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Frontier Records founder Lisa Fancher concludes her week with us today which celebrated label’s 3oth Anniversary. (Right - the 30th.)
But the party ain't over yet - in fact it hasn't even started. If you're in LA Sunday night, the smart money is on the label's 30th Anniversary Show at the Echoplex. But we'll let Lisa fill you in and she wraps it up.
ALL OF MY FRIENDS WERE THERE… NOT JUST MY FRIENDS BUT THEIR BEST FRIENDS TOO
"'Ziggy Stardust came out 5 years ago, and now it's SHIT! In five years, punk will be SHIT!" —Tomata DuPlenty, The Screamers, 1977
If there was one thing I seriously tried to avoid this year it was doing a big event type of a thing. Though we had fun parties like our 7th year anniversary at the Ambassador Hotel where Tommy Boy's Tommy Silverman showed up (and told me if I paid royalties, I was doing something wrong), Posh Boy (who I got into a screaming war with, just like the good old days) and culminated with us throwing chaise lounges onto the lawn (poor man's Led Zep). I still have bad memories of a Frontier showcase on Feb. 1990. (10th year anniversary!) It seemed like a great plan in theory—American Music Club, Thin White Rope and Young Fresh Fellows at the I-Beam during the Gavin Convention.
Frontier didn't even really belong at Gavin since we weren't exactly a hit machine so it was humbling to be handed such a great opportunity and with the core of our roster, except for the Dharma Bums. In between setting the gig up and its execution, my dear friends in AMC and I became embroiled in a nasty contractual dispute. I'd signed a deal with RCA and Thin White Rope had just released "Sack Full of Silver" but AMC's management had some major beefs. Which was fine, happens all the time.
One of those people that I would never kept this label alive without was my attorney, Ashley. Actually his name was S.D. Ashley but he liked being called Ashley for reasons unknown. His advice was sage and impeccable but I rarely heeded it the first time because I'm a stubborn jerk that thinks they know everything, and when he told me I was never going to win this one and to let it go, that's exactly what I should have done.
The day before the showcase, our publicist had faxed their manager an YFFS 8X10 of a wrench (in-joke, don't ask) with some handwritten hype on it about how well TWR's album was doing, a futile attempt to sway their manager our way. She, who was pregnant at the time, told them we had faxed her a picture of a coat hanger! You can imagine this didn't go over very well with them… I called everyone and thought I had smoothed it over and it seemed as if we were all committed to working it out.
AMC were on first so I was flashing my backstage pass to the door guy so I could go backstage as Mark Eitzel was heading toward me and shot me a "don't talk to me now or ever" look. I had been deluding myself, I saw it just like that. I know this sounds girlish and dramatic but the thought I was going to lose AMC was inconceivable, that it would actually cause me to die. The typically professional way I handled this epiphany was to commence drinkin' an ocean of vodka. I mean even for a drinker, I jumped right in there. I watched AMC play a couple of songs when I began to cry uncontrollably. Anyone who knows me knows I'm not a crier—I tried it once and only dust comes out of my tear ducts! Meanwhile people are coming up to me to say hi or congratulations so I had to run before they saw me transforming into Ms. Hyde. Yep, I was definitely having a nervous breakdown. Believe me, I knew… It's like the inner and outer turmoil of a panic attack and a heart attack squared, incrementally increasing by the minute. You should try it sometime! In public.
I propelled myself down the stairs onto Haight Street and threw myself into a cab, leaving my fearless employees behind at the showcase and in the dark about my whereabouts. I spent the night in the hotel bathtub completely hysterical but as you can see, I didn't die. AMC and I parted ways somewhat amicably—I am not alleging that they were not wrong and I don't think I was in the wrong—we just could never recover from such rancor, and there was no point in trying. It took us a while to be on speaking terms again but we're better friends than ever before, Vudi even came to my 100th birthday last month. And though I lost the license to ENGINE AND CALIFORNIA decades ago, I connected AMC to the world and I'll couldn't be any prouder of that.
Much earlier this year, I hired Josh Mills' It's Alive Media to do press for the 30th anniversary, hoping no one would notice Frontier hadn't released any records this year. It's a cash flow thing people, maybe you've heard something about it? Josh kept saying I needed an event to convince the scribes we were sizzling hot. And I'm thinking no no no nooo showcases, please. History, does this count for nothing? I genuinely have learned, reluctantly, to listen but in truth it was Josh that approached Michael Stock from Part Time Punks to put on a Frontier show, not me.
Thank goodness my fantastically loyal Adolescents said yes, because they really didn't have to. One biggie on board! I ran into the Pontiac Bros' Ward Dotson and Matt Simon at Jeff Palo's birthday party and got a yes from them. Mike Atta from Middle Class was there but I decided to ask him privately since he told me about a hundred times that they'd never play live again. Though Ward and Matt were sworn to secrecy, Mike already knew and he said yes but we accidentally made his life hell by announcing it before he'd had a chance to discuss it with his brother, the lead singer, Jeff. Doh!
Thank goodness the Flyboys are able to be there (best band on the Masque reunion!) since they were the first release and this is the last time they will play live. I really hoped that Thin White Rope would make it and I felt awful for bothering Guy—I knew he wouldn't even as I pitched it to him. That was a regretful n-o, as was the Three O'Clock. TSOL said yes but though we were dying to, we couldn't advertise them until after Halloween… The Deadbeats, not an official Frontier act but on Dangerhouse Vol. 1, said yes and they were the co-second greatest band at the Masque reunion show.
In mid-October, Betty and I flew to Seattle for a mini-Frontier 30th show with Young Fresh Fellows and the Dharma Bums. My buddy N8 Slusarenko who designed this fantastic color poster fetched up from the airport and we were soon joined by my erstwhile bff Gina Arnold. We toured the whole of Europe together while tagging along on a Bums/YFF tour in 1992. Also former Frontier flack John Troutman, who needs to move back to Los Angeles stat. I think the Young Fresh Fellows are better than when they were around the first time, the opened and Scott McCaughey brought HIS bff—Peter Buck. Watching Dharma Bum Eric Lovre play, I time traveled back in time to one of their first L.A. shows at the Coconut Teaser. Somehow I blurted to Eric (somehow = vodka) that the band might really go somewhere if he didn't play guitar just like Peter Buck. I came very close to getting knocked out and I vowed to be more tactful in the future! So here I am at the Croc, watching Peter Buck laser focused on Eric's distinctive guitar playing, thinking sometimes it pays to be blunt especially when you're a girl and there's about a 70% chance you won't get punched in the face.
After the show I was relieved to find that showcases don't make me go insane when I got a text from Michael Stock saying "The Avengers said YES." The Stains don't have a Frontier LP out yet but they will next year. Time they got their day in the sun at long last, get there early or be a loser.
Here we are, two days away… It's a good kind of terror. For the next 48 hours, I shall be as elusive as Rick Rubin. Nine amazing bands for $20, get outta here! I wish my Ashley was still alive to see it. He would never believe to learn that I can let go, but I have.
So many of my good friends throughout the decades will be there—I know because they asked me to be on the list! It would be nice if I remembered to "Rise Above" but so much of the time I didn't. To everyone I ever got in a fight with privately or publicly, or don't talk to anymore because now isn't the time... To anyone I ever sent a pig's head to or said terrible things about in print because I was bitter that you're rich and I'm not—I apologize profusely. This label may never get its due and one of the down sides of not having partners is that I have no one to blame expect myself. Damn it.
Without you, I'm nothing: Betty Fresh, who else can say they have one employee that does the work of ten (while I do the word of zero)? Steve at Rainbo Records, who rescued me from the clutches of Alco when they simply would not press the Jerks LP even though I paid them in ADVANCE. Without Steve's 30 year patience and tolerance for my own particular interpretation of what paying on time means, we would not be here. Hail to my new distributor, ILC—when my previous distributor died (I won't speak its name) in spring 2009, the obvious thing to do was go with a big indie distributor, and I could have done. Safety last: I will go with idealistic and enthusiastic kids over what has the outward appearance of stability any day. I didn't go to business school but I know what time it is! Thanks to the fantastic Jean Luc Gaudry from Headline Records, our designated pop-up store for the evening—he's celebrating Headline's 15 year anniversary. Toddler! And extra special thank you to Jon Meyers for letting me take over TVD, it's been great fun. At least for me!
Long may you run, everyone from my past and present. Last but not least, Free the West Memphis Three!
If it's the first Friday of the month, it must be the return of our friend (and fellow DC Record Fair collaborator) DJ Nitekrawler's funky 45 throwdown: MONEYTOWN!
Little Miss Whiskey's Golden Dollar (1104 H St., NE DC) | 10pm-3am, no cover
Lots and lots of drink options and a killer soundsystem with your host: DJ Nitekrawler, and extra special guest DJ: Chairman Mao (Egotrip, RedBullMusicAcademy, NYC)
About our guest: This month we're honored to be joined by NYC’s “Chairman” Jefferson Mao. Jeff, as he is known in civilian life, is the founding resident of the Rotten Apple’s late, lamented Bumpshop funk & soul soiree at the also late & great APT.
When he’s not writing for XXL, Wax Poetics, or some other nationally-distributed publication, or hosting his two monthly interwebz radio shows (‘Across 135th Street’ for redbullmusicacademy.com , and ‘Spine Blowing Decisions’ for www.spinetv.net), he’s busy conspiring with his ego trip collective cohorts on such media takeover endeavors as ego trip’s Book of Rap Lists, ego trip’s Big Book of Racism!, ego trip’s The (White) Rapper Show & Miss Rap Supreme, and the oft-delayed but one-of-these-days-forthcoming egotripland.com.
Therefore, you can be sure he's got the knowledge AND the skills, so don't miss this master killing it on Moneytown's decks this Friday!
Our Memphis trip will definitely go down as one of the best experiences we’ve ever had. We arrived in Memphis at 6am on a red-eye flight from L.A. We were dead tired. I think we were all a little drunk from the night before too. That aside, we were stoked to be in Memphis. The history, food etc… Memphis is a great town.
Ardenthad set everything up for us (Gig, Housing, Museum and Studio tours, etc.). Red carpet treatment. We arrived at our hotel (Hunt Phelan) which is definitely the nicest hotel we have ever stayed in as a band.
It was crazy. We walked in, took the tour of the premises. We were staying in the classic suite (two bedrooms, living room, Temperpedic mattresses, room service etc.). I was totally waiting to get punk’d. Have some dude roll out and say “JUST KIDDING, you’re sleeping on my couch tonight”. But it didn’t happen! Apparently the Rolling Stones had stayed in this room. True or not, it was nice to hear.
We explored Memphis a little and went to Sun Studios, which was very special. We ate some BBQ at Paynes then headed over to Ardent to record a one hour live session. When we arrived at Ardent it was pretty surreal. I was pretty nervous because I knew we were going to meet Jody Stephens and John Fry and then have to perform in this studio that has so much history. But, as things tend to unfold, everybody was so nice and welcoming. It was really fun. We played in front of a little audience and hung out for a bit. We had a gig that night at the Young Avenue Deli. A few our friends that live around the area came out. A lot of the folks that were at studio taping came down and we had a great show.
We were the only people in the hotel that night, So we could be as loud as we wanted. It was pretty ridiculous. The next day we rolled out of bed and headed back to Ardent to meet with John Fry. He drove us down to the Stax museum and gave us a free tour. It was a one of kind experience hearing him talk about Stax, Ardent, Memphis and all these artists. He spoke of our heroes like he would about his family and neighbors. It was really comforting to hear the stories.
We all geeked out for a few hours at the museum but had to make our way to Nashville that day. What a truly amazing experience. Thanks Ardent, Memphis. You’re awesome and we can’t wait to come back! —AK
Enter to win Le Switch's CD "The Rest of Me is Space" by simply leaving a comment, your name, and a contact email address in the comments to this post. We'll choose one winner each Friday for that week's giveaway which ALSO includes the entire Ardent Music catalog. (That's just 2 artists at this point, but hey, who's counting?)
To hear more great Ardent Sessions please visit Ardent Presents.
Frontier Records founder Lisa Fancher is with TVD all week as we celebrate the label’s 3oth Anniversary.
Today's Episode:
KNOW YOUR PRODUCT… NO, YOU'RE PRODUCT! It took about a year or so to get it together but I finally released the Flyboys EP in March 1980. When I called them with the good news they told me they already broke up… Alright! DOA! Bob Say from Jem and Moby Disc took some but no enough—50 count boxes filled my parent's garage. My glorious career as a mogul never got out of the gate, I worked at Bomp! when Suzy needed me and also at Vinyl Fetish on Melrose.
Our customers were legendary at VF, punks, goths, whatever you call Thick Pigeon-heads, celebs such as John Belushi , Jonathan Demme and not yet celebrities llike Matt Groening too. Once I waited on Bono and Larry from U2: both of them were both lovely and Bono asked lots of questions about L.A. bands and what records we were selling lots of. I acted like I didn't know who they were, one of the earmarks of a VF employee (or boss) was that we were way too cool for school. When Bono said he'd put me on their guest list +1 for their 11/81 Hollywood Palladium show, he actually did it!
Thin White Rope - photo by Greg Allen
Later down the line it was lucky I bought so many rare punk 45s and import 12" at VH, they've long been saving my kiester when I was financially strapped. Which was most of the time after 1991… That was where I first heard Salvation Army's "Mind Gardens" 45, I tracked them down via Rodney B and begged Michael Quercio to be on Frontier. We had the most incredible in-stores, even for Frontier releases such as Salvation Army and Christian Death. I love me a conflict of interest especially when it's sanctioned by my bosses, Henry Peck and Joseph Brooks.
I was on a decent little roll having released GROUP SEX, the Adolescents "blue" album, TSOL's DANCE WITH ME, China White DANGERZONE and Christian Death's ONLY THEATRE OF PAIN and Suicidal Tendencies' debut. I told the lion share to various indie distributors (none of which are extant) but I also drove 50 count boxes of LPs from Rhino in Westwood to Zed Records in Long Beach in my sweet '76 Pinto.
Sometimes, oftentimes, I sold collectible records at the Orange Country record fair, at Gilman Street in Berkeley and Pasadena City College. I was sick of working seven days a week so I decided to cut the cord selling rare records and make Frontier my only gig in1985 selling only, I hoped, NOT hard-to-find records. It was fun to talk to hear that story of how a collector scored a Beatles' butcher cover for .05 cents but it was time to move on.
Graham Hatch actually approached me and told me I needed to hire an employee. He used to work at Greenworld and suggested we get some interns because interns work for free! I never heard of such a thing. Genius. He put up a notice at CSUN and it dragged in bffs Betty Fresh and Dougee Fresh (no, those are not their real names) who would do whatever tasks we required perfectly but giggled amongst themselves the entire time. Other interns slept the whole time or called SST for promos or tried to Xerox their fanzines when we weren't looking. It's an imperfect system. True story— Betty still works here (with some interruptions as she became an almost PhD at UCLA) and there is NO WAY I could have dragged this label around this long without her. She is my rock, there's no easier way to say it. It would be nice if I knew how to do something but I suppose it's too late for these kind of regrets now.
Graham came along post-punk Frontier, even post-Paisley Underground when we were trying to break Naked Prey, the Pontiac Brothers and Thin White Rope. I never really had to do any heavy lifting in the hardcore phase as everyone was clamoring for those records even before they came out. Suddenly we were spending a fortune placing ads in fanzines and sending zillions of promos to college radio. The more we spent, the less copies we seemed to sell.
In the early days I tried to release as few records as possible for max impact but in the late '80s we had to have many more releases in order to afford the office in North Hollywood and the handful of employees. And then I sent Graham to NJ to head the east coast office… We always had a great roster of guitar-based bands (always hated keyboards with rare exceptions) but the more we spent on promotion, the less copies we seemed to sell. Somewhere along the way the critics and DJs that used to say "Wow, do we get to keep these" were like "Who are you guys again?"
LPs and cassettes gave way to CD-mania, fortunately we were still buoyant because all previous releases were hastily remastered for CD. Even though I personally hated CDs and refused to buy them way past the point at which it was adorable, I wasn't crying about selling people records they already owned for even more money!
The best and most overwhelming era was when we were working the aforementioned TWR, P Bros, Naked Prey, Young Fresh Fellows, EIEIO, Dharma Bums, Flying Color and AMC. Many distributors had folded and stiffed me over the first several years and but it was an epidemic by the late '80s. JEM, Sounds Good and Greenworld went down in rapid succession burned me for well over $100K, we had to scale back in a major way.
Bob Buziak actually offered us a major label deal while helming RCA but his forward-thinking regime was shown the door, but not before we got a very decent push for Thin White Rope's SACK FULL OF SILVER. Even though we were purged as well, BMG picked up the label for a pressing and distribution (P&D) deal. Too small for them, fail. Then we went to Ryko in 1993, great people wrong fit. I signed the fantastic Flop from Seattle, the perfect hybrid of punk and pop songwriting genius. Also discovered Portland's Heatmiser with two great songwriters, Neil Gust and Elliott Smith. Walked hand in hand with Flop into a Sony deal. Was left at the altar by Heatmiser and was badly damaged psychologically. Pretty much didn't want to work with new bands after that though I gave it one last bash with the Shame Idols from Alabama.
Betty Fresh and Lisa - photo by Carole Pixler
To keep the label alive whatsoever, I licensed the top sellers to Epitaph in 1996 but quickly found I couldn't pay anyone (or even myself) with the punk classics somewhere else. It was a relief when my Jill of all trades, Betty Fresh, went to UCLA and publicist John Troutman returned home to Seattle. And I got me a day job for the first time since about 1983… Me and Lynyrd Skynyrd, working for MCA. Yeah!
Discovering ARE YOU EXPERIENCED was monumental and Jimi was there at low tide too. I should say Hendrix' music, he was quite dead when I found myself writing advertising copy in the Creative Department at MCA Records in 1998. My 17-year-old Honda Prelude died on the way to my job interview with a true advertising genius named Jonas Livingstone—damn right I took that job. His higher-ups wanted Jonas out so they made his life hell on a daily basis. Jonas called me into his office, half-mad like Colonel Kurtz and demand that I give him 400 variations on an 12-word headline for something like the upcoming EXPERIENCE HENDRIX best of. I never learned more in 13 1/2 years of school more than I did from him in a few short months. But force him out they did and because I was Jonas' ally—not because of my work-- they fired me in 1999 when MCA "merged" with Polygram and they had to shed bodies. When security ushered me out, I felt like the luckiest person on earth… like I caught the last helicopter out of Saigon when it fell.
Story/Stereo, the brilliant (and free!) convergence of words and music at Bethesda's Writer's Center returns with a new edition tomorrow night (11/5) with readings from Doreen Baingana and Alison Pelegrin and music from Medications' Devin Ocampo.
It's been somewhat of a tradition in advance of these evenings to spend some time with the musicians on the bill. This time around Devin spills the beans on one of his favorite records of all time.
And it's a bit of a surprise.
One of my favorite records of all time is Prefab Sprout's first LP "Swoon." It's a record that I'm almost embarrassed about loving because, at first, it seems comical and dated to those that didn't grow up with it. In some ways, it's a typical 80's over-produced English pop record (which was to be hammered home with the subsequent Thomas Dolby produced records) but to my ears it had punk attitude and swagger.
Mostly because the odd time signatures and unconventional song structures took me by surprise and seemed a middle finger to the average listener. The singer, Paddy McAloon, also had this voice that felt at times uncomfortable, but always cool.
His melodies were anything but normal and the bizarre way he approached vocal dynamics and word play just killed me. The closest comparison for me would be Shudder To Think and I actually think I initially liked Shudder because they sounded kinda like Prefab.
It's our Thursday flashback, culled from the rare and (ultra) obscure crates of 80’s vinyl, curated by our pal Gil:
Fabel – Songs Of The Spheres This obscure indie LP was conceived by the New York based brother duo of Nick and Ron DiFabbio in the mid 80’s. Both of these guys were very talented in the engineering, production and mixing side of the music business. They also had a penchant for the instrumentation as each one plays keyboards, guitars and programs sound effects.
Suffice it to say, these talented brothers were all over this alternative new wave rock album and made the right choice to break out from behind the production and mixing shadows. The band played at a variety of local New York City clubs, but was never able to garner a national audience.
Side One displays a reserved anthem like approach to the songs with soaring programmed arrangements and studio shine. Side Two pushes the envelope into more experimental territory and the brothers seem to let their hair down to tell you how they really feel about creating music.
There are major tempo changes, lyrical shifts and a driving edge to many of the songs….Check out the escalating sounds of “Raising Hell To Heaven” ….the synth induced “Sign Of The Times”....and the urgency of “Bleed The People”…. This first and believed only album was independently pressed and distributed via Brontosaurus Records, New York.
Those off you who pop by here even infrequently must know of our undying adoration for Harry Nilsson and the catalog of music he left with us. One of our very first theme weeks, if not the first, was a Harry Nilsson Week.
Jeff Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere put the absorbing and well crafted Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?) on my radar perhaps as far back as 2006 or 2007—but its release remained in limbo for some time. But alas, after several years and infrequent theatrical screenings, today is the official release day of the documentary on DVD.
And we've got five of them to give away to five of you.
Some background via IMDB: "The documentary explores the enigmatic life and music of Harry Nilsson in an attempt to answer the question, "Who is Harry Nilsson?" The film includes new and archive audio and film including interviews with Robin Williams, Yoko Ono, Van Dyke Parks, Randy Newman, Ray Cooper, the Smothers Brothers, and Micky Dolenz.
"Who is Harry Nilsson?" uses promotional films, music videos, and home movies; segments from the unreleased documentary made during the recording of Son of Schmilsson (Did Somebody Drop His Mouse?); and excerpts from Nilsson's rare TV appearances in his BBC specials, the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, Playboy After Dark, and in an episode of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.
As mentioned, we've got five copies of the DVD to get to five of you in exchange for your comment to this post. Share with us your favorite Harry song or memory, and the five most compelling responses will receive a DVD copy of Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?) We'll give you to 11/9 to enter this one and winners will be selected from the continental U.S. only. Remember to leave us a contact email address as well!
Two weeks back we spent the entire week with LA's Kitten as they made their way from CMJ showcase to CMJ showcase. Then to London for more gigs.
The whole time—the entire week—I played the final, recorded version of "Kill the Light" over and over again til I thought I was all Kitten'd out. Then yesterday on my walk home from work, it made an appearance on random shuffle and it was love all over again.
Well, during the CMJ week we didn't do a giveaway because Kitten didn't have vinyl. Rules are rules, afterall. But released last week is Kitten's first vinyl 7"—the aforementioned "Kill the Light"—and we've got two copies to give to two of you.
Your job: stream or download the track above. Swoon in comments to this post over above track. Be sufficiently convincing and two of you will be sent the 7". Simple, right?
We'll give you a week and award 2 winners on 11/10. Remember to leave us a contact email address so we can let you know you won!
Frontier Records founder Lisa Fancher is with TVD all week as we celebrate the label’s 3oth Anniversary.
Today, a clarion call:
Welcome to Reality I've been spending so much time detailing about the wondrousness of moi that I decided to turn my sights toward my nemesis, The Music Business. Much as I'd love to dance on its grave, I'm too magnanimous and wonderful for that. Though its never been good to me (more on that another blog) and has done nothing to deserve it, I'm gonna give it a reprieve. I still have an inexplicable fondness for you—once upon a time you brought me Elvis, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Here's the deal, M.B: record buyers aren't buying your shit anymore. Literally.
You are a big, sloppy mess that doesn't deserve a decent burial. There was well over a generation of fans who, like me, grew up living and breathing music, even falling in love with the artwork. Nowadays teenagers don't know which band wrote what song, when it came out, or where they came. Call from Philip Morris: Teenagers are extremely susceptible to peer pressure—imagine if you hooked them on music again. Now there's a diabolical scheme!
Look at the misery you caused with your new fangled CDs! Buyers were once crazy for CDs, profit was fat… until they discovered they could easily upload and download digital files themselves. Surprise! Profit retrograde. Are music fans inherently dishonest? I don't think so. I think they're tired of paying $20 for a record that probably stinks to begin with and they know it only cost around $1.00 to manufacture. Instead of paring down the roster and insisting upon better music, you (unsuccessfully) tried to sue consumers for home taping, trading in promo CDs, and now for "file sharing."
What to do about the problem of stealing instead of buying? I know—pick me, pick me! Add extra tracks and/or visuals to a CD by your "hot" artists, call it DELUXE and charge several dollars MORE so that their fans will resent them since they don't have several dollars more. How to send the upward trajectory of people BUYING downloads spiraling down to earth? Charge $1.29 for MP3s by hot selling artists when customers were reluctantly paying .99 cents. You heard vinyl was "in" so you bombarded stores with mediocre back catalogue at a $25 list price even though the original LP can readily be found in bins for .99 cents! Nice job, wizards.
Consumers don't have to get music from record labels. Wake the fuck up—you're not in charge of how they get music—THEY are! YOU made them disgruntled by continuously changing formats and raising prices instead of making better records. Oh, that's right, there are only four "Major" labels left and the corporate masters made a point of firing anyone with musical knowledge from every department, not just A&R. From wax cylinders to Super Audio CDs—single and duo layer— they're not going to buy a new piece of gear every time your bottom line needs a bump. Bump = cocaine, get it? JOKZ.
The Music Business took a nation that was obsessed with pop music starting with Frank Sinatra and drove them away, now there's something to be proud of. Then again, I'm no business major. Music is not a fuckin' hamburger some kid can make in under two minutes, it's ART created by HUMANS. It connects humans with other humans and saves their lives. People can't do without music, they will always seek it out and cherish it, tell their friends about how a song or a band or an album changed their life. Oh, that's right, there are only four "Major" labels left and the corporate masters made a point of firing anyone with musical knowledge from every department, not just A&R.
The only music lovers you haven't turned away are truly independent record stores and fanatic record buyers. The huge chains you catered to have been reducing floor space on music for years and since you can't consistently deliver them hit product, they're now going to sell DVDs or educational toys instead. And yet Indie stores are opening all the time, many of them are seeing their best months ever… Passion drives the music business, only the passionate work hard enough to keep it afloat. It's time for everyone, myself included, rethink their pricing strategies and cater to the music buyers that are still in the game.
The strong survive, Major Labels, and if you're intent on dying I certainly won't stop you. Look on up from the bottom, there's no place to go but up. Do you like how I worked two Frontier songs in here? I knew you would.
My Favorite Vinyl Record| Radiohead’s “In Rainbows” Michael Donohue | Eyes Around, Vocals/Guitar When I was a small kid I remember grabbing one album in particular out of my dad’s record collection to stare at the most. I was too small to even play the thing, but Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” had the artwork that drew me in. My dad was a draftsman at the time, a house designer, and he would use these templates to color over to add brick to the drawings of the outer designs. The templates provided a short cut so he wouldn’t have to pencil in every brick. So I wondered if someone had used a template to put the bricks onto the album cover.
I made an immediate connection and decided this would be the first opportunity I took to actually open one and see what was inside. And this new realm of animation sprung out at me and caught me off guard. I felt that I was seeing something play out in those drawings that I had no concept of, no frame of reference to work with. I couldn’t have been any older than 3, but when I revisited the album as an avid listener in high school, I felt something strangely familiar—stimuli re-stimulated, if that makes since. I enjoy that album still, but it will always be my dad’s album.
I’ve heard Radiohead referred to as “Punk Floyd.” As a Radiohead listener I can say this doesn’t bother me, because I get it. Radiohead is my Pink Floyd so to speak. They’ve had a similar effect dropping their pebble in the water that the Floyd has. They activate the imagination; push the limits with spacey sounds and unconventional song structures and themes. And most importantly, they have no template. But it wasn’t until “In Rainbows” came out on vinyl that I realized I love that band on vinyl. I have all of the Radiohead albums on vinyl, but “In Rainbows” is the one I had to take out of the plastic.
I was on tour with my band recently out west, and that album was played on repeat. So the music was set to the landscape of the mountains in Arizona and the coast of California, all the way up to Oregon. I remember “Reckoner” playing as we first caught a glimpse of Vegas a few miles out. All these cookie-cutter homes housing people bustling in a city that never sleeps lined the road for miles as we approached the strip. The song made it surreal. Who knows where my mind would’ve gone without it? I can’t forget hearing “Videotape” played with the scenery out my window being the windy desert of spring. I don’t know why seeing tumble weeds to that song gave them more depth and purpose, and rhythm. Hearing “Faust ARP” in my ears with Mount Hood in Oregon in my eyes was sensational. The mountain seemed more cold and white than it would have without the song.
Of course that’s all on an ipod. My vinyl experience with the album would come later, with the extra tracks present that would’ve lent themselves beautifully to the soundtrack of the tour. Dropping that needle to hear Thom squirm around on the piano chair at the beginning of “Down is the New UP” is worth owning it. And that’s something you may not catch if there’s remarkable landscape to focus on.
Radiohead do take you through every color of the spectrum on this album. From quirky songs like “15 Step” and “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi” to deep somber songs like “Go Slowly” and “Last Flowers,” it’s covered all the colors for sure, even indigo. I love how hearing this vinyl plays back the desert, the ocean, and the mountains so vividly. I can go back anytime without walking out my front door.
Confession: I don’t know the lyrics to my favorite vinyl. This is peculiar considering the fact I’m the lyricist in my band, and normally I’m delving into the meaning of the words if not just to sing along to what I’m listening to. “In Rainbows” doesn’t beg me to sing along, it beckons me to pay attention to the emotion released. That’s what I love about it the most; I don’t have to know the words to experience the record. Would knowing the words enhance it for me further? Maybe yes, maybe no. For this one, my favorite one, I choose to make the exception and leave the meaning lost in the landscape somewhere.
Who knows what Sigor Ros is saying? The point is, you don’t have to. “The Wall” has its animation and story line. “In Rainbows” has red, blue, green, etcetera, etcetera…
I've asked Lisa Fancher, Frontier's founder and our guest here all week, to pull three LPs from their weighty catalog—LPs entirely representative of Frontier's output and sensibilities—to offer as a giveaway this week. She came back to me with the three you see below.
We'll have two winners for all three LPs. They are:
"Adolescents is one of the better longplayers to come out of the early Southern California hardcore punk scene. With the legendary Rikk Agnew on guitar, the first album by this high-energy Orange County quintet (drawing some of its teenaged membership from Agent Orange and Social Distortion) has a crisp, metallic guitar sound and clear, comprehensible vocals." —Trouser Press
Q: In (the) book, American Hardcore, they hint that The Middle Class' record was possibly the first hardcore record ever. What do you think was the first hardcore punk record was?
Jello Biafra: Either The Middle Class or Sound of Imker Train of Doomsday single in the late '60s in Holland. The only true '60s hardcore record I know.
"One of the era's quintessential expressions of teen dislocation, it converts generation gap misunderstandings into a complete communications breakdown, encapsulating all the punk sociology of such films as Repo Man and Suburbia in four minutes." —Trouser Press
As always, we'll ask you to make your case as to why you should be sent this set of Frontier releases in the comments to this post. Make 'em good and it'd be smart to make them Frontier-related as well.
We'll choose our 2 winners for the 3 LPs this Friday (11/5) at noon. Remember to leave us a contact email address too so we can let you know you won, OK?
Frontier Records founder Lisa Fancher is with TVD all week celebrating the label’s 3oth Anniversary which culminates this Sunday night (11/7) with a 30th Birthday Party at LA’s Echoplex.
In the meantime, ever wonder what it takes to get a label off the ground?
Fools Rush in Where Wise Men Never Go… Some people start out in the mail room at William Morris, I got my big toehold in the "Biz" by doing inventory at a hippie record chain called Licorice Pizza, where they provided busted spring couches and gave away FREE red licorice so customers would hang out. Nightmare. I was failing Cal State Northridge fast because I had to go see bands play two sets at the Starwood, Whisky or Rox, therefore morning punctuality was a non-priority. When Greg Shaw called me up and asked if I wanted to work at the soon to be opened Bomp! store, I said yes knowing I was really never going to crack the books. And when I'm right, I'm right!
No thoroughly unqualified 18 year old could have asked for a better gig… I mean DESERVED! Even before the store opened, I bought "I'm Stranded," "New Rose" and "Anarchy in the UK" there (Greg was tight with Sex Pistols' artist Jamie Reid as well as Stiff's Dave Robinson. What was the only U.S. store with Stiff promo material, then?) as they had already stockpiled records and fanzines for the spring '77 opening. Rodney Bingenheimer spread the word and suddenly the Bomp! store was the place to shop. Devo, the Cramps and any other band that mattered personally dropped off their self-released 45s. People drove from all over the southland to shop here, including every member of every punk or wave band whether they'd formed yet or not, from Stan Lee (Dickies) to Chris D (Flesheaters) to Craig Lee (Bags). I collated my wildly unpopular fanzine, Biff! Bang! Pow! on the counter as if there were no customers, goodness knows I wasn't cramming for finals. (Paul Weller visited so I gave him a copy, later to find the back cover—a Xerox of my own Creation 45 on Planet—on the inner sleeve of ALL MOD CONS!)
I quit Bomp! to try (and fail) to "make it" in London in mid- '78 but upon returning Danny and I were hired by Michael "Jett" Compton to slave at the cursed and hated Licorice Pizza in North Hollywood. Steve Hufsteter (The Quick), writer Don Snowden, Cliff Roman (Weirdos) and Kid Congo (Cramps) soon joined the surly bunch. Hey, valley slobs with no taste—you want some attitude with that free licorice I restocked with my FEET? You got it! After a disastrous Licorice Pizza Christmas party we were fired en masse and I returned to Bomp! in the mailorder department. Sure, you would expect Wildman Fischer to talk into your record store, but mailorderers? Comic book times baseball card collector… I hold dear Jello Biafra in the greatest esteem for releasing Zolar X's TIMELESS but I knew my record wrapping skills would never make him happy.
I wrote LP reviews for the LA Times but was unable to curb my enthusiasm for milestones like the Ramones' debut album. AND WHY WOULD I??? Ken Tucker then gave me the chance to review live shows for the LA Herald Examiner, a fantastic way to get free records, get paid to go to punk shows I would have gone to anyway, and also shoot at clay pigeons like Styx. (Dear GLEE, There is nothing funny, cute or ironic about having kids sing Styx, Journey, REO Speedwagon songs that will ALWAYS SUCK. If you're humiliating them on purpose, then that is cool.) I still worked for Suzy in Bomp mailorder too. Greg unfathomably appointed me accountant for a while and—knowing I was certifiably Bobby Fuller touched in the head—gave me the plum assignment of going to El Paso to pick up all of Bobby's master tapes (contents mostly unknown) from his parents, Lorraine and Lawson, as well as meet and interview his former bandmates and tour manager, Rick Stone.
Though I was rather proud of being a college drop out, I still had a nagging feeling I needed to DO something, so I decided to release a record. I already knew the various steps and how much they would cost from being at Bomp!. I decided upon the Flyboys—I interviewed them for the Herald and knew they could use a benefactor.
Click to enlarge!
So, somewhere in 1979 I booked some time in Leon Russell's studio on Magnolia Ave where Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde) was the receptionist and Jim Mankey (Bearsville era Sparks) was the house engineer. I had Bomp!'s Mick Toohig design the Frontier logo and Diane Zincavage design the Flyboys EP package, which I insisted "must JUMP off the rack." Frontier Records and FLP 1001 began just like that—no trust fund, no partners, no business plan… don't have one yet.
You remember that Desperate Bicycles B-side that ends with "It was easy, it was cheap. Go out 'n' do it"? It's far from truthful but it's a hell of a slogan.
We trust you, faithful TVD visitor, have seen that Jon is giving away some copies of a documentary about Harry Nilsson. But you must comment on that post to be eligible to win. Don't know as much about Nilsson as you'd like? Relax. We've made the trip from the '70s to be your guide.
You may know Nilsson for these singles: "Everybody's Talkin'" (a Fred Neil cover; you know it from the "Midnight Cowboy" soundtrack) or for "Me and My Arrow," from "The Point," a 1971 animated film. You may know Nilsson for these 1972 singles: The smash "Without You" (a Badfinger cover) and the irreverent "Coconut." You may even know "Jump Into the Fire," which features Jim Gordon's thunderous 45-second drum solo.
We trust you have heard them all on the oldies stream.
The latter three tunes are off "Nilsson Schmilsson," a 1971 release full of sunny pop goodness. Because it is so well known, we bring something else from the '70s.
"Son of Schmilsson"was the follow-up LP, released in 1972. It is by turns charming, eccentric, rude and in questionable taste. It suggests a guy struggling to keep his balance as waves of fame crash over him.
One song starts: "You're breakin' my heart/You're tearin' it apart/So fuck you."
Another song starts, then ends abruptly when Nilsson belches, then careens into the next song.
Still another starts: "I'd rather be dead/I'd rather be dead/I'd rather be dead/Than wet my bed." Performed with a British senior citizens glee club which had to be in on the joke.
The record ends this way, set as if in the last scene of an elegant Disney cartoon: "Tell her she's beautiful/Roll the world over/And give her a kiss/And a feel."
That was the dark side of Harry Nilsson. Here is more of that sunny pop goodness.
"Son of Schmilsson" is out of print but is available digitally.
Harry Nilsson was so loved among his peers that a tribute CD released in 1995, a year after his death, counted 23 covers by an astonishing array of talent. Here are three. Randy Newman - Remember (Mp3) Joe Ely - Joy (Mp3) The Roches - Spaceman (Mp3) (with Mark Johnson on guitar and the Smithereens' Mike Mesaros on bass and Dennis Diken on drums)
"For The Love of Harry: Everybody Sings Nilsson" is out of print but also available digitally.
