quinta-feira, 29 de outubro de 2009
Second Skins by Black Swan Green
terça-feira, 27 de outubro de 2009
Sweetness and Light by Lothar
Total Sonic Annihilation by The Lost Rivers - An Interview with Phil Wolkendorf
Question: when lost rivers stars?the complety history…
Answer: The Lost Rivers was formed around 2006/2007. Izzy, Hell Pilot and I have already been playing together in some other projects since around 2000. We had some punk and alternative bands, but we got bored by punk music pretty fast.
We have always loved extreme sounds and feedback! So we decided to finally play the music we`ve always loved. That`s when we formed the Lost Rivers. We have always wanted to play loud and intense music. Now, that`s what we`re doing.
Q: tell us about your influences...?
A: We are pretty much influenced by noise and psychedelic sounds. I guess JAMC`s Psychocandy was and still is of great importance for us. That`s the first record which satisfied my love for feedback. Then I listened to My Bloody Valentine and Loveless completely blew me away! I entered into sound worlds I never knew they could be created with a guitar! I totally fell for this atmosphere and the wall of sound! Kevin Shields is a true genious! Loveless had about the same effect on me that Psychocandy had. It was and is the best I have heard, up till now! And I doubt I will ever experience the same listening to a record for the first time. Of course, there are many more bands that play a part in our music to a greater or lesser extent. I`m talking about drone bands like for example Loop and the Spacemen3. And personally, I also love dream pop. I`m into Ulrich Schnauss, M83, Slowdive, early Verve and so on…
Q: what..s your opinion about the shoegazer classic era?
A: I was one year old when Psychocandy was released and seven when Loveless came out. I didn`t experience the classic era as I would have loved to. hahaha
But as far as I can tell, there were people living out their creativity. That seems to have paved the way for new and interesting stuff. The bands didn`t care as much as today what the audience wants to hear. And that`s what I love. Play with your listeners` expectations and force them to reactions like “What the fuck?!”
Q: tell us about lost rivers live shows....
A: I guess our shows are pretty intense. People tell us we`re really loud. I think it always could be louder, but don`t get me wrong, we`re not loud for loudness` sake. It`s just the way our music works best. At our shows you have the music, but also the visuals like extreme lights and video projections. We try to make it an experience for your ears and your eyes, for body and soul, because that`s what I want to experience when I go to a show. So, we`re just doing what we would like to hear and see ourselves when we`re going to a show.
Q: Is there another good bands in german?which ones you recomended
A: I know lots of German bands, only three or four that I know are good, I`m afraid. One band which is pretty interesting is Others In Conversation from Berlin. I really like their sound.
A: I don`t know, we don`t have shoegaze going on where I live and I even doubt that most of the so-called music lovers in Germany know that this term and this music exist. However, I think in America shoegaze is slowly getting the recognition it deserves. At least, that`s what I can tell by the quantity of good new shoegaze bands from over there. I wish there would be something like a new shoegaze era. I tell you, there`s nothing like this in Germany at the moment.
Q: which new bands you admire?
A: I like the work of Oliver Ackermann. He seems to have a great vision. I also like Ceremony, the December Sound, Screen Vinyl Image, Woven Bones. The first record of Darker my Love is awesome and I like the Warlocks. There are some really good bands out there, I think
Q: tell us about the new realeases and the future around Lost Rivers
A: The Lost Rivers never officially released any music. It was like, some friends asked us if we could give them a CD with our songs on it and after our shows people wanted to buy our music, so we just made some copies of the stuff we had recorded in our rehearsal space. It`s very lo-fi, very D-I-Y. We often recorded stuff together with professionals, but we`ve never been really happy with that. We`ve always wanted it extreme and loud, but the results have never been satisfying for us. We put a lot of money into it and the records ended up in our shelves. So, we decided to take everything in our own hands and we like it that way, although it`s very time-consuming! We would love to play more shows in- and outside of Germany and we would appreciate to get more support, which is absolutely not the case here in Germany. Shoegaze is not existing here. Most people in this country don`t understand our love for this sound and we have a really hard time trying to get booked for shows, because the clubs are afraid to offer “different” sounds to the crowd…But we will keep up the good fight in the future! hahaha..
The Lost Rivers - Myspace stuff - http://www.mediafire.com/?t5niymwodmt
segunda-feira, 26 de outubro de 2009
Dreams Burn Down Again with Averkiou
domingo, 25 de outubro de 2009
Psycho Drama by Whipping Boy
Turning tricks just like your mother
Left my dreams for dead
Making out with every other
She's the air I breathe not too cheap for me
Shoegazer At The Top with The Domino State
sexta-feira, 23 de outubro de 2009
White Noise Revisited by SexConsciousYoungModerns - An Interview with Don
Q: When did SCYM start?
A: The Young Moderns officially started in 2002, when, on the urging of my friends, I recorded a handful of the songs that I had written over the years.
I took the band name from a trailer for the Ed Wood film, The Sinister Urge. It was a stupid movie about juvenile delinquents that smoked dope, fucked around, and drove fast. All while wearing leather jackets. Perfect. As for removing the spaces, I thought it was different, and also a hidden nod to the Jesus and Mary chain art circa 1998.
The original lineup was Bill Reger on Drums (He also recorded the album in his home studio), and Chris Phillips on Bass. That lineup only lasted a few shows, as Bill was in like, a dozen bands, and Chris was just a good friend giving me a hand.
I met Chris Koza (Drums), and Patrick Covert (Bass), through the internet. They were playing in Hoomdorm, a shoegaze band that was in the same town. After talking to them, I quickly conned them into playing with me. That was the lineup that most people saw live, and that you see in pictures. There were a couple of other drummers, but they didn't last long for different reasons.
Q: Who are your influences/heroes?
A: I personally have a top 5 favorite bands of all time. The Ramones, The Cure, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Spiritualized, and The Replacements/Paul Westerberg. If you listen, I think you can see those different influences throughout my songs...
When I took up the guitar (I'm primarily a bass player), I made a conscious effort to play like Johnny Ramone: Buzzsaw downstrokes, played really fucking fast. Add to that the noise and melody of William Reid's Guitar, and you have a wall of sound unlike any other.
I brought my Cure influence in the lyrics: Cryptic, yet out in the open. Introspective, but also aloof.
I always wanted to make the giant, layered songs that Spiritualized do, and there were a few live songs that were in that vein....though, they came out more like Spacemen 3. Hell, we even did a live cover of Revolution for a long time!As for The Replacements...I think I can better answer it in the next question...
Q: Tell us about the (fucking loud) gigs:
A: I think this can be a good place to mention the influence The Replacements had on me. Our shows were what really set us apart. Sometimes they were great, sometimes, they were awful. Sometimes, we'd play with punk bands and do a 30 minute drone instrumental. Sometimes we'd play with indie rock bands, and we'd play everything like The Germs. We had fun when we played, and didn't care who liked it or who hated it. We did whatever we wanted.
Something else that was different was the fact that we were loud. Very loud. It was never volume for volume's sake, either. It's just that we thought shows should be loud...if you can hear the audience talking, then something's wrong. All of the great bands played at ear splitting volumes...The Ramones, Motorhead, The Who...Rock and roll isn't supposed to be played at coffee-shop volume.
Of course, volume was also used as a tool to get the sounds that we got. I played with a hollow-body guitar, so the guitar reacted to the volume at which I played...the same thing worked for feedback loops and such..As time went on though, the volume decreased a bit, but our antics got worse...towards the end, I'd find myself climbing on tables, and knocking things over. Sometimes, gravity would conspire against me, and I'd find myself on the ground more often than not...
Q:What was your relation to Skywave?
A: They were good friends of ours, and sadly, we never got the chance to pplay together....I first "met" Oliver Ackermann in 2000 via MP3.com (back when it existed). It was like Myspace for unsigned bands...anybody could put up their music, and people could write you, comment, and download songs. I was looking up bands similar to The Jesus and Mary Chain when I came across Skywave. And they blew me away. I was currently writing the songs that would make up the SCYM album, and was interested in the different ways bands would record. I wrote Oliver, and he wrote me back. That began a long communication about bands, recording, effects, and music in general. He even made me a custom pedal in the early days of his Death By Audio business.I always considered us (and would strive to be) the Skywave of the West Coast. I'd like to think I came close.
I finally got to meet Oliver when A Place To Bury Strangers played LA. I wasn't surprised when he turned out to be just as cool in person as he was in all the letters we wrote.
Q: Tell us about the end of the band...A: This one is hard, and tends to bring back some frustrating memories. There was actually a 2 part ending to SCYM.
The first time, Chris decided that he wanted to focus more on his side project, so he left. It was unexpected, and set us back a great deal. We were starting to get a lot of attention, show offers with bands that were quite well known, and in venues that are typically hard to play in. We were gaining momentum, and bam! We were forced into hiatus while looked for a new drummer. We auditioned a couple, and thought that we found one...but it didn't work out.
At the same time, Chris' side project's band mates had all left for different reasons, so he was left with time on his hands. I always loved his drumming, and after a lot of drinking, we decided that the time was right to get things going again. I remember we were all quite gung-ho about starting up and moving forward.
In that time we switched our sound quite a bit; to more of a garage punk/noise pop sound...something that I always loved, and felt more comfortable with. Our live shows got even more spirited, Sure enough, we started gaining some of that lost momentum...we were even offered the chance to work with a legendary musician and producer from the early days of LA Punk.
Things got tense for a bit, with Patrick moving out of the area, and contemplating leaving...he decided to stay, but almost immediately, Chris again departed to focus on his side project. That took the wind out of my sails. I tried to get together a "final show", so we could really put an end to SCYM, in our own way, which would have been volume, chaos, and every song we'd ever done live....but it didn't work out. That made me even more disillusioned, and prompted me to end it all for good.
It's still a sensitive subject, as I always envisioned us going out in a much more interesting way. But whatever, life goes on....
Q:Tell us about the SCYM Members post-breakup. New bands, etc?:A: After SCYM ended with it's whimper, rather than explosion, we all went on to do different things. Patrick has continued his education, and is currently working on a Masters Degree. He hasn't been in any bands since; though he's expressed interest in helping me with any future plans I have...if it doesn't get in the way of his studies. We're still very close friends.
Chris moved, and is still trying to get something going with his band.
As for me, I took a long break after the band's breakup. I first tried to get something going right away, but I wasn't feeling it. So I put everything away, and didn't think about music for a long time. In that time, I have begun martial arts training, which takes up most of my spare time. I've also become a father, so I'm also focusing on working and raising my child.
I've been meaning to start playing again...I made up a project called The Resurrection Men. It's a continuation of what SCYM was doing in the end...darker Garage Punk. I've also written some hillbilly/folk songs, and some things more in the vein of Spacemen 3 (drones, minimalist layering, that sort of thing)...Hell, maybe I'll start a bunch of projects and just release a crapload of different 45s...hahahaha! Just remember, I started SCYM in my head as far back as 1998, so sometimes it takes me a while to get motivated...I'm not gone for good though.
Q: Any parting words?A: Thanks a lot to Renato for finding me, and for finding SCYM. It's great to know that people still like us, and haven't forgotten. I never thought we were any good, but it seems that we struck a chord with some people. Good. I had a lot of fun with that band, and met a lot of great people. Sure, the ending is a sore subject, but it's far outweighed by the good times. Music is starting to suck nowadays, so c'mon people, get up and start something.
Cheers,Renato
segunda-feira, 19 de outubro de 2009
Interview with Scott Causer - The Electric Mainline
É com muita honra que inauguro mais uma etapa que espero ser longinqua aqui no TBTCI, fase esta que visa no abastecer de informações sobre as bandas os albuns e as curiosidades a respeito de quem admiramos.
A. The name The Electric Mainline has been doing the rounds since October 2004. It was initially a name we recorded under. The name comes from the Spiritualized instrumental Electric Mainline as I always thought it would be a cool name to use and I believe it accurately reflects our music. We recorded some demos and put them up on myspace and from there we had a really good response. We were in touch with a lot of bands such as The Black Angels, The Stevenson Ranch Davidians, The Dolly Rocker Movement etc.
Q. When did Nothern Star Records start?
A. We were aiming to put our own 7” single out and then realised that no-one was going to buy a record from a band no-ones ever heard of. We were in touch with a lot of like-minded bands and I hit on the idea of putting together a compilation of these great bands. I then formed formed Northern Star Records with a friend of mine who ran a webzine.
Q. Tell us abou Psychedelica Compilation and The Electric Mainline debut EP?
A. By the time the Psychedelica compilation was out the initial line-up of TEM had disbanded. Northern Star then went on to take a life of its own and the project was temporarily sidelined. I continued writing and recording under the name and self-released the All Too Much EP which sold very well from the Northern Star website. Shortly after this Fran joined in and we’ve been the core of the band ever since, playing sporadically, with different people coming and going. Despite the constant writing and recording nothing has been released since, until this year when a remixed version of All Too Much appeared on the Revolution In Sound compilation. We’d put together a new line-up and felt it would be a good idea to get the name out there again and start putting tunes. We’re currently writing and recording and some of thesenew songs will be seeing the light of day very soon.
Q. Who are your influences/heroes?
A. The main influences I guess came from growing up as a teenager and listening to my favourite era of music, the mid-to-late 80s. I was listening to The Smiths, The Cure, The Stone Roses, Joy Division, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Primal Scream. However I also grew up listening to punk and psychedelia so I have all these things going round in my head.
Q. What´s you opinion about the classic shoegazer era?
A. The shoegaze era is something I find myself increasingly confused by – as with all types of music there was good and bad . I love Ride, The Telescopes, Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine who were all considered shoegaze bands, but I see them as great psychedelic influenced pop bands. While there is undeniably an element of that in our music, its more of a dreamy psychedelia. I don’t care too much for genres to be honest. We just play what we want to play. If anything we’re an out-and-out pop band. Every song is different from the last and we all bring different things to the mix. Its all about making the music that means something to you.
Q. What´s your opinion about the new shoegazer era ?
A. The most interesting thing for me about this new so-called ‘gaze’ scene is the bands that take it as an influence and turn it into something of their own. Bands such as The Nova Saints, Youngteam, The December Sound, Maribel, Screen Vinyl Image, Dead Leaf Echo are all striving for something higher and this is what really blows my minds about these bands. You can hear it in their music. Some of these bands appear on the new Northern Star compilation Revolution In Sound. I strongly recommend this for anyone who’s looking for something a little different and into noisy pop songs.
Thanks Scott!!!!
Em tempo, o debut do The Electric Mainline - All too Much é daqueles cds que tem que ter, acido, psicodelismo, shoegazer, dreampop condensados em preciosas canções, altamente recomendavel!!!!
Links:
The Electric Mainline - We are now - http://www.mediafire.com/?jg1aj3memjz
Norther Star Records - http://www.northernstarrecords.co.uk/