surprised if you're overcome by the urge to samba with your parter. And we all know that dancing close usually leads to other things…

Stereolab "Transient Random-Noisebursts With Announcements" (Duophonic/UK and Elektra/US, 1993)

Stereolab is the sort of group you get into when you have a little bit more time and money to explore surrealism, Dadaism and other philosophical reactions to the horrors of modern life. Stereolab's highly referential approach to music may leave some folks cold. But I don't think that Tim Gane and Laetitia Sadier ever intended to make music for people with a passing appreciation for good music.

"Transient Random-Noisebursts With Announcements" is a compelling soundtrack for those nights when you wanna chill with someone on the intellectual tip. You could spend hours discussing Stereolab's love of Neu!, The Velvet Underground and European easy listening music. Thankfully, this album isn't so brainy that it's unlistenable. This album is bustling with attractive and inviting sounds. Take the bustling Farfisa organ on "I'm Going Out of My Way" or commanding sound of a picked Fender bass on "Golden Ball."

DELL'ANTE'S VERDICT:
Potential mood killing moment on this album: The sudden burst of out-of-phase noise on the 18-minute opus, "Jenny Ondioline."

Cocteau Twins "Treasure"
(4AD, 1984)

Elizabeth Fraser's strongest point as a singer is her ability to make nonsensical sounds and syllables sound positively beautiful. Singing in a mixture of English, Gaelic and gibberish, Fraser's vocals are often unintelligible, but they are a fine compliment to Robin Guthrie's heavily chorused guitars and Simon Raymonde's crawling bass. I once tried to track down printed versions of her lyrics, but soon realized that there was no point. Even if I did learn the words, I would never be able to sing them like she does. Come to think of it, have you ever heard anyone cover a Cocteau Twins song?

While I've come to appreciate their earlier albums and EPs, I'll always have a special place in my heart for "Treasure." I feel like everything went downhill for the Cocteaus after this release. Granted they did release a few good EPs and a really nice collaboration with Harold Budd. But the later albums were nowhere nearly as strong, especially after they left 4AD.

DELL'ANTE'S VERDICT:
The songs on this album are either quiet and laced with hushed vocals and washed-out guitars OR rely heavily on pounding drum machines and quasi-yodeling from Liz (see "Persephone"). Make your moves accordingly.

The Pale Fountains "…From Across the Kitchen Table" (1985)

2008-09-11T16:38:00.002-04:00

The Paley's first release, "Pacific Street," received critical acclaim upon its initial release. But despite their best efforts (and a healthy financial push from their label, Virgin), the album stalled in the UK album charts and none of the singles charted.

"…From Across the Kitchen Table", band’s second and final effort for Virgin is a rather difficult album to dissect. For starters, it shares very little in common with its predecessor. Andy Diagram's trumpet, which had been prominent on "Pacific Street", is only featured on a handful of cuts. And further more, there's a lot less orchestral work on this album. So while the group doesn’t sound as “cabaret” (a tag which the group regularly dismissed) they ultimately they don’t sound as distinct as they once did. In a sea of synthpop, post-punk, and hip-hop, the Paleys were proudly gauche.

Production wise, however, "From Across the Kitchen Table" is a much stronger than the group's early singles and debut album. Fellow Liverpudlian Ian Broudie is responsible for adding some much needed "oomph" in the band's sound. The guitars are lot more wiry and erratic, giving several tracks, such as "Stole the Love" and "Jean's Not Happening" a more confident "rock" dynamic. The drums are much more prominent in the mix and sound a lot punchier." The result is an album that sounds strong and confident, even when the lyrics are unfocused and the sequencing is questionable.(Broudie also managed to reign in Echo & The Bunnymen's inconsistencies on 1983's "Porcupines").

"From Across the Kitchen Table" was, at best, a transition album. We're really left to wonder “What this band could've done had they held it together?” Were they on their way to establishing their own eclectic brand of pop music? But thanks to drug abuse, disagreements with the label and a continuing lack of commercial success, the Pale Fountains eventually disbanded. Bassist Chris McCaffery died of a brain aneurysm in 1986 and brothers Mick and John Head went on to form Shack, and at one time were part of Arthur Lee's touring band.

"Jean's Not Happening"

"...From Across the Kitchen Table"

Postscript: In February of 2008, the Pale Fountains reunited for a series of well-received concerts in Liverpool and London.

Colonel K Approved: September Shows

2008-09-02T11:33:00.001-04:00

This month in Washington DC:

Black Cat
Sat Sept 6-THE DANCE PARTY, GIST (CD Release), US ROYALTY $10

Thu Sept 18-FARAQUET, STATEHOOD, RED TAG RUMMAGE SALE $8 Backstage 9:00

9:30 Club
THU. SEP. 18 JAMES

MON. SEP. 22 THE DANDY WARHOLS
w/ Darker My Love & The Upsidedown

TUE. SEP. 23 BUILT TO SPILL performing Perfect From Now On
w/ Meat Puppets & The Drones

THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
FRI. SEP. 26 US ROYALTY
w/Ra Ra Rasputin (ahem, cough cough) and KOKO.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:
Um, the best band in Texas is coming back to DC!!!!
Sep 5 Comet Ping Pong Washington DC
Sep 6 WMUC @ University of Maryland w/ The Flying Eyes Baltimore, Maryland

GREAT MOMENTS IN PARTY MUSIC: The Avalanches "Since I Left You" (Australia 2000, US/UK 2001)

2008-08-29T12:29:00.001-04:00

I begin to yawn when I hear people discuss Girl Talk's "Feed the Animals." It is, at best, a spotty and patchwork affair that fails to show any glimmer of imagination. (It should be noted that every time this album comes up in conversation, someone has to rave about how it's being marketed. Further proof that the economic boom of the 1990s unleashed a virulent strain of gung-ho capitalism that has managed to infect the hip set).

The most tragic aspect of "Feed the Animals" is that it’s a very crappy mashup album masquerading as a triumphant piece of postmodernism. The beatmatching is so-so, and there is no element of surprise or inventive recontextualization of sound. It’s nothing more than a bunch of annoying pop songs from past and present thrown together in one long blah mix. The result is an erratic and sometimes frustrating listen. I highly doubt that anyone will be listening to “Feed the Animals” two years from now. This album will probably be looked upon with less favor than the old 'Stars on 45' and 'Hit Parade' compilations.

By this point it should be painfully evident that I’m someone who begs for complexity and innovation in his party music. In my opinion, to use a sample well is to breath new life into a piece of dialogue or a guitar lick. The Beastie Boys' "Paul's Boutique" and De La Soul's "Three Feet High and Rising" gave us a glimpse of how powerful sampling could be. But thanks to a series of lawsuits in the late 1980s, it's prohibitively expensive to make records that rely heavily on found sounds. Since then, artists have been forced to find increasingly clever ways to release sample-heavy material. This is done by being signed to a smaller label and doing limited pressings) OR by utilizing such a mind bogglingly array of sounds that it would be nearly impossible for a listener to dismantle the record. Two records that have successfully managed to do this: DJ Shadow's landmark "Endtroducing" and RJD2's "Dead Ringer". But neither of these albums would count as party music as they’re both rather cerebral, and a bit depressing at times.
.
The Avalanches "Since I Left You" is definitively a party album. But it also has enough depth that you can spend hours trying to figure out what sample came from where. The samples range from the obvious (Madonna's "Holiday") to the obscure (the keyboard solo from the end of John Cale's "Ghost Story"). Where “Endtroducing” and “Dead Ringer” come off as grey, and slightly drab, “Since I Left You” is unabashedly Technicolor. If there are any moody moments on this album, they are fleeting. When I spent a semester in Nice, France, this album was on regular rotation at my friends Angie’s apartment. I seem to remember spending a lot of time on her couch drinking kalimotxos (red wine and Coke) and raving about whatever girl I was crushing on at the time.

“Two Hearts in ¾ Time”

“Flight Tonight”

Unfortunately, this Australian DJ collective has been pretty quiet for the last seven years. While they've made a handful of live appearances, the group has shown little evidence that they're working on anything new. There’ve been rumors about a full length follow up to "Since I Left You," since 2006. However, no new tracks have surfaced, which is rather disenheartning. Why would a group with so much talent allow second-class acts like Girl Talk to emerge?

We Sold Our Souls for Rock & Roll. And We Like It.

2008-07-15T05:30:00.002-04:00

*Wilco in a VW commercial.
*TV on the Radio as dramatic background music at the end of an episode of Grey’s Anatomy.
*The Shins as the centerpiece of an awful movie by Zack Braff. (There, I said it-I hated Garden State)
*Sonic Youth's approval of a celebrity compiled “Best Of,” to be sold exclusively at Starbucks.

Given the current state of the economy it could be argued that most musicians no longer have the option of turning down a paycheck for the sake of their ethics. For those of you who don’t bother to open a newspaper every now and again, the global economy is in shambles. Inflation is rising, wages have stagnated, and numerous industries are failing rapidly. And this directly affects how musicians are making decisions on allowing their music to be used in movies, television advertising and video games.
Moreover, due to a number of factors (less disposable income, online downloading, poor marketing), CD sales continue to decline. People are no longer buying music in the same quantities or in the same mediums as they used to. As a result, many artists have had to make some difficult decisions. The licensing of a song to a commercial may or may not generate album sales, but those residual checks are guaranteed.

Part 1: The Ethics of Selling Out. Why Punk Rock No Longer Applies to Generation Y.

"Internationally known: Mel-1 and PK The Mixtape Maniacs"

2008-05-15T14:54:00.003-04:00

Who we?

We’re both are O.G. New Yorkers by birth (Him-Harlem World, Her-Shaolin)
We both possess MA’s from overpriced private universities.
We both know what goes down in la banlieue
We are both are the oldest of four children.
We know all about the CRS and the Guardia Civil.

It’s pretty apparent that Mel-1 and myself live parallel lives. When we found out that we had both delivered very important mix tapes to people within one month of each other, we were like “Oh, word?” So in celebration of our efforts, we’ve decided to dissect and discuss each other’s mixes in a joint blog entry. Run on over to Melissa's blog, Public Witness Program, to read her thoughts on my mix.

...now, without further ado, an analysis of "Use With Caution" (May 2008)

Name of Mix: “Use with Caution”
Author: Melissa B. Friedman aka Mel-1
Nature of Origin: “Trying to impress someone. Cool, I know...”
Length: “56 minutes and some odd seconds if I remember correctly”

Most difficult challenge during compilation:
“It was hard for me to decide on the general mood I wanted to convey. I also had some difficulty in deciding the order of the last few songs. I felt like the mix CD turned into Lost in Translation Part II thus I tried hard to avoid duplicating an oeuvre that more or less already exists.”

Two favorite tracks:
“Tout n'est pas si facile” -NTM
“Windowlicker (demo)” - Aphex Twin

Full Tracklisting:
1. Machine Gun - Portishead
2. 5:55 (The Black Ghosts Remix) - Charlotte Gainsbourg
3. The Guns of Brixton - The Clash
4. Tout n'est pas si facile - NTM
5. Requiem pour un con - Serge Gainsbourg
6. Sexual Sportswear - Sebastian Tellier
7. Windowlicker (Original Demo) - Aphex Twin
8. Knife - Grizzly Bear
9. Sometimes - My Bloody Valentine
10. Ceremony (New Order cover) - Radiohead
11. After Class - Deer Hunter
12. Just Like Honey - The Jesus & Mary Chain

Colonel K's thoughts:
As long as I’ve known her, Melissa’s always had the most amazing taste in music. From her collection of obnoxious punk 7-inches back in high school (e.g. “John Wayne Was a Nazi” by MDC) to her more recent appreciation of all things French, it’s always been “class” with Mel-1. So when she told me was trying to impress someone, I just shrugged my shoulders and said “Well that shouldn’t be too difficult.” But I quickly realized that it was flippant for me to say that. Apparently the girl was really breaking a sweat over making this mix flow just right. The night before it was due, I received a frantic text that read “Should I put Fugazi on this Mix? I’m being so neurotic about impressing him.”

Having only seen the tracklisting, I can already tell that this compilation is dope. The main reason is the leadoff song, Portishead’s “Machine Gun.” I’d wanted to put this on a mix I made a few weeks ago, but I ended up cutting it because it was too jarring. I also like the fact that the first half of this mix is so menacing. The aforementioned “Machine Gun”, “Guns of Brixton”, and “Requiem Pour Un Con”, all these songs are badass.
The second half, on the other hand, is much more ethereal and kinda sweet. The sorta stuff that you’d want to listen to on a cloudy spring afternoon. And yes, I know that “Sometimes” and “Just Like Honey” were used poignantly in Lost in Translation. But just because a song was used in a Sophia Coppolla movie doesn’t make it any less beautiful.
Oh, word. Bonus points for including the demo version of “Windowlicker” and Radiohead’s cover of “Ceremony”: as much as I enjoy the originals, it shows a lot more depth to use a really good cover OR an alternate version of a well known track.
If I were the guy who received this CD, I’d probably be speechless. I mean, yeah, there are plenty of real chill girls who like good music. But it takes just as much thoughtfulness and talent to take those songs and sequence them.

"Rain Down, Rain Down": Radiohead at Nissan Pavilion. May 11th 2008

2008-05-12T19:53:00.001-04:00

I’d become so accustomed to standing up in mud that every step on a solid surface sent a jarring shock to my ankles and knees.

The previous sentence was not lifted from an account of trench warfare during World War I. This was a description from last night’s Radiohead concert at Nissan Pavilion.

When I looked at the weather forecast, I knew that there was going to be rain. What I didn’t realize was that it was going to be a non-stop torrential downpour. Within minutes of handing in my ticket, I was soaked to the bone. My shoes were waterlogged, my thermal undershirt soggy, and my Lacoste rain jacket useless. When Liars took the stage at approximately 7:30pm, the rain had let up slightly, but a massive chill had come over my body. I was shivering so hard, I had to bite my tongue to keep my teeth from chattering.

When Thom Yorke and company finally took to the stage, I felt a tremendous sigh of relief. Not to say that Liars were no good. (On the contrary, they put up a pretty decent show, given the size of the crowd. Moreover, I loved their pre-show music. I believe it was North African, perhaps downloaded from Awesome Tapes from Africa?). But alas, I digress; I was here to see how Radiohead would pull off their songs live. I’ve been listening to this band since high school, and I’ve welcomed each new sonic direction they’ve taken. Seeing them live, however, has always proved elusive. Either I couldn’t get tickets or I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But listening to countless bootlegs and watching Grant Gee’s Meeting People is Easy, I knew that one day it would be totally worth it. And, if you ignore all the drama I described above, it was. Visually, this was one of the most well thought out shows I’d seen in a very long time. Even from the edge of the lawn, I could see the beautiful details of the hanging lights and video screens. As per the band’s performance. they were tremendous. They cherry picked songs from every album since The Bends and played the fuck out of them. When I concentrated hard enough, I actually forgot that I had lost nearly all feeling in my right foot.

SET LIST (Thanks to Chip from Brightest Young Things)
All I Need
Jigsaw Falling Into Place
Lucky
15 Step
Nude
Pyramid Song
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
Myxomatosis
Idioteque
Faust Arp
Videotape
Paranoid Android
Just
Reckoner
Everything In Its Right Place
Bangers + Mash
Bodysnatchers

ENCORES:
Like Spinning Plates
Optimistic
Karma Police (This is when we left)
Go Slowly
Planet Telex
—-
Fake Plastic Trees
The National Anthem
House of Cards

When I finally got into the car and took off my soaked shirt. I was relieved, sort of. It would be nearly an hour before we left the Nissan parking lot, but at least we had HEAT. My experience certainly doesn’t make me think any less of Radiohead. But I will probably never attend another outdoor, festival style concert again. And my heart goes out to all the people who a) sat in traffic even longer than I did and b) those who didn’t even make it to the show due to washed out roads and horrendous traffic.

Guest List by Colonel K

2008-05-09T00:39:00.003-04:00

While I no longer read Pitchfork for the reviews, I still read it every morning to catch up on industry gossip and read the interviews. Since the essay I had planned for this week is not yet ready, I decided to poach some questions from Pitchfork’s “Guest List” and interview, um, myself.

>> Favorite Songs of the Past Year
Kanye West “Flashing Lights”
I lost interest in Mr. West after Late Registration. I dunno, perhaps I grew tired of his incessant bragging and public temper tantrums. But personal criticisms aside, this is one of the standout tracks on Graduation. The video is hot, too.

Portishead “Machine Gun”
I know Portishead were working on “Third” for a really long time, but upon listening to a pre-release copy, I can see why they were under so much pressure. How do you beat “Dummy” and “Portishead”? I know a few people who are pretty disappointed with “Third,” but I think it’s wonderful reinvention of the group's sound. It's still depressing, but I like that they're using much more jarring

Chromatics “Hands in the Dark”
When I first heard “Hands In the Dark” in my friend Scott’s car, I asked what year it was released. To my surprise, he said “2007.” It’s one of the most beautiful and haunting dance songs I’ve heard in a while. It’s perfect for night drives, too.

>> Favorite Older Songs at the Moment
The Gist “Love at First Sight”
Not to be confused with the DC band, Gist. This was Stuart Moxham’s solo project after Young Marble Giants broke up in 1981. It reminds of the grey and dingy RER stations outside of Paris. And the synth line does sorta remind me of that weird deer in headlights look when you first make eye contact with someone you're attracted to.

Blur “You’re So Great” and “Death of a Party”
These songs are back to back on 1997’s “Blur,” and I really like them because they both deal with reexamining your personal and social life, respectively. “You’re So great” is Graham Coxon lamenting his alcoholism while proclaiming his love for an unknown person. “Death of Party” is Damon Albarn shrugging off Britpop as a lame party that no one should’ve attended in the first place.

>> Favorite Song Ever
“Loaded” by Primal Scream.
I think I was at a Britpop dance night when I first heard this over a full PA system.
It always reminds me of really amazing nights out.

“Red Sleeping Beauty” by McCarthy
First time I heard this song was sophomore year of college. I was so blown away by the intro, that I asked my friend to play it 2 more times.

>> Best Recent Concert
Ghostland Observatory at the 9:30 Club.
This show was so over the top, that I had no excuse to not enjoy myself. Strobe lights, smoke machines, lasers. The works.

>> Favorite New Band
Ringo Deathstarr. Ra Ra Rasputin opened for them back in February, and I was really impressed on two counts. First, their equipment and guitar tones. Second, the songs were all really good.
I tend to be dismissive of most shoegaze revival groups, but these guys had “it.” I ended up changing my listening habits because of them. I started listening to My Bloody Valentine and Ride again; something I hadn’t done in about a year and a half.

>> Last Great Film I Saw
Control by Anton Corbijn. Every shot in that movie is flawless. He did a fine job making the transition from music videos to the big screen.

>> Last Great Book I Read
The last book I really enjoyed was “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.” The story was so moving, and the descriptions were so vivid. It’s incredible that the author was able to transmit all that information simply by blinking one eye. Then again he had no other choice. I’ve also been working my way through George Orwell’s “Homage to Catalonia.”

>> Favorite Piece of Musical Equipment
My Rickenbacker 360. I’d wanted a Ric for years, and during the summer after Freshman year of College, I got a job that paid really, really well. I found one for a reasonable price, and it’s been my main guitar ever since.

>> Favorite Record Shop
There are actually a lot of really good record stores in Washington DC, and they’re all located within walking distance of one another. But the one I spend the most time in is Red Onion Records & Books. I got two records that I never thought I’d see: David Bowie “Heroes/Heroes/Helden” 12” (with French, English and German versions of his 1977 classic) and the US version of Teardrop Explodes “Kilimanjaro.”

>> Best Purchases of the Past Year
1. A pair of Sperry Top Sider Boat shoes
2. A Univox 335 Custom Copy 12-string electric guitar.

The Sperrys are the most comfortable and versatile pair of shoes I own. It’s so great not having to wear socks. The only hang up is that I have to moisturize my feet so that they don’t look ashy.

The 12-string electric was something I picked up simply because it was a very good deal ($300 vs $1200+ for a Rickenbacker 12-string). It's taken some time to really get that "jingle-jangle" sound, but it's worth it.

>> Best Thing I Did This Year
Move myself to the top of my list of my priority list.

>> Favorite Venue
Black Cat. It’s close by and I’ve seen more good shows there than at any other venue I’ve frequented in the last eight years.

>> Favorite TV Show at the Moment
Well, since The Wire ended, I have no reason to watch TV anymore.

>> Favorite Video Game at the Moment
I was never into video games. We never had them when I was younger. I still can’t be bothered to play them.

>> Favorite Radio Show
I don’t listen to the radio anymore. Even though I have an AM/FM receiver, I never use it. It’s a real shame, you know?

>> My Ringtone
Beep once, then vibrate. A phone is just that, a phone.

The Colonel's Orders....WEEK of 2/25/08 TWO EVENTS, NO COVER

2008-02-25T23:29:00.001-05:00

...because Friday is a long ways away.

WEDNESDAY 2/27
Ringo Deathstarr
with
Ra Ra Rasputin
830 PM
Wonderland. 11th and Kenyon NW
Metro Columbia Heights
21+

THURSDAY 2/28
Question. How many people have remixed music by my solo project, the Norm and the Shake.
Answer: Two. Come see one of them spin @ St. Ex in DC.

HEY!!!!! I want my money back: The worst, the most boring, most disappointing shows I’ve ever attended

2008-02-20T02:02:00.002-05:00

I curse the fact that I was not allowed to go to big concerts when I was younger. Sure I got to go to a bunch of local shows, but never anything memorable. Hell, I remember when all my friends in junior high went to the No Doubt, Shelter and Unwritten Law show at Rockland Community College. Sure I didn’t like any of those groups (still don’t) but I really felt left out. To make matters worse, by the time I was allowed to start hanging out in Manhattan and Brooklyn, most of the amazing venues, like Coney Island High and Wetlands, were being shut down.

Thankfully, my concert-going habits changed when I arrived at University of Maryland, College Park in fall of 2000. Since then, I’ve kept a detailed list of every show I've attended. And while there were some groups whose performances changed the way I think about music (Q and Not U, Joe Strummer, British Sea Power), there have been quite a few that have left me feeling disappointed.

DISCLAIMER: Please do not take offense to the strong opinions that you will read below. They are merely a reflection of what I was feeling at the time.

December 22nd 2000
Shopping Cart Catastrophes, PF 113,DDF, Lanemeyer and others
American Legion Hall,
Norwood, NJ
My first semester at U-Md proved to be incredibly eye opening. I was brimming with new musical ideas, and I was really looking to move away from the punk and hardcore that had come to define my last year and a half of high school.
But attending this show at the Norwood Legion Hall felt like a huge step backwards.
Shopping Cart Catastrophes started out as a fun, catchy pop-punk band that reminded me of the Descendents or the Queers. But at this show, they were very self-consciously trying to become a “serious and articulate” emo band. In other words; a Rockland County version of Jets to Brazil. Man, I thought it was dreadful; a total betrayal of everything they stood for. I understood their desire to change their sound, but the lyrics were just sounded trite and they just weren’t the same group anymore.*
PF 113 and Lanemeyer? I wrote them off instantly because of their names. DDF, well those guys were part of the Nyack scene, so I sorta had to give them a chance. And while I wasn’t the biggest fan of the studs and Mohawks, I thought they sounded ok. However, I took issue with the fact that they had a song called “1977.” Come on guys, I don't care how young you were. You just don’t write a song with the same title as one of the best Clash b-sides ever.

*They also fired their tall and quirky guitarist, Kevin. Me and my crew always liked him. He was the joker of the group.
**(NOTE: Allegedly, this legion hall stopped holding shows cuz some punk kid took a shit in a cup and hid it behind the bar. Upon hearing about this, one angry old Vet grumbled something along the lines of “I can’t believe we went to war against the Nazis for the sake of you people.”)

July 6th 2001
Stinkfest 2: Shabutie, Salty Black Flour
The Fire House
West Nyack, NY
Shabutie, now known as Coheed and Cambria, were considered to be one the best bands in Rockland County. And I fucking hated them with a passion. I loathed everything about them: Claudio’s ridiculous falsetto, the band’s self-indulgent muso tendencies. I could go on for days. But most of all, I despised the fact that their sound was becoming so influential. It was around this time that the Nyack scene was becoming obsessed with their style of playing and singing. In my opinion, it set everybody back a couple of years. Moreover, people who booked shows would only hire bands that sounded or looked like them, effectively leaving everyone else out in the wilderness. It was at this show that I realized that it was going to be an uphill battle to try and get any sort of scene love for my group, Scam. I suppose I was just jealous...

March 29th 2002
Fanshen, Insults, Youth Crüe, Project Mayhem (NJ),Black November
Rutgers Univ. @ Livingston Campus Quad 1 Dorms Main Lounge
Piscataway, NJ
On this particularly warm March evening, I decided to take a trip with my good friend (and sometimes bandmate) Kevin Rankin. At the time he was in a group called Project Mayhem and we were both curious to see whether the New Jersey band with the same name was any good.
Turns up they weren’t. In fact, every band on the bill played a rather tuneless variety of hardcore. I seem to recall a group that featured two linebacker-sized lead "singers" who made it a point to show off their meathead tendencies by slamming into each other during their entire set.This was easily one of the most pointless shows I’ve ever attended: All aggression and no talent. In retrospect, we probably should've spent the evening at a diner somewhere.

April 23rd 2004
Blonde Redhead, with Secret Machines
Black Cat, Washington DC
This was the show where I realized that I was no longer liked Blonde Redhead. From the winter of 2001 to spring 2004, I was crazy about them. Man, I used to spend hours digging up information about their equipment and trying to figure out what sort of tunings they used.
Now here’s a lesson for all you live music fans: try to avoid concerts that are scheduled towards the end of a band’s tour, for most musicians are physically and emotionally drained by the time their final dates roll around. I learned that the hard way at this show. (April 23rd was the last date on Blonde Redhead's lengthy US tour).
I had really liked "Misery Is a Butterfly" (their first record for 4AD) but hearing it played live didn’t sit well with me. Kazu, Amadeo and Simon looked bored and detached when performing. As a result, the new material suffered. Where was the sexy and exotic aggression from "La Via Vita Violenta" and "Fake Can Be Just As Good"? Since then, I haven't bothered to see them play live or buy any of their records.
In retrospect, this experience reminds me of the time I had a crush on this girl. Then I found out that she was fucking around with this dude in a band I hated, and I was over her. And to make things even more awkward, I had to work with that dude for an entire summer. Homeboy told me some wild stories.

July 15th 2004
The Unicorns, Erase Errata, Moving Units, Weird War, Les Georges Leningrad, Blood on The Wall.
Some warehouse, Williamsburg, Brooklyn NYC
During the summer after graduation, I was living at my parents’ house and working a crappy data-entry job in order to save money for my upcoming trip to France. A lot of my spare time was spent working on music with friends, going to lame parties and getting into all sorts of funny shit (e.g. The Jewish Deli incident at NYU Alumni hall).
My friend Jerry and I heard about the show through MySpace and made it a point to attend for three reasons: hipster girls, "free Red Stripe (till it runs out)" and the Unicorns. We left the 'burbs at a reasonable hour, flew down I-87, transferred to I-278, found a tight parking space and bee-lined it to the warehouse only to find a line going around the fucking block. And while it was 730 PM, it was still 90 degrees outside.
When we got inside nearly an hour and a half later, we found that all the free beer was gone. After duly purchasing a few cans of Brooklyn Lager, we made our way to the stage, where Moving Units were struggling to keep the audience interested. The acoustics in the cavernous main room were terrible, and the band knew it. Every instrument sounded like mush. To make matters worse, the Unicorns wouldn’t be on till at least 2:00 AM.
We attempted to make good of the situation by hanging out in an adjacent room where a DJ was spinning garage and post-punk. We made some idle chatter with a couple of girls I knew, drank a few more beers, and finally decided that the whole shindig was not worth our time. We went home in the middle of Weird War's set.

October 27th 2005
Swollen Members, opening up for Ghostface Killah
Sonar
Baltimore, MD
(From Wikipedia)
Swollen Members is a Canadian hip-hop group hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia, consisting principally of the duo Mad Child and Prevail. They have been called "two of the most innovative people in hip-hop".

TRANSLATION: PROOF THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER CITE WIKIPEDIA IN YOUR RESEARCH!

You see, Swollen Members are loosely affiliated with the Red Dragons skate/snowboard crew from Vancouver Canada. For those of you who are unfamiliar, the Red Dragons gained notoriety in the Skate and Snowboard world during the 1990s for their hard drinking, hard partying ways, much of which was documented in the Whiskey video series. But history aside, Swollen Members is responsible for some of the most unimaginative and unbelievably awful music ever put to tape. Oh, and they have ZERO street cred.
These guys didn’t last more than twenty minutes***. We were booing and hissing throughout their entire set. Some of the harder dudes in the crowd decided to toss around their skater-brah fans. It’s probably a good thing that Swollen Members didn’t try to stay on longer than they did, otherwise a riot would’ve broken out.

***And according to my people in New York, Swollen Members barely made it through two songs before being booed offstage at Hammerstein Ballroom.

In Defense of the Nano: Why Less is more with Apple’s I-Pod

2008-02-07T21:21:00.000-05:00

The problem with modern society is that we’re constantly being pressured into buying bigger and better versions of things we already own. But upon closer inspection we often find that we’re being duped into purchasing an inferior or unnecessary product.
Nowhere is this trend more evident than with the ubiquitous little box that has changed, for better or for worse, the way that we listen to music: The I-Pod.

The Saga Begins:
My first I-Pod was a 4th generation model with a 40 gig hard drive. Initially, I was thrilled to have portable access to such a large amount of music. But the technical flaws soon came to outweigh the benefits. Every now and again, the thing would just stop working or inexplicably refuse to connect to my laptop. And over time, I began to realize that I had more music than I could ever hope to fit on it.
Eventually, my I-Pod died at the end. Thankfully I was able to replace it without paying a cent because the warranty didn't expire for another two weeks. But four months later, the replacement inexplicably died as well. And to make matters worse, this was a few days before I went on vacation !!! I shook my head and cursed myself as I hiked out to the Apple Store in Bethesda, MD do the inevitable to purchase a brand new 30 gig.
(Ed. Note Unsurprisingly, the 30 joint started showing signs of early retirement this past December. It was then that I decided to start doing some research)

On the Technical Tip:
In case you didn’t already know, the larger I-Pods (20GB+) are nothing more than portable hard drives with a little view screen and a click wheel. If you listen carefully, you can hear them whirring, and huffing and puffing; making the same noises that your computer might make when it’s unhappy. And while a larger hard drive means that you can carry more music with you, it also has its drawbacks. As the folks at MacIntouch.Com pointed out:

“Carrying around a device powered by a delicate spinning drive does seem like a recipe for disaster”.

That's right ! Hard drives are sensitive to pretty much everything. Heat, cold, sweat, water, soda, you name it; your hard drive will probably hate being exposed to it. And while the folks at Apple designed this world class mp3 player with the active user in mind, the average I-Pod owner probably forgets that they’re dealing with a piece of sensitive electronic equipment.

Thankfully, Apple has offered more durable alternatives for several years. The Shuffles (1GB) and Nanos (1,2,4,and 8GBs) are both based on flash technology.Because flash drives do not contain any moving parts, and are therefore less sensitive to being jostled because there is no lag or whirring,they are much better suited for the average (and abusive) Joe or Jane.
In other words, I propose that we, as music fans, sacrifice our desire for “bigger, better, faster, more,” and settle for smaller models.
Oh, of course, some people will argue:
“ Well what if you wanna listen to a specific song and you don’t have it on your small mp3 player. Wouldn’t you find that to be a bit annoying?”
My response?
“No, not really. Besides, there are plenty of times when I wanna hear a song and don’t have it readily available. I’m used to that.It's not the end of the world, you know?”

Moreover, I believe that having a smaller mp3 player is more beneficial to both the casual listener and obsessive fan. The casual listener (read: most people who buy mp3 players) isn’t really that obsessive about how their music, and probably doesn’t need to have everything on hand. The serious music fan, on the other hand, probably has too much music (in various formats) to fit on one handy device.
Besides, having a smaller I-Pod ultimately means that you have to constantly cycle through your music. And in my opinion, this allows you to get better acquainted with your collection. I mean, come on. There's nothing more irritating than meeting people who boast about having 150 GBs worth of music and are unable to discuss any of it with any sense of depth or feeling because they have no attachment to it.

Colonel K Approved: Lode Runner & Fever

2008-01-31T23:24:00.000-05:00

A quick glance at the event listings for this first weekend in February could easily make your head spin. But worry not; I've picked out one show that will actually be worth your time.

This Friday night @ Velvet Lounge in DC, Lode Runner and Fever will be playing a pre-game set. That's right, by the time they're done playing, you'll be buzzed enough to make moves to the next concert, party or whatever else is in your day planner.Plus, yours truly will be there taking photos and hangin' out.

Doors are at 9pm
Lode Runner (Giorgio Moroder influenced post-punk)
Fever (Straight up gorgeous pop)

Don't front:

Velvet Lounge
www.velvetloungedc.com

915 U St NW (Metro; U-Street Cardozo)
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 462-3213

Great Moments of Racial Harmony in Pop Music

2008-01-21T17:57:00.000-05:00

You know, it's a bit funny: music is supposed to be the great equalizer among people, and yet TODAY, it's rare to see a group with black and white members. Come to think of it, you don't see blacks playing instruments in mainstream rock groups. Maybe in indie groups (TV on the Radio, Bloc Party, Black Kids, etc.) but never anything that would be played on MTV or BET. What happened? Why don't young black kids have guitar heroes anymore? Where are today's Ernie Isleys, Jimi Hendrixes and Nile Rodgers??????

I suppose that's another essay for another week...

So, as a tribute to the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr I have compiled a list of five groups who forgot about race and decided to make beautiful music together.

Love
I’ve always found it rather unfortunate that the Doors became the superstars of Elektra records during the 1960s, and not these guys. But it seems as though Arthur Lee and company were thoroughly uninterested in fame outside of LA. In fact, the group rarely left the Sunset Strip. And thanks to constant infighting and drug use, the group would splinter, leaving Lee as the only original member.
In spite of the drama, Love was one of the best psychedelic groups to emerge during the mid 60s. Their masterpiece, 1967's Forever Changes,was dark mix of jangle-pop, proto-punk and mariachi music (really). While the album failed receive much press in the US, it was well received in the UK, where it would serve as strong influence on the so-called "quiet-pop" movement of the 1980s (See my essay on the Pale Fountains).

Sly & The Family Stone
Black and white
Men and women.
Side by side.
One nation under a groove.
The first song I ever heard by Sly and the Family stone was “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” It was featured in the closing credits of a skateboard video, Second Hand Smoke by Plan B skateboards. I thought it was amazing…until I heard it on vinyl. And Vive la difference!!! The funky bassline, the sneaky rhythm guitar (which was nicked by Janet Jackson for “Rhythm Nation”), and THOSE horns.
It’s difficult to write about Sly and the Family Stone without launching into hyperbole. So much of what they did was unprecedented and just so damn SOULFUL AND FUNKY. But because their albums were out of print for so long, a lot of people began to forget how powerful they really were. Thankfully, the folks at Epic/Legacy reissued all seven of the group’s albums (you only need the first five) in 2007.

The Specials
Starting in the 1950s, large numbers of Caribbean immigrants came to cities like England to work in the factories. As a result, a large number of white kids from the Midlands were exposed to ska and reggae through their black friends.
The Specials, some of whom were children of these factory workers, were among the first to successfully combine island grooves with the DIY spirit of 1977. Lyrically, the group was in a different class. With songs like "Gangsters", "Working for the Rat Race" and the landmark single "Ghost Town", the group effortlessly described the ennui and frustration of life in Thatcher's Britain.

Talking Heads (live 1980-1985)
With albums such as Fear of Music, Remain in Light and Speaking In Tongues, Talking Heads fused African polyrhythms, gurgling synthesizers and sharp, angular guitar playing. They were, without a doubt, one of the funkiest groups (black or white) of the early 80s. In order to faithfully reproduce these albums on stage, the Heads recruited a wildly diverse eight-piece band. Among the members of the “Expanded” lineup were Parliament keyboardist, Bernie Worrell, bassist Buster “Cherry” Jones (who briefly played with Gang of Four), vocalist Nona Hendryx and Kentucky guitar wizard Adrian Belew. The result was nothing short of fantastic. Many of these people, particularly Bernie Worrell would continue to work with the band, both live and in the studio, until their breakup at the end of the 80s.

NOTE: While I do love Jonathan Demme's Stop Making Sense, I think it's a lot more fun to look for clips of the group's jaunt through Europe. Especially the 1980 performance in Rome that was recorded for Italian television.
Highly Recommended Listing: The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads

3RD Bass
Vanilla Ice may’ve sold more records, but 3rd Bass had the street cred and the style that the Iceman could only dream of. This New York based trio was unique in that they had not one, but two capable white MCs. And even more importantly, they were embraced by the New York hip-hop community, which at the time was in its imperial phase. If you watch the video posted below, you’ll notice cameos by Zev Lov X of KMD (later MF DOOM), a pre-VH1 Flavor Flav, and numerous other heavy hitters.

Don’t you Forget about: Simple Minds

2008-01-08T23:04:00.000-05:00

This is a new series for my blog. In addition to my usual essays, I’ll be posting YouTube videos by bands that I believe deserve a second chance.

THIS WEEK'S VIDEO: Simple Minds “I Travel”
It’s rather unfortunate that Simple Minds are only remembered for their cover of “Don’t You Forget About Me” and their shameless arena rock grandstanding during the mid to late 1980s. When they started, Simple Minds was one of the most intriguing and challenging groups around. Their first five albums, recorded between 1978 and 1982, boasted the influence of American New Wave, Giorgio Moroder, avant-garde jazz and punk. Yet their music never came off as contrived or frigid. There was always a believable emotional edge to their songs.

The song “I Travel” was the first single from Empires And Dance (1980). Vocalist Jim Kerr wrote the politically charged number after noticing the stark differences between East and West Berlin. While Kerr would later regret his “unmoved” vocal performance on the album version, he certainly makes up for it in concert. I stumbled upon this German TV performance a few weeks ago and I haven't been able to stop watching it since.

LINKS:
More Information on “I Travel”

My Life With Dead Beat, Part II: Interview with Haley Baptiste

2007-11-13T17:24:00.000-05:00

Interviews like the one posted below are the sort of thing that prompt people to post comments expressing their confusion over what they just read. But to be fair, I kinda guess that Andrew would play straight man to Haley's joker. It's irreverent and quirky encounters like these that keep music journalism from being an dry and tedious bore.
Sadly, we never got around to talking about Felt or Maximum Joy.

Your dad (pictured above)used to play in the Beatnik Flies. Did you decide to start playing the drums because of him?
Not that it's any of your Zagat rated businesses, but my dad still plays in the Beatnik Flies.
I never had a choice in deciding to play music, seein' as how come along the lines of for the first 5 years of my life I spoke only in tongues and Beatles lyrics which led my old ma and pa to do the only thing they could think of: which was to...(Ed. note-abruptly cuts off)
And then I never stopped playing music again, tin can telephones notwithstanding...

How do you write songs with Dead Beat?
1. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round mixing bowl or deep 8-inch square container with foil. Spread ice cream in container, packing firmly. Cover and freeze 8 hours or until firm.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8x8 inch pan.
3. Prepare cake mix with egg and almond extract. Pour into prepared pan.
4. Bake in preheated oven according to package instructions, until center of cake springs back when lightly touched.
5. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, salt and sugar until stiff peaks form.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment or heavy brown paper. Place cake in center. Turn molded ice cream out onto cake. Quickly and prettily spread meringue over cake and ice cream, all the way to paper to seal.
Return to freezer 2 hours.
7. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
8. Bake the Alaska on the lowest shelf, 8 to 10 minutes, or until
meringue is lightly browned. Serve at once

Would you ever consider recruiting other musicians to play with you and Andrew?
I don't know that I would recruit any other musicians to play with us,
per se, but I am definitely interested in recruiting anyone associated
with the Nurgle Death Guard Marine Army to join our group.
Also, the ineffable Samuel Chotzinoff once said "... it is impossible to deny that his music is a soporific, by the side of which the telephone book is a strong cup of coffee." I think that explains a lot, too.

Right now you play on a miniature set, thus giving your group a distinctly twee sound. Would you ever make moves to a full-size kit? Or would that change the dynamic of Dead Beat?
I.would. Never.

Why do you think that a lot of girls don't play in bands. Do you believe it's social conditioning or a genuine lack of interestt?
I think I'd like to focus more on why more boys don't play in bands, because I feel like the number of boys getting inspired by Led Zeppelin is shrinking at an alarming rate. Can you answer that? Since you're a boy? You know?

Well I don't stuff my jeans like Robert Plant used to, so I guess I can't respond. Regardless, do you have any predictions for 2008? What trend is going to sweep the underground music world and render everything that we currently enjoy obsolete?
I have a lot of predictions for 2008.
1. I will cut my hair
2. You will cut your hair
And listen... Just because I alone am privy to the next big trend that is going to sweep the underground music world doesn't mean everyone else should be. I worked really hard for my omniscience.

Five groups that you'd like to see reunite?
I cant answer that right now. (See third question down).

Ok, Five favorite songs right now ?
1. Crazy Town – whatever that song is called (ed. note-"Butterfly")
2. Velocity Girl – "Crazy Town"
3. Primal Scream – "Velocity Girl"
4. Motley Crue – "Primal Scream"
5. That plan didn't work out cause I hit a dead end. More songs should be titled "Motley Crue"

Every now and then you'll tell stories about visiting Brighton, England. Would you like to share a little something about your time spent in that dreary seaside town?
Nope
Fine!!! Then tell me a little bit about your other side projects
Right now I'm working on an essay I hope to get published. It's titled Pussy Control :How Prince Changed the Face of Sexual Politics with One Greatest Hits Album. It's about five groups I'd like to see reunite

My Life with Dead Beat

2007-10-19T17:30:00.000-04:00

Dead Beat were once known as The Husbands, and this created an incredible amount of confusion, as there is a band from California with the same name. When they played their first show at the Wonderland Bar in Washington DC, I remember overhearing some people say “Oh this isn’t the right group at all!” Needless to say they soon changed their name to the Ex-Husbands before settling on Dead Beat.

Dead Beat is Andrew Bucket (guitar, vocals) and Haley Baptiste (drums,vocals). Both are longtime locals of the DC Metro area and are two of the friendliest faces that you can encounter in the late night party circuit. It is always a pleasure running into either of them. And living where I do, it happens quite often.

Because of internet issues and scheduling conflicts, I was only able to interview Andrew. Be on the lookout for an in depth conversation about Felt, Maximum Joy and all things weird and wonderful with the one and only Haley.

Until then, I present to you Señor Bucket:

First of all, how did you guys get together in the first place? When did it all start?
Well I met Haley at Wonderland in early 2005. It was a very different bar then. I think it was a very different DC then, too. Now you have "cool," yuppies.
Anyway, we were snowed in one weekend at Haley's house and we found a program that recorded music on her cousin's Mac. We were in the basement and there was a drum-set from Haley's youth and immediately next to it was her Dad's guitar. So one-two, we're a band. It was a joke though, we put it on MySpace for our friends to laugh about, but they took it seriously. Then we took it seriously.

Let's talk about your influences. I have to say that you two have pretty eclectic taste in music and it carries over into your work. What got you to pick up instruments and what's keeping you alive right now?
Well Haley and I have similar taste now, obviously. But I know she's had phases that I did not have. Riot grrrl being one of them.
The first band I ever freaked out over was Green Day and I was 11. That's a cute one I'm willing to admit. When I was 18 or 19 I heard the Jesus and Mary Chain and I still listen to them. Mazzy Star is a band I think I'll listen to for the rest of my life. Other bands that I really like are The Popguns, Velocity Girl (from our hometown!), also the original DC scene- The Beatnik Flies, the Slickee boys, and Tru Fax and the Insaniacs.

What music do you dislike right now?
I'm not sure. I don't know if I entirely hate any kind of music. I thought I hated The Killers, even though I'd never heard anything by them, but then I was in the car and heard some song and I thought it was an old New Order b-side…turns out…it was them. I was very embarrassed when Haley Googled the lyrics and told me who it was.
Anyway, I tend to get bored with music more than anything and the most boring music I can think of is Animal Collective.

Alright, look...the indie rock duo is hardly a new or novel approach to music. What is Dead Beat bringing to the game that the White Stripes, Mates of State or the Ravonettes aren't?
Well, duh. We know our roots. The only comparison I would reject is the Moldy Peaches, because we take our music seriously. I would say that we come from a more shoe-gaze/psychedelic school of rock and roll. The White Stripes do the blues, Beat Happening did pop, and we do pop, but we can also sing well. So we have that going for us. I think we're better than those bands to be honest. I mean we're a pretty cute little duo. I think Haley really puts me in context, and I put her in context. Our binary is really, really radiant—and it even blurs a little cuz we're both pretty queer.

Y'all have played a decent number of shows in the DC area. What do you enjoy about it? What do you hate?
I hate worrying about people coming to the show. DC is a small town and most of the clubs are booked by one guy who wants dance bands that are dressed like Ritchie Tenenbaum. So if you have an off-night and nobody comes, that could mean curtains for you at one of these places. But the Velvet Lounge and Wonderland are good to us and I'm getting to the point where I don't really want to play anywhere else unless they offer us the royal treatment, and even then I just don't know.
I also like I love playing with Ra Ra Rasputin. I also love meeting girls and getting free drinks, but my favorite thing, my absolute favorite thing is when you have a new song that you just know is going to be a hit, and you play it really well, and everyone loves it. That's what it's all about.

Five groups that you'd like to see reunite
Orange Juice
The Velvet Underground (and I would suggest Mike Watt on bass)
Velocity Girl
Misfits w/ Glen Danzig (of course)
Mazzy Star

Five favorite songs right now
“Shabop Shalom”- Devendra Banhart
“Walking With Jesus” Spacemen 3
“The People I’m Not”- Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
“Ain't No More Cane”- Burt Jansch and Rod Clements
“Black Diamond Halo”- The Beatnik flies w/ Mark Noone from the Slickee Boys

I must say, you two are quite the stylish pair. Would you mind giving away some of your secrets?
I just try to dress like Joe Dolan from the Beatnik Flies or Kim Cane from the Slickee Boys. But, if you don't know them, just read Japanese fashion magazines, it's all about wearing one of everything. Just keep adding things to your outfit, but only one of things that come in pairs. After you have like 25 or 27 things on, you should have a pretty good outfit.

You guys have written a lot of material since the Shoes EP. When can we expect some new recordings ?
Well the Shoes EP was recorded in one day using the microphone hole on a Mac computer. We have some friends at UMD that are going to give us some free studio time and we will probably record there and release a real album by like, Valentines Day. We haven't picked a title and Haley doesn't know this, but I thought maybe we could call it In Rainbows.

Well, I'm excited to hear what you come up with next. Now, tell me a little bit about your other musical endeavors.
We both record by ourselves, but I haven't heard any of her stuff. Her mom says it's really slow music. I usually make people songs as birthday gifts, or just any old occasion gifts, so I have those and maybe 40 songs I've done alone that are very much copying Marc Bolan's early stuff, even copying Leonard Cohen.
Haley and I had an electronic band called The Wicked Stench and we had a dance hit called Décédée, which is French for deceased.
I also have a band called Women that only plays private shows amongst friends and it's a true-blue shoe-gaze thing with lots of reverb and we do these video projection things while we're playing. Nothing new, but if you're going to imitate anything…ya know?

Do you have any predictions for 2008? What trend is going to sweep the underground music world and render everything that we currently enjoy obsolete?
I've already seen the noise thing get kind of good and I think that's pretty cool for the purpose of tear-down/rebuild philosophy. A good noise band can get down to the rudiments of sound and explode even the tiniest nuance. It's like looking through a microscope. The smart musicians, the really smart ones, smarter than any of us, will cultivate these new ways of making sound and will ultimately devise new paradigms. I heard about an instrument made up of a scanner that measured the luminosity of any object you put in front of it and converted the scan into a tonal value. The guy played it by putting things in front of the scanner and then taking them away, then he put on white gloves and played it with his hands.

Dead Beat @ MySpace
Women @ MySpace

Dead Beat will be performing on Saturday October 20th at the Velvet Lounge. Doors are at 9pm.

SNIPPET The Declining State of Black Entertainment Today: VH1 Hip Hop Awards 2007

2007-10-09T00:48:00.000-04:00

This year’s VH-1 Hip Hop Honors was arguably the most tragic excuse of an award show I've seen all year.....and I watched the Oscars, the Grammys and the VMAs. Rather than hammer out a lengthy play by play of last night’s events, I’m going to focus on what I believed to be the biggest embarrassments to the honorees.

1.T-Pain.
During a tribute to the New Jack Swing era, T-Pain huffed his way through the Keith Sweat classic “I Want Her” without his trademark auto-tune. What brain surgeon of a programming director allowed this man to sing live? Not only did I discover that T-Pain has a dreadful voice, but the dude has zero stage presence.

2.Busta Rhymes
It was a cameo on A Tribe Called Quest’s “Scenario” that launched Busta Rhymes on a path towards international stardom. If you’ve ever seen a clip of Tribe and Leaders of the New School doing the track on the Arsenio Hall show, it’s pretty evident that a young Trevor Smith was on his way to much bigger things.
To see Busta Rhymes this evening was like seeing a drunk uncle wilin’ out on Tanqueray at a family party. He was fat, sloppy and fucking unintelligible. The man wasn't even trying to rap the verse that bought him fame and fortune. He was just screaming at the top of his lungs. The shit was just sorry.

3.Lupe Fiasco
There is no excuse for anyone to fumble the lyrics to “Electric Relaxation.” Especially not Phife’s verse. Period.

OK there was some good shit that went down.
The Highlights:
*Tracy Morgan rockin' a shearling coat and black Shelltoes.
*KRS-1...always a pleasure, sir.
*Ice-T's Crip-walkin
*Whodini doing “Friends”
*Harvey Keitel introducing Snoop Dogg
*A Tribe Called Quest closin’ out the show. Yes, Jarobi was there too. And yo, I had no idea that Phife was that short. Or maybe it's because Q-Tip is just really really tall.

Confession

2007-10-03T10:45:00.000-04:00

When I was 18, I received a gift certificate to Barnes and Noble. At the time I was playing in my first group, SCAM, and I decided to get some music that was supposed to “inspire me.” I decided to get a copy of the Ramones’ compilation All the Stuff and More Volume 1. I heard so much about them from my friends and I always liked hearing their music in skateboard videos (Plan B, Second Hand Smoke, slam section) so I figured why not!

About a week later, I returned the album and exchanged it for Pink Floyd’s Animals. Thirty years ago, a move like that would be considered treason by many. Thankfully, I was born into a generation that is a lot more open-minded to variety.

To this day, I still don't listen to a lot of punk or hardcore. Black Flag, Minor Threat, The Meatmen, Dead Kennedys, and a handful of others. I'm not nostalgic for the times when I used to listen to those groups obsessively, simply because I thought of them as a springboard. They were, gateway groups. As great as the early 80s was for punk music, there was so much more happening.

But why should I apologize? It's not like people are going to chew me out for admitting that I like Pink Floyd. Hell, The Mars Volta have built their career on some of the more difficult (and frustrating) corners of Pink Floyd's back catalogue. And while they often come off as self-indulgent or even downright awful, you have to admit, their first EP and album were pretty timeless. Summer of 2003, anyone?

Fin!

PS I'm one of those people who prefers the Clash's later albums (London Calling, Sandinista! and Combat Rock) to their "punk" stuff. Deal with it.

PROBLEMS PROBLEMS PROBLEMS PROBLEMS PROBLEMS

2007-10-01T13:36:00.000-04:00

In May of 2007, I completed my master's degree at the George Washington University. At the time, I figured that I would find work, be able to subsidize my music and my writing and eventually have something to show for my two years of blood, sweat and tears. Maybe my own apartment, a Fender Mustang Bass, another Rickenbacker guitar. You know, the good life.....

Five months later, I find myself in the most difficult and frightening period of my young life to date. I am 25 years old, and as of this past Friday, I am unemployed. For the first time in my life I am facing a blank slate with no guarantees, no prospects, no safety net, no insurance, and a terrifying amount of student loan debt. My job search has been frustrating, to say the least. While I now have more time to work on music, I still don't make any money from performing. In fact, every cent that's made at any concert is used to pay for the band's (overpriced) practice space.

I'm not happy with this situation. No, not one bit. And rightfully so. What's the point of all that work, and time and money when you're worse off than when you started? Particularly when all your friends who decided to take things a bit further (read: law school) are starting to reap the benefits of their efforts. You know, $135,000 starting, meanwhile all you can do is lay restless in your bed at 5:30AM knowing damn fucking well that there ain't shit happening when your alarm goes off in a few hours...

You only spend so many hours a day hunched over the computer re-tooling your resume, making phone calls and scrolling through useless job listings. So, in order to ease my frustration, I have decided that for the next however many days, weeks or (God forbid) months, Colonel K Speaks will be focusing on the trials and tribulations of the unemployed musician. I'll be writing about my band's progress, new songs that I'm learning, critiquing stuff that I hate. All that fun stuff I normally, just more of it. Sometimes it'll be funny. Sometimes it won't. I would just like to shed some light on a situation that is not romantic or cool.

Stay tuned,
K

Why yes, I own this establishment (Part 2)

2007-09-13T07:56:00.000-04:00

Part Two of Colonel K as bar owner series!

I'm actually more enthusiastic about numbers 51-100 because the selection is a lot more fun. I feel as though this half of the list includes the albums that would really get a party started. Outkast, Kraftwerk, James Brown, The Jam...they're all present and accounted for.

Sadly, some people didn't like 1-50. One commenter stated:

"But may I suggest you reserve 30 or so of the remaining places for the biggest selling album of each year since 1977. While this may mean you'll be forced to grudgingly purchase albums by the likes of Garth Brooks, it will save you alot of grief from customers not quite accustomed to the off-key caterwauling of the Mars Volta."

I couldn't help but chuckle (and then frown) when I read this. But rather than go into a lengthy rant, I'm going to put it very simply.
I chose these albums for MY fantasy jukebox for the following reasons:
a) These discs than adequately reflect my taste
b) They would attract a clientele that does not view music as wallpaper or background noise.
b) I don't care for Garth Brooks.

Besides, almost none of these albums would count as abraisive or difficult. Some of them may be loud (Slayer, the Jesus and Mary Chain, PIL), but there's nothing tuneless or difficult.

51. At the Drive In “Relationship of Command”
52. Iron Maiden “Number of the Beast”
53. Slayer “Reign in Blood”
54. The Cure “Pornography”
55. James Brown “Live at the Apollo 1962”
56. Three Six Mafia “Most Known Hits”
57. Fela Kuti “Zombie”
58. ABBA “Gold”
59. Gangstarr “Moment of Truth”
60. Ultramagnetic MCs “Critical Beatdown”
61. Portishead “Dummy”
62. De La Soul “3 Feet high and Rising”
63. Peter Gabriel “3 (aka Melt)”
64. Mos Def & Talib Kweli are BlackStar
65. Paul McCartney “Ram”
66. The Pale Fountains “Pacific Street”
67. Gang of Four “Entertainment!”
68. Outkast “ATLiens”
69. Fleetwood Mac “Rumors”
70. U2 “Achtung Baby”
71. Operation Ivy “Operation Ivy”
72. Daft Punk “Daft Punk”
73. RJD2 “Dead Ringer”
74. Notorius BIG “Ready to Die”
75. New Order “Substance”
76. Morrissey “Viva Hate”
77. Madvillian “Madvillany”
78. Lou Reed “Transformer”
79. Kraftwerk “Computer World”
80. The Feelies “Crazy Rhythms”
81. Dead Kennedys “Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables”
82. Neu! “Neu!”
83. Can “Tago Mago”
84. The Jam “Greatest Hits”
85. The Jesus and Mary Chain “Darklands”
86. The Last Poets “The Last Poets”
87. The Rapture “Echoes”
88. Les Savy Fav “Inches”
89. Ladytron “604”
90. Public Image Ltd. “Metal Box”
91. Ride “Nowhere”
92. Rolling Stones “Some Girls”
93. Serge Gainsbourg “Melody Nelson”
94. Suede “Suede”
95. Blur “Think Tank”
96. Oasis “(What’s the Story?) Morning Glory”
97. The Zombies “Odessy and Oracle”
98. Fela Kuti “ITT”
99. Black Uhuru “Sinsemlia”
100.Steely Dan “Aja”

Why yes, I own this establishment (Part 1)

2007-09-10T23:14:00.000-04:00

Top five dream jobs

1. Music Journalist
2. Staff reporter for major center-left newspaper e.g. New York Times or The Guardian or Le Monde
3. College professor (teaching modern European history)
4. Musician
5. Store owner (music store, unisex boutique, bar or nightclub)

Wonderland, which is located in a leafy section of DC’s Columbia Heights, remains one of the few bars that doesn't make me feel anxious or very, very annoyed. Its well-stocked jukebox makes it the ideal environment for posting up and getting away from your troubles. I was having a drink there this past spring when I decided to draft a list of 100 CDs that I’d want in the jukebox at my bar. For a number of reasons, I never got around to finishing this list.

You know, it is rather unfortunate that I have developed a serious dislike of American customer service. I don’t like the idea of service with a smile because I’ve never been paid a respectable wage to do it. A moody young man such as myself probably wouldn’t make much money in the service industry. Nonetheless, I still dream of the day that I could own a bar, this way it wouldn’t mater how I behaved at work, I’d be the boss!
Until that day comes, this list will remain a fantasy. Oh well.

1. The Clash “Combat Rock”
2. Depeche Mode “Violator”
3. Os Mutantes “A Divina Comédia Ou Ando Meio Desligado”
4. The Smiths “Meat is Murder”
5. Joy Division “Closer”
6. The Faint “Blank Wave Arcade”
7. John Coltrane “A Love Supreme”
8. The Pixies “Bossanova”
9. Echo & The Bunnymen “Ocean Rain”
10. Souls of Mischief “93 Till Infinity”
11. T.Rex “Electric Warrior”
12. The Beatles “Revolver”
13. Spacemen 3 “Perfect Prescription”
14. The Brian Jonestown Massacre “Give it Back”
15. The Dandy Warhols “Come Down”
16. Pink Floyd “Animals”
17. Happy Mondays “Bummed”
18. Minor Threat “Complete Discography”
19. The Meatmen “Studpowercock: The Touch and Go Years”
20. Roxy Music “For Your Pleasure”
21. Jay-Z “The Blueprint”
22. J-Dilla Donuts”
23. King Gheedorah “Take Me To Your Leader”
24. A Tribe Called Quest “The Low End Theory”
25. Duran Duran “Rio”
26. Upsetters “Double Seven”
27. Talking Heads “Fear of Music”
28. Orange Juice “Rip It Up ”
29. Japan “Tin Drum”
30. Primal Scream “Screamadelica”
31. Wire “Chairs Missing”
32. Wu-Tang Clan “Enter the Wu-36 Chambers”
33. Ghostface Killah “Supreme Clientele”
34. Guided By Voices “Alien Lanes”
35. Supergrass “Supergrass is 10”
36. DJ Shadow “Endtroducing”
37. Felt “Absolute Classic Masterpieces Vol 1”
38. British Sea Power “The Decline of British Sea Power”
39. Brian Eno “Here Come The Warm Jets”
40. Boogie Down Productions “Criminal Minded”
41. Television “Marquee Moon”
42. Love “Forever Changes”
43. The Misfits “Collection One”
44. Q and Not U “Different Damage”
45. Stevie Wonder “Songs in The Key of Life”
46. Grace Jones “Nightclubbin’”
47. Pavement “Terror Twighlight”
48. David Bowie “Scary Monsters”
49. Stereolab “Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements”
50. TV on the Radio “Return to Cookie Mountain”

(Part two coming at the end of this week)

It's A Celebration, Bitches: Ryan O'Neil and 100dBs Album Release Party

2007-09-05T14:04:00.000-04:00

When 100dBs told me that he was going to complete an album with Ryan O'Neil in exactly one year, I couldn't help but roll my eyes and snicker. After all, this was a man who was notorious for his flagrant refusal to adhere to any sort of deadline. While he was "working" on Brenner's Breaks Vol. 1, he would disappear for hours on end, only to return and continue evading his duties by watching an entire season of Home Movies or The State. As a result, BBV1, which was slated for release in early summer 2006, wasn't available until February 2007.

Thankfully (and surprisingly), moving to New York City has allowed 100dBs to settle into a quieter and more productive lifestyle. In a similar change of pace, Ryan O'Neil has whole-heartedly devoted himself to the grind of an up and coming MC. Or, as he once put it, "no more wasting time and money on unnecessary goods and or pointless bullshit." The end result of their collective sacrifice and newly found time-management skills is The Adventures of the One Hand Bandit and Slum Computer Wizard.

But this essay isn't about the album, the production, the rhymes, Prince Po's guest spot or even the artwork....It's about the party.

Antique Lounge is located in the downstairs of China 1, a popular East Village nightspot. This particular venue is popular with Theory Events because of the friendly staff, fine facilities and prime location. When I heard that the album release party was going to be hosted there, I realized that the boys were 100% serious about celebrating in style.

You know what, I had planned on wearing a blazer or something fly to the event, but I had to change my plans upon checking the weekend forecast for NYC. Besides, my travel companions Pat "P-Diddy" Dulany and Gabby already had the grown and sexy fashion angle covered.
As the new album blasted over the PA, people began crowd into the dimly lit basement. I was more than pleased to see friends from the suburbs, University of Maryland, Jersey and Brooklyn. And as an added bonus, the families of both artists were in attendance. As mushy as it sounds, you couldn't help but notice them beaming with pride and joy.

Around 11pm, most of the crowd moved into next room, where they were treated to DJ sets by 100dBs and It's Overture (as well as a special late night performance by Ryan). Thanks to the $20 open bar, my memories of the night are a bit fuzzy. So rather than attempt to piece together the stories, I'll let you examine the photos yourself.

LINKS:
Support good music:BUY THE ALBUM HERE

THEORY EVENTS OFFICIAL WEBSITE

MORE PHOTOS BY MEG RORISON

All the best,

Colonel K

A People's History of Q and Not U

2007-08-15T10:57:00.000-04:00

Q: Who was biggest musical influence during the last seven years?
A: Q and Not U

Everything about them was incredible. Their sound, their style, their equipment, everything.
Considering that they were such a tremendous part of my musical upbringing, it's hard to believe that two years have passed since they disbanded.
I didn't attend Q and Not U's last two shows in DC, but I do miss them. Since their demise, DC has become rather bland. Even worse, an increasing number of national acts are scheduling their mid-Atlantic gigs in cities like Baltimore and Richmond. But I'm not here to complain about the habits of regional booking agents, I'm here to remember the good times I had listening to an amazing group.

(Photo by Matt Alcock for Zumonline)

December 3rd 2000 WMUC Studios, University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
(with Penfold)
Up to this point, most of my show experience was in the blah suburban punk/ska/emo scene of suburban New York . I came to the show and found a world that I'd never seen before. Pavement chic had yet to be co-opted by the mainstream, so everyone looked novel and interesting. Everyone else was dressed in dark straight leg pants, vintage dress shirts or comically undersized t-shirts. The haircuts were homemade; the attitudes were detached, yet cool. But fashion aside, I had no idea what I was in store for upon entering the live room at the school radio station.
Celebrating the release of their debut album, No Kill, No Beep Beep , the quartet's energy shocked me in the way that a great band is supposed to. Sure, they indulged in a couple of indie clichés, like awkward political banter and performing by the light emitted from a badly tuned television. But who cared?!! The room was just throbbing with good vibes. By the end of that show, I decided that it was time for a serious musical about face. Everything I had learned up to that point had to go.

October 30th 2001 Wilson Center. Washington DC
(With Virginia Black Lung, Page 99, Del Cielo, Teddy Duchamp's Army, Crispus Attucks, Strike Anywhere and Tim)
The closing of the Wilson Center was one of many signs that change was coming to the Mt. Pleasant/Columbia Heights. Today the area is awash with hipsters, young families and real estate agents. But as recently as six years ago it was a mostly Black and Hispanic enclave that was still reeling from the 1991 race riots. Hanging around the Wilson Center was often a frightening affair, even for the most hardened locals. But all fears aside, the people came out in droves to attend the last hurrah for the church basement made famous by Bad Brains and Fugazi.
Q and Not U were scheduled to play second to last; a pretty outlandish decision on the part of the organizers if you ask me. The lads were energetic and political enough to play for the rabidly socialist-chic harDCore crowd. But they were nowhere nearly as violent,hard-headed and macho as most of the other bands. Then again, it would've been a little obvious (and boring) to slot them back to back with College Park's indie pop representatives for the evening, Del Cielo.

April 12 2002 SIS Lounge, American University, Washington DC
(With Nazca Lines, Black Eyes and Orthrealm)
By this time, bassist Matt Borlick had exited the scene. Surprisingly, the band's flexibility flourished when they decided to continue as a trio. Adopting the "total football" approach to their unique brand of post-punk, frontmen Harris Klahr and Chris Richards swapped guitar, bass and keyboards duties. Drummer John Davis complimented and anchored his bandmates in a clever and melodic fashion.
The opening groups set the stage nicely for what was to be an exciting adventure in cerebral music. It should be noted that around this time, DC was safely inoculated against the virus that was "New York Rock Revival." Not a single group on the bill performed using the standard Guitar, Guitar, Bass, Drums lineup. Take for example, the instrumental duo Orthrealm. Their avant-jazz meets thrash metal sound was both intimidating and breathtaking at the same time. They played at an ear splitting volume that tested the limits of even the most hardened metal fans (of which there were several).
By the time Q and Not U began setting up, I wasn't sure if I could handle any more excitement. The group's new found love of the melodica, synth bass and hand percussion had a few people in the crowd stare at them quizzically. Nonetheless, I noticed the crowd shuffle and groove with each note of new material. Much like what was probably happening up in Brooklyn, we were rediscovering the power of dance.
In a thrilling nerd moment, I actually got to talk to the band after the show. I found them cordial, friendly and down to talk serious about their equipment. But that's very much a DC thing. I've since learned that it's not surprising to see one of your teenage heroes standing next to you at a record store or riding on a train during the morning commute.

Sept 6th 2002 Black Cat, Washington DC
(With Scene Creamers and Aloha)
I don't remember much about the evening except purchasing a t-shirt and an advance copy of Different Damage. I also remember walking away from Aloha's set feeling a little bit woozy and thinking about how cool vibraphones sound.

(Photo by Mike Brennan. University of Delaware February 15th 2003)

Oct 26th 2002 Black Cat, Washington DC
(With Ink and The Mercury Program)
This performance at the Black Cat stands out in my mind for two reasons. Firstly, it was the only time I've ever heard "No Damage Nocturne" played live and secondly, it was the first time I met my friend Caitlin.
Caitlin was studying English at George Washington University. Somehow, we got to chatting between sets and eventually exchanged contact information while waiting for the Metro at the end of the night. What began as a casual encounter evolved into a warm and quirky friendship. Over the years we've keep in contact and regularly meet up to laugh about our troubles.
I saw her two weeks ago when my band played a show at Niagara in the East Village. A day or two later, she sent me a text message:

"Your band made me smile for the first time since Q and Not U broke up."

Needless to say, great bands make for great friends.

July 11th 2003 The Knitting Factory. New York, NY
(with Aloha and Palomar)
The first time I'd seen Q and not U outside of the DC area. It was a bit strange, because for the longest time I felt as though none of my friends knew or cared about them. Little did I know that their relentless touring was winning them rabid fans around the country. So it was pretty amazing to come into the city with some of my friends from Rockland County and see them get wild to a band that I'd been hyping for what seemed like ages.
I seem to recall accidentally licking a large sweaty girl's arm while singing along to the last song. Yuck.

May 14th 2004 Black Cat Washington, DC
You could tell that the boys were beginning to grow weary of life on the road. Nonetheless they had enough enthusiasm and stamina to preview new material for the hometown crowd. The stage was cluttered with all sorts of new toys. I had always been envious of their equipment; particularly Harris' fireglo Rickenbacker 330. But I had to fight from drooling over their newly acquired toys, which included a Yamaha DX7 and several vintage analog delay pedals.
The keyboards and hand percussion, which had been used sparingly on Different Damage, were now being used as primary instruments. The result was busy yet danceable music that could not possibly be lumped in with anything that was happening 200 miles north. The band put on a terrific show, but you really had to wonder how much further they could take it.

July 16th 2005 Siren Fest. Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY
(with Spoon, Mates of State, Brendan Benson, VHS or Beta, Dungen, Q and Not U, The Dears)

(Photo by Rafe Baron)
In retrospect, I regret not going to see Q and Not U's final shows at the Black Cat, because Siren Fest is more of a happening than a concert. Besides, the sound is usually so atrocious that you don't even feel like you're attending a concert.
Even more tragic was the fact that my mind was in another place for the majority of that day. I had spent the better part of the summer going back and forth between NY and DC. All the shuttling back and forth was beginning taking its toll on me. I watched Q and Not U perform but I wasn't all there. I wonder how the band felt knowing that their final performances in New York and DC were only a few months away. Were they anxious? Were they relieved? Like I said before, if I really wanted to know, it wouldn't be a problem to ask.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Matt Borlick: Works for the Washington City Paper
John Davis: Plays guitar and sings for breezy pop group Georgie James. They will be releasing an album on Saddle Creek Records this fall.
Harris Klahr: Now resides in Brooklyn, NY and will be releasing an album under the name President this fall.
Chris Richards: Released the album Ris Paul Ric and is currently part of the funk-pop trio Bullets (formerly Rubber Bullets). He is also one of the hosts of Crowd Control, a dance party hosted on the first Thursday of each month at DC9.

How the Hipster DJ is killing (Yes, I said it) underground music

2007-08-08T11:57:00.000-04:00

"It's always been the same format. It's the casual amateur DJ night. It's become such a feature of the landscape, that it has almost replaced bands."
Ian Svenonius

In an earlier essay I briefly lamented the rising influence of amateur DJs nights. After a recent trip to NYC with my band Ra Ra Rasputin, I've realized that that this is an even bigger problem than I thought.

I have a sort of love/hate relationship with the hipsters. I adore the fact trendy kids in New York, LA and London helped put straight leg jeans back on the shelves and took Limp Bizkit off the radio. But I abhor the bourgeois and blatantly commercial narcissism that has come to define the attitudes of so many young people in these circles, particularly in New York. Even more frightening is the fact that New York's status as a cultural capital, makes these attitudes incredibly appealing to all those seeking to emulate the looks and lexicon of "cool New York kids."

"Why do you pay them any mind? Why do you even care?"

Because I believe that the amateur DJ night is a step in the wrong direction for youth culture, particularly in New York City. I really take offense when people make snide comments like "DJ-ing is easy" or "You, like, don't even have to do anything, all you have to do is get some CDs or a computer and just play anything." So what if my opinions are a bit conservative; I am a firm believer in the idea that a DJ is an individual who can scratch, beatmatch and throw in a few surprises. This is why I prefer people who spin hip-hop, reggae or house. These individuals have to provide a continuous flow of music when they're behind the decks. Not just anybody can do it. It takes practice, dedication and a very good ear for detail.
Unsurprisingly, the arrival of the amateur has not democratized DJ-ing, it has bastardized the art form. These young men and women bring nothing new to the table. They are human jukeboxes whose sole purpose is to fuel the self-congratulatory nature of these useless nightlife events.

In cities up and down the East Coast, I keep reading about venues devoting fewer and fewer nights for bands and more nights for dance parties. It seems as though the hipsters throwing these parties are thoroughly uninterested in contributing to the artistic legacy of their generation. It could be argued that the punk/DIY ethics that created Anglo-American indie music have been tossed out the window. The after-party has become more important than the show! It's cooler to be photographed in front of the wall at Don Hill's on a Saturday night than to actually play in a group!

Therefore, it doesn't make much sense when you notice that people claim to yearn for the look and the feel of Lower Manhattan circa 1978-1982. People can't seem to find the time to pick up a paintbrush, a pen or a guitar. Today's hipsters are leaving nothing for tomorrow because they are too busy living for today. And in doing so, they have failed to set themselves apart from the khaki pants wearing crowd that they routinely bash.

So is there no hope left? Am I doomed to see my birthplace become as vapid Hollywood? Is DC next?
No.
I'm a firm believer in the idea that new challenges create new opportunities. People have been hosting guerrilla gigs all over Brooklyn and Queens. There are still a number of small bars and clubs which still have the equipment and the dedication to promoting live music several times a week. Down here in DC, the hardcore punks and college kids are still putting on house shows. And all of these are positive developments. If people aren't constantly reminded that they are capable of creating music and performing it live, we are in danger of returning to the days when people thought that bands just fell out of the sky.

As for the hipsters? I'm all for fashion and looks. But when having the right look and being at the right places takes precedent over creativity, that's where I start asking questions. Why not create something that is both challenging and cool, rather than running around every night trying to be ironic and detached from a society whose values you've shamelessly co-opted?

Next week: How Q and Not U changed my life.

Failed musician turned failed journalist turned musician

2007-06-21T13:12:00.000-04:00

I originally started this blog because my attempts at starting a band had been going nowhere for three years. From summer 2004 until early spring 2007, my musical career was nonexistent. Because of my travels, graduate school and other distractions, I was unable or unwilling to focus on making music with people.
Instead, I spent a lot of time just listening to a wide variety of stuff. I did all the stuff that one could do without relying on other people. I finally learned how to play decent guitar solos. I learned how to make loops on my laptop. Anything that didn't require making phone calls or waiting around for someone.
But most importantly, I spent a lot of writing about music. I've always enjoyed doing research, so I decided to start writing essays about my favorite bands. I began publishing this blog and started to get some really strong feedback. Hell, for a little while I was hoping that I'd end up like Bob Stanley from St. Etienne: I hoped that after a career in journalism I would eventually get around to starting a group again. Unfortunately, I found out that most publications were uninterested in people like me and my school work was becoming a lot more demanding, so ultimately the music suffered.

Then, out of nowhere, I joined a band.

I met Brock through Craigslist. The ad he placed was supposed to be a joke, but apparently the bands that I listed were eclectic (and cool) enough for him to take notice and send a response citing his serious desire to play music. Brock then introduced me to Anna, who happened to bartend at Wonderland, our favorite local watering hole. We got together on a rainy night in March and jammed for a few hours while swapping police stories and drinking cheap beer. At the end of the night, Brock noted that he knew a drummer called Ken. Turns up that Ken knew of a decent practice space near Catholic University.
Two months later we had written about 10 songs and were rehearsing at least twice a week. And last Thursday, we played our first show to a packed house at Wonderland.

NUTS AND BOLTS:
When people ask me "What do you play?" my response is usually pretty long winded. Ra Ra Rasputin is unique because we use a rotating squad system. That is, everyone, except for the drummer, switches instruments regularly. Anna and Brock swap vocal, guitar and keyboard duties. I tend to go back and forth between guitar and bass, though recently I've become very fond of playing bass. As a rhythm guitarist, I always followed the drummer, so switching to bass was not terribly difficult. This is not to say that I'm not putting in work. On the contrary, I've been practicing my scales and Paul McCartney faces so much that I've arrived at a point where I enjoy playing bass more than guitar.

INFLUENCES:
It's a shame that when I'm playing in a group, I tend to listen to a lot less hip-hop and electronic music. In that aspect, I suppose that I'm a bit of a rockist. But this is not to say that I have conventional aspirations for this band. The minimalism of ESG and the intricate funkiness of Talking Heads during their Brian Eno period have played a huge role in shaping my style of composition and performance for Ra Ra Rasputin. I adore Tina Weymouth's bass playing so much that I've been scanning E-Bay for an affordable Fender Mustang short-scale bass. Unfortunately when you've got no scratch, you have to deal with what you can borrow or afford (SIGH).
As per guitarists, I started listening to the Smiths again in order to get an idea of the kinds of sounds one can conjure up when playing a Rickenbacker 360 through a Roland JC-120 amplifier. I always enjoyed Johnny Marr's style of playing and arranging, even if it's impossible to replicate (closest anyone ever came was Bernard Butler on the first Suede album). It's frustrating at times because I can't really practice at my house, but that's nothing new.

SONGWRITING:
Song writing in the band tends to be a mostly democratic affair. Anna and Brock are the group's primary lyricists, and they will often come to practice with a basic melody and song structure for the compositions. Most of the arranging, however, is done by the group. In some cases, songs grow organically out of lengthy jam sessions during practice. Someone will do a cool bass riff, or a guitar lick, something...and eventually it becomes a song.
I don't sing because I haven't bought in any of the songs I've written over the years. I have a lot of stuff was never used by SCAM and the Norm and the Shake. But I'm still not 100 % comfortable about introducing completed original material. At this point, I'm a lot more comfortable just working on the music and the arrangements.

LIVE:
When we played live last week, I was beyond happy once I plugged in and got playing. But during the three hours before our performance, I was anxious and miserable. I tend to get really anxious and pissed off before going on stage because, well, nothing ever goes right. People disappear, cables get lost, microphones don't work, etc. But once all that nonsense is settled and you set foot on stage, it's a wonderful feeling. I still get really nervous about playing guitar on stage. Mostly because I'm afraid of what people like me will think. You know,those people who pay attention to every little sonic detail. People like me.

IN FUTURE:
I hope to play more shows and eventually get around to recording. Right now, all we have is a Tascam 4 track and a mixer so the recordings will probably be pretty lo-fi. Nonetheless, I do believe that it's possible to use our technological constraints to our advantage. It'll force us to be creative. Plus I could finally get my Lee Perry/George Martin/Brian Eno producer groove on....

Ra Ra Rasputin will be playing on the 14th of July with the Husbands @ Velvet Lounge in Washington DC. For more information, please visit www.ra-ra-ra-ra.blogspot.com. MySpace page coming.....eventually.

You Ain’t Getting’ No Grape: Living it up in New York with 100dBs and Ryan O’Neil: March 23rd-25th 2007

2007-06-13T17:18:00.000-04:00

My most sincere apologies for the delay of this posting. Please see below for details and relevant updates

The 45-minute trip from my house in Washington DC to Sykesville, MD is a boring and familiar one. But on this particular Friday morning, it was a race against time. It was my duty to pick my girlfriend Laura, run some errands, park the car and hustle to downtown to catch an 11:30 bus to NYC. If everything went according to plan, we would arrive in midtown Manhattan around 5pm and meet up Dan “100dBs” Brenner at work. The two of them were booked to perform at the Knitting Factory on Saturday night, and a small cabal of us from DC/MD had arranged to crash at his place for two nights and attend the performance.

For most of the morning, it seemed as though my plan was working smoothly. I’d gotten gas, picked up Laura, and was making good time overall. Of course, fate had to intervene and I was cursed with a series of delays on MD Route 29. As the clock struck 10:20AM, I realized that I had no shot at making the 11:30 bus. Translation: our departure would have to be delayed until noon. Sure, it was only a half hour’s difference, but I was pissed off because my plans had been thrown into total disarray. And because I am a petty man, I took this particular inconvenience very personally.
In spite of the delays, we were able to board the bus without incident. Normally, I can be a very talkative fellow on long trips, but I was still suffering from a really bad cough (which later developed into a rather serious infection), so I wasn’t really saying much. Laura was not pleased with my lengthy silences and expressed her dissatisfaction with the situation by sulking and giving me the evil eye.
After hellish delays on I-95 near Newark, NJ, we entered Manhattan and quickly made moves downtown.We found 100dBs and Patrick Dulany (of Francis Estate fame) having drinks at Niagara, a popular East Village nightspot. Seated with the dynamic duo was Sam, a Brooklyn Law student who attended the same high school as 100dBs. He was a tall beatnik lookin’ fellow who bore a passing resemblance to MC Serch. Because he is such a garrulous and inviting fellow, my man pulled over a couple of stools and invited Miss Laura and I to have a seat.While sippin' on a freshly poured Guinness, Sam enthusiastically explained to me why he was working with dBs and Ryan. It was refreshing to hear a young person talk about creating something and using a venue to promote artistic performance, as opposed to flogging a series of self-congratulatory popularity contests that now define Lower Manhattan nightlife.
After a lively dinner at nearby 7A, our gang made moves to Sam’s apartment in Alphabet City. The rest of the evening was spent passing blunts and watching NCAA basketball. Because most of us were/are public university students, we were all keen to find out the final scores. This may seem underwhelming for a first night back in New York, but it had been a really long day and some down time was absolutely necessary. Around 1am, we decided that we'd had enough of James Brown mixes and watching the Gators coast to another championship. A car service was flagged down and we made the first of many trips back to Brooklyn.
From the real estate perspective, Sunset Park is rather unremarkable. There are no cool warehouses, hip bars and or storefront art galleries. It is in this decidedly ho-hum immigrant neighborhood in Brooklyn that you can find the residence of 100dBs and Meg. They share a two-bedroom apartment that is littered with canvases, back issues of Fader, and endless crates of vinyl. This would be our home base until Sunday afternoon.

SATURDAY
Having spent most of the night coughing, I was far from well rested. Tragically, I woke up at 6 AM and couldn't fall back asleep. I was pissed because I had promised to take Laura downtown and now I was restless and feeling worse than I had the day before. Making matters worse, 100dBs could not decide whether or not he wanted to go around the corner and get a haircut. Two hours had gone by and we were still at the crib. Realizing that Time=$, me and Laura decided to groom and hit the road in order to prevent the passage of any more idle time. Upon making our plan known to our hosts, we jumped on the R train and headed to SoHo to rendezvous with the one and only Melissa Friedman.
We found Mel-1 at Supreme, an upscale skate shop located on Lafayette Street. Ms Friedman is one of the few people I know who can talk about the history of Lower Manhattan without the bullshit nostalgia that is conjured up by a lot of our friends. For next couple of hours we walked in and out of boutiques as Melissa spit some classic stories about long gone record stores, squats and homeless folk.
After grabbing a quick lunch from a small Israeli takeaway, we posted up in Tomkins Square Park to watch the skateboarders. We were particularly amused by a small Asian kid who was there with his mother. He was no older than 4, but he was determined as hell. Every time he fell down, he got right back up and started pushing around, paying no mind to the controlled acrobatics of the older boys. I sometimes wish skating was still that fun for me.

By 5pm, the sky had grown dark and it began drizzling. It was becoming painfully apparent that we could no longer be outdoors without coats. We decided to jet back to the subway and avoid getting soaked by the impending downpour.As we approached Union Square, I spotted two men, one black, one white, arguing loudly at the corner:

"Yo man, I told you I wanted wheat, what the fuck is this nonsense."

"You said originally that you wanted white. So that’s what I got you!"

"Nah man, that's out. Fuck all that mess, I said that I wanted wheat, how are you gonna bring me this shit and expect me to take you seriously."

After a quick analysis of the situation, I arrived at two possible conclusions. Either bro man was really serious about the nutritional content of his sandwich OR this was a poorly coded argument about an illicit transaction gone awry. No matter which way you flipped it, whitey was not getting out of this one easily. You could see the lump forming in his throat as he tried to talk his way out of an increasingly difficult situation.

THE SHOW:
Laura and I returned to the crib around 5:30pm, only to find Pat Dulany sprawled out on the couch watching an episode of Scrubs. I was exhausted, but there were no more seats because the old lady had passed out on the only available couch. I shrugged my shoulders and decided to relax in the kitchen by reading magazines and drinking green tea. Cripes, my throat was killing me.
About an hour and half later, the doorbell rang and in came none other than Ryan O’Neil and his mother. Ryan had just gotten his braids redone and was glowing with that pre-show radiance. His mother, who looked absolutely stunning, had the sort of charm and eloquence that rivaled girls half her age. But rather than try to play Daddy Cool with my friend’s Jamaican queen of a mama, I politely excuse myself and made moves to grab a quick dinner from a nearby tacqueria.
After dinner and a little bit of pre-gaming in the kitchen, everybody got dressed and prepared for departure. There was no rush to get to Knitting Factory, but most of us wanted to get the trip out of the way and get the party started. Around 8pm, me, Laura, 100dBs, Ryan, Pat, Meg and her brother Tyler piled into an oversized taxi and made moves to the show.
100dBs was scheduled to perform twice that night. First as a solo act and second as a DJ for Ryan's five song set. As he began to warm up, friends and cohorts from NY and Maryland began to trickle in. Kyle Decker and Tom 4 arrived with a sizable Jersey mob in tow. Our girl Lisa, also of College Park infamy, decided to take a break from her 60 hour work week to enjoy a night of hard drinking with a couple of buddies from uptown. Oh shit, even the infamous Ginger Pubed Bringer of the Ruckus, Timmy E balled up from Philly.And of course the ever-popular one-hand bandit, Ryan surrounded himself with a army of friends as he sipped tea to in preparation of his performance.

I've seen 100dBs DJ more times that I can remember, but as of recently I've been really impressed. On this night, he blessed the crowd with a fine mixture of hiphop, reggae soul and the occasional Colonel K not-so-obscure favorite (e.g. the Buddy 12" mix by De La Soul) By the end of his set, the basement was becoming packed and sweaty. It was the Francis Estate all over again.

Tragically, the next three hours were an exercise in pure misery. It’s rather shameful to think that New York, the home of hip-hop, could produce so much 2nd and 3rd class talent. Then again, it’s a tad unfair to place such a hefty burden on 19, and 20 year-old MCs. But Lord have mercy, a these guys were just plain awful.Thankfully a steady intake of alcohol and a never-ending stream of new and interesting people kept me entertained.

Around 1230, my patience was beginning to wear thin. I was in the middle of talking to a new friend when I noticed Ryan jump to the stage and Dan creep behind the decks. Where previous acts had failed to captivate me, Ryan commanded my attention with the ferociousness of a South American dictator.

He and 100dBs delivered a 20-minute long set that packed a real wallop. It was incredible; Ryan had the whole crowd singing along to “She Got A Body” and “Clap Your Hands.” Next thing you know he had girls dancing on stage with him. It sorta reminded me of the last few times I saw Ghostface.
A recent review of Brenner’s Breaks Volume 1, complained that Ryan was too cocky, but I strongly disagreed with this. Here he was, commanding a New York audience on a Saturday night while girls of varying shapes,sizes and colors shaking their asses on stage with him. If you were in his position, you’d be pretty cocky too.
At the end of the night, all of us were feeling a bit tipsy. As soon as the venue closed we were on our way back to BK, where we were treated to some nightcaps and fabulous grilled cheese & tomato sandwiches prepared by our hosts. Mmmmmm.

SUNDAY MORNING:
The next morning, me and Laura were up bright and early so that we could make moves back to DC. I was tired and my voice was shot. We said our goodbyes to Dan and Meg and hustled back to Manhattan to wait for the bus with a bunch of Georgetown students who'd come up to NYC to watch the games over the weekend. Our ride back to the District was uneventful. I walked into my house, cleaned up and started writing this essay, which has taken me nearly three months to complete. There are a lot of legit excuses I could make, but you know what, better late than never....right?

UPDATES
Dan and Meg have since moved to the East Village. Pat Dulany finished his architecture degree and is currently wreaking havoc in Europe.

Colonel K, MA...... à la française

2007-05-26T07:38:00.000-04:00

I was reading the Washington Post Express on Thursday morning when I stumbled across an ad for a Nuite Carte Blanche at the Alliance Francaise de Washington. More specifically, guests were asked to bring their favorite electronic songs on an I-Pod so that the DJ could play them over the PA. For a small fee you could sip wine or margaritas and munch on hors d'oeuves. But most importantly, the event was an opportunity to speak French with native speakers, Francophiles and those who are trying to remember the four or five years of French they learned at school. I decided go because I was unable to head to New York to see 100dBs, Ryan O'Neil and Outputmessage do their thing in the LES.

NOTE:
Strangely enough, I recently turned in a final essay that dissected the influence of Mp3 blogs and MySpace on the French underground electronic scene. I managed to cobble together enough resources to make that paper fit the rather hazy criteria that was given to us by the prof. I never thought that I'd have an opportunity to spit some facts about how Ed Banger remixes are a sign of increased cultural exchange.

A healthy number of people were milling around the front room when I arrived a little after 7pm. I paid my entrance fee and began with the uncomfortable task of mingling. Despite my chatty nature, I am still quite self-conscious when it comes to bullshitting during the first few minutes of conversation. It's in situations like these that I tend to rely on other people to make things happen. Thankfully, I was approached by Mark and Sarah, a couple of friends who'd spent extended periods of time in Dakar, Senegal. We spent an unusually long time talking about architecture and morality because the two of them had studied urban planning and development. After a few drinks, we decided to part ways and mingle because it seemed somewhat anti-social to post up in a corner.

By this time it was....well who the fuck remembers what time it was....the MCs began to announce the songs that would be played from MP3 players. A few people were called up to briefly discuss their choices. Not wishing to be outdone, I quickly filled out a small sheet of paper and handed in my song selections. I don't know if it was my diplomatic skills or good taste that got me added to the queue, but the staff were super cool about it. To make things even better, they put the names of our songs on a projection screen (see photograph above).

My three songs:
1. St. Etienne feat. Moira Lambert "Only Love Can Break Your Heart"
2. Cabaret Voltaire "Yashar"
3. Sarah Nixey "Beautiful Oblivion"

Say.....I've just realized that the first two groups are English bands with French names. Either way, I was more than pleased to contribute to the festivities. And, as a bonus all the amateur "DJs" were rewarded with a bottle of Merlot and invitations to another upcoming musical celebration being hosted by the Alliance. For this, I have to give a grand "Merci" to Sylvain and his two immaculately dressed colleagues. Fucking 'ell, can't remember their names. Now I see why everyone in DC has a card....

After enjoying my minutes and seconds of fame, I took up conversation with two Indian girls with very French names, Elise and Cecille. Comically enough, the two of them also share very D.C biographies: Elise is a student, while Cecille works for Department of Commerce. We did the usual meet and greet and ping-ponged between French and English and eventually the conversation veered towards music. I casually slipped in some references to my blog and my band. Remember, this music shit is all about hustlin'.Look, you've gotta create a public image. Shameless self promotion is the key to expanding one's audience.
I also ended up chatting with Nell, a student at the American University in Paris. Normally people go to AUP for a semester or year abroad, but she was actually doing her degree over there. Her accent was so convincingly Parisian that I kept having flashbacks of my grey days spent at the Centre Pompidou. Somewhere in the middle of this exchange I was pleased to spot Becca, Alexandra and their unruly mob, which included Gavin and Fritz. I swear, this lot are omnipresent. Any big event within a 20 mile radius of the area, they're all present. First and foremost, I apologized to the girls for all the racket that comes out of their basement (I am in a band with their housemate). They laughed it off, but noted that my bandmate does have a tendency to play music at very odd hours.

For whatever reason, happenings like this do not stretch late into the night. I surmise that it has something to do with the fact that many Embassy Row affiliated buildings are housed in a super residential neighborhood. Rather than go home and collapse, I decided it would be best to ride the tiger on this one. I quickly collected business cards and info from from the Alliance (all of this regarding the planning for my band's Bastille Day show) and made moves. I went home, dropped off my bags, took off my blazer, threw on my Supreme hat and decided to continue the week long party that has been my post-graduation celebration at a nearby watering hole.

COMING SOON: THE RETURN OF COLONEL K

2007-05-05T03:58:00.000-04:00

Ladies and Gentlemen

Due to illness, academic responsibilities and other unexpected delays, there have been no updates here at Colonel K. But I have a truckload of good news to dump upon you.
First and foremost, next week I will be completing my coursework at the George Washington University here in Washington DC. On May 18th I'll be receiving my masters degree from the Elliott School of International Affairs.

Alright, Alright, Congratulations. But, um, what exactly does this mean?

1. More time to spend on the blog
2. More time to spend working on music...

Wait a minute hang on?

Yep. Yours truly has joined a band called Ra-Ra Rasputin. I'm not sure how to describe our sound, but I play guitar and bass, and me and the drummer have been listening to a lot of Talking Heads (circa Fear of Music/Remain In Light).
We're going to be playing our first show on June 14th at Wonderland Ballroom in Columbia Heights, Washington, DC. More information coming soon.
Until then, feel free to check out our blog here.

Yours truly,
Colonel K

US VISA POLICY 101: How Not to Tour the United States

2007-04-06T17:26:00.000-04:00

Scottish indie rock quartet the View have cancelled an upcoming tour of the United States, citing visa application troubles.
In August of 2006, lead singer/guitarist Kyle Falconer was arrested following a performance at Dundee University. The singer admitted to having 2.595 grams (0.1 oz) of cocaine, an amount carrying a street value of £150.
Earlier this year, Falconer appeared in Dundee Sheriff's Court where he pleaded guilty to possession of a Class A drug. His lawyer begged for an absolute discharge, citing that a drug conviction would make it difficult for the singer and his group to fulfill touring commitments in the United States. The request was denied and Mr. Falconer was convicted and given a £1,000 fine.

Unfortunately for the View and their American fans, Mr. Falconer's lawyer was right. A spokesperson for the group recently announced the cancellation of all North American dates, due to "continuing visa and immigration issues." The tour was scheduled to begin on April 30th in Cambridge, MA.

You may be a bit befuddled as to how or why this happened. But readers rejoice, for you no longer have to dwell in the darkness that is US visa policy. The following essay will provide you with a very basic guide to the application process.
By doing this, I hope to shed some light as to why the View will not be bringing their unique brand of tight-pants-scarecrow rawk to a small sweaty venue near you.

DISCLAIMER: I am not an officially licensed/recognized specialist in US Visa policy nor am I an immigration lawyer. All of the information below has been cobbled together from official government documents and two years experience working at the International Services Office at the George Washington University.

APPLICATION:
There are a plethora of immigration classifications and visa categories listed at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website. Any group that wishes to perform concerts in the US must apply for a an O or P Visa, both of which have sub-categories designated for artists and entertainers.
First and foremost, the group (or their lawyers) must submit an I-129 form, a petition for non immigrant workers. This is a lengthy and detailed document that must be prepared with great care, for any mistakes could result in the denial of the application and a delay in the visa application process.
Once the I-129 form is approved by USCIS, the group may then arrange for a visa appointment.
Visa appointments can be scheduled at a United States embassy or consulate. The consular officer is the embassy official who is responsible for reviewing all visa applications. This individual must thoroughly examine the I-129, the itinerary and any other relevant documents pertaining to the tour. The applicants must not only supply the appropriate papers, but also be prepared to answer any questions about their finances, reasons for touring, criminal history or participation in terrorist organizations (I'm not kidding).
If the consular officer is provided with sufficient evidence that the artists are eligible for temporary work in the United States, each member of the group and their staff (roadies, tour managers,t-shirt guy, etc.) will get the appropriate visa laminated into their passports.

(Example of a B-2 Visa: For temporary visitors for pleasure)

DENIAL:
So why was Kyle Falconer denied a visa?
Because information about the denial has not been made public, we can only speculate as to why the consular officer said "No." Thankfully, a list of common reasons for visa denial is available on the USCIS website.

Section 212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality act reads:
Classes of Aliens Ineligible for Visas or Admission.
Except as otherwise provided in this Act, aliens who are inadmissible under the following paragraphs are ineligible to receive visas and ineligible to be admitted to the United States.

Section 212(a)(23) Renders inadmissible aliens who have been convicted of a violation or conspiracy to violate any law or regulation relating to the illicit possession of, or traffic in, narcotic drugs or marijuana.

Again, because I'm not an expert, I can't tell you if it was only Kyle who was denied a visa. It is very possible that the rest of the group were also denied visas because of Kyle. Either way, it's pretty safe to assume that the drug conviction played a big role in the consular officer's "No" decision.

THE FUTURE:
Thankfully, the View will probably not be forever barred from entering the United States. Hell, if all foreign artists with drug convictions were denied touring visas, then Keith Richards and Paul McCartney would not be as rich as they are today. Nonetheless, Kyle Falconer will have to announce his conviction the next time he applies for a visa. But with good behavior (and the passing of time) he and his band should be able to gain access to the lucrative US touring market.
For now, young Kyle will have to beat himself up over the fact that his bad luck cost the View a late spring/early summer tour of the only country that's open 24/7/365 all the time.

LINKS:
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
United States Immigration and Nationality Act (This is an older version. There have been several updates and corrections since)

The View's Official Website
"The View Cancel US Tour Again" from NME, April 4th 2007
"The View Frontman Convicted of Cocaine Possession", from Spin, March 2nd 2007

Nouveau Riche at DC9 March 31, 2007

2007-04-01T23:05:00.000-04:00

My last visit to DC9 left a rather sour taste in my mouth.
I had tickets to see Asobi Seksu, and because doors weren't till very late in the evening, I decided to kill some time at the bar downstairs. To make my alcoholic experience a bit more enjoyable, I downloaded the Rolling Stones' "Miss You” on the digital jukebox and proceeded to sing along while sipping on a cheap domestic:

What’s the matter man?
We gone come round 12 with some Puerto Rican girls who’s just dyinnnn to meet you.
We gone bring a case of wine!
We gonna mess around, fool around just like we used to!

One of the bartenders, a diehard Star Wars junkie, disagreed with my choice of song and began ranting about people not being old enough to remember Return of the Jedi. He promptly interrupted my selection to put on theme to the most annoying trilogy of movies ever made. The bastard interrupted the Stones at the disco-funkiest! If was a bit drunker and about a foot taller, there woulda been a rumble. Instead I quietly vowed to avoid the downstairs bar at any and all costs.

Anyway, back to the story at hand.

I stopped attending indie dance nights in DC when I graduated from U-Maryland in 2004. When I started college, the local nightlife was still concentrated in Dupont Circle, Georgetown and Adams-Morgan. Therefore, monthly events like the Black Cat's Mousetrap and Metro Cafe's Panic! were welcome changes of scenery.
Inevitably, the popularity of such events led to their multiplication. At last count, the Black Cat hosts no less than four dance nights a month, and none of them is remarkably different from the other. And thanks to gentrification, bars in once seedy neighborhoods like Shaw and the H-Street corridor have joined in on the racket. Every other night, somebody is hosting a second-rate party featuring crap DJs spinning exactly the same shit. The proliferation of such unoriginal evenings resulted in my disillusion with dance nights, and I promptly restricted my sorties to hip-hop house parties and tiny neighborhood bars with good jukeboxes.

(an earlier flier)

Nouveau Riche seems to be a welcome change from the awkward indie stomping that has dominated the Capital for the last three or four years. Hosted by a troika of funky monks, Nouveau Riche is a monthly event that is currently being held at DC9. So instead of being something weekly event that’s dependable and easy to take for granted, it is a happening that carries a mild sense of urgency.
Musically, the lads mixed it up with a variety of grimy club tracks, indie electronica and the occasional forgotten pop gem. Funny, I never thought I'd find myself shufflin' my feet to "In A Big Country."
Attendance was pretty good. At peak, the upstairs room was about three-quarters full yet here was more than enough breathing room. I was told that there were free Sparks being given out before 10pm, but I didn't get there till a little after 11, so I ended up paying for my drinks, dammit. Nonetheless, I was digging the ambiance. On the projection screens, images from The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau created a soothing visual contrast to the electronic thumps and pulses that emanated from the speakers. And I certainly don’t doubt that the arrival of spring was helping everybody's mood. In fact, I only managed to spot one sour face all evening.
Dancing? Mmmm, yea, I danced a little bit, but I spent most of the evening posted up in the corner playing Mr. Cool. I was attempting to recover from a serious cold, so I was limiting my movement to foot tapping, head nodding and the occasional hip turn or thrust; enough movement to show interest in the music, but not enough to scare some of the white folk.
Overall it was a good experience and something I could see myself attending Nouveau Riche in the near future. Hopefully, next time I won't spend half the night hacking up a lung.
Oh, and coming sometime this week, I will post my epic essay about a recent trip to my ancestral village of New York, where I attended a stunning performance by 100dBs and Ryan O'Neil.

LINKS:
Nouveau Riche Website. Podcasts, Photos and all.

DC9

Why Won’t Kele Okerere Won’t Keep His Mouth Closed?

2007-03-29T17:54:00.000-04:00

It took a while for me to get into Bloc Party. When they started getting a lot of hype in late 2004, I dismissed them as another boring post-punk guitar band from the UK. But after a few repeated listens of Silent Alarm, they grew on me. I finally broke down and admitted that they wrote catchy songs and that they weren’t as derivative of Gang of Four as their contemporaries. Moreover, I found their singer, Kele Okerere, to be a fascinating character. I mean, here was this middle-class Anglo-Nigerian who was playing good rock music and not relying on his heritage as a crutch. At the time, I thought he was a terrific inspiration for all of us African rockers who were attempting to reconcile our indigenous cultures with those of our adopted Western homes (be they here in the States or in the lands of our former European colonial masters).

Kele was a particularly brash young lad when it came to doing interviews. During the first few months of Bloc Party’s career, he claimed that he was uninterested in discussing fashion or celebrity gossip. He was fiery and argumentative and openly voiced his displeasure with daft comments or questions that probed a little bit too deeply into his personal life. Without a doubt, his responses were a welcome departure from the dull, prepackaged dribble that one gets used to reading in the music press.

But lately, I’ve been turned off by a lot of the comments that Kele has been making. This morning, for example, I was particularly annoyed at his response to Noel Gallagher’s comment that Bloc Party are “indie shit”:

"I think Oasis are the most overrated and pernicious band of all time. They had a totally negative and dangerous impact upon the state of British music."

Mr. Okerere decided to take things even further and accused Oasis of making stupidity hip. He also chided the group for their Beatle worship and denounced the Gallagher Brothers as “repetitive Luddites."
Now there’s certainly some truth to these comments, but three things came to mind as I read The Guardian while eating breakfast this morning.
First of all, Kele is not saying anything new. Damon Albarn and Alex James made similar comments during Blur’s mid 1990s feud with Oasis. At least they occasionally had a sense of humor about it.
Second, by making these comments Kele has degraded himself to the level of the typical, gossip-obsessed pop stars that he once derided. There was no need for him to respond to an offhanded comment with such vitriol.
And finally, it should be noted that stupidity was “hip” long before Oasis came crashing onto the scene. Kele should be so fortunate that he did not have to endure the countless idiotic hardcore bands that have roamed the United States since the late 1980s.
Kele’s petty arguing and pretentious, pseudo-intellectual babble only helps to underscore Noel Gallagher’s quip that Bloc Party are a gang of rejects from University Challenge (UK equivalent of College Bowl). What is Kele saying that one thousand other second rate indie groups from the back pages of NME haven't already said?
Nothing, that's what.
He's a pretentious man/boy with a big mouth.There is nothing special about him and I withdraw any ideological support that I once had for him. I will, however, keep buying his albums.
NOTE:
Please don’t get the impression that I ever worshipped Kele Okerere; my Ugandan pride would never allow me to stoop to that level. I’m just disappointed in the guy, that’s all. I could easily devote several pages to why Kele’s nonsense is so troubling, but rather than waste my time, I’ll allow you to compare and contrast the following comments:

"Why is it important to know what I had for breakfast? Or who I went to bed with? Or what sneakers I am wearing? If it's relevant to understanding my music, then so be it. But if it's purely to satisfy the media's obsession with celebrity, then no thanks. I don't want to play that game."
-Skyskraper Magazine 2005

“I used to wear Converse all the time, but the support is bad. A friend of mine got these Dunlop shoes for me in Melbourne, and they’re incredibly comfortable. There’s something about dirty white shoes that I like”
-Rolling Stone February 22nd 2007

Is the difference between Dunlop and Converse really relevant to the release of your most recent album? I really doubt it. Piss off, you hypocrite.

SOURCE

Photos Courtesy of Sophie Jarry's Blog

Jurassic 5 Are Breaking Up: So What....

2007-03-21T10:56:00.000-04:00

Underwhelming hip-hop group Jurassic 5 are calling it a day. Member Soup announced that the group plans to disband upon returning from a Far East tour.

Ummmmmm. OK

Jurassic 5 will probably be best remembered for their cool t-shirt designs and college hip-hop credibility. They were the sorta group that backpackers loved to namecheck when talking amongst themselves:

"Son, I'm, like, really into hip-hop, and I'm just totally feelin' that real shit.I don't really like Jay-Z or none of that negative shit. I'm into underground and that's it?"

Like their fans, Jurassic 5 were high on themselves for being indie. But in reality, they were a dull West Coast collective that failed to offer a viable alternative to the order of the day. Production wise, they were on point. Lyrically, their shit was preachy, dull and occasionally a bit corny. Good background music, but nothing classic.

If you really want fun and progressive West Coast hip-hop,head north to the Bay Area. Home of Too Short, Hieroglyphics and E-40 and his merry pranksters of Hyphy.

SOURCE

The Struggle Continues: Viacom Sues YouTube Over Video Clips

2007-03-13T12:38:00.000-04:00

Viacom, the parent company of MTV and Comedy Central, sued Google (which recently acquired YouTube) in federal court today, citing “massive intentional copyright infringement.”

Because the two parties have failed to arrive at some sort of licensing agreement, Viacom has decided to go to court. Funny, because YouTube is doing what cable networks fail to do on a daily basis: provide programming that people actually want to watch.
From a legal standpoint, Viacom certainly has a case. And while this is nothing that YouTube hasn't faced before, this lawsuit has serious implications for those of us who love:

A) Music Videos
B) Re-runs of Chappelle's show (Sorry, I don’t own the DVDs)

During the last fifteen years, MTV and VH-1 have come depressing parodies of themselves. Thanks to the success of The Real World and Behind The Music, Viacom executives decided to gradually shift away from exclusively music based programming. As a result, both networks hold the dubious honor of broadcasting some of the most inane, pointless and degrading shit in the history of television. Today's youngsters know MTV as the home of white-washed teen dramas and VH-1 as a dumping ground for washed up celebrities.
Oh, and Comedy Central? Well I dunno about you, but I'm not really a fan of seeing the same re-runs of Mind of Mencia four times in same week.
Shit, I almost forgot BET, which was bought by Viacom. Well, at least they show videos. My only gripe is that they cancelled BET Uncut. Then again, after you see Nelly swipe a credit card down the crack of a woman's ass, can you really take hip hop seriously?

Viacom said today that nearly 160,000 clips of its programming have been available on YouTube and that they had been viewed more than 1.5 billion times

I’m going to be slightly unprofessional for a minute and take this time to say “Fuck Viacom.” Save for BET and VH-1 Classic (which you have to special order from the cable company) none of their networks show music videos anymore. Where the hell else am I gonna be able to watch Eddy Grant’s surreal protest video for “Electric Avenue”??????

Source: New York Times, 13th March 2007

Eddy Grant “Electric Avenue”

E40 "Tell me When to Go"

When Ghostriding the Whip Goes HORRRRRIBLY WRONG

EDITORIAL: Sympathy for the Record Industry

2007-03-10T20:29:00.000-05:00

Last month, the Big Four major record companies announced massive spending cuts in order to offset mounting losses. But rather than blaming internet downloading, labels have begun targeting their own artists’ excessive spending.

In summer 2006, Warner Music released an album by socialite Paris Hilton. Said album sold a meager 75,000 copies in the United States and performed even worse in the UK, selling only 13,000 copies. Yet somehow Ms. Hilton’s management convinced Warner execs to send their client and a sizeable entourage to London for a press tour, at a cost of £160,000. Oh, never mind the wasted millions in recording and promotion for a dud album, WB decided to reward the young starlet with an all expenses paid trip overseas. You know, it’s kind of funny. The labels complain about their artists' "diva behavior,” but they continue to sign the checks.

Clearly something is wrong here.

Perry Watts-Russell, a senior Vice President at Warner Brothers, once argued that major labels lose money on a majority of their acts. According to him, many rely on the sales of a few top selling singers or groups to carry such a massive loss. As recently as ten years ago, this was a workable business model. However due to rapidly changing tastes, fierce competition from other media (e.g. increasingly affordable DVDs) and internet downloading, CD sales have dropped significantly.

So what’s the strategy to combat sagging sales? Terminating artists and dismissing loyal employees. V2 Records, an EMI imprint, recently dismissed its roster and is now concentrating on maintaining its back catalog. Warner Music has been dropping “unprofitable” cult acts like Stereolab since 2004. But these bookkeeping adjustments are minor and they do little to address the real problems at hand. In spite of their cost cutting efforts, major labels continue to indulge artists with nearly unlimited recording and travel budgets.

During the last 25 years, the home computer and independent labels have challenged the Big Four’s monopoly over recorded music. Independent labels, which operate on lower profit margins and spending budgets, can regularly turn a profit. A few have generated sizable sales and influence without the extravagant expense accounts of their larger competitors. Meanwhile, the home computer has allowed millions of unsigned bands to promote shows on their own webpages, as well as record and burn their own CDs. This represents a massive shift away from the centralized power of a few New York and Los Angeles based media conglomerates.
Comically enough, major labels initially dismissed the use of online technology as a means for distribution, thereby closing the door on a lucrative opportunity. Had record executives seen the potential of online music stores, they could’ve organized downloadable libraries of their deep catalog material. Instead, most of the Big Four licensed their music to Apple, and as a result the I-Tunes Music Store currently maintains a vice grip over digital music sales.

The reliance on an outdated business model has left the record industry in a vulnerable state. If the industry does not wish to reign in its hefty costs, it will have to find some other creative means for generating revenue.
Still not getting it, eh? Let's put it this way: The film industry made the transition from the Hollywood studio monopoly to a free agent system. Perhaps record executives should follow their example.

CRUCIAL UPDATE
Paris Hilton is to be dropped by her record label within the next few weeks.
According to a report in the Daily Star, Warner Music have not yet told the Simple Life star that they do not wish to work with her for a second album, but believe that Hilton will accept the decision as she has "lost interest" in her pop career.
A source told the newspaper: "Paris will be dropped in a matter of moments. She's totally lost interest in the project and in all honesty, her label feel very much the same."

HMMMMM Perhaps there's hope?
Are there any crap artists that you'd like to see dropped from their label?

MORE INFORMATION
Source for "Paris Hilton being Fired"

Daily Express article that provided me with the facts and figures

Memories of Wu-Wear

2007-03-02T03:48:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been to TJ Maxx or Marshall’s? You know, one of those outlet stores that carry out of season clothing and slightly damaged overstock goods. If you live far from a big city or don't have much money, perhaps you should. Sometimes you can find a real bargain hidden among the unsold pairs of Sneaux shoes and size 40 Lee Jeans.

When you walk around these stores, it’s impossible to ignore the unusually large amount of “urban wear” on the sale racks. FUBU, Sean John, G-Unit, South Pole; they’re all present and accounted for. Whenever I'm at Rugged Warehouse in College Park, MD, I can't help but think of all the hip-hop clothing lines that have come and gone. And when I think of hip-hop, my mind inevitably drifts to the RZA, the GZA, Inspectah Deck, Ol' Dirty Bastard (R.I.P.), Ghostface Killah, Raekwon the Chef, U-God, Masta Killa and Method Man (oh and Cappadonna on a good day).
THE WU-TANG CLAN, DAMMIT!!!!

Long before 50 Cent purchased stock in Glaceau Vitamin Water, The Wu-Tang Clan were hip-hop’s original ghetto conglomerate. Thanks to the RZA's dictatorial five-year plan, they were transformed from a grimy Staten Island collective to a merchandising empire in less than a decade.
Launched in the wake of Wu-Tang Forever's multiplatinum success, Wu-Wear was a strategic move on the economic chessboard. In 2005’s Wu-Tang Manual, RZA explained that Wu-Wear was created to fill a void in the garment industry. According to him, upscale hood favorites like Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren didn’t make their clothes baggy enough. Nobody was making stuff that cats in the street wanted to wear. RZA’s hunch was correct, and the label took off not only in the hood, but also in the suburbs, where a sizeable percentage of Wu-Tang fans reside. In addition to t-shirts and jeans, Wu-Wear also made hoodies, wristbands, wallets and even special edition two-tone Wallabies.

(An ancient photo from the heyday of Wu-Wear. Courtesy of Shane Annas, pictured on the right)

Sadly, the game has changed a lot since then. Nowadays, every rapper on earth has a clothing line. Hell, even Method Man broke ranks with the Wu to found Johnny Blaze. It’s gotten to the point where there are more ghetto brands than ghetto buyers. And as a result, two things have happened:
1. Most of the (particularly sizes XXXL and up) overstock is being sold at wholesale prices to any store that will take it.
2. There’s been a significant of smaller boutique labels that make very limited runs of their product. Have you ever seen anything by Ice Cream or BAPE being sold at 1/3 reduction?

It would be rather ignorant to blame Wu-Tang for causing the recent glut of hip-hop merchandise. The RZA and co. went into the business with the best of intentions. They created a clothing line that reflected their fiercely independent approach to the rap game. If you’re old enough to remember, there was nobody doing it like the Wu-Tang Clan back late 1990s. Man, Wu-Wear actually stood for something! When you saw somebody walking down the street wearing any article of their clothing, it could be assumed he or she carried a certain set of principles. Chances are, you could ball up to that person, spit the following line, and not get punched in the face:

"Aiyyo, this rappin's like Ziti, facin me real TV
Crash at high-speeds, strawberry, kiwi"

Ok, Ok...maybe I'm exaggerating. But hey,I highly doubt that any of the above could be said about RocaWear!

(The Wally Champ himself @ the 9:30 Club in 2006)

FOOTNOTE:
It’s no accident that the white-tee phenomenon happened when it did. I like to think of it as a sort of minimalist revolt against the rabid commercialization of hip-hop fashion. Not only is it affordable, it’s radical.

PS SEE BELOW FOR SPECIAL LOCAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Special Local Announcement: THIS SATURDAY COLONEL...ERRR REVEREND K AT THE CONTROLS

2007-03-01T23:22:00.000-05:00

FOR READERS IN THE DC AREA:
On Saturday, March 3rd I’ll be DJ-ing at University of Maryland. Actually, it's more like I'll be the "selector"
But for all intents and purposes, it's a DJ set and I’ll be playin’ some of my favorite post-punk, indie, reggae and electro.
I’ll be behind the laptop either between 10am-2pm or the more fashionable 12-2pm.
Either way, I'll be around.

SATURDAY MARCH 3RD.
University of Maryland’s radio station, WMUC 88.1 FM, presents the Record Swap! Independent record dealers from all over the DC/MD/VA area to bring in their latest and greatest!

10:00am - 4:00pm
FREE ADMISSION!!!
Stamp Student Union in The Atrium (one floor above the food court)
University of Maryland @ College Park, MD
Metro: Green Line College Park/U-Md. There is a shuttle from the Metro Station to Campus.

Thousands of records from all genres of music means millions of beats, all ready to catch the needle in the groove and get you movin'! LPs, 45s, CDs, etc, all under one roof. Whether you're looking for that elusive 7" or just want to see what catches your eye and ear, this is the place to be!

DEALERS SO FAR:
- Get Hip!
- Smash Records
- Yesterday & Today Records
- Dave's Metal Records
- Strangeland Records
+ more TBA!

Got vinyl of your own that you want to sell or trade? Bring it in! WMUC will have a consignment table for your own offerings, or bring it around to the dealers, and make a deal! Bring your want-lists and your headphones! THERE WILL BE LIVE DJ SETS and DOOR PRIZES, and a good time guaranteed!

Come on dBs, play one for me! An interview with Dan “100dBs” Brenner

2007-02-17T19:47:00.000-05:00

Dan Brenner is tired.
After countless delays, Brenner’s Breaks Vol. 1 was supposed to be available for download on February 10th 2007. This date was not the result of some arbitrary decision; it was intended as a tribute to J-Dilla, who died in hospital one year ago. However the website needed to be redone and mixing was taking longer than expected. But rather than push the album back another week, 100dBs posted up for nearly 48 hours in order to deliver the goods on the morning of February 12th.

And the results are nothing less than stunning.

Dropping nearly two years after the release of his Jay-Z mashup, The Argyle Album, Brenner's Breaks is 100dBs' gritty sophomore offering. Featuring the talents of up and coming MCs Ryan O’Neil and J-iLL, 100dBs clever and nuanced production more than justifies the tardiness of this release. Tying the album together is a twisted series of skits featuring a drugged out Tony the Tiger, a cocaine traffiking Toucan Sam and a pimpin’ and jivin’ Sugar Bear. All of this and more in under sixty minutes.

Due to illness and academic stress, I rubbished the idea of writing a 1,500 word review of this album. (Besides, it would’ve been totally biased). Thankfully, my boy was able to muster up enough strength to answer a few questions about his latest release and life as a grown ass man in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

Son, what took you so long? This mixtape was supposed to drop in time for summer of '06. It's now February '07!
I was just crazy busy. I could blame it on a lot of things: people had to re-record verses, I was stressed because school was killin' me, I had to make plans to sell my car and move because I didn't want to be at my parent's place in Jersey for too long, tons of shit.
But really what it came down to is that I'm a passionate dude. I can't release something unless I feel like it's damn near perfect. I won't release something wack. I just can't do it; it's not in me. What everyone says is one thing, but if I don't personally feel like it's up to snuff then there's no way the public's going to hear it.

You've cited the late J-Dilla as a huge influence on this album. Do you find him inspirational because he produced a voluminous body of quality work in such a short period of time?
Yeah, you took the words right out of my big mouth. Here you have a guy who passed away due to an incurable blood disease... but because he was so prolific, we'll (hopefully) be hearing previously unreleased shit for years to come.
And his work is timeless. I pride myself on being able to listen to a record I've never heard and be able to place it to within three years of its release date based on certain qualities. You can't do that with Dilla's shit, and I'm not sure we'll ever be able to. He was just too nice with it. Even the unused shit from his beat tapes, It’s all got that "instant classic" quality. And that phrase gets overused a lot, but it can't be overused in this case.I know it seems like I'm on his dick. Fuck it, maybe I am.
Pause.
I thought about it, and it has less to do with the fact that we're lionizing him after his death and more to do with HOW he went out. He did Donuts on his deathbed, and you can hear the urgency. Think about that next time you give it a spin.

It seems like nowadays, a lot of heavy hitters (e.g. Clipse, Jay-Z, Nas,) in hip-hop are steering away from skits. What made you decide to throw in a storyline about cereal box mascots hustlin' in the underworld?
Well, credit Prince Paul for that influence, for better or for worse. He's hands-down my favorite hip-hop producer of all time. His vision for concepts is unparalleled. Oh, and forget about what Clipse are doing...their album was hyped too much anyway. I liked it but... well let's not get into that.
The point is skits can be awful if they're too abundant or irrelevant. Also, they get boring if they're too obvious. If you make ‘em a little weird or random, people will appreciate them once in a while. It's like spices with cooking. You don't want to overpower someone listening to your album... you want to assume that your audience is smart enough not to want to be smacked in the face by a big cold fish, on some cartoon shit.

What were the easiest tracks to record on Brenner's Breaks?
As far as production goes, "Right On" was real easy because it's just chopped up a bit. "Kellogg’s Don't Pay Me Shit" was pretty easy because my boy Outputmessage did a lot of the work. He's very talented. The "One Love" and "Air" remixes were easy as hell for some reason. Nas and Doom just put me into some mode where I immediately know what's necessary to put under their flows, and that’s rare.

And the hardest?
The most difficult? Well, “The Plan" was hard because I just couldn't get the bass to sound right for a while, and the whole thing needed to feel like some grand scheme. "Ms Jackson" was tough because people were saying "You can't touch a classic" and all that shit. I'll touch whatever I want, as long as I think I can do it justice.
As well, working with MCs is often difficult because you have to worry more about recording quality, breath control, and all kinds of performance factors. Especially if you got limited time to work on something or people are not living where you are…. Ryan, for example, recorded most of his shit for BBV1 in less than 24 hours... it was the first time we met and he took a bus down to DC from NYC to record a few joints and he'd heard one before coming over.

Speaking of MCs, this was the first time you recorded with live MCs on a release. Tell us a little bit about working with J-iLL and Ryan O’Neil.
I met J-iLL at UMD. At that time, she was the realest MC I’d heard in the DC area, male or female. I'm not going to mince my words; most rappers down there are wack. It was frustrating, because as a producer all you really want is to back someone ill and you end up fuckin' with acapellas because everyone you hear is awful. It sucks because people talk mad shit - whereas here in New York people may talk shit but they learn to step up real quick because NO ONE pays attention if you're not dope.
As for Ryan, I met him a year ago and it truly feels like we've known each other our whole lives. I've worked with tons of musicians throughout my life and can honestly say I didn't expect to have this much chemistry in a producer/MC situation. It was a pleasant surprise. He's a monster on the mic so keep your eyes open for our debut this year. Summer 2007? Who knows? When it's done, it'll be out.

You were the house DJ at the Francis Estate (EDITOR'S NOTE: our house at University of Maryland @ College Park) from fall '05 till May '06. Now, I don't want to brag, but we threw some of the best parties in the area. On the real, we had peeps from George Washington University and Howard taking taxis from DC to party with us. Did that have any effect on you or your work?
Whatever Reverend, you know you had a lot to with that shit! We put in work, that's all there is to it. Basically, what I took away from that was that I know I can build something from the ground up in the middle of nowhere. So if I can do that there, I have even more confidence in my abilities when I'm in a more vibrant place. I'm used to starting from scratch, so anywhere there's already some form of network established...I feel like I can break in.

True true.. Earlier this month, you and Ryan came down for a special performance at the Francis Estate. It was the first time you'd DJed down here since you left. It was also the first time any of us had seen you and your boy perform as a dynamic duo. I must say, people were really feelin' you.
I really wanted people to hear him. I’m Ryan’s biggest fan, after himself that is. When people ask about what I'm doing, the first thing I say is "working with this sick MC from Queens." It's not "Oh I got this instrumental joint coming up" or "I'm tryin' to get beats to this person or that person." I'm just glad people appreciated some real shit.

Now that we're on the topic of life at U-Md, you've just reminded me...you almost didn't finish your Electrical Engineering degree! What the hell happened?
When I work on music, my brain shuts everything else off. It's stupid, but I used to be in class trying to pay attention to the equations on the board... and all of a sudden I'd get an idea that just kept bothering me. I used to just get up in the middle of class and walk home to execute the idea. Some people write shit down to remind themselves or record themselves humming a tune. Well first of all, writing shit down doesn't help you hear it.It's a conceptual approximation at best, and worthless at worst. Also, I have the worst voice ever. So I can't sing for shit to remind myself of what I'm tryin' to do when I get home. Even worse, my memory is terrible. So I have to do shit as soon as I think of it. The upside? I've learned to work really quickly and I'm willing to bet that some of your favorite beats on my releases were done in less than an hour.

It's been nearly two years since your first full-length release, "The Argyle Album." Have you listened to it since then? Are you happy with your progress?
I have, though it took me a long time to listen to it again after the final mixes. You get really sick of your own music.
I'm quite happy with where my sound has gone since then. I hope I'm not biting anyone. But if I am, then it's only subconscious and that's just my brain's natural way of complimenting those who came before me. When I listen to my favorite productions, I hear simplicity. Not to say I don't still layer things a lot, but I'm trying to be a little more minimal and it's making things more beautiful.

If you stayed in the DC area, you coulda been a big fish in a small pond. What made you go to New York and start at the bottom of the heap?
It wasn't really a tough or deliberate decision. I just know that it's the only place I've ever felt truly comfortable. If that ever changes, I'll move again.

So what's it like trying to promote yourself in the oversaturated hip-hop market in the world? In Brooklyn, for example, every other dude is a "producer" or an “MC.”
It's true, you do. It's tough. I just hope the music will speak for itself. The key is to not get ahead of one’s self.
I see people on the corner everyday yelling at you to buy their $10 mixtape. They’re all like"I see you in that Wu shirt, I KNOW you're down." And I’m like “Fuck that, I don't know you. You might sound like shit. You might be great." I'm not willing to part with the equivalent of two Hop Poh Kitchen specials just to find out you rap about killin' dudes when you really live in your mom's basement. I'll give you my card and you can go online and get my shit for free.
It's time to pay dues. Get that shit out there, and see who bites. This is not the time to be thinkin' about money.

What was your lowest moment as a producer?
Hmmm. In fall 2005,there was a beat battle at Maryland run by a few heads from some hip-hop association or some bullshit group. I don't remember. Anyway, long story short, I "lost" to some dude in the early rounds, despite the fact that mine was the more murderous beat. He just happened to bring more heads to the place,so they cheered louder. Or the judges said. As far as I could tell, everyone knew each other and I was the outsider.
A lot of people came up to me after the event to give me love and say there was no way I should have lost to some Scott Storch wanna-be. However, I think the dude knew he lost because he gave me this look afterwards like "Yeah, I know." It's all good though, because he later came to parties at the house and gave me props, and I wasn't mad.
It is what it is. I went home that night and made another beat. Actually, the beat that I lost on became the Roots Manuva "Witness Remix" on BBV1!!!!

Have you ever wanted to throw in the towel?
I don't think I've ever wanted to. But there have been times where, for whatever reason, I wouldn't touch music for months. Eventually it makes me feel awful. Thankfully, I haven't done that in a long time.

I dunno man. I mean, you've got a good job, a tight crib in Brooklyn.Why are you still doin' this? What's keepin' you in the game for real?
That's a stupid question! The music. It's certainly not the money. If I can just hear once in a while that people were lovin' some shit that I put out and it made them smile, or made them cry, or made them do anything but sit down and watch TV, I'm happy.

Alright, now for the big philosophical questions. First and foremost, will underground hip-hop ever recover? Or are we gonna have to clutch our worn out copies of Soundbombing and just reminisce?"
Everything goes in cycles. Rawkus was good while it lasted, then Def Jux was good for a while, Anticon had their thing, whatever. The labels that are really gonna last are the ones that pay less attention to being obscure and "independent" and more attention to just putting out quality material, no matter what it is (READ: STONES THROW). To be honest, they're the only "hip hop" label I've been feelin' with any degree of consistency lately. Until more labels start approaching it like they do, we won't see a solid "underground" movement again. But I think we will again soon, don't worry.

Well, I'm pretty sick of waiting. We could use another 1989 or 1993 or 1997-99. Hmmmm what else...Err, do you think that Ego Trip’s The White Rapper Show on VH1 is a joke?
Of course the show is a joke. I haven't really seen it (I saw a clip online once), but MC Serch is not stupid. And anything Prince Paul's involved with gets the nod from me on principle. Call me an idealist, but I think once we have a couple hundred dudes who can spit like Eminem (who I'm not even into, but respect) there will be less of a color line. Until then, step your game up.

Alright, fair enough. But I still don’t get it. There’s plenty of amazing white producers, but there's not enough quality white MCs out there getting publicity. Why this restriction to the boards?
You’re right, there are plenty of white producers. Dope ones. A white dude mentored Large Professor.
Why is it that we stay in the production lane? I'm not sure. I think a lot of white dudes don't have the confidence to rap. Those who do choose to rap do one of two things: they thug out and act like they think they should, OR they get really abstract and speak in metaphors that don't make sense with mouth diarrhea. Me? I just never liked my voice. I don't sing. It's the one thing I feel I could never do, musically. Hand me any instrument that I'm interested in and I believe I could play it passably. I can't do shit with my voice.

Last question.What do women really want?
I dunno, you'll have to ask Mel Gibson about that one. What do I think women really want? Most of them want men. Most of them want music as much as they want men. I think we proved that at the Francis Estate. If you build it, they will come. We were a mile or so off campus, and a lot of heads walked to our house. If you provide quality entertainment, people will remember the night as more than just getting drunk with a bunch of idiots. I mean, you're still getting drunk with a bunch of idiots, but you get to dance to the 45 King!

Brenner, thanks for taking the time to answer these questions. I know that shit has been hectic, but you pulled through and I really appreciate it. Any last words?
Thank you once again for this opportunity, some good questions for once. I wanna say whatup to Ryan O'Neil, J-iLL, and Outputmessage. Look out for collaborations this year. Big things.

LINKS
100dBs Homepage

Download Brenner’s Breaks Volume 1 NOW

100dBs at MySpace.Com

Reactionary Piece 2007

2007-01-27T17:52:00.002-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,
The following essay is nowhere nearly as structured as some of the previous entries on Colonel K Speaks. In fact, it’s more a rant, than anything else.

This week's NY Times Magazine published an article called "Truly Indie Fans,” in which author Jessica Pressler investigates the lives and experiences of black rock fans, or as she dubs them, “blipsters.” While she is optimistic about bands with Black members, such as Bloc Party and TV On The Radio, Pressler fails to touch upon the double standards that have been placed upon black rock fans. I hated her essay so much, I decided to write her an email.

Oh yea..... the piece I’d intended to post this week requires a bit more research. Hopefully, this’ll keep y’all occupied till I get around to finishing it. Enjoy.

Ms Pressler,
I read your article "Truly Indie Fans" in today's New York Times Magazine. While I found it to be an enjoyable read, I take issue with some of the points you raised.

"But 40 years after black musicians laid down the foundations of rock, then largely left the genre to white artists and fans, some blacks are again looking to reconnect with the rock music scene."

Firstly, blacks did not "leave” rock music “to white artists and fans."
IT WAS TAKEN FROM THEM.

In the mid 1950s, record labels frequently had white artists, like Pat Boone, re-record Little Richard and Chuck Berry songs so that they would be easier to market to white audiences. It wasn’t until the arrival of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones that the original Black artists were given their due credit. Moreover, your article frequently downplays the influence that Black American culture has left on the last 100 years of international pop music.

To be frank, your article truly fails to touch upon the real problem: The rigid and dated conceptions of race in the United States. In my opinion, Americans are incapable of escaping their obsession with race. In this country there are accepted definitions of “Black” and “White." When an individual questions or defies these definitions, they’re automatically labeled as being an outcast.

So who’s to blame?

Blacks are culpable because they have bought into the idea of “niggerdom.” That is, Black Americans are so brainwashed by hip-hop stereotypes and the poor portrayal of blacks in the media that they have come to believe that their culture lacks variety. They are convinced that if you're not acting like a nigger, you must not be black. This obsession with, I dunno "keeping it real" has even poisoned the Black American work ethic. If a black person is working hard or doing well in school, they are decried for acting "White." Clearly, something is very wrong here.

Whites are equally guilty because they created and continue to propagate many stereotypes. Even worse, Whites have the advantage of a double standard. Today, in 2007, it is still more acceptable for Whites to be into hip-hop than for Blacks to be into rock. And to top it all off, Whites will tell Black rock fans that they’re “Not Black” or “Acting White” without hesitating.

Ms. Pressler, I don't think that you will EVER be able to understand how DEGRADING it is to be called "White" by Black and White Americans simply because you fail to fall into their petty social constructions of race. Mind you, I’m not a black American, I'm a Ugandan-American. For me, being called "White" is not only absurd, it is a deep insult to my heritage and my ancestors.

I understand that you probably wrote this essay with a limited amount of time and research, but I felt it was necessary to write to you because I feel really strongly about this topic.

-Sincerely
Colonel K

PS
Please excuse the occasional outbursts of rage in this email, I have a lot of pent up aggression. Even at 25, I'm still taunted by the hoods across the way for wearing tight trousers and a peacoat!

LINKS TO SOME RELEVANT MOVIES AND OTHER USEFUL STUFF
White Lies: Black Sheep trailer.

AFROPUNK documentary trailer

Ms Pressler's original essay "True Indie Fans"

A big reaction at BrooklynVegan.com

Felt “Absolute Classic Masterpieces Volume 1” (Cherry Red 1992)

2007-01-18T19:01:00.000-05:00

I was first introduced to Felt by my friend Faith in August of 2004. We were shooting the shit online, when she IMed me their final album, Me and a Monkey on the Moon. I tried to give it an honest listen, but I was not in the mood. You see, my spirits were high: I was in a serious relationship and was preparing for a move to Paris. Lawrence Hayward’s warbling voice and depressing lyrics were rain on my parade and therefore I could not be bothered.

Fast forward three months later…
The twin pressures of maintaining a long distance relationship and an early Continental winter quickly led me to reexamine Felt’s place in my universe.

In retrospect, my teaching experience was nowhere nearly as nightmarish as I sometimes describe it. I was just terribly lonely most of the time. Either way, I didn’t want to waste a year moping, so I spent every free moment exploring my new surroundings. I hung out at art galleries, monuments and used bookshops on the Left Bank. I also spent a good deal of time was spent borrowing CDs from local libraries. I would take out up to ten discs from as many as four libraries at a time, copy them onto my laptop, and promptly return them by the end of the week. It was miserable for my back, but in the long run, it was worth the pain. By the end of my stay, I added 200+ discs to my collection; many of them unavailable or long out of print in the United States.
By late October, I had overplayed Me and a Monkey on the Moon and was desperate to hear more. Sadly, their original albums proved elusive (in the libraries and in the record shops) so I had to settle for two best ofs to get my fix.
Absolute Classic Masterpieces is a retrospective of Felt’s decade-long spell in the indie ghetto. Volume 1 covers their tenure at Cherry Red Records, while the double-disc Volume 2 includes singles and album tracks released on Creation Records. For the sake of time, I’m going to focus on Volume 1 and leave the Creation era stuff for a piece on great labels of the past.

Before I begin, I should point out that Volume 1 is sequenced in reverse chronological order. This is a minor grievance, considering the quality of the music, but some people dislike working backwards when tracking a band’s progress.

I once read that Belle & Sebastian were heavily influenced by Felt. This tidbit of misinformation led me down a road of confusion and disappointment when I first heard Felt. Musically, the two groups have little in common. Where B&S are busy and ramshackle, Felt was tight and minimalist. Volume 1 does a fine job of confirming the dissimilarity between the two groups.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: It should be noted that both groups are notoriously guarded about their private lives and little is known about individual members. It seems to me that B&S were fascinated by the enigmatic nature of Felt and sought to be as difficult with the press during their early years in the mid 1990s. Go on; try to find one article about them from 1996-7 that isn’t rife with rumors and hearsay about the group’s identity.)

Early songs by Felt, such as “Trails of Colour Dissolve” and “Templeroy,” were undeniably the product of Lawrence’s obsession with Television, Lou Reed and DIY punk ethics. His vocal inflections and strange choices for lyrical subject matter and song titles betray a heavy influence of mid 70s New York. But without a counterweight to Lawrence’s rather obvious influences, Felt would’ve been another blip in the UK indie landscape. Enter Maurice Deebank, the classically trained foil to the self-taught, punk rock Lawrence. Deebank’s delicate arpeggios meshed seamlessly with Lawrence’s minimalist strumming, creating a sound unlike any early 1980s guitar group.
Their unique guitar interplay is best evidenced on the opening track, “Primitive Painters.” This mini-epic sports a heavily drawled and self-depreciative vocal by Lawrence and is bolstered by exceptional performances by Deebank and keyboardist Martin Duffy. This was the first Felt song to receive any significant attention; even though it sounds unlike they’d recorded previously. This can be attributed to the production work of Cocteau Twin Robin Guthrie and partner/bandmate Liz Frazier, who provided the soaring background vocal. In any case, disregard the indie politics and play this song at a very high volume on a large set of speakers. You will be breathtaken. I promise.

The song that really got me hooked on this compilation was “Penelope Tree.” Named for a 1960s model that Lawrence saw in an oversized special edition of Vogue, it is everything brilliant about Felt summarized in two minutes and fifty-seven seconds. The first thing you notice is the absence of cymbals. During the early years, drummer Garry Ainge played a very simple kit, creating a sound that was not unlike the Velvet Underground’s Maureen Tucker. The dry percussive drumming, coupled with jangling guitars, creates a stark and moody song that pretty much describes my lonesome expatriate life. I spent many cold nights wandering the streets of Paris listening to that song on repeat and just wishing that I was somewhere else.

FINAL NOTE:
In regards to Volume 2: If you’re a devout fan of anything released by Creation Records during the mid to late 1980s, it’s a must have. If not, you may find it a bit dull because of all the instrumentals culled from Let the Snakes Crinkle Their Heads to Death and Train Above the City.
Besides, Deebank left the group well before the ink dried on the Creation contract, so you don’t even get any of the guitar noodling that makes Volume 1 such an invigorating listen. Then again, I’m biased…

Crucial listening:
Crystal Ball, Primitive Painters, Red Indians, Penelope Tree, Fortune.
(Believe it or not, you can find most of these on the I-Tunes Music Store.)

More on Felt

Felt: A Retrospective. Probably the only good site about Lawrence & Co. Also the source for the band photos and mp3s

Video for Primative Painters

DOWNLOAD The gorgeous “Buried Wild Blind.” Originally released as a b-side to The Final Resting Of The Ark 12”. Remains unreleased on CD

DOWNLOAD Early version of "Red Indians”