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Spookie Daly PrideMedicine ChestFunzaloUpon immediate review, one might thinkthat Spookie Daly Pride is a Japaneseband. “Spookie Daly Pride” has the distinctcombination of non-matching, misspelledwords and confident salesmanship found allover Japanese products. I myself wonderedwhether SDP ever toured with or even sharedmembers with Japanese rockers King FuckerChicken. But after a mean time of looking, Iam, it is said, not in right. Turns out, the nameof the band is also that of the band’s singerand keyboardist, Spookie Daly. Not sure if hisname is really Spookie Daly, if he’s related tothe mom from Judging Amy or if it’s someweird reworking of the letters in his namelike Jim Morrison’s Mr. Mojo Risin. Could hisreal name actually be A. Dikey Pools?Anyway, seeing that the rest of the band(Pete Witham – Guitar, Vox; Floyd Kellogg– Bass, etc; Tommy Diehl, Drums, etc.) have atleast kind of Western names, It’s pretty clearSDP isn’t Japanese. So they’re an Americanband with a weird name.Ooh!The cover of Medicine Chest, is a picture22 musicinstruments and voices in order to createoperatic tales of the state’s particular people,places and philosophies. Any comparisons tocurrent pop music fail, as the album’s essencelie closer to a Ken Burns’s miniseries or JamesMichener novel, or more accurately, a schoolplay by Mrs. Krabappel’s fifth grade class. Infact, the sweet picture book quality artworkand liberal use of the xylophone create afeeling of bewilderment and wonder I haven’tknow since I started shaving. (Just where isPeoria anyway?) It’s not everyday someonerips off the Nick Drake style of whispersinging,only to gently coo about AbrahamLincoln or poet Carl Sandburg. I was stunnedby Stevens’s ability to translate the story ofa monstrous child killer (“John Wayne GacyJr.”) into the language of a tender bedtimestory, before admitting that, “and in mybest behavior, I am really just like him. Lookbeneath my floorboards, for the secrets I havehid.” On the polyphonic spree of “The Manof Metropolis Steals Our Hearts” he speaks ofSuperman’s true power, the power to inspirethe everyday person to find connection.(Although I still to think the songs really aboutChicago’s original hero, Michael Jordan.)Illinois packs in more useless information in 72minutes than an AAA guidebook of the state,but with the magic of hope and emotion.In retrospect, I still wonder why an artist asgifted as Stevens chooses to voluntarily limithis expression by such process. But I still pray,if he continues, to select North Carolina as hismuse. I can hear the lyrics now. “Noble indiejudge by the coverof a medicine chest. Nice. But the medicinechest in question is full of all sorts ofoverused, neglected bottles and cans andtubes all with familiar looking tags. ButSpookie and company are very, very cleverboys. When you look a little closer, the bandaidtin actually says the PERSONAL ad SONG?And what’s this? The pepto bottle actuallysays TIE DYED TAN? What? Oh wait… theVaseline bottle says (get this) THE BUMPIN’UGLIES SONG!!!HAHAHAHAHA!Get it? Bumpin uglies = Sex = Vaseline!rockers down at the Wolf Mart, open yourhoodies and reveal your heart, The truth islove why can’t you see, it’s not Superchunk ortobacco settlements or the ACC.” -WolfXBXRXSixth in SixesPolyvinyl RecordsI put on the new XBXRX record while I wasdriving around lost this weekend. I had only aslight inkling of who they are, through hearingtheir single “We Hate The President” (on theexcellent Narnack label) and from someThurston Moore appointed name dropping.I was sitting there thinking, “Where the fuckam I?” when “Beat Rolls On” came poundingthrough my speakers, pummeling me into afucking mess. This band is a hardcore bandin sheep’s clothing. In this case, it’s electronicblast-beats and melodic interludes thatdisguise some insane screaming and some offtempo drums, not to mention a guitar sounddesigned to start riots. Other notable songsare “Deceivers”, “Voice” and “Pigs Wear Blue”. Igot out of hardcore music because I couldn’tdistinguish who did what song b/c anyonecan play it hard and fast. It’s hard to tell theones who mean it. I think XBXRX do. Anyonewho needs a cross reference might go fora Agoraphobic Noisebleed/Magic Markerssort of angle, but fuck that. If you’re gonnasubscribe to a magazine or get something offQVC, just get this record instead. Trust me, itwill crush you. – DillonGenius.Oh yeah, and these just happen to betitles of songs on the CD.With other song titles like “My FancyPants” and “Smacktalkin’ SmacktalkerSmacked for Talkin’ Smack” I bet we’re gonna’have a wild bunch of wacky rave-ups witha little jive thrown in, ala Jon Spencer or theReverend Horton Heat.Bring on the winks and riffage, Spookie!The ActualityMedicine Chest begs the question, “Whywould a truly talented band want to befronted by the love child of Tom Jones and Dr.John?” Granted, Mr. Jones and Mr. Dr. John’slast name are great in their own way, but thattype of vocal approach is really grating in thecontext of SDP’s music. It’s weird, becausethe music isn’t bad. Keyboard driven, kindof funky pop, with nice rhythm and pleasanthooks thrown in. But Spookie’s voice justmakes it sound weird. Like Humperdinkfronting the Lovin’ Spoonful or something.But it might work for them eventually. MaybeTom Jones will hand down his pants implantto Spookie and a whole new generation ofold bats will have someone to throw theirbloomers at.
INTERVIEWAXE THE BANDInterview with Bob MouldBy Cy RawlsThanks to labels likeSanctuary, Merge, Sugar Hill,and Yep Roc, who are alleither based in and or haveoffices in the Triangle area, arather impressive list of wellregarded artists have workreleased by those labelsand therefore have to comehere on tour (usually)...anddammit, they have to like it.The very affable Bob Mould—who made a name for himselfas one third of Husker Du inthe ‘80’s recently releasedhis album Body of Song on Yep Roc.During his days in the aforementionedHusker Du, Mould was synonymouswith the highly revered Minneapolisscene. Since then he’s lived in quite afew other places and released a healthyoutput of music under a solo monikerand of course with his other trio Sugar inthe early ‘90’s. About three years ago hedecided to call Washington, DC home, forno particular reason he claims. “I had nofriendsthere, I do now however. It’s a nice city, Ilive near quite a few clubs”. Almost closeenough to the Black Cat to hear theirgregarious security guy yell his frequentcall, “BLACK CAT, BLACK CAT!”Brendan Canty, most known as thesublime drummer for Fugazi, and who asof late has been producing the Burn ToShine series for the Trixie DVD company(http://www.trixiedvd.com/), introducedMould to various people and places in theDistrict, and became the drummer for hisband. Mould adds, “Brendan introducedme to a lot of friends and now we’regoing to be stuck in a car together fortwo months on tour. His participationon the record started as playing to prerecordedtracks. And he of course knewDon Zientara (engineer and producer forFugazi albums) so that lead to me havingDon engineer my album.”On the upcoming tour, the NorthAmerican leg begins at Cat’s Cradle inCarrboro on September 22, Mould and hisband will be performing songs spanninghis career with Husker Du, Sugar and as asolo artist. Some songs will be performedfor the first time in a full band context.“I think these guys in the band are intoplaying the old songs and the time seemsright, it’ll be fun.” But don’t look too farinto that quote for any sign of a reunion,as Mould states, “DEFINITELY not HuskerDu and probably not Sugar. For me it’sgood to keep moving forward fromthat. I heard the Dinosaur Jr reunion isnot bad, I haven’t had a chance to seeit. The Pixies...I’m sure they’re making aton of money, which is great for them. Ithink everybody should do what they’recomfortable doing. I’m comfortable notgoing back into that.”One interesting role Mould feltcomfortable with for a while wasbeing a writer for World ChampionshipWrestling. From September 1999 untilApril 2000 (prior to WCW buy-out by VinceMcMahon’s WWF-now WWE) Mould wasinvolved with that company’s final daysof viable sports entertainment. “I was alife long fan and had a few friends livingin Atlanta (WCW’s main office locale)involved in it. I liked it, it was hard work. Idid some production, writing, everythingexcept promo. I got out when they wanteda regime change. If someone begs me toget back in, I’d do it, but I’m not just goingto apply or anything. I still keep an eyeon it, mainly because I still have friendsinvolved with the business.”Another “business” Mould does notsee himself ever becoming involved withagain, is that of major record labels, whichhe was a part of in the late ‘80’s and intothe ‘90’s. “I don’t think major labels aregoing to be around by the next record Iput out,” he laughingly states, “I think thatbusiness is over, it’s more of an economyof appeal.” Even his approach to makingvideos, which he did a lot of over the yearshas changed. “I don’t know how muchvalue there is anymore in spending alot of money on a video fortelevision. We do get on someof the regional video shows.I’m doing a contest withApple and Quicktime wherepeople can send videos to us,but it’s not worthwhile to dothe major production filmingfor us anymore.”If you readMould’s blog (http://modulate.blogspot.com) hecomments on the recentrevelations in regards tothe payola scams, of whichhe admits was done in hisfavor while on major labels.“Everybody on majors doesit. A lot of indie bands do too.” As it standsnow, Mould is very excited about hislatest album and promoting the tour (thisinterview was conducted at 10:30am, itwas to be the first of quite a few that dayand Mould seemed more than elated).The reviews for Body of Song have beenpositive which wasn’t really the casefor his previous, more electronic album,2002’s Modulate. “I still plan on doing somematerial from that album live on this tour,”he states.One thing Mould isn’t entirely sureabout is conveying his burgeoningexercise regimen to life on the road. “We’llsee how it goes ... I’ve got to start thinkingabout that, maybe getting a trainer. InEurope the whole work-out culture isn’tthat big, they get their running in fromplaying soccer, I guess. The Americanfitness thing is kind of unique.”Mould is genuinely excited to startthe tour and meet some more people atthe Yep Roc offices, “I’m just trying to sellsome tickets for the show. Magnapop (stillproudly out of “the East Atlanta Village”) isopening. I’m curious to see what they’re upto these days. I ran into some of them sixmonths ago in DC but haven’t seen themplay in a while.” He does not come rightout and say his music has a new senseof energy, but the general feeling is thathe hasn’t been this eager about touringin a while. Fans of Mould’s oeuvre shouldundoubtebly share his enthusiasm.Bob Mould and Magnapop will appear liveat the Cat’s Cradle on September 22 nd . Visitwww.catscradle.com, www.bobmould.comand www.magnapop.com
Page 1 and 2: contents:Raleigh Hatchet110 Glascoc
Page 3 and 4: Consumer HeroThis month, the Consum
Page 5 and 6: eath by Vanillay Charles Mangins I
Page 7 and 8: Strangewww.thisisstrange.orgtheir m
Page 9 and 10: he Body Commodity:Or Having a Creat
Page 11 and 12: editorial staff reigns supreme onth
Page 13 and 14: Ackland Art MuseumColumbia St. UNC
Page 15 and 16: hursday 1at’s Cradle Who’s Bado
Page 17 and 18: Triangle on their earlier tours. Th
Page 19: ecordings. If you bothered to read
Page 23 and 24: Tanning by Numbers:What The Fuck Is
Page 25 and 26: T-ShirtsSubscriptionsThe answers to
Page 27 and 28: Serious Karma BuildingWe don’t kn
Page 29: Dear Claire,I am moving to NYC in t

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