Playing with Fire with Will Carruthers - An Interview

Data absolutamente historica este 29/11/2010 para o TBTCI, em primeira mão, uma entrevista com o ex Spacemen 3, Spiritualized, atual Freelovebabies e atuante em inumeros projetos dentre eles o bacanerrimo e cultuado Brian Jonestown Massacre, estamos falando do Sr. Will Carruthers baixista nascido em 9 de novembro de 1967 em Chesterfield, Inglaterra e que em 1977 mudou-se para Rugby fazendo parte da então nascente cena local, cena esta que continha o então emergente Spacemen 3, a partir dai meus amigos, é pura historia, e esta história sera contada pelo proprio, como tudo começou, sua entrada para o Spacemen 3, a gravação do classico Playing With Fire, seu convivio com os personagens Sonic Boom e Jason Pierce, o pós Spacemen 3/Spiritualized, o retorno com o Spectrum, o Freelovebabies, enfim, simplesmente imperdivel para os admiradores da historia da musica. Srªs e Srs, com grande orgulho o TBTCI apresenta Will Carruthers.

Ps. Se você não conhece o Freelovebabies, pegue o album e entretenha-se com a entrevista.

***** Interview with Will Carruthers (Spacemen 3/Spiritualized/Freelovebabies/BJM *****

Q. When you star to play music?tell us the beggining...
A. I got my first guitar when I was about sixteen . I played the theme from batman, with no key changes for about six months until my neighbours went crazy . They were so pleased when I learned another song . The first band I played bass in never really had a name and never did any gigs . We just used to play one riff for a very long time . Natty , played drums, and Roscoe , Steve Evans and Darren Wissen played guitar . I played bass because nobody else wanted to . We were all part of the same little scene in Rugby ...probably about fifteen musicians, including the various members of Spacemen3 ,( who were recording perfect prescription at the time). I was hanging out at Natty's house quite a bit . He lived with Jason and Roscoe and the house was , I suppose, Spacemen3 headquarters …

From there I joined a garage punk band called The Cogs of Tyme , who were also part of the same scene .I played two shows with them …..

Q. When you joined to Spacemen 3?
A. It was the spring of 1988 I think . Pete Kember asked me if I wanted to join the band .Being a mercenary opportunist , I said yes . He and Jason had just started recording playing with fire. I was working in a factory that made bolts for the space shuttle so it was a natural progression .


Q How was the process to recording the classic Playing with Fire?
A. Well ,as I mentioned , I was working in the factory , and I had begun to take more and more time off for our trips to Cornwall for the recording sessions . Eventually they fired me , but I didn't really care because I got to do some recording for the first time and I was in Spacemen3, which was pretty exciting . .It was basically a sixteen track recording studio set up in somebodies living room in a house in the woods . When I got there I heard the initial tracks that had been laid down for the album and they sounded great. I think the first track I played on was Che .

hey just sat me down and said "what you got " and I kind of soloed over it because I was still a frustrated lead guitarist . Jason and Pete seemed to like what I did and they mixed out my mistakes with manual crossfades . I really enjoyed making that album . I just remember it as being sunny days in beautiful countryside making great music . Jason and Pete were still getting on ok and they were still working together to a certain extent . We smoked a lot of hash . Pete was driving back and forwards from Rugby and I would sometimes go with him …We would listen to Smile by the beach boys and he would drive like a fucking maniac . I accepted certain death many times on those journeys .

It wasn't a luxury recording studio by any means . We were sleeping on the floor in a studio run by hippies . The album was mixed at VHF in Rugby , where Perfect Prescription was recorded .

Q. How was your remembrance of Spacemen 3´s gigs?
A. I remember a lot of Spacemen 3 gigs , from the very early days when most of the five people who were there would just kind of ignore them, to the time around the first single when it all seemed to fall into place .

Then they got very powerful indeed . I saw them at Dingwalls in London shortly before I joined and they were absolutely awesome . Blew my mind .

As far as the gigs I was involved with ….I remember the first one . My third ever gig was with Spacemen3 , with My Bloody Valentine as support . I was a bit nervous .

I can't tell you what we got up to on tour . I'd get arrested .


Q. You worked with Peter with Spectrum and Jason with Spiritualized, in your opinion, what´s the difference to work with each other?
A. Well they are both different in similar ways …so its hard to say .

Q. The 1st Spiritualized album Lazer Guided Melodies is a classic too, why you drop out the band after the realease?
A. I had a brief glimpse into the future and decided to go for a long walk .

Q. You play with 'The Guaranteed Ugly' and play some gigs Theee Headcoats, how was it?
A. Well , I came back from my long walk after about four years and my friend Gavin Wissen who had been in the Cogs of Tyme asked me if I would replace Natty ,who had just left the band. Billy Childish really like the Guaranteed Ugly and had recorded a couple of albums for them .Thee Headcoats and the Headcoatees did a regular monthly show down at the Dirty Water club in London and they always had us down to support . It was great fun , really interesting crowd , great people , great music .We played with them once month for about a year , in 1996 I think .

It was nice to be able to play early , get drunk and enjoy the bands .

Q. when you come back to work with Peter Kember?
A. Playing with the Guaranteed Ugly kind of got me back into making music in public . Pete Kember approached me after a show we played in Rugby and asked me if I'd join Spectrum for a US tour to promote Forever Alien , which they had just made . So I did .

Q. Explain when did Freelovebabies starts?Whats the idea behind band?
A. I had been playing a lot with Kevin Cowen and I'd had a little fourtrack when I went for my long walk so we had some songs. I bought a digital eight track recorder and made an album in my bedroom Then put it our myself over the internet in 2001 .We never played any shows really .I made the second one pretty much by myself in an abandoned office block in Leicester after my life fell apart .That one came out in 2006 …We did a few shows afterwards , mainly after encouragement from Ricky Maymi of the Bjm . I don't think there are any ideas behind it , just feelings .

Q. How was the feeling to reunion Spacemen 3 to Natty Brooker's art?there are plans to play again?
A. Well , it wasn't really a complete reunion because Jason wasn't there .Almost everyone else showed up though .

For me personally it was a pretty hectic night , I had a lot to do and I didn't want to let anyone down .

We didn't really soundcheck and we hadn't played those songs together for twenty years ..Kevin Shields had never played them with us . In the end I thought we sounded pretty good . For me personally , It was a massive relief just to be on stage and not have to do anything but play music . We had a full crowd in and raised the profile of Natty's art which, I think, is great . Everybody was so cool about the whole night and loads of people pitched in and helped .It was heartwarming . There are no plans to do it again ,but I do have some other Natty Brooker shows planned ….I just book a venue and try and find some people who like Spacemen3 to help out with the entertainment .

I have done them in Los Angeles , Glasgow , Copenhagen, Berlin ,Sheffield and London .Each one has been different and cool in it's own way. The next one is in Toronto in December . More details are available here http://www.nattybrooker.co.uk/gallery.html


Q. Which new bands do you recommended?
A. I like Die Die Die from New Zealand , Chrome Hoof from London are amazing live , I like the Blue Angel Lounge from Germany , Kool aid electric company from fucking Leighton Buzzard , Sunsplit , Dead Skeletons , Singapore Sling …. , but to be honest ,I mainly listen to scratchy old blues songs and sixties soul ….

Q. Whats the plans for future?
A. Assess the situation and continue on a broad front . I have been working on the new Brian Jonestown Massacre album with Anton Newcombe , so I will continue with that . We are building a studio here in Berlin . the Natty Brooker shows are ongoing , I have been writing a few short stories and poems and a couple of them got published, so , maybe a book , I suppose I will do another Freelovebabies album eventually as I have a few songs to get out , erm …I'm in this band with two German women which is a lot of fun …I do a bit of construction work now and again . Mainly , I want to go fishing and do a bit of gardening.

Q. Any parting words....
A. No . I think I used enough already .
Maybe ,"Goodbye and don't let the fuckers get you
*

*

*

Thanks Will....

www.myspace.com/freelovebabies

Freelovebabies - Home Improvement for Condemned Buildings

Horror Head with Love Culture

Love Culture é o nome da banda, Aquamarine o nome do EP que você deve pegar diretamente no link no final do post, lançado de forma digital, o debut desses americanos de Columbus Ohio impressiona pela coesão das guitarras altissimas que tem como matriz o elo perdido entre J&MC e MBV com doses de americanização 90´s leia-se Smashing Pumpkins fase Gish, vocalização forte lembrando Tonni Holliday do Curve e dai é quase covardia não se encantar com Future Halos, Karolyne, Ocean Ocean. Para se ouvir em alto e bom som.

Love Culture - Aquamarine

Dreams Burn Down with Nothing - An Interview

Novissimo petardo da cena shoegazer atual diretamente da Philadelphia, Michael Bachich, bateria, Joshua Jancewicz, baixo, Ryan Grotz, guitarra, Brandon Setta, guitarra e Domenic Palermo, vocais e guitarras formam o Nothing, que de imediato torna-se uma das grandes revelações do ano através de seu EP пошлость (poshlost), lançado digitalmente de forma gratuita na rede contendo 3 exemplos belissimos do mais puro cruzamento do classic shoegazer com o revival pos punk da atualidade, um mix de Interpol e Ride, assim soam Last Day In Bouville, B&E e Phantom.

O TBTCI tomou conhecimento do Nothing através de contato imediato via email e ai foi admiração a primeira vista, logicamente o TBTCI e o Nothing armaram a entrevista que segue abaixo, dando pistas e indicios do que a banda prepara para o futuro breve que vem pela frente, não hesite, corra até o link no fim do post e delicie-se com o Nothing

***** Interview with Nothing *****

Q. When did We are Nothing form, tell us about the beginning
A. Nothing formed in mid 2010, I was living in Los Angeles at the time, writing music to pass hours. I decided after a revelation I would go back to my native Philadelphia and gather a group of people to breathe life into the project.

Q. What are the band’s influences?
A. Our biggest influences come from our lives in general I think. What drives this band the most is the emotions we have from what life has presented us with. It's the passing of childhood friends, abnormalities of family, the shitty areas we were born into... I'd say thats what influences us most. Obviously you were talking about music. We like a lot of that as well.

Q. Tell us about the recording process for the debut EPEP album?
A. We had the pleasure of working with Julian Grefe and Justin Gellar, from the group Pink Skull http://www.myspace.com/pinkskulltheband. It was great to work with such a knowledgeable duo.


Q. Tell us about playing live.
A. Playing live is always an obstacle when you have 6 members, but it's easily our favorite thing about being a part of a project of this nature.

Q. What do you think about the classic shoegaze era?
A. It's been a huge part in each of our lives in some significant way. I remember when I was just a small boy my brother would play Loveless and I just didn't understand it at all. My mom was playing me The Cocteau Twins at the same time and it actually used to frighten me. It eventually made sense and it's been with me through the good and not so good times. It must have been great to experience it at its peak. Catch early Pale Saints and Ride gigs. The whole era was so unique, I honestly think it's still overlooked.

Q. Tell us about bands in the current shoegaze scene. Q. Which new bands you recommended?
A. Over here in the states there are so many new things going on it's really hard to tell whats going on. So many new bands and different Indie scenes colliding into each other. We play with a band from here in Philadelphia, called Pet Milk ( http://petmilk.bandcamp.com/ )that are very cool.

Q. Which songs by other bands would you like to do cover versions of?
A. We haven't begun to dive into that realm yet. We toyed with idea of covering The Chain by Fleetwood Mac, but we are far away from entertaining that idea.


Q. What are the plans for the future?
A. We are recording for a 7" EP December 9th with JG and Julian again. We booked a well known Church sanctuary here in Philadelphia, for the recording space. No plans of who will be releasing it, but it should be out by January sometime.

Q. Any important news to tell us…
A. Obrigado, Ate logo!
*
*
*
Thanks guys!!

www.myspace.com/weareonlynothing
www.wearenothing.bandcamp.com/

Truth is by The Sky Drops - An Interview

Concedido a partir das cinzas de um dos originais shoegazers americanos, mais precisamente Mr. Rob Montejo e seu Smashing Orange, o duo The Sky Drops que além de Rob conta com a grandiosa companhia de Monika Bulette, onde a formula é simples, Rob x Monika = Sky Drops que significa na concepção da mais pura canção perfeita unindo nuances de shoegazer, dreampop, psicodelismo 60´s assim é o debut Bourgeois Beat lançado no ano passado que é uma verdadeiro preciosidade vide maravilhosas do quilate de Heavy Penny, Stone White, Hang On, Truth, ou como o mestre Kramer coloca: "i fucking LOVE it!"

Basicamente não há necessidade de maiores comentarios após a colocação, a não ser que os comentários venham diretamente de Rob & Monika, ai logicamente devemos para e ler com atenção para conhecer a historia por detrás dos Sky Drops ou se preferir Rob & Monika.

***** Interview with The Sky Drops *****

Q. When did Sky Drops form, tell us about the beginning…
R: At the end of 2005, after a year of playing acoustic guitar on my own, I realized I missed plugging into my jazzmaster and stomping on a big muff. I wanted to start a band that had a big sound and was heavy on harmonies. I had produced a song on Monika’s solo record and seen her play drums with Licorice Roots. The fact that she could sing and play drums seemed ideal, so I gave her call and asked if she was interested. Initially, there was a bass player in the picture, but she never showed up. We decided to work on songs anyway and realized soon after it sounded pretty good without a bass player. Why not continue as a duo, see what happens?

Q. What are the band’s influences?
R: Great melodies and sonic mischief.

Q. About Smashing Orange, what´s the best remembrance?
R: Sometime in the early 90s, we played an underground show in an abandoned monastery in Paris. The sound system and gear were a bit on the primitive side, but the atmosphere was electrifying. The place was packed with a few hundred people and cases of wine and beer were stacked to the ceiling. When we started playing, the audience went nuts and a wonderful mayhem ensued. After the last song of our set, we proceeded to destroy everything that was on the stage. Members of the audience quickly joined us and picked up amps and drums and smashed them to the ground. The energy created that night was a once in a lifetime experience. All was one and beautifully chaotic.


Q. Tell us about the recording process for Bourgeois Beat?
R: About a week into recording, I was struck with an unknown painful nerve condition that prohibited me from playing guitar. The pain got much worse before it got manageable. It was several months later I was able only to track a take or two a day. At times, I felt the completion of Bourgeois Beat was beyond reach. It cost us a year and a half, but I’m glad we pulled through and got it done. It’s good to be back.

Q, Tell us about playing live.
R: We enjoy playing live. It’s amusing how many people are generally bewildered when we show up at a gig as a two-piece. However, once we start playing, all preconceived notions are blown out the window. We’ll frequently hear someone comment after the show, “it sounds like they’re four people on stage. How do you do that?”

Q. How did last years gigs go?
R: Other than some clubs trying to rip us off, very well, thank you.

Q. What do you think about the classic shoegaze era?
R: Clearly, MBV rules. But oddly, there were a lot of exciting and promising bands back then that had amazing debut releases followed by disappointing records.

Q. Tell us about bands in the current shoegaze scene…
R: Most of the new bands I’ve seen and heard are way too focused on being a retread or tribute band. I wish more bands wielding the “shoegaze” and/or “noise pop” sound would find their own voice and create something unique. How many more times can we hear the next Loveless or Psychocandy?

Q. Which new bands you recommended?
R: At the moment, I’m really digging this band called Feather Drum. Their music has an interesting mix of Eno-esque otherworldly dissonance and Salem 66 raggedness. Sort of what Lush sounded like before they met Robin Guthrie.

Q. Which songs by other bands would you like to do cover versions of?
R: We were recently tossing around the idea of covering “Colder” by Throwing Muses, but it hasn’t quite work out yet. Monika really wants to play “Your Mouth is a Train Wreck” by the Constant Signs…we’ll see.

M: OK, I was content to let Rob handle this interview before this bold-faced lie… I detest the Constant Signs. My vote is for “Surfin’ Bird” by The Trashmen.


Q. What are the plans for the future?
R: We’re releasing a new single on iTunes later this month: “If You Can” b/w “Christmas Feels Like Halloween.” A new vinyl EP “Making Mountains” will be released Spring ’11.

M: Let us entertain you. Let us make you smile. Let us do a few tricks, some old and some new tricks. We’re very versatile.
*
*
*
Thanks Rob & Monika!!!!!!

www.theskydrops.com/
www.myspace.com/theskydrops

The Sky Drops - Bourgeois Beat

Cigarette in Your Bed with Young Prisms

Cacofonia estilhaçada pelos alto falantes, guitarras estridentes, J&MC fase Psychocandy, MBV fase Ins´t Anything, vocal menino/menina ora gritado, ora sussurante, perfeita simetria de wall of sound, esta é uma breve introdução do que é o debut dos californianos do Young Prisms, Friends for Now é o nome da esbornia em forma de distorção, pegue If You Want To, Eleni ou Breathless e aumente o volume, se seu som não estiver preparado as caixas irão pedir socorro, sem contar nos vizinhos que não entenderam de onde o ataque esta vindo. Simplesmente fenomenal a estreia do Young Prisms, indicado para shoegazers radicais e saudosos. Detalhe o album vai ser lançado em 2011 porque se fosse em 2010 facilmente entraria na famosa lista dos melhores do ano, meus caros tem que ter o artefato, um album que já nasce classico.

Young Prisms - Friends for Now

A Love from Outer Space by A.R. Kane - An Interview with Rudy

Londres, 1986 era formado um duo que faria parte de uma das historias mais importantes da musica, formado por Rudy Tambala e Alex Ayuli o A.R. Kane estava literalmente a frente de seu tempo, mesclando influencias do pos punk, jazz, new wave, soul, funk, disco e basicamente todos os estilos até a epoca em voga e muito Cocteau Twins, Rudy e Alex foram responsaveis diretos pela criação do trip hop, shoegazer, dreampop, post rock e acid house tamanha o caleidoscopio sonoro do qual a dupla ousada perpetuar em sua existencia, adjetivos são pequenos para qualificar o quão importante, seminal, fundamental seus albuns "i" e "69" são, ou seus Eps com destaque para When You´re Sad, Lolita e Up, todos absolutamente essenciais em qualquer coleção de quem gosta de musica.

Com imenso prazer e orgulho o TBTCI traz a todos uma entrevista absolutamente historica com Rudy Tambala, envolvendo os early years e toda a trajetoria deste prediletissimo de todos os tempos, A.R. Kane.

***** Interview with Rudy Tambala - A.R. Kane *****

Q. About the early years, When A.R. Kane formed? Tell us the history.
A. The Ark, arcane, Citizen Kane, the Mark of Cain, A for Alex, R for Rudy - all these contributed to the name - a very English propensity for wordplay.

Alex and I were friends from the age of 8. We were influenced by music and London culture, eclectic music fans covering UK Pop, jazz, Dub reggae, Punk and new wave, 70’s soul, funk and disco, Warehouse parties, garage and psychedelic rock, progressive rock, hip hop, classical, and on and on. We both read books without pause – JG Ballard, Horror and Sci-Fi, philosophy and mysticism. One evening we saw a new band on TV called the Cocteau Twins, and we were inspired; the next week we bought a drum machine, an electric guitar, and a digital delay – and we started making sounds and writing songs. We had a recording date with One little Indian within a month of starting the band. We then jumped to 4AD, Rough Trade, David Byrne’s Luaka Bop in NYC.

Q. How do you describe A.R. Kane sounds?
A. Essentially it’s a form of pop music, but deconstructed, or reversed – as McLuhan would say, flipped – we shift the emphasis, play with the form, and turn it on its head – for no other reason than the pure pleasure of ‘play’. We both dreamed music in those days, and we would write the tunes and try to recover the feeling with sounds and words, hence we labelled some of our music ‘Dreampop’. We approached studio technology with an untrained, unspoiled attitude, and so that too become a toy, something for creating surprises.


Q. How was your experience to work with Robin Guthrie?
A. Robin is unique; he is both a hard bastard, with such high standards that he could break your heart if you did not deliver, but also, gentle, kind and generous – a BIG heart. In those days there was The Smiths, New Order, and The Cocteau Twins. The Twins had the sound, Robin created it – we wanted it. The Lolita EP produced by Robin was near perfect. It was an enormous education working with him, especially discovering the Indian eateries of Acton.

Q. What´s your influences?
A. I named some general influences above, but there are too many to list them all. At the start we were listening to a lot of Cocteaus, Sonic Youth, Syd Barret, Studio One dub sessions, PiL, Sun Ra, Miles Davis, Janet Jackson, Madonna, Nick Cave, Prince, Velvet Underground.

Q. About the gigs, what do you remember?
A. They were noisy and disorienting for the audience, but we often used that to open them up, and then deliver the killer blow. We had no spaces between the songs, we would drift from outro into feedback and noise then intro, then song, and so on. When it worked it was transcendent. It did not always work.

Q. Too many people consider A.R. Kane "arguably the most criminally under-recognized band of their era"...whats your opinion about it?
A. We were not user-friendly. We did our own thing, and we believed in testing people, challenging their expectations – this is threatening and does not lead to popularity. We were well recognised by those that ‘got it’ – and they are the people we played for. We never did real ‘pop’, and hence could not cross over easily into main stream. This was not contrived, it was a life-long attitude – and still is.

Q. The first record When You're Sad 12´´ is a mark in Shoegazer history, what’s the concept behind the sounds?
A. We wrote a very simple song called ‘You push a knife into my womb’ that sounded like a Jesus and Mary Chain tune – so we said let’s give it a JAMC treatment, but then gave it a twist. We deliberately removed the ‘human factor’ from the songs production – no Rock-n-Roll riffs, no funky bass, no syncopation – and replaced these with pure sound, layers of feedback and echo, rolling bass, reverb’d, disembodied vocals. �Rough Trade refused to distribute the song and so we had to rename – Our first experience of moral censorship. Oh, we never gazed at our shoes.

Q. What´s the process to record the albums "69" and "i", and what´s the biggest difference between theirs?
A. ‘69’ was a fresh, raw and immediate experience. We built a studio in a basement; taught ourselves how to operate the various parts, and just made every sound we wanted too – no external interference. We were spiritually, culturally, and literally ‘underground’ at that time. We were isolated, communicated without words, just with a nod and a smile and followed the feeling. A very special time.

‘i’ was a luxurious experience; big studios, producers, star treatment. It gave us the opportunity to go way beyond our own technical limitations, and to push at the boundaries; we were sitting somewhere between the avant garde and pop culture. We touched on several emerging genre, drawing also from the wealth of the past, and utilising computer and digital technologies.
‘69’ was iconoclastic.
‘i ‘was influential.


Q. Many Shoe gazer bands includes A.R. Kane in a great influence on their works, what you think about shoe gazing sounds?
A. When I am in a particular mood, I like to ‘get lost’ in huge, ambient sounds, but I am still very critical, and i always see the holes and the imitation. I think in a sense, I still place ‘the song’ as important, and I listen for it in the sounds, regardless of how abstracted or deconstructed, or stretched over time, that song may be. If I do not sense the presence of the song, then I am dismissive, and I label it pretentious.

Q. Which new bands you recommended?
A. I don’t recommend bands unless I know the person very well.

Q. What are the plans for the future?
A. A.R.Kane have not recorded together since 1995, and there are no plans to re-unite. Post A.R.Kane I recorded two albums as SUFi, and Alex recorded as Alex!

One Little Indian planned a retrospective release of all the A.R.Kane singles as a compilation album this year but they seem to have lost the desire.

I now switched most of my creative drive to oil painting (see www.myspace.com/rudytambala), and I have several tracks that need completing in a semi-decent studio, but I have not got around to it... we’ll see – maybe someone out there wants to help? I do not know whether Alex is working on music.

Q. Any important news to tell us
A. In the spirit of independence and experimentation I have just launched a software start-up where musicians can build their own site, sell music, and create a fan club, and so on. It’s called ‘d2mondo’ – it is part of the emerging music scene, go check it at http://www.d2mondo.com/.
*
*
*
Thanks Rudy....this is a special moment to me, best Renato

A.R. Kane
http://www.myspace.com/arkaneuk

A.R. Kane - EPs (Lolita / Up / When You´re Sad)

Black Metallic with Fjord Rowboat

Toronto, Canada, nos presenteia com uma preciosidade magnifica, o segundo album do Fjord Rowboat intitulado Under Cover of Brightness, um album absolutamente grandioso, no que diz respeito a musicalidade, conceito, inspiração, os canadenses simplesmente conceberam algo sublime, não, não estou exagerando, realmente esta obra prima atinge picos de emoções que poucas obras conseguem atingir. Os contrastes do album tem tonalidades escuras, cinzas ou no maximo brancas, aqui não há cores, o album caminha densamente entre a angustia do Joy Division e o shoegazer melancolico da primeira fase do Catherine Wheel, e é exatamente neste mix que o Fjord Rowboat seduz por completo a cada musica do album, não há momentos maiores ou menores, simplesmente a obra é linear e coesa, daqueles discos que deve-se ouvir como que ler um conto. Um dos albuns dos ano.

Fjord Rowboat - Under Cover of Brightness Part I / Under Cover of Brightness Part II

European Son with Spotlight Kid - An Interview with Chris Davis

Formada por ex membros de bandaças como Six by Seven, Echoboy, Model Morning e Bent, o Spotlight Kid já tem em seu curriculo um album fantastico intitulado Departure, um EP sensacional que atende por Crystal Dreams e agora jogam no mercado o novissimo 7´´ All is Real/April, ao melhor estilo shoegazer classico, com sonicas guitarras, vocais soterradissimos e uma verve eletronica dando um ar atual ao som da banda, texturas de kraut rock são delineadas em conjunto com a massa dissonante das canções, assim são All is Real e April que deixam clarissimo que o proximo album certamente promete ser no minimo fantastico.

Aproveitando o contato com a banda fechamos uma entrevista par ao TBTCI através do grande Chris Davis e todas as informações possiveis e necessarias para estarmos plenamente ao lado da banda estão decodificadas abaixo, pegue All is Real e aumenta o som no talo para sentir o quão espetacular é o Spotlight Kid.

***** Interview with Chris Davis / Spotlight Kid *****

Q. When did Sportlight Kid starts? Tell us about the beggining
A. Spotlight Kid began at the tail end of 2005. I had left Six By Seven and wanted to do something else. I went to the studio everyday and put together all these ideas that had been bubbling under for sometime. These ideas turned into finished recordings and landing in the hands of Robin at Club Ac30 records who put the 1st album out for me. No fuss, just a shared excitement for the music.

Q. Who are your heroes/influences?
A. Bands come and go but some bands stay with you forever. For me they are Swervedriver, the Cure, Can, Spacemen 3, Spiritualized, Seefeel, Caribou and other bands beginning with either S or C

Q. Made a list of 5 albuns of all time.
A. 1.Ladies & Gentlemen - Spiritualized 2. You Forgot It In people - The Broken Social Scene 3. Tago Mago - Can 4. The Cure - Disintegration 5. The brown album - Orbital

Q: Tell us about the SK´s gigs... how do you fell playing alive?
A. Before the band became what it it is now ( six of us) the live thing was a problem! I could never recreate the sound of the record live. It was always a struggle and a compromise. The opposite is the case now. Trying to record what we do live is now the problem we have in the studio. I am blown away sometimes by the racket we create live...

Q. How do you describe SK´s sounds?
A. I have always been interested in marrying an electronic sound with the sonic noise of the guitar, digital with analogue. M83 in a tussle with Swervedriver...

Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs?
A. This band is best recorded live. Stick us all in the same room, press record and you have the sound of Spotlight Kid. This is how we recorded the Crystal Dreams ep and this is how we will record the 2nd album.

Q. What´s represents the shoegazer classic era to SK?
A. There was a period in 1991 when in one week I saw Slowdive in Birmingham, supported by Revolver and the next day I saw Catherine Wheel supported by Edsel Auctioneer and to finish the week I saw Lush. That year I saw all these bands and more again.

Q: Which bands you love to made a cover version?
A. We did a track on a Clubac30 compilation called Never Lose That Feeling and we covered Sometimes Always By JAMC. We should do more covers...

Q. And about the new shoegazer scene all over the world,..which new bands you recommended?
A. Lanterns on the Lake - Lungs Quicken. Serena Manesh -Abyss in B minor. Exit Calm. Amusement Parks On Fire.

Q: What´s the plans for future....
A. Recording the album in Dec. Just had a single out on Club AC30. gigs, gigs,gigs...

Q: Any parting words?
A. Keep it sonic...

*
*
*
Thanks Chris...all the best...Renato

http://spotlightkidsound.wordpress.com/
http://www.myspace.com/spotlightkidsound

mp3 - All is Real

Lazer Guided Melodies with Electric Assembly

Eles se definem mais ou menos assim: "We describe our sound as -The Velvet Underground plays Boards of Canada produced by Kevin Shields arranged by Sun Ra listened to by Syd Barrett.", já passaram por aqui e cravaram uma belissima entrevista que pode ser revista aqui, eu particularmente considero o Electric Assembly muito mais um space shoegazer do que propriamente uma banda de post rock, as viagens são lisergicas, como um Spiritualized os devaneios são constantes, alguns vocais melancolicos te convidam para a introspecção plena, e agora acabam de colocar no mercado o novissimo EP Slow Exit, que já de cara coloca o ouvinte diante da excentrica e longa In Howls, facilmente a melhor do EP, mais de 15 minutos de devaneios psicodelicos que perpetuam a mente conforme o andamento da canção segue, um space shoegazer psych tipicamente floydiano, se Syd Barret ouvisse essa ode certamente poderia sofrer mais ainda com o efeitos das drogas. Son of Summer é exorcizamente caotica e lenta, como que se John Cale fizesse um dueto com Sonic Boom, e o ep caminha passando pela eterea Heading for a All, algo como se Jason Pierce e Robin Guthrie tocassem um dueto, Distant Airlines evoca Flying Saucer Attack e o grand finale com Films Out of Time transcende os limites do proprio ep, passeando entre Slowdive e FSA, um daqueles eps grandiosos e emocionantes.

Deixo a pedido de David, duas amostras do ep, se quiserem seguir meu conselho, adquira o artefato rapidamente pois a tiragem é limitada.

Electric Assembly
http://www.electricassembly.com/
http://www.myspace.com/electricassembly

Listen to Slow Exit EP here:
http://electricassembly.bandcamp.com/

mp3 - In Howls
mp3 - Son of Summer

Forbidden Kiss by Astral - An Interview with Dave Han

É fato consumado que o TBTCI é fascinado pelo Astral, desde o fora de catalogo Orchids, passando pelo denso Sleepwalker e chegando ao apice pleno com o magnifico Forever After, o mix de shoegazer com post punk seduz por completo este que vos escreve, e fica claramente evidenciado quando explicado pelo criador e mentor do Astral, Dave Han responsavel pelas guitarras e vocais em entrevista aguardadissima pelo TBTCI que enfim compartilho com voces com o maior prazer, amigos com a palavra Dave Han e o magnifico Astral.

***** Interview with Dave Han - Astral *****

Q. When did Astral form, tell us about the beginning…
A. Well, officially, Astral started in early 2001. The original band members included Shawn Poh, Amy Rosenoff, and myself. It was a very exciting time in music. I felt that the original, yet short-lived, shoegaze movement of the early 90’s had for the most part been forgotten and post-punk’s hey day had already almost 20 years behind it. I had a vision of blending these styles of music since I had not seen anyone doing this at that time. Remember this is at least a couple years before bands who claimed a stake in these genres had finally sprouted everywhere. By 2003, this sound was really catching on. We were even getting calls from Virgin and Atlantic Records A&R.

Q. What are the band’s influences?
A. The band’s influences had always been a cross pollenation of shoe gaze and post-punk (I’ve heard some reviewers refer to this as “Dream-pop“), so I’d have to say bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, Wire, Echo & the Bunnymen, and the Cure were all big influences for us.

Q. Tell us about the recording process for Forever After?
A. Forever After is our first album recorded using digital media (ProTools). In the past, we had always prided ourselves in staying true to analog media, so all previous recordings had been done on analog tape (Orchids on 24 track, and Sleepwalker on 8 track). The decision to go with digital this time mainly came about because our bass player at the time happened to also be an employee of Digidesign, the company that makes ProTools, so how could we not take advantage of that? It took about 6 weeks to track the entire album, but almost 2 years to mix it! That’s the problem with digital music production. There are endless ways to continually mix and remix songs, so many options. If you explore the options too much, it can take forever. Maybe we should’ve titled the album After Forever, haha!

Q. What´s the most important difference between Orchids, Sleepwalker and Forever After?
A. Aside from the production quality, I feel that the songwriting is much more developed and somewhat more mature with Forever After. The musicians I have worked with on Forever After have also brought a little something to the table as well and keep in mind, Orchids and Sleepwalker were both written with the original band members so that songwriting has a common thread.

Q, Tell us about playing live.
A. This is one of my favorite things about being a musician. Being able to share the live experience and connect with people. Music is a form of communication and I get a lot of satisfaction in “communicating” with folks that can understand relate to my music.

Q. How did last years gigs go?
A. Last year’s gigs were fantastic! We played only about 6 shows, but they were all fantastic and memorable. We had a great turnout at every show, played with fantastic bands, and met a lot of fantastic people. Definitely one for the record books!


Q. What do you think about the classic shoegaze era?
A. I think it’s a major contribution to music in general. There was a lot of ground breaking and rule bending that inspired many musicians around the world and gave birth to even more subgenres.

Q. Tell us about bands in the current shoegaze scene…
A. There are a lot of fantastic newer shoegaze bands out there these days. And I think they are always continually pushing the limits of the genre which I think is great.

Q. Which new bands you recommended?
A. My taste in music has changed quite a bit over the years and honestly I find myself listening to more older music than newer, so it I don’t have an new band recommendations. Lately, I’ve been listening to; Air, Massive Attack, Thievery Corporation, Dead Can Dance

Q. Which songs by other bands would you like to do cover versions of?
A. Good question! I have always thought it would be great to do an album of classic bossa nova songs with a shoe gaze twist.

Q. What are the plans for the future??
A. The 10 year anniversary of the release of Orchids is coming up in a few years and I have been digging up lost songs from the Orchids sessions, enough for another full length album. I would like release these to commemorate the anniversary, possibly with a reissue of Orchids since it‘s been so long out of print. These lost studio outtakes are original master recordings, recorded by the original lineup, and taken from the original tapes that the rest of the Orchids album was recorded on. They just didn’t make the cut at the time, but I think there are some real gems in there that fans will appreciate.


Q. Any important news to tell us
Lately I have been spending a lot of time with my side project, Foreign Cinema which I find is really inspiring. It challenges me to play differently. I think it’s important to always experiment with different things to keep your creative edge fresh. We are currently recording a full length album which should be ready sometime in 2011. Check it out, www.myspace.com/foreigncinemamusic
*
*
*
Thanks Dave.....it´s a pleasure to me....best, Renato

Astral
http://www.myspace.com/astral

You Made Me Realise with No Joy

Ibanez AD-9 Delay ; Z-Vex Seek Wah II; Danelectro Back Talk Reverse Delay pedal; Boss PN-2; Boss GE-7 Equalizer; Electro Harmonix Big Muff; Coloursound Fuzz; Boss SD-1; Boss Delay DD-3; Boss DD-20 Giga Delay; Coloursound Tremo, essa a descrição que consta como a sonoridade desta fantastica e dissonante revelação do ano chamada No Joy e seu debut Ghost Blonde, um mix espetacular do Ins´t Anything e do Gala que transcende os limites do wall of sound. O album é puro delirio sonoro, um extase total desde a vocalização até as guitarras, todas as canções seguem a cartilha do mais puro shoegazer em estado bruto, o negocio aqui é realmente serio, um dos melhores albuns concebidos neste ano, no quesito shoegazer como essencia certamente é o melhor, não me recordo de ter escutado nada similar este ano, o massacre das guitarras é assombrosamente sedutor, os vocais destas garotas excita este que vos escreve a cada audição, e olha, tenho escutado este album intensamente nas ultimas duas semanas e ainda não consegui compreender o estrago que esta sendo feito. Simplesmente indispensavel.

No Joy - Ghost Blonde

From Time to Time with Mono Stereo

Novamente por aqui, os suecos psicodelicos do Mono Stereo colocam no mercado seu novissimo 7´ intitulado Me And My Machine/You Gotta Take Me Home. Desde que obtive o primeiro contato com a banda, os caras tornaram-se socios de carteirinha por aqui, o Ep debut Space Out, passando pelo promo ao vivo que é vibrante até dizer chega e o ultimo 7´ On And On/A Matter Of Confusion produzido pelo mestre Krammer, leia-se Galaxie 500, o Mono Stereo carrega consigo a verve da psicodelia 60´s encharcada de doses de shoegazer melodico, leia-se Ride.

É exatamente através dessa espetacular combinação que Me And My Machine nasce, guitarras melodicas altamente 60´s evocando Byrds, Chocolate Watch Band, Standells e afins e aquela dose de Brian Jonestown Massacre e Ride dando ares modernos a canção que tem um potencial absurdo para virar hit, You Gotta Take Me Home segue a mesma linhagem porém desacelerada e em forma de balada psicodelica exorcizando Stones até o ultimo acorde. Pegue seu drink e delicie-se com o Mono Stereo.

Mono Stereo - Me And My Machine

Pet Sounds with Ghost Animal

Ah a California, pensar na California é algo mais ou menos assim, surf songs, o frescor do verão e tal, dai o seguinte pegue o debut deste absurdo chamado Ghost Animal intitulado Summertime in Heaven que só saiu em versão cassete, isso ai, cassete lembra??E ai meu chapa começa algo estrondosamente infernal, tipo o seguinte, imagine se o Darklands fosse um album lo fi, ou se o Pet Sounds fosse tocado pelo Woven Bones, deu para sacar o tamanho do estrago??Vai direto para Single Man e perceba que a matriz é J&MC e Beach Boys em estado brutissimo, tudo em nio perfeito caoa em combustão plena, ok, pule e pegue agora One Night e tenha em mãos alguns protetores auriculares porque a audição requer cuidado, garage 60´s com roupagem a mary chain e clima lo fi perverso, estupendo, a sequencia é a faixa titulo Summertime in Heaven, surfer song classica poderosa e barulhenta, e é ai que eu reitero o que coloquei, se o Darklands fosse um album lo fi ele seria Summertime in Heaven. Altamente indicado para adoradores de noise, shoegazer, bubblegum, garagem, 60´s, psicodelismo, punk, pos punk, new wave, ou simplesmente musica, cuidado porque o vicio é inevitavel.

Ghost Animal - Summertime in Heaven

Victorialand with Keith Canisius

This Time It's Our High titulo do terceiro album do genio Keith Canisius, um verdadeiro egocentrico e perfeccionista, caracteristicas tipicas para alguém que compõe a trilha sonora dos sonhos, desde o debut com o Rusmkib passeando pelos albuns solo é clarissimo que Mr. Canisius tem a cada trabalho buscado o aperfeiçoamento das tecnicas de estudio para conceber o melhor do dreampop atual aliado a sonoridade 80´s, leia-se 4AD sem deixar de lado a veia shoegazer, este This Time It´s Our High, demonstra uma gradativa distancia do shoegazer emparelhando-se muito mais ao drempop e aos sintetizadores.

O album é uma sequencia clara de Waves, porém como disse mais lento, climatico e doce, muitas vezes lembrando New Order, em outras Cocteau Twins, mas sempre com o padrão Canisius de qualidade. A sequencia de abertura com People´s Face e First Tambourine Love é deliciosamente dançante, e os caminhos até a derradeira Jimmy, passeiam pelos mundos dos sonhos e delirios de seu criador, o socio de carteirinha do TBTCI, Mr. Keith Canisius.

Keith Canisius - This Time It´s Our High

Loomer + Inverness + Single Parents

Imperdivel!!!!