The festival is warming up to its new location, and returning to its roots.
By CHRIS NIXON
Special to the Register
Friday, Aug. 4, 2006
Cue the eerie carnival music, the drag queens and the burlesque girls. A year after making the move from its traditional downtown spot to the wide-open spaces of Mission Valley, San Diego's Street Scene music festival returns this year with more diversity, more stages and a fresh perspective on booking bands and performance artists.
Headliners such as Tool, Snoop Dogg, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Kanye West will perform alongside artists like the Lollipop Girls Burlesque, the Amazing Yard Dogs Road Show (oddball circus freaks) and Babette Schwartz's drag show today and Saturday at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Organizer and festival originator Rob Hagey decided to incorporate a few more world music and performance artists, formerly a staple of earlier Street Scenes.
"I think it's important to bring back some of the traditions we've had in the past," Hagey said recently from his office in La Jolla, as he and his crew prepared for the festival's 23rd year. "Thomas Mapfumo's music is total groove music. His music isn't going to alienate anybody. It's happy music and very much part of what we're trying to do with the festival. I think it's a wonderful way to introduce our younger audience to this great music."
Since its start in 1984, Street Scene has developed from a two-stage festival in a shady part of downtown to one of the premier music events in Southern California. By 2003, the festival had swelled to three days, drawing more than 100,000 people to its increasingly crowded downtown neighborhood.
"In 2003, we were over 100 bands on nine stages over three days," Hagey recalled. "Now we're two days and six stages. But the talent has gone dramatically up in cost. We've put more of a premium on booking bigger acts. With that, the production gets bigger and the price gets more expensive."
With downtown San Diego's growth over the past five years, Hagey and his festival were getting squeezed out by high-rise condo construction and the vestiges of the area's working-class companies. Said Hagey: "We were growing, and the Gaslamp and East Village were growing. There just wasn't any more space. There was not another place for us to go downtown."
So in 2005 Street Scene moved a few miles north to Mission Valley, specifically the parking lot of Qualcomm Stadium. On any given Sunday during football season, Chargers fans barbecue their brats in the stadium's parking area. For Hagey, the space and time the venue afforded could not be matched if the festival wanted to stay in urban San Diego.
"We would have never had the time to set up this kind of scale and scope and production in any kind of configuration downtown," theorized Hagey, 55. "So not only are we gaining the space, but we're gaining the time to create and produce this event. And that's critical, because the event's scale and production have grown exponentially with the move."
Street Scene experienced its height of popularity in terms of ticket sales in 2004, when 105,000 music fans turned out to the festival's final year downtown. Last year attendance dipped to 75,000, suffering from public perception that the parking lot location would be hot and uncomfortable. While Street Scene doesn't offer green grassy fields like many of the other major music festivals throughout the country, it does offer convenience.
"In our opinion, it's right up there with Coachella and Bonnaroo and Austin City Limits," Hagey said. "It's really a question of people's perception of how a festival should be. One's in a field outside Austin, in a park away from the city. Bonnaroo is in a field between Knoxville and Nashville in Tennessee, basically in the middle of nowhere. And Coachella is in the middle of a very plush polo grounds in Indio.
"We're in the parking area of Qualcomm in San Diego, but we can take advantage of that," Hagey continued. "We have a trolley service that drops people within feet of the event. You don't get that in any of those other festivals. It's more of a party atmosphere, with the lighting and the bars and the urban vibe of the event."
Tool, the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs and Kanye West all put on great shows. But if you're headed to Street Scene, you probably already know about those bands. Here's a few non-headliners not to be missed.
Today
Thomas Mapfumo
6 p.m., Fulano Stage
Affectionately dubbed by his countrymen the "Lion of Zimbabwe," Thomas Mapfumo, 61, continues to churn out his style of African "chimurenga" music. Despite failed revolutions and imprisonment in his home country, the Lion doesn't sleep on championing civil liberties while creating a party vibe at his live shows.
Wolfmother
7:30 p.m., Time Warner Stage
With a simple jagged scream in the opening seconds of his band's debut disc, lead singer Andrew Stockdale tells the world that his band Wolfmother has arrived, and they are ready to revive unmitigated rock 'n' roll. Channeling '70s muscle-car rock, the pre-punk angst of MC5 and Steppenwolf's hard-edged psychedelia, this Aussie trio rocked Coachella earlier this year and will most likely have its way with the Street Scene crowd.
Wu-Tang Clan
9:05 p.m., Zarabanda Stage
After Ol' Dirty Bastard's death in 2004 and Method Man's ill-fated acting career, Wu-Tang fans might gaze suspiciously at the current reunion. But the collective's 1993 debut "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)" remains a classic, complete with Shoalin warrior references and tough East Coast-style rhymes. RZA, GZA and the rest of Wu-Tang still pack a punch.
Saturday
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's
3:30 p.m., Zarabanda Stage
What's in the water north of the border these days? Apparently, the Quebecois have found the secret elixir for creating infectious pop music. Canada – specifically Montreal – has become the next hotbed for indie rock: Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Feist, Metric and now Margot and the Nuclear So and So's. Richard Edward's sincere vocals and richly textured compositions from the nine-piece outfit form the backbone of band's debut 2006 disc "The Dust of Retreat."
Ska Cubano
6:30 p.m., Fulano Stage
Joyfully joining Cuban son, mambo and Jamaican ska, singers Natty Bo (a London-based ska musician) and Beny Billy (a Cuban crooner) form the skipping brassy beats of Ska Cubano. The band's sound – packed with steamy summer dance tracks and classic Caribbean rhythms – should connect with Street Scene's party vibe.
The Shins
7:30 p.m., Time Warner Stage
James Mercer's occasionally somber, melancholic lyrics combined with the band's upbeat indie pop melodies give the Shins a depth rarely seen in bands with only two albums to their credit. Mercer – along with drummer Jesse Sandoval, bassist Neal Langford and keyboard player Marty Crandall – are currently working on the follow-up album to 2004's seminal "Chutes Too Narrow."
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Beaming with pride
Increasingly entertainment-oriented LGBT fest ranks among the top 10 in the nation
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
July 27, 2006
Since the San Diego LGBT Pride Festival's inception 31 years ago, the climate for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in San Diego has changed.
During its transformation from old Navy town to multinational, multicultural metropolis, San Diego now sports the 10th largest Pride Festival in the country, drawing 200,000 to Hillcrest and Balboa Park to celebrate diversity.
In fact, the Pride Parade is now San Diego's largest civic event, according San Diego LGBT Pride's executive director, Ron deHarte.
“(Pride) increases awareness, it provides an opportunity for education in the community, it provides an opportunity for the community to come together in celebration,” said deHarte, who joined the organization just this year. “It just so happens that the parade is the largest civic
event in San Diego. In the 'red' city that we are, that's hard to believe in some people's minds.”
With the slogan “Equality! No turning back,” this year's festival includes a full weekend of events: the Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, a two-day music festival in Balboa Park with 70 bands on 10 stages and the huge Pride Parade on Saturday, which deHarte expects to draw 150,000 people this year.
After 31 years of Pride festivals in San Diego, organizers felt like it was time for a change, especially in the way the two-day event is structured. In the past, the festival featured one stage of music. The organizer wanted to shift more focus to the bands this year, expanding the number of stages to 10 while providing a few headliners to draw more diverse crowds.
“We wanted to draw a more diverse attendance through the gate,” said deHarte. “The single biggest driving force was feedback from folks who have come over the years. This last year we started an online survey that ran for four or five months.
“Overwhelmingly, the comments were coming back for us to focus on entertainment, bring in more varied guests, bring in more headliners,” continued deHarte. “More entertainment clearly was a message people were sending as far as suggestions to improve the festival.
“So it was clear: It was time for us to make a change.”
A Flock of Seagulls, Debbie Gibson and Tiffany headline the festival this year, but deHarte also wanted to place more emphasis on local bands like Spell Toronto and the U.V. Tigers: “We get a crowd of 40,000, and we get to put some of our local bands on stages in front of 5,000 people.”
San Diego LGBT Pride has taken great strides to make this year's event more inclusive, with a senior tent, an interfaith pavilion and kids' activities.
“The Pride festival is for the entire community,” stated deHarte. “You don't have to be labeled 'gay' to participate in it.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego writer.
PICKS FOR THIS WEEKEND'S PRIDE FESTIVAL
The two-day Pride Festival features 10 stages of entertainment, more than 70 musicians, bands, comedians and dancers. Areas in the festival include Jack FM Stage, Country Western Village with dance floor, Rocket hiNrg dance floor, Lavender Lens Women's Space and dance floor, Latino Stage and Cantina, Karaoke Stage, Buzz Great Lawn Stage, three beer gardens, Senior Connection, Leather Realm, Coffee Terrace, Interfaith Pavilion, Art of Pride (LGBT local artists), Youth Space and the Children's Garden. Whew!
Here are a couple of choice bands from each day of the festival:
SATURDAY
The Ethel Merman Experience: Impersonator Mark Sargent channels the late Ethel Merman, merging the singer's trademark booming alto voice with rock standards. The band covers Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, AC/DC, Van Halen and The Doors. Not to be missed.
A Flock of Seagulls: This British quartet has two clear claims to fame: the '80s synth-pop single “I Ran” and lead singer Mike Score's hair (looking like the result of a terrible accident involving mass quantities of hair mousse and an industrial turbine).
SUNDAY
Tiffany / Debbie Gibson: If you're not well-versed in '80s uber-kitsch, Tiffany and Debbie Gibson could easily be mistaken for one another. For good reasons: They both emerged in 1987 (and both sported atrocious '80s style); both had failed attempts at “Star Search”; both sang simple '80s pop tunes; and now they're both singing at this year's Pride Festival.
Orquestra Bi-Nacional de Mambo: Bill Caballero's 20-piece band kicks the brassy, old-school Latin style of mambo (think Latino big band music). Stocked with musicians from both sides of the border, Orquestra Bi-Nacional de Mambo also dabbles in salsa and boleros with an occasional cha-cha-cha.
– CHRIS NIXON
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
July 27, 2006
Since the San Diego LGBT Pride Festival's inception 31 years ago, the climate for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in San Diego has changed.
During its transformation from old Navy town to multinational, multicultural metropolis, San Diego now sports the 10th largest Pride Festival in the country, drawing 200,000 to Hillcrest and Balboa Park to celebrate diversity.
In fact, the Pride Parade is now San Diego's largest civic event, according San Diego LGBT Pride's executive director, Ron deHarte.
“(Pride) increases awareness, it provides an opportunity for education in the community, it provides an opportunity for the community to come together in celebration,” said deHarte, who joined the organization just this year. “It just so happens that the parade is the largest civic
event in San Diego. In the 'red' city that we are, that's hard to believe in some people's minds.”
With the slogan “Equality! No turning back,” this year's festival includes a full weekend of events: the Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, a two-day music festival in Balboa Park with 70 bands on 10 stages and the huge Pride Parade on Saturday, which deHarte expects to draw 150,000 people this year.
After 31 years of Pride festivals in San Diego, organizers felt like it was time for a change, especially in the way the two-day event is structured. In the past, the festival featured one stage of music. The organizer wanted to shift more focus to the bands this year, expanding the number of stages to 10 while providing a few headliners to draw more diverse crowds.
“We wanted to draw a more diverse attendance through the gate,” said deHarte. “The single biggest driving force was feedback from folks who have come over the years. This last year we started an online survey that ran for four or five months.
“Overwhelmingly, the comments were coming back for us to focus on entertainment, bring in more varied guests, bring in more headliners,” continued deHarte. “More entertainment clearly was a message people were sending as far as suggestions to improve the festival.
“So it was clear: It was time for us to make a change.”
A Flock of Seagulls, Debbie Gibson and Tiffany headline the festival this year, but deHarte also wanted to place more emphasis on local bands like Spell Toronto and the U.V. Tigers: “We get a crowd of 40,000, and we get to put some of our local bands on stages in front of 5,000 people.”
San Diego LGBT Pride has taken great strides to make this year's event more inclusive, with a senior tent, an interfaith pavilion and kids' activities.
“The Pride festival is for the entire community,” stated deHarte. “You don't have to be labeled 'gay' to participate in it.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego writer.
PICKS FOR THIS WEEKEND'S PRIDE FESTIVAL
The two-day Pride Festival features 10 stages of entertainment, more than 70 musicians, bands, comedians and dancers. Areas in the festival include Jack FM Stage, Country Western Village with dance floor, Rocket hiNrg dance floor, Lavender Lens Women's Space and dance floor, Latino Stage and Cantina, Karaoke Stage, Buzz Great Lawn Stage, three beer gardens, Senior Connection, Leather Realm, Coffee Terrace, Interfaith Pavilion, Art of Pride (LGBT local artists), Youth Space and the Children's Garden. Whew!
Here are a couple of choice bands from each day of the festival:
SATURDAY
The Ethel Merman Experience: Impersonator Mark Sargent channels the late Ethel Merman, merging the singer's trademark booming alto voice with rock standards. The band covers Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, AC/DC, Van Halen and The Doors. Not to be missed.
A Flock of Seagulls: This British quartet has two clear claims to fame: the '80s synth-pop single “I Ran” and lead singer Mike Score's hair (looking like the result of a terrible accident involving mass quantities of hair mousse and an industrial turbine).
SUNDAY
Tiffany / Debbie Gibson: If you're not well-versed in '80s uber-kitsch, Tiffany and Debbie Gibson could easily be mistaken for one another. For good reasons: They both emerged in 1987 (and both sported atrocious '80s style); both had failed attempts at “Star Search”; both sang simple '80s pop tunes; and now they're both singing at this year's Pride Festival.
Orquestra Bi-Nacional de Mambo: Bill Caballero's 20-piece band kicks the brassy, old-school Latin style of mambo (think Latino big band music). Stocked with musicians from both sides of the border, Orquestra Bi-Nacional de Mambo also dabbles in salsa and boleros with an occasional cha-cha-cha.
– CHRIS NIXON
Thievery perfects the art of the remix
Duo tries hand at a new version of the remix
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
July 20, 2006
'The ultimate collection of remixes features 18 dubbed-out versions of songs from The Doors, Sarah McLachlan, Astrud Gilberto, Nouvelle Vague, Wax Poetic featuring Norah Jones, Anoushka Shankar, Transglobal Underground and many more. Includes a new original Thievery Corporation track featuring Sister Nancy,” reads the cover of Thievery Corporation's new album “Versions.”
Rob Garza and Eric Hilton – the two producer-musicians who comprise Thievery Corporation – have gained a worldwide audience as purveyors of tranquil downtempo music, seamlessly fusing styles from around the world. With “Versions,” the Washington, D.C.-based duo turns its attention to the art of the remix.
Normally, producers will take the tracks from a single and slightly tweak the sounds to emphasize aspects within the song. Thievery Corporation chose to completely deconstruct their remixed songs, just keeping the original vocals and building a new song around the main vocal tracks.
“The remix album is different because it's not technically our music, although a lot of those remixes are 100 percent our music and just using the vocal of the original,” said Hilton recently via phone from his hometown of Washington, D.C. “It's an extreme version of a remix.”
“It's kind of like making a Thievery record with a bunch of guest artists on it,” continued Hilton. “We're contracted to do remixes for various artists. We just pick our favorites after a while and try to present them as a collection. Remixing is a big part of what we do. In the end, we're producers and artists, and remixing is on the production side. But it works very well as an album also.”
“Versions” sounds like a Thievery record, filled with dreamy dub reggae and spacey pop. But instead of Perry Ferrell or The Flaming Lips adding guest vocals (as both did on TC's 2005 release “The Cosmic Game”), you have Jim Morrison (on The Doors' “Strange Days”) and Astrud Gilberto (“Who Needs Forever”).
So how did Hilton and Garza choose the tracks to remix? “We chose the tracks one by one,” said Hilton. “In doing so, it makes the album a little heavy on the downtempo groove with female vocals. Nouvelle Vague, Astrud Gilberto, Bebel Gilberto, Norah Jones. There are so many great female vocalists that we've worked with.”
Thievery Corporation will be playing a two-night stand at 4th & B in downtown San Diego tomorrow and Saturday. The two dates are part of a mini West Coast tour, centered around a show at the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday sponsored by Santa Monica radio station KCRW.
“It's a huge show: We're playing with The Flaming Lips and Os Mutantes,” said Hilton. “It's almost sold out. That's 17,000 tickets. That'll be the biggest show we've ever played and something we couldn't turn down, even though we had no real desire to do touring this year. If we're going to be out there, we might as well play our best cities on the West Coast.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
July 20, 2006
'The ultimate collection of remixes features 18 dubbed-out versions of songs from The Doors, Sarah McLachlan, Astrud Gilberto, Nouvelle Vague, Wax Poetic featuring Norah Jones, Anoushka Shankar, Transglobal Underground and many more. Includes a new original Thievery Corporation track featuring Sister Nancy,” reads the cover of Thievery Corporation's new album “Versions.”
Rob Garza and Eric Hilton – the two producer-musicians who comprise Thievery Corporation – have gained a worldwide audience as purveyors of tranquil downtempo music, seamlessly fusing styles from around the world. With “Versions,” the Washington, D.C.-based duo turns its attention to the art of the remix.
Normally, producers will take the tracks from a single and slightly tweak the sounds to emphasize aspects within the song. Thievery Corporation chose to completely deconstruct their remixed songs, just keeping the original vocals and building a new song around the main vocal tracks.
“The remix album is different because it's not technically our music, although a lot of those remixes are 100 percent our music and just using the vocal of the original,” said Hilton recently via phone from his hometown of Washington, D.C. “It's an extreme version of a remix.”
“It's kind of like making a Thievery record with a bunch of guest artists on it,” continued Hilton. “We're contracted to do remixes for various artists. We just pick our favorites after a while and try to present them as a collection. Remixing is a big part of what we do. In the end, we're producers and artists, and remixing is on the production side. But it works very well as an album also.”
“Versions” sounds like a Thievery record, filled with dreamy dub reggae and spacey pop. But instead of Perry Ferrell or The Flaming Lips adding guest vocals (as both did on TC's 2005 release “The Cosmic Game”), you have Jim Morrison (on The Doors' “Strange Days”) and Astrud Gilberto (“Who Needs Forever”).
So how did Hilton and Garza choose the tracks to remix? “We chose the tracks one by one,” said Hilton. “In doing so, it makes the album a little heavy on the downtempo groove with female vocals. Nouvelle Vague, Astrud Gilberto, Bebel Gilberto, Norah Jones. There are so many great female vocalists that we've worked with.”
Thievery Corporation will be playing a two-night stand at 4th & B in downtown San Diego tomorrow and Saturday. The two dates are part of a mini West Coast tour, centered around a show at the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday sponsored by Santa Monica radio station KCRW.
“It's a huge show: We're playing with The Flaming Lips and Os Mutantes,” said Hilton. “It's almost sold out. That's 17,000 tickets. That'll be the biggest show we've ever played and something we couldn't turn down, even though we had no real desire to do touring this year. If we're going to be out there, we might as well play our best cities on the West Coast.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Night&Day: Camera Obscura
Scotland's Camera Obscura returns with its infectious pop for a second U.S. tour
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
July 13, 2006
Glasgow, Scotland, lies 5,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean from sunny San Diego. But both cities sprouted bands at approximately the same time with the same name.
Glasgow's Camera Obscura plays shiny Brit pop with sweet female vocals by Tracyanne Campbell and textured, well-crafted songs. San Diego's Camera Obscura – now defunct – sported Duane Pitre (ex-Ilya, Pilotram) on guitar and cut one album (2000's “To Change the Shape of an Envelope”) of angular post-hardcore rock complete with boy-girl vocals.
Back in the late '90s, when San Diego's version of Camera Obscura still survived, the battle for band names got a bit personal.
“They threatened to kill us once; they sent us an e-mail,” admits Carey Lander, keyboard player and vocalist for the Scottish band. “But we played in San Diego before and they never showed up and killed us, so I guess hopefully the worst is over.”
Lander – along with vocalist Campbell, guitarist Kenny McKeeve, bassist Gavin Dunbar, drummer Lee Thomson and trumpet player Nigel Baillie – probably have little to fear from the San Diego musicians, since the group disbanded in 2000.
Lander added: “The people in San Diego were wonderful when we played there before at The Casbah. That was the first date of our tour the last time, so we were slightly jet-lagged.”
Camera Obscura gained notice in the United Kingdom with 2001's “Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi,” winning European fans over with its brand of sweet simple pop. “Underachievers Please Try Harder,” the band's first release in North America, set the stage for a round of touring that led to a show in 2004 at The Casbah.
From the romantic opening notes from Lander's organ on the opening song, “Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken,” 2006's “Let's Get Out of This Country” provides a pleasant journey through 10 tracks of infectious pop hooks. A fascination with retro songwriting craftsmanship runs through the entire album, evoking a nostalgic, wistful yearning for a return to strummy '60s American music.
Lander explains the album's title: “The name comes from the title track. And I guess it sums up the idea behind all of the songs: being tired of where you are and your situation. It's not really about being in a specific place. It's more about a feeling of frustration and boredom that you can have anywhere.”
After touring the U.S. for the first time in support of “Underachievers,” Landers and Camera Obscura found more love than death threats from the American audience.
“We were lucky enough that our first tour of the U.S. was a headlining tour and it went really well, so we're hoping this time will be even better,” said Landers, who will again take the stage at The Casbah on Tuesday. “America is definitely one of our favorite places to play.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
July 13, 2006
Glasgow, Scotland, lies 5,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean from sunny San Diego. But both cities sprouted bands at approximately the same time with the same name.
Glasgow's Camera Obscura plays shiny Brit pop with sweet female vocals by Tracyanne Campbell and textured, well-crafted songs. San Diego's Camera Obscura – now defunct – sported Duane Pitre (ex-Ilya, Pilotram) on guitar and cut one album (2000's “To Change the Shape of an Envelope”) of angular post-hardcore rock complete with boy-girl vocals.
Back in the late '90s, when San Diego's version of Camera Obscura still survived, the battle for band names got a bit personal.
“They threatened to kill us once; they sent us an e-mail,” admits Carey Lander, keyboard player and vocalist for the Scottish band. “But we played in San Diego before and they never showed up and killed us, so I guess hopefully the worst is over.”
Lander – along with vocalist Campbell, guitarist Kenny McKeeve, bassist Gavin Dunbar, drummer Lee Thomson and trumpet player Nigel Baillie – probably have little to fear from the San Diego musicians, since the group disbanded in 2000.
Lander added: “The people in San Diego were wonderful when we played there before at The Casbah. That was the first date of our tour the last time, so we were slightly jet-lagged.”
Camera Obscura gained notice in the United Kingdom with 2001's “Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi,” winning European fans over with its brand of sweet simple pop. “Underachievers Please Try Harder,” the band's first release in North America, set the stage for a round of touring that led to a show in 2004 at The Casbah.
From the romantic opening notes from Lander's organ on the opening song, “Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken,” 2006's “Let's Get Out of This Country” provides a pleasant journey through 10 tracks of infectious pop hooks. A fascination with retro songwriting craftsmanship runs through the entire album, evoking a nostalgic, wistful yearning for a return to strummy '60s American music.
Lander explains the album's title: “The name comes from the title track. And I guess it sums up the idea behind all of the songs: being tired of where you are and your situation. It's not really about being in a specific place. It's more about a feeling of frustration and boredom that you can have anywhere.”
After touring the U.S. for the first time in support of “Underachievers,” Landers and Camera Obscura found more love than death threats from the American audience.
“We were lucky enough that our first tour of the U.S. was a headlining tour and it went really well, so we're hoping this time will be even better,” said Landers, who will again take the stage at The Casbah on Tuesday. “America is definitely one of our favorite places to play.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Warped Tour '06: Helmet heir
Hamilton's reconstituted band still shaping heavy metal
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
July 6, 2006
'Da-da-da-daaa,” sings Helmet leader Page Hamilton, humming the opening notes from Beethoven's Fifth with a little distortion for effect. “I always use the example that Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is the best heavy-metal riff ever. I sort of utilize the same approach: Less is more.”
With a background in both classical and jazz guitar (earning his master's in jazz guitar from Manhattan School of Music), Hamilton reshaped metal music in the early '90s with his quartet Helmet. Emerging during the formative years of the grunge movement (just a year after Nirvana's “Nevermind”), 1992's “Meantime” shot the band into the mainstream, sporting the gritty single “Unsung.”
Hamilton utilized a “drop D” tuning on his guitar, a setup mostly used by finger-picking blues players. The tuning gives Helmet its trademark low, guttural guitar riffs, and has influenced bands like Tool to use the same tuning. Both odd tunings and Hamilton's jazz background gave Helmet a unique sound in heavy-rock music.
“Helmet chords are not standard rock chords,” said Hamilton, speaking from Los Angeles. “People have used dropped tuning before I have, but I sort of took it to a new place, I guess. Helmet certainly doesn't sound like any other heavy band. My feel is definitely influenced by playing jazz or classical music. The band swings. It always has.”
After touring in support of 1997's “Aftertaste,” the band dissolved.
“I think it was a lot of exhaustion,” said Hamilton. “I didn't fire anybody in the band. Those guys left. For me, it was a little disheartening, because I put a lot into it, and they did as well. I never stopped loving doing it. I thought we'd maybe take a break for a year, but it just wasn't in the cards.”
Hamilton went on to work with David Bowie (replacing guitarist Reeves Gabrels), Bono and trumpeter Ben Neill during the hiatus, but re-formed Helmet in 2004 and released “Size Matters” the same year.
Helmet emerges in 2006 with a new disc, “Monochrome,” and a headlining spot on the Vans Warped Tour, which stops at Coors Amphitheatre in Chula Vista today. With Chris Traynor on guitar, drummer Mike Jost and bassist Jeremy Chatelain, the album recaptures Helmet's classic metal sound.
“We recorded, mixed and mastered ('Monochrome') in three weeks,” said the 46-year-old guitarist and vocalist. “I think it benefits from it: There's an explosiveness to this album. When you have a little too much time, you can redo things and get them to where you think they're going to be perfect. But there's a certain sound you get from recording quickly and recording to tape as opposed to digitally.”
The Warped Tour – with young demographic and all-ages mentality – is sure to showcase Helmet's hard-core sound to new audiences. Described as “punk summer camp” by many of the regular bands that hit the road with the tour every year, Hamilton's looking forward to the Warped experience.
“Everybody's describing it to me as fairly grueling and hot,” said Hamilton, who joined the festival for the first time this summer. “I guess it's kind of one-for-all and all-for-one vibe a little bit. It's run the way a festival should be. A lot of bands I know do it every year, so there's kind of a Warped Tour family.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Hear sound clips from Helmet's “Monochrome” by logging on to http://entertainment.signonsandiego.com/profile/274399
Four to watch at today's Warped Tour
July 6, 2006
The Academy Is: Fueled by singalong choruses and revved-up pop tunes, Chicago's The Academy Is remains one of the more mainstream bands in the Warped Tour's wide spectrum of styles and bands. With 2005's “Almost Here,” the band formerly known as The Academy churns out pleasing emo-pop taylor-made for radio play.
My American Heart: According to the band's Web site (myamericanheartrock.com), this San Diego five-piece has “no band member over the age of 18.” Since the group's inception in 2004, My American Heart has come a long way: 2005's debut album, “The Meaning in Makeup,” touring with Gatsby's American Dream, and, now, the band's second Warped Tour in two years. In a few years, they'll be able to celebrate with an adult beverage.
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts: At first, Joan Jett's inclusion in this year's Warped lineup caused a double take. “I Love Rock 'n' Roll” Joan Jett? “Crimson and Clover” Joan Jett? Despite her sudden and brief mainstream popularity in the early '80s, Jett maintained her punk cred first earned as one of the proto-hard-core ladies in The Runaways. Now she's making a big-time renaissance. In keeping with tradition, Warped organizer Kevin Lyman uses his festival to school young punks about the music's storied past.
NOFX: “War on Errorism.” “Heavy Petting Zoo.” “Punk in Drublic.” “Never Trust a Hippy.” “Wolves in Wolves' Clothing.” Sure their album titles are funny, but NOFX is far from a joke. With sly political lyrics and anthemic skate rock tunes, drummer Erik Sandin, guitarist Eric Melvin, bassist Fat Mike and guitarist El Hefe are punk rock camp veterans. You could say they've been Warped for life.
– CHRIS NIXON
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
July 6, 2006
'Da-da-da-daaa,” sings Helmet leader Page Hamilton, humming the opening notes from Beethoven's Fifth with a little distortion for effect. “I always use the example that Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is the best heavy-metal riff ever. I sort of utilize the same approach: Less is more.”
With a background in both classical and jazz guitar (earning his master's in jazz guitar from Manhattan School of Music), Hamilton reshaped metal music in the early '90s with his quartet Helmet. Emerging during the formative years of the grunge movement (just a year after Nirvana's “Nevermind”), 1992's “Meantime” shot the band into the mainstream, sporting the gritty single “Unsung.”
Hamilton utilized a “drop D” tuning on his guitar, a setup mostly used by finger-picking blues players. The tuning gives Helmet its trademark low, guttural guitar riffs, and has influenced bands like Tool to use the same tuning. Both odd tunings and Hamilton's jazz background gave Helmet a unique sound in heavy-rock music.
“Helmet chords are not standard rock chords,” said Hamilton, speaking from Los Angeles. “People have used dropped tuning before I have, but I sort of took it to a new place, I guess. Helmet certainly doesn't sound like any other heavy band. My feel is definitely influenced by playing jazz or classical music. The band swings. It always has.”
After touring in support of 1997's “Aftertaste,” the band dissolved.
“I think it was a lot of exhaustion,” said Hamilton. “I didn't fire anybody in the band. Those guys left. For me, it was a little disheartening, because I put a lot into it, and they did as well. I never stopped loving doing it. I thought we'd maybe take a break for a year, but it just wasn't in the cards.”
Hamilton went on to work with David Bowie (replacing guitarist Reeves Gabrels), Bono and trumpeter Ben Neill during the hiatus, but re-formed Helmet in 2004 and released “Size Matters” the same year.
Helmet emerges in 2006 with a new disc, “Monochrome,” and a headlining spot on the Vans Warped Tour, which stops at Coors Amphitheatre in Chula Vista today. With Chris Traynor on guitar, drummer Mike Jost and bassist Jeremy Chatelain, the album recaptures Helmet's classic metal sound.
“We recorded, mixed and mastered ('Monochrome') in three weeks,” said the 46-year-old guitarist and vocalist. “I think it benefits from it: There's an explosiveness to this album. When you have a little too much time, you can redo things and get them to where you think they're going to be perfect. But there's a certain sound you get from recording quickly and recording to tape as opposed to digitally.”
The Warped Tour – with young demographic and all-ages mentality – is sure to showcase Helmet's hard-core sound to new audiences. Described as “punk summer camp” by many of the regular bands that hit the road with the tour every year, Hamilton's looking forward to the Warped experience.
“Everybody's describing it to me as fairly grueling and hot,” said Hamilton, who joined the festival for the first time this summer. “I guess it's kind of one-for-all and all-for-one vibe a little bit. It's run the way a festival should be. A lot of bands I know do it every year, so there's kind of a Warped Tour family.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Hear sound clips from Helmet's “Monochrome” by logging on to http://entertainment.signonsandiego.com/profile/274399
Four to watch at today's Warped Tour
July 6, 2006
The Academy Is: Fueled by singalong choruses and revved-up pop tunes, Chicago's The Academy Is remains one of the more mainstream bands in the Warped Tour's wide spectrum of styles and bands. With 2005's “Almost Here,” the band formerly known as The Academy churns out pleasing emo-pop taylor-made for radio play.
My American Heart: According to the band's Web site (myamericanheartrock.com), this San Diego five-piece has “no band member over the age of 18.” Since the group's inception in 2004, My American Heart has come a long way: 2005's debut album, “The Meaning in Makeup,” touring with Gatsby's American Dream, and, now, the band's second Warped Tour in two years. In a few years, they'll be able to celebrate with an adult beverage.
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts: At first, Joan Jett's inclusion in this year's Warped lineup caused a double take. “I Love Rock 'n' Roll” Joan Jett? “Crimson and Clover” Joan Jett? Despite her sudden and brief mainstream popularity in the early '80s, Jett maintained her punk cred first earned as one of the proto-hard-core ladies in The Runaways. Now she's making a big-time renaissance. In keeping with tradition, Warped organizer Kevin Lyman uses his festival to school young punks about the music's storied past.
NOFX: “War on Errorism.” “Heavy Petting Zoo.” “Punk in Drublic.” “Never Trust a Hippy.” “Wolves in Wolves' Clothing.” Sure their album titles are funny, but NOFX is far from a joke. With sly political lyrics and anthemic skate rock tunes, drummer Erik Sandin, guitarist Eric Melvin, bassist Fat Mike and guitarist El Hefe are punk rock camp veterans. You could say they've been Warped for life.
– CHRIS NIXON
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Col. Claypool learns the three R's: recording, rockumentary and (w)riting
Les Claypool, a triple-threat player
By Chris Nixon
Foir The San Diego Union-Tribune
June 22, 2006
'I am the foreign body in the host,” says the fast-talking bass maestro Les Claypool, describing (in his own oddball way) the recent blur of activity in the mediums of music, film and long-form fiction. With his triple crown of art projects, Claypool and his outsider mentality are showing up at every turn.
Project No. 1: film.
Claypool is making the festival rounds as a first-time filmmaker with his mockumentary about the nouveau hippie band Electric Apricot. Featuring cameos by Mike Gordon (Phish) and Bob Weir (Grateful Dead/Ratdog), “Electric Apricot: The Quest for Festeroo” takes a hilarious look at the holier-than-thou nature of the jam band scene. Songs like “Burning Man” (Hey are you going to Burning Man? / I've got a recipe for cosmic flan) accent the overblown self-righteousness of jam bands much like Rob Reiner's “This Is Spinal Tap” lampooned heavy metal.
Project No. 2: book.
Meanwhile, he's also releasing his first novel, “South of the Pumphouse,” 180 pages of Claypool's classic unconventional musings. His publisher, Akashic Books, describes the book like this: “a dark, clever tale of two brothers, a fishing trip, misconceptions, drugs and murder, 'South of the Pumphouse' skillfully combines classic motifs of epic struggle and intelligent layers of imagery, reminiscent of 'The Old Man and the Sea,' and the raw, tweaked perspective and hallucinogenic tutorial of a Hunter S. Thompson novel.”
Project No. 3: solo album.
The former Primus bassist is currently touring in support of his first official solo disc, “Of Whales and Woe.” Claypool explains: “It's my first real official solo record. I've had solo records in the past, but it's always been with Holy Mackerel or Frog Brigade or Sausage. This is the Les Claypool record.”
The 42-year-old musician first gained attention with Primus in the late 1980s. His percussive style on the bass completely redefined the instrument, and shot Primus into the limelight. The trio headlined Lollapalooza in 1993 and played the Woodstock 1994 festival.
Claypool meandered through a bunch of side project groups like the aforementioned Sausage and Frog Brigade along with the powerhouse trio of Stewart Copeland (Police) and Trey Anastasio (Phish) in Oysterhead. He also penned the title song for the animated series “South Park.” Despite tons of albums and music projects, Claypool has been content to stay a bit more underground than his Primus years.
“Of Whales and Woe” features Claypool on almost all of the instruments, except for a little help from sax player Skerik, Mike Dillon and sitar player Gabby La La.
“I think it's much more in your face than anything I've done in a long time,” says Claypool from his home in Northern California, which he calls “Rancho Relaxo.” “I'm playing my four string and I'm smacking the hell out of it. It's right up there in the mix. I've found that the response has been: 'This is a little more aggressive than we've heard you in a while, Claypool.' ”
So Claypool is firing on all cylinders, seemingly mastering three mediums in one shot. Not so, says he: “Right now it appears that I'm this gushing source of creativity because all these things are coming out at once. The book started out as a screenplay 10 years ago and it just happens to be coming out now. The film we worked on last year. And the record I picked away at and finished it up end of last year. So, to me it doesn't seem out of the ordinary, but to most people it must seem like I'm vomiting my notions on the world.”
By Chris Nixon
Foir The San Diego Union-Tribune
June 22, 2006
'I am the foreign body in the host,” says the fast-talking bass maestro Les Claypool, describing (in his own oddball way) the recent blur of activity in the mediums of music, film and long-form fiction. With his triple crown of art projects, Claypool and his outsider mentality are showing up at every turn.
Project No. 1: film.
Claypool is making the festival rounds as a first-time filmmaker with his mockumentary about the nouveau hippie band Electric Apricot. Featuring cameos by Mike Gordon (Phish) and Bob Weir (Grateful Dead/Ratdog), “Electric Apricot: The Quest for Festeroo” takes a hilarious look at the holier-than-thou nature of the jam band scene. Songs like “Burning Man” (Hey are you going to Burning Man? / I've got a recipe for cosmic flan) accent the overblown self-righteousness of jam bands much like Rob Reiner's “This Is Spinal Tap” lampooned heavy metal.
Project No. 2: book.
Meanwhile, he's also releasing his first novel, “South of the Pumphouse,” 180 pages of Claypool's classic unconventional musings. His publisher, Akashic Books, describes the book like this: “a dark, clever tale of two brothers, a fishing trip, misconceptions, drugs and murder, 'South of the Pumphouse' skillfully combines classic motifs of epic struggle and intelligent layers of imagery, reminiscent of 'The Old Man and the Sea,' and the raw, tweaked perspective and hallucinogenic tutorial of a Hunter S. Thompson novel.”
Project No. 3: solo album.
The former Primus bassist is currently touring in support of his first official solo disc, “Of Whales and Woe.” Claypool explains: “It's my first real official solo record. I've had solo records in the past, but it's always been with Holy Mackerel or Frog Brigade or Sausage. This is the Les Claypool record.”
The 42-year-old musician first gained attention with Primus in the late 1980s. His percussive style on the bass completely redefined the instrument, and shot Primus into the limelight. The trio headlined Lollapalooza in 1993 and played the Woodstock 1994 festival.
Claypool meandered through a bunch of side project groups like the aforementioned Sausage and Frog Brigade along with the powerhouse trio of Stewart Copeland (Police) and Trey Anastasio (Phish) in Oysterhead. He also penned the title song for the animated series “South Park.” Despite tons of albums and music projects, Claypool has been content to stay a bit more underground than his Primus years.
“Of Whales and Woe” features Claypool on almost all of the instruments, except for a little help from sax player Skerik, Mike Dillon and sitar player Gabby La La.
“I think it's much more in your face than anything I've done in a long time,” says Claypool from his home in Northern California, which he calls “Rancho Relaxo.” “I'm playing my four string and I'm smacking the hell out of it. It's right up there in the mix. I've found that the response has been: 'This is a little more aggressive than we've heard you in a while, Claypool.' ”
So Claypool is firing on all cylinders, seemingly mastering three mediums in one shot. Not so, says he: “Right now it appears that I'm this gushing source of creativity because all these things are coming out at once. The book started out as a screenplay 10 years ago and it just happens to be coming out now. The film we worked on last year. And the record I picked away at and finished it up end of last year. So, to me it doesn't seem out of the ordinary, but to most people it must seem like I'm vomiting my notions on the world.”
Doug Martsch does the dishes for you
Solid Built to Spill is 'almost like a new band'
By Chris Nixon
For The San Diego Union-Tribune
June 22, 2006
As guitar heroes go, Doug Martsch doesn't fit the bill. Between tours and albums with his band Built to Spill, the 36-year-old singer and guitarist leads an unassuming life in his hometown of Boise, Idaho.
He raises his kids and does normal household chores. During our recent phone conversation, Martsch is participating in a most un-rock 'n' roll activity: He's doing the dishes.
Soon, the bearded Martsch will be on the road supporting BTS' latest barrage of layered guitars and alt-rock anthems, this year's “You in Reverse.” With his Neil Young falsetto and the J Mascis-inspired fuzzy solos, the guitarist earned an indie, rock-underground rep through constant touring and the band's six studio albums.
“We just sort of do what we do, what comes naturally to us,” says Martsch, who signed a major-label deal with Warner Brothers in 1995. “We never tried to get on a major label, never really pursued this. We never had a manager or sent our records in to people or anything like that. So, we never felt like we needed to do this. It's great, and we're glad it's worked out. But it's not like we were desperate to be on a major label.”
From its inception in 1992, Martsch remained the primary songwriter and main inspiration for Built to Spill's guitar-saturated tunes. Drummer Scott Plouf and bassist Brett Nelson have been core members since the band's early incarnations, along with a loose association of guitarists and keyboardists that have drifted in and out of BTS' lineup.
After 14 years of touring and recording, the dust has settled on Martsch and his band. Along with Plouf and Nelson, Built to Spill added longtime collaborators Jim Roth and Brett Netson.
“In my mind, it's more a band than ever before,” says Martsch, putting away the last of the dishes before settling down to talk about the new album. “It's almost like a new band in a way to me. I'm looking forward the kind of stuff we'll be able to come up with and what our band will be like.”
A solid lineup allowed Martsch to lean more heavily on his bandmates for the recording process of “You in Reverse.” The album evolved out of a year of jamming by the band. Martsch would literally pick riffs or phrasings out of extended jam sessions and mold them into songs.
“A lot of times people will come up with things that I would never dream of coming up with,” says Martsch. “It's more interesting to hear what other people come up with, as opposed to slaving over it myself.”
Beyond “You in Reverse,” Built to Spill plans to tour and record a new studio album in the near future: “We produced enough stuff for another record during that year of jamming. There are a couple of songs that we're either going to finish up or redo for our next record.”
After a span of five years between 2001's “Ancient Melodies of the Future” and “You in Reverse,” BTS' fans can expect a shorter wait for new material from Martsch and company.
“So, it's not going to be a lengthy time between albums this time around,” says Martsch. “In fact, we're going to be recording on this trip. When we're in L.A. playing a few shows, we also have time booked in a studio there. We have six new songs to start recording.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
By Chris Nixon
For The San Diego Union-Tribune
June 22, 2006
As guitar heroes go, Doug Martsch doesn't fit the bill. Between tours and albums with his band Built to Spill, the 36-year-old singer and guitarist leads an unassuming life in his hometown of Boise, Idaho.
He raises his kids and does normal household chores. During our recent phone conversation, Martsch is participating in a most un-rock 'n' roll activity: He's doing the dishes.
Soon, the bearded Martsch will be on the road supporting BTS' latest barrage of layered guitars and alt-rock anthems, this year's “You in Reverse.” With his Neil Young falsetto and the J Mascis-inspired fuzzy solos, the guitarist earned an indie, rock-underground rep through constant touring and the band's six studio albums.
“We just sort of do what we do, what comes naturally to us,” says Martsch, who signed a major-label deal with Warner Brothers in 1995. “We never tried to get on a major label, never really pursued this. We never had a manager or sent our records in to people or anything like that. So, we never felt like we needed to do this. It's great, and we're glad it's worked out. But it's not like we were desperate to be on a major label.”
From its inception in 1992, Martsch remained the primary songwriter and main inspiration for Built to Spill's guitar-saturated tunes. Drummer Scott Plouf and bassist Brett Nelson have been core members since the band's early incarnations, along with a loose association of guitarists and keyboardists that have drifted in and out of BTS' lineup.
After 14 years of touring and recording, the dust has settled on Martsch and his band. Along with Plouf and Nelson, Built to Spill added longtime collaborators Jim Roth and Brett Netson.
“In my mind, it's more a band than ever before,” says Martsch, putting away the last of the dishes before settling down to talk about the new album. “It's almost like a new band in a way to me. I'm looking forward the kind of stuff we'll be able to come up with and what our band will be like.”
A solid lineup allowed Martsch to lean more heavily on his bandmates for the recording process of “You in Reverse.” The album evolved out of a year of jamming by the band. Martsch would literally pick riffs or phrasings out of extended jam sessions and mold them into songs.
“A lot of times people will come up with things that I would never dream of coming up with,” says Martsch. “It's more interesting to hear what other people come up with, as opposed to slaving over it myself.”
Beyond “You in Reverse,” Built to Spill plans to tour and record a new studio album in the near future: “We produced enough stuff for another record during that year of jamming. There are a couple of songs that we're either going to finish up or redo for our next record.”
After a span of five years between 2001's “Ancient Melodies of the Future” and “You in Reverse,” BTS' fans can expect a shorter wait for new material from Martsch and company.
“So, it's not going to be a lengthy time between albums this time around,” says Martsch. “In fact, we're going to be recording on this trip. When we're in L.A. playing a few shows, we also have time booked in a studio there. We have six new songs to start recording.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Calexico in N&D
Calexico: A departure from routine
By Chris Nixon
For The San Diego Union-Tribune
June 8, 2006
With its dual mariachi trumpets, atmospheric vibraphones and strumming nylon-stringed guitar, Tucson-based sextet Calexico captured the clash of cultures along the border with its Southwestern-styled indie rock. Over its first six albums, the band perfected the art of depicting the border's beauty and sadness.
For their seventh album, “Garden Ruin,” singer-guitarist Joey Burns and drummer John Convertino – the duo at the center of Calexico's creative output – decided to evolve the group's sound. Instead of picking up a nylon string guitar to write “Garden Ruin,” Burns chose a more rock-oriented steel string setup. Instead of Convertino's trademark brushes, the percussionist started drumming with traditional wood sticks.
As a result, “Garden Ruin” is Calexico's most song-oriented disc to date, drawing on the pair's indie rock background more than the sound of strolling mariachis. The bones of the band's music remain: Burns' contemplative lyrics and Calexico's talented cast of musicians.
“After years of touring and heading in a natural progression musically, we wanted to challenge ourselves: in the studio, in regards to writing and trying to involve the band members – the touring party – more,” said Burns in a recent interview from his home in Tucson.
“This band has had a natural growth as far as the albums, the instrumentals and the songs with a lot of the Southwestern influence. So this record is quite a departure for us; it's a vehicle for experimentation for us. But instead of it being an experiment in noise and the element of chaos, it's more an experiment in pulling back and being more refined in structure, text and production.”
Ranging from intimate acoustic tunes (“Yours and Mine”) to seething, swirling rockers (“All Systems Red”), Calexico tackles new sonic territory without forgetting the Southwestern aspects driving the band in the past. Burns looks at the band's development as an experiment, something that Calexico has never been afraid to do.
“I think all of us are more experimental than the music at times sounds on our records,” said Burns, who performs Monday at the Belly Up Tavern, the band's first stop at the Solana Beach club. “Our live shows, especially in San Diego, seem to have this spark. Maybe it's because we start our tours in San Diego, and then we head up the West Coast.”
Calexico – guitarist-trumpeter Martin Wenk, stand-up bassist Volker Zander, trumpeter Jacob Valenzuela and pedal steel player Paul Niehaus along with Burns and Convertino – took a leap of faith with “Garden Ruin.” By stepping away from their bread and butter, the band has created its most cohesive album to date.
“I think it's really important to pull back every once in a while,” said Burns. “I think if we had continued on and released another 'Black Light' or 'Hot Rail' record, it would feel unnatural. It's so important to challenge yourself. It's not about how many records you sell or if your songs get on the radio, it's about challenging yourself.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
By Chris Nixon
For The San Diego Union-Tribune
June 8, 2006
With its dual mariachi trumpets, atmospheric vibraphones and strumming nylon-stringed guitar, Tucson-based sextet Calexico captured the clash of cultures along the border with its Southwestern-styled indie rock. Over its first six albums, the band perfected the art of depicting the border's beauty and sadness.
For their seventh album, “Garden Ruin,” singer-guitarist Joey Burns and drummer John Convertino – the duo at the center of Calexico's creative output – decided to evolve the group's sound. Instead of picking up a nylon string guitar to write “Garden Ruin,” Burns chose a more rock-oriented steel string setup. Instead of Convertino's trademark brushes, the percussionist started drumming with traditional wood sticks.
As a result, “Garden Ruin” is Calexico's most song-oriented disc to date, drawing on the pair's indie rock background more than the sound of strolling mariachis. The bones of the band's music remain: Burns' contemplative lyrics and Calexico's talented cast of musicians.
“After years of touring and heading in a natural progression musically, we wanted to challenge ourselves: in the studio, in regards to writing and trying to involve the band members – the touring party – more,” said Burns in a recent interview from his home in Tucson.
“This band has had a natural growth as far as the albums, the instrumentals and the songs with a lot of the Southwestern influence. So this record is quite a departure for us; it's a vehicle for experimentation for us. But instead of it being an experiment in noise and the element of chaos, it's more an experiment in pulling back and being more refined in structure, text and production.”
Ranging from intimate acoustic tunes (“Yours and Mine”) to seething, swirling rockers (“All Systems Red”), Calexico tackles new sonic territory without forgetting the Southwestern aspects driving the band in the past. Burns looks at the band's development as an experiment, something that Calexico has never been afraid to do.
“I think all of us are more experimental than the music at times sounds on our records,” said Burns, who performs Monday at the Belly Up Tavern, the band's first stop at the Solana Beach club. “Our live shows, especially in San Diego, seem to have this spark. Maybe it's because we start our tours in San Diego, and then we head up the West Coast.”
Calexico – guitarist-trumpeter Martin Wenk, stand-up bassist Volker Zander, trumpeter Jacob Valenzuela and pedal steel player Paul Niehaus along with Burns and Convertino – took a leap of faith with “Garden Ruin.” By stepping away from their bread and butter, the band has created its most cohesive album to date.
“I think it's really important to pull back every once in a while,” said Burns. “I think if we had continued on and released another 'Black Light' or 'Hot Rail' record, it would feel unnatural. It's so important to challenge yourself. It's not about how many records you sell or if your songs get on the radio, it's about challenging yourself.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Hard-Fi: 'We sing about what we know'
Hard-Fi's humble roots provide fodder for a career; catch them at X-Fest and see what the buzz is about
By Chris Nixon
For The San Diego Union-Tribune
June 8, 2006
Consider this: Right now, at this very moment, scruffy, skinny kids are creating the next new sound in pop music in their own space and on their own recording equipment.
For the British quartet Hard-Fi, the place was an abandoned taxicab office in their hometown of Staines, a sleepy London suburb near Heathrow airport.
“It's a lot like every other satellite town in the UK,” said Hard-Fi guitarist Ross Phillips about Staines. “There's just nothing there. There are no decent bars. There's no culture. There are no music venues. There are no rehearsal rooms. Until recently, there wasn't even a bookshop there. It's just kind of mundane.”
Hard-Fi rented an old cab shop and recorded the demos that would become the 2005 release “Stars of CCTV.” Brimming with splashes of punk, ska and indie rock, the band's debut immediately captured the attention of British radio and press. Phillips, vocalist Richard Archer, bassist Kai Stephens and drummer Steve Kemp were propelled into the spotlight, though the band's roots remained the wellspring of inspiration.
“We sing about what we know and what we see in our lives and our friend's lives,” said Phillips, taking a break from a European tour stop in Naples, Italy. “ 'Living for the Weekend' is about everyone working all week, getting paid on Friday, going out to the pub and getting drunk. That's what goes on in towns like ours. 'Tied Up Too Tight' is about getting away from that kind of boredom and frustration.”
Despite a 2005 Mercury Prize (the British Grammy Award) nomination and critical acclaim, the title “Stars of CCTV” would be a bit of a mystery to listeners on this side of the pond.
“It stands for 'close circuit television,' ” explained Phillips. “It's these security cameras. In the UK, they are absolutely everywhere. Whatever you're doing, you're being watched. You're having a drink at the pub, there's a camera looking at you. If you walk through London, you get caught on an average of 800 cameras a day. So we're asking the question 'Why are you watching us?' ”
A lot more people are watching Hard-Fi's every move these days. With the band's raw DIY style and willingness to combine punk and ska, many critics liken the group's sound to another classic English band.
“The Clash. We love the Clash,” said Phillips, who will take the stage at tomrrow's 91X-Fest at Corrs Amphitheatre. “They're a great band and we love them to bits. But there is much more stuff in our music. We listen to everything: hip-hop, dance and early house music, Rolling Stones, a lot of reggae, Lee Scratch Perry, dub music, ska music, anything really. As long as it's good, we listen to it and we draw influence from it.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
By Chris Nixon
For The San Diego Union-Tribune
June 8, 2006
Consider this: Right now, at this very moment, scruffy, skinny kids are creating the next new sound in pop music in their own space and on their own recording equipment.
For the British quartet Hard-Fi, the place was an abandoned taxicab office in their hometown of Staines, a sleepy London suburb near Heathrow airport.
“It's a lot like every other satellite town in the UK,” said Hard-Fi guitarist Ross Phillips about Staines. “There's just nothing there. There are no decent bars. There's no culture. There are no music venues. There are no rehearsal rooms. Until recently, there wasn't even a bookshop there. It's just kind of mundane.”
Hard-Fi rented an old cab shop and recorded the demos that would become the 2005 release “Stars of CCTV.” Brimming with splashes of punk, ska and indie rock, the band's debut immediately captured the attention of British radio and press. Phillips, vocalist Richard Archer, bassist Kai Stephens and drummer Steve Kemp were propelled into the spotlight, though the band's roots remained the wellspring of inspiration.
“We sing about what we know and what we see in our lives and our friend's lives,” said Phillips, taking a break from a European tour stop in Naples, Italy. “ 'Living for the Weekend' is about everyone working all week, getting paid on Friday, going out to the pub and getting drunk. That's what goes on in towns like ours. 'Tied Up Too Tight' is about getting away from that kind of boredom and frustration.”
Despite a 2005 Mercury Prize (the British Grammy Award) nomination and critical acclaim, the title “Stars of CCTV” would be a bit of a mystery to listeners on this side of the pond.
“It stands for 'close circuit television,' ” explained Phillips. “It's these security cameras. In the UK, they are absolutely everywhere. Whatever you're doing, you're being watched. You're having a drink at the pub, there's a camera looking at you. If you walk through London, you get caught on an average of 800 cameras a day. So we're asking the question 'Why are you watching us?' ”
A lot more people are watching Hard-Fi's every move these days. With the band's raw DIY style and willingness to combine punk and ska, many critics liken the group's sound to another classic English band.
“The Clash. We love the Clash,” said Phillips, who will take the stage at tomrrow's 91X-Fest at Corrs Amphitheatre. “They're a great band and we love them to bits. But there is much more stuff in our music. We listen to everything: hip-hop, dance and early house music, Rolling Stones, a lot of reggae, Lee Scratch Perry, dub music, ska music, anything really. As long as it's good, we listen to it and we draw influence from it.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Rockin' Reward: Ozomatli
Ozomatli's high-energy show at Coors is a fitting finish for a high-energy marathon
By Chris Nixon
For The San Diego Union-Tribune
June 1, 2006
'Surprisingly, we've done a lot of marathons,” says Asdru Sierra, lead singer and trumpet player for Ozomatli, from his home in Los Angeles. “We live through the runners. All of us would like to be that athletic.”
A 10-piece Latino hip-hop, rock, funk outfit based in L.A., Sierra's band plays 200-plus energetic shows a year. So burning calories isn't a problem for Ozo.
“Some of us are just born with that kind of energy; I don't think I'm one of them,” says Sierra, who expects to finish a new Ozomatli studio album later this month. “You can ask anyone in the band: After a week on the road, I start getting homesick and I want to see my kids.”
Brimming with social activism, underground hip-hop rhymes and seductive salsas, Ozomatli burst out of the City of Angels in the late 1990s. Merging turntablism, rhymes and a steamy trainload of buzzing percussion, the 10-piece collective's ive shows have been the band's centerpiece since its inception. Entering the shows with a samba percussion line, the live performances are fiery and joyful.
Ozomatli is just one of the bands playing Sunday for the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, which covers 26.2 miles from the start line in Balboa Park to the finish line at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot.
Forty bands will perform along the route, while Ozomatli's show at Coors Amphitheatre will commemorate the participants in the race. Tickets are $25 for those choosing not to endure the long footrace and are free to those who ran. The marathon will close a bunch of roads around central San Diego, so check the race's Web site for up-to-date info (www.rnrmarathon.com).
As Sierra and his bandmates have grown in popularity, they've cashed in on lucrative sponsorships (Apple and Miller Brewing to name a few). But social awareness remains a key component to the band's core values. For Sierra, it's a question of balance.
“The hardest thing to do is to have balance for me as a family man,” says Sierra, who also will appear with Ozomatli at the San Diego County Fair (Del Mar) later this month along with two nights at 'Canes in September. “I have a wife and two kids. Kids are expensive if you love them. And I don't mean going out there and buying them toys, but you have to try to get them the best education. It's all based on love, love of life. The best way to deliver a message is through love, coming from a place that is universal and people will understand.”
FIVE THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK OUT
With 40 bands performing at 27 locations along the marathon route, the event provides a bunch of different options to set up camp, listen to some tunes and cheer on the athletes. Here are five bands worth checking out:
THE KNEEHIGHS
Who: Talls (MC), Dalton (MC), DaDa (MC), DJ GarGar
Where: G Street and 11th Avenue, 6:45-8:30 a.m.
Why: Local hip-hop crew kicks old-school beats with the party rhymes
TUBBY
Who: Neil MacPherson (keys), Skylar Duran (sax), Bill Ray (drums), Nathan Lewis (guitar), Dane Scott (vocals, guitar), Matt Hanafin (bass)
Where: Vacation Road and Ingraham Street, 7:50 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Why: Ska, funk and rock vibes for the O.B. crowd
34 BELOW
Who: Steve Ybarra (vocals), Chris James (guitar, vocals), Mike Trout (drums), Brian Maples (bass)
Where: Marine Corps Recruit Depot, 8:10 a.m.-2:45 p.m.
Why: Ybarra's strong vocals and the band's straight-ahead pop-rock sensibility
PITCHLaROOCHE
Who: Jonathan Pitcher (vocals, guitar), Levi Pitcher (bass), Erdis Maxhelaku (bass), Jordan Cronin (drums)
Where: YMCA on Friars Road, 7:25-11:15 a.m.
Why: North County band whose songs and Jonathan Pitcher's voice sound mature beyond the band's years
SAFETY ORANGE
Who: Sol (vocals, bass), Eric (guitar), Greg (drums)
Where: Perez Cove at Mission Bay, 7:55 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
Why: Crunchy guitars and tasty punk-tinged rock tunes
– CHRIS NIXON
By Chris Nixon
For The San Diego Union-Tribune
June 1, 2006
'Surprisingly, we've done a lot of marathons,” says Asdru Sierra, lead singer and trumpet player for Ozomatli, from his home in Los Angeles. “We live through the runners. All of us would like to be that athletic.”
A 10-piece Latino hip-hop, rock, funk outfit based in L.A., Sierra's band plays 200-plus energetic shows a year. So burning calories isn't a problem for Ozo.
“Some of us are just born with that kind of energy; I don't think I'm one of them,” says Sierra, who expects to finish a new Ozomatli studio album later this month. “You can ask anyone in the band: After a week on the road, I start getting homesick and I want to see my kids.”
Brimming with social activism, underground hip-hop rhymes and seductive salsas, Ozomatli burst out of the City of Angels in the late 1990s. Merging turntablism, rhymes and a steamy trainload of buzzing percussion, the 10-piece collective's ive shows have been the band's centerpiece since its inception. Entering the shows with a samba percussion line, the live performances are fiery and joyful.
Ozomatli is just one of the bands playing Sunday for the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, which covers 26.2 miles from the start line in Balboa Park to the finish line at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot.
Forty bands will perform along the route, while Ozomatli's show at Coors Amphitheatre will commemorate the participants in the race. Tickets are $25 for those choosing not to endure the long footrace and are free to those who ran. The marathon will close a bunch of roads around central San Diego, so check the race's Web site for up-to-date info (www.rnrmarathon.com).
As Sierra and his bandmates have grown in popularity, they've cashed in on lucrative sponsorships (Apple and Miller Brewing to name a few). But social awareness remains a key component to the band's core values. For Sierra, it's a question of balance.
“The hardest thing to do is to have balance for me as a family man,” says Sierra, who also will appear with Ozomatli at the San Diego County Fair (Del Mar) later this month along with two nights at 'Canes in September. “I have a wife and two kids. Kids are expensive if you love them. And I don't mean going out there and buying them toys, but you have to try to get them the best education. It's all based on love, love of life. The best way to deliver a message is through love, coming from a place that is universal and people will understand.”
FIVE THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK OUT
With 40 bands performing at 27 locations along the marathon route, the event provides a bunch of different options to set up camp, listen to some tunes and cheer on the athletes. Here are five bands worth checking out:
THE KNEEHIGHS
Who: Talls (MC), Dalton (MC), DaDa (MC), DJ GarGar
Where: G Street and 11th Avenue, 6:45-8:30 a.m.
Why: Local hip-hop crew kicks old-school beats with the party rhymes
TUBBY
Who: Neil MacPherson (keys), Skylar Duran (sax), Bill Ray (drums), Nathan Lewis (guitar), Dane Scott (vocals, guitar), Matt Hanafin (bass)
Where: Vacation Road and Ingraham Street, 7:50 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Why: Ska, funk and rock vibes for the O.B. crowd
34 BELOW
Who: Steve Ybarra (vocals), Chris James (guitar, vocals), Mike Trout (drums), Brian Maples (bass)
Where: Marine Corps Recruit Depot, 8:10 a.m.-2:45 p.m.
Why: Ybarra's strong vocals and the band's straight-ahead pop-rock sensibility
PITCHLaROOCHE
Who: Jonathan Pitcher (vocals, guitar), Levi Pitcher (bass), Erdis Maxhelaku (bass), Jordan Cronin (drums)
Where: YMCA on Friars Road, 7:25-11:15 a.m.
Why: North County band whose songs and Jonathan Pitcher's voice sound mature beyond the band's years
SAFETY ORANGE
Who: Sol (vocals, bass), Eric (guitar), Greg (drums)
Where: Perez Cove at Mission Bay, 7:55 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
Why: Crunchy guitars and tasty punk-tinged rock tunes
– CHRIS NIXON
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