Search Results for: JOHN

CAGE THE ELEPHANT BRINGS DYLAN TO HIP-HOPPED PUNKS

Interviews

Raised in a mystical Christian commune and confined to Gospel music, Cage The Elephant’s five young members grew up uninformed about even the most basic indie punk bands. When singer Matt Shultz’s parents finally found out he had a Green Day cassette, they destroyed it, finding the rebellious trio offensive. But Matt and his pals soon broke free of their parents’ tight grip and prevailed, discovering the invigorating joy of the Ramones, Bad Brains, Black Flag, Butthole Surfers, Pixies, Mudhoney, …

THE CRIBS ROCK THE CRADLE OF LOVE

Interviews,

Emerging from the urban West Yorkshire metropolis of Wakefield, the Cribs continue to rise above cookie cutter British knockoffs with ‘07s exuberant youth manifesto, Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever (Warner Bros.). Truly a family affair, agile Jarman twins Ryan (guitar) and Gary (bass) compose and sing the English trio’s instinctively tuneful punk-informed oeuvre while younger brother, Ross, emphatically bangs the drums. While the Cribs eponymous ’04 debut and enticingly better ’05 follow-up, New Fellas, set the tone for the …

ATMOSPHERE SEEKS RESOLUTION BY PAINTING SHIT GOLD

Interviews,

Take one of the best rhyme flowing freestylers, hook him up with an equally talented hip-hop producer, mix and match delicious beat samplings, and stir sufficiently throughout the course of a decade. The result: Atmosphere – a premier Minneapolis underground rap alliance initially revealed on a few impressive homespun cassettes.

 

Given early exposure at some outstanding local shows, conscious word designer, Slug (Sean Daley), and his reclusively conspiring beatmeister, Ant (Anthony Davis), devised harrowing urban tales venerating regional misfits, dispossessed …

DANIELLE HOWLE’S TANTRUMS ‘DO A TWO SABLE’

Interviews
FOREWORD: Folks-y South Carolina-based singer-songwriter, Danielle Howle, deserves the same accolades thrown at similarly stylized lasses such as Lucinda Williams and Neko Case. Often described as an off-kilter Southern storyteller, Howle’s musical career may’ve reached a peak with ‘98s Do A Two Sable.
 
Since then, she released a few underrated gems such as ‘02s Skorborealis and ‘08s Thank You Mark (featuring bluegrass vet, Sam Bush, and a duet with fellow Carolinian singer, Darius Rucker – ex-Hootie & the Blowfish). During
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FRANK BLACK HEADS TO NASHVILLE FOR SOLO RETREAT

Interviews,

As leader of Boston-based ‘80s indie rock icons, the Pixies, Frank Black inspired the entire ‘90s Seattle grunge scene as well as various British shoegazers and mod garage rockers from far and wide. Becoming a soloist for three fine albums and then leader of backup troupe the Catholics for six more prior to their ’04 demise, this gigantic Pixie continually mellows like fine wine. His early influences include ‘60s legends such as the Beatles, Donovan, Leon Russell, John Mayall, Jimi …

BUTTHOLE SURFERS ‘ELECTRICLARRYLAND’ BEGETS ‘WEIRD REVOLUTION’

Interviews

FOREWORD: Wacky Texas boho mofos, the Butthole Surfers, concoct a toxically chronic stew from radically skewed psychedelia-encrusted noise-seared punk rock and haywire electronic gadgetry. After more than a decade in the murky underground, they got their one post-grunge commercial radio break when dusky slacker anthem, “Pepper,” caught everybody’s attention and got people in the stores to buy their seventh studio LP, ‘96s Electriclarryland.

I got to see the Buttholes at Roseland Ballroom in ’96 with my friend, Frank, consuming rum

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THE CORAL CUTS UP BRITISH CHARTS

Interviews,

FOREWORD: I got to hang out with British pop idols, the Coral, during their first American tour supporting ‘02s rewarding eponymous psych-folk mod rock debut. Stargazing guitar group revivalists, the Coral went on to reach number one in England with respectable sophomore set, Magic And Medicine, but were jilted by US lack of interest. I’m unfamiliar with ‘04s The Invisible Invasion and ‘07s Roots & Echoes (which wasn’t released in the States). Lead singer-guitarist James Skelley proved to be a

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FRANK BLACK’S CATHOLICS DEBUT WONDROUS TWO-TRACK DEMO

Interviews,

 

FOREWORD: I first interviewed ex-Pixies main man, Frank Black, in ’98, to support his first album with backing band, the Catholics. He’d already done three decent solo albums, but wanted to get back to his primal rock roots and chose Miracle Legion’s bassist and drummer to offer fine support. This article originally appeared in Aquarian Weekly.

 

After disbanding innovative ‘80s Boston rock quartet, the Pixies, Frank Black (a.k.a. Black Francis) began a solo career while his former partner, Kim Deal, …

BUFFALO TOM ‘SMITTEN’ WITH REFLECTIVE EXPOSITION

Interviews

 

FOREWORD: Queens-bred Boston-based guitarist Bill Janovitz is the leader of Buffalo Tom, a band whose friendship with J. Mascis allowed the semi-legendary Dinosaur Jr. frontman to produce their first two formative albums. ‘93s Big Red Letter Day bettered Buffalo Tom’s initial offerings and ‘98s tightly-composed Smitten gave it a run for the money. Since then, Buffalo Tom went on hiatus while Janovitz released a few solo discs, including ‘97s hit-and-miss Lonesome Bill and bittersweet folk-rooted ’01 disc, Up Here. Under

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MIKE WATT PONDERS MINUTEMEN WHILE ‘CONTEMPLATING THE ENGINE ROOM’

Interviews,

FOREWORD: There truly is no other like ex-Minutemen icon, Mike Watt. My friend Al and I are convinced he’s the most approachable and fun guy in all of music. His solo debut, Ballhog Or Tugboat? featured a cornucopia of underground sensations who had befriended the very personable Watt – Eddie Vedder, Evan Dando, Meat Puppets, Sonic Youth, Dave Pirner, Flea, Pat Smear, Frank Black, etc.

At a pre-show party in Manhattan, Watt was drinking bourbon and coke before what he

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PORTISHEAD’S CRUDE EPONYMOUS SEQUEL IS NO ‘DUMMY’

Interviews

FOREWORD: Portishead are the pride of Bristol, England. A fascinatingly consistent ambient lounge-pop combo led by strident soprano starlet, Beth Gibbons, they were at the epicenter of the mid-‘90s trip-hop explosion alongside Tricky and Massive Attack.

Phenomenal ’94 debut, Dummy, draped Gibbons’ starkly melancholic voice inside dramatic ambient lounge-pop settings and gained the band aboveground recognition. ‘97s belated self-titled follow-up heightened the climactic emotional intensity, unveiling a richer austere moodiness that reduces some of its precursors’ majestic Goth uplift.

Though

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SPACE NEEDLE EATEN BY ‘MORAY EEL’

Interviews, ,

FOREWORD: Space Needle composer Jud Ehrbar never got the respect he deserved as one of the ‘90s most adventurous progressive rock avatars. But due to his permanent New York underground stature, I was able to speak with him on several occasions before and after New York gigs. I found his cosmic escapades riveting. But after ‘97s The Moray Eel Eat The Space Needle, Ehrbar settled into a backup role as drummer in band mate Anders Parker’s solo project during the

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