It was snowing this morning, now the sun is beating beads of sweat and perspiration from the streets. It’s a Wolf bros kind of day… Why? in the morn and Josiah in the afternoon, trying to get rabbinical with their father tonight? If you missed the news a short time back, Josiah Wolf is releasing a record of his own, Jet Lag, on March 3. If anyone knows where I can cop The Josiah EP from way back when, shoot me an email thanks omar! More news from Josiah right here.
In conjunction with Dublab’s Matthewdavid, Anticon’s Shaun Koplow (sodapop) hosts a free 21+ weekly music night on Fridays at the Hyperion Tavern in L.A., from 10 until 2 a.m. Two weeks ago, “Calling All Kids” featured special DJ sets from Doseone, Jel, Thanksgiving Brown and Pedestrian. Last week, Thavius Beck dropped by, and THIS FRIDAY, Yoni Wolf of WHY? stops in.
In other WHY? news, the band has contributed a new song, “Eskimo Snow (sock hop version),” to a limited CD/LP compilation benefiting Sudanese refugees. Tiny Mix Tapes Vol. 1: Darfur, released by the webzine of the same name, also includes contributions by good folk like Mount Eerie, Jim O’Rourke, Dan Deacon and Xiu Xiu. Cop it here. Album art above.
Finally, half of the lineup for ATP’s annual UK fest, “The Fans Strike Back,” is decided by votes from ticket-holders. Well, this year’s request list is in and WHY? came in at number five just below Bonnie Prince Billy and TV On The Radio. The band was voted in last year, so this bodes well.
Why? – Waterfalls (Almost Live From Eli’s)
Why? – Simeons Dilemma (Almost Live From Eli’s)
other news
anticon. signs serengeti & polyphonic
the onion interviews doseone here
download themselves’ theFREEhoudini mixtape here
odd nosdam and jel on xlr8r tv here
It’s an honor to present an interview with Tobacco covering the dichotomy between Tobacco and Black Moth Super Rainbow, as well as touching upon earlier works and hinting towards the future. As satanstompingcaterpillars, an introduction to lo-fi synth-pop was made and as Black Moth Super Rainbow grew from the ashes, several good men and women stronger, the music has not only gained in appreciators but taken on a unique form of production different from any other music being made today. Without spilling our collective hearts out and continuing with words which do no justice, lets get on with this.
FMLY: I’d like to begin by clearing the fog. Thanks to Impose magazine it’s acknowledged that you, Tobacco, are Black Moth Super Rainbow (outside of live settings). During the time of satanstompingcaterpillars, when was it decided with Power Pill Fist that you would take composition and recording duties? If it wasn’t decided, and you feel comfortable doing so, I’d like to know about the transition into BMSR and what provoked it.
Tobacco: It’s just sort of how it always was. I’m bad at collaborating with people, and I thought it was always easier to work alone. I think I get most inspired alone, and less self conscious of what I’m doing. We’ve written a few songs together as a band back in all the different bands, and it always feels great when it happens, but I never push it to keep happening. I had started off really noisy and abstract with Allegheny White Fish. We were all so happy with ourselves for coming up with that name in 10th grade, but it wasn’t too funny 4 years later. Then ssc [satanstompingcaterpillars] was like my way to be more melodic all the time, and a little more serious. Then when it started to shift again into something I might be a little more comfortable performing live, I brought in the rest of the band and we changed over again. I’ve always felt like these ideas shouldn’t outstay their welcome. 3 or 4 records is enough, because I get really bored, and I like to keep these bands and ideas as pure as I can, in their places in time, until it seems like I’ve finally gotten it right.
FMLY: Your sound evolved tremendously with Falling Through A Field. Was this due to new software, new instruments, new friends to play with, an acid trip or just a new vision of swampy pink meadows and multicolored waterfalls? Do you and PPF continue to make music together on the side? I’m a big fan of his Atari work, were you two into video games when you were young or is it only appreciated as an instrument? Related, why the decision to use many tracks from satanstompingcaterpillars?
Tobacco: Falling Through A Field was like a weird best-of record at the time. Some of my favorite stuff that I thought was still relevant from ssc, mixed with where it was going with the vocoders and analog synths and beats. It was all fueled by the idea that these synths were available and we were figuring out what they did, plus the idea of the vocoder was really appealing because I didn’t have to be so self-conscious about my voice anymore. PPF and I haven’t made anything in awhile, but like I said, I’m just not much of a team player. I think he’s taking the Atari stuff somewhere really interesting for his next record. I’ve only heard one song, but it was definitely different.
FMLY: After speaking with The Octopus Project I was surprised to find out that The House of Apples and Eyeballs was an online project and that you hadn’t actually met before recording. Had you listened to tOP before this collaboration and who initiated the process? Do you still maintain a relationship with them and was the rest of BMSR involved during the recording process or only at your live performance of the album at SXSW?
Tobacco: I had the cd with the mannequins on the cover, and I had no idea how much they’d changed since then. I didn’t know they were more of a rock band, so that was a good surprise. I think Ryan from Graveface just went to a couple shows of theirs and had the idea on his own to put it together. We see them like once a year now, because we usually stay with Toto when we play in Austin.
I had all these random parts recorded with everyone from BMSR over a couple years that we were able to incorporate into that album. The whole point of it was trying to make something out of stuff both bands had lying around and didn’t know what to do with, so it ended up being kind of a good exercise for me in listening to some of the garbage I make and figuring out how to make it work on some level. I think everyone makes at least one appearance.
FMLY: There’s no denying the role that your music has played in many people’s lives, but more specifically those who dabble with acid, shrooms and other mind -altering drugs…or just straight up weed. What you may consider to be a subtle portion of a track could influence one’s entire trip. Do you take this into consideration when crafting an album?
Tobacco: I’m sort of learning this more and more over time, but everything I make is pop to me, and it’s the only way I know how to make it. So drugs have absolutely nothing to do with it for me – it’s just what I think sounds good at the time. I’m not much of a psychedelic music fan, and I’ve never aspired to be psychedelic. I think it’s just my ear being wrong. I really think I’m making hooky pop music, but then it comes out, and everyone’s like, “no, it’s this…”
satanstompingcaterpillars – Goodbye Method (from Flower Slides)
satanstompingcaterpillars – The Autumn Kaleidoscope Now Has Hips (from The Autumn Kaleidoscope Got Changed)
satanstompingcaterpillars – Black Snow (from The Most Wonderfulest Thing)
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Boxphones (from Falling Through A Field)
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Smile Heavy (from Start A People)
Black Moth Super Rainbow + The Octopus Project – Spiracle (from The House Of Apples & Eyeballs)
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Sun Lips (from Dandelion Gum
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Just For The Night (Laura Burhenn, BMSR remix) (from Drippers)
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Eating Us medley
anticon. co-founder and ex-art director Odd Nosdam worked some magic on Danielson’s “Our Givest” – as if Danielson isn’t magical enough! I don’t know where you can preview the track, but you can purchase the 7″ here. Definitely worth checking out on Odd’s MySpace is his remix of Black Moth Super Rainbow’s “Forever Heavy.”
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If you’re in SF tonight make sure to stop by USF for an all evening concert featuring our boys in Koalacaust! More info on their MySpace.
I also wanted to give some info on Yoni’s solo set takin’ it back to the old school Why? days. Armed with his Rhodes piano and a chorus of an audience Yoni played some sing-a-long songs off of Alopecia, then introduced us to what he has been working on for his next album and closed with…I honestly don’t remember, but it was early, it was beautiful and you all should have been there.
Just for some personal feedback, I love cLOUDDEAD an immeasurable amount and have no words to express what seeing them was like. All I have to offer is that if you were there last night, something very special happened. Stories behind the mysterious group was revealed such as how songs adapted their titles and how certain lyrics came to be. I just want to throw out a huge thank you to anticon., the Knitting Factory and all who attended last night. You all were great, and if you attended and are reading this – I was the asshole yelling for cLOUDDEAD at the end of Odd Nosdam’s set. You all laughed at me and said it wouldn’t happen but what now muthafuckas!
“Oakland musician Why? (aka Yoni Wolf), performed a haunting solo set at the Independent last night. He did a few songs acapella and played his Rhodes for the rest of the set.
The set was great, but nowhere near as long as I would have hoped. Probably around 25 minutes long. Then again, I just really wanted to hear him do a minimal version of Broken Crow again. This was the first Why? show I had seen in quite some time… maybe since the original Hymie’s Basement show in Minneapolis (5 or 6 years ago).” [photo and writeup via doc pop]
Congrats to those who won tickets and keep reading for some special surprises soon to be not surprises. Once again, I urge all of our New York readers to come out tonight, not just for anticon., but for the Knitting Factory as well. This is the last two weeks of Manhattan residence for the Knitting Factory, the new year will find the historic venue in Williamsburg. New Year’s Eve tickets for Deerhoof, Deer Tick and the celebration of the end of Deercember are now on sale.
“Akron/Family curates New Year’s Eve! Featuring performances by Deerhoof, Akron/Family, Dirty Projectors, Deer Tick, Megafaun, tons more & very special surprise guests – a full-club farewell to the Leonard Street Knit!” – Knitting Factory
Three types of tickets are available for their NYE bash, get the rundown from our pals at BV here.
fun fact: This is the Knitting Factory’s final month of operation in Manhattan. In ‘09 the classic venue will make its move to Williamsburg so come say good-bye!
“HELLO ! TO THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN INQUIRING ABOUT WHAT AND WHO “PEER PRESSURE” MAY BE IT’S ACTUALLY MY DRUM SET! HAHA THATS STRAIGHT TALK! IN THE FUTURE THIS MONIKER WILL MOST LIKELY DEFINE A COLLECTIVE OF HUMAN BEINGS PLAYING SONGS AND MY DRUM SET, BUT FOR THIS TOUR ITS A METAPHOR FOR THE DRUMS AND THATS ABOUT ALL I’M BRINGING AND ALL IM PLAYING. TO MAKE IT CLEAR SO THERES NO CONFUSION ABOUT MY UPCOMING PERFORMANCES I AM PERFORMING A 45 MINUTE NON STOP HEAVILY IMPROVISED RENDITION OF THE TRACK “NECROMANCER” OFF OF MY NEWEST SOLO RELEASE. THIS WILL BE ME ON DRUMS AND THE LAPTOP ON LAPTOP OR THE IPOD ON IPOD. I PLAN ON PERFORMING THE MORE SONG ORIENTED MATERIAL OFF THE ALBUM WITH A FULL BAND IN THE THE FUTURE BUT FOR MANY REASONS IT WAS UNREALISTIC AT THIS JUNCTURE. SO THIS IS HOW I WILL BE EXPRESSING MYSELF IN THE NOW ASIDE FROM THE SHOWS WERE ITS NOTED THAT I’LL HAVE SOMEONE AWESOME SITTING IN WITH ME!” [zach hill]
Tomorrow night’s awesome guest chillin’ with Zach on stage will be Marco Benevento who is a brilliant keyboardist whether you want to hear some circuit bending, post-jazz or anything in between. If not for the already guaranteed night of incredible music, come to say bye to Subtle as the collective have announced that they’re going on hiatus from this project.
For further anticon happenings, the collective has just released the flyer for their Third Annual Ten Year Anniversary. This year’s party will bring you Themselves (doseone & jel), Yoni Wolf aka Why?, Odd Nosdam + Jel, Sole, Alias, Buck 65, pedestrian + DJ Thanksgiving Brown. This incredible night is December 18 at The Knitting Factory and you can buy tickets here.
On Thursday PopGun Booking has a great event at Glasslands. DJ Kid Color will be on deck with music supplied by Anamanaguchi, The French Horn Rebellion and Savoir Adore.
Friday brings us the best way to end the week – Stars of the Lid, Hammock and Jocelyn Bonadio at Le Poisson Rouge. Purchase tickets here.
If you’re in the mood for a much cheaper week then you can see Peter & the Wolf multiple times. Tonight Red will be at The Studio at Webster Hall, Wednesday he’ll be at Union Hall and Saturday he’ll be at The Silent Barn. Chances are he’ll be playing house parties in Brooklyn each night which will lead into next week perfectly with a Brooklyn house show by none other than Pat the Bunny aka Wingnut Dishwasher’s Union. Head over to the Peter and the Wolf MySpace for ALL NEW MUSIC from his new record including a completely redone version of “Safe Travels.” You can also purchase the record [pictured above] once you’re there.
MoveOn.org is being gracious and giving away Shepard Fairey designed Obama victory stickers [pictured above]. Head over here and get yours.
Now I couldn’t send you off to bed or work or school without some jammin’ tunes to listen to for the day so here’s a little somthing special. Odd Nosdam recently posted some beats to download for free, he made them 2002-2003 and has attached the title CIRCUS faux PREZ beats!. He also posted a sweet mixtape, get ‘em both below.
Odd Nosdam – CIRCUS faux PREZ beats! [via sendspace]
Odd Nosdam – Mixtape Super Delux [via sendspace]
If you’ve had a hankerin’ for some live Odd Nosdam then look no further. We’ve been hooked up with a 14-minute cassette tape gone digital of Odd Nosdam playing in Oakland with BRE’R. The first seven minutes is BRE’R leaving the second seven for Odd Nosdam, which like his work in cLOUDDEAD will leave you cringing for more. As Odd says, “enjoy the noise.”
New Yorkers, keep an eye out as more information is posted concerning Anticon’s Decade of Debt party at the Knitting Factory December 18.
Everyone, go to Odd’s MySpace page NOW and listen to his remix of Black Moth Super Rainbow’s “Forever Heavy” and The Notwist’s “Sleep.”
Odd Nosdam and BRE’R – Live In Oakland (32MB, via sendspace)
