Colonel K Approved: Lode Runner & Fever

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.