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photo & text by nacrowe
BURMA CHRONICLES (DRAWN & QUARTERLY, 2008) is an autobiographical memoir by FRENCH cartoonist GUY DELISLE that depicts his yearlong tenure in MYANMAR while his wife was stationed there as part of her work with the international NGO DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS. to state the obvious, this era in the history of MYANMAR predated the military junta's experimental flirtation with democracy and the release, political rise and swift downfall of AUNG SAN SUU KYI. it also predates the genocide currently taking place against the MUSLIM ROHINGYA population in the southwest of the country.
what makes this book interesting, much like his other works cataloguing similar stints in NORTH KOREA, CHINA and ISRAEL, is deft manner in which DELISLE presents a culture through his personal experiences as an expatriate with everyday people. given his status as his wife's "plus one," he essentially uses this unique opportunity to critical examine his daily mundane interactions. this manifests in a narrative that is made up of intimate vignettes about dealing with issues ranging from the systematic (MEDIA CENSORSHIP, GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION, FOOD INSECURITY, INTERMTTENT ELECTRICITY and UNRELIABLE INTERNET CONNECTIONS) to the personal (LOCAL CUSTOMS/FASHION/CUSINE, RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS, GENDER ROLES and FILIAL PIETY). sure there are times when his observations come off a bit PATRONIZING and even PATERNALISTIC, but in my experience that is part of the process of acclimating to new surroundings and normative culture that differs from your own. so i dont fault him too much for that, in fact i think its a testament to his honesty to include such and gives this graphic novel a sense of authenticity. as ive mentioned in this forum before, i formerly worked in MYANMAR in the northern city of MANDALAY, which is far from the metropolis that is YANGON where DELISLE resided more than a decade before. there were things i learned from BURMA CHRONICLES about my area, specifically KACHIN STATE which was to my north. i taught children of their military during my tenure and i really had no idea about the jade mines located there and the dismal, sub-human conditions endured there by local workers at the behest of foreign companies (mostly CHINESE). i did not know about the narcotics problem there and how it worked within a broader GEOPOLITICAL STRATEGY by the military junta. of cause looking back, who would have told me? i was literally surrounded by AMERICANS, some of the CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY persuasion so at the very least they were highly unreliable on most any subject. having been a PEACE CORPS volunteer in ALBANIA i worked in concert with some foreign NGOs so i found it interesting learning about the politics regarding the mission of DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS and the decision matrix they utilize to deem a situation beyond salvageable. in BURMA CHRONICLES DELISLE and his family leave because the organization determined that they were rendering services that should be provided by the government. in essence they were aiding in the lack of development and progress by the military junta. i find that sort of thing incredibly interesting. too often in ALBANIA i felt that PEACE CORPS was more interested in what we got our counterparts to produce rather than having them self-determine and work towards mutual goals. that over time all we provided was a crutch for the locals to rely upon instead of becoming more self-sufficient. it is nice to know in this instance that responsible NGOs take their mission seriously and are willing to depart if the conditions do not present themselves. of course, i admit that an NGO is different than PEACE CORPS, which is an extension of the STATE DEPARTMENT, so maybe those missions and their ethos dont match exactly, but all the same it is not in the AMERICAN interest to have developing countries rely on us for expertise. or maybe it is? i thought DELISLE did a stellar job of elucidating the experience of adjusting to living in a developing by a WESTERN expatriate, worts and all. i highly recommend this graphic novel to anyone interested in learning about that experience or even a pre-"democratic" MYANMAR for that matter. cant wait to seek out his other publications. 
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parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO dedicated to the singer-songwiter HARRY NILSSON.
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 have early memories of U2's ACHTUNG BABY (ISLAND, 1991). specifically seeing the evocatively colorful and downright sensuous STEPHANE SEDNAOUI-directed "MYSTERIOUS WAYS" video on small tv in the guest room of my family's house in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. i must have been 7 years old.
there was a definite energy happening with that record. to date its easily my favorite U2 record with standout tracks like "EVEN BETTER THAN THE REAL THING," "LOVE IS BLINDNESS," "ZOO STATION," "ACROBAT," "UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD," and the aforementioned "MYSTERIOUS WAYS." even today, this record still moves me. also, how do you not love a record whose titled references a scene from the cult comedy THE PRODUCERS (EMBASSY, 1967). forget and put aside any ill will you may harbor towards BONO and his pretentious JESUS complex for a moment, realize the dude named a record after reference to a MEL BROOKS film. that is the very definition of awesome. any fan of the group will know that this record marked an important transition for the band where they in essence gutted and discarded the sound they had mined on previous releases throughout the 1980s. essentially guitarist THE EDGE was known for a jangly, delayed sound that made previous albums like WAR (ISLAND, 1983) and THE JOSHUA TREE (ISLAND, 1987) such seminal recordings. that ended with this record. sonically he explored digital / inorganic soundscapes with the help of returning producers DANIEL LANOIS, STEVE LILLYWHITE and BRIAN ENO that made use of everything from phasers and wah pedals to god knows what else behind the scenes. the results were startling and expansive, yet still sounded like THE EDGE through his unique melodic sensibilities that shone through new layered textures. besides the sonic experimentalism at the core of the record, the lyrics and persona of BONO went through a huge transformation. in essence he discovered irony. yes there are earnest tracks that call back earlier materials such as "ONE" and "WHO'S GONNA RIDE YOUR WILD HORSES," but those are an exception to other more forward-looking tracks like "EVEN BETTER THAN THE REAL THING" which seem to thrive on playing with the concept of authenticity in a world dominated by MASS MEDIA , specifically the newly emerging power of CABLE TELEVISION. its a heady concept that makes me think of other conceptual art pieces by the likes of DAVID BYRNE and TALKING HEADS. another song i really adore is "UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD" which on first glance seems to be a classic love song where the protagonist is self-loathing and conscious of being unworthy of reciprocated love, but what you realize is that the subject of the story is in fact JUDAS ISCARIOT and his betrayal of CHRIST in the GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE. i know BONO is CATHOLIC and all, but this interplay of romantic and spiritual love through betrayal is very clever. maybe even literary. at the very least it is not standard rock fare by any means. my favorite songs on the record are "LOVE IS BLINDNESS" and "ACROBAT" which i believe were entirely written by THE EDGE about his then divorce. those two tracks are so completely and utterly raw and nakedly vulnerable. really quite the achievement. it seems en vogue to hate U2, but i always go back to those two songs which i would put up against anything by any artist during any period in ROCK N ROLL history. i do believe they are that great. i should also mention that during my elementary school days participating in local SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA sports events, one of the songs in the car on constant rotation was "ZOO STATION." for me that song is divorced from its BERLIN metro station origins (which i did get to visit!) and to me represents summer track meets and soccer tournaments as a youth. so i have deep sentimental attachments to this record. just want to put that out there. so much more i could go into in terms of production (recorded at the legendary HANSA STUDIO) and history (recorded near the recently opened BERLIN WALL), but suffice to say this is a great album by a great band at an important inflection point during their career when they really outdid themselves. arguably that hasnt happened since, but man what a great album. definitely worth looking into and investigating further. higly recommended. 
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POM POM SQUAD is a fierce BROOKLYN INDIE ROCK band and the creative outlet of main songwriter and ORLANDO transplant MIA BERRIN. we were fortunate enough to cross paths at the QUEENS venue TRANS-PECOS a few years back where we filmed them for our OFF THE M live performance series. there is a very real pathos to her songwriting and performances which coupled with the damaged cheerleader imagery presents a femininity that is both intensely vulnerable and fiercely independent. i would put them in the tradition of challenging ALTERNATIVE ROCK / RIOT GRRRL / PUNK ROCK acts like THE BREEDERS, L7, THE KILLS, DUM DUM GIRLS, HOLE, JOAN JETT and especially BIKINI KILL.
during the pandemic BERRIN was featured in a WASHINGTON POST article (linked HERE) and recently they have signed to the GERMAN independent label CITY SLANG and are set to release their third release DEATH OF A CHEERLEADER next month. it so cool to see them progress from afar. interesting to see where they go from here. definitely worth checking them out. 
parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO dedicated the dark, controversial world of BLACK METAL.
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
it is hard to downplay the cultural and historical importance of the massively influential debut BLACK SABBATH album BLACK SABBATH (WARNER BROS, 1970). it basically created METAL as a genre. in fact, BLACK SABBATH is such an important band that there are whole current sub-genres that trace their origins back to specific songs from various albums.
of course this is all in hindsight, at the time of its release this record was not a critical favorite and the band were never considered to be at the vanguard of ROCK N ROLL or anything particularly unique or special. that fascinates me. this is the type of stuff i find intriguing about art in general, how each generation rediscovers and cherry picks from the past. how the inscrutable 16th century DUTCH painter HEIRONYMOUS BOSCH was a favorite of the SURREALISTS some 400 years later. how KRAFTWERK and KRAUTROCK in general influenced early HIP HOP acts like AFRIKA BAMBAATAA. why is BLACK SABBATH arguably as celebrated as LED ZEPPELIN with modern METAL musicians? its beyond interesting. putting that aside, what always struck me about their debut was how much a JAZZ element there was to it. if you listen to the interplay of the drums and bass on songs like "N.I.B." and "THE WIZARD" there is a definite swing element at play. in fact, it really grooves. i think that aspect of their sound is criminally overlooked. on subsequent releases they streamlined this sound which eventually became further developed with subsequent bands like JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN, METALLICA, SLAYER into various beloved subgenres ranging from the extreme in GRINDCORE, BLACK METAL and DEATH METAL to the streamlined in THRASH METAL and the experimental in SLUDGE METAL, POST METAL and even DOOM METAL. obviously the most celebrated track is the opener "BLACK SABBATH" with its iconic tritone riff and creepy atmospherics. when i envision it the adjective cinematic comes to mind. it just sets a mood long before singer OZZY OSBOURNE enters in. obviously OZZY is one of the great frontman in ROCK N ROLL history, but id argue not from his voice which is evocative but rather limited. i dont think he'd disagree with me on that. where his gift lies is in his commitment to the material and his presence as a relatable avatar for the every-man. i find OZZY immensely more relatable than contemporaries of the 1970s like ROBERT PLANT, ROGER DALTREY or even members of the then-recently disbanded BEATLES. no disrespect to any of them but they cover an altitude beyond us mere mortals. to my ears, OZZY comes off as something attainable. i think this is why he is beloved by every ROCK N ROLL iteration since, including PUNK ROCK and all its incarnations like 1980s HARDCORE and 1990s ALTERNATIVE ROCK. i also think lyrically OZZY is never given enough credit for the intelligence of his lyrics. in my mind the song "BLACK SABBATH" can be a substitute for your pick of any existential crisis, global or personal. i should also mention that the riffs of guitarist TONY IOMMI are legendary and the aforementioned TRITONE PATTERNS (specifically diminished 5ths) as well as detuned guitars (to accommodate his recently disfigured right fretting hand) and ample distortion is in effect the very template for the sound of METAL for the past 50 years. its hard to downplay his impact on this and subsequent records. his riffs alone are copied by modern guitarist to this day. IOMMI basically is METAL. i was lucky in that as a teenager i got to see a reunited BLACK SABBATH at OZZFEST numerous times and hearing specific tracks like "BLACK SABBATH" and "N.I.B." in a love context always sounded haunting and absolutely massive. even in their waning years they were a force to reckon with even after supporting acts like SLAYER, PANTERA, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, JUDAS PRIEST, SLIPKNOT or ROB ZOMBIE. never did they disappoint. again, its hard to downplay the importance of this record. as i stated before, it is also one of those records that gets rediscovered year after year by young musicians, much like THE STOOGES or THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, and continues to influence and shape modern culture. seminal record by a seminal band. definitely worth your time to investigate. 
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throughout all the past memoirs i've read regarding musicians since starting this blog, there always seems to be this crossing of the rubicon moment when fame hits. its a transitional moment where a new kind of pressure is introduced and musicians have to deal with their altered public profile in terms of their FAMILY, PEERS and ADMIRERS. DIG! (INTERLOPER, 2005) is a documentary that is very much about that period of transition and the potential brutal aftermath of having SUCCESS.
the film follows two tight-knit bands THE DANDY WARHOLS and THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE as they navigate the 90s underground INDIE ROCK scene together. THE DANDY WARHOLS are very much in the vein of SHOEGAZE and ALTERNATIVE ROCK with a decidedly heroin-chic look and bohemian flair that belies their names obvious reference. they very much come off as a knowing nod of the hat to all the better eras of rock history, recalling THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, THE ROLLING STONES and even concurrent INDIE ROCK bands such as THE BREEDERS. THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE is basically the vehicle for songwriter / multi-instrumentalist ANTON NEWCOMBE, who takes the hero worship one extra level and singlehandedly recreates the feel of 1960s PSYCHEDELIA but puts his own authentic twist on it. he is the resident genius of the two bands, both fully acknowledging such. what marks this film is the dissolution of this once intimate, supporting relationship between the two bands. this is the result of both NEWCOMBE's DRUG ABUSE, ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR and ultimately, his unreliability. THE DANDY WARHOLS on the other hand are probably more careerist and have a more streamlined sound which ultimately gets them courted by major labels and ends with them signing to CAPITOL RECORDS. for NEWCOMBE and THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE this is a betrayal of their INDIE ROCK ideals and DIY sensibilities. both bands take shots at each other in their music and things just devolve. much like the documentary film HYPE! (HELVEY-PRAY, 1996) was about the SEATTLE ALTERNATIVE ROCK scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s dealing with COMMERCIAL VIABILITY and the consequences of that on the purity of their scene, this film deals with the same situation except in a more direct, face-to-face dynamic. ultimately its a strange thing to question AUTHENTICITY in music. GENE SIMMONS once said that "everyone is in the KISS business" and he was right. everyone is monetizing off their image ultimately. everyone is being marketed. i suppose it is the level of control that you give up on the way to gaining major distribution from a record label. to them you are an investment and in order to have it pay off they present their roster in a certain manner. but i dont know, even back then i felt the PUNK ROCK police attitude towards music was pretty simplistic and ultimately counterproductive. now the whole argument seems naive and a waste of time since in the age of MOBILE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY with video and streaming platforms at everyone's disposal on their phone(!) the compromise necessary for DISTRIBUTION doesn't exist. now record labels are just brand names that raise your public profile in a flooded market. watching this documentary now is almost an act of NOSTALGIA for a less complicated time when lines that divided music where more well-defined. its the wild west now and basically everyone would make THE DANDY WARHOLS decision if asked. NEWCOMBE is an anachronism. great classic documentary dealing with PUNK ROCK guilt. required viewing. 
photo & text by nacrowe
INTO THE WILD (VILLARD, 1996) by JON KRAKAUER is the type of book that follows and gnaws at you long after you finished reading it. this nonfiction account of the forces, both personal and cultural, that led to the demise of CHRISTOPHER MCCANDLESS in the ALASKAN bush makes the reader consider what it means to live a fulfilled life.
MCCANDLESS is a complicated, controversial and deeply confounding figure who seemingly both taps into an ingrained exclusively AMERICAN pioneer spirit that celebrates personal freedom and self-reliance through communion with nature in the tradition of RALPH WALDO EMERSON, HENRY DAVID THOREAU and JOHN MUIR while also serving as a tragic symbol of incompetence that could only be derived from an entrenched sense of WHITE PRIVILEGE and EXCEPTIONALISM. and that mystery regarding why MCCANDLESS, who for all accounts and purposes harbored a deep curiosity and a supremely astute and literate mind, entered that harsh terrain so unprepared is essentially the beauty of this book. was it ego-driven? was it to escape the pressures of adulthood and family? moving past the particulars of his death, as a reader you are dealt with the broader implications surrounding the question of why people, especially young people, partake in risky behavior in general. as a social species are we predisposed to engage in risky activities as a means of proving something to ourselves? others? as for myself i have taken jobs in countries of questionable security such as MYANMAR, VENEZUELA and ALBANIA and traveled to similarly sketchy places like BRASIL. i can honestly say that my main motivation was curiosity about the lives and cultures of others. if these efforts were later validated or questioned by others, i would ignore such just the same with equal vigor. for some reason, and this may be pure projection on my part, i see MCCANDLESS as someone seeking to test himself and push his boundaries. risking his personal health with no security net in itself was the point. he was all in and new the risks. emotionally i get it the romanticism of that ideal, but intellectually it is difficult to justify the suffering he inflicted on his loved ones, even those he was estranged from. it just seems needless, excessive and ultimately selfish. but the more i think about him the more i am torn, which again is probably the point of the book. he is an ideal RORSCHACH TEST to project your own values and sense of what constitutes a well-lived life. for my part i see service to your community, however wide or narrowly you define such, as the optimal measure of the value of one's existence. ultimately i feel like he was acting in service of his own ego. its impossible to justify his actions due to the suffering he inflicted, but then again he knew the risks and he paid them with his life. he paid the price of servicing his ego and not his community. but i dont know. its complicated. he lived the life he wanted and made his decisions without fear or influence. this was just an unfortunate outcome. this is an interesting book that continues to confound me. well worth reading and i recommend it highly. wish i taught this book during my teaching career. i can only imagine the discussions. 
parodies by nacrowe
join us TONIGHT at 10PM EST for an all new episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC with a playlist celebrating the legendary HIP HOP collective A TRIBE CALLED QUEST.
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, make sure and download the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
"DEER GOD RADIO 125: ROSS ROBINSON PRODUCTION" LIVE TONIGHT AT 8PM EST ON MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC5/23/2021 
parodies by nacrowe
join us TONIGHT at 8PM EST for an all new episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC with a playlist focused on the confrontational production work of ROSS ROBINSON and unique agressive music he's collaborated on over the years.
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, make sure and download the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
photo & text by nacrowe
i am fully aware that in the pantheon of great DINOSAUR JR albums, WITHOUT A SOUND (SIRE, 1994) is not considered one of them. earlier records with the classic lineup (MURPH, LOU BARLOW, J MASCIS) like YOU'RE LIVING ALL OVER ME (SST, 1988) and BUG (SST, 1988) are probably the better starting point for new iniates into the swirling, explosive and strangely nuanced INDIE ROCK of this classic WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS band.
but this was my introduction to the band as a 4th grader. the BILL CLINTON-trolling "FEEL THE PAIN" was all over the local ALTERNATIVE ROCK station 106.7FM KROQ in nearby LOS ANGELES. i didnt see the accompanying ingenious SPIKE JONZE-directed music video until well into my 20s and the advent of YOUTUBE since as a child in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA we didnt have cable and therein MTV. but i did have the "FEEL THE PAIN" shirt! it was patently offensive with a dude being graphically chocked out. in fact i still have it somewhere in storage more than 25 years later. it was originally my father's and i believe he got it at BLACK HOLE RECORDS in FULLERTON (which amazingly is still around). if i'm being honest the initial appeal of that album as a kid was J MASCIS' voice. he had this carefree, almost insouciant delivery that really appealed to me. of course now i am aware of the through-line that the band represents that connects everything from HARDCORE and INDIE ROCK to even BLACK METAL with their previous incarnation as DEEP WOUND. given that this record was essentially a glorified J MASCIS solo record, there are several tracks that showcase his predilection for COUNTRY-fied licks and guitar textures in service to his idiosyncratic and effectively off-kilter melodic sense. specifically tracks like "OUTTA HAND," "BLAH" and "I DON'T THINK SO" come to mind. years later i attended a private school in WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS and became intimately aware of record and used bookstores in towns like AMHERST, NORTHAMPTON and GREENFIELD. i listen to their records now and they seem very much a part of that weird social landscape of HIPPIES mixed with TRUCKER culture. so in conclusion i still very much love WITHOUT A SOUND but i admit that there are other DINOSAUR JR efforts i turn to first, especially those i listed along with WHERE YOU BEEN (SIRE, 1993), but thats what happens when you have a deep catalogue of influential and ever-inspiring original material. 
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recently discovered this LONDON-based group LOS BITCHOS that specializes in CUMBIA of all things. their instrumentals are super-catchy and infectious and seem to be a genuine celebration of the genre rather than some well-intentioned but crass cultural appropriation that (let's face it) has been the case too often in the past by other artists (cough, cough, PAUL SIMON).
members range from SWEDEN, AUSTRALIA, URUGUAY and ENGLAND which makes this a multi-cultural affair. totally recommend you check out their infectious grooves and enchanting guitar melodies. well worth it. 
parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating classic DOO WOP.
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
the genius of WHITE ZOMBIE was their ability to create a cohesive, all-consuming visual and aural world that made constant references to obscure corners of culture from KUSTOM KAR CULTURE and COMIC BOOKS to classic SCI-FI and MONSTER MOVIES to independent HORROR / SLASHER FILMS. basically diving into their world, and by that i mean mastermind ROB ZOMBIE, was an education into an appreciation of UNDERGROUND ART and the COUNTER CULTURE where GEORGE ROMERO, RIDLEY SCOTT, JAMES WHALE, KENNETH ANGER, THE KUCHAR BROTHERS, JOHN WATERS, STANLEY KUBRICK all preside and are repeatedly celebrated.
part of me wonders allowed how ROB's time as a production assistant on the likewise eclectic PEE-WEE's PLAYHOUSE: which had NICK PARK (WALLACE & GROMIT), DANNY ELFMAN, THE RESIDENTS, GARY PANTER (JIMBO'S INFERNO), VAN DYKE PARKS, TIM BURTON, CRAIG BARTLETT (HEY ARNOLD!) and MARK MOTHERSBAUGH (DEVO) among many others working in collaboration. in my opinion ASTRO-CREEP: 2000 - SONGS OF LOVE, DESTRUCTION AND SYNTHETIC DELUSIONS OF THE ELECTRIC HEAD (GEFFEN, 1995) is the zenith of ROB ZOMBIE's career and artistically his most successful artistic achievement to date. his later celebrated filmography and string of solo records all seem to point back to this record and the one before it, LA SEXORCISTO: DEVIL MUSIC VOLUME ONE (GEFFEN, 1992). for me growing up, this was a huge record. just visually i remember being amazed by the artwork which was defiantly not kid friendly. i recall having to sneak in copies borrowed from friends past my parents. so right off the bat listening to this record was almost an act of defiance as a kid. i mean now i totally understand why it is entirely responsible to shield an 11 year-old from adult themes, but such was the era i grew up in. with the internet and conduits like YOUTUBE and SPOTIFY, i don't know how you could possible do such as a parent now but that is another discussion entirely. the music itself is what people now refer to as GROOVE METAL, a fairly riff-based extremely heavy that is not that dissimilar from that of peers in PRONG and PANTERA. sonically what separated them was their cut-up aesthetic for utilizing snippets from films and odd instruments to create a vibe. unlike their peers, WHITE ZOMBIE and specifically their guitarist JAY YUENGER, were the masters of setting up songs almost like little films. there is a cinematic structure to the songs where an atmosphere is introduced and establishes a setting where the chorus or a big-riff delivers the payoff. tracks like "I, ZOMBIE," "ELECTRIC HEAD, PART 1 (THE AGONY)," "GREASE PAINT AND MONKEY BRAINS," "CREATURE OF THE WHEEL," "SUPER CHARGER HEAVEN" and, of course "MORE HUMAN THAN HUMAN" did this in spades. those songs absolutely crush because of that cinematic buildup and payoff. i would argue that this element is what has been missing from ROB's solo efforts, as those structures seem clipped and abbreviated whereas on ASTRO-CREEP: 2000 and LA SEXORCISTO they breathe and seemingly come about organically to great effect. i may be naive, but i attribute that lost element to the dismissal of YUENGER when ROB forged his solo career shortly thereafter. when i think about ASTRO-CREEP: 2000 i cant help but feel that it is the true embodiment of the "more is more" mantra of songwriting. same with the visuals and the stagecraft. i would describe it as what ALICE COOPER would want to see if ALICE COOPER grew up listening to ALICE COOPER. its complete sensory overload. and that is essentially why i love this record. its almost too much. you really have to just submit and be taken for the ride. case in point is my favorite song on the record "BLOOD, MILK AND SKY" which takes you on a journey deep into the heart of a depraved psyche im not sure i want to visit. its an ambitious record during a time when the stakes seemed to have been lowered and ROCK AND ROLL became more pedestrian and approachable. this stuff wasnt tangible. this was some MT. OLYMPUS music. stil a favorite to this day that i highly recommend. well worth the effort. 
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after i graduated from undergrad i took a job at a bookstore and one of the other clerks was really into underground music. stuff id never been exposed to previously. bands like STEREOLAB, PAVEMENT and GALAXIE 500. that was cool and interesting and all, but the real revelation was what he was into in terms of HIP HOP, having clued me into the likes of MADLIB, MF DOOM and J DILLA. i believe those three are what many consider the preeminent artists from STONES THROW RECORDS. just the energy, creativity and dynamism of those three artists was the closest i ever got to the qualities that previously led me to my all-time favorite HIP HOP acts: the WU-TANG CLAN and A TRIBE CALLED QUEST. as with anything, you get jaded by what you know, and then new artists get the wheel going all over again. STONES THROW is a label in my opinion in constant search of new sounds and new experiences.
OUR VINYL WEIGHS A TON: THIS IS STONE'S THROW RECORDS (GATLIN PICTURES, 2013) is documentary that looks into the artists supported and curated by the innovative label and its founder, CHRIS MANAK, a.k.a PEANUT BUTTER WOLF. peers such as a A-TRACK (FOOL'S GOLD RECORDS) TALIB KWELI, KANYE WEST, COMMON, MIKE D of BEASTIE BOYS, EARL SWEATSHIRT, QUESTLOVE, FLYING LOTUS, TYLER THE CREATOR, J-ROCC and SNOOP DOGG are interviewed in this film along with past and current and roster-mates such as MADLIB, MF DOOM, J DILLA, DAM-FUNK, MILD HIGH CLUB, JAMES PANTS, MAYER HAWTHORNE, ALOE BLACC, GUILTY SIMPSON, J-ROCC and BARON ZEN among many others. in essence this film is bout WOLF and his eclectic musical tastes and how he fearlessly throughout the history of his label sought to put out music he believed in. even when considering the threadbare profit margins of independent labels, before and after the digital file-sharing revolution of the early 00s, there has always been a base marketing template followed a desired demographic chased. yes the iconic records both solo and collaborative by the likes of MADLIB, J DILLA and MF DOOM will largely define the label to many an indie music appreciator and vinyl junkie alike, but there been just as many records with, as FRANK ZAPPA used to say, "no commercial potential." STONES THROW is responsible just as much for FUNK, R&B, experimental NOISE ROCK and SHOEGAZE INDIE ROCK records. the through-line essential is WOLF and his musical taste, for good or ill. i feel that during a time when labels are attempting to optimize their profits by seeking music that will stimulate the most widespread of demographics, it is refreshing that there is someone out there whose basic requirement for inclusion is the quality of the work itself. WOLF doesnt appear to be chasing a market, if anything he is cultivating a consumer base that will grow to appreciate his offerings and give an unbiased listen, irrespective of genre or other considerations. i think for artists that is all you can really hope for: exposure to an engaged audience and a community of supportive peers. if only that was the norm in the music industry. 
photo & text by nacrowe
to quote former president GEORGE W. BUSH, "well that was some weird shit."
the graphic novel BLACK HOLE (PANTHEON, 2005) BY CHARLES BURNS, originally a limited twelve-issue series published by KITCHEN SINK PRESS and FANTAGRAPHICS, is a viscerally arresting experience unto itself, with stark, often disturbing imagery that perfectly showcases a harrowing narrative dealing with themes such as the nascent AGENCY, SEXUALITY and physical/emotional VIOLENCE that marks the teenage experience. forget graphic novels, this publication is a case study for the power of image and text as one of the most affecting portrayals of POST-ADOLESCENCE that i have ever come across. the narrative itself follows a set of small town WASHINGTON STATE high school students in the 1970s who pass on a sexually transmitted disease to one another that grotesquely deforms them. this physical disfigurement also marks a transition for these students in how they relate to the community, their peers and their own bodies. the nudity in BLACK HOLE is far from titillating, moreover it graphically showcases the emotional and psychic distance that the characters have been removed from their physical being. in essence it does not feel that difference from the experience of going through adolescence with the hormonal surges and changes in bodily proportions, textures, smells and appearance. i can speak from experience that going through that period was disorientating and emotional wrought, which is common. i felt alienated from myself and who i once was as i transformed into this other being. it really was a surreal experience. i really feel BURNS depicts and nails that sentiment with a sense of craft and tact. depictions of often grotesque physical deformities and distressing, surreal nightmares never feel excessive or out of place in BLACK HOLE. moreover they seem to promote the idea of POST-ADOLESCENCE as an experience that garners an immediate need for escape from a perceived claustrophobia brought on by the encroaching responsibilities of adulthood and parental/societal expectation. growing up is hard. it really is quite the achievement. i recommend BLACK HOLE to anyone interested in GRAPHIC NOVELS, SOCIOLOGY or even TRANSGRESSIVE FICTION. despite its graphic nature and adult themes, in my opinion this is a book with moral center and extreme sensitivity that marks it as a real provocative statement about the lasting psychological trauma that outlives the emotional and physical maelstrom of living through one's POST-ADOLESCENCE. thank god you only have to go through that period once. 
parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE a special episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC with a playlist dedicated to BRITPOP icons OASIS! one of my all-time favorite bands. episodes like this are why i do this show.
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
while SOUNDGARDEN's SUPERUNKNOWN (A&M, 1994) and PEARL JAM's VITALOGY (EPIC, 1994) were the first records i ever got as a child, LIVING COLOUR's VIVID (EPIC, 1988) along with the TIME'S UP (EPIC, 1990) and the BISCUITS EP (EPIC, 1991) were the first records i ever bought. this all had to be around 1995 when i was in 4th grade. i even had their VHS tapes TIME TUNNEL (SONY MUSIC, 1990) and PRIMER (SONY MUSIC, 1990) around that time as well.
i think what caught my ear initially were the guitar pyrotechnics of VERNON REID and the emotive, almost operatic vocal range of COREY GLOVER. obviously at the time i had no idea about the politics or supposed novelty of being a black ROCK & ROLL band (didn't AFRICAN AMERICANS invent rock to begin with?) or how their sound fit in with the beginnings of ALTERNATIVE ROCK with other spearheading, like-minded bands in JANE'S ADDICTION (who they famously toured with on the first LOLLAPALOOZA), FAITH NO MORE and THELONIOUS MONSTER. at the time i knew nothing except that i liked their music and the overall aesthetic of their album covers, music videos and yes, even their ridiculous stage getups. growing up until 6th grade in ORANGE COUNTY, my family didnt have MTV so my initial introduction to LIVING COLOUR was their song "CULT OF PERSONALITY" which years later was still on rotation at 106.7FM KROQ out of nearby LOS ANGELES. i find it funny now that until i saw the VHS tapes as well as a ROLLING STONE cover at the time, that i had no idea what they looked like. my first taste of their music was the actual music. listening back to VIVID recently, i feel it still holds up. standout tracks like "MIDDLE MAN" and "OPEN LETTER TO A LANDLORD" showcase a real, almost PUNK ROCK attention detail about day-to-day struggles urban, inner city life. obviously REID is renowned for his intergalactic sonic experimentalism and guitar histrionics, especially in a live context, but within actual songs his playing seems organic and never excessive in a manner not to dissimilar to his peer TOM MORELLO. i first saw LIVING COLOUR live on my 18th birthday back in 2002 at a small club in SACRAMENTO. i had some trepidation about the crowd, as months before i saw TRICKY open for TOOL and heard the local rednecks spurt out racist invectives his way. im relieved to say that didnt happen when i saw LIVING COLOUR play and the band just raged. again, GLOVER and REID are just quite the one-two sonic punch and they didnt settle in what i assume must have been a small, insignificant date on their itinerary. i find it funny that through my chance involvement with the non-profit community internet radio station MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC, out of STATEN ISLAND that i have come to be on the same station as VERNON REID. it is so full circle as his band was one of my earliest introductions to modern rock music as a child. so anyway, if you get the opportunity, definitely investigate LIVING COLOUR's VIVID album. it is definitely worth checking out again. 
photo manipulation by nacrowe
NAILS is BRUTAL. unrelentingly BRUTAL.
i was watching an interview with (now sole remaining original member) frontman TODD JAMES the other day and he was making plain his band's mission of conveying one emotion: ANGER. mission accomplished. no bullshit, NAILS is one of the most sonically punishing GRINDCORE / DEATH METAL bands ive come across in years. out of OXNARD of all places. no nuance or subtlety, no fat left on the bone, just uncompromising METAL carnage. check them out. youre welcome. 
parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO focused on the legendary collective of studio musicians known as THE WRECKING CREW.
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! 
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