Metric system: Add chops to sharp lyrics
By Chris Nixon
For The San Diego Union-Tribune
November 3, 2005
'It would certainly help if more girls bothered to be good at their instruments," says Emily Haines, the shapely singer of the Canadian quartet Metric, regarding the stereotypes attractive females face in the music industry. "And there's lots of guys who don't bother either. But it amazes me that it's still pretty revolutionary to have the desire to participate in the musical world and actually want to be judged on the same basis as your peers."
Wielding a Moog synthesizer in one hand and her sharp wit in the other, Haines manages to shred the stereotypes perpetuated by the Madonnas of the world – both in her lyrics and in her quotes from a recent interview during a tour stop in North Carolina.
"The phenomenon of Madonna, my whole life being told that she is someone to admire, is so discouraging," says Haines, whose model good looks take a back seat to her skills as a musician and songwriter. "For me, there is no meat to her music. And then you have someone like Kim Gordon. She's there to play the bass and that's what she does. She's a very attractive, very sexual, very happening woman. The trick is to do what you're standing there to do, and then you won't be a model who sings."
Far from just a singing model, Haines manages to cover a wide spectrum of topics in her lyrics: art, culture and inner battles. As the lead singer and keyboardist of Metric, the 30-year-old artist creates beautifully sad songs sped up and wrapped in layers of chiming pianos and Moog synthesizers.
With her partner, guitarist James Shaw, drummer Joules Scott-Key and bassist Josh Winsted, Haines and Metric released 2003's "Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?" Produced by Michael Andrews (who teamed with Gary Jules for "Mad World" on the Donnie Darko soundtrack) and recorded in Los Angeles, "Old World Underground" twists and turns its way through 10 tight packages of infectious nu-wave-influenced indie rock. And Haines' lyrics are sharp and smart: "Old world underground I never knew you / But I've seen your face everywhere / There was a farm before we tore / The small town down / Multiply divide."
After gaining moderate attention for their excellent debut disk, Haines and Shaw relocated to Toronto to record the follow-up album. Instead of employing a producer and buying time at an established studio, the pair decided to rent a space in an older building by the tracks in Toronto and create their own studio space.
"We got this space above a bank," recalls Haines. "Streetcars go around the building constantly, so we were afraid the sound would leak. There were a lot of ways it could've gone wrong. We really wanted this to be a good record. We wanted to step it up, you know?"
The result, this year's "Live It Out," packs a punch, fueled more by Shaw's guitar than Haines' keyboard.
"That's what you get when the guitar player produces the record," laughs Haines. "But I like it; I felt it was a more natural recording. I really enjoyed working with Mike Andrews, but a lot of the extra nu-wavey stuff was a result of his vision for the band and how he makes music. But we were going for something a little different."
The sound may have shifted, but the lyrics remain rife with razor wit and intelligent introspection: "Promiscuous makes an entrance / Her mouth is full of questions / Are we all brides to be / Are we all designed to be confined / Buy ourselves chastity belts and lock them / Organize our lives and lose the key / Our faces all resemble dying roses / From trying to fix it."
"My songwriting has also adapted more to the group," says Haines, who will play the Casbah Saturday. "I was really writing with these guys in mind this time. The point of being a musician is to always be getting better. I think we feel like we've all grown as players and we just wanted to enjoy what we were playing."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Friday, November 04, 2005
My Morning Jacket: Broemel fits nicely
MMJ carries torch for Southern rock
By Chris Nixon
For The San Diego Union-Tribune
November 3, 2005
The young upstart who signs a major label deal (in the band Old Pike), the hired gun playing sessions in Los Angeles (after the major label dumps the band) and even an aspiring actor, they're all part of My Morning Jacket.
Guitarist Carl Broemel, who has played varied and various roles during his musical career, is playing a different role now: He's creating music in MMJ, one of today's most promising young bands.
"A part of me died when my first band got signed and broke up," said Broemel from Boston as My Morning Jacket prepared to play a show at the Beantown venue Avalon. "I had a band called Old Pike in Indiana; we made a record in '98. I thought we were going to go out and conquer the world, the five of us, and make the music we wanted to make. After Old Pike broke up, I approached music as more of a job.
"After a while, it was really wearing thin and I wasn't even sure if I wanted to play. I almost gave it up and got a day job until I got the call (to audition for My Morning Jacket). It's almost fulfilling the original promise of Old Pike with this band: the five of us going out and doing as much good work as we can."
My Morning Jacket – a five-piece band from Louisville, Ky. – gained initial exposure with 1999's "The Tennessee Fire" and 2001's "At Dawn," both on independent label Darla. The group's brand of strummy, harmonic Southern rock caught the eye of Dave Matthews' ATO label, which promptly signed the quintet.
Critical acclaim came after 2003's "It Still Moves," a moody collection of 12 tunes drawing on such classic influences as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young. Fueled by the songwriting and semi-falsetto vocals of Jim James, MMJ asserted itself in the forefront of a Southern rock revival started by bands like Drive-By Truckers.
As incessant touring in support of "It Still Moves" wore on, original members Danny Cash (keyboards) and Johnny Quaid (guitar) decided to quit the band. After their departure in January 2004, the band questioned whether to continue. Frontman James – along with original members Patrick Hallahan (drums) and Two-Tone Tommy (bass) – held auditions in hopes of finding the right fit. The first two musicians to walk in the room were Broemel and keyboardist Bo Koster.
"They had never really played with musicians who weren't friends of theirs from Louisville," said Broemel. "I think it was an awkward situation for them and an awkward situation for us. (But), for whatever reason, it felt right."
Newly rejuvenated with Koster and Broemel on board, My Morning Jacket sought to record a new studio album. Quaid's grandparents farm on the outskirts of Louisville had served as the birthplace of MMJ's previous three studio albums. Now, the band searched for a new beginning.
With the help of producer John Lackie (Pink Floyd, Radiohead), the band ventured north to the hills of upstate New York (Allaire Studios) to lay down tracks for its next record.
This year's "Z" finds My Morning Jacket stretching out from its Southern rock roots while never allowing the past to completely disappear from the rearview mirror.
"I don't think there's any method or formula to what we did," said Broemel. "Jim wrote a bunch of killer songs and we went in and tried to make them real."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
By Chris Nixon
For The San Diego Union-Tribune
November 3, 2005
The young upstart who signs a major label deal (in the band Old Pike), the hired gun playing sessions in Los Angeles (after the major label dumps the band) and even an aspiring actor, they're all part of My Morning Jacket.
Guitarist Carl Broemel, who has played varied and various roles during his musical career, is playing a different role now: He's creating music in MMJ, one of today's most promising young bands.
"A part of me died when my first band got signed and broke up," said Broemel from Boston as My Morning Jacket prepared to play a show at the Beantown venue Avalon. "I had a band called Old Pike in Indiana; we made a record in '98. I thought we were going to go out and conquer the world, the five of us, and make the music we wanted to make. After Old Pike broke up, I approached music as more of a job.
"After a while, it was really wearing thin and I wasn't even sure if I wanted to play. I almost gave it up and got a day job until I got the call (to audition for My Morning Jacket). It's almost fulfilling the original promise of Old Pike with this band: the five of us going out and doing as much good work as we can."
My Morning Jacket – a five-piece band from Louisville, Ky. – gained initial exposure with 1999's "The Tennessee Fire" and 2001's "At Dawn," both on independent label Darla. The group's brand of strummy, harmonic Southern rock caught the eye of Dave Matthews' ATO label, which promptly signed the quintet.
Critical acclaim came after 2003's "It Still Moves," a moody collection of 12 tunes drawing on such classic influences as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Neil Young. Fueled by the songwriting and semi-falsetto vocals of Jim James, MMJ asserted itself in the forefront of a Southern rock revival started by bands like Drive-By Truckers.
As incessant touring in support of "It Still Moves" wore on, original members Danny Cash (keyboards) and Johnny Quaid (guitar) decided to quit the band. After their departure in January 2004, the band questioned whether to continue. Frontman James – along with original members Patrick Hallahan (drums) and Two-Tone Tommy (bass) – held auditions in hopes of finding the right fit. The first two musicians to walk in the room were Broemel and keyboardist Bo Koster.
"They had never really played with musicians who weren't friends of theirs from Louisville," said Broemel. "I think it was an awkward situation for them and an awkward situation for us. (But), for whatever reason, it felt right."
Newly rejuvenated with Koster and Broemel on board, My Morning Jacket sought to record a new studio album. Quaid's grandparents farm on the outskirts of Louisville had served as the birthplace of MMJ's previous three studio albums. Now, the band searched for a new beginning.
With the help of producer John Lackie (Pink Floyd, Radiohead), the band ventured north to the hills of upstate New York (Allaire Studios) to lay down tracks for its next record.
This year's "Z" finds My Morning Jacket stretching out from its Southern rock roots while never allowing the past to completely disappear from the rearview mirror.
"I don't think there's any method or formula to what we did," said Broemel. "Jim wrote a bunch of killer songs and we went in and tried to make them real."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Friday, October 28, 2005
RFTC: 'Ours was the party to be at'
Rocket From the Crypt bows out on its own terms, 'celebrating life and having fun'By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
October 27, 2005
John Reis, lead singer of Rocket From the Crypt and founder of Swami Records, sits in his Golden Hill home and speaks via telephone of the spirituality of a live show, musing on the connection between band and audience in a rock 'n' roll holy communion.
"Loud, amplified rock 'n' roll music has the ability to penetrate to your core," said Reis, who also goes by the moniker Speedo or simply the Swami. "It's almost like a communion. Many people go to large sporting events. Many people go to church. Some people watch NASCARs drive around in a circle. These are things that make you feel part of a bigger whole. For us, it's the band and the people who like this music."
After 16 years riding the major-label/indie-label roller coaster and leaving blood and sweat on stages all over the world, Reis and his longtime bandmates in RFTC have one more chance to break bread and drink a little wine with its fans. Calling Halloween their "favorite day of the year," the San Diego-based sextet will call it quits after its annual Oct. 31 show this coming Monday at the Westin Hotel downtown.
Rocket From the Crypt's long journey began back in 1989. Rising from the ashes of San Diego punk band Pitchfork, Reis teamed with bassist Petey X and guitarist ND to form RFTC. The band had one mission: to create an unparalleled live show and blow away audiences with its raucous blend of 1960s dirty rock and 1980s punk: "I wanted to go out and play shows. I wanted to cruise around in a van and I wanted to see the world."
With the addition of trumpet player JC2000, saxophonist Apollo Nine and drummer Atom Willard (later replaced by Ruby Mars), Rocket created a dense rock 'n' roll cacophony. Complete with layers of horns and thrashing drums, Reis' throaty vocals spurred the juggernaut to new heights of rock ecstasy. The volatile live shows – gaining new Rocket converts at each stop – assaulted unsuspecting audiences and caught the attention of Interscope Records.
"We wanted to make music," Reis reminisced. "Rocket From the Crypt has always been about celebrating life and having fun. We've always championed the resourcefulness that we have. I don't think any of us were born with tremendous skills. But as a group, we come together and make the best of the meager talents we have."
After releasing "Paint as a Fragrance" on indie label Headhunter in 1991 and "Circa: Now!" on Cargo in 1992, Interscope came calling during the major-label rush on San Diego during the post-Seattle grunge explosion. The label re-released "Circa: Now!" and gave Rocket the opportunity to tour.
"It was a turning point," remembered Reis. "It made everyone in the band think about it seriously. We weren't going to have other jobs. We weren't going to have much of a life outside of the band.
"This was our opportunity to completely immerse ourselves in this thing. We went from practicing five days a week to practicing seven days a week. And we went from practicing five hours to practicing 10 hours a day. We were very serious about being the best in the world in terms of wherever we were playing that night, that was the place to be. No matter what else was happening on the planet, ours was the party to be at."
After a few albums with Interscope, the band found modest success in America and the United Kingdom. But Reis said commercial success was never the goal: "If a Top 10 hit was the goal, I think we would've had studio musicians, studio singers, a stand-in model band and changed our name."
In 2001, RFTC switched to Vagrant Records, subsequently recording 2001's "Group Sounds" and 2002's "Live From Camp X-Ray." Despite the acceptance of both albums by critics and fans, the six musicians in Rocket From the Crypt found different forms of expression.
Reis concentrated on his label, Swami Records, also recording and touring with Hot Snakes and the Sultans. Other members spread throughout the San Diego music scene and beyond.
Over the past few years, Rocket shows have been few and far between, with the last recorded output coming on "Camp X-Ray." Reis is surprised at the public outcry upon hearing RFTC will be unplugging the amps for good.
"I don't know why people have such a hard time believing it's for real," said Reis. "Maybe because people know we don't hate each other and we're still really good friends. Maybe on a bad night we're still pretty good. This might not necessarily be everybody in the band's opinion, but since we're not working on anything new and we're resigned to playing the same songs we've been playing for the last 15 years, there really can't be much of a future in that. Rocket From the Crypt is not going to be playing at the Dream Catcher lounge. That's not our destiny."
Without dedicating their lives to Rocket, Reis feels it's better to hang it up: "We're at this point where I don't think we could ever get back to where we were without completely turning our lives over again. And no one is willing to do that. Been there, done that. Loved it. Had a great time. Saw the world. If we did have a mission, I'd say that we definitely accomplished it."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT LINEUP
John "Speedo" Reis – lead vocals, guitar
N.D. – guitar
Petey X – bass, vocals
Apollo Nine – sax, percussion, vocals
JC2000 – trumpet, percussion, vocals
Ruby Mars – drums
RFTC DISCOGRAPHY
"Live From Camp X-Ray" (2002, Vagrant)
"Group Sounds" (2001, Vagrant)
"RFTC" (1998, Interscope)
"Scream Dracula, Scream!" (1995, Interscope)
"Hot Charity" (1995, Interscope)
"The State of Art Is on Fire" (1995, Interscope)
"Circa: Now!" (1992, Interscope)
"Paint as a Fragrance" (1991, Headhunter)
GOING A FEW ROUNDS WITH SPEEDO
Rocket leader John "Speedo" Reis took a few minutes to face the speed round of questions during his recent interview. Under the hot glare of the spotlight, he kept his cool:
Favorite Rocket tune to play live: "I like the talking between the songs. The banter."
Best San Diego venue to play: "The Casbah is the best place."
Favorite guitar to strap on: "I have a (Gibson) Les Paul that weighs 75 pounds. It's injected with brass to give it more sustain. And then I have a (Gibson) SG that weighs like four pounds and is made of mostly balsa wood. I would go for the brass-injected Les Paul, but I think I need a tripod for it."
Which is more satisfying, running a label or being in a band: "Hard to say because they are so different, but there is nothing more satisfying than making music."
Where Speedo chills: "I'm kind of a 'pier' guy: sometimes the Shelter Island pier, sometimes the O.B. pier; if I can afford the gas, the I.B. pier, Crystal Pier sometimes."
Speedo's favorite mode of transportation: "Kayak. Sit-on-top kayak. The Swami-mobile is great (Reis' big van with his record-label logo painted on the side), but it cost me $87 to fill it up the last time. There's no way I can spend that much money just to drive to the Pannikin."
San Diego band most likely to carry on in the RFTC tradition: "I would hate to pin our fate on anyone else. But I really see The Locust as a band that's playing a lot of shows. They have the entertainment factor in the sense that they have a stage persona. They seem to be conscious of more than just the music, the imagery of the band. They're intense and they're a really hard-working band. Sonically, we're a bit different, but they have the same work ethic."
Why stay in San Diego: "It's the best place in the world to live. I've seen a lot of other cities and spent more than just a day in them, and there's so much to offer here. That said, I can understand why people come here and might not like it. If you're into leisurely living, if you like the beach, if you like the sun, if you like cruising around in a loincloth in your dune buggy, then it's a great city to be in."
– CHRIS NIXON
Friday, October 14, 2005
Combo pack: Calexico, Iron & Wine
Calexico collaborated with Iron & Wine and a 'lot of things came together' quickly
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
October 13, 2005
With a touch of desert noir and spaghetti Western beauty, the Tuscon-based band Calexico dwells in the wide-open spaces of the Southwest. Formed in 1996 by ex-Giant Sand members Joey Burns and John Convertino, Calexico lives in the musical territory of the border town: not quite Mexico, not quite the United States. Mingling the passion of dual mariachi trumpets, dreamy vibraphones and the twang of the pedal steel, the band takes an ambient, improvisational approach to traditional Mexican-American music.
Along with a bevy of Calexico albums, Burns and Convertino have explored the art of collaboration by producing and backing a handful of worthy artists: Neko Case (on 2002's "Blacklisted"), Panóptica of the Nortec Collective ("Tijuana Sessions, Vol. 3") and Los Super Seven (Tex-Mex supergroup, well worth checking out).
But its latest collaboration with indie folk artist Iron & Wine – aka Sam Beam – may be Calexico's most interesting pairing. During a four-day recording session in December 2004, Calexico and Iron & Wine laid down tracks for seven Beam-penned songs. Eventually released as the EP "He Lays in the Reins" in September, the disc combines Beam's quiet introspective folk and Calexico's Southwestern atmospherics.
"I think over the years Joey's become more of a songwriter," says Calexico drummer Convertino via cell phone from Brooklyn, where the duo is mixing a new Calexico album due in the spring. "But initially, our songs were based in the instrumental vein. We come from a more instrumental, ambient foundation. Sam definitely comes from a singer-songwriter foundation. I think that was a great combination."
The chemistry between the musicians is evident on first listen, from the title track (which also features Mexican singer Salvador Duran) to the hushed folk meets marimba musings of "Dead Man's Will." The whole affair felt natural for Convertino, despite having never met Beam before recording in Tucson.
"From hearing the demos, I was thinking 'This is going to be a very quiet situation. We're going to have to be playing really softly,'" Convertino recalls. "(Beam) actually wanted to go the other way more: still be inside the song and sensitive to what the song is doing, but not hold back. It wasn't like we had to think about it that much. The way he played and sang, it was a pretty natural process for Joey and me to do the basic tracks of the record. A lot of things came together in two or three takes."
The speedy process of recording, mixing and touring in support of "He Lays in the Reins" all within one year gives the music an immediacy not normally found in collaborative albums.
"There's something great about when you record a record (in four days), then you mix it and you release it," says Convertino. "There's a certain kind of momentum that goes along with it. Howard Greynolds – the owner of Overcoat Records – put the whole thing together. He's been in the business long enough to see when the music is recorded and mixed and released and toured (in a short period of time), it's all one breath."
Convertino says shows on the present tour – which stops at the House of Blues Monday – will consist of a set by Iron & Wine (Sam Beam and his band), a set by Calexico and then a final set with both Beam and Calexico onstage together. For Convertino, the sense of exploration and momentum that fueled the recording process is sure to spill over to the collaborators' tour: "We've only played one or two songs live, so we're really looking forward to getting onstage and seeing what happens."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
October 13, 2005
With a touch of desert noir and spaghetti Western beauty, the Tuscon-based band Calexico dwells in the wide-open spaces of the Southwest. Formed in 1996 by ex-Giant Sand members Joey Burns and John Convertino, Calexico lives in the musical territory of the border town: not quite Mexico, not quite the United States. Mingling the passion of dual mariachi trumpets, dreamy vibraphones and the twang of the pedal steel, the band takes an ambient, improvisational approach to traditional Mexican-American music.
Along with a bevy of Calexico albums, Burns and Convertino have explored the art of collaboration by producing and backing a handful of worthy artists: Neko Case (on 2002's "Blacklisted"), Panóptica of the Nortec Collective ("Tijuana Sessions, Vol. 3") and Los Super Seven (Tex-Mex supergroup, well worth checking out).
But its latest collaboration with indie folk artist Iron & Wine – aka Sam Beam – may be Calexico's most interesting pairing. During a four-day recording session in December 2004, Calexico and Iron & Wine laid down tracks for seven Beam-penned songs. Eventually released as the EP "He Lays in the Reins" in September, the disc combines Beam's quiet introspective folk and Calexico's Southwestern atmospherics.
"I think over the years Joey's become more of a songwriter," says Calexico drummer Convertino via cell phone from Brooklyn, where the duo is mixing a new Calexico album due in the spring. "But initially, our songs were based in the instrumental vein. We come from a more instrumental, ambient foundation. Sam definitely comes from a singer-songwriter foundation. I think that was a great combination."
The chemistry between the musicians is evident on first listen, from the title track (which also features Mexican singer Salvador Duran) to the hushed folk meets marimba musings of "Dead Man's Will." The whole affair felt natural for Convertino, despite having never met Beam before recording in Tucson.
"From hearing the demos, I was thinking 'This is going to be a very quiet situation. We're going to have to be playing really softly,'" Convertino recalls. "(Beam) actually wanted to go the other way more: still be inside the song and sensitive to what the song is doing, but not hold back. It wasn't like we had to think about it that much. The way he played and sang, it was a pretty natural process for Joey and me to do the basic tracks of the record. A lot of things came together in two or three takes."
The speedy process of recording, mixing and touring in support of "He Lays in the Reins" all within one year gives the music an immediacy not normally found in collaborative albums.
"There's something great about when you record a record (in four days), then you mix it and you release it," says Convertino. "There's a certain kind of momentum that goes along with it. Howard Greynolds – the owner of Overcoat Records – put the whole thing together. He's been in the business long enough to see when the music is recorded and mixed and released and toured (in a short period of time), it's all one breath."
Convertino says shows on the present tour – which stops at the House of Blues Monday – will consist of a set by Iron & Wine (Sam Beam and his band), a set by Calexico and then a final set with both Beam and Calexico onstage together. For Convertino, the sense of exploration and momentum that fueled the recording process is sure to spill over to the collaborators' tour: "We've only played one or two songs live, so we're really looking forward to getting onstage and seeing what happens."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
BRMC: A time to 'Howl'
'Good music' is still the root of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's new sound
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
October 6, 2005
Fire and brimstone. Shout and holler. Hand claps and foot stomps. These are the trademark sounds of American roots and gospel music.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – known for its fuzzy shoe-gazer guitar rock and 1960s psychedelia on its first two albums – draws on these inspirations for its latest album, "Howl," released in August.
As guitarist Peter Hayes speaks via cell phone from Los Angeles, he says he's having his faith tested by the trials of everyday life: "Right now, I'm standing outside a liquor store and waiting for a tow truck to tow my car. So be it."
From the opening harmonies of "Howl's" first track, "Shuffle Your Feet," in which Hayes and vocalist Peter Levon Been sing Time won't save our souls, it's easy to hear BMRC is traveling down a different road from its 2001's eponymous album and 2003's "Take Them On, On Your Own." It's a dusty dirt road traveled by troubadours from Leadbelly to Johnny Cash.
"It just comes down to trying to write a good song," said Hayes about the decision to focus on acoustic instruments on "Howl." "The spirit of rock 'n' roll lives beyond an electric guitar. I think Johnny Cash proved that and I think a bunch of other people proved it. It doesn't have a whole lot to do with how you play. It has to do with how you live."
Hayes has lived through his ups-and-down when it comes to his band.
After finishing the tour schedule in support of "Take Them On, On Your Own," the guitarist decided to go on hiatus from BRMC. In fact, the group's future seemed to be in jeopardy.
Part of Hayes' frustration came from constant comparisons to the 1990s alt-rock band Jesus and Mary Chain and misunderstandings about Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's image.
"I guess I was the first guy to say, 'I need to stop and take a break because I'm not enjoying it like I want to,'" said Hayes. "It didn't feel like people were really listening to what was being said by us in a way. There was a lot of talk about grumpy, moody musicians that didn't like to talk. "Either you like the music or you don't. I decided I would just go away for a while and keep the music to myself. But that's not the reason we started this band. We feel like we have a point: We want to get good music heard by people who are interested in hearing good music. That's the overriding thing; that's more important than any of our attitudes or politics.
"We'd always be asked what bands we were into, and we'd say 'Edith Piaf, Johnny Cash, Syd Barrett, the Beatles,'" continued Hayes. "And then they'd come out and say, 'This band sounds like Jesus and Mary Chain.' So why did I bother telling you what I liked then? So now, we get to talk about Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash instead of Jesus and Mary Chain."
The result is the joyous, transcendent sound of "Howl," 11 tracks timing out at just over 52 minutes, ranging from the foot-stomping rollicking good time of "Shuffle Your Feet" to the darker acoustic waters of the final track, "The Line."
Hayes said he feels that moving in a more acoustic direction is not a colossal stretch for the trio.
"This is the type of music we've been making since the beginning," Hayes said. "We'd start playing in the living room of a house and the neighbors would get (mad) if were still playing. So we'd have to turn (the amps) off and play acoustic guitars. We've had a lot of songs written on acoustic guitars. We were really subtle with the acoustic guitars on the other albums, but it's always been there."
The album has a flying-by-the-seat-of-their-pants enthusiasm and is BRMC's best album to date. That enthusiasm has translated to the handful of shows since "Howl's" release.
"We were playing a club in London called Scala," said Hayes, who brings BMRC to Brick by Brick in Bay Park tomorrow night. "And I just remember looking up and seeing smiles in the crowd all the way to the back of the room. That's the way it's supposed to be."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
ARTISTS, ALBUMS AND SONGS THAT HELPED SHAPE "HOWL"
Johnny Cash "Blood, Sweat & Tears" (1963): "When we record, we really don't listen to any records," said Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's Peter Hayes. "But on this one, when we were mixing, we were listening to 'Blood, Sweat & Tears' by Johnny Cash. We were trying to get the acoustic guitar sound from that album. We really wanted to steer away from the majority of acoustic music, even the new country acoustic guitar sound. That stuff sounds real jingly and shiny and high-tech. We wanted a warm real wood sound."
Little Walter, Sam Cooke and Sister Rosetta Tharpe: It's clear Hayes and the rest of BRMC listened to a lot of traditional gospel and roots music, leading up to the recording of "Howl," including the holy trinity of Little Walter, Sam Cooke and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. "Gospel music was in mind when we made the album, but it wasn't expected," said Hayes. "We really didn't want to go down that road, because so many people have done it and done it well. We thought about it, but it wasn't something we were going to go for. The point gets across, but we're just white guys living in Los Angeles. We're not trying to do anything but make good music."
Leadbelly, "Pick a Bale of Cotton": Huddie William Ledbetter, aka Leadbelly, lived from 1885 to 1949 and twice sang his way out of jail sentences. Folklorists Neil and Alan Lomax ran across Leadbelly in the Louisiana State Penitentiary while traveling the South and recording traditional songs for the Library of Congress. The blues singer provided a link from Pete Seeger, the Weavers and the rest of the mid-century folk revivalists back to the original breeding ground of traditional blues and folk music in the South. Hayes says: "As far as using vocals in rhythmic patterns, Leadbelly is amazing."
– CHRIS NIXON
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
October 6, 2005
Fire and brimstone. Shout and holler. Hand claps and foot stomps. These are the trademark sounds of American roots and gospel music.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – known for its fuzzy shoe-gazer guitar rock and 1960s psychedelia on its first two albums – draws on these inspirations for its latest album, "Howl," released in August.
As guitarist Peter Hayes speaks via cell phone from Los Angeles, he says he's having his faith tested by the trials of everyday life: "Right now, I'm standing outside a liquor store and waiting for a tow truck to tow my car. So be it."
From the opening harmonies of "Howl's" first track, "Shuffle Your Feet," in which Hayes and vocalist Peter Levon Been sing Time won't save our souls, it's easy to hear BMRC is traveling down a different road from its 2001's eponymous album and 2003's "Take Them On, On Your Own." It's a dusty dirt road traveled by troubadours from Leadbelly to Johnny Cash.
"It just comes down to trying to write a good song," said Hayes about the decision to focus on acoustic instruments on "Howl." "The spirit of rock 'n' roll lives beyond an electric guitar. I think Johnny Cash proved that and I think a bunch of other people proved it. It doesn't have a whole lot to do with how you play. It has to do with how you live."
Hayes has lived through his ups-and-down when it comes to his band.
After finishing the tour schedule in support of "Take Them On, On Your Own," the guitarist decided to go on hiatus from BRMC. In fact, the group's future seemed to be in jeopardy.
Part of Hayes' frustration came from constant comparisons to the 1990s alt-rock band Jesus and Mary Chain and misunderstandings about Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's image.
"I guess I was the first guy to say, 'I need to stop and take a break because I'm not enjoying it like I want to,'" said Hayes. "It didn't feel like people were really listening to what was being said by us in a way. There was a lot of talk about grumpy, moody musicians that didn't like to talk. "Either you like the music or you don't. I decided I would just go away for a while and keep the music to myself. But that's not the reason we started this band. We feel like we have a point: We want to get good music heard by people who are interested in hearing good music. That's the overriding thing; that's more important than any of our attitudes or politics.
"We'd always be asked what bands we were into, and we'd say 'Edith Piaf, Johnny Cash, Syd Barrett, the Beatles,'" continued Hayes. "And then they'd come out and say, 'This band sounds like Jesus and Mary Chain.' So why did I bother telling you what I liked then? So now, we get to talk about Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash instead of Jesus and Mary Chain."
The result is the joyous, transcendent sound of "Howl," 11 tracks timing out at just over 52 minutes, ranging from the foot-stomping rollicking good time of "Shuffle Your Feet" to the darker acoustic waters of the final track, "The Line."
Hayes said he feels that moving in a more acoustic direction is not a colossal stretch for the trio.
"This is the type of music we've been making since the beginning," Hayes said. "We'd start playing in the living room of a house and the neighbors would get (mad) if were still playing. So we'd have to turn (the amps) off and play acoustic guitars. We've had a lot of songs written on acoustic guitars. We were really subtle with the acoustic guitars on the other albums, but it's always been there."
The album has a flying-by-the-seat-of-their-pants enthusiasm and is BRMC's best album to date. That enthusiasm has translated to the handful of shows since "Howl's" release.
"We were playing a club in London called Scala," said Hayes, who brings BMRC to Brick by Brick in Bay Park tomorrow night. "And I just remember looking up and seeing smiles in the crowd all the way to the back of the room. That's the way it's supposed to be."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
ARTISTS, ALBUMS AND SONGS THAT HELPED SHAPE "HOWL"
Johnny Cash "Blood, Sweat & Tears" (1963): "When we record, we really don't listen to any records," said Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's Peter Hayes. "But on this one, when we were mixing, we were listening to 'Blood, Sweat & Tears' by Johnny Cash. We were trying to get the acoustic guitar sound from that album. We really wanted to steer away from the majority of acoustic music, even the new country acoustic guitar sound. That stuff sounds real jingly and shiny and high-tech. We wanted a warm real wood sound."
Little Walter, Sam Cooke and Sister Rosetta Tharpe: It's clear Hayes and the rest of BRMC listened to a lot of traditional gospel and roots music, leading up to the recording of "Howl," including the holy trinity of Little Walter, Sam Cooke and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. "Gospel music was in mind when we made the album, but it wasn't expected," said Hayes. "We really didn't want to go down that road, because so many people have done it and done it well. We thought about it, but it wasn't something we were going to go for. The point gets across, but we're just white guys living in Los Angeles. We're not trying to do anything but make good music."
Leadbelly, "Pick a Bale of Cotton": Huddie William Ledbetter, aka Leadbelly, lived from 1885 to 1949 and twice sang his way out of jail sentences. Folklorists Neil and Alan Lomax ran across Leadbelly in the Louisiana State Penitentiary while traveling the South and recording traditional songs for the Library of Congress. The blues singer provided a link from Pete Seeger, the Weavers and the rest of the mid-century folk revivalists back to the original breeding ground of traditional blues and folk music in the South. Hayes says: "As far as using vocals in rhythmic patterns, Leadbelly is amazing."
– CHRIS NIXON
Power duo
The Kills: 'With two people, everything is just much more intense'
By Chris Nixon
Special to the San Diego Union-Tribune
September 22, 2005
From the opening drum machine pitter-patter of "No Wow," the title track from the Kills' second album, it's clear this duo takes the indie rock boy-girl formula to gloriously extremes.
Boy-girl duos like Sweden's the Raveonettes heap on overdubbed harmonies and echo-laden guitars. Others, like the White Stripes' Jack and Meg White, pull off octopus-armed gymnastics during their lives shows to fill in the gaps left by a two-person band in the quartet-dominated ranks of rock.
The Kills – vocalist VV (Alison Mosshart) and guitarist Hotel (Jamie Hince) – celebrate the sparseness created by two musicians and a drum machine. VV's powerful voice and Hotel's penchant for bluesy distorted guitar riffs fit together naturally, while the lack of a bass player and live drummer only accentuates the Kills' skills.
When you live life as a duo, the spotlight shines a bit brighter. But "there are a lot less people to blame," admited Hotel during a recent phone conversation from Great Britain.
"There are just two of us, the whole thing becomes a lot more intense," said the Londoner , now resting between tours in support of "No Wow." "When it's a celebration, it's great because it's all focused on one of us. But when bad things happen or things aren't working out, it's a lot harder."
In a previous life as simply Jamie Hince, Hotel sang and played guitar in a UK outfit called Scarfo. The band released a self-titled album in 1996 on the indie label Broken ReKids (a worthwhile listen if you can find a copy), so Hotel has been around the business a while and knows a bit about group dynamics.
"I've been in bands with three or four different people," said Hotel. "Everybody has their own personality and they tend to dilute the situation. With two people, everything is just much more intense: the good thing and bad things. There are less people to delegate work to. We have total control over all our artwork, we produce our records, but it's a lot harder work."
Now living as an expat in London, VV met Hotel on a trip to London while she was still living in Florida. They made music together by sending tapes across the Atlantic, until the dark-haired Mosshart decided to pack everything she owned into a few suitcases and move to London.
Mosshart and Hince officially joined forces in the Kills in 2000, changing their stage name to VV and Hotel. Soon after, the band recorded the self-released "Black Rooster EP" followed by nonstop touring.
In 2003, the Kills released "Keep on Your Mean Side" on Rough Trade records. Recorded in two weeks after a tour of the United States, the record's 12 tracks feature the now-trademark stripped-down sound associated with the Kills. Equal parts fuzzy blues and garage rock, the album garnered the two musicians a major-label deal on RCA records.
The process of going from an indie label to RCA has been relatively easy for the fiercely independent Hotel, a fact he still finds surprising.
"It's funny, because I think a lot of people – me included – have certain ideas about the stereotypes of independent and major labels," said Hotel. "One thing I've found in working with the two is that it's often the independents that are the most corporate. It's been my experience that certain independent labels want more creative control than a major label. With RCA, it's more of a tape-delivery service. We just give them what we've recorded and they distribute it."
With the pressures of moving to a major label, the band wanted to keep the songwriting and recording process as immediate and visceral as possible.
"With the 'No Wow' record, we wanted to make a record in really different circumstances from how we've made records before and from how most bands make records," said Hotel. "We felt on top of the world after we made 'Keep on Your Mean Side.' Rather than go into the process with a lot of fear about expectations, stepping it up a gear and getting on the radio, we wanted to find what was at the heart of the Kills.
"We wanted to find out what our instinctive sound was," added the guitarist. "To do that, we didn't want to overthink things or make it too academic. We just wanted to see what we would come up with from pure gut instinct, so we wrote the record really quickly.
"Now, we need to sit down and figure another way of writing. I want each record to have its own picture and not just be a set of songs. I want the set of circumstances be just as important as the result."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
>FIVE THAT MATTER TO THE KILLS' HOTEL
During a recent conversation, Hotel (Jamie Hince), the Kills' guitarist Hotel, braved a bad cross-Atlantic telephone connection to give five albums that shaped his musical tastes and his artistic direction in life:
Velvet Underground & Nico, "Velvet Underground & Nico" (1967, Verve): "The first Velvet Underground record has always been a benchmark for me. I'm kind of romantic about that scene: New York in the late '60s. That's kind of what I aspire to: a band that incorporates literature – like Allan Ginsberg – and Andy Warhol with art and the politics of the time and the filmmakers were all part and parcel of the Velvet Underground. The periphery of the scene was just as important as the band itself. When you listen to what other bands are doing in 1967, I think that the Velvet Underground is quite incredible."
P.J. Harvey, "Rid of Me" (1993, Island): "She really changed things for me. The record was so in-your-face and brutal. It turned me onto blues really. I thought blues was boring until P.J. Harvey made 'Rid of Me.' It got me into Captain Beefheart, it got me listening to Howlin' Wolf and tracing it back to Charlie Patton."
LCD Soundsystem, "LCD Soundsystem" (2005, Capitol): "This is pretty much my favorite record form the last year and my favorite band of the moment. It's really powerful music. I think James Murphy is an incredible frontman and the words are really cool. It just sounds like it should have always been around. I can't imagine that record not being here now. It was a classic record the week it came out."
Royal Trux, "Accelerator" (1998, Drag City): "I've always associated with Neil Haggerty and Jennifer (Herrema), that kind of male-female duo at the core of this band. There was a kind of romanticism about it and at the same time a self-destructive quality about it. From start to finish, this is an amazing record. It's super-catchy and pushing boundaries as far as ideas. I love that record."
Wire, "Pink Flag" (1993, Restless Records): "I would definitely grab that record if my house caught on fire. (Wire) was always involved in the punk scene, but it was always doing something different. It was a little too arty for the punks, and a little bit too punky for the art kids. The band made amazing records not trying to sound like anyone else, not trying to fit in. All of the bands I've mentioned suffered for just making the kind of record they wanted to make without caring about commercial success. That's definitely the case with Wire."
– CHRIS NIXON
By Chris Nixon
Special to the San Diego Union-Tribune
September 22, 2005
From the opening drum machine pitter-patter of "No Wow," the title track from the Kills' second album, it's clear this duo takes the indie rock boy-girl formula to gloriously extremes.
Boy-girl duos like Sweden's the Raveonettes heap on overdubbed harmonies and echo-laden guitars. Others, like the White Stripes' Jack and Meg White, pull off octopus-armed gymnastics during their lives shows to fill in the gaps left by a two-person band in the quartet-dominated ranks of rock.
The Kills – vocalist VV (Alison Mosshart) and guitarist Hotel (Jamie Hince) – celebrate the sparseness created by two musicians and a drum machine. VV's powerful voice and Hotel's penchant for bluesy distorted guitar riffs fit together naturally, while the lack of a bass player and live drummer only accentuates the Kills' skills.
When you live life as a duo, the spotlight shines a bit brighter. But "there are a lot less people to blame," admited Hotel during a recent phone conversation from Great Britain.
"There are just two of us, the whole thing becomes a lot more intense," said the Londoner , now resting between tours in support of "No Wow." "When it's a celebration, it's great because it's all focused on one of us. But when bad things happen or things aren't working out, it's a lot harder."
In a previous life as simply Jamie Hince, Hotel sang and played guitar in a UK outfit called Scarfo. The band released a self-titled album in 1996 on the indie label Broken ReKids (a worthwhile listen if you can find a copy), so Hotel has been around the business a while and knows a bit about group dynamics.
"I've been in bands with three or four different people," said Hotel. "Everybody has their own personality and they tend to dilute the situation. With two people, everything is just much more intense: the good thing and bad things. There are less people to delegate work to. We have total control over all our artwork, we produce our records, but it's a lot harder work."
Now living as an expat in London, VV met Hotel on a trip to London while she was still living in Florida. They made music together by sending tapes across the Atlantic, until the dark-haired Mosshart decided to pack everything she owned into a few suitcases and move to London.
Mosshart and Hince officially joined forces in the Kills in 2000, changing their stage name to VV and Hotel. Soon after, the band recorded the self-released "Black Rooster EP" followed by nonstop touring.
In 2003, the Kills released "Keep on Your Mean Side" on Rough Trade records. Recorded in two weeks after a tour of the United States, the record's 12 tracks feature the now-trademark stripped-down sound associated with the Kills. Equal parts fuzzy blues and garage rock, the album garnered the two musicians a major-label deal on RCA records.
The process of going from an indie label to RCA has been relatively easy for the fiercely independent Hotel, a fact he still finds surprising.
"It's funny, because I think a lot of people – me included – have certain ideas about the stereotypes of independent and major labels," said Hotel. "One thing I've found in working with the two is that it's often the independents that are the most corporate. It's been my experience that certain independent labels want more creative control than a major label. With RCA, it's more of a tape-delivery service. We just give them what we've recorded and they distribute it."
With the pressures of moving to a major label, the band wanted to keep the songwriting and recording process as immediate and visceral as possible.
"With the 'No Wow' record, we wanted to make a record in really different circumstances from how we've made records before and from how most bands make records," said Hotel. "We felt on top of the world after we made 'Keep on Your Mean Side.' Rather than go into the process with a lot of fear about expectations, stepping it up a gear and getting on the radio, we wanted to find what was at the heart of the Kills.
"We wanted to find out what our instinctive sound was," added the guitarist. "To do that, we didn't want to overthink things or make it too academic. We just wanted to see what we would come up with from pure gut instinct, so we wrote the record really quickly.
"Now, we need to sit down and figure another way of writing. I want each record to have its own picture and not just be a set of songs. I want the set of circumstances be just as important as the result."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
>FIVE THAT MATTER TO THE KILLS' HOTEL
During a recent conversation, Hotel (Jamie Hince), the Kills' guitarist Hotel, braved a bad cross-Atlantic telephone connection to give five albums that shaped his musical tastes and his artistic direction in life:
Velvet Underground & Nico, "Velvet Underground & Nico" (1967, Verve): "The first Velvet Underground record has always been a benchmark for me. I'm kind of romantic about that scene: New York in the late '60s. That's kind of what I aspire to: a band that incorporates literature – like Allan Ginsberg – and Andy Warhol with art and the politics of the time and the filmmakers were all part and parcel of the Velvet Underground. The periphery of the scene was just as important as the band itself. When you listen to what other bands are doing in 1967, I think that the Velvet Underground is quite incredible."
P.J. Harvey, "Rid of Me" (1993, Island): "She really changed things for me. The record was so in-your-face and brutal. It turned me onto blues really. I thought blues was boring until P.J. Harvey made 'Rid of Me.' It got me into Captain Beefheart, it got me listening to Howlin' Wolf and tracing it back to Charlie Patton."
LCD Soundsystem, "LCD Soundsystem" (2005, Capitol): "This is pretty much my favorite record form the last year and my favorite band of the moment. It's really powerful music. I think James Murphy is an incredible frontman and the words are really cool. It just sounds like it should have always been around. I can't imagine that record not being here now. It was a classic record the week it came out."
Royal Trux, "Accelerator" (1998, Drag City): "I've always associated with Neil Haggerty and Jennifer (Herrema), that kind of male-female duo at the core of this band. There was a kind of romanticism about it and at the same time a self-destructive quality about it. From start to finish, this is an amazing record. It's super-catchy and pushing boundaries as far as ideas. I love that record."
Wire, "Pink Flag" (1993, Restless Records): "I would definitely grab that record if my house caught on fire. (Wire) was always involved in the punk scene, but it was always doing something different. It was a little too arty for the punks, and a little bit too punky for the art kids. The band made amazing records not trying to sound like anyone else, not trying to fit in. All of the bands I've mentioned suffered for just making the kind of record they wanted to make without caring about commercial success. That's definitely the case with Wire."
– CHRIS NIXON
Roots music from a different root
Nortec Collective adds a new dimension to annual Adams Avenue Street FairBy Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
September 22, 2005
'The writer Andre Breton basically said Mexico is the most surreal country in the world. If that's the case, then Tijuana is the entry point to most surreal country in the world," says Jorge Verdin, aka Clorofila, a member of the Tijuana-based electronic music cooperative known as the Nortec Collective.
Verdin and the rest of the Nortec Collective find inspiration in Tijuana's surreal back alleys and the bright lights of Avenida Revolución, their music representing the past and future of northern Mexican all in the same breath.
Saturday night, the Nortec Collective brings its distinct sound from Avenida Revolución to Adams Avenue, as the group headlines the Park Jazz & Latin Stage of the 2005 Adams Avenue Street Fair.
Based around the work of five electronic musicians – Bostich (Ramon Amezcua), Fussible (Pepe Mogt), Hiporboreal (Pedro Beas), Panoptica (Roberto Mendoza) and Clorofila (Verdin) – the collective melds the booming tuba of traditional northern Mexican musical styles with the cutting-edge beats of electronic dance music into its own surreal style of music.
Brought to northern Mexico by German immigrants, norteño and tambora resemble a Latino-influenced polka music. Substituting the tuba for traditional stand-up double bass, along with brassy arrangements and marching drum snare, tambora represents a slamming together of cultures: Germanic and Mexican. Add to the mix Tijuana's border culture, and you find Nortec's distinctly urban sound.
"If you grew up in Tijuana, you grew up listening to (norteño and tambora) whether you wanted to or not," says Verdin during a lunch break from his day job, where he works as an art director in an advertising department in the Los Angeles area. "That's what's on the radio, that's what the cab drivers listen to, that's what the neighbor listens to really loudly. You don't really give it much thought, because that's what the masses listen to. Later on, I started realizing the worth of it."
With the release of 2001's "The Tijuana Sessions, Vol. 1," Clorofila, along with the rest of the Nortec Collective, burst onto the international dance scene. The music's highly percussive nature resembles Latin-tinged drum 'n'bass, with ambient keyboards and horns added on top of churning beats.
After the album's release on the trendy World Music label Palm Pictures, the five musicians found themselves as unwilling poster children for the Tijuana art scene and unwitting representatives of border culture.
"We've been given this role of 'cultural ambassadors of the Tijuana arts scene,' but we're really not that involved in the arts scene," said Verdin, commenting on the sudden exposure granted the collective in 2001. "And we're not ambassadors, because if you're an ambassador you're putting a good face on the city.
"You're selling Tijuana as this great, wonderful place. We really don't do that. We show a lot of the gnarly side of Tijuana. There're a lot of cultural issues that you can't synthesize down into a soundbite. It's a really complex situation, and often it's a disagreeable, nasty situation."
After a legal tangle with Palm Pictures, the scrapping of "Tijuana Sessions, Vol. 2" and a five-year hiatus from releasing discs as a collective, Nortec returned this year with "Tijuana Sessions, Vol. 3." The album sounds as fresh as the original 2001 release, with the added bonus of more live musicians this time around.
"Everyone wanted to use live musicians more this time to round out the sound a little bit," said Verdin. "Using samples was a cool place to start, but after a while you get sick of manipulating samples and being restricted by what's already been recorded. It was just more natural to have a musician play something instead of twisting samples to sound the way you want."
With the addition of Nortec Collective to the historically acoustic and rootsy Adams Avenue Street Fair, some traditionalists might cringe at the inclusion of electronic music. But Verdin disagrees: "The source of where we get our sound is mainly a traditional regional music of Mexico. So to me, it's not that far of a stretch."
The free festival stretches across two days, with 70 bands on six stages drawing thousands of Americana, roots rock and traditional music fans to Normal Heights.
Just for the day, Normal Heights might prove more surreal than Tijuana itself.
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Monday, August 01, 2005
Graham Parker in Night&Day
Parker is still battling against the 'agenda'
By Chris Nixon
For The San Diego Union-Tribune
July 28, 2005
'You've got to own every channel, if you want to own every mind," rails Graham Parker in his trademark gravelly voice on "Vanity Press," the opening track on his 2005 album "Songs of No Consequence."
The latest barrage in a career full of sharp literate lyrics, "Vanity Press" takes a sardonic look at an overbearing media.
Parker's been cutting to the chase with his songs for 30 years. On his 1976 debut album ("Howlin' Wind"), he sang: War mongers laughing loud behind a painted face / Throwing tidbits to the crowd then blowing up the place. On 1988's "Don't Let It Break You Down," he sang, Some people are in charge of pens that shouldn't be in charge of brooms / They have the nerve to rip up a man's life in a paragraph or two.
"I think there was so much pent emotion and rage when I was young," said the 54-year-old songwriter from his home in upstate New York. "There are very intense songs like 'Don't Ask Me Questions'; people have described it as political in a way. It's railing against establishment and 'war mongers' and all that stuff. But I'm doing it in a way that isn't literal.
"'Vanity Press' is much more literal because it mentions current events and the current media (environment), but it still doesn't put it in a bland folk singer kind of way," continued Parker in his gritty British accent. "Right now, basically (the novel) '1984' is here. It's all fake news. Basically, Jon Stewart is more accurate than what you see on most of these networks. There's very little real reporting that gets through now. People are too scared. There is too much agenda going on."
After recording 16 full-length albums, songwriting has always been Parker's strength. As a lad growing up in London, he listened to underground ska and American soul music. After a brief interlude into '60s psychedelia, Parker rekindled his love for Motown and ska legends like Desmond Dekker. And that's when he found his voice as a songwriter,
"I think I wrote my first song when I was 13; it was a sort of Beatles rip-off," remembers Parker. "But I couldn't play guitar. I'm a very slow learner in everything, and I'm still learning. It's probably the reason my career has such longevity, because I'm still figuring it out."
By immersing himself in the soulful pop hooks of the Supremes and the Four Tops while staying true to the edgy British music of the '70s, Parker found widespread fame with his band Graham Parker and the Rumour. With his 1976 release "Howlin' Wind," British critics discovered Parker's ability to turn a phrase and stick a chorus in your head for weeks. But the band's fourth studio album -– 1978's "Squeezing Out Sparks" -- is a portrait of a songwriter and a band hitting their stride. The group went their separate ways after 1980's "The Up Escalator," but the experience of working with the Rumour helped Parker's abilities as an arranger.
"The songs that became my first album, they were skeletal. The Rumour werevery experienced musicians, so they basically taught me through osmosis what arrangement was and how to make a song full of detail," said Parker. "So that comes naturally to me now."
This year, Parker teamed with Saratoga Springs, N.Y.-based trio the Figgs for "Songs of No Consequence," 12 tracks that highlight the songwriter's words in tight rock packages like "Vanity Press," "Bad Chardonnay" and "Chloroform." He's currently touring the West Coast with Figgs guitarist Mike Gent as the Graham Parker Duo, playing acoustic sets.
"Everything I do is a rock 'n' roll record," says Parker, who performs with Gent Tuesday at the Casbah. "Even if it's very acoustic oriented, it still rock 'n' roll, 'cause rock 'n' roll is an attitude not a tempo."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
By Chris Nixon
For The San Diego Union-Tribune
July 28, 2005
'You've got to own every channel, if you want to own every mind," rails Graham Parker in his trademark gravelly voice on "Vanity Press," the opening track on his 2005 album "Songs of No Consequence."
The latest barrage in a career full of sharp literate lyrics, "Vanity Press" takes a sardonic look at an overbearing media.
Parker's been cutting to the chase with his songs for 30 years. On his 1976 debut album ("Howlin' Wind"), he sang: War mongers laughing loud behind a painted face / Throwing tidbits to the crowd then blowing up the place. On 1988's "Don't Let It Break You Down," he sang, Some people are in charge of pens that shouldn't be in charge of brooms / They have the nerve to rip up a man's life in a paragraph or two.
"I think there was so much pent emotion and rage when I was young," said the 54-year-old songwriter from his home in upstate New York. "There are very intense songs like 'Don't Ask Me Questions'; people have described it as political in a way. It's railing against establishment and 'war mongers' and all that stuff. But I'm doing it in a way that isn't literal.
"'Vanity Press' is much more literal because it mentions current events and the current media (environment), but it still doesn't put it in a bland folk singer kind of way," continued Parker in his gritty British accent. "Right now, basically (the novel) '1984' is here. It's all fake news. Basically, Jon Stewart is more accurate than what you see on most of these networks. There's very little real reporting that gets through now. People are too scared. There is too much agenda going on."
After recording 16 full-length albums, songwriting has always been Parker's strength. As a lad growing up in London, he listened to underground ska and American soul music. After a brief interlude into '60s psychedelia, Parker rekindled his love for Motown and ska legends like Desmond Dekker. And that's when he found his voice as a songwriter,
"I think I wrote my first song when I was 13; it was a sort of Beatles rip-off," remembers Parker. "But I couldn't play guitar. I'm a very slow learner in everything, and I'm still learning. It's probably the reason my career has such longevity, because I'm still figuring it out."
By immersing himself in the soulful pop hooks of the Supremes and the Four Tops while staying true to the edgy British music of the '70s, Parker found widespread fame with his band Graham Parker and the Rumour. With his 1976 release "Howlin' Wind," British critics discovered Parker's ability to turn a phrase and stick a chorus in your head for weeks. But the band's fourth studio album -– 1978's "Squeezing Out Sparks" -- is a portrait of a songwriter and a band hitting their stride. The group went their separate ways after 1980's "The Up Escalator," but the experience of working with the Rumour helped Parker's abilities as an arranger.
"The songs that became my first album, they were skeletal. The Rumour werevery experienced musicians, so they basically taught me through osmosis what arrangement was and how to make a song full of detail," said Parker. "So that comes naturally to me now."
This year, Parker teamed with Saratoga Springs, N.Y.-based trio the Figgs for "Songs of No Consequence," 12 tracks that highlight the songwriter's words in tight rock packages like "Vanity Press," "Bad Chardonnay" and "Chloroform." He's currently touring the West Coast with Figgs guitarist Mike Gent as the Graham Parker Duo, playing acoustic sets.
"Everything I do is a rock 'n' roll record," says Parker, who performs with Gent Tuesday at the Casbah. "Even if it's very acoustic oriented, it still rock 'n' roll, 'cause rock 'n' roll is an attitude not a tempo."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Monday, July 25, 2005
From Fela to Femi, Afrobeat lives on
Femi Kuti carries on, and expands, a family tradition
By Chris Nixon
FOR THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE
July 22, 2005
'Fe-la," "Fe-la."
Traffic is stopped on the crowded streets of Lagos, Nigeria. It's 1975, a time of political and social unrest. Musician and activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti walks from his home to his nightclub, the Afrika Shrine. People stand on their cars to catch a glimpse of the man: small in stature but large in presence. Fela – rarely seen in more than just Speedo shorts – struts to his club, where his band, Afrika 70, will perform its high-octane African funk into the wee hours.
The crowd chants his name, over and over: "Fe-la," "Fe-la."
Much like the meaning of his name Anikulapo – "the one who holds death in his pouch" – Fela Kuti's musical and political vision lives beyond his time on Earth.
Today, 30 years later, Fela's son walks in his footsteps. Much like his dad, Femi Kuti rails against oppressive governments. He blows his sax sweet and hard, like an African Maceo Parker setting forth an inferno of pelvic thrusts and gyrating, sweaty bodies. And he plays a funkified form of African music created by his father: Afrobeat.
Melding the joyous prolonged sounds of African high-life music with the down-dirty grit of James Brown and the Horny Horns, Fela created politically charged music. Femi Kuti has taken the mantle laid down by his father when he passed away in 1998 (from AIDS complications), moving Afrobeat into the modern era.
But it's not easy to fill the shoes of a man who was practically worshipped as a god in his homeland of Nigeria.
Femi seems comfortable with the comparisons: "It is a thing that is natural and a great honor for me," says the prodigal son recently. "But my music I feel now stands by itself."
Emerging from his father's shadow, Femi's music and message deserve to stand on their own. His two studio releases – "Shoki Shoki" in 1999 and 2001's "Fight to Win" – paint a picture of a man struggling with abject poverty and a corrupt government.
Much to Femi's chagrin, the plight of Nigerians has not improved much since the days of Fela Kuti. Mixing traditional Afrobeat funk with electronic beats and a touch of hip-hop, Femi's music uses songs as a podium to inform the world. Femi tries to raise consciousness of everyday trials and tribulations in Nigeria with every note.
Since his father's death, Femi has rebuilt Fela's Afrika Shrine in the Nigerian capital of Lagos. Part music venue and part community center, the Shrine also serves as Femi's home when he's not on tour. He holds weekly jam sessions called "Sunday Jumps," where Nigerians gather and dance away their daily strife.
In a combo DVD and live CD release titled "Live at the Shrine" released this year, Femi allows cameras into his life, giving a tour of the Shrine along with combined footage from a series of electric live shows at the venue. Complete with a full horn section, a troop of African dancers and a legion of musicians, Femi's band plays an epic set of his Afrobeat tunes in the 87-minute documentary.
"In the Shrine in Lagos, everyone knows my music and comes week after week," Kuti says. "But audiences everywhere are getting to know the music now also."
Whether in Lagos or at San Diego's new House of Blues, where Femi and his band will perform Saturday, audiences come away from a Kuti show with an evening of dancing and plenty of food for thought.
"I want people to have a good time but to also think about the message," Kuti muses.
Like the opening words by Kuti on "Live at the Shrine," the House of Blues crowd can expect a dance-happy, politically infused performance from Femi and his large African orchestra: "We are here to make you happy and give you all the good music you deserve."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
By Chris Nixon
FOR THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE
July 22, 2005
'Fe-la," "Fe-la."
Traffic is stopped on the crowded streets of Lagos, Nigeria. It's 1975, a time of political and social unrest. Musician and activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti walks from his home to his nightclub, the Afrika Shrine. People stand on their cars to catch a glimpse of the man: small in stature but large in presence. Fela – rarely seen in more than just Speedo shorts – struts to his club, where his band, Afrika 70, will perform its high-octane African funk into the wee hours.
The crowd chants his name, over and over: "Fe-la," "Fe-la."
Much like the meaning of his name Anikulapo – "the one who holds death in his pouch" – Fela Kuti's musical and political vision lives beyond his time on Earth.
Today, 30 years later, Fela's son walks in his footsteps. Much like his dad, Femi Kuti rails against oppressive governments. He blows his sax sweet and hard, like an African Maceo Parker setting forth an inferno of pelvic thrusts and gyrating, sweaty bodies. And he plays a funkified form of African music created by his father: Afrobeat.
Melding the joyous prolonged sounds of African high-life music with the down-dirty grit of James Brown and the Horny Horns, Fela created politically charged music. Femi Kuti has taken the mantle laid down by his father when he passed away in 1998 (from AIDS complications), moving Afrobeat into the modern era.
But it's not easy to fill the shoes of a man who was practically worshipped as a god in his homeland of Nigeria.
Femi seems comfortable with the comparisons: "It is a thing that is natural and a great honor for me," says the prodigal son recently. "But my music I feel now stands by itself."
Emerging from his father's shadow, Femi's music and message deserve to stand on their own. His two studio releases – "Shoki Shoki" in 1999 and 2001's "Fight to Win" – paint a picture of a man struggling with abject poverty and a corrupt government.
Much to Femi's chagrin, the plight of Nigerians has not improved much since the days of Fela Kuti. Mixing traditional Afrobeat funk with electronic beats and a touch of hip-hop, Femi's music uses songs as a podium to inform the world. Femi tries to raise consciousness of everyday trials and tribulations in Nigeria with every note.
Since his father's death, Femi has rebuilt Fela's Afrika Shrine in the Nigerian capital of Lagos. Part music venue and part community center, the Shrine also serves as Femi's home when he's not on tour. He holds weekly jam sessions called "Sunday Jumps," where Nigerians gather and dance away their daily strife.
In a combo DVD and live CD release titled "Live at the Shrine" released this year, Femi allows cameras into his life, giving a tour of the Shrine along with combined footage from a series of electric live shows at the venue. Complete with a full horn section, a troop of African dancers and a legion of musicians, Femi's band plays an epic set of his Afrobeat tunes in the 87-minute documentary.
"In the Shrine in Lagos, everyone knows my music and comes week after week," Kuti says. "But audiences everywhere are getting to know the music now also."
Whether in Lagos or at San Diego's new House of Blues, where Femi and his band will perform Saturday, audiences come away from a Kuti show with an evening of dancing and plenty of food for thought.
"I want people to have a good time but to also think about the message," Kuti muses.
Like the opening words by Kuti on "Live at the Shrine," the House of Blues crowd can expect a dance-happy, politically infused performance from Femi and his large African orchestra: "We are here to make you happy and give you all the good music you deserve."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Classic cruisin through the county
Taking it to the streetsThousands of S.D. classic-automobile owners participate in cruise nights across the county – 'We enjoy the cars together'
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
June 30, 2005
"I met my wife through owning this car," says Dave Keetch as he leans out the window of his baby-blue 1955 Thunderbird convertible during a recent Cajon Classic Cruise in downtown El Cajon.
Keetch purchased the car in 1966, but needed a little help to tow the car in 1974. The rest is history.
"The first date with my wife was to go pick up the tow bar and our second date was to actually tow the car to the garage," says Keetch about the passion for classic cars he shares with his wife, Cindy. "And she's been with me ever since. We'll be celebrating our 30th anniversary this June."
The Keetches aren't alone in their passion: They are part of a growing community of San Diego classic-car owners joining clubs and attending cruises. Keetch – a member of the Car Club Council of Greater San Diego – estimates there are 4,000 to 6,000 members in 97 clubs countywide.
El Cajon has a rich history of attracting gearheads and classic-car collectors. The city plays host to the Cajon Classic Cruise, the largest weekly car show in Southern California. Escondido, La Mesa and Chula Vista are among other county spots joining the fun.
The common theme? The cars, the camaraderie, the community.
"We're all trying to do the same thing: We're all reliving an era that's gone past," says Keetch of the different events around San Diego County. "We enjoy the cars together. You step out onto the street and it's almost like you're stepping back in time."
In El Cajon – as with many other S.D. cruises – organizations work with the city to close off Main Street. Cars are usually arranged by type and era. Owners park their cars and set up lawn chairs. They reminisce and reacquaint themselves with their fellow enthusiasts.
It all has a small-town feel to it: "The people are nice, and everybody has a common interest," says Keetch. "You talk about old times and what you used to do."
"Here's the way I look at it: It takes you back to an easier, more gentler time," says Keetch. "Things weren't quite as hectic as they are today. Traffic
wasn't as bad. I love the music. You could leave your house unlocked. It was nice era, people were more friendly then. So it's kind of a sentimental thing more than anything else."
Keetch has been involved in San Diego's classic car scene for decades, and he sees more people each year discovering the simple pleasures of car restoration.
"My wife and I founded the Pontiac club here in San Diego about 16 years ago," says Keetch. "I'm also a charter member of the Classic Thunderbird Club here in San Diego. In '81, I helped found the Convertible Club. So I've been in a few different clubs that I helped found and I've watched them grow. It's been very satisfying."
From lovers of lowriders to vintage Harleys, Southern California provides a perfect home for vehicle revivalists, combining a mild climate and a bevy of classic vehicles to choose from: "It could not be better because of the weather. Where else can you cruise with the top down year-round?"
Chris Nixon is a San Diego freelance writer.
'IT REALLY DRAWS A CROWD'
Marc Henry's 1953 Flexible Clipper bus stands out in a crowd. The 33-foot-long renovated classic has the sleek lines of 1950s vehicles and stands a good 5 feet above most cars on the highway. But the color – lime green, deep purple and coral mixed with chrome – draws more attention than a 10-foot-tall neon "Diner" sign on a dark, lonesome highway.
"It really draws a crowd, so I kind of hide it," says the El Cajon resident during the first Cajon Classic Cruise of 2005, who dubbed the bus "Creamsicle" after the orange ice cream pop. "I like to cruise with it. I get all the TVs going and's nice."
When Henry purchased the vintage bus 18 years ago, the interior consisted of basic bench seats with an aisle down the middle, the standard bus layout.
"It was just an old bus," says Henry. "It had 27 coats of paint on it. I traced everything back: It started out as purchased by the Marine Corps, then the San Diego State baseball team used it, then the basketball team. MGM used it for pictures after SDSU. Then it went to a private owner out in Wynona. When I saw it, I said 'I've got to fix it up.' "
Henry did more than just fix it up. He made it into a state-of-the-art motor home, complete with couches, three TVs, a bed and gadgets galore to make every road trip into a cruise. The bus runs on an International 466 BTE diesel turbo engine, and Henry uses the vehicle to take trips to Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nev.: "I'm totally self-contained."
Henry has other classic cars in his garage, but on trips it makes sense to ride in style. "I have a '63 Bonneville convertible with a white top, but I get better gas mileage with the bus."
– CHRIS NIXON
WHERE TO GO TO GET REVVED UP OVER CAR CLASSICS
TUESDAYS
East County Cruisers, 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Tyler's Taste of Texas Barbecue, 576 N. Second St., El Cajon. Information: www.eastcountycruisers.com.
WEDNESDAYS
Cajon Classic Cruise, 6 to 9 p.m., Wednesdays through September with a Halloween cruise on Oct. 26. Southern California's largest weekly classic car cruise. Information: (619) 401-8858 or www.downtownelcajon.com.Blast From the Past Car Show, 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Wednesdays through Sept. 17, more than 125 classic cars and motorcycles on display as well as music, food and vendor booths. Third Avenue in downtown Chula Vista. Information: Downtown Business Association, (619) 422-1982 or www.cvdba.com.
THURSDAYS
Back to the '50s Car Show, 5 to 8 p.m., Thursdays through Aug. 25, La Mesa Boulevard between Date Avenue and Fourth Street, La Mesa. Information: www.lmvma.com.Fridays
Cruisin' Grand, 5 to 9 p.m. Fridays, Grand and Second avenues, Escondido; through Sept. 30. Pre-1974 American-made hot rods, vintage, classic, custom cars and trucks, with awards. Information: (760) 745-8877.
SATURDAYS
Saturday Nite Invite, hot rods and classics, 1976 and older, presented by Clairemont Neighborhood Cruisers and Woodies Chili Dogs, 5 to 8 p.m., second Saturday of the month through Oct. 11, 4250-D Clairemont Mesa Blvd., Clairemont Town Square Shopping Center. Information: (858) 270-6412 or www.clairemonttownsquare.com
CRUISE THE WEB FOR CAR CLUBS
Dave Keetch of the Car Club Council of Greater San Diego says there are 97 car clubs throughout the county. If you don't find the right club here or don't have access to the Internet, Keetch suggests you contact the San Diego Automotive Museum in Balboa Park, (619) 231-AUTO or
www.sdautomuseum.org.
Alfa-Romeo Owners Club San Diego – www.arocsd.org
Austin-Healey Club of San Diego – www.sdhealey.org.
BMW Car Club of San Diego – www.sdbmwcca.com.
BMW Z Club, for all BMW Z cars – SanDiegoZ.com
Camaro Club of San Diego – www.camaroclubofsandiego.com.
Classic Chevys of San Diego, for 1955-57 Chevys – clubs. hemmings.com/classicchevyssd/
Heartbeat Classic Chevys, for 1955-1957 Chevys – www.heartbeatclassicchevys.com
Corvette Owners Club of San Diego – www.cocsd.com
North County Corvette Club – www.ncocc.com
North Coast Vettes – www.northcoastvettes.org.
Cougar Club of San Diego – clubs.hemmings.com/cougarsd/
Electric Vehicle Association of San Diego – home.att.net/~NCSDCA/EVAoSD/
East County Cruisers – www.eastcountycruisers.com.
Ferrari Owners Club, San Diego region – www.ferrarisd.com
Impala Club of San Diego, 1991-1996 – www.impalaclubofsd.com.
Jensen Owners Club – www.jentlefolk.com.
Model A Restorers Club of San Diego – www.sdmodelaclub.com.
San Diego MG Club – www.SanDiegoMGClub.org.
San Diego Miata Club – www.sandiegomiataclub.org.
West Coast Mini, –
www.westcoastminiclub.org.
San Diego Mustang Club – www.sdmustangs.com.
Over the Hill Gang, San Diego, 1948 and earlier vehicles – www.overthehillgang.com.
Packard Club –
www.PackardSanDiego.org.
Pontiac Club – www.sdpoci.com.
Southern California Shelby Club – www.socalsaac.org.
Studebaker Drivers Club – www.studebakerclubs.com.
SVT Owners' Association – www.svtoasandiego.com
Triumph Sports Car Club – clubs.Hemmings.com/sandiegotriumph
Volvo Sports America, San Diego – www.sdvsa.org
Z Club – www.supportedhosting.net/~zcsd/
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