photo & text by nacrowe
arguably the defining moment of my life (so far) was when my family moved to NIGERIA from SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA in the mid-1990s. shortly after arriving during this pre-internet era a classmate introduced me to 311 via their breakout self-titled 311 (CAPRICORN, 1995) album and from there i sought out on subsequent overseas trips their previous MUSIC (CAPRICORN, 1993) and GRASSROOTS (CAPRICORN, 1994) albums. needless to say, these three records as well as the subsequent TRANSISTOR (CAPRICORN, 1997) release was an INTEGRAL part of my soundtrack to the TRANSFORMATIONAL experience of living and exploring WEST AFRICA as a teenager.
and for me that UNIQUE interplay between my memories growing up in a foreign culture and the music itself is what makes 311 such an emotionally loaded topic for me, as i am sure it is for all people and the CONSEQUENTIAL ART, LITERATURE, FILM and MUSIC they consumed at a PIVOTAL stage in their life. but i will try. it is evident with even a CURSORY listen of GRASSROOTS tracks like "TAIYED," "LOSE," "GRASSROOTS" and especially "8:16 A.M." that co-vocalist / rhythm guitarist and main songwriter NICK HEXUM seemingly knows his way around EVOCATIVE and SOOTHING JAZZ-based PROGRESSIONS. the sonic juxtaposition of MEMORABLE SINGLE-NOTE FUNK-based GUITAR RIFFS with HIP HOP production and vocal cadence, as well as REGGAE-indebted RHYTHMS and a layering of those SOPHISTICATED JAZZ CHORD INVERSIONS immediately differentiates the MUSICAL STYLINGS of 311 from that of likewise artistically FORMIDABLE, HYBRID ALTERNATIVE ROCK peer groups at the time like the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and later INCUBUS. drummer CHAD SEXTON likewise adroitly fuels this CONTAGIOUS kinetic energy and RHYTHMIC FORWARD MOMENTUM with patterns that are often HARD-DRIVING SHUFFLES, which makes sense given the SOPHISTICATION of the MELODIES and underpinning CHORD PROGRESSIONS at play, especially on COMPLEX showcase tracks such as "SIX," "NUTSYMPTOM," "LUCKY" and "APPLIED SCIENCE". worth mentioning also are the indelibly LYRICAL SOLOS of lead guitarist TIM MAHONEY that are reminiscent of THE GRATEFUL DEAD's JERRY GARCIA's lead work, especially with his IDIOSYNCRATIC penchant for the AUTO-WAH GUITAR EFFECT. STANDOUT moments include the MAHONEY leads on "LOSE" and "TAIYED." for me the highlight of the album (and arguably 311's catalogue) is the BROODING and emotively CHURNING buildup of the last track "1, 2, 3." the way the song EBBS and FLOWS and seemingly FLOATS along a MYSTERIOUS ethereal plane until it CRESCENDOS into a satisfying RESOLVE that gets me every time. its just musically SOPHISTICATED in a way that doesnt necessarily show-off that capacity, but leaves you as a listener SATISFIED and CONTENT. almost like a great PSYCHEDELIC BEACH BOYS or FLAMING LIPS track that takes you along on a LUSH AURAL JOURNEY. its an experience. lyrically the songs seems to be dealing with how to deal with REGRET for the past and the PSYCHIC PAIN and CONFUSION that comes with FORGIVING ONESELF and MOVING FORWARD. letting the past be in the past. life in NIGERIA could be quite BRUTAL at the time, dealing with all that comes with being a foreign child of PRIVILEGE amidst a military dictatorship. WANTON DEATH, POVERTY, INEQUALITY and HUMAN SUFFERING was something i witnessed at an INTIMATE distance as a teenager. it was easy to feel HELPLESS and completely IMPOTENT to effect change in that environment, never mind the social awkwardness of going through puberty. "1, 2, 3" was a song in particular during that period that i relied on to CALM ME DOWN and get me through some truly TERRIBLE days and for that i still feel decades later a SPECIAL affinity for 311 and their music. to me GRASSROOTS is their greatest moment in a career full of highlights, but that is probably more of an assessment based on my personal narrative then theirs. either way, GRASSROOTS is well worth checking out. much like the RICH and ECLECTIC 311 catalogue in general. enjoy.
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parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the AUSTRALIAN PUNK ROCK / ALTERNATIVE ROCK singer-songwriter BRODY DALLE!
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!
parodies by nacrowe
i am continually fascinated by the EXPERIMENTAL and highly IDIOSYNCRATIC MUSICIANSHIP of SONGWRITER / GUITARIST WES BORLAND (LIMP BIZKIT, BLACK LIGHT BURNS, BIG DUMB FACE). yes his SIGNATURE double-handed tapping TECHNIQUE is VINTAGE LES CLAYPOOL (PRIMUS) to an extent, but his SYNTHESIS and mastery of various APPROACHES and STYLES into an UNPREDICTABLE sound is pretty INCREDIBLE and the reason i pay attention to each new LIMP BIZKIT release despite my less than enthusiastic toleration of vocalist FRED DURST.
what is UNIQUE about his APPROACH to composing MEMORABLE GUITAR RIFFS is that it is a similar CREATIVE PROCESS to that of how he conceives his PAINTINGS. as a VISUAL ARTIST he will juxtapose FORMS and COLORS until something emerges that is pleasing to him. at that point he may go further or even strip the COMPOSITION back to an earlier SIMPLER FORM, all in the subconscious act of creation with NO DISCERNIBLE OBJECTIVE in sight. such is also his modus operandi as a COMPOSER, whereby through the addition and subtraction of elements he comes across a piece of music that was not premeditated or articulated with a PURPOSE in mind. its just SPONTANEOUS creation through being an OPEN CHANNEL for one's NON-COGNITIVE CREATIVITY to flow through. this process is highly ECCENTRIC and is rooted in INSTINCT and FEEL, which is why BORLAND is responsible for some of the most DISTINCTIVE and absolutely SAVAGE riffs of the past few decades. its a CREATIVE PROCESS that reminds me of how JAZZ musicians often describe being in a state of FLOW where they are reacting to the music as it envelopes and presents itself, their hours upon hours of PRACTICE and DISCIPLINED TECHNIQUE becomes almost an UNCONSCIOUS reflex, an extension of their subconscious. when i listen to some of the more PERSONAL end of BORLAND's material, especially that of his EXPLORATORY ALTERNATIVE METAL band BLACK LIGHT BURNS, i both admire the singularly inventive nature of the guitar-playing involved, but also the decidedly UNSTRUCTURED, somewhat FREE-ASSOCIATIVE PROCESS that birthed it and sparked his CREATIVITY. i am not on that level in any aspect or pursuit in my life, but it is still very much an avenue to consider. embedded below is a recent DEER GOD RADIO episode on nonprofit internet radio station MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC that includes a playlist celebrating the music of ARTISTIC SOUNDSCAPES of WES BORLAND. enjoy! photo & text by nacrowe
in the intervening three year-span that separated the IXNAY ON THE HOMBRE (COLUMBIA, 1997) release from its aptly-titled predecessor SMASH (EPITAPH, 1994), seemingly everything for THE OFFSPRING had completely shifted. no longer were they a JUNIOR PUNK ROCK band (to peer groups like PENNYWISE, NOFX and RANCID) turned 6X platinum SURPRISE CULTURAL PHENOMENON on an INDEPENDENT label, but instead now a significant asset to big CORPORATE players on a STORIED major label. their CAREER NARRATIVE in essence mirrors that of the INTERNAL DYNAMICS of the PUNK ROCK genre in the 1990s, which was in the midst of an UNFORESEEN IDENTITY CRISIS navigating those MURKY waters between SUBCULTURE and MAINSTREAM, DIY operations and LARGE-SCALE DISTRIBUTION, PUNK ROCK elitism and mainstream acceptance. all of these concerns, of course, are now complete anachronisms of a long bygone pre-internet age when gatekeeping of PHYSICAL PRODUCT and GLOBAL PUBLICITY and DISTRIBUTION avenues were a real thing. it all sounds quite SILLY and QUAINT in retrospect.
i moved from SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA to NIGERIA in the fall of 1995 and SMASH was the VERITABLE soundtrack to my previous elementary school years in ORANGE COUNTY, having come out when i was in 4th grade. by the time IXNAY ON THE HOMBRE was released i was now in 7th grade and on another continent and at the time my interest in PUNK ROCK had largely shifted to METAL (i.e. SEPULTURA, TOOL and METALLICA) and ALTERNATIVE ROCK (ALICE IN CHAINS, FAITH NO MORE, SMASHING PUMPKINS and JANE'S ADDICTION). it would be a few years later that i would learn about all the great CALIFORNIA HARDCORE bands from the 1980s (DESCENDENTS, BLACK FLAG, THE VANDALS, DEAD KENNEDYS, T.S.O.L., CIRCLE JERKS) and their later in and out-of-state acolytes in the 1990s (NOFX, RANCID, PENNYWISE, LAGWAGON, PROPAGANDHI) and dive back into the genre permanently. what i remember about my exposure to IXNAY ON THE HOMBRE was that it was very similar to SMASH with tracks that were HIGH ENERGY, MEMORABLE and full of SOCIAL CRITIQUES about STONERS and SLACKER STEREOTYPES. STANDOUT songs include "COOL TO HATE," "MOTA," "I CHOOSE," "ALL I WANT," "THE MEANING OF LIFE" and the decidedly more subdued "GONE AWAY," which anecdotally they played at a BRITISH classmate of mine's memorial service in LAGOS after passing away after sustaining injuries from being hit by a car while on break in LONDON. i hear that song now and i snap right back to the complete shock of that moment, especially at such a tender age. i dont think i was even a teenager yet. such was life in NIGERIA. in retrospect this album represents the last in a lineage of recordings for THE OFFSPRING that goes back to their self-titled NEMESIS debut. singer and main songwriter DEXTER HOLLAND being a gifted student (much later earning a PHD in MOLECULAR BIOLOGY from USC) was always concerned with critiquing SOCIAL, POLITICAL and CULTURAL matters in a distinctly SOPHISTICATED and indirect manner through personal observation and the construction of composite characters in his lyrics. the tone of which was always based on the sonic template of the 80s HARDCORE PUNK he grew up on. somehow after IXNAY ON THE HOMBRE on the follow-up AMERICANA (COLUMBIA, 1998), those same instincts found a new home in consciously TRADITIONAL pop songs in the KNOWING and IRONIC style of "WEIRD AL" YANKOVIC. which was UNFORTUNATE at the time and continues to be a reason THE OFFSPRING have diminished their REPUTATION in the years since. yes SMASH is the most commercially SUCCESSFUL independent release of all-time [11 million copies sold to date], but their peers in GREEN DAY and RANCID would never put out LAME POP drivel with SLICK music videos and no edge. it didnt have to be that way and IXNAY ON THE HOMBRE represents to me that last hoorah of a ONCE-PROMISING band that permanently later lost their way. i hear it now and i just think of what could have been. 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. photo & text by nacrowe
the LEGENDARY BRITPOP group BLUR came on my radar the year before i became a teenager when my family visited a BRITISH great-uncle in HERTFORDSHIRE (an HISTORIC suburb just north of LONDON), each summer from 1996 through 1998. at the time my family was stationed in NIGERIA of all places and doing our yearly shipment from ENGLAND made more sense then the UNITED STATES where im from. this great-uncle was pretty cool as he assisted GEOFFREY DE HAVILLAND in developing fighter aircraft during WORLD WAR II as an aeronautics engineer and test pilot in HATFIELD where the aerodrome was located. when i first went there in 1996 BRITPOP was likely past its peak, but BLUR still had enough cultural cache that when my father asked another BRITISH relative's college-aged son what albums students liked at the time, PARKLIFE (FOOD, 1994) and THE GREAT ESCAPE (FOOD, 1995) were the IMMEDIATE answers. so there you go.
from the outside BLUR guitarist GRAHAM COXON always seemed a bit of a RELUCTANT (and more than a tad bit CONTRARIAN) public figure. the few interviews i saw of him at the time always managed to find him seeming UNCOMFORTABLE and unable to drum up the amount of necessary enthusiasm youd expect from a SUCCESSFUL musician, notwithstanding being the guitarist in one of the premier BRITISH ALTERNATIVE ROCK bands of the decade. it was a similar push-pull dynamic witnessed beforehand in KURT COBAIN whereby one is presented with this PHENOMENAL, GENERATIONALLY-TALENTED ENGLISH musician, whose work spoke for itself, yet he would come off MERCURIAL and rather INSCRUTABLE in interviews and media events. no doubt having such CHARISMATIC and ATTENTION-SEEKING willing participants as BLUR frontman DAMON ALBARN and bassist ALEX JAMES helped shield him for years in REDUCTIVE BRITPOP related press articles, but for me COXON was always an INTRIGUING yet entirely UNKNOWABLE creative entity. enter his recent INCREDIBLE recent memoir VERSE, CHORUS, MONSTER! (FABER & FABER, 2023) which details not only the trajectory of his career, but more COMPELLINGLY the parallel arc of his PERSONAL NARRATIVE and his ongoing battle with ALCOHOLISM and the related ANXIETY and DEPRESSION which was enabled and brought on by years of EMOTIONAL NEGLECT. for me, as much as i adore his music, it was this second thread that was the most POWERFUL aspect of his book. i was very moved by the COURAGE it took to be so honest about such a TABOO subject as NEGLECT and how such affects one's SELF-IMAGE and insidiously hinders one's ability to establish LOVING, NURTURING relationships in later life as an adult. it always seems that this subject of NEGLECT and the associated ANXIETY and DEPRESSION that comes with it too often gets DISCARDED in favor of some PERVERSELY IDEALIZED and OUTMODED conception of MASCULINITY. especially in BRITISH CULTURE with its stiff upper lip and culturally INGRAINED "just get on with it" MENTALITY. to be so OPEN and FRANK about an INTERNAL BATTLE with his own sense of SELF-WORTH and admittedly WARPED PERCEPTION of inter-personal dynamics was INSIGHTFUL, HELPFUL and quite effectively written. i should not be surprised that the book was so WELL-CONCEIVED and EXECUTED, given the thought and sense of INTENSE INTERIORITY that marks not only his musical compositions and lyrical content throughout the decades, but also his deeply felt PERSONAL artwork (some of which is included in the book). oftentimes his scribblings are QUICK, HASTILY-DEPICTED MONSTERS that border on the ABSURD but are seemingly EPHEMERAL manifestations of his EMOTIONAL LANDSCAPE. no doubt they were a COPING MECHANISM throughout his career and PERSONAL LIFE. its INTERESTING that these MONSTERS lose their edge at the close of the book as he enters a new phase of life with a new partner and a more DISTANCED and NUANCED PERCEPTIVE on his PUBLIC PERSONA and INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY shaped through experience. i dont mean to glean over the INTRIGUING aspects of his UPBRINGING abroad and in the ESSEX town of COLCHESTER, attending GOLDSMITHS COLLEGE or the rise of BLUR and his associated solo career with all its INTERESTING explorations of GARAGE and TRADITIONAL BRITISH FOLK MUSIC. there are NOTEWORTHY tidbits galore, including the following: it is INTERESTING that there has always been mention by BLUR in various media profiles, including their 2010 reunion documentary THERE IS NO DISTANCE LEFT TO RUN (review linked HERE), that bassist ALEX JAMES played his instrument specifically as if he wanted to be in DURAN DURAN. its just ODD and FUNNY that unexpectedly it would be COXON that would actually be in DURAN DURAN as he wrote and played with the group for their recent FUTURE PAST (BMG, 2021) cycle in the wake of guitarist ANDY TAYLOR's leave of absence due to a late-stage prostate cancer diagnosis. and there is plenty more of that, but it is just that in the context of this book those types of details are unimportant. in fact they are rather secondary or maybe even tertiary in prominence relative to the deep PERSONAL TOLL GRAHAM experienced and the EMOTIONAL / PSYCHOLOGICAL dynamics that triggered by his raised PUBLIC PROFILE, which undoubtedly served as an accelerant that exacerbated his DIMINISHED feelings of SELF-WORTH throughout his career. and thus the SELF-MEDICATION through alcohol. the fact that he was able to navigate those UNSTEADY waters intact is REMARKABLE because, needless to say, there have been lives lost and psyches irreparably WARPED by the ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY throughout the years. maybe his RELUCTANCE to fully participate and buy-in to the FALSE REALITY that is the MUSIC PRESS, as mentioned before, served him well in the end. it is hard to say. VERSE, CHORUS, MONSTER! is a THOUGHTFUL and INTIMATE look at the INTERNAL DYNAMICS of one of the most creative musicians recent memory. definitely worth checking out even if BRITPOP, ALTERNATIVE ROCK or INDIE ROCK is not your cup of tea. photo & text by nacrowe
it feels sometimes when navigating through MUSIC WEBSITES or the comments sections of YOUTUBE videos, MUSIC BLOGS or posts on SOCIAL MEDIA that the online world is just TOXIC. there seems to be a fixation with being AGGRESSIVE and CONFRONTATIONAL with one's opinion rather than THOUGHTFUL, CONSIDERED or COMPASSIONATE. with WEBSITES there sometimes seems to be an embedded incentive to come off ELITIST and EXCLUSIONARY because of their access and role as a gatekeeper to the opinions and thoughts of ARTISTS and MUSICIANS.
what i love about the WIKIPEDIA: FACT OR FICTION web series by ONLINE MUSIC MAGAZINE LOUDWIRE is not the fact that it confronts MODERN METAL, ALTERNATIVE ROCK and PUNK ROCK royalty from the likes of SLAYER, PANTERA, INCUBUS, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, LAMB OF GOD, BAD RELIGION, WHITE ZOMBIE, KISS, METALLICA, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, SLIPKNOT and CANNIBAL CORPSE with their (more-than-often INCORRECT) group-sourced online WIKIPEDIA biographies, it is the fact that host GRAHAM HARTMANN is so EVEN-KEELED about the whole endeavor. too often an INTERVIEW SHOW like this will have a host that is attempting to make the whole thing about them and how KNOWLEDGABLE or COOL they are projecting themselves in the effective afterglow of the TALENT (for which the audience is tuning in for), which is more than a little GRATING and PATRONIZING as a viewer. it is easy to identify with HARTMANN as he is treating the talent like REGULAR people and thus humanizes them in the process. its refreshing how little of that actually goes on in the MUSIC PRESS, which seems keen on building up or tearing down the public profiles of prominent MUSICIANS and their work. that or being part of a TRANSPARENT PROMOTIONAL APPARATUS to the DETRIMENT of the FANBASE. i enjoy watching and rewatching these past episodes because of HARTMANN and his ability to not act as an industry cog, instead being an AWARE MUSIC JOURNALIST / EVERYDAY FAN that most MUSIC ENTHUSIASTS can see in themselves. at least i can. WIKIPEDIA: FACT OR FICTION has expanded in recent years into the worlds of PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING and ACTORS, along with MUSICIANS, but at the center of it all is still HARTMANN and his ability to make this promotional vehicle seem less showbiz and a bit more DOWN-TO-EARTH and FUN. most definitely worth checking out. photo & text by nacrowe
the untimely passing of ANDREW WOOD, the much BELOVED and CELEBRATED MOTHER LOVE BONE / MALFUNKSHUN singer, from a heroin overdose in 1990 was an absolute CULTURAL EARTHQUAKE that rippled throughout the NASCENT ALTERNATIVE ROCK scene in SEATTLE. WOOD was a larger-than-life character whose CHARISMATIC personality and sheer force-of-will was a highlight and point of UNITY in a particularly INTIMATE COMMUNITY of musicians and artists during this pre-fame era. it is TRAGIC and more than a little IRONIC that such a TRANSCENDENT creative figure with naked ARENA ROCK ambitions did not live to see his band, or the scene itself in peer bands like SOUNDGARDEN, TAD, MUDHONEY, ALICE IN CHAINS, SCREAMING TREES, NIRVANA and the post-MOTHER LOVE BONE outfit PEARL JAM, rise to GLOBAL CULTURAL DOMINANCE and POPULARITY.
the TEMPLE OF THE DOG project was meant as a PROPER CELEBRATION and SEND-OFF to WOOD by close friend and fellow singer-songwriter CHRIS CORNELL (SOUNDGARDEN) and surviving MOTHER LOVE BONE guitarist STONE GOSSARD and bassist JEFF AMENT. drummer MATT CAMERON (SOUNDGARDEN), lead guitarist MIKE MCREADY (PEARL JAM) and most crucially EDDIE VEDDER (PEARL JAM) rounded out the group. mind you, this album was recorded months before PEARL JAM entered the studio to begin on their debut TEN (EPIC, 1991), so the TEMPLE OF THE DOG (A&M, 1991) album was the introduction to the world of VEDDER as a vocalist. i believe it is one of the great acts of ROCK N ROLL GENEROSITY that CORNELL chose to duet with VEDDER on "HUNGER STRIKE," effectively warmly embracing and presenting the SAN DIEGAN anew to the SEATTLE COMMUNITY and the listening public. CORNELL is a SINGULAR artist with one of the great ROCK AND ROLL voices of all-time and it should be stated that one that track VEDDER very much held his own. for most people "HUNGER STRIKE" is the obvious STANDOUT moment. "SAY HELLO 2 HEAVEN" likewise is another highlight in that it is a GUT-WRENCHING CORNELL track about saying goodbye to his late friend. CORNELL by definition was an INSULAR, deeply COMPASSIONATE and TALENTED dude, but it was the BRASH and FEARLESS (and sadly RECKLESS) WOOD that brought him out of his shell. that particular song can almost be viewed as a public testimonial to the PROFOUND effect of WOOD had one him and how gaping the hole in his heart was at the time by the loss of such a DEAR friend and CLOSE peer. in a sense, that CORNELL / WOOD relationship is an apt metaphor for the SEATTLE scene itself and how SELF-CONTAINED and mutually SUPPORTIVE it was before it went overground and became a GLOBAL PHENOMENON. in retrospect it feels like CORNELL is as much saying goodbye to his deceased friend as he is to that naive sense of artistic and creative PURITY before the careerist business ambitions inevitably took root in the COMMUNITY. that transformation, which was relatively sudden, changed how these peers viewed themselves, and brought about much CONSTERNATION and GUILT at home relating to the efforts of outsiders to sully pure intents and creative pursuits. it all feels sadly INEVITABLE. TEMPLE OF THE DOG is an ESSENTIAL ALTERNATIVE ROCK album and a UNIQUE look into the underlying of the ETHOS and CAMARADERIE of the SEATTLE scene pre-fame. decades later it is still beyond INTRIGUING to revisit and consider, especially in the wake of the untimely passing of CORNELL himself and PEARL JAM (along with MUDHONEY), being the last band (with original core members) standing. photo & text by nacrowe
MECHANICAL ANIMALS (INTERSCOPE, 1998), the much ANTICIPATED MICHAEL BEINHORN [SOUNDGARDEN, HOLE, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS] produced follow-up to the TRANSGRESSIVE cultural phenomena that was the INDUSTRIAL-tinged, MIDDLE AMERICA-baiting ANTICHRIST SUPERSTAR (INTERSCOPE, 1996) was a DRAMATIC stylistic about-face that saw MARILYN MANSON channel his sense of ISOLATION and DETACHMENT from AMERICAN SOCIETY through the prism of 1970s GLAM ROCK and specifically ZIGGY STARDUST / ALADDIN SANE-era DAVID BOWIE. in the scope of his discography, this album very much stands out as an outlier, both in terms of SONICS and PRESENTATION, and represents MANSON at both his most CONTEMPLATIVE and most POTENT as an artist. it is also my FAVORITE record of his bar none.
this album came out my freshman year of high school. i was at a PRESTIGIOUS boarding school in NEW ENGLAND while the rest of my family stayed behind in NIGERIA. i dont want to say being that far from family was a TRAUMATIC event at such a young, barely in my teens, but it was a TRANSFORMATIVE experience that resonated down through the ensuing decades no doubt. in a sense i had to become my own support system as the place was rather BRUTAL with BARBARIC HAZING RITUALS involving underclassmen the staff turned a blind eye towards. to say i felt frustrated, targeted and alone is an understatement. i was the perfect receptor for such a message being transmitted by this JADED, SEXLESS, HUMANOID alien character that MANSON was now inhabiting. for him the prison he was attempting to escape with INTERSTELLAR ambitions was that of a pre-internet tabloid culture and UNREALISTIC press / audience expectations to out-SATAN ANTICHRIST SUPERSTAR. for me that prison was quite LITERAL. it was the prison of going through puberty and your most physically AWKWARD phase while being a part of an UNHEALTHY community that i found particularly hazardous to my physical and emotional well-being. in my defense this posture and mindset was well warranted, as that same school year another freshman was assaulted at nearby dormitory and had an ANTI-GAY SLUR carved into his back by a post-graduate student who went on to serve an extended sentence for an assortment of ASSAULT and BATTERY CHARGES. i feel lucky to have survived such an experience with my self-will and self-worth intact, and MECHANICAL ANIMALS was very much the soundtrack to such. and that harsh sense of SELF-LOATHING and DETACHMENT is all over. especially tracks such as "THE SPEED OF PAIN," "COMA WHITE," "MECHANICAL ANIMALS," "DISASSOCIATIVE" and "GREAT BIG WHITE WORLD." for me those particular tracks serve as the EMOTIONAL heart of the record, exposing a PROFOUND sense of PSYCHIC WITHDRAWAL from life itself. that need to just turn off the blinds, shut the door and block out the world. the more UPTEMPO songs like "POSTHUMAN," "ROCK IS DEAD," "NEW MODEL NO. 15" and the single "THE DOPE SHOW" all seem designed to potentially gain airplay while delivering a DEVIOUS message both celebrating and disparaging CELEBRITY CULTURE and the state of ROCK N ROLL writ large. as much as i love the TWIGGY RAMIREZ-conceived SLINKY BASS LINES and ADROIT SONIC EXPERIMENTATIONS with vintage synthesizers, those more HARD-CHARGING tracks are weaker in my opinion. same with the embarrassingly INANE "I DON'T LIKE THE DRUGS BUT THE DRUGS LIKE ME" single which is the lone mistake on the album. for me, those more NUANCED, SOMBER moments are what make this record special, much like "CRYPTORCHID," "MAN THAT YOU FEAR" and "KINDERFELD" did on ANTICHRIST SUPERSTAR. post-MECHANICAL ANIMALS, MANSON largely retreated to the more EXPECTED, SAFE GOTH confines of INDUSTRIAL METAL with a slew of records to date that largely retread on the ideas crystallized in ANTICHRIST SUPERSTAR. which in my opinion was an artistic mistake, but i am sure it gave him more career longevity. that is more future OZZY OSBOURNE, ROB ZOMBIE, SLAYER, ALICE COOPER co-headlining package tour opportunities that are subject to satiating and drawing out his audience en masse over time. such PRACTICAL, CALCULATING decisions make him subject to not being at the same artistic level as a DAVID BOWIE, BJORK, SUN RA, DAMON ALBARN or a GEORGE CLINTON, all of whom charged ahead with IDIOSYNCRATIC personas that assisted in unlocking a new sound and/or inhabit a new consciousness. the rest of MANSON's DISAPPOINTING career is just one of a series of expected artistic choices with ever PREDICTABLE diminishing returns. but MECHANICAL ANIMALS is a definite highlight of the 1990s ALTERNATIVE ROCK era that is well worth revisiting and checking out again and again. photo & text by nacrowe
i always felt like BERNARD BUTLER belonged to this REVERED but strangely UNDER-APPRECIATED and UNDERVALUED lineage of BRITISH GUITARISTS and SONGWRITERS that includes everyone from fellow BRITPOP peers in GRAHAM COXON (BLUR), RUSSELL SENIOR (PULP) and GAZ COOMBES (SUPERGRASS) to past BRITISH INVASION heroes in DAVE DAVIES (THE KINKS) and BRIAN JONES (THE ROLLING STONES) not to mention other SEMINAL ENGLISH figures in ED O'BRIEN (RADIOHEAD), MICK RONSON (DAVID BOWIE), BOZ BOORER (MORRISSEY, THE POLECATS), GLEN MATLOCK (THE SEX PISTOLS), HANK MARVIN (THE SHADOWS), KEITH LEVENE (PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED), VINI REILLY (THE DURUTTI COLUMN), ANDY GILL (GANG OF FOUR) and even JOHNNY MARR (THE SMITHS). all of these MUSICIANS were part of artistically SUCCESSFUL acts from different eras and were CELEBRATED for their SINGULAR contributions, yet somehow still managed to have PUBLIC PERSONAS that remained firmly in the background.
BUTLER of course came to CULTURAL PROMINENCE in the 1990s as a member of the BRITPOP band SUEDE where he added SUBTLE yet INTRICATE guitar textures that saw people compare him often to the likes of JOHNNY MARR, his childhood hero. in the years since he left the band he has amassed quite the REMARKABLE catalogue of ARTISTS he's either produced or collaborated with including the likes of DUFFY, PET SHOP BOYS, AIMEE MANN, BERT JANSCH, TRICKY, NENEH CHERRY and THE LIBERTINES. at this point he is a revered BRITISH ALTERNATIVE ROCK ELDER STATESMEN whose creative work, both past and current, is very much worth checking out. especially his solo work. 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 manipulation & text by nacrowe
sometimes its just fun to watch people discuss shop, whether they be PAINTERS or CARPENTERS or RECORD PRODUCERS or FILMMAKERS or MUSICIANS as the case may be. SHRED WITH SHIFTY finds lead GUITARIST CHRIS SHIFLETT, primarily known for his two plus decades of service with the DAVE GROHL-led MODERN ALTERNATIVE ROCK institution that is the FOO FIGHTERS as well as noteworthy PUNK ROCK bands like NO USE FOR A NAME and ME FIRST AND THE GIMME GIMMES, interviewing various other GUITARISTS about their TECHNIQUE, COMPOSITION, PHILOSOPHY and INSPIRATION(S) for playing. the PREMIER GUITAR-sponsored VIDEO SERIES and PODCAST appears to be the visual cousin and continuation of his informal longtime WALKING THE FLOOR audio podcast series that covered much of the same ground. NOTABLE past SHRED WITH SHIFTY participants in these video interviews include NILE ROGERS (CHIC), RIVERS CUOMO (WEEZER), MIKE MCREADY (PEARL JAM), BLAKE SCHWARZENBACH (JAWBREAKER) and ALEX LIFESON (RUSH). its an eclectic, INTER-GENERATIONAL and MULTI-GENRE blend that mirrors the interests of the host, himself an INDEPENDENT PUNK ROCK veteran that plays in arguably the most CONSEQUENTIAL ROCK N ROLL band on the planet, who also has a budding side career as an ALT COUNTRY TRAVELING SINGER-SONGWRITER.
personally i tend to pay more attention to the PUNK ROCK / CLASSIC ROCK end of his interviews rather than those with the BRAD PAISLEYs of the world (no disrespect to their GUITAR CHOPS and COMPOSITIONAL PROWESS). i am able to follow the CONVERSATIONS and understand the TECHNIQUES being employed and exploited in these discussions, but i wonder at times about the user-friendliness of such for BEGINNING GUITAR PLAYERS. it makes me rethink who the audience is for these EXTENDED VIDEO PODCASTS, because it would seem on the surface to be beginning or INTERMEDIATE MUSICIANS. yet there is no GUITAR TABLATURE provided or VISUAL ASSISTANCE on how what being played corresponds to a guitar in REAL-TIME, which would be beneficial to PLAYERS of all levels. maybe the engagement of the DISCUSSION is the real objective here, buts its DIFFICULT to ascertain since so much of the actual content revolves around the playing itself. for my purposes, i enjoy watching SHIFLETT and his GUESTS having FUN talking shop and exploring the diversity of thought that goes behind CONSTRUCTING a MEMORABLE part in a fan-favorite song that has stood the test of time (i.e. guitar leads from PEARL JAM's "ALIVE," RUSH's "LIMELIGHT," WEEZER's "ONLY IN DREAMS" and NILE ROGERS / DIANA ROSS' "I'M COMING OUT". there is real value in that and i look forward to each new episode irrespective of the GUEST involved(with the exception being the MODERN COUNTRY ARTISTS whose music is not my cup of tea). SHRED WITH SHIFTY is most definitely worth checking out. photo & text by nacrowe
i was a sophomore in high school when the ALTERNATIVE ROCK band FILTER released their second full-length release in TITLE OF RECORD (REPRISE, 1999), which was a markedly STREAMLINED effort compared to their more INDUSTRIAL-indebted debut. such being the case should not come as a shock since frontman RICHARD PATRICK was famously a former TOURING GUITARIST and COLLABORATOR of TRENT REZNOR in an early iteration of the ever evolving NINE INCH NAILS.
in spite of that comparison, which arguably will follow PATRICK his whole career for better or worse, my personal opinion is that TITLE OF RECORD is the album where PATRICK sheds the AESTHETIC influence of his former employer and comes into his own as a SONGWRITER. on PROPULSIVE, HARD-CHARGING tracks such as "IT'S GONNA KILL ME," "WELCOME TO THE FOLD," "CAPTAIN BLIGH," "I WILL LEAD YOU" and "THE BEST THINGS" there is a sense of play at hand with STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS dealing with DRAMATIC TEMPO SHIFTS and EXTREME LOUD / SOFT SONIC JUXTAPOSITIONS to convey an almost CINEMATIC narrative within a track. i went to boarding school in MASSACHUSETTS at the time and i can recall being swept away in the ENERGY and POWER of those songs while on long cold bus and train rides heading home in NEW JERSEY for the holidays at the time. unlike the more one-dimensional INDUSTRIAL sonic terrain of FILTER's debut SHORT BUS (REPRISE, 1995), PATRICK here, with assistance from TOURING GUITARIST and SONGWRITING COLLABORATOR GENO LENARDO, is palpably and expertly creating SIGNIFICANT TENSION and release within a POP context which is easier said than done effectively. but my FAVORITE tracks on TITLE OF RECORD, and arguably by FILTER end stop, are the more EXPANSIVE yet SOMBER and decidedly CONTEMPLATIVE tracks like "SKINNY," "I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE," "MISS BLUE" and especially "CANCER." all of these SONGS are about establishing a MOOD that builds and CRESCENDOS into a swell of EMOTIONAL RELEASE that was quite AFFECTING when i first heard it. in my opinion there is no better example then "CANCER," which is my preferred FILTER TRACK to date. that build up and release of energy very much mirrors the LYRICAL CONTENT about humanity writ large being a malignant entity that spreads its GREED, CORRUPTION and DEPRAVITY upon the earth and its inhabitants not unlike a CANCEROUS growth draining away the resources and life force of its host. decades later i still return to this record, but it is those later more SPACIOUS, almost FAILURE-esque, tracks that i gravitate towards. to me TITLE OF RECORD is the definitive FILTER record but some might give that title to its predecessor. this sophomore release was IMPORTANT in the catalogue of the band and the EVOLUTION of PATRICK as a SONGWRITER since it laid the MUSICAL FOUNDATION concerning elements that he has pursued in earnest for the remainder of his career. things like MOOD, NARRATIVE and TENSION / RELEASE dynamics. i can hear such implemented and executed at a high level on subsequent releases such as "WHER DO WE GO FROM HERE" off of THE AMALGAMUT (REPRISE, 2002), "NO RE-ENTRY" from THE TROUBLE WITH ANGELS (NUCLEAR BLAST, 2010) and "BURN OUT THE SUN" off THE ALGORITHM (GOLDEN ROBOT, 2023) among other examples. these later more CONTEMPLATIVE and emotionally EXPRESSIVE tracks from throughout his career all bear the said hallmarks and influence of the TITLE OF RECORD era of the band. most definitely worth checking out irrespective of your interest in ALTERNATIVE ROCK or INDUSTRIAL MUSIC. its just GREAT songwriting in my opinion. photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
i recently came across the GALICIAN POST-PUNK / SHOEGAZE band TRIANGULO DE AMOR BIZARRO when i discovered the OBSCURE MEXICAN live performance series LA BESTIA TV (linked HERE) that focused on modern EXPERIMENTAL bands of the ENGLISH and SPANISH-language variety. right from the jump, anyone with a NEW ORDER-derived name is in my immediate good graces but the band itself has an INSPIRED SOUND that is both EXPANSIVE, ATMOSPHERIC and MEDITATIVE in the tradition of INDIE ROCK bands like SLOWDIVE, BAUHAUS, JOY DIVISION and ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN. for me this band really hits a sweet spot as their RECORDED OUTPUT is EMOTIVE and INSULAR without being pretentious, just controlled WAVES and REVERB-DRENCHED ECHOES of gorgeous DISSONANT NOISE that both evokes vast physical SPACE and an INTERIORITY of conscious simultaneously. definitely worth checking out.
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.
parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the REVERED PRODUCER / ENGINEER / MIXER and MODERN PURVEYOR of all things LOUD and AGGRESSIVE, JOE BARRESI!
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!
parody by nacrowe
by the time i saw AFI play for the first time in late june of 2001 at a WARPED TOUR stop in VENTURA they were already well in the midst of MASSIVE transition. it was an INSANE period, as i was staying with a childhood friend of mine in nearby ORANGE COUNTY who was basically giving me an education on all things 80s HARDCORE and SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PUNK ROCK (think everything from THE VANDALS, ADOLESCENTS, D.I., FEAR, AGENT ORANGE, PENNYWISE, DESCENDENTS and RICH KIDS ON LSD to DR KNOW, BLACK FLAG, NOFX, WASTED YOUTH, T.S.O.L. and BATTALION OF SAINTS). i had left CALIFORNIA in sixth grade to live in AFRICA due to a parent's job and by this point was staying over for an extended period before returning to KUWAIT, of all places, for my senior year of high school. a CRAZY time. anyway, my friend was a PUNK purist, maybe somewhat of the PURITANICAL variety, and loved AFI's string of albums on the INDEPENDENT NITRO RECORDS as well as LIKE-MINDED bands they were associated with like THE NERVE AGENTS and TIGER ARMY.
in 1999 the band released BLACK SAILS IN THE SUNSET (NITRO, 1999) which was a particularly PIVOTAL moment as it represented the first full-release with guitarist JADE PUGET as a full-member and major CONTRIBUTING SONGWRITER. this record sounded more COHESIVE and POLISHED than previous efforts with a decidedly SOPHISTICATED sense of COMPOSITION and SONG DYNAMICS. it was a SIGNIFICANT artistic step forward that was followed up by the similarly CONSISTENT follow-up THE ART OF DROWNING (NITRO, 2000). this album saw them gain widespread attention with "THE DAYS OF THE PHOENIX" single and video. this was the album cycle that i first came across AFI at VENTURA and it proved to be their final album for NITRO RECORDS. in retrospect its intriguing to me the timing of my discovery of AFI. it was essentially through the eyes a longtime fan who was falling out of love with them, seeing the direction they were, as well as the scene itself, going in. namely lots of once UNDERGROUND PUNK ROCK and emerging POP PUNK bands (everyone from TAKING BACK SUNDAY, FALL OUT BOY and MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE to GLASSJAW, MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK and NEW FOUND GLORY) were making the jump to major labels, due in no small part to their popularity on the annual WARPED TOUR. AFI had their cultural moment with the two subsequent releases of SING THE SORROW (DREAMWORKS, 2003) and DECEMBERUNDERGROUND (INTERSCOPE, 2006), both incredible efforts that benefited greatly from the increased PRODUCTION VALUE and ENGINEERING prowess of SINGULAR and much sought-after producers like JERRY FINN and BUTCH VIG, respectively. but in my opinion we are currently in the midst of AFI's most FORTUITOUS period. everything after and including CRASH LOVE (INTERSCOPE, 2009) has seen the band explore their underlying POWER POP and POST PUNK roots to great avail as their SOUND and AESTHETIC has really blossomed from their previous 2000s GOTH PUNK pigeonholing. i really feel strongly that they are riding their own CREATIVE WAVE right now and the band has never been more VITAL or COMPELLING as a listener and a fan. everything before seemed to be very much about leveling up to feel CONFIDENT enough as SONGWRITERS and ARTISTS to take up the challenge of DRASTIC STYLISTIC SHIFTS, shedding and reemerging at will in the form that best fits their current taste as they see fit. when the bottom fell out of the recording industry back in the early 2000s it feels like such was freeing for them and their music as catering to their own UNIQUE AESTHETIC and bringing along their core audience at their INTENSE live shows is what kept them going. so that is my take. im always interested to see what AFI has cooked up next and what musical interests they have been basking in as of late. embedded below is a recent DEER GOD RADIO episode on nonprofit internet radio station MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC that includes a playlist celebrating the EVER-EVOLVING music of AFI. enjoy!
parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the EXPANSIVE LOS ANGELES ALTERNATIVE ROCK band FAILURE!
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
thinking about a pre-TRAVIS BARKER line-up of BLINK-182 is always INTERESTING because the chemistry that lifted them above the POP PUNK fray to become veritable icons of the genre itself was due to that very specific MUSICAL ALCHEMY that came to fruition immediately after DUDE RANCH (MCA, 1997), their second album and major label debut. not that this recording effort is without GOOD SONGWRITING, as is the case with tracks like "DICK LIPS," "WAGGY," "PATHETIC," "APPLE SHAMPOO," and of course their breakout singles "JOSIE" and "DAMMIT." but rhythmically and stylistically, this album is pretty REPETITIVE and MYOPIC in terms of its SONGWRITING. in essence it is a band coming into its own both in terms of PRODUCTION and navigating the expectations that come with being on a major label.
when i first heard DUDE RANCH it was in the immediate aftermath of its more commercially and artistically SUCCESSFUL follow-up ENEMA OF THE STATE (MCA, 1999) that had both BARKER and LEGENDARY producer JERRY FINN added to the mix. BARKER being the MULTI-TALENTED drummer that he was, could elevate and transcend basic POP PUNK CHORD PROGRESSIONS with both an eye for SONG DYNAMICS and COMPOSITION as well as sheer TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY. listening to ENEMA OF THE STATE you can hear grooves that are based in both JAZZ and LATIN traditions that bring a sense of SWING and BOUNCE to several tracks. its entirely unfair to compare him to original drummer SCOTT RAYNOR who on DUDE RANCH and its predecessor CHESHIRE CAT (CARGO, 1995) provides a perfectly COMPETENT, if DERIVATIVE, sense of drive to his DRUMMING in the style of MELODIC HARDCORE bands like BAD RELIGION, NOFX and PENNYWISE. lyrically DUDE RANCH continues along the same lines of its predecessor by splitting the difference between SOPHOMORIC toilet humor and heartfelt odes to past relationships and teenage youth a la MILO AUKERMAN and the legendary 80s SOUTH BAY PUNK ROCK band DESCENDENTS. this lyrical perspective would continue on subsequent releases but seemed strategically aimed at both presenting the band as willing to laugh at their PUBLIC IMAGE and provided a critical distraction for genuine efforts at tracks that stretched their SONGWRITING ABILITIES and made them VULNERABLE. all the basic elements are their on DUDE RANCH, as well as CHESHIRE CAT, but the right mixture of TRADITIONAL and PROGRESSIVE MUSICAL ELEMENTS are not quite their yet. for me DUDE RANCH is all about my high school experience and hearing it makes me strangely NOSTALGIC for a time i would not in retrospect under any circumstances ever want to revisit again. what makes it an INTRIGUING listen years later is how foretells what was to come as well as provides a key look at an ICONIC band minus a VITAL ELEMENT in BARKER (or maybe two if you also count FINN, which you probably should). as much as i love this record, ENEMA OF THE STATE is the OBVIOUS starting point for anyone getting into BLINK-182 or POP PUNK in general. maybe after consuming GREEN DAY's DOOKIE (REPRISE, 1994), DESCENDENTS' MILO GOES TO COLLEGE (NEW ALLIANCE, 1982), MXPX's LIFE IN GENERAL (TOOTH & NAIL, 1996), FALL OUT BOY's TAKE THIS TO YOUR GRAVE (FUELED BY RAMEN, 2003) and NEW FOUND GLORY's STICKS AND STONES (DRIVE-THRU, 2002), you should revisit DUDE RANCH for comparison and context. NOT ESSENTIAL but definitely worth checking out. 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. |
NICHOLAS ARCHIVES
April 2024
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