Here at THE VINYL DISTRICTwe're good consumers. All Mp3's are posted to promote and give exposure to the music and are linked for a limited time. Please download to preview, then head promptly to your local vinyl vendor (or - OK, CD store too) and fork over your hard earned cash. You'll appreciate the piece of mind.
Got something you think we should be listening to or reading? thevinyldistrict (at) gmail.com
The truth is we thought about actually posting the lengthy email exchange—the pixelated hoops and hurdles—it took to set this feature up. It was that protracted and convoluted that it became art unto itself—a marvel at generating content before the content.
So, it will be that much more of an event as The Caribbean,Twins of a Gazelle, and Bluebrain'sRyan Holladay converge for a free-for all at Velvet Lounge this Friday night. You'll be there? Right - I thought so.
In the free for all spirit, we asked Ryan to choose a few tracks and blindly bounce them off The Caribbean's Michael Kentoff, Twins of a Gazelle's Dave Mann, and myself and let a four-way G-Mail chat ensue. (We were going to try to guess the tracks as well - but ah, that fell apart.)
Despite the emails to coordinate this lil round table perhaps being a bit more compelling, our gee-let's-chat is posted below for your scrolling insanity and by way of inducing you out this Friday night for what's certain to be a great evening of music.
We're sweetening the pot too—we've got a pair of tickets for one winner who responds to any of the myriad of topics we stumbled over this past Easter Sunday which was oddly the one day we were able to pull this off.
Leave your comment—with email contact info!— and we'll notify the winner by noon on Friday, 4/9.
And uh, we're off:
thevinyldistrict:You've been invited to this chat room! dcbooking: nice! thevinyldistrict: this is my first 4-way rholladay:sweet! thevinyldistrict:be gentile dcbooking: hahah. no leather here rholladay:this is actually working! michael: Hey! rholladay:Michael your name comes up as "The" ha! dcbooking: The SITUATION ha michael: The Michael or just The? rholladay:just The michael: Must be b/c thecaribbeanisaband.com is the email it's keyed to. Dunno. dcbooking: lets do this gents!!! rholladay:cool. Alright, well It's great to finally chat with you all at once thevinyldistrict: ha - yes dcbooking: indeed rholladay:I'm gonna kick this off by sharing a song with you all michael: Yeah. Glad you're able to join, Dave. rholladay:and just leave it open for your reaction. michael: down thevinyldistrict: shoot rholladay:
michael: I remember this well. I would have actually gotten this one! rholladay:I wanted to start it off with this track because, well, I hadn't listened to it until recently and this record was a big deal for me....but I never ever talk about it with other musicians. Maybe James are not actually cool? dcbooking: i felt like such a bloke when i head this one for the first time :) rholladay:(correction: hadn't listened to it again until recently) thevinyldistrict: i never got james...is it me? michael: I never really in for James, but I always like that they were a band called James. rholladay:Ha! I dont think so, Jon. You aren't alone. thevinyldistrict: my band 'brian' never took off either. rholladay:Ha, Jon. dcbooking: yeah, i bought this album for this song (like many albums bought in the 90s) but i don't remember any of their other songs. michael: I don't if us not liking them makes them uncool. rholladay:But I feel like they came along at a time when falsetto singing was very cool and appealed to me. Like when I first heard "Fake Plastic Trees." michael: GOD -- I keep leaving words out! dcbooking: yeah.....is there a chorus to this song or is it that falsetto part? i hear one progression. michael: The man can fucking yodel! rholladay:Yeah, I think the chorus is the falsetto part. Yeah, he certainly has a voice! dcbooking: i'm writing a falsetto chorus for friday's show! rholladay:What were you guys listening to at this point? Mid-nineties that is...
michael: I do like the fact that he refers to his therapist, but it still isn't enough to make me like James. thevinyldistrict: Supergrass... rholladay:Supergrass. Nice! dcbooking: you guys can sing harmony with me...i'd like some bass to back me up pls. michael: American Music Club, My Bloody Valentine. dcbooking: yeah, revisiting that song isn't enough to make me want to get kicked in the manhood to sing along rholladay:I remember Billy Corgan mentioned MBV in an interview and I had to go out and buy their records, like that day. dcbooking: so if billy corgan mentioned James you'd be all over them huh? michael: Miracle Legion. Lots of non-rock, too. dcbooking: ha rholladay:Ok question: Which 90's band is way overrated? Which is underrated? dcbooking: nada surf is underrated michael: Actually, I could never stand Billy Corgan. His voice sounds like a rash to me. Overrated: Smashing Pumpkins. thevinyldistrict: Michael for the win. rholladay:Did you guys ever go to the HFStival here growing up (for those of you who grew up in the area?) dcbooking: i will say though, siamese dream, is still one of my fave records of all time. michael: Underrated? Miracle Legion would be up there. thevinyldistrict: I've been here since 85. so did my time at HFstivals dcbooking: people grow up in DC? thevinyldistrict: Tibetan Freedom RFK-y dcbooking: whoa! michael: I grew up Montgomery County. IN Montgomery County. rholladay:Ah, interesting! Ok, anther song:
michael: Yeah! dcbooking: were the HFstivals free? ooooooooooooooo rholladay:No not free... thevinyldistrict: LOVE Television dcbooking: i like television! rholladay:Alright! Now we're talking. michael: Well, this is an all-time favorite. Television is a template band for me. Saw them in Georgetown in '93. Amazing. rholladay:No way! That's amazing. How was it? dcbooking: i am a new television fan.....like maybe a year or two but i like them a lot. im always late in getting into cool bands. michael: They played at Gaston Hall and it was an all-time great show. dcbooking: lets cover this song ......all 3 bands ....this friday! rholladay:So I absolutely love this record...it continues to grow on me even more as I get older. But the other day, as I was putting this together, I realized I'd never heard another album by them. And looked it up. They only did 3! And apparently the other ones weren't any good. thevinyldistrict: I came to Television late too - but like Big Star, fit like a glove... rholladay:good dcbooking: i'll orchestrate the handclaps....well, add them in michael: Their last record (from 1992-93) is absolutely amazing. No "comeback record" but the real thing. rholladay:Really? Whats it called? dcbooking: the guitar line reminds me of Interpol michael: It's a GREAT record. Stands up to Marquee Moon. thevinyldistrict: Dave - vice-versa michael: Television must have time traveled and stolen it. dcbooking: or rather....Interpol reminds me of this guitar line. rholladay:So you said you are a new Television fan? 2-3 years? How did you get into them? dcbooking: a friend sent me over some songs. michael: Needless to say, this song ... um ... works live. dcbooking: i was instantly hooked. rholladay:Have you guys seen any great concerts recently?
thevinyldistrict: Does Anvil count? rholladay:Sure! thevinyldistrict:Well, then no. michael: I thought you guys and your video magic were pretty kick-ass at Story/Stereo. rholladay:Haha! Have you guys been to the synogoue on sixth and i? I went there for the first time a week ago! What an amazing venue. thevinyldistrict: Not yet...this month... michael: I have not. Would love to do something there (aside from praying). thevinyldistrict: For whom? rholladay:I saw the XX which was fantastic! michael: How were they? I kinda like their record. rholladay:So great. Very young, lots of energy thevinyldistrict: is it me or should they be better given the hype? michael: I think they might be a grower. Give 'em time. dcbooking: ugh...my computer keeps freezing rholladay:I saw Spoon earlier in the week, and they were interesting bookends. Spoon is such a well oiled machine, but I didn't feel like they wanted to be there. They were going through the motions. The XX was the opposite. Yeah the XX is a grower. I wasn't sold when I first heard them but Hays urged me to give it more of a listen. Then I fell for them. Hard. dcbooking: anyways...my time is up guys...this is way cool though and i am bummed that i cant stay on much longer....cant wait to read the blog posting!!!! michael: Saw Spoon in Baltimore a few years ago and really liked it, but it was a Professional Show. I liked it for what it was. dcbooking: later guys... michael: See you Friday, Dave. rholladay:See ya! thevinyldistrict: see ya dave rholladay:Thanks Dave. Alright, another song? michael: Sure. thevinyldistrict: yes! rholladay:
dcbooking: btw...i am covering a grandaddy song "stray dog and the chocolate shake" - if any of you want to hop on the song with me on friday you are welcome to. later guys...see you all on friday.... rholladay:Great, see ya! michael: I would be 3 for 3 by now. Of course, Chad is practically family for both of our groups. This is sort of a Beauty Pill rock record. thevinyldistrict: i wouldn't have been able to guess this blind. michael: I would BE 3 for 3 now. thevinyldistrict: but love it. drummer's killing rholladay:I thought this would be good to play since we all have the personal band connection. I have to say, Chad wrote some music for this boombox thing we put together yesterday. First thing Ive heard from him in a while. Absolutely incredible. michael: Chad & I go back to previous bands. We also go back to one of the greatest shows of all time: American Music Club at the Birchmere in 1993. rholladay:Cannot wait for a new album. Oh yeah? That's interesting Michael. michael: Chad is in a total soundtrack, epic, 3-D zone now. In a zone. rholladay:Yeah! It was very string heavy. I've been meaning to ask him how he recorded it actually. It sounds so good. thevinyldistrict: Live strings? ah... rholladay:I don't know! I'm so curious... michael: The new stuff's going to very different. Different band members, lots of sequencers, strings, found sounds, midi. rholladay:Hays and I agreed, if they are not real strings they were the best sounding synth strings we've ever heard. thevinyldistrict: Can't wait... michael: He just finished mixing our new record and he's just a fucking crazy man. rholladay:I'm pumped to hear that! Where did you record it? michael: I think he wants to use real strings, but his arsenal of software is hard to fathom. And he knows how to use it. Really well! rholladay:Maaaan. michael: We recorded here (The National Crayon Museum) mostly. rholladay:That's insane. Wait, what? Is that the name of the studio? thevinyldistrict: Right - The National Crayon Museum? rholladay:Or is it actualy what the name implie? michael: The name of our little basement studio is a long story. rholladay:haha! Awesome. I love the name! thevinyldistrict: ha - ok...me too michael: Chad did some work on Beauty Pill here, too. John Davis did a little bit of his Title Tracks record here as well. It's modest. Really, I live here. rholladay:That's really cool! I didn't realize. thevinyldistrict: me neither... rholladay:So I missed your set at Story/Stereo, but I heard you had a really awesome stage set up. Will you be doing something like that for Friday? thevinyldistrict: That's some basement party... rholladay:Yeah seriously, Jon! michael: Me? Well, ours wasn't officially Story/Stereo since we were the first one. It'll be similar, but better.
thevinyldistrict: Should we talk about friday? What should people expect? rholladay:Oh right. But it was at the theater. Cool, sounds good Jon! michael: Your sync of video and music was light years better than most things I've seen/head. Dug it. rholladay:Thank you! michael: I just enjoyed the whole set from top to bottom. Yeah. Friday. Dave isn't aboard to discuss what he's doing. What are you doing Ryan? rholladay:I'm excited to see both of these bands on Friday. I'm honored that I was asked to do something. The music I'm making solo is quite different than what I do with my brother in Bluebrain. It's very mellow and ambient. It's all based on cut-up samples of solo harp music. So, as you can imagine, it's quite the aural sedative. But it should be good, hopefully. I think it can serve as a good "palette cleanser." michael: WOW. Looking forward to that. I was going to bring Xanax, but sounds like I'm cool either way. rholladay:Hahahaha! michael: I love your reference to it being a palette cleanser; that sounds like something we would say. thevinyldistrict: So Ryan - your set's in the middle? rholladay:You know, I'm always so much more interested in seeing diverse bills anyways. I'm not really a fan of when club's book multiple bands that sound really similar. I like a bit of musical diversity. michael: I think it is. rholladay:Oh I don't know. Whenever I'm told to play. :) michael: Agreed 100%. thevinyldistrict: Ha - michael: Ours is a work in progress. We played a couple of times at SXSW and recently in Blacksburg and are sort of in the process of integrating songs from our new record into the set. Also, working in some new equipment. rholladay:How was SXSW by the way? michael: It was great. It all depends on who you spend time with. We're super close to our label and most of the artists on it, so it's really great socially and aesthetically. rholladay:What label is that? michael: Hometapes. They're out of Portland, OR. rholladay:oh right! thevinyldistrict: Either of you have vinyl in your collective futures? rholladay:Did they have a showcase down there? thevinyldistrict: Curious... rholladay:Funny you should ask! michael: In some ways, SXSW is just like any other music festival. In other words, you seriously consider quitting music, but then you see your peeps and some other great acts and you're like, yeah, I remember. rholladay:We were just talking about releasing our album on vinyl with our label. I just want to make sure we could sell them. I agree Michael thevinyldistrict: We'll help you sell em... rholladay:Sweet, thanks! michael: We're having a similar discussion with ours. What's your label, Ryan? rholladay:Lujo Records out of California thevinyldistrict: Let me ask both of you then - why vinyl? What's the pull? michael: That's right. I knew that. rholladay:You know, I'd almost prefer to just do vinyl and not press CD's next go around. CD's are just landfill! thevinyldistrict: totally agree... michael: Vinyl -- good vinyl -- sounds great. Mostly, I like it because cool cover art is bigger. thevinyldistrict: Was by CD Cellar yesterday and that the name alone is so archaic... michael: Yeah, like the CD Crypt. thevinyldistrict: YES rholladay:Gosh, in Falls Church? thevinyldistrict: Arlington rholladay:i can't believe that place is still around AND has 2 locations! michael: I like pretty much any music delivery format, but our label is very focused on packaging, so vinyl can be really great for them. thevinyldistrict: see, now they're selling vinyl tho... rholladay:ah! But do they get new vinyl ever? I felt like they werent for a long time michael: I should fix the turntable in my car ... thevinyldistrict: Not sure about the new vinyl...I have to think so though. Michael, it's called an ipod adapter... michael: Got me. rholladay:Hahah... michael: I like old analogue formats. We run guitars through a reel-to-reel sometimes in recording. Ran drums through a cassette deck. Still, I love Digital Performer and recording and editing on an iMac. thevinyldistrict: Ok - that's artistry right there... rholladay:Wow! Really? How did that sound? michael: It sounded wonderful. Electric guitar, run through a consumer reel-to-reel (even a dodgy one) sounds great -- it sounds glued together. rholladay:How cool! michael: I also sort of like a little bit of hiss on my digital recordings. rholladay:Yeah, gives it character! michael: The first song on the new record has a drum kit run through a cassette deck. Super compressed. I dig it. rholladay:do you use much outboard gear or mostly software? michael: I don't use a ton of software, in part b/c I let Chad have his way in the mixdowns and he has 187,000 plug-ins. I'll use some delays and EQ. I used Transient Designer a lot (yoi\u can hear it on the latest Portishead record). I use some soft synths, especially M-Tron. rholladay:that's rad. chad is using DP right? michael: I made my bandmates crazy with the Transient Designer plug-in; they'd thought I lost my mind. Turns out they were right, but still ... Chad uses DP. I learn a ton from Chad every single time I even watch him use DP. rholladay:Yeah he knows what he's doing. we used to use DP but switched about 3 years ago to ProTools full time michael: Chad's a fucking scientist. He does some stuff in ProTools, too. The whole big rig or LE? rholladay:started with LE, eventually went big rig. DP was crashing so much on us me: That's the only thing I'd leave DP for. rholladay:almost to the point where we couldnt work michael: Really? I've never had many crashes in DP. Of course, now that i say that . . .Do you have another song to play us? If people know how audio geeky we are, they may never come out to see us! rholladay:Haha! thevinyldistrict: That's WHY I'd come - ha... rholladay:True. yes. michael: And that may well be our audience. rholladay:
thevinyldistrict: Mixed feelings... michael: Don't know if I would've gotten this. If so, it would have been a bit of a guess. thevinyldistrict: I'm with 'The.' rholladay:I've actually never really listened to Daniel Johnston. I was hoping one of you was an enormous fan. Haha. michael: This is an interesting thing. Do people like Daniel Johnston b/c they really enjoy listening or b/c he's touched? rholladay:I'm not sure. thevinyldistrict: C'mon. michael: Is there some status in digging Daniel Johnston? rholladay:I think there's an honesty to it that people relate to thevinyldistrict: Agreed. But like Dylan...i 'get it' but i don't listen to it. michael: There's an honesty to lots of things. What's the draw here? rholladay:I read somewhere that he didnt know how to dub audio cassettes, so whenever someone wanted to hear his album, he would just record a new one for them on his guitar. Definately a diferent approach. thevinyldistrict: Right...The documentary was good though... michael: That's interesting. Daniel Johnston is interesting, no doubt. I just don't know that I can listen to him for more than a few minutes at a time. thevinyldistrict:ding! michael: I'd like to see the doc. thevinyldistrict: It won't change how you feel in the long run tho. michael: Understood. There's a much larger question about "outside art" in that -- what do we value, the art or the outsider? rholladay:Totally. thevinyldistrict: the art for me... rholladay:I actually had the opportunity to spend a day with Wesley Willis some years back. thevinyldistrict: But ask me again in 15... rholladay:You guys ever listen to him"? michael: Wesley Willis. Very little. But I have the same question. thevinyldistrict: Who is he? rholladay:Oh man, we could go on about this guy for a while. He was a total outsider artist. He died a few years ago. He was a musician playing on the street. I think someone from Red Hot Chilli Peppers saw him and took him on tour and he became this cult celebrity. thevinyldistrict: There's another band I never got: RHCP michael: I loathe the Chili Peppers. thevinyldistrict:can I toss a track into this mix? michael: Do it man. thevinyldistrict: YES rholladay:here's a little documentary
michael: Oh cool. A doc. thevinyldistrict: interested to see how you guys respond to:
rholladay:Nice - I love Ryuichi Sakamoto michael: Wow, Wesley Willis to David Sylvian. I think I have whiplash. I like David Sylvian. Sometimes a lot. Blemish is a great and disturbing record. thevinyldistrict: Agreed...much love in these parts for Japan too. michael: I'm much less familiar with Japan than Sylvian's solo stuff. I know that's sort of odd. thevinyldistrict: Oh, I have Mp3s for you then... michael: I need the education, man. thevinyldistrict: Done... michael: Cool. Thanks in advance. Maybe you can make me a mixed cassette... thevinyldistrict: used to have them down as an art form for pretty girls, y'know rholladay:Hey guys I gotta run. Sorry to split. Family just showed up. Easter and all... Thanks for chatting dudes! thevinyldistrict: see ya! rholladay:Talk this week michael: Happy Easter! Really appreciate you guys taking the time. This was incredibly fun and we can pick it all up again in person! thevinyldistrict: Agreed...see you all Friday... michael: Definitely. Thanks for ending us with this song. I like it. It's very of its time and yet works in a timeless way. thevinyldistrict: a fine melody is a fine melody... michael: Right-O. This all makes me very interested in the mix of things to be performed on Friday. thevinyldistrict: Me too! Should be great... thevinyldistrict: i should go too - ol' pete the dog needs a walk as do i michael: Take care. Will be in touch. thevinyldistrict: yes - have a good night - thanks for doing this! michael: Thanks to you as well. I think we made a well-rounded roundtable. michael: Bam! thevinyldistrict: bam!
I had agreed with a comment that was made yesterday during a lengthy four-way G-mail chat session (which will find its way here, natch) that basically CDs are 'just landfill.'
I mean, they are. Have you been inside a purely CD store lately? Talk about dispiriting, whereas stores specializing in vinyl are thriving—or at the very least are the epicenters of hipness.
But if you're reading this, I'm thinking you agree with this notion already. Preaching/choir - I get it.
Oh, but every now an again comes the compilation CD whose curators know just what the hell they're doing:
'Bustin' Out, The Post Punk Era 1979-1981' the first in the New Wave To New Beat series, is an often-startling picture of the no-holds-barred musical ructions which sprang up after punk's scorched earth revolution. Compiler Mike Maguire has made a rigid stand against being pigeon-holed throughout his 30 year DJing career, spreading the message that no sound or genre should be compartmentalised. This multi-hued set is a fine testimony to this ethos.
So, in a move whose karmic goodness suits us just fine thank you, this week'sRSD2010 Vinyl Giveaway is uh, a CD.And a damn good one at that:
Tubeway Army - Replicas | Killing Joke - Almost Red | Lizzy Mercier Descloux - Fire | Bush Tetras - Too Many Creeps | Loose Joints - Is It All Over My Face | Material feat. Nona Hendryx - Bustin' Out | Josef K - Sorry For Laughing | Chris and Cosey - Heartbeat | MOEV - Cracked Mirror | Front 242 - Body To Body | Tuxedomoon - Desire | Dead Can Dance - Frontier (1981 demo) | No More - Suicide Commando | 23 Skidoo - The Gospel Comes To New Guinea
The rules can't be any simpler for our RSD2010 Giveaways. All you need to do to enter to win is to leave a comment in the comments section to that week's giveaway letting us know why you deserve to win that week's LP.
Be creative, funny, incisive—whatever it takes to grab our attention to deem you the winner. Most important however is to leave us a contact email address! You can be brilliant as hell, but if we can't track ya' down, you're out of the running.
All winners will all be notified on Monday (4/12) upon the launch of the LAST RSD2010 Vinyl Giveaway!
Soulfood | Hey — today is Good Friday what better day to pose the question, what does the word Soul mean? I was thinking about the expression “the gospel truth,” it has a nice musical ring to it. The soul, while defying all boundaries, is there at the “heart” of it. For me it’s a vibe all about instinct and intuition.
What is indescribable with words is easy recognizable through music. Soul became a genre of music almost as quick as rock n roll. Over the last few years I’ve revisited, re-discovered, and for myself as a fan, redefined the genre.
Soul power and songwriting ability are two traits I cherish most on a record. It’s not always easy to find a contemporary artist with these qualities and as a result this mix came together like an egg that was not so easy to crack. I started with mostly old seven inches. My plan was to add a few new songs and a couple of 70’s artists who must have been listening to all those great 60’s soul records.
Highlights in the mix… “Tighten Up” new from The Black Keys,Solomon Burke’s Bob Dylan cover, LA’s Fritz and The Tantrums as they go right to the top, and Tinariwen who roam the Sahara desert with soul crushing guitar licks!
Dig deep, fill your cup, and enjoy Good Friday with “soulfood.”
The death of Alex Chilton on March 17th was a terrible shock to the music world. It happened on the eve of Big Star's triumphant return to SXSW where a panel was scheduled to discuss the band's legacy and a performance by the band was one of the most anticipated showcases of the festival. The panel and performance went on as planned, although each turned into a sort of wake for Chilton, one celebrating the man, the other celebrating the music.
Just days before Chilton's death, Rachelandthecity sat down with drummer Jody Stephens to discuss the legacy of the band. In the same studio that Big Star recorded #1 Record,Radio City,Third/Sister Lovers. Jody discusses how the band began, what their influences were, the impact of the death of Chris Bell, the very first rock writer's convention, and what the future plans were for Big Star. Plus, you'll get to preview tracks from both 'Keep an Eye to the Sky' and 'I am the Cosmos.'
SETLIST:00:00 Intro | 00:57 Thirteen (Alt Version) | 03:33 In the Streets (Alt Version) | 06:31 September Gurls | 09:16 Interview with Jody Stephens of Big Star | 31:27 Ballad of El Goodo | 35:43 O My Soul | 41:17 Stroke It Noel | 43:20 Thank You Friends | 46:24 Interview with Jody Stephens of Big Star | 57:34 Make A Scene | 60:00 You and Your Sister | 63:21 Get Away (Alt Version)
I like to think of Wednesdays as 'Pseudo-Fridays.'
Last night I made the trek ALL THE WAY TO BALTIMORE (blech) to take-part in the epic insanity that was Major Lazer at Bourbon Street. Most. Epic. Party. Ever.
Major Lazer is the collaborative dancehall/dj project from djs/producers Diplo & Switch. Diplo is well-known for his collaborations with M.I.A. while Switch is better known for his ubiquitous house remixes.
Although I had never been to Bourbon, the venue was surprisingly HUGE, with a stellar rooftop patio to smoke cigarettes and whatnot. Despite my general dislike of Baltimore, I was actually very impressed with this spot.
Between the hour-long drive equipped with bottled-water-disguised-vodka to the underage drunk/raver kids recklessly hump-dancing and crowd-surfing, I think I time-traveled back to highschool last night. I got in that zip-car and all of a sudden I was 17 and heading to an HFStival, all over again.
The sold-out show was packed solid with crazy mofos ranging from the jersey-shore-esque bro’s to the neon-ed out raver chicks to the not-so-sober underage kids (there were far to many of these). Somehow I managed to get 5feet in front of the stage in a sea of sweaty moshers where the energy was so wild and insane I think I blacked out sans booze. Frontman Skerrit Bwoy dominated the crowd with his dynamic and unstoppable energy and the entire room was fist-pumping and jumping in unison amidst the neon green laser-lights and fog. A suit-clad Diplo worked his turntable magic in the background while a dancing gorilla and a scantily clad, sweaty, gorgeous girl teased the crowd (who looked exactly like Rachel True, i.e. ‘Mary Jane’ from Half Baked).
The show was absolutely bonkers (true delirium hit at Pon De Floor) and it may have been the most fun I’ve had in my entire life (did I just say that?! Yes, I did.). I left the Major Lazer show five pounds lighter, reeking of stale booze and cigarettes and drenched in the sweat of 50 strangers.
Bottom line: Major Lazer Show = blown ear drums, insane mosh pits, reckless daggering, and rave-sational underage kids on E.
Hear Morgan Tepper's interview with Diplo & Switch @ WVUA here.
I wrote these thoughts a few days before Alex Chilton's passing...
Super 400 had just left Memphis after spending a wonderful time with Jody Stephens and John Fry. We wished Big Star well on their upcoming SXSW appearance, wished we could be there to hear them play. The news hit us the next night in Chicago. Super 400 had just gotten offstage and we all had texts waiting in our phones from friends at home, saying that Alex was gone. Here are my feelings about being lucky enough to have Big Star in my life:
I remember 21, hopeful and hungry to start a sensation in a rock and roll band of my own. I dreamed to be in step with the impossible feel and taste of my childhood heroes. Young writers have a habit of molting a conglomeration from the cool around them, this is true in all the arts I guess.
Our group of friends would gather in whomever's apartment was hosting snacks and smokes, and we'd spin records all night, absorbing the goodness of youth. At that age, you already have the Hendrix, Beatle, and Zeppelin benchmarks, and much of the lesser known stuff doesn't stick with you. When Big Star's '#1 Record' hit me for the first time, it was so true and right, I felt cool just listening to the sound. I have been hooked ever since.
There is a short list of artists that have achieved such a combination of swagger and tenderness. Their music has been the soundtrack to my adult life; these four musicians hold a claim to many of my cherished memories as a woman, a musician and a lover of sound.
Our band listens to the Big Star records constantly on the road. We've been turning people on to them for several years and in every state and country we visit. Last year we realized a long time dream of recording at Ardent in Memphis, where Big Star's records were made. The walls there do talk; you can visit this Mecca and find out for yourself.
I've heard people say that once they hear Big Star, they realize what an influence the band has had on much of music since, particularly in the past decade. It's fair to say that Big Star had a foothold in my brain's understanding of Rock and Roll, long before I was lucky enough to hear a note of #1 Record or Radio City.
Super 400 is a rock band from Troy, New York. Active since the mid 90’s the band has released 4 studio albums and one live set as of September 2009.
The band was formed by long time friends Kenny Hohman (guitar and vocals) and Joe Daley (drums) and played in various incarnations throughout New York City and Woodstock. The lineup would not be finalized until the addition of bassist Lori Friday in February 1996.
The band was signed to Island Records and released their self titled debut on July 13th 1998 on the Island/Trade 2 label. In December 1998 Seagram purchased Island Records and many of their lesser known bands including Super 400 were released from their roster.
Super 400 continued to play and record, self releasing Blast the Message (October 1st 2004), 'Live 05' (November 26th 2005), '3 And The Beast' (April 21st 2007) and 'Sweet Fist' (September 15th, 2009).
The band is a taper friendly band and encourages the recording and free trading of their live shows.
Everyone has an artistic point of reference. Enter to win Super 400's 'Sweet Fist' on vinyl by sharing your Big Star-inspired tale—your band's—or a band or performer who can cite Big Star as a unique influence. Please remember to leave a contact email address. The winner will be notified next Monday, 4/5/2010.
Eight weeks in and we're taking a different approach this week - not a current release but a seminal release: Uncle Tupelo's, 'Anodyne.'
Alternative country-rock group Uncle Tupelo was formed in the Midwestern backwater of Belleville, Illinois, by high school friends Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy, and Mike Heldorn. Their marriage of punk rock animus with the simplicity of American roots music ignited a major movement heralding rock's return to traditional country origins.
Heldorn had departed, Ken Coomer signed on, and in 1993 the band released one final album, 'Anodyne,' widely considered their definitive work. Recorded live in an Austin studio, the disc reinterprets country, rock, and folk idioms with the compelling vision that was Tupelo's own.
After parting ways, members went on to found Wilco and Son Volt, but the brief and shining moment that was Uncle Tupelo will forever cast a long shadow on American roots rock.
The rules can't be any simpler for our RSD2010 Vinyl Giveaways. All you need to do to enter to win is to leave a comment in the comments section to that week's giveaway letting us know why you deserve to win that week's LP.
Be creative, funny, incisive—whatever it takes to grab our attention to deem you the winner. Most important however is to leave us a contact email address! You can be brilliant as hell, but if we can't track ya' down, you're out of the running.
All winners will all be notified on Monday (4/5) upon the launch of the next RSD2010 Vinyl Giveaway!
Breaking through the Christian music scene in 2003 with his debut album Grace Like Rain and back-to-back #1 hits, “Grace Like Rain” and “This Fragile Breath”, Todd Agnew soon became one of Ardent Records' most popular and best selling artists. Seven years later, Todd has sold over 1 million copies of the track “Grace Like Rain” and 700,000 total albums combined, received six Dove Award Nominations, and performs over 150 dates a year.
A Memphis, TN resident throughout his career with Ardent, Todd recently married and moved to his native homeland of Texas in the “live music capital” of Austin and quickly became enamored with its exquisite options for his favorite pastimes. Next time you venture down to the Austin area, consider Todd's highly recommended hot spots.
1. Go to the movies. I like going to the movies in Austin more than anywhere else. The screen isn't bigger or the sound better. It's the vibe and the food. If you come to town and want to check out a movie, you have to go to Alamo Drafthouse. We visit three of their locations: the Village (nearest our house), South Lamar (our first visit), and the Ritz (downtown on sixth street). First, the vibe is amazing. It's really creative. For big releases, they often build their own pre-show. For opening night of Iron Man, they played Sabbath's Iron Man video, some old Iron Man cartoons, some old RDJ footage, and a homemade series of clips with two comic book guys. And the food is awesome. I normally get "Once Upon a Time In Mexico," which is an amazing steak salad. Plus the fried pickles, of course. But everything I've had there has been awesome. Sometimes they'll have a new menu item or two to go along with a big movie. When we went to see Sherlock Holmes, I had their Shepherd's Pie. I wish they had that all the time. Incredible. Plus they have special events, like a free midnight ninja movie, or a showing of Lost, or a night where they play all 80's love song videos and everyone sings along. Anyway, great place to go.
2. Go out to eat. There are so many great local places here. If you like pizza, we have Eastside Pies or Home Slice. If you like Thai, we have Madam Mam's. Chinese? China Café. Sandwiches? Thundercloud. Hamburgers? Phil's Ice House. And understand, that in each of these categories, I just picked one place. There are many. But let's focus on four things. First, barbeque. Now I can admit I don't really eat ribs here. I lived in Memphis for 7 years and don't eat them anywhere else. Although I might have to try Dreamland eventually. But as far as brisket and sausage go, we have awesome places. Stubb's, which has great music as well. County Line. And my favorite, Salt Lick. Second, Airstreams. Now that may not sound like food, but in Austin, that's exactly what it means. There are little airstream trailers all over the place that are little places to eat from. Maybe Tacos, like Torchy's. Or desserts, like Hey Cupcake. Lots of places with cool stuff that might not make it somewhere else just because of the expense of a building, but they make it here. Third, Ice Cream. If you come to Austin, you have to visit Amy's Ice Cream because it's amazing. You won't ever want to eat anywhere else. They have great flavors, with new ones checking in all the time. And they have combos where they mix stuff in, but the combos are on a chalkboard because they change all the time. My favorite is Mexican Vanilla with coconut, oatmeal cookies, a little cinnamon, and pecan praline sauce. It will fill your sugar quotient for the month but it's awesome. And lastly, Mexican Food. There are so many places it's not really fair. Everyone knows about Chuy's, and it's not even close to my favorite, although still better than most places outside of Austin. Sazon is probably one of my faves. It's down on South Lamar as well. Authentic and amazing, plus great salsa.
3. Go to church. I know it's probably not what you were expecting, but it is a favorite. My church is called the Austin Stone Community Church. We meet at Austin High School every Sunday. It's a great place. Lots of college kids, lots of real people. The music is great, which says a lot considering my standards. We mainly have two guys leading worship, Andy Melvin and Aaron Ivey. No matter who is leading, it's top notch every week. We have three main guys who preach, all incredible. It doesn't matter if Matt, Halim, or Jeff are preaching, they are going to teach something great, true, applicable, and understandable. We have missional communities where you can get to know others and be a part of what God is doing here. It's a church that really wants to connect to Austin, not get away from it. Recently they have had a Music for the City event where one of our bands played with Fastball, one of Austin's top bands. A couple of our bands played down on Sixth Street for a Haiti benefit as well. It's a great place and we love it.
4. Go hear music. This is obviously a big one for me. Whether it's the big festivals or the small clubs, there is great music around Austin all the time. In the spring we have SXSW, known as South by Southwest to the uninitiated. I believe there are 1500 bands here this year. So much new, and often, great music. They play in pretty much every venue in town. In the early fall is the Austin City Limits festival. This is a more classic, one weekend, multi-stage festival. I was on tour this year and missed it, but the years previous I saw amazing shows there: the Raconteurs, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Patty Griffin, Old 97's, and so much more. And of course, we have more live venues than just about anywhere, so you can see a good show just about any night you have free time. I love Antone's, the old blues club downtown. We went to see my fave, Doyle Bramhall II, out there recently and he was amazing. Before him, we got to hear a local guy I didn't know, but he was great too. Just bought tickets to a show at Emo's here in a few weeks. A birthday present to myself. Needless to say, tons of great music to hear.
5. Go for the arts or the parks. We have so many cool things come through town, whether because of the city itself or the University of Texas being here. David Sedaris and Anthony Bourdain are both due in town next month. Phantom starts next week, with Stomp coming in May. Plus, we get many plays and dance troupes. My family saw The Nutcracker ballet over Christmas with the distinctly Austin flavor of having a local weatherman play the part of Mother Ginger. Also, Austin has a lot of museums. No, it's not Chicago or anything. But I was in one building for an event and noticed an original Gutenberg Bible. Pretty amazing. We love going downtown to the Children's Museum as well. Educational, fun, and a way better afternoon than Chuck E. Cheese. If you like to be outside, there's a lot to do as well. There's a ton of bike trails. It's not Albuquerque, but it is the home of Lance Armstrong. You can always head downtown and check out his bike shop, Mellow Johnny's. I've heard they have showers so you can ride in in the morning, hop in the shower, then head over to work. Our family's favorite is probably Zilker Park. Beautiful and fun. Great playground. Great open field full of soccer players, frisbee throwers, and kite fliers, with plenty of room for all. Plus a huge bike/jogging trail. This is where they hold ACL fest and a Christmas light show. And Blues on the Green in the summer. And the spring Kite festival. And a lot more.
6. Go shopping. I know that doesn't really sound like me, but it felt wrong to leave it out. I love Austin, because small business works here. There's not just a mall with the same stores that are everywhere else. If you've seen anything about Austin, it's probably one of those t-shirts that say, "Keep Austin Weird". Well, that's actually a slogan to support local businesses. You can walk down South Congress Ave. and see store after store of unique things. And there's a lot of it here in our neighborhood as well. Anyway, maybe that will help if you ever get stuck in Austin for a day, or a week. Don't stay too long though, because you won't want to go home. It's that great. Maybe I'll see you here sometime.
When I was just starting out in my band the Posies, the first band I had that made records and toured, etcetera, back in 1988, we were introduced to the music of Big Star. People heard our early music and assumed, correctly, that we'd find the pure harmonies, heartbreaking sentiment, and mix of rock power and Byrds-like jangling bliss a great inspiration and sympathetic vibration to our own music. It was something of a revelation, one that has probably confounded thousands of listeners when they discover these records for the first time, "How could this band not have been hugely popular?”
And that, my friends, is where the dichotomy began.
Before Big Star, if the critics loved it, if it was quality, word got around, and artists who were influential artistically, like The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, the fucking Beatles, for fuck's sake, sold millions. There was crap too, also selling millions. The only band that didn't sell was The Shaggs.
Big Star was not part of a rebellion, like the punks would be soon after. They were a hot band in Memphis, with great songs, and a huge music machine (CBS) behind them. And they failed, spectacularly. It was a tree falling in the woods though - nobody knew the band, so no one knew what they were missing. But so began the idea that there were two worlds in music - the crapmosphere of the latest pop idols, and the quality control layer that was just for those in the know. Suddenly, the idea prevailed that the better a band was - the less likely it was to sell. And in fact, the ability to turn away listeners was a sign of quality. In many ways I agree. In many ways, Big Star has nothing to do with this argument.
I digress. Big Star became heroes because they satisfied every test for quality you could apply, but also they were the ultimate underdogs, a symbol of the unjust whims of popular taste. Something was wrong with the system and here was the proof. The star factory couldn't even makes stars out of Big Star.
I knew Alex first through this context and through his music. We were fans - fans enough to consider taking our first big budget from Geffen Records and spending it at Ardent Studios in Memphis where all of Big Star's albums (and albums we loved by the Replacements, REM, Led Zep, ZZ Top) were made. We eventually decided to stay in Seattle, but via his position as the company's A&R/PR/business gettin' guy, Big Star's Jody Stephens became a fan, a friend, and a friendly familiar face when we were at events like CMJ, South by Southwest, etc.
When some college kids from Missouri threw the dice and had the boldness to enquire if Big Star would reunite for their spring concert...and Alex said yes, Jody called us to fill in the missing posts formerly held by the late Chris Bell and the retired-from-music Andy Hummel. Our first rehearsal in Seattle was where we met Alex for the first time. At first a bit of a cipher, or perhaps a sphinx, he kept his words spare. But even in those first rehearsal days we were talking about Dostoevsky... and it seemed Alex wasn't like other musicians we had played with - more interested in their bongs or their thinly-supported intellectual aspirations, if not practices. Alex was disciplined, and curious, a formidable combo.
But Alex was more than a great intellect (he was widely read, widely interested, willing and able to discuss at length virtually any subject except Big Star). He was charming, challenging, spontaneous and generous. He proposed after a short time of Jon & me playing with Big Star that our contributions merited equal pay. He drove me around Memphis pointing out the housing project where Elvis had lived at one point. We played tennis and had dinners together in his frequent visits to Paris. He introduced me to the music of Faron Young, Rodd Keith, and more. Though he had a reputation for being difficult, the Alex that I have tour managed for the last decade has been the Alex of, “Yeah, cool...whatever. No problem.”
He didn't do interviews. He didn't have email. You had to call him to ask him a question. Isn't that more sociable? I think he thought so. And it is for that sociability, as well as that integrity, that stand out among the many things I will miss about Alex.
Ken Stringfellow will join Jon Auer and Jody Stephens in a tribute to Alex Chilton at the Levitt Shell in Memphis, TN on May 15th. More special guests to be announced soon.
JohnDavis on Chris Bell's I am the Cosmos Deluxe Edition from Rhino Handmade
The day after Alex Chilton died, I was asked by an interviewer how I felt about his sudden passing. I told him that, obviously, I felt sad and surprised and a great sense of loss. However, equal to the sadness, I also felt happy that Chilton was able to know, while he was still alive, just how much people loved him and his music. Granted, his persona was one of a cranky, mercurial recluse but, beneath that exterior, he surely must have known how much be meant to people and found some pleasure in that. Chilton’s one-time bandmate in Big Star, Chris Bell, was not as fortunate.
Before his death in a car accident in the waning days of 1978, Bell only had an inkling that interest in Big Star was starting to grow. Shortly before Bell’s death, EMI Records reissued the first two Big Star albums, “#1 Record” and “Radio City,” as a double album in the UK. John Fry, the founder of Ardent Studios and the band’s engineer and mentor, told me that the reissue excited Bell – particularly that the words “EMI Records” could be found emblazoned on its cover, just like they were on the records by his idols, The Beatles. Despite being witness to this first step in the resurrection of Big Star, Bell never knew the belated hosannas his music would eventually receive.
As interest in Big Star grew in the years to come and Chilton’s reputation as an eccentric genius was cemented, so did interest in the work of the band’s /other/ genius. Bell was only an official member of the band for “#1 Record” - though he appears uncredited on “Radio City” - but the pairing of Chilton and Bell was magical. Many wondered what had happened to Bell after he quit the band. Other than a two-song single issued shortly before he died (featuring the transcendent “I Am The Cosmos” and the plaintive “You And Your Sister”), there was little else available from Bell.
Much as a reissue sparked the resurgence in Big Star, it was a reissue of sorts, 1992’s “I Am The Cosmos,” that laid out just what a special songwriter and singer Bell was. Compiled with help from Bell’s brother, David, “I Am The Cosmos” contained the two songs from the 1978 single and also another ten magnificent, searing songs that had never been released to that point. There were rockers like “I Don’t Know," “I Got Kinda Lost,” and “Get Away” and there were more plangent pleas like “Though I Know She Lies” and the absolutely crushing “There Was A Light.” Everybody loves to find a buried treasure and here was a small, but potent, cache of gems from a somehow overlooked voice. Like Gene Clark or John Lennon’s early solo work, Bell’s expressions were one of a deeply wounded man searching for answers and relief. Evidence suggests that Bell never really found either, which makes the music he left behind all the more heartbreaking now.
I had long wondered what other Bell tracks might lay in the vaults and it seems that the recent Deluxe Edition of “I Am The Cosmos” has answered that question definitively. In terms of solo compositions, there is little new on this deluxe reissue (which adds an entire second disc of rare and previously unreleased material to the original’s twelve songs), but the copious alternate versions hold their own. The alternate version of “I Don’t Know” adds a crunching, Badfinger-style opening that manages to make the song even more buoyant. The mellotron added to the alternate “You And Your Sister,” finds this take less tortured than heavenly. A different version of “Get Away” reunites Bell with Chilton and the results sound like prime Big Star. We can only wonder what would have happened had the two kept writing and recording together.
The only downside of this latest Bell reissue is that it seems like there may be nothing more to unearth. The reissue’s inclusion of nice, but unspectacular, songs that Bell recorded with other musicians (namely, Keith Sykes and Nancy Bryan) indicates that the well is dry. If that’s so, it’s hard to complain, even if we’re left wishing that there was more.
It’s easy to think about what we lost when Bell died far too young, but it’s even easier to listen to what we have and smile. He may not have known it but to a modest few, Bell matters just as much as his heroes did to him. Thanks, Chris, you are the cosmos.
Chris Bell'sI am the Cosmos Deluxe Edition can only be purchased at Rhino.com.
John Davis is the writer/arranger behind the band Title Tracks which emerged in mid-2008 from the still-smoldering ashes of Georgie James. Title Tracks debut full-length album, "It Was Easy." was released on Ernest Jenning Records in February 2010.
Growing up in Memphis, I remember fondly now defunct record stores like Cats Music and Tower Records. When I would go into these stores I would be completely overwhelmed with all the choices. It was like going into a book store and not knowing what to read. I learned about some great music through these stores, mostly on my own. I tried to hold true to a theory that former Red Hot Chili Pepper’s guitarist John Frusciante once said, "If the cover looks cool, pick it up. You never know."
That's how a friend of mine found out about a band called The Format. Great album artwork can sometimes go a long way.
I recently went to a record store in Springfield, MO called Stick It In Your Ear Records. I spent about 2 hours there and ended up spending a long time speaking to the owner whose name escapes me at the moment. I ended up purchasing a Buffalo Springfield album before I left. It was an album I might never have listened to if it weren’t for my experience that day in a Record Store.
Vinyl seems to have crept its way back into popularity these days. I just recently acquired a turntable and finally have been able to listen to my vinyl album collection, which consists of everything from The Best Of Sam & Dave, to Ray LaMontagne. Lucky for me, my father just happens to have the biggest collection of vinyl I've ever seen. It’s over 1500 records and some of it is completely out of print, so I basically have my very own Record Store to peruse. I’ve become obsessed with the way old vinyl sounds and I’m looking forward to the chance of recording to tape at Ardent Studios, like so many of my musical heroes have. We would love to put out some of our own music on vinyl, hopefully that will be one of the next dreams we get to see come true.
There is really no way to express what it feels like to have the opportunity to record at Ardent. The history, the people, the gear - its all pretty mind blowing. In a million years I never would have thought I would be recording music in a place of its stature. We’ve come a long way from the bedroom. Recently, Ardent started cutting vinyl again. They have the original cutting lathe from Stax Records that Larry Nix used on so many of those old legendary albums. It’s pretty cool that there is still that option to have music in that format. As a matter of fact, every thing about that place is cool - to be in the same building where great engineers such as John Hampton, Jeff Powell, Curry Weber, and Pete Mathews work, all who are Grammy award winning/nominated engineers/producers, is just mind-boggling. And let’s not forget the studio manager is Big Star's Jody Stephens.
Back to Record Stores; I really wish I grew up in a time where they were more prominent and important (circa 1960s through the 1970s). These days Memphis still has several record stores going strong and spreading the musical love. Stores like Shangri La and Goner Records are world renowned staples of Memphis music. They are places that you can go in and spend hours just dreaming and learning about music. It’s one of the best ways I can think of to spend an afternoon. So long live vinyl! And long live Record Stores!
