photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
i was introduced to DINOSAUR JR through my dad who had their WITHOUT A SOUND (SIRE, 1994) album largely on the strength of the single "FEEL THE PAIN" that was on the local ALTERNATIVE ROCK radio station KROQ 106.7FM in LOS ANGELES. in fact, there are photos of me in elementary school wearing a DINOSAUR JR shirt from that period. much later on i attended a boarding school in WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS in a small town just north of AMHERST, where the band hailed from. i took comfort in that for some reason. that even though i was surrounded by STRANGE MASSHOLES all the time, at least i knew some of them in theory were on the level.
FREAKSCENE: THE STORY OF DINOSAUR JR (VIRUS FILMS, 2021) is a particularly INTIMATE portrayal of the INFLUENTIAL INDIE ROCK band and its DEFINITIVE lineup of guitarist J MASCIS, bassist LOU BARLOW and drummer MURPH. famously OBLIQUE and INDECIPHERABLE in interviews, i was stunned to learn recently that a film on the band even exists, but in fact the documentary is directed by MASCIS' brother-in-law. which makes sense, because FREAKSCENE very much attempts to understand the INTRIGUING and COMBUSTIBLE mix of CREATIVE ENERY, EGO and CONFLICTING PERSONALITIES that made the band so internally VOLATILE while maintaining such an ELEVATED ARTISTIC STREAK throughout the 1980s and early 90s. its just amazing that three even agreed to discuss such for public consumption, but such is the state of their career and INTERNAL RESPECT for one another that seemingly all of it is water under the bridge. basically DINOSAUR JR is MASCIS. he started the band with fellow DEEP WOUND bandmate BARLOW after transitioning away from HARDCORE and the drums to guitar. over several album cycles BARLOW grew into his own as a songwriter and felt confined by his role in DINOSAUR JR and started to allocate material for his SEBADOH side project (itself another SEMINAL and much BELOVED INDIE ROCK band). feeling he wasnt fully committed to the band, MASCIS fired him. MURPH lasted another album cycle. by the time i heard the band via WITHOUT A SOUND, MASCIS was the only remaining founding member. its and absolutely INTRIGUING dynamic that a band with such a DISTINCTIVE and UNSPOKEN, ON-STAGE CHEMISTRY had such a difficult time with INTER-BAND COMMUNICATION and basic HUMAN INTERACTION. MUSICAL RELATIONSHIPS can be WEIRD like that, but that IDIOSYNCRATIC core relationship is the crux of the film. how they lost such and regained it later as adults. and you can tell no one is more POSITIVE about the re-emergence of DINOSAUR JR as a VIABLE CULTURAL ENTITY as that of his IMMEDIATE peer group. the interview participants for this film is quite DEEP and INCREDIBLE with PUNK ROCK and INDIE ROCK luminaries such KIM GORDON (SONIC YOUTH, BODY/HEAD), BOB MOULD (HUSKER DU, SUGAR), KEVIN SHIELDS (MY BLOODY VALENTINE), HENRY ROLLINS (BLACK FLAG, ROLLINS BAND), THURSTON MOORE (SONIC YOUTH), FRANK BLACK (PIXIES), SONIC BOOM (SPACEMEN 3) and KURT VILE attesting to their continued GREATNESS. FREAKSCENE is ESSENTIAL viewing for anyone interested in the evolution of UNDERGROUND ROCK AND ROLL from the 1980s onward. most definitely worth checking out.
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photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
this isnt the first time ive stated my love of LIVE PERFORMANCE series on YOUTUBE and the latest quality one i found is the HIGHWAY HOLIDAY TV series produced by the namesake EUROPEAN TOURING SUPPLY company out of BELGIUM of all places. the ongoing series features MODERN, EXPANSIVE and EXPERIMENTAL ROCK N ROLL bands of all walks and genres. the setting is SPARE and decidedly INDUSTRIAL but all that effectively does is put the focus on the featured artists, including NOTABLE acts like A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS, DAGGERS, KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD, SECOND STILL, EMMA RUTH RUNDLE, BLACKWATER HOLYLIGHT and KIKAGAKU MOYO among others.
HIGHWAY HOLIDAY TV is definitely a LIVE PERFORMANCE series well worth checking out.
parody & text by nacrowe
there are certain bands i turn to when in moments of STRESS. it can go one of two ways: either i want something incredible AGGRESSIVE (i.e. PIG DESTROYER, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, NAILS and early SEPULTURA) or CHILL and MELLOW (CHET BAKER, ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER, BILL EVANS, BOARDS OF CANADA, GUSTAV MAHLER, STAN GETZ and early APHEX TWIN). the former BIRMINGHAM-based songwriting duo BROADCAST are UNIQUE in my estimation because they have this deeply emotionally RAW sound that is also seemingly and paradoxically quite TRANQUIL and SANGUINE. somehow they successfully meshed the two together.
calling a band's sound "CINEMATIC" is beyond a cliche, but is absolutely apt when describing that of BROADCAST. their HAZY and HAUNTING electronic soundscapes would not seem out of place as the sound-bed to a long-lost postwar black-and-white FRENCH film that followed two lovers doomed to be apart. their sounds exudes this sweet sense of MELANCHOLIA that both SOOTHES and GRATES simultaneously, like bearing witness to an exclusive event but not necessarily being a part of it. i cant help but find myself trailing off into a dreamlike NOSTALGIC state when taking in albums like WORK AND NONWORK (WARP, 1997) and THE NOISE MADE BY PEOPLE (WARP, 2000). its all encompassing. the fact that vocalist TRISH KEENAN is no longer with us, having tragically passed away on tour in AUSTRALIA from PNEUMONIA brought on by a short battle with SWINE FLU back in 2011 only makes that decidedly somber tone more PRONOUNCED and EVIDENT. its STIRRING and absolutely UNCANNY. its the type of sound that makes me feel REFLECTIVE and ANXIOUS at the same time, which counterintuitively calms me down during moments of STRESS and UNEASE. very similar in that regard to the music of JOY DIVISION, which likewise strikes a balance in presenting a SINGULAR bifurcated tone. i learned about BROADCAST through a former post-college work colleague who was an absolute music snob. through him i also learned about STEREOLAB, THE MAGNETIC FIELDS, NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL, early FLAMING LIPS, AUTECHRE and WILCO. dude was a complete dick, but i am grateful that i picked up BROADCAST from him, which is a band i have still not emotionally reconciled with to present day, two decades later. in you are unfamiliar, they are definitely worth checking out. embedded below is a recent DEER GOD RADIO episode on nonprofit internet radio station MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC that includes a playlist celebrating the MELODIC and ethereally MELANCHOLIC music of BROADCAST. enjoy! photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
it was a FORTUNATE accident when we came across the VIRGINIA INDUSTRIAL BLUES band BUCK GOOTER while filming on location at MARKET HOTEL in BROOKLYN a few years ago for our live performance video series ON THE M (linked HERE). the set consisted of these NASTY, BOTTOMLESS DIRGES played as if they were conducted by EVIL robots. frontman BILLY BRETT was swaying around and whipping chains while guitarist TERRY TURTLE was standing SENTINEL over the audience in MEDIEVAL CHAINMAIL. they just looked and sounded completely POSSESSED, like a SOUNDTRACK to the APOCALYPSE. i just remember thinking immediately that this band was COOL, like the first time i came across BIG BLACK. mind blown.
unfortunately we werent able to use the footage due to an issue with the audio we took from the soundboard that night, but we were all PSYCHED to see it utilized later in their "NAILED TO A CROSS" video. the band itself was beyond PROLIFIC with 19 records over their 15+ year career at the time. sadly TURTLE passed away from cancer in 2019 at age 67. BRETT has carried on and we wish BUCK GOOTER nothing but the best. their most recent release GHOST BRAIN (2023), produced by OLIVER ACKERMANN (A PLAE TO BURY STRANGERS), is absolutely DEMENTED and well worth checking out. RIP TERRY TURTLE
parodies by nacrowe
i was just at the BROOKLYN MUSEUM today to catch the INCREDIBLE SPIKE LEE: CREATIVE SOURCES exhibit (which i highly recommend and is open through february 4). after taking that WONDERFUL exhibit in, i had a happy accident in noticing from the guide that there was another INTRIGUING exhibit taking place a floor below called COPY MACHINE MANIFESTOS: ARTISTS WHO MAKE ZINES (open through march 31). honestly, in my mind i was just hoping that said exhibit would have examples of those RARE RAYMOND PETTIBON ZINES from the 1980s. oh did they. in fact there was a whole wall of them. beyond COOL. just as COMPELLING, there were also MULTIPLE BIKINI GIRL ZINES from the early 1990s which got me thinking about the MEDIUM in general.
with the ubiquity of EFFICIENT and COST-EFFECTIVE office copy machines in the 1980s (largely due to a lost anti-trust case that saw XEROX bequeath its intellectual property to rivals TOSHIBA, CANON, MINOLTA and SHARP), there was suddenly a mechanism for retail customers to SELF-PUBLISH at scale at a reduced cost. enter SELF-MADE ARTISTS, SOCIAL/POLITICAL ACTIVISTS and MUSIC ENTHUSIASTS who grabbed onto this platform to create MAKESHIFT, LOW-QUALITY publications that expressed a viewpoint by definition outside of the mainstream. the exhibit very dives into the diversity of output from the late 1970s onward and how the format really provided a voice for the voiceless and addressed the needs of COMMUNITY FORGOTTEN or UNRECOGNIZED by the publishing industry at the time. that melding of ART, POLITICS and MUSIC is such an INTERESTING topic and the exhibit showcases the extremities of taste and decency in those often aggressively TRANSGRESSIVE publications. i feel like i understand the niche pre-internet. what i had a harder time understanding was the need for ZINES from the 2000s onward when the internet had provided numerous avenues (FORUMS, SOCIAL MEDIA, BLOGS, WEBSITES, E-MAIL CHAINS, NEWSLETTERS, SUBSTACKS, etc.) for COMMUNITY generation on a MASSIVE global scale. but maybe that limitation is the point. ZINES are by design DISPOSABLE and severely limited in production, thus limiting the COMMUNITY involved and rendering such UNSEARCHABLE in the technological sense. it makes you consider if KATHLEEN HANNA was starting out today in 2023 what messaging vehicle she'd have initiated to get her thoughts transmitted to the PUBLIC. thats what ive been thinking about the rest of the day. embedded below is a recent DEER GOD RADIO episode on nonprofit internet radio station MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC that includes a playlist celebrating RIOT GRRRL bands from throughout 1990s, as well as later female artists that took up the mantle and ran with it thereafter. enjoy! photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
by the time the I'M NOW: THE STORY OF MUDHONEY (KING OF HEARTS, 2012) documentary came out more than a decade ago, the much REVERED SEATTLE ALTERNATIVE ROCK band MUDHONEY had become somewhat of an ongoing UNDERGROUND cultural institution similar to their likewise NOTEWORTHY local peers in the MELVINS. both bands predated and were early PROGENITORS of the ALTERNATIVE ROCK explosion and ultimately became SURVIVORS of it as well, with all that entailed including a dalliance with the major label system. what is apparent from the film is that MUDHONEY, like the MELVINS, did everything on their own artistic terms, damn the COMMERCIAL CONSEQUENES. which is why they are still much BELOVED and arguably more INFLUENTIAL in the long-run then their BETTER-KNOWN contemporaries in SOUNDGARDEN, ALICE IN CHAINS, PEARL JAM, SCREAMING TREES and NIRVANA.
their narrative is very much intertwined with the emergence of the INDEPENDENT local SUB POP label as a cultural force in the late 1980s and early 1990s. after releasing their first single on the CASH-STRAPPED LABEL, a GERMAN promoter flew them out to BERLIN for a showcase that effectively introduced both the EUROPEAN public and the foreign music press this AMORPHOUS fuzzed-out-beyond-oblivion sound termed "GRUNGE" by some critics back stateside. this initial foray into the EUROPEAN market setup not just MUDHONEY and SUB POP RECORDS, but the entire scene for future success. but in the short-term the LABEL was operating in the red due to a lack of funds and it wasn't until the UNEXPECTED ECONOMIC WINDFALL that was NIRVANA's NEVERMIND (DGC, 1991), that the LABEL was able to find its financial footing. by that point MUDHONEY had already left for REPRISE RECORDS a year earlier, fearing the very real POTENTIAL FINANCIAL INSOLVENCY of SUB POP. this MAJOR LABEL PERIOD for me is the crux of the film, as it showed a band that operated at arms length from their LABEL both financially and artistically, exploiting it for their own decidedly MODEST aims. afraid of having their sound polished in the process a la THE REPLACEMENTS and HUSKER DU before them, the band shrewdly did not change their recording process despite the new BLOATED BUDGETS. they consciously recorded on a shoestring and collectively pocketed the rest, which effectively led to DOWN PAYMENTS on houses and other invidually VALUABLE LONG-TERM ASSETS. for me it seems extraordinarily ASTUTE (and PUNK ROCK) to utilize the MAJOR LABEL SYSTEM to shore up their individual long-term financial interests instead of plunking it away on RECORDING and TOUR PRODUCTION BUDGETS. again, the only other examples of bands i've heard of doing something similar were the MELVINS and the likewise REVERED LOS ANGELES based MELODIC HARDCORE band BAD RELIGION. by the time MUDHONEY came back to earth and returned to SUB POP for the third phase of their career and they left the MAJOR LABEL SYSTEM for good, they were rendered effectively UNSCATHED. this is exceedingly RARE, as most bands caught up in the post-NEVERMIND major label feeding frenzy that didnt "make it" came out the other end dismantled, discarded or shells of their former selves. not MUDHONEY, and at this point SUB POP was for years on solid financial and cultural footing, making the reunion work to present day. much is made about the DIY ETHIC in PUNK ROCK and INDIE ROCK circles, but their is something to be said about going into the lion's den, especially during this period, and not getting torn to shreds. with MUDHONEY they had a strong vision of who they were as individuals and what they wanted to accomplish. in effect, they saw themselves decidedly NOT as an ARENA BAND or as ROCK GODS and basically wanted to be the next link in the chain of CELEBRATED bands like THE STOOGES, THE RAMONES, MOTORHEAD, BLACK FLAG, THE DAMNED and the MC5. and they accomplished such with their INTEGRITY intact which is quite the SINGULAR achievement given the body count that came out of that scene from drugs and the pressures of the RECORDING INDUSTRY. more than a decade since the release of this film, such is still very much the case. and they do such by remaining in the PRESENT MOMENT. for some they might be a nostalgia act from a bygone era, but they view themselves as a VITAL CREATIVE ENTITY entering a new phase and continuing to ENGAGE and influence the next generation of ROCK AND ROLL musicians, much like their heroes in IGGY POP and the late LEMMY KILMISTER. this documentary is ESSENTIAL viewing for fans of ALTERNATIVE ROCK, PUNK ROCK and INDIE ROCK, especially from the CRUCIAL late 1980s / early 1990s period in the PACIFIC NORTHWEST. NOTABLE interview participants in this documentary include KIM THAYIL (SOUNDGARDEN), KIM GORDON & THURSTON MOORE (SONIC YOUTH), STONE GOSSARD & JEFF AMENT (PEARL JAM), KEITH MORRIS (BLACK FLAG / CIRCLE JERKS), TAD DOYLE & KURT DANIELSON (TAD), BOB BERT (PUSSY GALORE), JOHN WAHL & CHRIS BAGAROZZI (CLAWHAMMER), WAYNE KRAMER (MC5), producer JACK ENDINO (SKIN YARD), photographer CHARLES PETERSON and RECORD LABEL founders BRUCE PAVITT & JONATHAN PONEMAN (SUB POP). photo & text by nacrowe
when thinking about the AT WAR WITH THE MYSTICS (WARNER BROS, 2006) era biography STARING AT SOUND: THE TRUE STORY OF OKLAHOMA'S FABULOUS FLAMING LIPS (CROWN, 2006) by CHICAGO SUN-TIMES music critic and CELEBRATED cohost of WCRX's SOUND OPINIONS radio program JIM DEROGATIS, i cant help coming away with the impression that despite its detail it is a rather PEDESTRIAN, STRAIGHTFORWARD narrative being presented. which is probably what i should have expected.
i dont know how else you could make a sense of a SEMINAL cult band that has managed to capture the attention of WIDESPREAD mainstream popular attention, if only for the short CULTURAL MOMENT preceding this book's publication, despite numerous lineup shifts, changing genres, the rise of sharing platforms, streaming and the fall of the RECORDING INDUSTRY and not to mention the serious handicap of being from the CONSERVATIVE, CULTURAL OBLIVION that is the state of OKLAHOMA. a TRADITIONAL episodic narrative makes sense from a writing standpoint by conceptually misses the opportunity to get WEIRD, as THE FLAMING LIPS are one of those few bands that gets more OBTUSE and ECCENTRIC with each release up to the present. its like writing an HONEST accounting of the DADAIST MOVEMENT without partaking in the FUN itself. that being said, there was much about THE FLAMING LIPS i was unaware of: for instance, the extent to which singer WAYNE COYNE was involved with the 1980s HARDCORE PUNK ROCK / INDIE ROCK scene in OKLAHOMA to the point he loaned out-of-town bands his PA SYSTEM and that his former girlfriend MICHELE VLASIMSKY was a concert promoter so revered that her BOUTIQUE firm BULGING EYE became the UNITED STATES booker agent of NIRVANA both pre and post-fame. i always wondered how they were able to gain an audience and network among other EXPERIMENTAL, LIKE-MINDED bands such as THE BUTTHOLE SURFERS in a pre-internet, entirely ANALOGUE environment. they were essentially a nexus point in a wider NETWORK of INDEPENDENT venues and college radio stations that made up the UNDERGROUND SYSTEM that supported everyone from R.E.M. to BLACK FLAG. i was likewise unaware of the internal dynamics behind their storied collaboration with REVERED producer DAVE FRIDMANN who worked with them on most of their more ACCLAIMED and IMAGINATIVE releases. what shouldnt not have been surprising is that such a choice in producer was due largely to budget and control. THE FLAMING LIPS were signed to WARNER BROS and they were unable on their first string of releases to gain the SOUND QUALITY and sense of EXPERIMENTALISM by rushing through HALF-BAKED ideas in an expensive studio with producers INEXPERIENCED and UNINTERESTED in their perspective. learning about FRIDMANN and his UPSTATE NEW YORK studio at a college through a roadie seemed the perfect setting to stretch their budget and also exercise some control over the proceedings, as previous producers just dictated major decisions in terms of RECORDING TECHNIQUES and various aspects of PRODUCTION. over time FRIDMANN became an extended member of the team and utilized THE FLAMING LIPS as a starting off point to beta test EXPLORATORY RECORDING and PRODUCTION IDEAS to the benefit of both. i wish i was able to learn more about former guitarist and all-around musical SAVANT RONALD JONES, but i guess he will just remain an MYSTERY wrapped up in an ENIGMA for the time being. i am assuming DEROGATIS with his long-term access to the band knows more than he lets on but is probably being circumspect of RESPECT and an unspoken DIGNITY for JONES' privacy. as a listener and fan, JONES is almost like SYD BARRETT in terms of his creative output, influence and stunning exit from the MUSIC INDUSTRY. the band was lucky to have him when they did, but even more FORTUNATE to have songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist STEVEN DROZD in their midst at same time. if you are a fan of THE FLAMING LIPS or interested in the unfolding and unraveling of all things 1980s INDIE ROCK and 1990s ALTERNATIVE ROCK then STARING AT SOUND is worth the effort. if not, the book is a bit dry and unassuming which is quite IRONIC given its subject matter. interesting nonetheless. photo & text by nacrowe
terms like ALTERNATIVE and EXPERIMENTAL get bandied about a bit, myself included, when describing UNFAMILIAR or EXOTIC recordings with UNIQUE production processes beyond the point of being cliche. but that late songwriter DANIEL JOHNSTON is that RARE, AUTHENTIC OUTSIDER ARTIST that is SINGULAR unto himself and yet absolutely INDELIBLE to the listening public. long suffering from SEVERE BIPOLAR DISORDER that found him in various psychiatric institutions throughout his life, JOHNSTON found SOLACE in his songwriting and the makeshift cassettes he made via a basic consumer boombox. these tapes he famously passed out at his AUSTIN fast food gig back in the 1980s.
famously KURT COBAIN at the peak of the ALTERNATIVE ROCK movement vocally promoted the work of JOHNSTON among other INDEPENDENT artists (KYUSS, THE BOREDOMS, HALF JAPANESE, THE RAINCOATS, FLIPPER and SHONEN KNIFE among others) that virtually removed him from CULTURAL OBSCURITY and even made him the center of a major label bidding war. there is a RIVETING documentary about his life called THE DEVIL AND DANIEL JOHNSTON (SONY PICTURES CLASSICS, 2005) that is well-worth checking out that goes into much more detail about his UNLIKELY CAREER, CULT STATUS and struggles with MENTAL ILLNESS. HI, HOW ARE YOU (SELF-RELEASED, 1983) is arguably his most famous cassette. STANDOUT tracks from this recording in the intervening years have been covered by everyone from EDDIE VEDDER (PEARL JAM), MIKE WATT (MINUTEMEN) and TV ON THE RADIO and songs from his EXTENSIVE catalogue have likewise been covered on record by the likes of THE FLAMING LIPS, TOM WAITS, M. WARD, BRIGHT EYES, MERCURY REV, GUSTER, EELS, NICK ZINNER (THE YEAH YEAH YEAHS), DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE, TEENAGE FANCLUB and BECK among others. CELEBRATED songs include "DESPERATE MAN BLUES," "WALKING THE COW," "BIG BUSINESS MONKEY," "POOR YOU," "DESPAIR CAME KNOCKING" and "GET YOURSELF TOGETHER." to my ears JOHNSTON is almost like the aural equivalent of HENRY DARGER in that his songs have a SELF-CONTAINED, INTERIOR LOGIC and WORLDVIEW that is constructed by a creator without a full-set of facts about how the world works. his characterizations about certain types of people may come across as NAIVE, but there is a PALPABLE sense that through much effort and INCREDIBLE CREATIVITY, he has made a substantial stab at CONTEXTUALIZING, UNDERSTANDING and ultimately ENGAGING with the outside world from a SKEWED PERSPECTIVE. to me that is ultimately the CHARM of his records, as well as the decidedly LO-FI AESTHETICS of his recordings. literally all you have are the songs and they stand on their own in this RUDIMENTARY state sans gimmickry or even BASIC production values as his voice trails and guitar/piano trail in and out due one would assume to his body movement from the boom box's INTERNAL microphone. undoubtedly JOHNSTON is a DIY CULT STATUS and a TRUE AMERICAN original. his is the embodiment of the AUTHENTIC alternative to what is often labeled ALTERNATIVE and his work is well worth checking out. RIP DANIEL JOHNSTON.
parody by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the ECLECTIC and EXPERIMENTAL roster of the LOS ANGELES-based independent label SARGENT HOUSE RECORDS!
​ ​​past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! photo & text by nacrowe
arguably the most CELEBRATED release from the much-REVERED GEORGIA INDIE ROCK institution that is R.E.M., AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE (WARNER BROS, 1992) is very much the culmination of the ELEVATED SONGWRITING and LYRICISM explored throughout the entire previous decade. never did the band sound more COGENT and AUTHORITATIVE then on this record.
on the preceding album OUT OF TIME (WARNER BROS, 1991), guitarist PETER BUCK was largely disenchanted with the guitar as a viable means of EXPRESSION, which is not hard to understand given the EMPTY, MASTURBATORY EDDIE VAN HALEN-inspired WANKERY of the 1980s. BUCK was always more of a TEXTURAL player who philosophically employed his instrument not unlike that of JOHNNY MARR (THE SMITHS), DANIEL ASH (BAUHAUS, LOVE AND ROCKETS, TONES ON TAIL) or ROBERT SMITH (THE CURE) in that the emotional evocation of the part superseded the TECHNICAL PROWESS or DEXTERITY utilized to achieve such. in short, the part served the song and not the other way around. on OUT OF TIME BUCK famously put down his guitar and picked up a mandolin in its place, writing some of their most FAMOUS songs, especially "LOSING MY RELIGION." when i listen to AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE i am confronted with a guitarist that has fallen in love with his instrument again. the SOARING pre-chorus LEAD EMBELLISHMENTS on the aptly titled "DRIVE" or the more SUBTLE FOLK-inspired DELICATE PLUCKED LINES of "MONTY GOT A RAW DEAL" and the WISTFUL, SOFT-FOCUS STRUMMING of "MAN ON THE MOON." the album to my ears just sounds like a master class in the EMOTIVE potential of the guitar as a sonic vehicle. in terms of EARNEST POETIC LYRICISM, the always INTUITIVE and REFLECTIVE vocalist MICHAEL STIPE on previous releases always had an INVENTIVE and rather OPAQUE way with WORDS and TURNS-OF-PHRASE that emotively translated where his PSYCHIC and AFFECTIVE headspace was at during the point of creation. AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE in that sense is a slight bit of a departure in that the themes and subjects are bit more TRANSPARENT, but such are seemingly the vehicle for translating deeply-felt EMOTIONAL CONTENT. a track like "EVERYBODY HURTS" is so SOLEMN on the face of it that it could very easily fall prey to UNINTENTIONAL SELF-PARODY or MOCKERY. what sells that line is the SERIOUS-MINDED conviction of STIPE's voice as if he is still in the process of dealing with the consequences of said experience in real-time. it is quite the PERFORMANCE and quite the achievement. "NIGHTSWIMMING" is a NOSTALGIC, PIANO-DRIVEN RUMINATION on lake skinny-dipping at night as a youth and that PROFOUND sense of UNIMPEDED FREEDOM that is as EPHEMERAL and JOYFUL as it is BITTERSWEET. not unlike the FLEETING experience of youth itself and growing older. "MAN ON THE MOON" is an ODE to ANDY KAUFMAN as if the late comedian where still alive, ready to pounce and eviscerate our collective cultural expectations once again with one last gag to end all gags. although the track celebrates his COMEDIC AESTHETIC, there is a MELANCHOLIC vibe that seemingly counteracts the words and insinuates the DISCONNECTION and ISOLATION of a comedian from their audience. its as if KAUFMAN is lost at sea and this song is a siren call to lure him back to shore. my personal FAVORITE track is "DRIVE." it is a COMPELLING MEDITATION over the complexities of being LYRICAL and EMPATHETIC in such a PUBLIC MEDIUM. the video really relates this ODD DYNAMIC visually quite astutely and strikingly with band members individually crowd surfing, literally connecting physically with their audience while being above and separate from such. i continue to find both the song and accompanying promotional video quite POWERFUL. unfortunately it is assumed that KURT COBAIN (NIRVANA) tragically committed suicide to this song, which obviously only further fuses that song with its strong theme of ISOLATION in the public imagination one step further. not unlike U2 post-THE JOSHUA TREE (ISLAND, 1987), R.E.M. post-AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE finds the group more interested in VEILED EXPRESSIONS through ALTERNATE PERSONAS and EXPANDED PRODUCTION with SONIC JUXTAPOSITIONS that hitherto were not previously part of the band's LEXICON OF SOUNDS. i feel like such was an INEVITABLE step away from the EARNESTNESS that was this album in particular, as if STIPE and company did not wish to be so EXPOSED and TRANSPARENT for public consumption again. at least that is my interpretation. i can't say i blame them. AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE is ESSENTIAL and absolutely required listening. most definitely worth checking out to the uninitiated.
parody by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the EXPERIMENTAL NEW YORK CITY-based, NO WAVE-influenced INDIE ROCK institution that was SONIC YOUTH!
​ ​​past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! photo & text by nacrowe
i mean the title says it all. THE HAÇIENDA: HOW NOT TO RUN A CLUB (SIMON & SCHUSTER, 2009) book by LEGENDARY JOY DIVISION / NEW ORDER bassist PETER HOOK goes into excruciating detail about the MISMANAGEMENT and horrendously BAD DEAL-MAKING at the heart of one of the most CELEBRATED NIGHTCLUBS of all-time.
for its part, the MANCHESTER venue THE HAÇIENDA out of dumb genius or FINANCIAL NECESSITY (one person was less costly then putting up a whole band), is credited with elevating the figure of the DJ in the 1980s to a pedestal they still hold in MODERN DANCE CULTURE to date. inspired by the inclusive underground dance venues like the DANCETERIA in NEW YORK, THE HAÇIENDA sought to establish a similar void in BRITISH culture. what is interesting is that it took nearly a decade and the melding of sorts with another DANCE CULTURE, that of the party isle of IBIZA, with its use of a new DRUG called ECSTASY, that saw the emergence of ACID HOUSE under its own watch and became the epicenter of a WORLD-WIDE DANCE PHENOMENON from roughly 1988-1990. the narrative HOOK presents is one where NEW ORDER and its label FACTORY RECORDS basically stumbled into one CULTURAL SUCCESS after another despite their combined efforts to the contrary. from the start, THE HAÇIENDA made NO FINANCIAL SENSE and its INSATIABLE need for CASH INFUSION throughout its history OVER-LEVERAGED all INVESTORS involved, including the band members themselves who were liable for any OUTSTANDING DEBT. not NEW ORDER was overly concerned or involved enough in the day-to-day to see what a drain the operation was on their bottom line. they lived in a COCOONED ALTERNATIVE REALITY with little interest or regard for the combined extracurriculars of manager ROB GRETTON and label head TONY WILSON, for them the venue was a clubhouse of sorts where they could hang out when back home in MANCHESTER from tour or recording. like everything FACTORY-related, the whole enterprise was more of an ASPIRATIONAL ART PROJECT than a CALCULATED BUSINESS OPERATION. as HOOK's other books about JOY DIVISION and NEW ORDER will attest, this naive modus operandi basically carried over to all BUSINESS ASPECTS of their career as guided by GRETTON and WILSON. so much with THE HAÇIENDA was wrong from the get go. the BUILDING itself with its high ceilings and rooftop was not conducive to a NIGHTCLUB in terms of SOUND or ATMOSPHERE. FACTORY brought in a designer who OVERSPENT on the interior design. they OVERPAID for a CRAPPY sound system. OVERPAID for bands. took out LOP-SIDED BAD LOANS. made BAD BUSINESS DEALS with vendors and contractors. the list is NEVER-ENDING. but somehow eventually nearly a decade in, it all worked despite itself. until it didnt. after the peak years of THE HAÇIENDA and the MADCHESTER scene, LOCAL GANG interest reared its head due to the money made on PARTY DRUGS and basically infiltrated the scene, which led to VIOLENCE and AGGRESSION that winnowed away regulars and provided OPPORTUNITIES for EMERGING rival VENUES to exploit. the book is written in sequential year-to-year chapters with figures about REVENUES and EXPENDITURES as well as notes regarding event calendars and FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES for the coming year included in the mix. you can see how it all financially spiraled out of control as well as the dominance of regular DJs over time. it really is a REMARKABLE top-down look at a BUSINESS VENTURE that stayed afloat in spite of itself. the question i keep coming back to in my mind is what would have happened if THE HAÇIENDA was actually run well throughout its run. would it have been more PROFITABLE? its GLOBAL CULTURAL IMPACT more sustained? could it possibly have been more successful? somehow i doubt it. the rolling SHAMBOLIC nature of the FINANCIAL ARCHITECTURE that propelled the VENUE had an energy all its own and the conspiring players in the midst all played a part in its success and eventual downfall. despite everything, the long-defunct VENUE today is a BRITISH LANDMARK that still has an IMMENSE CULTURAL CACHE attached to it. for a FAMOUS BUSINESS FAILURE, and it was surely that, it oxymoronically sure was a CULTURAL SUCCESS for the ages. it is part of the ENDURING MYTHOLOGY of JOY DIVISION, NEW ORDER, FACTORY RECORDS and by extension MANCHESTER itself, just as much as OLD TRAFFORD or FREE TRADE HALL. photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
there are so many stellar ONGOING live PERFORMANCE video series produced and recorded by radio stations across the county, including NOTORIOUS ones by KEXP 90.3FM in SEATTLE and KCRW 89.9FM in LOS ANGELES among others. recently i discovered another great example done by KCMP 89.3 THE CURRENT in NORTHFIELD, MINNESOTA, called THE CURRENT SESSIONS which is run by MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO and has a broadcast range that covers the nearby "TWIN CITIES" of ST. PAUL and MINNEAPOLIS.
the visual and sound quality involved is TOP NOTCH and includes past PERFORMANCES by everyone from NOTABLE songwriters like SHARON VAN ETTEN, ROBYN HITCHCOCK and FIRST AID KIT to INDIE ROCK bands in BUILT TO SPILL, AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS and STARCRAWLER, not to mention HIP HOP acts like KILLER MIKE of RUN THE JEWELS fame. needless to say, THE CURRENT SESSIONS are definitely worth checking out. photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
recently i came across the SHOEGAZE band NOTHING out of PHILADELPHIA. they've been around for more than a decade and have a slew of releases out on the nearby RELAPSE RECORDS, which is generally known for their roster and back catalogue of EXTREME METAL acts. its an INTERESTING dichotomy given that SHOEGAZE is more of a sonically HAZY and AMORPHOUS genre that is less AGGRESSIVE than it is INTROSPECTIVE. NOTHING has a sound that seems to split the difference between THE CATHERINE WHEEL and the more EXPANSIVE moments of the DEFTONES. it really is an INTOXICATING sound that seems to blend a knack for ARTFUL AMBIGUITY and traditional song composition. plus their videos are pretty visually BRUTAL a la label-mates PIG DESTROYER or FULL OF HELL.
definitely a band worth checking out. photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
im guilty as anyone of getting JADED. feeling like ive seen and heard it all before. its probably part of getting old. then you hear a UNIQUE band like the wildly ECLECTIC HOUSTON trio KHRUANGBIN who mix everything from DUB, PSYCHEDELIA, SOUL and ROCK MUSIC and have whole albums exploring specific TRADITIONAL SONIC TRADITIONS from the likes of THAILAND, MALI, SPAIN, AFGHANISTAN and the MIDDLE EAST. their sound is both AESTHETICALLY FAMILIAR and a radical departure on each track. it is hard to explain but a pure pleasure to listen to.
KHRUANGBIN are definitely worth checking out, whether or not you are a fan of FOREIGN MUSICAL TRADITIONS or more familiar WESTERN INDIE ROCK. they are easily one of the most EXHILARATING and boldly CREATIVE bands i have come across in a while. photo & text by nacrowe
its one of those weird things about the 90s that arguably the RAWEST and most CUTTING, SELF-PUNISHING record of the decade was a CHAMBER POP album by a DIMINUTIVE and seemingly ANGELIC-presenting chanteuse, who was still in her teens, in singer-songwriter FIONA APPLE. her debut album TIDAL (COLUMBIA, 1996) found her lyrically shedding all socially and culturally constructed aspects of her FEMININITY to reveal a POWERFUL VOICE oozing with confidence while paradoxically wallowing in her own INSECURITIES, MISGIVINGS and CONTRADICTIONS. all this while the sound-bed layer of music is decidedly DELICATE with swells of LUSH, EXOTIC INSTRUMENTATION courtesy of JON BRION. it makes for one of the most DYNAMIC debut albums of that or any other decade.
i wasnt in the UNITED STATES back in 1996 as my family moved to NIGERIA that year and wasnt exposed to APPLE until i was well into college almost a decade later. by that point i was familiar with most of the major ALTERNATIVE ROCK bands of the period, both successful and those less so, but discovering APPLE was a bit of a revelation as i couldnt believe someone this singularly COURAGEOUS and SELF-OBLITERATING ran askew of my radar beforehand. in tracks such as "SHADOWBOXER," "SLEEP TO DREAM," "NEVER IS A PROMISE" and especially "CRIMINAL" you found a SELF-AWARE VOICE coming to terms with how society perceives her through the lens of GENDER and SEXUALITY while attempting to numb and shed those expectations. the fact that such BRUTAL self-observations, some related to SEXUAL ABUSE incurred as a minor, are conducted with such AIRY, LILTING MELODIES and matching DELICATE, UNOBTRUSIVE and decidedly SOPHISTICATED INSTRUMENTATION only augments the power of such. it was like a cross between the more SONICALLY LUSH and INTRICATE moments of peak BEACH BOYS circa PET SOUNDS (CAPITOL, 1966) with the OBSERVATIONAL SELF-ANNIHILATING acumen of a PATTI SMITH, MICHAEL STIPE, PJ HARVEY or LOU REED. its a COMPELLING dichotomy that i was not prepared for on first listen and instantly made me a long-term fan that has followed her IDIOSYNCRATIC career ever since. and i think the OBVIOUS should be stated outright that WOMEN undoubtedly get it harder than men in the MUSIC INDUSTRY and society at large. they are judged against each other by their YOUTH and apparent BEAUTY, which is ultimately a DIMINISHING CULTURAL ASSET over time. men dont have to deal with this SEX OBJECT BULLSHIT at all, being perceived as amassing WISDOM and STATURE over time. across the ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY it is that rare actress or singer that can maintain an audience over time. for every MERYL STREEP and DOLLY PARTON there is a GEENA DAVIS and DEBBIE HARRY that has had to struggle to maintain visibility despite abundant TALENT and PAST ACCOLADES and PEER RECOGNITION. i feel strongly that right out of the gate APPLE was attempting to present a VOICE that transcended the UNFAIR societal and culturally imposed LIMITATIONS on her GENDER and competed with the boys at their own titled game. much like BJORK, L7, KATE BUSH, LORETTA LYNN, SINEAD O'CONNOR, CAT POWER, MARIANNE FAITHFUL, COURTNEY BARNETT, SLEATER-KINNEY, JONI MITCHELL, ELASTICA, CHELSEA WOLFE, LAURA NYRO, WANDA JACKSON, BETH ORTON, PATSY CLINE, COURTNEY LOVE, AMY WINEHOUSE and AIMEE MANN did before and after her, she is part of a long UNBROKEN lineage of FEMALE ARTISTS attempting to dismantle PATRIARCHAL estimations of their value as artists and buck the INDUSTRY in the process. i know its REDUCTIVE to speak about her GENDER in this manner, but this conversation feels INEVITABLE given the era and her impact on successive generations of musicians and songwriters (of all GENDER and GENDER EXPRESSIONS) such as SHARON VAN ETTEN, LORDE, TEGAN & SARA, KING PRINCESS, FLORENCE + THE MACHINE, VANESSA CARLTON, PERFUME GENIUS, KINGS OF CONVENIENCE, LILY ALLEN, FEIST, SOCCER MOMMY, MITSKI, REGINA SPEKTOR, BAT FOR LASHES, KATE NASH, ST. VINCENT AND LADY GAGA among many others. TIDAL is absolutely required listening in my opinion. her work is INTEGRAL to a complete understanding of music in the 1990s. in fact, i'd take it a step further and state that APPLE's entire catalogue is absolutely worth checking out. enjoy. photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
this is pretty COOL. LA BESTIA TV is a live performance series recorded and filmed at the headquarters and event space of the MEXICO CITY internet radio station LA BESTIA RADIO. the ongoing series is only a few years old and has highlighted both INSPIRED SPANISH-language (CAROLINA DURANTE, TRIANGULO DE AMOR BIZARRO) and ENGLISH-language (A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS, NOTHING, THE BLACK ANGELS) INDIE ROCK talent, both of the decidedly EXPERIMENTAL variety.
i live for discovering this sort of thing. LA BESTIA TV is most definitely worth checking out and keeping an eye out for future episodes. photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
for 12 years, the longstanding A TAKE AWAY SHOW is one of the more COMPELLING LIVE PERFORMANCE series i've come across in recent memory as it is WELL-PRODUCED with exceptionally engineered mixes in SUBOPTIMAL, often OPEN-AIR recording situations. the series is the brainchild of BLOGOTHEQUE, a FRENCH YOUTUBE CHANNEL that has now expanded out to various other longer form ventures.
it is just such a gift to have these STELLAR PERFORMANCES out there in the ether for everyone to access and enjoy. past NOTABLE participating artists in A TAKE AWAY SHOW include MAC DEMARCO, VAMPIRE WEEKEND, LEE RANALDO (SONIC YOUTH), MURA MASA, TONY ALLEN (FELA AND AFRIKA 70, GORILLAZ, THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE QUEEN), COURTNEY BARNETT, FONTAINES D.C., STELLA DONNELLY, BLOC PARTY, JACK WHITE (THE WHITE STRIPES, DEAD WEATHER), LIANNE LA HAVAS, YOUTH LAGOON, STEPHEN MALKMUS (PAVEMENT), SUDAN ARCHIVES and DAMON ALBARN (BLUR, GORILLAZ). most definitely worth checking out.
parodies by nacrowe
sometimes you come across bands that are too clever by half.
classic case for that is PROGRESSIVE ROCK where VIRTUOSO musicians (cough, cough, DREAM THEATER) are liable to loose the plot and go down CONVOLUTED MODAL and SCALE rabbit-holes with no sense of ARTISTIC INTENT, PASSION or ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the wellbeing of a listener who potentially has to listen to this CHAOTIC, PATRONIZING mess. of course, there are notable exceptions like TOOL, RUSH and KING CRIMSON that use this EXPANDED color-box of TECHNIQUES and MUSICAL KNOWLEDGE sans SELF-INDULGENCE with SPECTACULAR results. in the 90s there was an explosion of genre-blending at hand where PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES related to HIP HOP and ROCK AND ROLL found new JUXTAPOSITIONS and EXPRESSION. some took that PASTICHE idea and really went for it with ADVENTUROUS expansions into LOUNGE, FOLK, JAZZ, LATIN MUSIC, COUNTRY, PSYCHEDELIA, FOUND SOUND, CHAMBER MUSIC, COMMERCIALS, BLUES, TROPICALIA, AFROBEAT, MUZAK and so on like the BEASTIE BOYS, BJORK and BECK arguably most famously. but i think that STEREOLAB may have done the whole EXPANDED PALETTE thing the most cohesively as their ECLECTIC SOUND and AESTHETIC decades later still sounds MODERN and cutting edge. part of that is the EXTRAORDINARY quality of the songs themselves and the UNIQUE, SOOTHING SINGING TONE of FRENCH vocalist LÆTITIA SADIER. whatever the SOUND-BED in the background, her VOCALS put you immediately at ease and envision a nice BRISK walk on a BREEZY, MAJESTIC summer afternoon. the MUSIC itself clears away from HARSH JUXTAPOSITIONS a la BECK and the BEASTIE BOYS that consciously drawn attention to themselves in favor of an ALTERNATE aesthetic whereby you are aware of the UNIQUENESS of the PRODUCTION and SONIC TEXTURES at play, but they are blended so adroitly that you arent consciously sussing them apart like a puzzle. instead you just let it all wash over you. i find the music of STEREOLAB relaxing, which is insane because musically they are particularly TECHNICALLY ADVANCED relative to their peer-base at the time and somehow manufactured a STARTLING achievement of making wildly DISPARATE SONIC ELEMENTS sound COHESIVE and even NATIVE and AUTHENTIC in relation to one another. i know INDIE ROCK snobs love this band, and ive met my share, but this is a band worthy of exploration in spite of such. like MASSIVE ATTACK, DEPECHE MODE or APHEX TWIN, they exceed their own hype. embedded below is a DEER GOD RADIO episode on nonprofit internet radio station MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC that includes a playlist celebrating the intensely ECLECTIC and FUN music of STEREOLAB. enjoy!
parody by nacrowe
the story of SUB POP RECORDS is so fantastical, it is something akin to fairy tale. in a notoriously SELF-CANNIBALIZING industry with a irredeemably RAPACIOUS and INSATIABLE appetite for SELF-SERVING, DEVIOUS business practices and CYNICAL self-justifications for mercilessly economically raping their CLIENTS and FANS alike, it is a wonder the PACIFIC NORTHWEST INDEPENDENT record label is still standing and functioning today. and not only surviving, but in fact thriving in a MODERN POST-STREAMING DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT where culture is moving and innovating at an increasingly fast clip. since the 1980s SUB POP has basically been a beacon for INVENTIVE established and emerging MUSICIANS alike, providing a platform and opportunity for wide exposure to ARTISTS across HIP HOP, INDIE ROCK, COMEDY, ELECTRONICA, SPOKEN WORD, PUNK ROCK, INDIE POP and TRIP HOP genres alike.
SUB POP began interestingly enough not as a LABEL, but as a FANZINE and RADIO SHOW at EVERGREEN STATE COLLEGE by student and music fanatic BRUCE PAVITT. it later morphed into a NEWSPAPER COLUMN and then a LABEL as a means of putting out a compilation album of unknown local SEATTLE acts in the late 80s. this small but close scene, uniquely propelled by its ISOLATION, cultivated an EMERGING ALTERNATIVE ROCK scene that infused elements of PUNK ROCK, METAL and CLASSIC ROCK influences to create something entirely FRESH yet FAMILIAR. by SERENDIPITY and hard work, SUB POP tapped into that vein and promoted the likes of SOUNDGARDEN, GREEN RIVER, MUDHONEY, NIRVANA and so on to the present day. what i appreciate about the LABEL is that they have never attempted to put out the same thing over and over again like so many other SUCCESSFUL AMERICAN INDEPENDENT LABELS (cough, cough, EPITAPH, FAT WRECK CHORDS, etc). i see SUB POP as more akin and in-league with the LIKE-MINDED BRITISH RECORD LABELS (4AD, ROUGH TRADE, XL, MUTE, WARP and DOMINO), as well as a few AMERICAN ones as well (MATADOR, MERGE and JAGJAGUWAR), that nurture and curate INGENIOUS new ARTISTS. whenever i feel jaded about music, SUB POP continues to be an entry point into the AVANT-GARDE of music right now. not thirty years ago at the height of a much BELOVED but IRRELEVANT and BYGONE GRUNGE movement, but right at present at this cultural moment. i just dont understand how they remained intact. its almost as if the COMMUNITY is consciously along for the ride, which is reassuring about HUMANITY in general. and thats exciting. SUB POP is a gift to music lovers. embedded below is a DEER GOD RADIO episode on nonprofit internet radio station MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC that includes an ECLECTIC playlist of SUB POP bands new and old, notable and upcoming. enjoy! |
NICHOLAS ARCHIVES
May 2024
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