17th May2012

An Interview: Dana Buoy

by Ryan

 

Dana Buoy (a.k.a. Dana Janssen, the percussionist from Akron/Family) just released his solo debut Summer Bodies on Lefse Records. It’s almost a complete turnaround from the sound listeners are used to from A/F. He leaves out any of the freak folk nature associated with his work and instead ventures down the path of dream pop to a transcendental level. Dana was nice enough to answer some questions for us recently. Read up on our interview!

After several albums with Akron/Family, what made now the right time to release an album of your own work?

I’ve always had a desire to craft a pop record and have it be just that. Simple and fun. With Akron we have always had so many ideas at once and we tried, and succeeded in a lot of ways, to give them room to exist in the scope of one album. There’s so much energy with the three of us and it works really well. But we all have our own individual roads we want to explore and we just found some free time to create so I took advantage of the space. And I found inspiration in a girl!

Since working as a three piece, how has that affected both the band’s ability to craft new songs and perform older material?

It’s been great. We all have more roon to just play. It was a learning curve but one that we navigated well. Now it’s actually preferred by us to create as 3. Older material can always be adapted. It’s already lived out there for this long as it is so it’s been nice refreshing the arrangements.

Now that you have moved to Dead Oceans, do you still maintain some sort of relationship with Michael Gira from Young God Records?

Yes. We keep in touch for sure. We actually just recorded some vocals on the new Swans record while we were in Prague. He’s a great artist and I treasure the time we spent together. His producing style is unique and incredible. We wouldn’t be here without him. But when we left it was just time for all of us to move on. No hard feelings at all. Ours and his doors remain open to each other.

The lyrics on Summer Bodies appear much more wordy and calculated than anything I’ve ever heard from A/F.  I always think of those lyrics to be a series of wise mantras, while you alone tend to weave tales through the use of a dense vocabulary, almost bordering on scientific.  Is this change of form a result of you being in the captain’s chair?

For sure. I was just trying to express the story. It may come across as a bit overwhelming at times but that’s how I feel about the whole situation. I found myself in the right place at the right time and used this inspiration to really express how I feel in words and song. Something I’ve always admired in Bob Dylan is his ability to paint the picture mostly thru words. He colors it with his guitar and arrangements but the meat and potatoes are in the words. Not that I’m comparing myself to the greatness of Dylans lyricism at all! I just relate to his story telling and choose to write in this way for this album.

Did you purposefully intend for the album to gradually decrescendo?  It begins with the energetic “Anatomy Of Now” and slowly quiets down to “We On The Sea,” the most tranquil of songs.  If so, was there a specific reason behind this?

Not so much. I was investing in the process more than I was focusing on the outcome. The mapping of the flow of songs came later. When heard in the context of vinyl maybe it’ll start to make more sense to people. It has a very side A side B quality to it.

Given that you were the sole instrumentalist of each song, did you face any difficulties in building each one piece by piece?

I used my mpc for the majority of the writing so that helped out a ton. When I started putting it into logic it was all pretty easy. I demo’d it all out at home like this and then when I went to record it back in Brooklyn the arrangements were already written so it was pretty much just replacing the sounds with live drums and other instruments. I can play to a click so that made things pretty effortless.

What was it like touring with Gauntlet Hair recently?

Those guys are great! I love the music and the dudes are all really sweet dudes. We had a lot of fun together.

What connections do you have with other Dead Oceans affiliate artists?

I’m friends with the Bear In Heaven guys and the Bowerbirds. We meet a lot of the Secretly [Canadian] bands too and they all seem so nice.

Can you give any insight to the plans of A/F and your solo project?  Will you return to writing music with the original group after touring by yourself, and what lies in store for the Buoy project?

Ak will be recording this fall and releasing some new music next spring. I’m gonna be focusing on Dana Buoy from now until……. Who knows?!?! But I’ll be out there on the road playing this music for sure. It’s really great to have some new juice to create with.

You heard it here, folks. The future is open for both A/F and Buoy. Summer Bodies is a great record, lend it your ears. As if you need any more proof, here’s Dana performing “Satellite Ozone”, one of the album’s best cuts.

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29th Sep2011

An Interview: Diarrhea Planet

by Ryan

Infinity Cat labelmates Diarrhea Planet just recently released their first full length, Loose Jewels. The album is quite a listen, as it features a wall of four guitars in addition to drums and bass. It’s heavy, it’s fun, and you can read my review for it right here. Jordan Smith of the band was nice enough to respond to some interview questions, and quite extensively. So read up, he gives some interesting and satisfying answers.

From what I perceive after listening to Loose Jewels, it seems like the song “Fauser” serves as a testament to what your band is about. Are there any other songs on the album that reflect important aspects of the group?

Fauser is a pretty good song to exemplify what DP is about. As far as this record goes, I feel like Juggernaut and Raft Nasty are both songs that do a good job of tracing the bands origins and attitude. DP has always been about hope and staying positive. A lot of our songs are actually very sad songs but I sing the words in a way that you would never be able to tell. It’s ultimately more about the feeling and leaving people amped up on life. You can go through a ton of crappy situations and get depressed and try to drown yourself in whatever vices you want to, but ultimately you still have to face yourself at the end of the day and its nice to be able to do that and hold your head high. It’s also nice to be able to laugh at your mistakes.

The song structures are quite interesting, venturing off into many different movements in the short amount of time they are given. How did this off-kilter style of songwriting come together? 

Hahaha, I never really noticed that I had that tendency until the last two months when a lot of people started to point it out. I have never been able to feel good about myself writing just verse chorus verse chorus bridge type songs. I get bored with that style of songwriting. It never really seems to truly convey anything other than someone trying to write a song. My favorite band is this old screamo band called Bucket Full of Teeth. They write these super short songs that take you from total oblivion and destruction to ethereal beauty and warmth. I have always valued songwriters who wrote in a way that put images into my head like that and found that the only way I can write and feel good about it is to do the same thing. It’s all about color, light, and images being conveyed through sound. Plus I can just say everything I need to say in a shorter amount of time I guess.

What is it like being a part of Infinity Cat? Is it intimidating at all standing up next to other great bands like JEFF The Brotherhood? 

Not at all. Jake and Jamin are the most incredible people. When I first became friends with Jake I was interning for Infinity Cat for college credit. I was so in shock with how much he and the rest of the team made me feel at home not only working at the label but also in Nashville. Their dad Bob is also a wonderful guy. His energy and enthusiasm are enough to make a 23 year old dude like myself feel old. He always seems to make your day better when you stop in and get to hang with him. Bottom line is that JEFF is an amazing band and being on their label is an honor. It really pushes DP to work our hardest because we care about all the people at the label like they were our own family and we want to take care of them like they have taken care of us. It also helps that all the bands on the label are friends as well. We see each other around town, run local shows, and hang out quite a bit. We have a very special scene here in Nashville. I am pretty sure that a lot of people here would give me the shirt off of their back if I needed it, and I would do the same for any of them.

You’ve opened for many, many bands. Who has been your favorite to play with, and why? 

That is a really tough question. I can think of four different bands that I have really enjoyed playing with. Of course JEFF is one of them. Playing shows with them is like playing shows with your family, it’s like a big celebration that you get to shred at! I really enjoyed opening for the Andrew Jackson Jihad. Those guys were so much fun and were very encouraging. Lately we have been playing with a band from Harrisonburg, VA called Hooking Up that is just insanely talented. Their front man Phil writes the coolest 90’s indie jams. We have also been playing with a band from Boston called Skimask that will blow your mind. It’s a singer, a drummer, and a guy making all these crazy sounds with his mouth using microphones plugged through a ton of effects pedals. It’s super intense and a lot of the songs always have an awesome groove underlying them.

Do you find yourselves ever boxed-in musically because of the band’s set up? (four guitars…) 

Not really because as a result of having four guitars we can pretty much always do live what we do in the studio. There are never parts missing from songs live and we can always sound big. I love the electric guitar and having four of them in a band rules because it gives us such a wide sonic palette to choose from. Everyone plays differently and uses different amps, guitars, pedals, etc… so we have quite a large arsenal to work with artistically. The only problem we ever really run into is everyone wanting to shred all at once in between songs live or during practice. Most bands have that one guitarist that never stops playing and drives everyone nuts. We have four, myself included hahaha.

Which musical artists influence Diarrhea Planet the most? 

Definitely old Screamo bands like Bucket Full of Teeth, Orchid, Daughters, etc… in terms of songwriting style. In terms of sound though we listen to a lot of classic rock, jukebox hits, and punk stuff. Thin Lizzy, Van Halen, Megadeth, Jimi Hendrix, the Cramps, the Pixies, Billy Idol, Against Me!, Latterman!, the Ramones. Pretty much anything with electric guitars and hooks.

Given that Loose Jewels has received a modestly substantial amount of press, how has the album release been affecting you guys?

It has been incredible to show up to different cities on tour and have people know who we are and be excited to play with us and see our show. It is very humbling to know that the sounds in your head could mean something to other people and that you simply doing what makes you feel most fulfilled could bring joy to others. I am so excited for the future!

How do your live shows differ from what is heard on record?

Well, aside from the huge mess of sweet, beer, and God knows what else you get soaked with at most of our shows, the records are actually pretty close to what we do live. The only difference being that we tend to shred more live than we do in the studio, and I always double my vocals. Capturing our sound is not incredibly hard because it is very honest and straight up. We do not bury our guitars in effects live or in the studio. I guess the only thing we need to do is to make the records louder!

This LP is doused with odds and ends of goofing off showing through. Were these bits planned or did they happen naturally?

Oh gosh haha. That definitely all happened naturally. We are notorious for constantly pulling pranks with the local media and on our friends and other bands. It’s hard not to have a sense of humor when your band is called Diarrhea Planet. Nashville can be so serious so its nice being the goofball wearing cutoff shorts and a tank top in an elevator full of suits. What’s even nicer is totally passing gas in the elevator and watching everyone in that elevator try to keep a straight face.

What were previous bands like for all the members?

I played in various hardcore punk bands in Indianapolis for most of high school. Our drummer Casey played in a ton of different bands in Cincinnati. Probably the most notable were a reggae band called the Pinstripes and an eclectic punk band called Till Plains. Mike, our bassist, and Brent, one of our guitarists, both played in a really cool band from Nashville called Thieves in the Night which was pretty much a really funny and catchy pop rock band. They also still play in a really awesome band called Spanish Candles that plays incredible pop songs. Emmett comes from a heavy background of classical guitar and is pretty much a virtuoso. Evan Bird, our fourth guitarist, has a very diverse background that I honestly do not know much about. He has put out a lot of rap and hip-hop songs. I think he also messed around with some metal bands out in Tacoma. It’s funny because none of us really have too similar of music backgrounds but all came together because of our friendship. Music has always been the result of friendship in this band. Most bands I have played in before this one were the other way around.

If you had to describe Loose Jewels in terms of a cocktail drink, what would it be called and what would be in it?

Oh God hahaha I actually hardly ever drink anymore so I may have trouble with this one. It would probably be called the “Dad-Blaster”. It would be a basic brass monkey but with the addition of 2 shots of Habanero-infused tequila. It sounds terrible, and it probably is, so thank God that I will probably never try it.

Most importantly, this album is your very first full length release as a band. In your opinion, how pleased are you with the finished product? Also, do you have plans to beat the sophomore curse?

I am extremely pleased. At times I secretly wish is was longer, but at the same time I feel like the album has no filler. No filler is a great goal to accomplish in itself so I can live with its length. This album is the first thing I have ever put out with any band that gets so close to capturing what was in my head when I wrote it. I am already working on beating the sophomore curse. There are so many great sounds that we have not even tapped into yet that I cannot wait to get into! Having four guitars really opens up the creative possibilities for us and I am pumped to give everyone new songs!

So there you have it. Diarrhea Planet. The record is as awesome as they sound, so get listening to Loose Jewels.

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01st Apr2011

An Interview: Matt Pryor (The Get Up Kids)

by nickwan

The Get Up Kids have been touring constantly this year in promotion of their latest album There Are Rules. The album is the first full-length since 2004, so it is no surprise that this album would be a sort of rebirth of TGUK. Matt Pryor was kind enough to answer a few questions we had about the album, their newly formed Quality Hill Records, and potential new music on the way.

Listen to “Regent’s Court” below!

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How long did it take to write all the songs for There Are Rules, in comparison with all the other TGUK albums?

We wrote a song a day that became the initial structure of the songs. They were by no means finished in a day. We’d get a good outline and then use that as the foundation and built the songs in the studio.

After the release of Simple Science, it wasn’t too long before There Are Rules came out. Should we be expecting more TGUK releases in shorter intervals?

We haven’t really discussed anything new at this point. Simple Science and [There Are] Rules were recorded at basically the same time, which is why they came out so close together.

You’ve released There Are Rules on your newly formed imprint, Quality Hill Records. What’s the big idea behind creating your own label?

Honestly, doing things ourselves seems to be a viable option for a band in our position. We have nothing but a great relationship with Vagrant but we wanted to do things for ourselves.

Is this label going to be releasing other non-TGUK related albums?

It’s just going to be a label for Get Up Kids though.

What is on the TGUK playlist, as far as newer music is concerned?

Lykke Li, Mark Ronson, Grinderman, Kanye, Broken Social Scene

What are the current plans for the other TGUK-related projects (The New Ams, Blackpool Lights, Spoon, etc)?

Blackpool [Lights] just did a new EP that came out in December. I’m releasing another solo record this year. I assume that Spoon is writing and recording this year and will put out a new record in 2012, but I’m not 100% sure about that.

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You can check out our reviews of There Are Rules, Simple Science, and Blackpool Light’s Okie Baroque here on 402!

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23rd Nov2010

An Interview: Brett Detar

by nickwan

I recall my first girlfriend and her favorite band being The Juliana Theory, which wasn’t necessarily an anomaly from where I grew up. The front man of the pseudo-reunited TJT, Brett Detar, has begun trekking his own path years after The Juliana Theory has called it quits (more or less). The masterful Adam Haynes and I got to pick at Brett’s brain a bit, asking him all about his newest release, his recent reunion shows with TJT, and what the future holds for him.

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What was it like to write and record an album so completely different from what you’ve been known for in the past?

On my new record, Bird In the Tangle It was very exciting to record an album with a group of seasoned roots music veterans.  The most exciting part about all of it was that literally the very first time I ever played any of these songs with other human beings are the actual takes that ended up on the record.  I went into the studio with a bunch of unrehearsed songs and played them all for the first time with an amazing band of players and that’s what we captured on tape.  There wasn’t months of rehearsing a song until it felt old by the time you get into the studio.  Everything was completely fresh and off the cuff.  I tracked 4 or 5 songs a day – maybe playing each one two times through and then it was done.  A couple of the songs, like “It’s Only The Night” for instance I have still to this day only played one single time ever with other people and that one time is the take that is on the record.   That’s very different from how I’ve always made records in the past.  This is truly a live band record and we went for feel above all else.  Doing things musically that are new to me is freeing and exciting.  Music is about expression and creating what’s inside your heart.  It’s about following your muse – not following a scene or a trend.  I’ve absolutely loved making this album.  The other biggest difference is that I have self-funded the entire album and I self-released it on my website.  It’s completely free to download if you just visit http://BrettDetar.com and that’s certainly not the way I’ve done things in the past.  It’s a new time for the music business and I am thrilled to still be able to make music and to make music that I love.

Why record a country album?

In fairness to your readers who have not heard this record, the album is certainly not the current brand of music being called “country” these days.  This isn’t Brad Paisley / Toby Keith / Taylor Swift kinda’ music.  This is a heartfelt album full of American roots music.  It’s based in the traditions of old traditional country, delta blues, bluegrass, old timey music, folk, and rock.  It’s a tip of the hat to the music that informed the rock music of today.  Rock and roll came from Hank Williams and Robert Johnson.  It wouldn’t exist without the earlier forms of southern American music.  For the last 7 years or so I’ve literally listened to nothing but this old music.  It’s been my musical lifeblood so I just made the record that was informed by the things I have been listening to – artists like Ernest Tubb, Townes Van Zandt, Gram Parsons, Waylon Jennings, Son House, The Band, Cash, Neil Young, Dylan, Loretta Lynn and all of that.  I absolutely adore old country music.  I am obsessed with the good old stuff so there was really no way that I couldn’t make an album like this if I was going to make a record.

You’ve been noted saying that some of these songs were b-sides and demos thrown on minidisks and voice recorders. I’m assuming that some of these songs were incomplete when you re-found. What was it like going back into those recordings? Was it like a time capsule? Do you recall when you initially wrote some of these songs? Any particulars?

None of these songs were “b-sides” per say.  They were all written after The Juliana Theory had already broken up and they were written for me with no absolute plan for their future.  I knew that I wanted to make an album of roots music but I didn’t think I would.  I would write a song when it came to me, sing it once into a recorder and then put it away.  I didn’t sit around playing the songs.  I had to write out all of the chords and learn them for the first time before I went to Nashville to record the album with the band.  You are right that a decent amount of the material on the little recorder wasn’t totally finished. Some songs needed dialed in but some of them were completely written and ready to go.  I put a lot more work into the lyrics on this record than I ever have in my life.  If there is one thing I can say for certain it’s that these are the best lyrics I’ve ever written.  I hope to keep improving but that’s something I made a huge priority.

Although you said this solo project is just that, a project, what do you think your plans for the other 40+ demos will be? Any ideas of working them into a new project?

I look at this “solo project” as the closest extension of my own musical passions.  This is the type of music that I love and believe in and listen to so with a record that bares my name and nothing else I really just look at it as MY album.  Bird In The Tangle is less of a project and more of just me being myself and making the music i love and want to make.  I’ve been in bands my whole life but this is the first time where I’ve done exactly what I wanted to do without caring one bit about anyone else’s opinion of who they think I should or shouldn’t be.  As far as working up other songs with a three or four-piece band, this whole album already features a huge band on 8 out of 11 songs.  There are a few tracks where it’s literally a 6 or 7 person band – drums, bass, guitar, steel guitar, mandolin, fiddle, organ, etc – that’s a bigger band than I’ve ever played with in my life.  It’s not like I made a record with only me and an acoustic guitar.  This is a lush and full album for the most part. As for the other songs I’ve written there is always something in the works.  I’ll continue to write and record as “Brett Detar” and I plan on releasing music often now that I have total control over it and can record it myself at my own studio.  As for other projects, I love working with other musicians.  There is a great creativity in the give and take of collaboration and I’ll certainly be working on totally different collaborations.  There’s a particular one in the works right now that sounds nothing like my solo record and nothing like anything I’ve done in the past either.  It’s a total genre-bender.  I prefer to be a chameleon – to keep people guessing like Elvis Costello often does.  ”Brett Detar” records will continue to fall in line with this general approach and style but I’ll be doing other things as well.

How would you describe the recent Juliana Theory reunion tour?

The recent Juliana [Theory] reunion shows were something very special that I am sure the band guys and I will always remember very fondly.  We hadn’t been a band for 5 years and to come back together after all of that time and see so many people travel from all over the world to come sing along with us it was truly unforgettable.  We’d never played sets half that long in our career.  We did 27 songs a night, played the full Emotion is Dead album from top to bottom and tons of fan favorites.  We actually sounded and felt better than we did in our heyday.  I am glad that we did it.  It was super fun and it felt very special too.

Is there a chance we’ll be seeing more The Juliana Theory in the future? If there are more live shows, would you want to try to incorporate some of the songs from Bird in The Tangle?

There will not be any more Juliana Theory.  We did the reunion tour as a final farewell to say thanks to our fans.  When we broke up we did it with just a simple announcement and no “final shows.”  We always felt like that wasn’t the way to honor our amazing fans so we decided to get back together one last time to say thanks to everyone and that’s what we did – a final farewell.  I don’t think it’s fair to fans to say it’s our very last time playing together ever to then get back together.  It’s just not in the cards.

What is the future looking like for you? Will you try to start up a new project sometime soon?

If you’re wondering if I am going to start another rock band any time soon, the answer is no. (laughs) I can’t see myself fronting a big guitar band anytime in the near future.  I feel like The [Juliana] Theory covered most ground in that department.  We did pop rock, heavier stuff, atmospheric stuff, electronic leaning stuff, epic 9 minute prog rock, and everything in between.  There are too many other forms of music out there that I love to spend more time in the modern alt-rock world.  It’s pretty played out for me personally.  That being said, I am more active in music that I have ever been.  In 2010 I’ve written over 120 songs.  I just scored a feature film.  I’ve been writing for and with other artists and I know I’ll continue to do that.  I need to get out on the road to support Bird in the Tangle too.  There’s a lot coming up that I am excited to be a part of.  For now, please head over to my website http://BrettDetar.com and download my new record for free and then share it with your friends.  The record definitely gives a good peek at what I’ll be doing in the future.

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Brett Detar’s album, Bird in the Tangle, is completely free and available on Brett’s site. Enjoy it!

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07th Oct2010

An Interview: Geoff Farina

by nickwan

Geoff Farina (photo: Southern Records)

Many times, reviewing albums and interviewing bands for us here at 402 are more out of professionalism rather than out of fandom. There are very rare occasions when one of our favorite artists have an album we can deem reviewable or interviewable (since we only focus on brand new or small-hype bands and artists). Maybe the most rare is when both of these things, an album review as well as an interview, are able to actually happen. With that being said, Geoff Farina (Glorytellers, Ardecore, Karate) got to answer a ton of questions I’ve had stored in the back of my mind since I heard Pockets back in 2005. The interview itself took a few months to put together due to Farina’s very busy schedule of touring as well as moving from the east coast to Chicago recently. Farina talks about the switch from electric to acoustic, his latest album with Chris Brokaw, and whether Karate will ever get back together again.

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You ended your duration with Karate due to the possibility of losing your ability to hear. Since then, you’ve done plenty of musical workings such as Ardecore and Glorytellers, along with some solo performances scattered about. Karate was definitely a loud, electric guitar driven entity you developed whereas your roles in your current musical outings seem well more acoustic sounding, and most likely not as high-volume as your former Karate work. How do you describe what you have lost and what you have gained as you have switched from Karate into Glorytellers?
Well, just to be clear, losing my hearing wasn’t the issue. The issue was tinnitus which is another kind of ear damage, and it was only a factor among other things. But to answer your question, I do really miss playing in a loud trio. We had a great sound that we developed over the years, and that is something I’ll always cherish and it was a lot of fun to play those songs. But these days I concentrate almost exclusively on steel-string acoustic, which is a whole other world. I’m happier with my playing now than I’ve ever been, and I feel like there is endless music to discover on steel string. I also love playing bottleneck, and the problem is there are too many styles to learn, so you really have to pick one thing and stick to it. So I’m really happy with the road I’m following right now, although I wish I had time to play electric, bottleneck, and other styles of guitar.

It seems as if touring between the east coast of the US and touring around Italy are your two main outlets. Is there a reason why the west coast of the US doesn’t get to be graced with your presence?
I think it’s because I’m from the East Coast (although I now live in Chicago), and that’s where my music is known. Karate never had great shows out west and we only went out to the west coast a few times. Drives were too long, money was too tight, and the shows were usually mediocre, so we sort of stayed away.

Glorytellers has come out with two albums in the past three years. What are some favorite songs from those albums to play live? What are some songs you miss playing live (from the Karate days particularly)? When you are playing solo shows, do you feel an urgency to play older songs or b-sides?
There were so many songs with Karate and Glorytellers both that are great to play live, and it really depends on the tour. Others I find really difficult to play live and we leave them for the recordings. I’ve never really felt the pressure to play older songs, much to the chagrin of concertgoers and my band mates! I have to play the music I’m feeling right now, not something I write 5 or 10 years ago. Otherwise it can quickly feel like stagnation.

It’s 2010 and Chris Brokaw and Geoff Farina’s The Angel’s Message to Me came out earlier this year. How did song writing for these songs go? How many songs did you go into the studio with?
We didn’t write the songs. They’re all prewar blues/ragtime/gospel tunes. It was very casual, a lot of picking on Chris’ back porch in the summer, which was great! It was very intuitive and we just played until things sounded right.

Will you be looking into teaching at a university or college of some sort in Chicago like you did when you were teaching at University of Maine? Also, has any die-hard Karate fans enrolled in your course? Word on the street says Blake Schwarzenbach (Jets to Brazil) would drop people out of his course for mentioning his relation to Jets to Brazil when he was a professor at Hunter College. Any similar qualms like this?
I’d like to teach but I’m touring a lot this year. I have no problem with anyone taking my course, as long as they’re interested and willing to put in the effort.

I had some trouble finding your past equipment used when playing with Karate. The best I came up with was this link to (a potentially fake) pedal board of yours [image below]. What kind of amps and guitars and such were you using then? And now?
Ha, that’s funny to see that again. I think I had a different version of that beast every year for a few years, and then I gave up and just had the Klon and a 60s Fender Deluxe, or a Dr. Z amp, depending on what continent I was on. These days I have about 15 steel-strings I use, and I usually take one on the road built by John Greven. It’s a 000 short-scale mahogany/lutz spruce one with a few of John’s innovations. A great all-around guitar that sounds broken-in and woody in all the right ways. At home I have a ’50 LG-2, a ’39 Martin 00-17, a ’30 Gibson Kel Kroydon, and a couple of old Stella’s that I play a lot, among others.

Geoff Farina's old pedalboard/ photo:GearHeads

Would you ever consider risking a one-off Karate reunion at the expense of your hearing? A lot of bands seem to do one-off reunion shows at large festivals. Any interest for a one off show, whether it is a small show in Chicago or a giant festival?
I doubt it, just for the simple reason that it would probably take me months to learn to play those songs again. We always rehearsed for months to learn new songs, so it would be a big investment in time. I don’t think any of us could just pick up our instruments and play those songs w/out a lot of rehearsal.
Also,  every band is back together now. Name a band that hasn’t reunited? Why go see Karate when you can see Slint or the Stooges? That will be Karate’s claim to fame: we’ll be the only band that never reunited!

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If you haven’t heard Chris and Geoff’s newest album, check out a sample below!

Check out tour dates and such for Chris and Geoff on Damnbly.

Category : Interviews/Misc., Music
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03rd Oct2010

An Interview: Cloud Cult

by MichelleD

In early August, Cloud Cult’s album, Light Chasers, was reviewed and nominated for album of the year! A lot is going in the lives of the band right now as they resume touring after a short break and a new addition to the band family, but they were incredibly sweet to us and Craig answered a few questions for our interview. Enjoy this little preview into the genius minds of one of our album of the year nominees.

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What is the concept behind the album? What is the story? What was it based off of?

The album concept is the story of the search for the light at the end of the tunnel: the Grand Mystery or of God. There’s no specific mass religion connotations, but the simple search for the truth.  It’s based off the ongoing Cloud Cult story. Basically every album is a philosophical pursuit on some level.

How do you feel about many other bands releasing smaller packages of songs in forms of splits and EPs as of late? Do you feel like other bands are holding back or do you feel that this is the next step in recording albums? In the new world of on-the-go playlists and mix tapes, do you feel that the idea of listening to an entire album as a whole is losing it’s identity?

Yes, it’s getting very difficult to release a full concept album. In the days of old, people bought records and brought them home and listened front to back. Nowadays, they download it, and it enters the overall shuffle. I think that shuffle form of music lends itself nicely to digital distribution of singles and EPs, which is probably why more bands are going that route. I think the average listener’s attention span has decreased dramatically, too. I remember when I bought albums as a kid, and an hour length was what you’d expect for the price.  Most of the new albums I look at are a collection of around ten short singles, clocking in at under 40 minutes.

There’s been a new addition to the Minowa family! How has this affected the band? How does this affect touring? How has Connie coped with juggling a little one and being on tour?

Nova’s entrance into our lives affected this album deeply.  The touring has been an adjustment, but he seems to thrive on adventure, so I think it’s nice to see him go through these exciting days. Connie has done incredibly well adjusting from going from Mom mode, putting him down to sleep at night at the hotel, and then rushing to the club to go into entertainer mode and crank out an original piece of art in the 90 minute set.  After the show, we now rush back to the hotel, rather than having hanging out and having a beer. And then we get up at 5:30am when he gets up and do it all again.

The tour journal is chocked full of fantastic photos and stories. What are a few favorite on-tour experiences?

This was our first tour with our new baby, so my favorite memories are of my family traveling across the country. Nova, our son, has grown new teeth on this tour and is on the verge of walking. He giggles at everyone we pass, so he’s become quite popular with the folks in the hotel breakfast rooms each morning.

There’s more happening on stage during your live shows. I speak, of course, of the two talented artists who paint during your show. What was the inspiration behind this? What kind of things influence the paintings that each artist creates?

Scott West was one of my closest friends in later years of high school and Connie Minowa was my girlfriend. Both of them went to art school for college, so there was a lot of times where I would be writing songs while they were painting. The collective art form just started to feel natural, so we brought it to the stage.  Each night is a different painting, and it’s usually inspired by the crowd or some occurrence from the day.

You guys do a lot in terms of staying green, solar panels on your van,  a studio built from recycled materials, and efforts towards digital album sales to name just a few. Why is this such an important effort for Cloud Cult, and where do you come up with the ideas?

Environmental ethics are a huge part of who we are, so running a business, like this band, just requires that  we make decisions that we hope all businesses would make in protecting our environment. We take responsibility for our own actions and hope it can inspire others to do the same. There are some serious environmental issues on the horizon, and we all need to recognize the power of our individual hands in mitigating those threats.

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Go check out their official website at: http://www.cloudcult.com/cloudcult.cfm

Cloud Cult – “You’ll be Bright” from their new album Light Chasers

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13th Jun2010

An Interview: Baggy Time

by nickwan

[Editor's note: Tom, Baggy Time's manager and brother, wanted a few corrections to the interview. Here is his letter he sent to me:

I came across your Baggy Time interview and wanted you to correct a couple of things. First off, Baggy Time is not a brother/sister group, it's a solo project by Baggy Time. She writes all the songs, plays all the instruments and sings. I just serve as her manager and producer, I'm not on the music side. You can mention her brother if you wish, but please make sure it's clear it's in the capacity of manager.

Also, you can refer to her as Mary Beth if you like, but please make sure to use her full name, Mary Beth Brennan and remove any reference to her being a sister, since it makes things confusing. "Sung by sister Mary Beth..." really makes no sense, as it alludes to the fact that a brother might by playing guitar or something.

I realize you're not a journalist, but fact checking is still important. Also, here is an updated link to download the album for free if you wish to post it:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/0778nf

Thanks,

Tom

So there you have it. Hope you enjoy the sounds of Baggy Time!]

Baggy Time, from Illinois, was the first album I reviewed this year. If you ever put yourself through the 31 songs Baggy Time has to offer then you will most likely know all about the sex-crazed, human anatomy-centric lyrics sung by Mary Beth Brennan. Tambo decided to take it upon himself to interview this lovely lady for this site. Read below!

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Avant garde?
It’s a good sounding word, and I’m happy to be a part of it.

You say that your pussy has no direction. If your pussy were moving, which you imply it is, what is the five year plan for your pussy? Will it listen to you?
I just went to the gynecologist and she said my cervix goes to my right. I asked her if that was normal and she said that a cervix is like a nose (way to comfort me). Now I know where to place my dildo properly to hit the best spot in my twat… Thank you Asian doctor! Anyway, I was a slut and still am. Show me a fridge and I got a magnet for it. That magnet has no idea where it’s gonna be placed, it just hooks up.

The five year plan for my pussy would be to have a girlfriend that loves it. The plan would be for it to connect to another pussy puzzle piece that my pussy has been secretly searching for behind my back my whole life. After the five years are up I will hopefully drop her ass for someone younger and hotter and be really unhappy as a result.

In your song “Manager”, you allude to being a manager of something other than your pussy. Are you a manager of a business? If so, where?
I am the manager of “Fat Willy’s Rib Shack” in Chicago, Illinois. I work really hard, but I definitely can’t help it when I touch the hot staff (and yes I have gotten in trouble for it). The song “Manager” is based on various bad restaurant managers I had the misfortune of dealing with in the past, it’s certainly not based on me and my managerial style. I could never understand why people like that had a job in the first place. I work very hard not to act like that. We have the best ribs in town by the way…

When you say that you are my mother, followed with that I am a motherfucker, are you saying that I fucked you?  If not, do I have a chance?
Do you have coke and beer? Is it 5 a.m.? If so, your chances are pretty good. I’m very lonely and no one understands me. No one has ever fucked me. I don’t care what your private part is, I’m always on top and I always fuck you.

When did you write the song “I Am Horny”? Does it still apply?
The song is actually called “I’m So Horny”. No rudeness implied, just a correction. It was a hot day in Chicago and I was just coming home to my apartment in the middle of the afternoon on my day off. I remember I was wearing my red softball shorts from the Sports Authority that I can somehow get away with and a cute red thrift t-shirt that I received from a past roommate. I sat on the edge of my couch and I was horny. I even scrolled through the address book in my phone to see who I could call. I called no one. I took out my big black anything book and I wrote this song in two minutes and I haven’t changed a thing since. I meant every word and although some people find it funny, it’s the way I felt in those two minutes. I don’t remember what happened after that, I assume I masturbated (which I frequently do to live my life). I have an amazing memory for stupid things.

Do you like Asian boys with glasses named Nick Wan?  If not, could you potentially see yourself liking an Asian in __ years?
How many years? Is this you talking about yourself? If so, I will fuck you and I will like you and I won’t even charge you because you’re a Baggy Time fan. I like the gratefulness that Asian boys can possess, but I hope Nick Wan isn’t cute or hot. I would never fuck a hot guy, they think that I’m lucky to have them and I certainly don’t posses the gratefulness that Asian boys do. Wait… why do I fuck guys in general? I suppose exceptions can be made…
[editor's note: I am single. Thanks for looking out for me Tambo.]

If you were invited to a boxed-wine-and-American-cheese party, what would you bring?
I take my wine and cheese parties very seriously, so I’m down… seriously when is this party? I would bring German Riesling, goat cheese and California Pinot Noir. I would talk extensively about Pinot Noir and make sure everyone at the party knows how to pronounce it properly. I guess you can say I would bring this fun party to a screeching halt, so you probably shouldn’t invite me.

There are quite a few instruments used on your album. I heard an accordion, several electronic instruments and….I lost my train of thought. The whole point of this question was to ask you who provided the back-up breaths on “I Want My Mommy” after you demand money for an unfinished blowjob.
“Your Private Part Touched My Heart” is all Baggy Time through and through. I bleed my true heart out and it is very connected to my pussy, so thank you for feeling it. Those breathes on the song are mine. The feeling of “I Want My Mommy” came to me when I moved to Korea Town in LA and I really wanted my mommy. I was in a very bad place emotionally and everything seemed to be crashing down. All of my decisions were turning into failures and my mommy was my last resort. However, I never, ever called her.

The accordion is actually a child’s toy made by a company called Child Prodigy that I got off eBay for .99 (one button doesn’t work). The keyboard stuff is from a 1998 Casio that I still use in my band, “The Baby Magic”. I bought it with the money my aunt gave me for graduation. I also use a Suzuki QChord, which is a gospel type instrument that people use to spread the word. The rest of the rare instruments come from my friend Joe. When he was down on his luck I gave him 100 dollars, he paid me back in rare instruments. I think I made out in that deal.

How did you come up with your name?
I was in my apartment wearing baggy corduroy lime green pants and a newly purchased thrift store zip-up life saver jacket. Picture Marty McFly’s life saver jacket, but silver and shiny. I looked at myself in a full-sized mirror and said “I’m Baggy Time”. I realized that I could say whatever I wanted and had no apologizes with comfort. I will never leave Baggy Time.

Who are your influences?
They Might Be Giants, Modest Mouse and Weezer,  but not any of these band’s recent stuff… I’m talking 90′s.

It’s been four months since the release of Baggy Time’s first album.  Where are the other three albums?
All of my albums will have a “365″ concept to them, and there will be 12 albums in total. That means people will have a Baggy Time song for every day of the year. Each album I release represents a different month of the year, so my first album consists of 31 tracks and represents the month of January. When I was originally writing and recording these songs, I was practically writing a new song everyday, that’s when the 365 album idea hit me. I called my brother and I told him about my 12 year project and he was in (he’s now my manager).

The 365 concept does not imply that I’ll be releasing an album every month. These songs actually take a lot of time to write and craft. As I write this, I’m halfway through the February album, which will be called “Songs From A Stupid, Fucking Drunken Bitch”. It will have 28 tracks, with a special bonus track for leap year. The album is going great and I can’t wait for you to hear it.

Would you rather be baggy or time?  If so, why not the former?  If not, why so the latter?
I’d much rather be Baggy. I have to tell you that my title doesn’t have much explaining or real meaning behind it, it just feels right. I used to go by “Planet Poop”, but I got over that real fast. I’m a big fan of the book, “The Power Of Now” which describes time as a man made thing and that thinking of the past or future creates jail cells in our heads.

Smirnoff Ice or Mike’s Hard?
Mike’s Hard. I love lemonade and I love alcoholic drinks that disguise themselves as soft drinks. I used to drink tons of Zima, I think it teaches kids how to drink.

Slavery or Suffrage?
I say suffer no matter how hard it is. We all suffer and find our way to happiness at moments. No slave ever has true happiness (just ask mine).
[editor's note: Nick Wan Nation fans, represent.]

Identity Thief or Nigerian Scammer?
Identity thief any day. Nigerians hate us so much and think that we are dumb and materialistic. That might be true, but then what are they doing with our numbers and addresses? At least identity theft people are shoppers just like us.

Anorexia or Bulimia?
Bulimia of course. You actually get to eat with Bulimia and the taste hits your tongue twice. I’m from Chicago and we love to eat.

Dungeons or Dragons?
Dragons, as long as they are cartoon dragons.

Hilter Mustache or Hitler Unibrow?
Mustache for sure. No one can wear it now thanks to him, but the man had fashion sense. It’s funny, he helped develop the Volkswagen Bug and years after he died we still punch each other when we see it.

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So, amongst the noise of Dungeons and Dragons and Hitler questions, Baggy Time will be releasing Songs From A Stupid, Fucking Drunken Bitch sometime in the near future. Until then, keep your pants on. Also, USA drawing against England really just means England needs to try a little harder. Am I right? I’m right.

Category : Interviews/Misc., Music
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31 Comm
08th Mar2010

An Interview: Fang Island

by nickwan

The current pride of Brooklyn, Fang Island, has had many ups and downs in the past few weeks. I don’t even know if you could write it like it has happened: Fang Island got a new van, released their first full length album,  began preparing for their upcoming national support tour… then had their van stolen, found again, and are still on track to make it to their shows on time, all the while gaining universal praise for their album. Our interviewing machine Shane “Dufus” Kalantari sheds some light on the friends that compose Fang Island.

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Dufus: First off, how is the land of “Philayorkadence?”

Fang Island: It was a difficult land, now we all live in Brooklyn.


D: When you guys initially assembled to form this dancegasmic-high-fiving band, what were the initial ideas; aside from the uplifting intensity that seems to lay the foundation for most of your corpus?

FI: The band started off as an art project at school. It was a way of cutting classes, smoking weed, and still getting college credit. Then we realized that our musical collaboration was more important/enjoyable to us than learning lithography.


D: Would you care to map out your guy’s creation process? How do you arrive at a song like Dreams of Dreams? Or rather, when do you all know “this is it”?

FI: Someone we will write a riff, then we add other riffs, then someone else adds a solo, then its done.


D: What were some of the fundamental elements “Curaga?”

FI: Cure and Cura combined.


D: “Fang Island Go To Kindergarten” was an awesome concept. Aside from Matt Pryor’s The Terrible Twos, it’s fairly unexplored field (bands of any flavor playing directly to children). Was there any underlying goal behind this show, or merely just rock out with some awesome 6 year olds?

FI: We tried to talk to the kids about the power of rock and roll and friendship, but it was way over their heads. So ultimately it was about rocking out with kids.



D: How has Philayorkadence influenced your music, if at all?

FI: It helped give our music a colonial/bicentenial vibe.


D: Very recently, the horrible news of your van being stolen has been shot around. It definitely is inopportune, as your album-supporting tour is about to begin and the van itself was new to Fang Island (by way of label mate, Daughters). How has your fan base, friends, management, and/or record label responded? What positives have been confirmed or realized through this event?

FI: True story, we were about to buy a new van when our Visualizer man, Sam, decided to take a nap, and during this nap he went into the dreamscape, found our van and when he woke up we received a call that our van was at the 78th street precinct in Brooklyn and had been there all along…or was it? The lesson we learned was never underestimate the power of positive thinking and astral projection, but we would like to thank everybody that supported us. There was a huge outpouring of support that we are extremely grateful for.

D: Who was the first person in the band to realize the van had been stolen? What were the first reactions?

FI: Nick and Jason. Instant acceptance.


D: I know your self-titled album was just released, and you’re all about to head out on tour, but…I must ask, what new concoctions are a-brewin’ over on Fang Island?

FI: We have a few new songs in the works and a couple top secret ideas. We are also trying to get a sponsorship with Coca Cola and Pepsi.


D: So yes, the big tour is approaching, what are you all looking forward to, what do you hope to accomplish this tour?

FI: We are looking forward to getting out on the road in and of itself.  With the exception of Nick, none of us have ever been out on the road before for long periods of time.  Also, our bassist is an excellent chef and he’s going to buy a hibachi.


D: What are the sounds Fang Island enjoys when they’re not fashioning their own? Any new bands out there that you think the people are missing out on?
FI: Anything involving Roky Erickson is amazing. His new album is beautiful.

D: How’s the industry treating you guys thus far in your career? Any horror stories? Any delightfully surprising stories?

FI: Napster has really been marshing my mallow.

D: Any pre-show rituals? Any post-show rituals?

FI: Before any show we set off fireworks and watch the Who’s “The Kids Are Alright.” Afterwards, we set off fireworks and watch Smashing Pumpkins “Vieuphoria.”


D: What’s something people should know about a Fang Island concert?

FI: Three guitars a-wailin’, a bass a-thumpin, and our drummer has cornrows

D: If you had to theme your next show (e.g. “under the sea” and everyone who attended would have to dress up accordingly) what would the theme be?

FI: The theme would be Under the Sea, November 12, 1955. It seems appropriate considering that’s when and the setting where Marty McFly invented rock n roll and penned the hit “Johnny B Goode.”


D: Finally, the most significant question of all… can I be your back up assistant auxiliary guy?  If yes, when can we jam, I got coke bottles, brandy sniffers, and bamboo shoots. If not, can I be a dancer in your videos?
FI: No and no: HIGH-FIVE!

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If you haven’t checked out Fang Island’s newest video for “Life Coach” then go ahead and hit play below here… also, if you haven’t checked out our review yet, or even the album, then go ahead and treat yourself tonight. You’re worth it.

Don’t forget to follow 402 Productions on Twitter!!

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