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Interview Otherworldly Precision: Man or Astro-Man? Transmit Modern Intergalactic Sonic Wave Forms (Again)

Posted by Grant Brissey on Fri, May 17, 2013 at 10:03 PM

Man or Astro Man? play Neumos tomorrow night with Audacity and Atomic Bride. Tickets are still available here!

MAN OR ASTRO-MAN?: A futuristic surf-rock band from outer space.

MAN OR ASTRO-MAN?: A futuristic surf-rock band from outer space.

Man or Astro-Man? reportedly take their name from the promotional poster for the 1960 film The Human Vapor, known in its origin country of Japan as Gas Human No. 1. Also, Man or Astro-Man? are from outer space, and most definitely not Auburn, Alabama. Around the turn of the century, Alpha and Gamma clone replicas of the band began touring in order to meet popular demand for their highly sought-after intergalactic sonic wave forms. Twelve years after their last documented recordings, and after "years of hibernation," the original lineup of Birdstuff, Coco the Electronic Monkey Wizard, and Star Crunch have returned with their ninth album, Defcon 5...4...3...2...1, which finds their futuristic adaptations of surf rock to be otherworldly in technical precision. The following electronic communications were recorded on May 7, 2013.

Your intergalactic sonic wave forms are often documented by one Steve Albini. Is Steve Albini human?

Well, what a lot of people don't know is that Steve Albini is actually the inspiration for The Six Million Dollar Man. Last-minute studio changes resulted in the character having "bionic" implants as opposed to the "microphonic" implants Albini employs. Execs felt the world of studio recording was perhaps not as exciting as that of crime-fighting and espionage, so Albini's character was shelved. They then changed Steve's last name to Austin, and Albini became the Pete Best of electrical implants.

How have the years of hibernation affected your ability to manipulate your instruments?

It didn't affect us as much as it affected our instruments. Those things were dusty.

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Interview / Sound Check Jim James Is My Morning Frankie

Posted by Trent Moorman on Tue, May 14, 2013 at 9:33 AM

Jim James plays the Neptune Theater tomorrow, May 15th. Tickets are still available here.

MEATCLIFF: Seattle’s wisest corgi.

Louisville, Kentucky, mountain man Jim James (aka Yim Yames) has an unassailable transcendentalism about him. He's rootsy and Zen, and he has a resonant, yodel-throated mine shaft of a singing voice. With James's first solo full-length, Regions of Light and Sound of God, the My Morning Jacket frontman has become a bit of a Southern mystic. His songs swim through expansively altered folk and gospel, each possessing its own calm, rich, tidal sensation. James could not meet me at Electric Tea Garden for an interview, so he sent his holographic interview persona instead. On hand was primordial idiotechno DJ/artist Frankie Crescioni, who was preparing his next set of dankwave by experimenting with water-droplet sounds autotrophing through arena-sized delays. Hologram James and Crescioni hit it off immediately. Meatcliff, Seattle's wisest corgi, was also there. James called for a meditation—the two sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the sub with their eyes closed. James's mountainous mane and Crescioni's flowing rat-tail fluttered from the vibration coming out of the speakers like a light-blue breeze off the Sulu Sea. Opium incense was near. I asked James questions, but he was too locked into the colossal water-drop kundalini and couldn't speak. Crescioni spoke for him, softly.

Where did you learn to sing like you're yodeling in a mine shaft?

My grandfather was a great coal miner in Betsy Layne, Kentucky. On his one day off, he liked to go there to assert his dominance over the miners, and sometimes he'd bring me.

Do you have any yodeling stories?

No, not really. I guess there was one occasion where my grandfather yodeled loud enough to startle a group of wolves away from some friends' sheep, but really it wasn't that exciting.

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Upcoming / Love / Interview Cruel Summer: Laura Stevenson Talks Feminism, Depression, and Sugary Pop Music

Posted by Megan Seling on Fri, May 10, 2013 at 11:03 AM

Laura Stevenson plays the Sunset Tavern tomorrow night with Field Mouse and Seapony! Tickets are still available here.

There's something about Laura Stevenson's music that makes it impossible for me to stop listening to her songs. Last year, I played her song "Master of Art" hundreds of times in a matter of months, and this time around, on her latest record, Wheel, my drug is the first single, "Runner." It sounds like the epitome of summer—the chorus captures the same bright bitterness of "Vacation" by the Go-Go's, while Stevenson sings over and over, "This summer hurts." It's the same kind of relationship I have with summer. I love it, and I hate it.

Elsewhere on Wheel, Stevenson continues the evolution from acoustic folk songs to more explosive anthems with injections of horns and piano—new layers reveal themselves with every listen. I chatted with Stevenson while her band made the long trip from Houston to El Paso.

You used to be billed as Laura Stevenson and the Cans. I was going to ask you where the Cans went, but then I read your interview with Larry Livermore, where you pointed out one of the reasons you dropped it was because people kept making boob jokes.

That was the thing that annoyed me from the get-go, but I was like, "I'm going to try to overcome this."

Did you see Grimes's recent blog post about the things that she's no longer going to put up with as a female musician? She doesn't want to be infantilized; she's tired of reviews calling her a waif or a fairy... all these cute words. I feel like it's something that isn't talked about much in the music industry. Does it ever still feel like it's a boys' club out there?

Definitely. Especially the infantilizing thing. It's so ridiculous, because no matter what I do, my voice is called "cute." Even if I'm saying something hideous and sounding as ugly as I can, I'm still called cute. I had a party at my apartment, and this young couple said to me, "We listened to your music! It's really cute." They were guests in my home, so I couldn't be like, "Get the fuck out," they were my roommate's friends, but how shitty! Your life's work is fucking cute? Would you say that to Beethoven? Like, "Real cute sonata, Beethoven." It makes you feel small, and you shouldn't have to feel that way, especially if you're an adult human being who's making something honest.

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Party! / Tonight / Interview Take a Vacation from Mundane Sounds: Debacle Fest Is Experimental Music's Ultimate Spring Break

Posted by Dave Segal on Fri, May 3, 2013 at 1:29 PM

Debacle Fest starts tonight and goes through Sunday. See the full schedule at debaclefest.com and see Dave Segal's picks here!

MOON POOL & DEAD BAND: This festival is going to be a gas.

DOUG COOMBES
MOON POOL & DEAD BAND: This festival is going to be a gas.

You gotta admire the steely nerve of a music festival whose biggest acts are Hieroglyphic Being, John Wiese (and his nasty alter ego, Sissy Spacek), and Wolf Eyes treblemaker Nate Young. Organizer Sam Melancon once again has gone deep into the underground to gather a lineup of national and local subversives who explore the extremities of drone, noise, minimalism, electronic music, and avant rock. Now in its sixth year, Debacle bestows three days of subterranean aural adventures in three venues. Think of it as a concentrated spring break for hardcore experimental-music heads. The Stranger asked Melancon—who also runs a simpatico label called Debacle—to shed more light on this important event.

Did you approach the curation of Debacle differently from previous years? It seems like there's more emphasis on dance music (albeit very strange dance music), judging by Sunday's bill, which reflects the influence of your MOTOR night.

I may have allowed myself to dream a little bigger and go harder for certain artists this year. Overall, the approach was the same as ever. These are artists that I enjoy and would love to see live. That's my only litmus test. I write down a huge list of people I would love to have, and I send out e-mails or ask friends to make connections, and I go from there. As always, what I set out to book and what the final lineup becomes are very divergent, but it's definitely more interesting than anything I could have come up with in a vacuum.

MOTOR is new to Debacle Fest this year. I wanted to go big with a whole night being a showcase of the local MOTOR crew, along with national-level artists that fit in to the vision of what MOTOR can be. I think that night is going to be phenomenal. Just Hieroglyphic Being alone is a huge thing, but I think it will be a historically good night—Moon Pool, Prostitutes, Strategy, GOODWIN, etc. You couldn't ask for a better lineup of mutant-dance heavies.

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News / Business / Interview Save Seattle Drum School

Posted by Trent Moorman on Thu, May 2, 2013 at 1:20 PM

Voice your support for the Seattle Drum School by contacting the Department of Planning and Development at 684-8600. Seattle Drum School also recommends you e-mail Councilman Nick Licata at Nick.Licata@seattle.gov.

TRENT MOORMAN
Kristy and Steve Smith

Since 1986, Seattle Drum School has been a beacon of percussion and musical instruction for people of all ages and skill sets. The North Seattle and Georgetown locations are absolute assets to our city. Combined, they have roughly 600 students, 40 teachers, and four administrators. They offer bass, guitar, piano, voice, trumpet, saxophone, trombone, DJ, mandolin, and ukulele lessons, as well as rock-band classes, a Scottish drum corps class, and audio-engineering instruction. During the summer, Seattle Drum School offers camps, and they host all-ages shows and clinics with big-name hitters at their venues the Slab (Georgetown), and the L.A.B. (North Seattle, standing for Little Auditorium in the Back). But all is not rosy right now for the school—the city is threatening their existence. After 25 years of fire inspections with no problems, the Department of Planning and Development has decided to change Seattle Drum School's risk classification to that of a public school. It would force them to install sprinklers, have a seismic assessment and retrofit, and make various other alterations—the cost could be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, effectively putting them out of business.

DEAR MAYOR MCGINN: Seattle Drum School should be flourishing, not on the verge of being shut down. Mr. Mayor, we cannot let places like Seattle Drum School perish. It's a great, positive place for kids, employing good people. We need music. We need music teachers. We need music taught. Our city and its government should be helping places like this, not threatening them.

Seattle Drum School founder Steve Smith spoke.

What's the latest on the retrofit/sprinkler issue?

A couple of weeks ago, I spoke with an assistant Seattle attorney who handles land-use issues. She was very kind and said she was going to contact her client at the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) to see if there was a way to bring us into compliance without resorting to a lawsuit. So far, I haven't heard back.

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Tonight / Interview Bleached Bring the Sun: Checking in with the Clavin Sisters on Tour

Posted by Emily Nokes on Wed, May 1, 2013 at 5:19 PM

Seattle folks love to talk about the weather as much as they love to talk about how much everyone talks about the weather. But damnit, it's getting warmer around here! Bleached—a Los Angeles–based, sister-founded lo-fi rock outfit formed by ex–Mika Miko punks Jennifer and Jessica Clavin—are perfect for your sunshine enjoyment. Their recent full-length, Ride Your Heart, is sweet with a little salt, like a fast-melting margarita in a pink plastic cup. Sandy guitar hooks with catchy drumming, A-plus harmonies, and a faded-heart-shapes-on-acid-washed-cutoffs-style nostalgia for the recent past—music you could (and should) pop in an old boom box and start a night-swimming party to.

I e-mailed a few questions to Bleached while they were on the road, older sis Jennifer responded.

Where did the name Bleached come from? When I first saw it, I thought, "Nirvana cover band?" But only for a second.

Ha-ha, no—I was trying to come up with a name that I thought sounded cool and reminded me of a punk-style name, because those are always the best. And bleaching something can last forever, like sisters.

At what point did you decide it was time to teach yourself how to play guitar?

When I was in high school, I used to go to shows every weekend. One time, I saw this girl band and I thought, "Wait, why am I not in a band?" My dad had guitars, so I went home and taught myself how to play so I could start a band. I think I was 16 or 17.

Bleached play Chop Suey tonight with Ex-Cops and Week of Wonders.

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Tonight / Interview You've Got Mael: An Interview With Sparks' Vocalist Russell

Posted by Dave Segal on Mon, Apr 22, 2013 at 1:10 PM

If you’re gearing up for tonight’s Sparks show at Neptune Theatre (or if you're just a fan), you may want to read this interview with vocalist Russell Mael conducted by Elizabeth Mollo that’s in our sister paper Portland Mercury this week.

Here's an excerpt:

RUSSELL MAEL: Our recent touring history has consisted of more and more elaborate staging with each tour. The culmination was our last touring situation where we presented in London on 21 consecutive nights, all 21 of our albums, all 272 songs to that date. And now we wanted to find a way to do something equally audacious on stage but in a completely different way: hence stripping away all of the trappings surrounding the group, having no other musicians on stage other than Ron and me, and no computers or other backing. And in doing so we didn't want this to be mistaken for an “unplugged” or singer/songwriter performance but rather for it to contain all the power, size, aggression and urgency as if there were a full group with us.

Read the whole thing here.

Also, did you know that Sparks’ “Roger” inspired the New Zealand band Tall Dwarfs? This observation has been made by one of the world’s foremost record collectors and weird-music authorities, Eric Lumbleau (Mutant Sounds blog, member of the phenomenal Vas Deferens Organization group). After much listening, I believe the claim. Lumbleau also has said that Sparks' "Biology 2" (which was actually written by guitarist Earle Mankey) influenced Devo, which is another true insight. Live and learn.

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Interview Trying to Talk to Johnny Marr About Shoes: Guitar Legend Shows Extreme Patience with Inept Interviewer

Posted by Derek Erdman on Mon, Apr 15, 2013 at 10:39 AM

DEREK ERDMAN

Dear reader: I've done you a great disservice. When I was offered the opportunity to interview Johnny Marr, I leapt at the chance—I was certain my rabid admiration made me the best candidate to relay Marr's current opinions on the state of the world. Instead, my fanaticism turned into sheer nervous terror, giving me the brilliant idea that I should ask him a bunch of questions about shoes. And weed.

Johnny Marr is a legendary rock guitar player and songwriter, known mostly for his integral role in the Smiths. He's managed to stay relevant throughout his entire career, playing in too many bands to count. In the late 2000s, Marr spent a great deal of time in the Pacific Northwest as a member of Modest Mouse. He'll return on Monday, April 15, to play Neumos, supporting his latest solo LP, The Messenger, which was released in February.

I wanted to congratulate you on your NME Godlike Genius award. How does a thing like that make you feel?

You know, you can't take that kind of stuff too seriously. The award made a lot of fans happy, though, so that was nice. A good thing about that one is that it's kind of tongue in cheek, it's not too serious.

You used to reside in Portland, and you still have a home there. Are you fond of the Pacific Northwest? Have you been able to explore the area very much?

Quite a bit, yeah. I took to it straightaway. Mostly the mentality of the people I found myself meeting—it was nice to discover that there are a lot of liberal and creative artistic people there. I spent a lot of time hanging out in bookstores, meeting other musicians, and writing a lot of songs with bands like Modest Mouse. After a while, I started to explore the things that people who live healthier lives do. I've explored the Columbia River quite a bit, but I find Portland very pretty and quite inspiring, so I didn't really need to get out of town too much. I went to Salem, just because that's where John Fahey spent most of his time.

Johnny Marr plays Neumos tonight with Alamar.

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Tonight / Interview / Sound Check Sound Check: Tyler, the Creator the Statue

Posted by Trent Moorman on Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 2:49 PM

TYLER, THE CREATOR

Odd Future's main mouth-brain Tyler, the Creator has just released his third studio album, Wolf. With it, a progression can be seen in his rapping, producing, and all-around, international-skate-park, antiworld, image-making mogulity. Mogulity, yes, for Tyler is a mogul and an entity. Also, an anomaly. Is there a more controversial and scrutinized figure in hiphop right now than the 22-year-old Los Angeles–based Tyler Gregory Okonma? At once, he takes risks and reveals. He hits you in the face, but he lets you hit him back. He plays roles as the shock-genius, the villain, and the Amadeus. Is he homophobic? In 2011, his rape-heavy and seemingly antigay content prompted Tegan and Sara to call him on his shit.

Questions about Tyler abound. Would Frank Ocean and Syd tha Kyd—both out now—still work with him if he was antigay? Would Mountain Dew, Adult Swim, and Sony Music be working with him if he were such a social liability? He has carved out a certain mystique. Does he say too much? Perhaps. Does he push buttons and have fun? Definitely. Is it for everyone? No. Does he like cats? Very much so. Is he young and growing? Yes and yes. As of last check, he had stopped using the word "rape" in his shows. But with Tyler's worldwideness and overcharged, hard content, what gets lost occasionally is that he's an artist. Some of his brushstrokes are crude. If it causes reaction, that's what he wants.

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Conflict of Interest / Interview / Mix Unsafe Travels: Alan Bishop's Made Like a Tree Podcast

Posted by Dave Segal on Tue, Mar 26, 2013 at 9:50 AM

Alan Bishop—Sublime Frequencies co-founder and leader of the Cairo-based band the Invisible Hands—has a new podcast up on Seattle's Made Like a Tree blog. It includes an interview that I conducted with the former Sun City Girls bassist about Sublime Frequencies’ working methods and goals and the origin of his Uncle Jim alter ego. The mix includes highlights from SF's worldly and wildly diverse roster, Bishop’s solo recordings as Alvarius B., and a smattering of classics culled from Sun City Girls’ vast and twisted catalog. It serves as an illuminating introduction to Bishop and SF's aesthetics. You can listen to the podcast and read the interview here.

Tracklist
1. Alvarius B - Dirty Angels [Abduction]
2. Jo & The Magnificent - Sunshine [Silent]
3. Boutaiba Sghir - Malgre Tout [Sublime Frequencies]
4. Artie Barsamin and his Orchestra - Nene Aman [Ilissoss/Kathreftis]
5. Group Doueh - Zayna Jumma [Sublime Frequencies]
6. Omar Khorshid - Raksat El Kheyl [Sublime Frequencies]
7. Group Inerane - Kuni Majagani [Sublime Frequencies]
8. Neung Phak - Beng Touyib [Abduction]
9. Omar Souleyman - Shift Al Mani (I Saw Her) [Sublime Frequencies]
10. Sun City Girls - Ruby Soul Lao [Abduction]
11. Sun City Girls - Nights of Malta (Live 1992) [Nashazphone]
12. Sun City Girls - The Imam [Annihaya Records ]
13. Sun City Girls - Blue Mamba [Majora]
14. Sun City Girls - Sev Archer [Dub Ditch Picnic]
15. Sun City Girls - Cruel and Thin [Abduction]
16. Umni Nadra - Senjah Indah [Sublime Frequencies]
17. Uncle Jim's Superstars of Greenwich Meantime - Graduation Day [Black Velvet Fuckere Recordings]

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Fashion / Interview / 206 Purse Thursdayz - Linda

Posted by Radjaw on Thu, Mar 21, 2013 at 3:20 PM

Welcome to Purse Thursdayz! Every week, I'll be looking into the purses, bags, and satchels of some of Seattle's finest women—seeing exactly what they are carrying around all day. Catching purses in their natural environment is very important, so these ladies do not know they are going to be interviewed.
Shall we?

Linda, 55. White leather tote. 12:26pm. Lindas HQ.

G. Smith
Linda, 55. White leather tote. 12:26pm. Linda's HQ.

This week, I decided to stop by and see my homegirl, Linda Derschang. You may know her from her many endeavors including Linda's, Oddfellows, King's, Smith, Bait Shop (great design) and the forthcoming neighborhood restaurant, Tallulah's. I'm also pretty sure she owns the Shell gas station, Cal Anderson park, and Bruce Lee's soul. Whatever she is up to, she continues to kill the game. I had to know what she carries around all day.

What kind of purse?
It's Marni. Two months ago, I bought it at the outlet mall outside of Palm Springs. (whispering) I actually bought two.. it was a two for one.

Do you love it?
I do, I really do. I love that nobody would know it's a Marni, no need to scream name brand on the side. I'm more interested in having a bag that I love that also happens to be functional.

Is a bag an integral part of your style?
Absolutely. It can make or break your look. In the evenings, I switch to something much smaller but still carry the bare essentials. I really like purses!

What's your night purse like?
What is most important to me is that it has a long strap. You don't want to be the lady with the big ol' bag on your shoulder hitting people at an event. One hand for my drink, one hand to shake, and I must have my purse low and out of the way.

Sounds like many a years of socializing. Can we see what's inside?

• Apple laptop
• White notepad
• Day planner/address book
• Comme des Garçons wallet
• iPhone
• Checkbook
• Pilot G-2 pen
• Ibuprofen
• Arnica

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Album / Interview Alvarius B. on the New Invisible Hands Album (Sort Of)

Posted by Dave Segal on Thu, Mar 14, 2013 at 10:18 AM

It’s always a capital idea to read an interview with Alvarius B. (aka Alan Bishop), one of the savvy decision-makers behind the Seattle-based Sublime Frequencies label and frontman for the newish Cairo, Egypt group the Invisible Hands. When Bishop gets to the podium, his cryptic wisdom, biting wit, caustic sociopolitical observations, and astute musical opinions pour forth in a torrent. It behooves you to pay close attention. Read the interview here.

The Invisible Hands’ self-titled album comes out March 19 on Bishop’s Abduction label.

(Yes, this is the same song that accompanied a recent Line Out post on the Invisible Hands, but you passed over it. Why did you do that? Well, here's your chance to redeem yourself. Don't blow it this time.)

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Interview / Sound Check Sound Check: George Clinton's Parliament-Funkadelic Still Tearing the Roof Off

Posted by Trent Moorman on Thu, Mar 14, 2013 at 10:13 AM

George Clinton

To think of funk music without George Clinton is like thinking about the breeze without air. Or water without wetness. That's how integral the man is and was to the sound. The 72-year-old Clinton is, at the core, a grand communicator and skilled facilitator—able to take 20 people in a studio noodling and jamming and pull the strings that would bring it all together. In the late 1960s, Clinton and his musical conglomerations of Parliament and Funkadelic ushered in the funk movement. Clinton aptly orchestrated and groomed the likes of Bootsy Collins, Eddie Hazel, Bernie Worrell, and Maceo Parker, stirring them all into a sonic combination that was impossible not to move to.

Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic dominated music in the 1970s with more than 40 R&B hits (which included three number ones and three platinum albums). Live, the show became an otherworldly circus. There was the Aqua Boogie Bird, the Brides of Funkenstein, the Booty Snatchers, 20-foot shades, a pyramid, a spaceship, all consumed in gyration. Despite the spectacle, what never got buried was the musicianship. Clinton spoke.

Parliament-Funkadelic were so distinctive that you all needed your own language. There was the music, the show, and your own vocabulary. Where did that come from?

We'd be in the studio or on the road with each other, sort of shut off from the outside world—I guess it just came out of that. It wasn't like we tried to make up all these different words or ways of saying things, they just happened. On sleeve notes to the fans, one of the notes said: "Improve Your Funkmenship. The Nastified Secret Order of the United Maggots of Funkadelia is being magnetized for your convenience. Send all inquiries to Maggotropolis of Funkadelia, Los Angeles, CA. Warning: Obvious squares and turkeys attempting entry into the REALM will be reduced immediately to basic atoms of radioactive turds." Now, what that means exactly I can't say [laughs]. But you listen to the music and see the show, and you understand what it means.

George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic play Showbox at the Market Sat, March 23.

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Interview In Through the Out Door: Led Zeppelin Drummer John Bonham Comes Clean

Posted by Trent Moorman on Mon, Mar 11, 2013 at 11:02 AM

JOHN BONHAM: “We should have just kept fishing.”

Emily Nokes
JOHN BONHAM: “We should have just kept fishing.”

John Bonham, of Redditch, Worcestershire, England, is the son of a carpenter and is undoubtedly one of the greatest drummers the earth has ever been pummeled by. Bonham grew up swinging hammers and laying bricks, instilling heaviness into his hands and limbs. His friend Robert Plant recruited him to play in the band Led Zeppelin, and with them, his ancient futuristic meter was set into stone. Bonham's playing is multidimensional—innovative with stamina and feel. His inhumanly hefty and fast right foot pounds out a two-ton stomp. You hear it and know it's Bonzo Bonham. Live, his solos go on for 25 minutes, incorporating an effected orchestral timpani drum that hooks cables into hovering alien crafts outside the venue and brings them in for landing.

Led Zeppelin are rehearsing at guitarist Jimmy Page's mansion in Windsor. I'm excited to hear new songs, like "Poor Tom," off their forthcoming album Coda. John Bonham spoke. It took seven separate managers to connect the call. Bonham said he was outside, in a field, and that the sun was out. The reception was surprisingly clear.

What have you been up to, John?

I've been playing lots. Feeling good. I had a rough time there for a bit, but everything's under control now. This place where I'm staying is so far out here, it's hard to get drum parts. The roads to get here are nuts. I discovered fro-yo a couple months ago, and it's blowing my mind. The Reese's/graham cracker combination is tops.

Who are your favorite drummers? Could you talk about how you get your sound?

Max Roach, Gene Krupa, and Buddy Rich. I think you gotta spend time with your drums. Learn to tune them. I use a 14-by-6.5-inch Ludwig Chrome Supraphonic 402 snare. I keep the bottom heads tight. My kick drum is 26 by 14 inches, and I don't like a hole in the front head. The large amount of air needed to move through the shell has to travel very quickly to properly excite the resonant head.

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Band / Interview / Tip Burnt Palms Cures Vitamin D Deficiency

Posted by Bree McKenna on Thu, Feb 28, 2013 at 6:10 PM

Burnt Palms are a three-piece that play surf/pop/grunge/twee rock in a sleepy beach town in Monterey County, California. Their fuzzy guitars make them sound like a more surfy, more rockin' Marine Girls, but the vocal harmonies just make me remember how much I love the Breeders. This week I can't get enough of their 19 minute debut record, it's inherent beachy-ness is almost making up for the severe vitamin D deficiency I'm certain that I'm accruing living through another bright, grey Seattle winter... and their guitarist Christina was nice enough to answer a few questions I had about the band... Keep reading!

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Upcoming / Interview 2nd Annual Balkan Nights Northwest, an Interview With Dragi Spasovski

Posted by Sean Jewell on Wed, Feb 27, 2013 at 10:37 AM

Festival season is upon us, and the next great one coming up is Seattle’s own Balkan Nights Northwest. Last year it was a one-day affair that overflowed the Russian Cultural Center, encouraging promoters to make it two nights this year: March 15th and 16th (three nights if you count a special Triple Door performance on the 17th).

Believe it or not, the swirling orchestral sounds and hypnotic vocals of the Balkan region are something we specialize in right here in Seattle with great bands like Bucharest Drinking Team, and Orkestar Zirkonium. Seattle is also home to ambassadors and Balkan folk music heroes like Dragi Spasovski and Alexander Eppler. This year there are over 30 traditional and comtemporary Balkan bands performing. Get your tickets here.

If you’re like me and wondering what to expect from a Balkan Music festival, check out my interview below with the charismatic and kind Dragi Spasovski himself.

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Band / Interview Hot Hair-Care Tips From HAIRSTORM

Posted by Bree McKenna on Fri, Feb 22, 2013 at 3:17 PM

After a few drinks last night, I noticed a poster for HAIRSTORM's upcoming tour (Seattle's premiere '80s hair rock tribute band) and I immediately wrote them to get the low-down on their hottest hair-care tips.

What is your style regimen before shows?
We always blow dry our hair while hanging upside down. That is the ONLY way to keep it up!

Leave in or wash out? How do you all get volume?
Never, ever, ee-eever wash!!! And we get all that bitchin' volume from layers of hairspray, just like coats of paint. Lots of thin layers.

What happens when a band member's hair starts to lose volume or shape in the middle of a set?
Hate when that happens, even more than getting cold sores! Well, you gotta make sure that the flat side of your head is facing the back wall, so you can get offstage without anyone noticing.

What is your opinion on mousse?
We totally prefer it BBQ'd.

Hard-hitting question: Aquanet, yes or no?
Hell Yes! We never really understood what the big deal is about the ozone anyway.

Thanks, HAIRSTORM!!!! You can catch them recreating Def Leppard/Twisted Sister/Whitesnake/Gun N' Roses vibes at the Feedback Lounge in West Seattle on May 4th.

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Upcoming / Interview Psychic, Powerful, and Perfectly Wonky: Matmos's Mind-Blowing Telepathic Experiment

Posted by Dave Segal on Tue, Feb 19, 2013 at 11:15 AM

Drew Daniel and Martin Schmidt aspire to telepathy.

AJ FARKAS
Drew Daniel and Martin Schmidt aspire to telepathy.

"These people were on fire," says Matmos member Martin Schmidt about the massive post–Super Bowl celebration by his fellow Baltimore citizens in the wake of the Ravens' win. "When I walked by, one of them said, 'Yay, our team won!' I'm infected by the same disease, but I just doubt myself. Am I allowed to be enthusiastic about anything?"

"Some of them had this weird irony about the fact they were celebrating," says Drew Daniel, Schmidt's musical and life partner, who recorded some of the spontaneous festivities because, hey, this stuff could come in handy for a future album or something. "It would creep into the way they would chant. 'Bal-ti-more! Bal-ti-more! U!S!A! U!S!A!' It was like there were quotes around it." But he also sensed something "utopian and awesome" about those crowds.

Matmos have been putting quotes around experimental electronic music for the last 16 years. If anyone could take the chaos and exuberance of a sportsball hullabaloo and make them interesting, it's these witty eccentrics. Hell, they could probably put an ingenious spin on the tired trope of "jock jams" if they set their minds to it. They may be highbrow creative chameleons, but Matmos know how to inject fun and unpredictability into their music, as anyone who saw Daniel's butt get used as a percussion instrument at that long-ago Triple Door set can attest.

Matmos play Neumos tomorrow, Wednesday Feb 20, with Mouse on Mars and Horse Lords.

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Band / Tonight / Interview The Best of Everything: So Much to Like at This Upcoming Show

Posted by Emily Nokes on Sat, Feb 9, 2013 at 10:07 AM

SARAH BLANCHARD
LONESOME SHACK

I'm totally biased because I live in the Central (and Best) District, but catching a show at neighborhood bike shop 20/20 Cycle is magical. Owner Alex Kostelnik hosts a handful of all-ages music events every year, temporarily moving piles of bikes, bike parts, and accessories to create an intimate venue—the low ceilings and overall DIY appeal of 20/20 are always a welcome change from the bar/venue grind.

On February 9, local garage punks Unnatural Helpers will be sharing a bill with the tears-surfing lady group wonders La Luz and stripped-down, ghostly blues-makers Lonesome Shack. Just this lineup alone at this venue is A+, but the sparkling cherry on top is that Ruben Mendez and Lacey Swain's Gold Van Records—a mobile record shopping experience full of hand-picked vinyl—will be open for business outside the show.

You know and love the Helpers, but let's get acquainted with these other folks in a triple interview party with La Luz, Lonesome Shack, and Gold Van Records!

Lonesome Shack

Who are Lonesome Shack?

Ben Todd (guitar, vocals, songwriting), Kristian Garrard (drums), Luke Bergman (bass), and occasionally Andrew Swanson (saxophone).

Tell me about Lonesome Shack!

Ben: Haunted boogie blues. The first Lonesome Shack tape came out in 2002. I made tapes for years when I lived in a lonesome shack in Alma, New Mexico, but the beginning of the band, as it is now, was when I started to play with Kristian in '08. Luke joined a couple years back, and that really filled the band out. Our new record, City Man, was recorded live to tape in one night at Cafe Racer and features Andrew Swanson on sax.

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