Berman: Sticking It To The Fan

I'd hate to have shown up for this... but, ha ha, I guess... jokes on the fans.

Ripped from Billboard (lots of other news there about, y'know, Springsteen and Enya)

---

Silver Jews leader David Berman gave a rare public performance last night (Sept. 29) in New York, but befitting his unpredictable personality, did not actually play any music. Instead, the artist appeared in the self-penned play "Publicity Stunt," which was set in a psychiatrist's office adorned with paintings by Brooklyn-based artist Steve Keene.

Berman (playing himself) and Drag City labelmate Will Oldham (the psychiatrist) treated the small audience to about 20 minutes of mantras, ruminations, and non-sequiturs, before introducing an unnamed folk singer from Galway, Ireland, to play a few songs. Much to the crowd's chagrin, neither Berman nor Oldham joined in song.

Over the years, Berman and Oldham have dropped hints of an album-length musical collaboration, but last evening's play was the closest manifestation of such a project. As previously reported, the Silver Jews' new album, "Tanglewood Numbers," will be released Oct. 18 via Drag City.

-- Mark Groeschner, N.Y.

Who knew?

Who knew that random comments on a Tara Reid non-story in Huffington Post could be so educational (thanks to my Opera browser)

Happy Serenity Day America

Kim Gordon on Perfect Partner

This is from the article by David Peschek in the UK Guardian - Perfect Partner is the film Gordon is making with Michael Pitt (and others) and how it will be performed live with improv music at each showing -- read the rest here:

The result was Perfect Partner, which, Gordon says, is in some ways a modern version of Voltaire's antihero, Candide, in a "faux-Godardian" road movie. Pitt plays a man who "becomes obsessed with these ads, the ad-copy. It's like he believes them and there's something in the past that makes him feel compelled - he doesn't know why - to break out of his nine-to-five existence and head for a place that's a conglomerate of those ads: the beach, basically, the sunset."

The film is a collaboration with an old friend, New York-based video artist Tony Oursler, and film-maker Phil Morrison, who had directed videos for Sonic Youth. "If you're doing a collaboration with people, you can't be overly precious about what it's going to be like," says Gordon. "It's one thing to say: 'Dude, here's a grant. Collaborate!' It's another to work out the logistics of it. At first it was like [Broadway fanfare], 'A musical!' Then I realised the thing had to travel, you have this great fantasy, but how many headaches am I giving myself?" She laughs. "I think it'll be ... entertaining. In some way."

The soundtrack will be "pretty much all improvised - it'll be different every night. I mean, we'll have some kind of a strategy. I like the idea of images being provided for improv music. Yeah, it is kind of scary. Hopefully, it'll work." She pauses. "No, I mean, I'm sure it'll work. I'm excited about it as a big experiment."

Her initial interest in performing was motivated partly by artistic curiosity, partly by a desire to rock. "I was really into Warhol and pop art, and I thought the next step was to actually be working within popular culture." Recent Sonic Youth albums have seen her move from playing bass to lead guitar, an experience she sums up with the words: "I guess I played some tasty licks."

If we're not supposed to eat punks, how come they're made out of meat?

via David Lambert from DVDs on TV (or is it TV Shows on DVD):

Shout! is telling us that The Tomorrow Show - Punk & New Wave will be a 3-DVD set that has finally gotten into shape for a release as soon as January 24, 2006. And even that's a date that may change, as we can imagine when we look at all the music licenses that must be involved with this material! Still, it will be well worth waiting for, especially if you're a fan of this type of music (I certainly am, and am drooling at the prospect of this). Here is the description provided by Shout!:

"The Tomorrow Show" with Tom Snyder began in 1973 as a late night 60 minute show following Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, then expanded to 90 minutes in 1980. As the punk and new wave music of the late 1970s and early '80s emerged, The Tomorrow Show welcomed many of the key figures in the genre - for interviews as well as live performances. This three disc set includes performances and interviews with Elvis Costello & The Attractions, The Ramones, Iggy Pop, The Jam, Plasmatics and Split Enz. The DVD set also includes interview segments with Paul Weller, Joan Jett, Patti Smith, and an unforgettable appearance by John Lydon.

MTV.com: Gondry: new White Stripes Vid to be a "mindblower"

Some of the best music videos I've seen are on that Gondry DVD collection so this should be interesting:

(read full link here)

The White Stripes are reuniting with director Michel Gondry, and to celebrate, they've assembled a crew of characters that's, well, pretty darn Gondry-esque.

A cast of little people, giants, roadies, stagehands and one solitary Conan O'Brienwill join the Stripes in their Gondry-helmed video for the song "The Denial Twist." It's the first collaboration between the band and the French auteur since 2003's "The Hardest Button to Button" (see "The Story Behind The White Stripes' 'Hardest Button': Lens Recap"), and their fourth time working together overall.

More Letters to Lisa

Dear Lisa,

While rutting (my new fave word) on my couch, my hands dug into the seam of one of the cushions and I found myself holding one of your tapes in my hand. It's called "Booby booby."

I forgot to thank you for this. I plan on driving to work tomorrow by the White House and play it real loud. I figure the inhabitant could use some cheering up these days and "Booby Booby" is just the song and tape to do it, I think.

You never told me what you think of this new Cameron Diaz movie. I mean Cameron and Shirley MacLaine -- who is slumming more?

Your Friend and Fan,

Jim

Not That I'm Like One of Those Lazy Bloggers Who Just Pass on Press Releases but...

Wooooo!!!! This is about the best band of the '90s!!!! And a fargin' shot glass to boot!

http://www.plexifilm.com

*******************************************************
"GBV...GBV...GBV...GBV...GBV...GBV...GBV..."
*******************************************************

Pre-Order GUIDED BY VOICES: THE ELECTRIFYING
CONCLUSION, save 20% and get a free memorial Shot Glass!

http://stores.musictoday.com/store/dept.asp?dept%5Fid=1414&band%5Fid=503

The final Guided By Voices concert filmed live at The
Metro, Chicago New Years Eve 2004.

4 Hours, 63 Songs and one huge f$#@% bottle of
Champagne...

Watch the trailer:

http://www.plexifilm.com/gbv.high.html

A definitive record of one of the greatest bands in
indie rock, THE ELECTRIFYING CONCLUSION is a chronicle
of the last four hours of GUIDED BY VOICES. The film
captures GUIDED BY VOICES' final concert at Chicago's
Metro on New Year's Eve 2004 - sixty-three songs -
completely uncut. Excitement and nostalgia emanating from
both the band and audience throughout the evening are
captured here in fantastic performances of both
standard GBV tunes and special, seldom-played classics.

The DVD includes over 20 minutes of extras including 4
live songs from 1994 and footage of Bob Pollard
recording demos for Half Smiles of the Decomposed.

In stores on Nov. 15th, but order your copy now, save
20% and get the free shot glass:

http://stores.musictoday.com/store/dept.asp?dept%5Fid=1414&band%5Fid=503

More on J. Freedom Du Lac

Meet WahPo's newest staff writer, I mean music critic...

Here's an unintentionally funny hagio-piece from either The Washingtonian or Washington or whatever welcoming the Post's newest "music critic" J. Freedom Du Lac who covered Sufjan Stevens show this past week:

Post Catching Up to Times
in Battle of Classic Bylines

When it comes to the best bylines, the New York Times has always trumped the Washington Post.

How could the Post compete with Fox Butterfield? Or with Gina Kolata, a name so good it was adopted by a Brooklyn garage band? How do you beat John Noble Wilford? Or the latest high-profile Times writer, Jennifer 8. Lee?

But in hiring J. Freedom du Lac as its pop-music critic, the Post has scored points.

“I kick Jenn 8. Lee’s ass,” he says.

Actually you kick Richard Harrington's sad old ass but that ain't saying much.

The J is for Josh. “Freedom,” he says, “as in ‘just another word for nothing left to lose.’ ” Janis Joplin’s take on the Kris Kristofferson song was an anthem for his parents, who were San Francisco hippies. Says du Lac: “I was born on Haight Street.” As in Haight-Ashbury.

Oh. Gosh. Instant credibility. I take everything back. Janis Joplin (who's claim to fame is rutting, hoarse-voiced singing and dying sorta young) and Kris Kristofferson (who's claim to fame is rutting, hoarse-voiced singing and starring in Convoy).

And then there's Haight-Ashbury ref - how so very rock and roll. Unfortunately, Haight-Asbury was just a gathering place for phonies (not that J.'s parents are that) and most of the real music of the era came out of Berkely but that's no matter.

... Hippy Cred, maaaan, must be what seals the deal.

Du Lac has the gift of being quick and funny and disarming. His polished head, thick glasses, and semicolon of a beard are both organized and edgy. His age?

“I’m just outside the MTV demographic,” says du Lac, 34. “I have too much of an attention span.”

Real quick and funny. Actually, dude - you ARE the MTV demographic. You grew up at a time when it was not so bad. Most music fans under 34 with at leats 1/4 of a brain wouldn't be caught watching it today. Oh and extra points with the NPR hippies for denigrating those damn yoots of today (wave cane and pull pants up above belly button when you say this).

At Lowell High (famous alum: Pierre Salinger), du Lac wrote for the school paper. At Whittier College (famous alum: Richard Nixon), he studied business and covered sports for the school paper.

After graduating in 1993, he interned at the Sacramento Bee. Soon he was writing features full-time. Then the Bee’s music critic moved on.

“I guess they looked around the room, saw me, and thought, ‘You’re young and stupid and will work for free CDs.’ ” At age 23, Josh du Lac became a music critic.

“I don’t pretend to be a musicologist,” he says. He played some clarinet, drums, and sax and took music theory in college, but making music was not a passion. So how did he prepare for the new job?

“I read biographies and critics like Dave Marsh, Lester Bangs, and Greil Marcus and collections of criticism from Rolling Stone,” he says. “I took in as much music as possible.”

Is it possible to snicker and scream into a pillow at the same time? The long dead Lester Bangs is unable to defend himself but he was no critic except when his arm was twisted or he had to make rent money. But Marsh and Marcus who bookend his "reading list" are the worst possible role models a young man could have. Hi, I'm J. Freedom and I want to be a wash-ed up has-been old fart. I'm sure he "took in as much music as possible", too, what between his head polishing, pizza snarfing and shopping for just the right horned rim glasses.

Am I wrong to think that Freedom must have been promoted to this job over Mark Jenkins -- who merely pens a few WahPo show and record reviews each week for the last 20 years and is the City Paper Music Editor and who has actually listened to most of the bands in the "collections of criticism from Rolling Stone" and a few thousand more that RS never heard of or cares about and knows a ton about the local music scene? While I have my differences with Mr. Jenkins, at least he's paid his dues and even has a book or two under his belt. Mark, I feel for ya baby... (although I'd probably be griping about him had he taken this position and I admit I have no idea whether he wants it or not)

He wrote. And won awards, most recently for “O Diva, Where Art Thou?,” a sendup of Celine Dion for promoting shows and failing to appear.

Du Lac’s journalistic model is hip-hop blogger and journalist Jeff Chang, “an intellectually astounding guy.”

First paragraph. Um. Did they just say you wrote an award winning "sendup" of Celine Dion? Does anyone else your age care?

I won't even insult the underwhelming and "intellectually astounding" (not) Jeff Chang (Gen X's new Dave Marsh V 2.0) by continuing to link this goofballaspiring young writer with him. Oops, I just did.

Du Lac’s taste in music runs from old-school soul (Al Green, Sam Cooke) and classic country (Johnny Cash) to late-’90s hip-hop (Public Enemy, Ice Cube) and the latest indie rock (Bright Eyes).

Du Lac’s “guilty pleasure” is listening to Abba’s box set, especially the cuts in Spanish.

A Swedish band crooning en Español? That’s multicultural.

OK, cool, cool... (although after seeing Conor Oberst live, my rating has plummetted). I'm glad he has admitted to actually liking music. So J. Freedom - you got anything important or "intellectually astounding" to say now that you're at one of the top three papers in the country?

Update: I'll hold judgement and just chalk this up to a very bad Washingtonian (or was it Washington or was it Washington Monthly?) puff piece and take Glenn Coolfer's advice to ease up on Mr. Freedom...

Sufjan's show

So, I actually got out and went to a show this Tuesday to see the great Sufjan Stevens and his band play at the 930. Last I saw him was around this time, last year at the Black Cat in which he played to rather loud audience. Oh, what a difference a year makes. The sold-out show/audience was so quiet that the only noise came from the barkeeps throwing what few beer bottles they sold into the trash. He opened with the same song he did last year - the one about all the States - and then did a full contingent of numbers from his latest album. The cheers in between were sometimes annoying, sometimes funny (the Superman cheer was the highlight) and he did a version of the "Star Spangled Banner" that made Francis Scott Key's lyrics sound like something Stevens would write. Highlights was, well everything. Two-song acoustic guitar only encore just like at the Black Cat last year.

minor quibble - the trumpet player was great, on target and on key but his back-up singing often wasn't.

The Post has a rather bad review by their new music/culture staff writer J. Freedom Du Lac. They have much better writers with more extensive knowledge of folk such as Pamela Murray-Winters and Patrick Foster. This Du Lac character really belongs on a paper like the the Prince George's County Gannett paper that comes out three times a week. (I don't have enough information to make this sweeping judgement, I guess)

picture used w/o permission from flickr and rombocket. See all his photos from this gig.

Billy Callahan: He's the fucking bestest

Popmatters does an "email interview" with an either very drunk Bill Callahan or a guy with his tongue firmly in cheek:

PM: What has most influenced the way you tell stories in your songs?

BC: Probably journalism from the likes of A.J. Leibling and songs from the likes of Tom T. Hall. And also Mad Magazine.

PM: A friend and I recently came to the conclusion that you, Stephin Merritt and John Darnielle are the most important songwriters of our generation. How do you feel about this meaningless coronation, and the company it puts you in?

BC: I'd rather be with Lady Sovereign and Joanna Newsom.

Banhart/Cabic form vanity label with Beggars

In the biz for just 30 months, Devendra Banhart and Andy Cabic (Vetiver) are already becoming impressarios like Madonna (for whom it took a couple more years to get her own label).

Their new label is called Gnomonsong and will feature the sounds of Banhart clipping his toenails and Cabic rummaging around in Banhart's drawers.

No, I keed.

The first release will be Jana Hunter's demo tapes. Same difference:

Jana Hunter's Blank Unstaring Heirs of Doom, a collection of early demo recordings, will be released in October. Hunter recently recorded a split LP with Devendra on Troubleman Unlimited and appeared on Golden Apples of the Sun. Banhart says he's known her since his first tour with Entrance, where she opened at the Houston show. "I flipped," he said. "I have admired her music and her heart ever since. Forever now, always, she, truly to me, is the Iggy Pop librarian love machine."

More att neumu

Albini interviewed by Doug Wolk in new MP3 catalog

Steve looks for his 50 free MP3s

Emusic now has a magazine. It features all the yucky rock critics we've been ignoring for years such as J.D. Considslime, Michael "Oh, woe is me and my heroin habit" McGonigal and Richard Gehr (the latter two are also "mp3 bloggers" of sorts). Michael Azzerrad, Nirvana fan, is also the editor.

Emusic also sells MP3s on the side. Unknown whether the first 50 magazines are free and then your credit card gets charged every month for it... here's a clip from their interview with Steve-o wherein he denigrates the very product the "e-magazine" is intending to sell:

"I think MP3s are a tremendous convenience for people who don't listen to music seriously — for people who just want to have music as background music, or for while they're on the Stairmaster or whatever. When I listen to something, I generally want to listen to it in a way that reflects as much as possible what it's supposed to sound like. But if I'm sitting in the office, I might have something playing on the computer speakers. I'm not listening to music seriously in that case — it's like the radio in the kitchen while I'm making breakfast."

Finally, we asked Albini what he's been listening to lately:

"I like that new Pelican record. We did some shows with a band called Call Me Lightning, from Milwaukee, and I thought they were a really good, high-energy rock band. I always like Shannon Wright. I think she's an absolute jewel, and an incredible guitar player. And Michael Dahlquist, the drummer from Silkworm, was killed recently, and I went on a binge of listening to all their old records. Those records were amazing — he was amazing."

Albini interviewed by Doug Wolk in new MP3 catalog

Steve looks for his 50 free MP3s

Emusic now has a magazine. It features all the yucky rock critics we've been ignoring for years such as J.D. Considslime, Michael "Oh, woe is me and my heroin habit" McGonigal and Richard Gehr (the latter two are also "mp3 bloggers" of sorts). Michael Azzerrad, Nirvana fan, is also the editor.

Emusic also sells MP3s on the side. Unknown whether the first 50 magazines are free and then your credit card gets charged every month for it... here's a clip from their interview with Steve-o wherein he denigrates the very product the "e-magazine" is intending to sell:

"I think MP3s are a tremendous convenience for people who don't listen to music seriously — for people who just want to have music as background music, or for while they're on the Stairmaster or whatever. When I listen to something, I generally want to listen to it in a way that reflects as much as possible what it's supposed to sound like. But if I'm sitting in the office, I might have something playing on the computer speakers. I'm not listening to music seriously in that case — it's like the radio in the kitchen while I'm making breakfast."

Finally, we asked Albini what he's been listening to lately:

"I like that new Pelican record. We did some shows with a band called Call Me Lightning, from Milwaukee, and I thought they were a really good, high-energy rock band. I always like Shannon Wright. I think she's an absolute jewel, and an incredible guitar player. And Michael Dahlquist, the drummer from Silkworm, was killed recently, and I went on a binge of listening to all their old records. Those records were amazing — he was amazing."

Flipper, Germs to reunite for one show

... the punk lawn chair circuit begins to form.

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, THE GERMS, DEAD KENNEDYS: More L.A. Show Details Revealed - Sep. 26, 2005

Attention, old-school punk rock fans: SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, THE GERMS, THE DEAD KENNEDYS, MARKY RAMONE and FLIPPER will join forces at the legendary Grand Olympic Auditorium as the "Waking the Dead" show on Saturday, October 29. Doors are at 5:30 p.m.

cost is only $26.00... more at blabbermouth.net

Letters to Lisa

Dear Lisa,

Y'know, I'd watch Sunset Blvd over Blow-Up anyday - the former
being a Hays Code movie and the latter, famously, not.

Children are perverts, eh? You're probably going to need a paragraph
or two to back up that assertion. But then again, most
actors and directors are children if Entourage is to be believed and
most actors and directors are perverts, so they probably would agree.

By the way have you ever tried to make it with one foot on the floor?

Jim

The Latest from Bomp!

Bomp! Records is still going strong via Greg Shaw's wife. Here's some highlights from their latest email.

GOING UNDERGROUND American Punk 1979-1992 book
by George Hurchalla. 315 pages documenting the
major players of American punk/hardcore as well
as some lesser-known bands. Extensive sections
on: Austin, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston,
NewYork, California and Washington DC. This book
is packed with tons of previously unpublished
photos, including BigBoys, Dicks, Circle Jerks,
Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, Zero Boys, Toxic
Reasons, Butthole Surfers, Adrenalin OD and many
more, as well as show flyers and record cover
art. Books/Mags $22


MARS - COMPLETE STUDIO RECORDINGS... ....NYC
1977-1978'. Mars' Complete Studio Recordings is a
hand numbered limited edition one time vinyl
pressing of 1000 copies. Each is housed in a
deluxe imported sparkle paper jacket with a
printed insert and printed inner jacket. This is
an exact replica of the cd edition released last
year."Static transmissions from a distant dark
star. Taking up and tripping out further than the
Velvet Undergrounds "Black Angel Death Song."
Lydia Lunch. IMPORT LP $28

SWELL MAPS - A TRIP TO MARINEVILLE (2LP) Deluxe
package. Limited edition of 1000 copies, 180
gram. vinyl, gatefold jacket, inner jackets with
liner notes, and lots of bonus tracks from the
era not inlcuded on the original record. Project
developed and supervised by Nikki Sudden himself.
IMPORT LP $30

SWELL MAPS - JANE FROM OCCUPIED EUROPE (2LP)
Deluxe package. Limited edition of 1000 copies,
180 gram vinyl, gatefold jacket, additional inner
jackets with liner notes, and lots of bonus
tracks from the era not included on the original
record, and also a bonus 7" EP with 4 songs!
Project developed and supervised by Nikki Sudden
himself. IMPORT LP $30

SYN - THE ORIGINAL SYN Mega in demand album of
previously unissued tracks by this legendary 60s
psych outfit whose members later achieved success
with the world renowned progressive band YES.
Officially sanctioned from the band, containing
all of their Deram singles output PLUS many
killer studio tracks! Superb sleevenotes with
interview with leader Stever Nardelli and many
previously unseen photos. A must for all
collectors of 60s British psychedelia! Limited
edition direct metal mastering pressing of 1000
copies. IMPORT LP $32

------------------------------

BACK IN STOCK
BARRETT, SYD- The Madcap Laughs- Official reish
on cd of masterpiece. Inc. 6 bonus trx. color
bklt. Imp CD $14

CRAMPS Live at Napa State Mental Hospital (MVD)
First time on DVD June 78 free concert at real
looney bin . Rough punk rock material.
inlcudes bonus footage of Crucifix, Flipper,
Toxic Reasons, MDC Crime Throbbing Gristle and
more. A must see! DVD $20

RAMONES- ROCK'N'ROLL HIGH SCHOOL- Special
edition with added extras of this Roger Corman's
all-American cult movie. Feat. the greatest
American band ever: The Ramones DVD $24

Transferrence of Catholic Guilt To Pot Luck Food

Ever have friends over for a pot luck dinner? At the end of the night, their dishes are congealing and the wine has been drunk and they're like, "oh, can we just leave this here; I'm sure you can find someone to eat it." And you're like, "sure" because you feel all guilty that they had to lug all this crap through the Metro because you had to near-sighted foresight to schedule the party on the day of a big demonstration downtown as well as the National book fair and you're feeling all guilty that they couldn't drive and had to lug their stuff through throngs of aged bookworms and wingnuts.... so you say "sure!" as if you are real into it and soon your fridge is stocked with massive stuffed Idaho potatoes, stringy and tough beef briscuit and an unclassifiable white substance with shreds of something inside it (is it coleslaw? is it potatoe salad? is it??).

And is it right or wrong to feel guilty if the first thing you do in the morning is to roll all that refridgerated stuff right into a trashbag and furtively (which is dumb since none of them live here) take it to the trash chute working out excuses just in case they come over today for something and notice all the food gone - I mean should I pat my stomach and say "mmmm" or say, yeah, the desk attendant in the lobby and the janitor and engineer had a big party and wanted to tell you all thanks? Or do I just give them the sad awful truth of, well I would never eat this food in a million years and I'm not going to let it stink up my fridge.

Oh well, I'm gonna keep the beef briscuit at least and make some stew. And they did leave a bottle of Delerium Tremens beer behind.

God I hope none of them know that I have a blog.

PHOTO BY YOURFUTUREEX entitled "Gutted"

cross-posted at drinking and eating

Neat New Stuff From Forced Exposure

A massive update from Avante-Land - here are some of the standouts from my perspective - more can be viewed at:

http://www.forcedexposure.com/new/newindx.html

LUNCH, LYDIA: Willing Victim DVD (ALP 4436DVD) 15.00
"No other artist of the 20th century has fought, forged, punched, and sculpted her own artistic vision in such a uniquely original way. Defying categorization, Lydia Lunch actively has conquered new territories, and has gained international recognition for the innovative quality of her work. She returns on this DVD with her band -- an all-star five piece that includes members of Wilco, Swans, Godflesh, Foetus and Unsane. Together they produce an ambient mood piece that over five movements devolves into a chaotic free jazz apocalypse Willing Victim is a document of a 2003 concert in Graz, Austria, in which the audience plays the whipping boy to Lunch's scathing catharsis, including reworked renditions of Lunch favorites stretching back to the Teenage Jesus years."



TUCKER, ALEXANDER: Old Fog CD (ATPR 015CD) 14.50
Alexander Tucker is a new signing to ATP Recordings and his new full-length album Old Fog illustrates his use of field recordings and tape loops. Tucker began as vocalist in post-rock hardcore five piece Unhome. In late 1999, Tucker went on to tour with Detroit space rockers Fuxa, developing a shambolic approach to acoustic and free-noise electric guitar while beginning to play solo shows using tape loops, detuned guitar, Dictaphones and field recordings processed through FX pedals. In early 2000 Tucker recorded a solo album of acoustic finger-plucking, spooked vocals and psych-electronics, which was picked up by Tom Greenwood of Jackie-O-Motherfucker and released under his U-sound archives label. Old Fog is a delicate and beautiful record that feels like a soundtrack to a winter evening, evoking an eerie feeling that haunts listeners to seek more. His commanding performance as a musician has led to invitations to play guest guitar slots with the likes of Jackie-O Motherfucker, Sunn0))) and Bardo Pond. His solo live shows are also a powerful document -- Tucker shows that playing alone with a 4-track can sometimes be more effective than many live bands offer



TIMEOUT DRAWER, THE: The Exorcist 7" (CRL 013EP) 4.00
"'The Exorcist' is The Timeout Drawer's rendition of Mike Oldfield's theme from his classic record, Tubular Bells. Through a hissing snakepit of subtle guitar noise, the band's signature Moog filters in the melody that's haunted you since childhood. Before you can reach your defenses, you're assaulted by a wall of sound. Oldfield never imagined this section of his music could be interpreted so brutally."

Artist:	VA
Title:	American Primitive Vol.1: Raw Pre-War Gospel (1926-36)
Label:	REVENANT
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.00
Catalog #:	RVN 206CD

Repressed. Subtitled Pre-War Gospel (1926-36). "26 High intensity/low varnish killers by: Charley Patton, Rev. I.B. Ware, Booker White, William & Versey Smith, Blind Willie Davis, Frank Palmes, Bo Weavil Jackson, Elder Otis Jones, Rev. Edward Clayborn, Blind Roosevelt Graves, Austin Coleman, Blind Joe Taggart, Eddie Head and Family, Dennis Crumpton and Robert Summers, Luther Magby, Jaybird Coleman, A.C. Forehand and Blind Mamie Forehand. The definitive WORD in sacred street music, culled and remastered from the collections of Gayle Dean Wardlow and John Fahey."

Artist:	TIMES NEW VIKING
Title:	Dig Yourself
Label:	SILTBREEZE
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.00
Catalog #:	SILT 101CD

"What you have here is a collection of songs found on the various shrine cassettes. They've all been lovingly fucked with by Mr. Mike Rep, (the man behind the lo-fi genius of Guided By Voices' 'Propeller' and 'Get Out Of My Stations' among other things) and as the old saying goes 'the proof is in the pudding.' TNV successfully skirt the current homogenization of the rock press pigeonhole. Neither are they new-weird-America, nor are they newnoise-underground. I suspect Times New Viking are at the forefront of a new, yet-to-be defined movement."

Artist:	UNKNOWN INSTRUCTORS
Title:	The Way Things Work
Label:	SMOG VEIL
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	SV 056CD

"The Unknown Instructors are Joe Baiza (Saccharine Trust, Universal Congress Of) on guitar, George Hurley and Mike Watt (Minutemen, fIREHOSE) on drums and bass, and Dan McGuire on vocals. Keeping it all in the family, Saccharine Trust front man Jack Brewer also makes a rousing appearance. The Way Things Work, their Smog Veil debut, features 15 tracks of improvisational poetry rock rooted in the space-is-the-place gospel according to Sun Ra, but its branches extend far enough to brush up against the edges of MC5-styled free-rock, Hendrix-esque melodic unraveling and set pieces that merge the lit-noir duskiness of Jim Thompson with the from-the-gutter reportage of Charles Baudelaire. A sense of bleakness and beauty entwined permeates McGuire's tales of drunkenness and cruelty, his travelogues from the darkest corners of the psyche -- all of which are buttressed by a passel of head-swiveling musical ideas."

This Week's New Stuff (Darla)

Here are some interested releases from the Darla weekly newsletter (forgive the formatting but because Darla's email is so big, it gets cut off in Googlemail and I have to use a badly formatted version) - see these new releases and more here (not I don't receive promos or any sort of compensation from Darla - I'm jest a conthumer, like you, maybe):

BLACK MOTH SUPER RAINBOW	Lost Picking Flowers In The Woods	lp	$8.70
Graveface 643157369394. BMSR are back with another mind-bending record of child-like electronica that's warm and fuzzy all over and makes you feel the same. The usual superb melodies, warped and woozy sounds, and vocoder vocals. This has one bonus track not available on the CD version (which isn't due out til 2006). And complete with a nice chocolate ice cream scoop face on the cover. Vinyl limited to 500 copies.

CHRISTELLE DELANEY	Delaney	cd	$12.00
Pehr 676347701926. Delaney is 33 year old Parisienne Christelle Delaney. She sings with a beautifully detached voice, accompanied by her acoustic guitar or a backing rock band. She sings mainly in French but several of her songs are in English. Pehr is releasing her first and only album in the US, and she is currently recording a new album. "Singing in a deep, distant voice reminiscent of Nico ... easily some of the best progressive French pop we've heard in years" [highest rating] � Lmnop �Similar in tone to Stereolab's Laeticia Sadier � with the intimate quality of someone singing a lullaby � her words glide over the music and through the speakers, seeping into surrounding walls like clouds of smoke � somber yet enticing� � The People�s Dance Party �subtle, dreamy and folk-inflected � seductive � a muted PJ Harvey� - Leonard's Lair �Delaney sings sultry french pop songs but there is a underlying element of sadness underneath� nico-ish� � Pale Bear "Delaney has a curious capacity for seduction." -Netmusik "Elegance... the memory of cat power... amazing first album" - Green Ufos "There is a sadness right through this disc but also the will to move and advance... it's something rare... touching and sufficiently mysterious to be attaching, a crossing between Edith Frost and PJ Harvey" � Matamore �Like PJ Harvey on barbituates� timid yet sinister� this opaque opus recalls a bottle in the sea� � Octopus �An excellent record requiring an acute sense of hearing� � Blah Blah

BODUF SONGS	s/t	cd	$10.80
Kranky 796441808526. Boduf Songsis Mat Sweet, who lives in Southampton, England. He recorded some songs for kranky as demos in early 2005 at home with an acoustic guitar, some cymbals, violin bow, toy piano, manipulated field recordings, and a computer. With less than ideal equipment and under less than ideal conditions, he created songs with memorable melodies, artful arrangements and carefully placed effects that lend an air of surrealism to the album. The recordings made such an impact on kranky that we decided to release them as is rather than having Mat re-record the songs, and possibly lose any of the immediacy and intimacy that make them so engaging. Deceptively low key, Boduf Songs skirts between singer-songwriter, psychedelic, home recorder and folk modes, bringing an obtuse, angular minimalism to these forms. Listening to this music visions of a beautiful spring day in an English meadow come to mind. With death keeping a close and watchful eye from behind a nearby tree. Mat Sweet will be recording a new Boduf Songs album for kranky this summer and fall under more ideal recording conditions.

CHRISTINA CARTER & ANDREW MACGREGOR / MY CAT IS AN ALIEN	The Earth To The Spheres v.4	cd	$14.75
Very Friendly (UK) The fourth volume of the �From the earth to the Spheres� series, set up by Italy�s My Cat Is An Alien, sees the American queen of psyche-free-folk music Christina Carter (Charalambides, Scorces), here at her debut as the new duo-project together with Andrew MacGregor (Gown). The title of their piece, �We know when we are thinking about each other�, gives an idea of the intimate mood which envelops their two guitars� minimal tunes, made of reiterate single notes which recall Christina�s last masterpieces as Scorces and Charalambides; her harsh yet warm plucking at the strings and her fascinating vocals, accompanied by Andrew�s bass guitar chords and singing, sound as if the listener was called to witness the secret dialogues between two distant lovers� hearts. The title of MCIAA�s track, �The circle of life & death�, fits as ever before Roberto�s cover painting, where the dark imprints left by a white leaf on the acrylic-colored wooden surface create a circle-like representation of life and death. As the violet color recalls transcendence indeed, so do the opening floating-guitar tunes and Roberto�s wordless-vocal hymn: this is probably the most melodic piece in all MCIAA�s career to date, since the musical texture represents a new starting point from which their space guitar sounds can develop. The piece moving into a sort of Wagnerian epic crescendo, a raging storm of space fragments from beyond the Solar system will imbue the Earth with a blinding light, before everything collapses into the darkness of the Cosmos

COMES WITH A SMILE	Issue 19, Autumn 2005	magazine + cd	$9.99
Comes With A Smile (UK) 0744700415319. CD features: 1. Espers - Firefly Refrain 2. Picastro - Shorter Hard 3. Richard Buckner - Pull (live on RCF, France May 2003) 4. Sleater-Kinney - Entertain (live on XFM, UK April 2005) 5. The American Analog Set - Everything Ends In Spring (edit) 6. Aaron Stout - The Ballad of Mr Lamatta 7. Marissa Nadler - Flora Barone, Queen of the Vaudeville Throne 8. Four Tet - Both When I'm Alone and We Both Are 9. Tremulous Monk - Tea Hippy 10. Laura Veirs - Flotsam 'n' Jetsam 11. David Eugene Edwards - Nobody 'Cept You 12. Vetiver (featuring Hairy Fairy) - You May Be Blue (live at Les Vieilles Charrue, Brittany July 2005) 13. colleen - The Zither Song 14. Laura Cantrell - Hammer and Nails 15. Pacific Ocean Fire - My Drinking Days Are Done 16. Maria Taylor - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face 17. Frank Black - Atlantis Some CD insights: 12 of the tracks are exclusive to this release, the remaining 5 can be classified as "rare", "hard to find" or "sufficiently different to qualify as exclusive if we weren't so exacting in our definition of what constitutes 'previously unreleased' so as not to disappoint hardcore collectors." The Espers track also appears on the CD accompanying the June/July '05 edition of the US magazine, The Believer, in slightly edited form and The Picastro song featured on a very limited edition--and out of print--compilation on Canadian label Antiantenna Records. The American Analog Set track will appear in extended form on their forthcoming vinyl-only, tour-only EP and The Four Tet track was previously available on a split 7" --both tracks appear here on CD for the first time. David Eugene Edwards' track is sourced (and carefully re-mastered) from the 16HP DVD and the colleen track will feature on a 500 copy only limited edition CD from Staalplaat Records out in September. The CD includes 5 cover versions--Espers cover Fursaxa, David Eugene Edwards covers Bob Dylan, Laura Cantrell covers The Schramms, Maria Taylor covers Ewan McColl (although the song was most famously recorded by Roberta Flack back in 1972), and Frank Black covers Donovan. There are some impressive guests helping out on tracks by American Analog Set (Matt Pond on backing vocals), Vetiver (Hairy Fairy AKA Devendra Banhart and his band), Laura Cantrell (Calexico and friends) and Frank Black (musicians featured on his current album including Spooner Oldham, Anton Fig and Steve Cropper, plus a spoken word intro by political satirist / author / comedian Al Franken). Interviews: The American Analog Set, Frank Black, Richard Buckner, Laura Cantrell, colleen, David Eugene Edwards, Espers, Four Tet, Magnolia Electric Co., Marissa Nadler, Sleater-Kinney, Smog, Maria Taylor, Tremulous Monk, Laura Veirs, and Vetiver.

FEATHERS	Absolute Noon	cd ep	$7.40
Hometapes Restock. Feathers is Eddie Alonso, Matt Crum, and Eric Rasco. All natives of bustling Miami, they rose from bands and personal endeavors to join musical forces. A natural chemistry quickly developed between them, focusing on an earnest diligence to sonic detail and an almost religious fervency to uphold quality in structure and melody. Feathers' songwriting quest has led them to this exciting result: Absolute Noon. Dense and curiously orchestrated, Feathers arrives with soaring strings, a possessed flute, and persistent brass to the backdrop of electric harpsichord, farfisa organ, electric sitar, and jaunty electronic processes and ruminations. Nothing is out of stylistic question, from nostalgic tones to experimental whips and twirls; a persistence of impersistence bringing with it a level of whimsy likely absent to the disillusioned modern ear. Feathers effortlessly creates a kaleidoscopic menagerie of sounds and moods that are the sonic equivalence of fiftycent words ike "kaleidoscopic," and "menagerie." Their complex arrangements demanded perfection, leading the Miami trio to Chicago's Soma Electronic Music Studios and to seasoned veterans Mike Jorgensen (Wilco) and John McEntire (Tortoise) for engineering expertise and additional instrumentation. They welcomed some of Chicago's finest studio musicians to the dialogue, including Fred Lonberg-Holm (Jim O'Rourke, Terminal 4, etc.) on cello, Paul Mertens (Brian Wilson's Smile) on flute, bass clarinet, and bass harmonica, and Jeb Bishop (The Vandermark Five) on trombone. Absolute Noon is nothing if not finely crafted. Alonso, Crum, and Rasco have created a musical eruption. Feathers has chosen the route of triple EP to debut their unique musical stylings to the world. Absolute Noon marks the first chapter and Synchromy, the second chapter, is currently being recorded in Miami and Chicago; Synchromy is due for release in late Fall 2005. Their third and currently untitled chapter will be released in Spring 2006. Absolute Noon features artwork by Typestereo, creator of Miami's infamous Battlezine. The record comes packaged in a beautiful, deluxe letterpress case printed by Portland�s Stumptown Printers.

v/a	EXOTIC BEATLES v.2	cd	$12.99
Exotica (UK) 30 Tracks including: Arthur Mullard's cockney Yesterday - The Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da Polka - Japanese a cappella Hard Days Night - A Redneck, Hillbilly version of Let It Be - Psychedelic Nowhere Man - A nursery version of I Am The Walrus and a 1920's style Hey Jude...the cast list includes Frank Sidebottom - Maurice Chevalier - Lol Coxhill - Mae West - Ron Geesin - Brian Sewell - The Beatle Barkers - Ena Baga - The Squirrels - Johnny Prytko and The Connecticut Hi-Tones and Professor Stanley Unwin amongst others. "This has to be the definitive Beatles album" Melody Maker "As inexplicably brilliant as it is totally obscure" Select "Forget The Beatles...this is the album you should be getting for Christmas" Record Collector "Sleeve of the year, no contest" The Independent.

Rockabilly Name

Per Steve Albini:

Your Rockabilly Name is your first car and the tools of your trade. Or you can pick another car, if it sounds better, but it must have been your car.

My Rockabilly names:

Mike Bobcat
Bobcat Mic ...

So that would make me Vega Powerpoint?! Sounds more like my Snowcrash name.

What's your Rockabilly name (or conversely) your Snowcrash name.

Another thing for insomniacs to do...

http://www.concretetv.com/

Jay Hinman on Gun Club reprinted

Hinman's PSF piece on Jeffy and the Guns that are in a club from 2002 has shown up on the web... or at least I hadn't noticed it before...

Here's a preview from this fanzine masterpiece:

What makes Fire Of Love such a brilliant listen long after its time is the fact that this blatant homage to the blues was amplified, energized and kicked into overdrive - yet not in the way that, say, The Yardbirds or Led Zeppelin did it, but in a new style that combined the ghostliness of the original model with a FAST, unwound and supremely energetic beat. The band had a studio magic that was tight & controlled in all the right places, yet loose and wild as a general rule. Ward Dotson joined Greg Ginn and Karl Precoda as one of LA's early '80's gutter-circuit guitar heroes, with each man bringing a totally unique slant to his instrument. Dotson attacked the guitar with each rise in tempo, all the while keeping the sound harmonious with the desired mood. Usually this mood was pretty bleak (but crazed), and harkened to moonlit, fevered nights that spoke of sex, voodoo and imminent violence. His guitar pinnacle is on the album's second track, "Preaching The Blues". Dotson's histrionics sputter and flame out of control, only to be reigned in and tamed by the slide jammed onto his middle finger. And when Pierce plays his rare slide over a berserk Dotson riff, the effect is pretty much a yin-and-yang point-counterpoint. Quite a sound, and you didn't have to be an unabashed blues hound or a drunken punker to get it.">

John Peel Tribute Includes PJ, Jeff Beck and, unfortunately, Billy Bragg

Punknews.org reports:

The BBC is reporting on an upcoming tribute to the late John Peel. The double album is due out October 17th, shortly after BBC Radio's John Peel day. Tracks on the CD will span Peel's whole career, from Pink Floyd and The Doors to The Ramones, The Clash, Joy Division, New Order and The Undertones. Recent artists donating tracks include PJ Harvey, Pulp, Belle & Sebastian, Super Furry Animals and Orbital. Of note is that Jeff Beck, New Order's Peter Hook and The Futureheads will also record a cover version of The Buzzcocks' "Ever Fallen In Love" as a tribute single to be released seperately from the compilation.

Full tracklisting is at the link...

Top 10 Things To Do During Insomnia

Nope, I'm not writing the Great American Novel or writing songs or even ripping vinyl... instead I

10. Play computer solitare
9. Listless masturbation
8. Play computer hearts
7. Watch Adult Swim
6. Watch AMC when Japanese Anime is on Adult Swim
5. Zombie websurfing
4. Stare mindlessly into space
3. Take flash pictures of darkened spaces in apartment
2. Purposely make noise to wake others up so they can join you
1. Find the perfect sleeping position (for two hours)

Akron/Family Cult Continues to Grow

Another believer reports:

It's hard to know what to do with Akron/Family, given that they're trying things live (and on record) that absolutely no one else is doing. The closest experience I can imagine to this one would have been seeing MC5 at their peak, only not at their peak, but at the peak I imagine for them. You know, when audience members screamed themselves hoarse and then smashed Detroit as they fell in love on the way home.

iPod Nano Brain Freeze

I just got it in the mail. It. is. awesome.

Sound response / amplifier equals that of the Shuffle but now you know what frackin' songs are playing. Flash memory rules - no skippin' or hiccups when exercising. I've adapted a plastic ID holder by razoring a hole in it to match the wheel ... and then attached it to a lanyard a la the Shuffle to wear around my neck. Sure it looks a little silly but it works for hitting the treadmill.

Sell all your other MP3 players. This is the shit.

Apple.com/ipodnano

So How Badly Will Hollywood Screw This One Up?

Neil Gaiman's Death to be made into a movie... given the asshatted mismatch of Keanu Reeves as Constantine, I'm think, oh, Kirstie Alley will get the Death role?

CABridges writes: "According to an interview with Sci-Fi Wire, Shia LaBeouf ("Constantine") is working with writer Neil Gaiman on a movie version of "Death," from Gaiman's wildly susccessful "Sandman" comic series.

More at Rotten Tomatoes

The Key To Dev's Heart

If you're a little boy or girl wantin' to hook up with Dev B, you might want to bring along some cheese and beer:

Recently, Banhart did something that seems, from a distance, out of character: he let one of his songs, "At the Hop" ("Put me on your plate/ 'cause you know I taste great"), be used in an advert for Cathedral City cheddar. Did he need the money? The publicity? Or was he just monkeying about? His answer, at least, has more cheek than cheese about it. "Well, I love that cheese," he says. "I grew up eating that cheese. It changed my life, you know? The song was written by me and Andy Cabic, and we thought, this is ours, let's use it for commercials. It got used for a beer commercial and we got some free beer. And we love beer. So, they asked for a cheese commercial and we thought, let's get some cheese. Had to buy another fridge for all that cheese and beer. Next up we got bread, napkins, forks, a house commercial, then a car commercial... and then a party!"

Kevin Harley's Independent interview with the boy-man also includes this quip:

Asked why this "wyrd" folk scene has re-emerged to acclaim for the first time since the late Sixties, he is sufficiently self-aware to quip: "Oh, we're a corporate strategy - we were groomed to do this. My beard isn't real. I can't wait to get out of these nasty Seventies rags. I'm more a cargo-shorts-and-Hawaiian-shirt kind of man. And this," he says, pulling on his hair, "is a strap-on ponytail."

I'm the first to link to it!

I'm Oscar

Looters (I'm sorry, Scavengers) Apparently No Fan of Country 'Tang

New Orleans Wal-Mart did a damage assessment this week:

"They took everything — all the electronics, the food, the bikes," said John Stonaker, a Wal-Mart security officer. "People left their old clothes on the floor when they took new ones. The only thing left are the country-and-western CDs. You can still get a Shania Twain album."

If the store had not been looted, it could be open in two weeks, Stonaker said. Now he doubts it will be open by January. "They'll have to gut it and start over," he said.

photo by jerry daykin via flickr

Looking For a Jack With a Microscope

TOP 40 CHARTS REPORTS:

NEW YORK (ALR) - AMERICAN LAUNDROMAT RECORDS (ALR) and FACE DOWN RECORDS (FDR) are proud to announce PIXIES frontman, and indie rock cult hero, Frank Black will cover IGGY POP's 'REPO MAN' for their upcoming tribute CD, HIGH SCHOOL REUNION. The tribute will also feature artists Matthew Sweet, John P. Strohm (Blake Babies, Lemonheads), Kristin Hersh (Throwing Muses), The Caulfield Sisters, and many more covering songs from some of the 80's most popular teen films. The release date, which was originally scheduled for mid-October, has been pushed back to November 23rd to accommodate some of the artist's busy schedules.

read the rest here....

This Weeks Booty from FE

Some Grubbs-related releases, the Sunburned Hand Dub-LP (with Alaskan wedding pictures), a Xiu Xiu collab and live Fall 1980 top the Forced Exposure's release bag this week:



BASTRO: Antlers: Live 1991 CD (BC 14CD) 13.50
This CD was once rare and illegal, now it's common and freely available. "During the final year of their existence, Bastro was the power trio of Bundy K. Brown, John McEntire, and David Grubbs. Antlers is an attempt to represent what Bastro was doing in 1991. It represents a period in which Bastro seemed to be changing from show to show, playing intricately constructed instrumentals with utter abandon. Many of these instrumental pieces later morphed into Gastr del Sol songs. Compositions were in flux, with the band soon to follow. These are among its final recordings, but they sound less like death throes than chin scratchings and chargings onward. Antlers consists of cassette recordings made by audience members. It has a rough, blasting-at-you quality that perfectly suits these headlong performances. This enhanced CD also includes live footage of the group in Germany and Holland during their final tour."



HOWE & DAVID GRUBBS, SUSAN: Thiefth CD (BC 15CD) 13.50
"Thiefth is the first collaboration between poet Susan Howe and musician David Grubbs. The two were brought together when the Fondation Cartier in Paris proposed a collaborative performance. Grubbs had been an ardent reader of Howe's for more than a decade, and the opportunity to work with Howe's poetry and her voice immediately intrigued. In late 2003, the two set about to create performance versions of 'Thorow' and 'Melville's Marginalia,' two of Howe's longer poems. Drawing from the journals and letters of Sir William Johnson and Henry David Thoreau, 'Thorow' evokes the winter landscape around Lake George in upstate New York and the historical violence of our national identity. Howe and Grubbs engage the lake's icy surface as well as the voices that haunt the unseen world beneath. 'Melville's Marginalia' explores Herman Melville's notations in books he owned and loved -- marginalia in which he sometimes argued with the authors. Grubbs brings together a diverse collection of sound sources, referencing Charles Ives' Concord Sonata, Howe's splitting of words, melting snow, and flight patterns overhead. Grubbs began his efforts by recording Howe's reading of the poem and eliciting contributions from Swedish reed player Mats Gustafsson and Greek cellist Nikos Veliotis."



FALL, THE: Live in London 1980 LP (EAR 307LP) 16.00
"Originally released in 1982 by Chaos Tapes in a limited edition of 4000 copies, the soon impossible-to-find live tape captured all the unpolished energy of a post-Grotesque / pre-Hex Fall, becoming one of their most legendary live performances. Now fully remastered and released on vinyl for all you discerning retro audiophiles."




SUNBURNED HAND OF THE MAN, THE: Wedlock 2LP (ECLIP SHM2) 22.00
"Wedlock captures Sunburned in its 2003 suit when they took it to the West Coast to tour their way up to Wasilla, Alaska to attend and perform at Paul & Val's wedding on the longest day of the year, June 21, 2003. Under the bright midnight sun, Sunburned recorded this document, a testament to irony, omnipotence, moisture, pain, and the weight. Come and dine at this one, clear table. Double LP. September 2005 release taken from recordings in Alaska on the Summer Solstice. Features a beautifully designed heavy duty gatefold sleeve with two inserts featuring many photos from the trip to Alaska as well as some pictures from Northern California from the same tour."



XXL: Ciautistico! CD (IMPREC 065CD) 13.00
"Ciautistico! is the debut album from XXL (Xiu Xiu Larsen), a collaboration between the Italian experimental cult band Larsen and James Stewart's mutated-pop project Xiu Xiu. Both groups consider their joint creative clash as a new band in itself more than just an occasional collaboration. Edited out of long and intense jam sessions the sound of Ciautistico! is totally schizophrenic, swinging between orchestrated pop songs, almost-techno beats and minimalistic droning tracks, but framed into a common melancholic mood and fronted by the inimitable James Stewart."

Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio?

Marky Ramone has joined the Sirius satellite radio family as host of "Marky Ramone's Punk Rock Blitzkrieg." The two-hour show will premiere Oct. 4 on the channel Faction 28.

"I've certainly been a radio guest many times, but now I get to do something I've always wanted to do -- be a radio DJ," the former Ramones drummer says. "I'm going to play the music I love."

-- Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y.

clipped from Billboard

Letters to Lisa #3

Dear Lisa,

That's a good idea - making a response record. But why just stop at making a one-song response - why not go after a whole album? Since LL Cool J isn't around anymore, here are potential response record titles that're more contemporary.

Really, really late registration (Kanye)
Come on, Killinoise (Sufjan)
Arcade Misfire
Bloc Potty
Clap your Hands, Say Shut The Fuck Up
The Mascara (50 cent)

Yrs,

Jim

Watt Makes a Man Play Jazz?

Mike Watt is going to play the Monterey Jazz Festival. Will he arrive in a van?

Banyan was founded by Stephen Perkins, drummer for the post-punk progressive rock bands Jane’s Addiction and Porno for Pyros. Perkins’ bandmates for the MJF gig include Mike Watt (an LA-based punk rock bassist still revered for his work with the bands Minutemen and fIREHOSE), Nels Cline (a longtime avant-garde jazz and rock guitarist who has recently joined the alt-country band Wilco), and trumpeter Willie Waldman (who has recorded with rap icons Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, and Xzibit). While these credentials may not sound like your typical MJF players, the music they are playing is undeniably jazz.

... "There is no one more punk-rock than Mike Watt, and his style is very proud, melodic and aggressive, yet entirely unpretentious. He has a great spirit that comes flying out of his bass.

Banyan page on the MJF website

Ancient Videos

WFMU has some movies of Syd Barrett with Pink Floyd - among other things (Joy Division, Sun Ra). The Clip:

Here is a video of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd performing Jugband Blues, sort of his farewell song from their album Saucerful of Secrets. Not sure where this came from, but it's clearly been transferred from film. The sounds is good, but why does that sousaphone sound like a kazoo? Actually, the horn moments appear to be spliced in, and the rest of the film seems to include an actual performance. Download video (mpeg file)

njoy....

Insound New Releases

here's some CDs I'm considering - any opinions?

ARIZONA AMP AND ALTERNATOR 'Arizona Amp and Alternator' (Thrill Jockey)
Howe Gelb of Giant Sand call pulls out an all-star cast to put this record together. Recorded in Denmark and Modesto with contributions from M. Ward, the boys from Grandaddy, Scout Niblett, Danish chanteuse Marie Frank, and Jeremy Gara (Arcade Fire).

BLOC PARTY 'Silent Alarm Remixed ' (Vice Records)
This is a track-by-track remix of the band's debut. Highlights include remixes by Ladytron, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Mogwai, M83, and Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs). The first 15,000 of the US edition will contain a bonus CD with three b-sides of non-album tracks, acoustic versions of the album track "Plans", and the b-side "Storm And Stress".

	CATFISH HAVEN 'Good Friends' (Catfish Haven)
	Get in on this band now. Catfish Haven is the trailer park in Missouri where singer/songwriter/guitarist, George Hunter, grew up. Catfish Haven the band currently resides in Chicago, Illinois where they create soulful howling music over an acoustic guitar turned way up. Resurrecting the spirit of Otis Redding and tapping into the vein of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Catfish Haven's music is imbued by hopeful yearning for better days echoed through amps and a drum kit.

MAKE BELIEVE 'Shock of Being' (Polyvinyl)
VINYL FORMAT. Joan Of Arc has had many members come and go. In 2003, they toured as a four-piece for several months, then returned to Chicago and decided to form Make Believe. This is their debut, recorded by Steve Albini. They've toured nationally with Hella, mewithoutyou, The Good Life, and The Paper Chase.

Feral sounds have been corralled and turned beasts of burden to the will of our trinity, the musical experimenters, Old Time Relijun. On 2012, recorded with Calvin Johnson at Dub Narcotic studio, bandmates Arrington de Dionyso, Aaron Hartman and Jamie Peterson continue the exploration of the subconscious iconography begun with Lost Light. The cacophony of 2012 extends down dimly lit paths and discovers jocular illumination in the darkest places of our psyche, and ultimately, a hand held catharsis. Some of ... [ read more ]

Letters to Lisa #2

Dear Lisa,

Alas, I can't make it. Even for the free booze. I like the idea of the "six dark-haired gals all peeing, neatly, in a row," though - maybe you could dress them like the chicks in those Robert Palmer videos and give each of them an electric guitar. You know the girls with the eyeliner and slicked back hair so they all looked kinda alike. They would all come out the stage and plug in the guitars to amps as if they are going to give a truly awesome concert and then the drummer counts out "1 - 2 - 3 - 4" ... and ... anchors aweigh.

Martha Stewart. What a fucking pig.

Cheers,

Jim

Do the Zombie

Stubbs the Zombie looks to be the game of the year, or maybe the 2nd half of the year (hello GTA: SA).

It's soundtrack will consist of contemporary bands doing 50's covers:

The soundtrack includes performances by Ben Kweller, The Raveonettes performing My Boyfriend's Back, and Cake doing a take on Strangers in the Night. Other performers include: Rogue Wave (Everyday), Death Cab for Cutie (Earth Angel), The Dandy Warhols (All I Have to Do Is Dream), Oranger (Mr. Sandman), The Walkmen (There Goes My Baby), The Flaming Lips (If I Only Had a Brain), Clem Snide (Tears on My Pillow), Rose Hill Drive (Shakin' All Over), Milton Mapes (Lonesome Town), and Phantom Planet doing The Living Dead. All of these songs you are probably familiar with, except for the last one, The Living Dead, which is an original tune.

more at InsideMacGames.com here

:-( -- Uncommon Folk On Hiatus...

Bummer...

Unfortunately, Uncommon Folk is going on an extended
hiatus and may not come back. What the distant future
holds I do not know but what the future right now holds
is me not being able to give proper time to the
website and going through some massive personal and
financial trouble. So, if you were planning on sending any
records please do not at this time. Maybe Uncommon Folk
will be back one day but that all depends on the wind
and how it blows. I am trying to salvage the
compilation and will keep everyone posted on that. Much love and
PEACE to everyone. You have all been amazing and have
brought great things into my life and I hope Uncommon
Folk did the same for you. Take care,

Josh Honn

Things To Do On Sunday Night Between 830 and 900

Anyone see The War At Home last night on Fox? If you watch the Simpsons and Family Guy you had to sit through this. It's horrifically bad - like watching a train wreck in slow excrutiating slow motion.

Here are things to do for those lost 30 minutes:

- Change the sheets on your bed - they're awful!
- Clean your oven of all the lasagna splatters
- Rip a DOA LP to digital for your Best Hardcore Ever iTunes playlist
- Summon a demon from the depths of Hell
- 20 Minute phone "stimulation" call (allow 10 minutes for fluffing and cleanup)
- Write a letter to Fox demanding that the Best of Cops: Dirty Girls on Crack be aired instead
- Write a letter to Pat Robertson about this show so he can order a hit on Michael Rappaport
- Off some gang members in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Call up Mom and Dad to request a loan for a $4k Alienware game computer
- Send spam to Michael Rappaport offering to sell him a new soul

Sonic Youth - Boredoms Hybrid Group Playing in Japan

Thurston Moore and Jim O'Rourke have a new side project!

From a Japan Times online article:

For two shows, [The Evens will] be joined by Blind Beast, an improvisational noise-rock supergroup made up of Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, producer-musician Jim O'Rourke and Osaka's own Yoshimi, the drummer for The Boredoms.

Since Blind Beast have not released any albums, nobody knows what they sound like, but that may be the point. Like discovering an unheard-of gem in a used record bin, the main thrill of seeing them live will be the shock of delight at stumbling upon the unknown.

Blind Beast is also a three-character Japanese horror movie. Here's the synopsis from KFC CINEMA:

Story: Michio, a blind sculptor, takes interest in a young model named Aki when he hears of her stunning body and inspects an art exhibit featuring photographs and a sculpture of the beauty. Disguised as her masseuse, he enters her apartment and kidnaps her with help from his mother. Aki is then dropped into a hell of art and lust while locked in his studio as his ultimate model, facing new depths of human behavior.