January 2007 (PDF) - Antigravity Magazine

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FREEFLOATING RAMBLINGSSEND HATEMAIL TO: FEEDBACK@ANTIGRAVITYMAGAZINE.COM OR: P.O. BOX 24584, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70184Welcome to 2007’s first ANTIGRAVITY. We’re happy to be here for another year, and I know we’re all looking forward to 2007 being betterthan 2006 (which was a hell of a lot better than 2005, wasn’t it?). We’ve got a fun issue ahead, with our 2006 wrap-up, a feature on the newdesign journal Constance, and interviews with Midlake (one of Patrick and Marty’s favorite bands) and local amalgam the Black Rose Band. Beforewe get into a super-special Ramblings, let’s welcome our new contributors as we bid adieu to one. Come aboard are Sarah Andert, Henry Alpert,Paul Caruso, Liz Countryman, Jenelle Davis and J.W. Spitalny, doing everything from reviewing records, movies and books to writing about art andsociety. We always welcome fresh hands (don’t be nasty, we’re talking typing skills here) and we’re especially excited to let them do their thing.Unfortunately, the reason there’s an opening in film reviews is because our long-time reviewer, Jay Jones, decided to take a break from the game. Wethank Jay for all the work he’s done over the past couple years, and we can’t feel too bad about it because he finished higher than almost everyoneelse in our Fantasy Football league. Speaking of football, instead of running letters this month, I’m doing a top ten list that wouldn’t fit elsewhere inthe magazine, namely the top ten Saints moments of 2006. Back in August we at ANTIGRAVITY predicted that our black and gold team would goto the playoffs (as evidenced in our first ever repeat judge; see below for details), so I think it’s apt. By the time our February issue hits the streets, we’ll know exactly howfar the Saints have gone, so let’s keep those fingers crossed, huh? In the meantime, we’ll see you out in the Superdome!10. Saints Draft Reggie Bush, 4/29It’s generally a bad thing when your football team holds the second pick in the draft—not only does it mean your team probably sucked the year before, but high-round draftpicks don’t work out about as often as they do. For every Peyton Manning there’s a Tim Couch, and one day we may be saying that for every Reggie Bush there’s a MarioWilliams. To say that Bush was the consensus number one pick is an understatement—it seemed like everyone (and I mean EVERYone) had the Texans taking Bush with theirfirst pick. By the Thursday before the draft, Saints officials were debating whether they’d take Williams or Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk (all post-Draft info pointed in thedirection of Hawk, who wound up going to the Packers a few picks later). When the Texans surprisingly signed Williams that Friday, a twelve-hour frenzy (and “frozen envelope”theories) began. Would the Saints pick Bush? Would Bush even want to come to New Orleans? Would the Saints trade the pick? We all know what happened, and it’s nowhard to imagine it unfolding any other way, isn’t it?09. Joe Horn’s Flea Flicker TD, Cincinatti, 11/19This is rated so low only because it came in a losing effort. Feeling that a high-scoring game was on hand against the potent Bengals offense, Sean Payton called the alwayscrowd-pleasing flea flicker. Drew Brees lofts a pass down the field, into a crowd of Bengals defensive backs, only to have Joe Horn snatch the ball and run into the end zone.Unfortunately the rest of the game wasn’t that exciting.08. Reggie Bush’s Screen Pass For TD, Dallas, 12/10This play was awesome for a couple of reasons. First, 61-yard touchdowns are rarely a boring thing, and when you add in Bush’s ability to make people miss it turns intosomething special. The most important thing with this play, though, is that it established that this Saints team has the abilityto run the screen pass. In the Haslett era, the Saints could neither run nor defend the screen (whether it was Aaron Brooks’inability to complete the short pass or the offensive line’s inability to sell it, I don’t think we’ll ever know), so the fact that thisteam can make people pay with it is a breath of fresh air.07. Saints Upset Cleveland Browns, 9/10Yes, it was just the first game of the season, but the Browns were actually favored by 3 and at some points it looked like the“Same Old Saints.” However, the team showed that they could gut out a win, and with just 170 yards passing from Drew Brees,the Saints showed what they had none of in Haslett’s regime—composure.06. Saints Hold The Ball, Philadelphia, 10/15Another thing that the Saints never seemed able to do before was hold onto the ball in key situations. Down by 7 after beingup by 14 at one point the game, the Saints climb back with a 48 yard touchdown pass from Brees to Joe Horn and subsequentlyput the Eagles in a punting situation. Feeling that even if his team scored a touchdown the Eagles would come right back andmatch it, Saints coach Sean Payton used the running and short passing game to his advantage, holding onto the ball for astaggering 8 minutes and 26 seconds while driving 72 yards. John Carney kicked a 31 yard field goal as time expired, and all ofa sudden the Saints were legitimate.05. Copper’s Hail Mary Reception, Falcons, 11/26Let me preface this with a simple fact: I hate (H-A-T-E) the Falcons. I hate the team, I hate the coach, I hate Home Depot becausethe Falcons owner owns it, and I hate Michael Vick (more on that later). The 76 yard pass from Brees to Devery Hendersonearly in the game could easily have been listed here (it was certainly important), but as the Saints were up by 8 points with atad more than a minute left in the half and the Falcons trying to hold onto a little momentum following Morten Andersen’s 30yard field goal, the Saints made a few plays but not enough for a field goal try of their own. Instead, Brees throws a “Hail Mary”pass into the end zone, which was amazingly caught by Terrance Copper (nicknamed “Copper The Dropper” in our section ofthe Superdome). The touchdown proved to be the straw that demoralized the Falcons, which I enjoyed immensely.04. Saints Sweep Falcons, 11/26Again, I hate the Falcons. It’s probably from having to deal with so many Falcons fans while sitting at the Superdome (I’d liketo think that I’m a fair fan—when I see fans of an opposing team, I don’t taunt them, or curse at them, or rile them in anyway. I’d also like to think that if I’d attend a Saints game at another stadium I’d still behave in the same respectful manner).I mean, fans who travel to watch their team just want to lend their support. Usually. Falcons fans seem to relish in gettingunder Saints fans’ skin, and they’ve done it by the hundreds in and around our seating area. Unfortunately for us, the Saintshave rarely given them pause—I’ll never forget the game a few years ago, where Deuce rumbled for a touchdown withintwo minutes to play, only to have the Falcons drive down and beat us on a Jay Feely field goal with no time left. So that wecould absolutely HANDLE the Falcons in their home and complete the season sweep…well, it warmed my cold, black andgold heart.03. Drew Brees Selected To Pro BowlI couldn’t believe that no Saints quarterback since Archie Manning had been selected to the Pro Bowl. Actually, I’d havethought that Jim Everett was at least an alternate in the mid-‘90s (to this day, I think Everett’s release just before Mike Ditka’sfirst Saints training camp was the worst move the ill-fated coach made, even worse than trading an entire draft for RickyWilliams—releasing Everett gave us a three year tailspin at QB that included, by no particular rating: Heath Shuler, DannyWuerffel, two Billy Joes and an alcoholic Kerry “Vodka” Collins [who, oddly enough, would go on to lead the Giants to aSuper Bowl while none other than Sean Payton was his offensive coordinator]. Since Brees is having an MVP-type season,selecting him to the Pro Bowl was a no-brainer, but it’s especially nice because it legitimizes the team as having a solid leaderinstead of relying on pure luck to complete passes.02. Reggie Bush’s Punt Return For TD, Tampa Bay, 10/8Reggie’s first touchdown as a pro came at the time we needed it the most. Bucs rookie QB Bruce Gradkowski was makinghis first start of the season following Chris Simms’ season ending injury the week before, and the Saints historically have hadproblems with giving QBs their first win (see the aforementioned Tim Couch). Being down by 4 and with the Tampa defensethinking it was 2002 all over again, Bush fielded a punt, broke to his right, and once he hit the sideline that was it. The Saintswould win by 3 and our second division win was in the books.01. Steve Gleason’s Blocked Punt, Atlanta, 9/25If there is a Football God, I made a deal with it before the Saints’ first game back at the Superdome. “Football God,” I said,“Give me this win against the hated Falcons and I won’t ask for any other win this year.” Honestly, I’d have been thrilled witha 3-13 season, if only we’d win that game. We’ve gotten a lot of lagniappe since then, but that game was something special. Inever know what I’d prefer in one of those games, a blowout in which the Saints have control the entire time or a close gamethat the team pulls out in the end, until I’m actually experiencing the game. We got the former, the 70,000 fans on hand ateit up and I couldn’t be happier. Of course, it all started with a certain long-haired special teams player who blocked so big ofa punt that it made his mother yell. Any time I run into you at a bar, Steve Gleason, drinks are on me.––Leo McGovern, PublisherLook familiar? Below is the FreefloatingRamblings page fromour August, 2006 issue. Book it!04_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

ANTI-NEWSSOME OF THE NEWS THAT’S FIT TO PRINTNOTABLE UPCOMING SHOWS2/12: Big Head Todd & The Monsters, House Of Blues2/15: Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band, Tipitina’s (We knownothing about Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band, but we liketyping Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty.)2/25: Southern Culture On The Skids, The Parish @ HouseOf Blues3/01: Justin Timberlake, Pink, New Orleans Arena (We’rehoping that Pink plays the Sunday Night Football themesong—all 18 versions of it.)3/2: Isis, Jesu, Torche, Spanish Moon3/8: Explosions In The Sky, Eluvium, Republic3/17: VAST, Howlin’ Wolf3/19: RJD2, The Parish @ House Of BluesALAN RICHMAN RESIGNS POSITIONAn update from last month’s Noah Bonaparte Vs. GQ’s AlanRichman piece (If you still haven’t read Richman’s originalarticle on New Orleans cuisine that started national outrage,go to: http://men.style.com/gq/features/full?id=content_5165): Reportedly, Richman has resigned his position at theprestigious James Beard Foundation due to pressure fromcolleagues, assumedly due to his GQ piece.KEITH KNIGHT RELEASES NEW(th)ink BOOKKeith Knight, author and artist behind The K Chronicles, hasreleased his first self-published book, a new compilationof his (th)ink strip called Are We Feeling Safer Yet? The bookis Knight’s seventh compilation of either The K Chroniclesor (th)ink, and features strips released over the course of2006.UNITED STATES CITIZENS USE ACRAPLOAD OF MEDIAAccording to its study entitled “Statistical Abstract of theUnited States: 2007,” released on Friday, December 15 th ,the U.S. Census Bureau revealed that Americans will spendalmost ten hours per day with media such as television,the internet, books, newspapers, magazines and music.The Bureau’s projections suggest that, for the first time, aperson will spend more time on the internet than readingnewspapers.ZACK SMITH’S E-MAIL ADDRESSIS NOT MARTYGARNER@ANTIGRAVITYMAGAZINE.COMIn the contributor listing section of last month’sANTIGRAVITY, we mistakenly listed the e-mail forphotographer Zack Smith (Voodoo ’06 Wrap-Up) as martygarner@antigravitymagazine.com, which is obviously thee-mail address of regular AG writer Marty Garner. Zack’sreal e-mail address is smitzack@gmail.com, and you candrop him a line there if you’re interested in hiring him for aphotography gig, want to sign up for his excellent Photo OfThe Week e-mail list, or simply inform him of his inherentgreatness. In other Zack Smith news, urb.com has publishedan unedited version of his photo spread, originally featuredin their November print issue. The spread features peoplewith Katrina-themed tattoos. Go to urb.com/gallery andclick on “Skin Flicks.”FORMER AUDUBON HOTEL DJPLANS REUNIONFormer Audubon Hotel mainstay DJ Tom Harvey is planninga reunion bash for the people who frequented and workedthe bygone St. Charles Ave. party haven. Harvey is lookingfor drag performers, people to pitch in with productionand decoration, and photos of the Audubon for displaypurposes. The reunion is scheduled for 10pm on Friday,February 16th at the Country Club (634 Louisa St.). Formore information or to offer your services, e-mail TomHarvey at karmagrove@hotmail.com.LANDMARK MANAGER FULFILLSAG FANTASYBrian Jones, manager of the Landmark Theatre at CanalPlace and owner of the Honey Frogs of ANTIGRAVITY’sN.O. Hoodoo Fantasy Football League, defeated former AGfilm writer Jay Jones’ Tranzor Zs for the championship title,96-92. Brian Jones rode Saints QB Drew Brees, Chiefs RBLarry Johnson and the Baltimore defense to his title, whileJay Jones’ key player, LaDainian Tomlinson, had an off gameversus Seattle on 12/24 and put up just 16 points. Finishingthird in the league was AG Publisher Leo McGovern’sANTIGRAVITY Anglers, as he lost to Jones’ Honey Frogsthe week before, while AG Associate Editor Patrick Strangeand his Fancypants missed the playoffs entirely with a 6-6-1record.Compiled by A Rose Is A RoseSeductively big-lipped super star actress and Mama Warbucks toimpoverished orphans everywhere Angelina Jolie was observedgliding down Camp St. in the CBD on Tuesday, November 28.Whispers indicate that after spotting Angelina on the street withher children Maddox and Zahara, a star-struck hired hand in anundisclosed office building promptly announced on the office PAthat the celeb was walking outside the window. At the sound ofsuch an earth-shattering broadcast, nosey secretaries, bored cubiclemates and affected sales reps ran to the window, “nearly wettingthemselves with glee and adulation.” After several moments ofpandemonium, it is reported that an intern suddenly “woke up fromher hypnotic trance” and realized that the sight of Angelina wasactually a bad sign for New Orleans, for “she knew she was living ina Third World country when Angelina Jolie came to town.”Ice cold “Dollar” Bill Jefferson blessed the patrons of Sip onMagazine St. with his “dignity and grace” on Tuesday, December 5at approximately 7:15 p.m. The nine-term congressman and undyingservant to the people entered the wine boutique in search for“something to fill his belly and insatiable appetite” in the midst of arelatively “happy and innocent crowd.” A trusted stalker reports thatJefferson was looking long and hard for a suitable white wine to chill,but at last opted for a red because his fridge was already filled withthe “hopes and dreams of his electorate.” Although Jefferson wastight-lipped when it came to his plans for the evening, it is reportedthat he did mention a date with a certain “pudgy Jefferson Parishsheriff.” Although unsubstantiated, all signs indicate that the meetingwas not only carried out but “foully consummated.”New Orleans native, comedian and annoyingly chipper lesbianEllen DeGeneres made an appearance at the lighting of JacksonSquare on the night of Wednesday, December 6. Ellen was askedto throw the switch on the illumination of the “energy efficientholiday display” sponsored by Tide detergent. Clad in a Tide t-shirtand surrounded on stage bycompany spokespeople witha backdrop that advertisedthat latest washing wonder,Tide Coldwater, Ellendemonstrated that corporateAmerica surprisingly has noprejudices against alternativelifestyles or communitiesthat lack buying powerwhen it comes to branding.Although many noted thesquare looked wonderful inChristmas regalia, attendeesat the event asked if it wasmore than just a little bitironic that the famouscleaning agent was the onecompany that chose to “lightup” the New Orleans event.Helena Moreno, ultra slender and spry WDSU news reporterand anchor, was glimpsed cutting a jig on the night of Friday,December 8 in the lounge of the Ritz-Carlton on Canal St. Althoughadmittedly drunk and severely agitated at the time of observance,the eyewitness claims that Moreno “danced the white girl dance withintermittent pauses to chitchat with a surrounding gaggle of officemates and interns.” Hearsay paints a picture of an after-office-partybooze fest at the newly reopened hotel, complete with a “lousy hackof a crooner on stage” and stereotypical southern décor that madethe bar look “more like your grandma’s sitting room than the loungeof a five star hotel.” However, despite the faults of setting and socialatmosphere, Moreno is described as being “nice and actually quitelovely.”antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_05

Too many times I and other rock journalists have resorted to a simple equation(Queen+Radiohead=Muse) as an ultimately inadequate way to explain the multitudeof musical and extra-musical influences that shape the way musicians look at the world andtherefore write music. It could be the movie they just saw or maybe the way the sun cutthrough their windshield that made them want to sit down with a guitar or keyboard, notjust the stereo. So, as penance for my lazy transgressions as a writer, I’ve decided to givelocal rock group the Good Guys the first and final say in who and what their influences are.And also just because they’re too damn weird for me to do them justice.Jeremy Johnson (Vocals/Keyboard/Etc.) 1. Russ Meyer Who can deny the campyantics of a Russ Meyer movie? His pre-emptive World War II doc-style-MTV-quick cutmanner of editing and unbelievable narrations have given us as a people a way to put moreinto less. When you listen to a Good Guys song, for the most part you’ll find all of myfavorite things crammed into tiny spaces in songs. But I think it makes sense because of theway everything edits together. Thanks, Russ! 2. Hunter S. Thompson So, it’s become cliché tolist the great doctor as influential...but fuck it! Does that make his works any less powerfulthan they are? I want people to feel the same kick in the face when they listen to us play liveor on an album that the Father of Gonzo doled out to so many in the face of politics, religion,and war. I have always admired his fight; I hope that I can carry his fire. 3. Peggy Lee MissPeggy Lee was the queen. No one could touch her. I have gained more insight into music andhow to sing more effectively from this incredible woman than anyone else. The compassionthat emits from every recording (And I do have all of them!) of hers, from the early BennyGoodman stuff upward, is gushing at the seams.Greg Beaman (Bass) 1. Paul McCartney When I’m playing bass, I try to approximatethe style of Paul McCartney’s bass playing on the Sgt. Pepper’s album. Precision is the key toMcCartney’s playing on all the Beatles albums, even when his sonic experiments give thesongs a radically different tone. 2. Paul Chambers Another influence is Paul Chamber’s playingon Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue album. Super simple, elegant, and a perfect fit to every song onthe album. 3. Mark Rothko I’m fascinated with trying to transform different media into music.Mark Rothko’s minimalist paintings have inspired my musical energies in the past.Tom McLaughlin (Guitar) 1. Fellini/Rota The relationship between the films of FedericoFellini and the scores of Nino Rota very quickly redefined the beauty that I see in art andin life in general. It’s nothing short of magical; the highest hopes for a cinematic or musicalendeavor. On its own merit, the music of Nino Rota, as well as other film composers andtheir use of theme and variation in its lush and complementary nature, have had great effecton what I aspire to make musically. 2. Charles Mingus Where to start? Beyond being a greatbass player and achieving his own voice as a player, he really stands out as an arranger/composer. Though he expressed so much through his songs and playing, what was equallymentionable was his capacity for recognizing his place in the ensemble, not always having tostand out; but to play appropriately, and with expression, even when done simply. This a truevirtue that has stuck with me. 2. Dillinger Escape Plan And though I am tempted to mentionmuch of the music that really rocks me, I will just say that the album “Calculating Infinity” byDillinger Escape Plan when I first heard it 5 years ago had to one of the most brutal thingsI ever experienced. Then I saw them live. To see them perform music of such impact alwaysmade me completely exhilarated, as I was drawn to how relentless the experience was.Anyone who was in that room was in on the same intense situation, regardless of whetheror not they were playing. That same feeling of raw energy is what I love about playing [our]music.The Good Guys’ Orange EP is available now, and you can find out more about the band by going toeither www.myspace.com/goodguys or www.good-guys.org.06_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

theby patrickstrangeOr, Beat On, Boats Against The Current…When people think of the New Year, nobody really contemplates the future, do they? Imean, speculations about things to come always seem so, I don’t know—unreliable. When2004 turned to 2005, for instance, I thought I might be going to France to learn the languagein preparation for a possible run towards a Ph.D. As it turns out, I ended up an evacuee inMamou staying in my ex-girlfriend’s parents’ pool house and sneaking sedatives when noone was looking. So much for expectations.The New Year is really all about what’s changed over the course of the old one, isn’tit? Who has left who, cities visited, people met, friends neglected, if your hometown gotlevees, and of course, whether or not Alec Gifford—everyone’s favorite Papa Smurf andnews anchor with Dick Clarkian longevity—is still allowed on the air yet another year. (Iregret to confirm that Gifford is in fact leaving the news desk after what appears to be athree-month long televised farewell.)And as far as the actual night of New Year’s Eve goes, I’ve never had much luck. MyNYE track history is filled with unflattering self-pity and me roaming around parties whereI don’t know anyone and casual dates consistently throw up at the stroke of midnight. Sonaturally, the last day of December also reminds me all the anti-climatic conclusions to theannual laps around the sun.Am I the only one out there that, if pressed and forced to be honest, admittedly dreadsNew Year’s Eve? Please say that I am not.But then again, when I look back at 2006, I must say that it was a hell of a lot better thanthe previous one. And I don’t think it too presumptuous to assume that this sentiment isshared by many others as well. Sure, I often ask myself if I’m an idiot for remaining in NewOrleans or if my job is worth the mobility of my hands or if moving out of my apartmentwithout first securing another one was in hindsight such a good idea, but all in all, it canbe worse; much worse. I know that I’m well-off, and I’m pretty certain that there’s alwayssomething left to lose. Just ask ole Bill Jefferson. (Oh wait, that’s right…never mind.)And if I try very hard not to look too much into the future; try not to realize that I’mhalfway to 56 and that most of my friends will probably have grandchildren by the time Ilearn a second language—or even return to France for that matter—perhaps I can findsome certainty in a few things that lie in the immediate future. Hell, I think we all can.For one, the Saints get a bye in the playoffs. It goes without saying that I’ve never beenan avid sports fan and in the scheme of life and death and personal triumph, it really meanssquat if the Saints are champions, but damn, I get a warm and fuzzy feeling just thinkingof them. And I’m pretty sure that I’m having more than just hero envy when it comes toReggie Bush. But man, that guy is just so damn good looking.And if perennial losers turning it around isn’t enough, I can be satisfied that Mardi Grasis right around the corner, or that February is often a pleasant month in south Louisiana,or perhaps most of all, that on the first day of March Justin Timberlake will be jiving,jittering and charming up a estrogen maelstrom at the New Orleans Arena. Honestly, ifJ.T. coming to NOLA isn’t a sign of things to come, then I don’t know what is. At the veryleast we can be happy that it’s not yet another federal propagandist in the guise of a bonafide country musician. Some of the songs are catchy, but come on…do we really need allthose American flags?Then again, it can all go to shit. The Saints can lose, Mardi Gras can be cancelled andJustin could squirt a hernia in the ATL. And if that happens, well, back to the past I go. I’msure it can sustain me for yet another year.antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_07

MPFREECOMPILED ANDSPONSORED BY:Scared to download music from Kazaa or other services thatcould get you sued by big business? No worries here. These are100% free mp3s from artists who know how to promote theirmusic--by letting people hear some of it for free. So check theseout and buy the album or see their show if you enjoy hearing it.The Witness Exchange’s Not-exactly-the-best-albums-but-the-onesthat-stuck-to-the-author’s-head-the-most-at-the-time-of-writingbecause-it-was-a-damn-good-year-for-musicList for 2006*:1. Thom Yorke—The Eraser (XL)2. TV On The Radio—Return To Cookie Mountain (Interscope)3. Hot Chip—The Warning (Astralwerks)4. Apparat And Ellen Allien—Orchestra of Bubbles(Bpitch Control)5. Coil—Ape of Naples (Threshold House) 6. B. Fleischmann—The Humbucking Coil (Morr Music)7. Squarepusher—Hello Everything (Warp)8. Sonic Youth—Rather Ripped (Geffen)9. The Knife—Silent Shout (Mute)10. Sufjan Stevens—Songs For Christmas 1-5 (Asthmatic Kitty)*Visit TWX for a mix of the best 10 tracks from this listvery limited time onlyVisit TWX for these free songs and others not listed here.TWX does not profit from the information provided on theblog or from the mpFree column. ANTIGRAVITY is not responsiblefor the content on The Witness Exchange. Pleasecontact the site author if you are one of these artists and wishto have any links or files removed and your request will behonored immediately.Are you an artist with mp3s available on yourweb site or another free music service? If so, sendan e-mail with your URL, along with a descriptionof your sound (press clipping preferred), to:mpFree@antigravitymagazine.com.08_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

SOUND ADVICEDear Andrew,ENTERTAINMENT AND MEDIA LEGAL TIPSBY ANDREW BIZER, ESQI heard that if I send my demo in the mail to myself, it counts as a copyright. I think this is calleda “poor man’s copyright.” I’m kind of broke right now and it seems like that would be the cheaperalternative to registering with the federal government. Does this give me the same protection as aregular copyright?Thanks,—Gary G.If you are broke, don’t waste your money sending mail to yourself. The old “demo in themail” story is completely false. Your unopened demo might help as evidence in a futurelawsuit, but it does not serve as copyright registration. There is no such thing as a “poorman’s copyright.” Copyright protection is granted to original works of authorship. Suchworks must be fixed in a tangible medium. Therefore, once you record your original songs,they are automatically granted copyright protection. However, you cannot make a copyrightinfringement claim until your copyrights have been registered. I highly recommend thatyou spend the $45 it costs to register your copyrights. It is a fairly easy process. Just go towww.copyright.gov/ and follow the directions on the Copyright Office’s website. Be sure toremember that if you have written and recorded the songs, you own two copyrights: one forthe underlying composition and the other for the sound recording. You’ll be registering thecompositions with the “Form PA” and the “Form SR” for your sound recordings.Andrew:I just kicked my bassist out of my band. The other guitar player and I write all the songs, but he didwrite some great bass lines. If we ever get signed, will we have to pay him royalties? We’d like our newbass player to play the same stuff the old bassist came up with.—Walter F.Copyright ownership occurs initially and exclusively in the author of the work. When thereare multiple authors of a work, the authors share ownership of the copyright. The issue hereis whether the bass player’s contributions constitute authorship. Historically, in rock music,they don’t. If you and the other guitar player wrote the words, the melody, and the chordprogression, the general rule is that the two of you have co-written the song and thus are coownersof the song. Take the Violent Femmes for example. All the songs on the first ViolentFemmes self-titled record are credited exclusively to Gordon Gano even though the bass lineson that record are extremely melodic and are integral to the songs.Hey Andrew:Should I choose BMI or ASCAP as my publisher?—Cecil C.Don’t choose either of them to be your publisher; because BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC arenot publishers, they are performing rights organizations, known as PROs. PROs collect publicperformance royalties for their member publishers. The PROs license music to radio andTV stations, music clubs, and even the Superdome. Basically, any entity that publicly performsmusic must get a license from the PROs. Next time you go into a music club, you should seea sticker on the front door or window that states that the club has a valid license from thePROs. The PROs are extremely vigilant in making sure that they get paid. Ask any owner of abar, restaurant, or music club. A music publisher is the entity that owns the rights to a musicalcomposition. Right now, you are the publisher of your songs. If you want to collect publicperformance income, you should join a PRO. As to whether you should join ASCAP or BMI, Ican’t really say. ASCAP claims they collect more money and pay out that money quicker thanthe other PROs and it offers its members a special “member card.” BMI prides itself on itssongwriter support and offers workshops and showcases for its members.Andrew Bizer, Esq. is an attorney admitted to practice in Louisiana and New York. He previously servedas the Manager of Legal and Business Affairs at EMI Music Publishing and has worked in the legaldepartment at both Matador and Universal/Motown Records. When he was an undergrad at Tulane,Mr. Bizer was the Music Director at WTUL. This column is to be used as a reference tool. The answersgiven to these questions are short and are not intended to constitute full and complete legal advice.The answers given here do not constitute an attorney/client relationship. Mr. Bizer is not your attorney.But if you want him to be your attorney, feel free to contact him at andrew@bizerlaw.com. Or, justemail him a question and he’ll answer it in next month’s ANTIGRAVITY.antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_09

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SKIPPIN’ SCHOOL WITHBLACK ROSE BANDBY PAUL CARUSO2007 is shaping up to be a big year for the Black Rose you come to the band with a finished song, or do Julien: ...Skippin school and shit...Band. They’ve got a new 7” record coming out on January you all work on the songs together?KL: Yeah, and then you flip it over and we got a song called27th and a full-length LP set to come out by Mardi Gras. KL: We do both. I’ve been writing a lot stuff at home. I’ve got “Hoochie Poochie.” It’s just a funny song.After the release of their debut album, they will tour the US, notebooks and notebooks of songs that I’ve written. But then Adam: The record is being put out by Contaminatedfollowed by a tour of Europe. That’s a lot of action for a bandthat formed not long after Katrina because their previousbands broke up. ANTIGRAVITY sat down with King Louie,Julien, Adam, and Dustin to discuss their great new band.ANTIGRAVITY: Since the Black Rose Band wasformed out of the remnants of a bunch of differentbands, when you guys formed the band did yousit down and discuss the style of music you weregoing to play, or did you just get in a room andthis is the kind of music that just formed?King Louie: I’ve had a template that I’ve been going by, the rock‘n’ roll thing, and I like to get in a room and kick it out and gocrazy. And Dustin and I have been working together and justlast year Julien was like, “Hey man, I want to do some boogiewoogiea lot of times, like, I’ll see someone shoplifting at a conveniencestore and I’ll think about that and I’ll put it in my pocket andthen I’ll come out to band practice and I’ll say something aboutit and start picking a guitar and we’ll all come in on a countrything. Then there’s times when Julien will come up with a riffand I’ll follow him.Julien: And Adam’s got that country pickin’ thing with abluegrassy influence.KL: Well the irony is that our best guitar picker is the bassplayer! I’m really digging it and I’m really having fun and I thinkeveryone else is too.AG: This question is for Julien and King Louie.How much fun is it to do the double lead guitarthing?Julien: Dual lead is just about as fun as it gets.Records, which is run by Alicja from the River City Tanlines.She used to be in the Lost Sounds. The River City Tanlines willbe playing with us at the record release party on January 27 th ,along with Guitar Lightnin’ and Miss Kitty Lynn.AG: What was the reaction of the band whenKing Louie came to practice for the first time withthe talkbox?Dustin: I couldn’t stop laughing...Bankston comes alive!Julien: King Louie was like a kid on Christmas. It’s like being ina biker movie. It’s totally psychedelic.KL: It’s good. With the talkbox, (we) can say everything thatneeds to be said. “Blaaaaaack Rooose Baaaaaaand”. I got toadmit, man, I plugged it in and I didn’t realize it would do whatit could do. I just couldn’t believe it. It was great. It was justgreat.stuff.” So it was never like “We’re going to start this KL: It is and when we’re in the pocket, baby, and we’re comin tostyle or that style of music.” I think we just came together that git down in “Dusty Roads” when it goes from the G to theand play all different styles of music. We really came together E, and we hit that git down and we go “weeee-weee-weeee”from, like you said, different places. We play R&B, a little bit of those three basic notes, once we lock in on ‘em, it just falls incountry, rock ‘n’ roll, some punk rock. I think it is different, but place man, I feel like I’m five feet off the stage all the time. I think we’ve been able to have the right chemistry to make it Julien: Better than a floating skateboard.seem like a lot of different things can come together into one AG: Tell us about the new 7”.cohesive sound.KL: We got a honky-tonk, rock ‘n’ roll, straight-forward song,AG: Tell me about the songwriting process. Do “Hot Box” which is about smoking cigarettes...antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_11

WRAPS UP 2006MEMBERS OF THE AG STAFF GIVE YOU THEIR HIGH(OR LOW)LIGHTS OF THE YEAR PASTLEO MCGOVERN, PUBLISHERTOP 10 SONGS10. “Music Is My Hot Hot Sex,” CSS, Cansei De Ser Sexy09. “Birdies Singing,” Kelley Stoltz, Below The Branches08. “In The Morning,” Junior Boys, So This Is Goodbye07. “Emily Kane,” Art Brut, Bang Bang Rock & RollWhile it doesn’t have the “hit” quality that “Good Weekend”has, “Emily Kane”personifi es Art Brut’ssimple, yet poignantstyle. In writing a songabout a love from longago, Art Brut singerEddie Argos manages toarticulate the emotionsof still having feelingsfor your fi rst love andthe simplicities of thatyoung love. Art Brut (inmy book, anyway) hasthe rare trifecta of having a top track, a top album, and beingone of the best live shows, all in the same year.06. “Consolation Prizes,” Phoenix, It’s Never Been Like That05. “Holiday Home,” Rotary Downs, Chained To The Chariot04. “Ain’t It Strange,” Dr. Dog, Takers & Leavers03. “Pismo Beach Lisa,” The Interlopers, You Make It Sound So Bad02. “Liar,” Built To Spill, You In Reverse01. “Another Sunny Day,” Belle & Sebastian, The Life PursuitTOP 10 TV SHOWS10. Robot Chicken, Odd times on Cartoon Network09. The Offi ce, Thursdays on NBC08. The Sopranos, Sundays on HBO07. Project Runway, Wednesdays on Bravo06. House, Tuesdays on Fox05. Veronica Mars, Tuesdays on CW04. Family Guy, Sundays on Fox03. Heroes, Mondays on NBC02. Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, Mondays on NBC01. Arrested Development, Cancelled, FoxStudio 60 would otherwise take the top spot easily, and justmight in ’07 (if it’s still around), but ’06 housed the tail end ofone of the best TV series ever, Arrested Development. Despitethe Emmys and all the other critical acclaim it received overits three year run, AD never garnered the number of viewersneeded to make it acertifi able hit—havingits air times switchedconstantly and beingstuck between twoSunday animated showsnever helped it—andits ability to weavecomplicated storylinesand continuallyreference itself madeit diffi cult to jumpinto, but that verydrawback made it anextremely rewardingviewing experience,approximated by noother show.DAN FOX, SENIOR WRITERBOTTOM TO THE TOP FOR 20065. Violence Against Women / Leo & Michelle’sWeddingIt’s been a tough year for anybody in the 504 but women seemto have it especially bad, whether it’s a radio personality offing hisex-wife in a Metairie parking lot, some French Quarter slackerchopping up his beloved, or just the constant, daily barrage ofcatcalls coming from pickup trucks around the city. Can we pleasestop this?On the more endearing side of man/woman relations, Leo andMichelle’s wedding was like a shoestring budget indie film thatsomehow beats out all the Hollywood crap. They understand thatall good weddings start with two simple words: open bar. “I do” issomewhere in there, too. Congratulations, y’all.4. Jello Biafra Speaks at Loyola / Ian MacKaye Speaksat LoyolaJello was boring, repetitive, cliched (Bush is dumb? He can’t talkright? What insight!), and two hours late. Ian, on the other hand,could’ve talked to a captive audience long into the night, provingonce again that he is more relevant to music than ever.3. The Flaming Lips at Voodoo / The Rest ofVoodooYeah, I know, Wayne Coyne got inside a big plastic bubble andwalked over everybody; it was so amazing and there are ten millionLiveJournals with cell phone pictures of it. But those pics should beaccompanied by some of the more choice quotes from Wayne’sin-between banter, like his nasally, over enunciated use of the word“motherfucker” in getting the crowd to “rock.” And what abouthis rambling excuses as to why the Lips wanted to play last yearbut didn’t (we were confused!!!), and how New Orleans was goingto rise up and rebuild and all kinds of other canned declarations?Thanks Wayne; you’re only about twelve months too late.On the other hand, it was nice to catch NOMA bathed inamber light as Duran Duran played just to the right of it. And WuTang’s cancellation was another New Orleans miracle as our ownJuvenile took their place. I believe a lot of daughters made theirfathers proud during his set.2. U2 and Green Day at the Superdome / SteveGleason’s blocked puntIf U2 runs for office I’ll vote for them but that “thing” they didwith Green Day before the Saints game was just weird. As BillieJoe Armstrong massacred Animals lyrics I couldn’t help but thinkabout how Green Day came from a movement in music thatemerged as direct opposition to such bombastic spectacles. Andwhy all the make-up? Why, Green Day, why?Well, the aftertaste of that business was soon erased by SteveGleason’s blocked punt in the 1st quarter against the Falcons inthe Saints’ return to the Superdome. We all turned a corner onthat exact moment. Sometimes a game is more than a game. WhoDat.1. Talent Drain / Great Show SpacesSome of our friends, scattered to the far corners of the country,have prospered and found new perspective and new successeswhere they’ve landed and we’re all very happy for them. But justknow, Kirk, Melanie, Fredo, Christy, Kelly, Art, Brian, and the rest ofthe 504 talent base, that we’re a little less interesting city withoutyou here. Come back soon, please.But you know what? It’s been a good year for venues. Nomatter what kind of music you play there has been a space towelcome your band. To all the venues and promoters that made fora great year in music—Chickie Wah Wah, Dragon’s Den, Circle Bar,Coach’s House, Big Top, Dave & Melissa, Bryan Funck, High Ground,Green Space, and Eye Candy are the ones that immediately cometo mind—thank you and keep up the good work.PATRICK STRANGE, EDITORTOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2006 THAT WERE NOTCOVERED IN ANTIGRAVITYWe all get busy from time to time and with a group of highlyvolatile and contentious editors vying for infl uence (well, notreally), some very good albums just don’t make it into the mix.Here are ten of my favorites that were somehow tossed in thedust bin.10. Robocop EP by Johnny Alive (High Brow Records)9. YoYoYoYo by Spank Rock (Big Dada)8. Like Father, Like Son, Birdman and Lil Wayne (Cash Money)7. Pretty Little Head by Nellie McKay (Black Dove)6. Better Days Will Haunt You, Chavez (Matador)5. We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions by Bruce Springsteen(Sony)4. Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards by Tom Waits (Anti)3. The Letting Go by Bonnie “Prince” Billy (Drag City)2. Savane by Ali Farka Toure (Nonesuch)1. Dividing Island by Lansing-Dreiden (Kemado)I know it’s predictable for meto describe the #1 pick, but thisalbum is just too good. Every timeI play this record I feel like a rockstar with a minimalist apartmentand a penchant for smooth velvetrobes and lots of cocaine.TOP 10 NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FOR 2007Yeah, this is absurdly personal but you never know—you justmight fi nd something below that gives you a few ideas. Thenagain, maybe not.10. Go to the dentist9. Listen to more Elton John8. Find a more interesting drink ofchoice, like something with vermouthor ginger beer7. Read the Book of Mormon (critically, ofcourse)6. Memorize once and for all that “their” isnot spelled “thier”5. Invest in a telescope4. Stop staring for so long3. Learn to like olives2. Visit Paw1. Get my wrists un-crippled12_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

NOAH BONAPARTE, EDITORMY CLICHE-RIDDEN 2006 END CREDITS, STARRING:Destroyer as THE NUTTY PROFESSORMew as THE AMBITIOUS ASSISTANTSThe Decemberists as THE DOCTORAL CANDIDATESPhoenix as THE POPULAR CROWDTapes ‘N Tapes as THE DISAFFECTED FRESHMENNeko Case as THE OLDER WOMANSway as THE STREETWISE SMOOTHIELove Is All as THE GUTTER PUNKSSunset Rubdown as THE PRODIGAL SONJuana Molina as THE EXCHANGE STUDENTDavid Thomas Broughton as THE SULLEN OUTCASTArt Brut as THE PEANUT GALLERYBuilt To Spill as THE BACK-ROW BURNOUTSBeirut as THE BACKPACKING DROPOUTMates Of State as THE DOTING COUPLETV On The Radio as THE ART SNOBSThe Thermals as THE PASSIONATE PROTESTERSJunior Boys as THE DANCE-PARTY DEEJAYSComets On Fire as THE DRUG PUSHERSMan Man as THE DRUG USERSUnderstudies: Scott Walker as THE URBAN LEGEND; BelleAnd Sebastian as THE CHESS CLUB; Band Of Horses as THEDIRTY HIPPIES; M. Ward as THE RETRO FETISHIST; GrizzlyBear as THE MISUNDERSTOOD DREAMERS; Hot Chip asTHE POSTMODERN SCHOLARS; Lily Allen as THE JUVENILEDELINQUENT; Midlake as THE MALL BUSKERS; Yo La Tengoas THE AGING HIPSTERS; The Pipettes as THE SORORITYCHICKSJASON SONGE, COLUMNISTTOP TEN LIVE SHOWS (OVERALL)10. Hairy Lamb, Circle Bar, Jan. 269. Totimoshi, One Eyed Jacks, Oct. 228. High on Fire, One Eyed Jacks, Apr. 97. Curt Kirkwood, One Eyed Jacks, Jan. 306. Morning 40 Federation, Mirliton Festival, Nov. 45. Eagles of Death Metal, House Of Blues, July 264. Flaming Lips, Voodoo Music Experience3. David Bazan, Republic, Oct. 172. World Leader Pretend Thanksgiving Musical, Tipitina’s, Nov. 221. The Giraffes, South By SouthwestThe Giraffes are an awesome rock group from Brooklyn thatspits from the stage, gets homoerotic for fun, pours whiskeydown the throats of audience members, and holds a micstand fifteen feet in the air just to see if they can balance itbefore it crashes down on someone’s head.ANDY BIZER, COLUMNISTTOP TEN NEW ORLEANS LIVE SHOWS10. Mod Dance Party, Circle Bar (I know this doesn’t count as alive show, but I don’t care. These parties made the year 2006 alot more fun and deserve a mention.)9. Michael Hurtt & His Haunted Hearts, December 15, CircleBar8. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, March 5, the Parish7. Willie Nelson, April 4, House of Blues6. Morning 40 Federation, November 4, Mirliton Festival atMarkey Park5. Viva L’American Deathray, Sometime duringMardi Gras,Circle BarIt was Mardi Gras,and I was just happyto be back in NewOrleans. My friendsand I went to theCircle Bar and I wasblown away by thisband I’d never evenheard of before thatsounded like a crossbetween the VelvetUnderground andthe Ramones.4. Bruce Springsteen, April 30, Jazzfest3. deadboy and the Elephantmen, April 8 at One Eyed Jacks2. The Black Rose Band, August 12, Circle Bar1. The Grand Re-Opening of the Spellcaster Lodge withQuintron and Miss Pussycat, the Black Lips, and DJ Jubilee,September 2To the far left is our favoritecover of 2006—February’sHarlan T. Bobo artworkis what really set thetone for what we coulddo with our new format.Two of our first threecovers were collages, soit was nice to finally getaway from that (and it letPatrick breathe a sigh ofrelief, too.antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_13

A FRESH STARTCONSTANCE: ACollection of Forty NewOrleans Artistsby dan foxNew Orleans is a museum sometimes. Shhh.Don’t touch. It’s a little bit frustrating tothose of us who love the storied pedigreeof New Orleans but don’t necessarily look toit for constant inspiration and definition.14_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

The reverence paid to our treasured institutions makes themjust that: cold and lifeless, ever encased behind a velvet rope,a thick and constricting frame, a patrol of guards to keep ourgreasy fingerprints off the valuables. Sound the alarm becausesomeone’s breaking the rules. Erik Kiesewetter’s Constance isa quiet declaration of what’s currently happening here in NewOrleans, a confederacy of creative individuals determined tocontribute to the continuing history of this city and maketheir voice heard. From the first few pages it’s evident thatthis is not another coffee table book rife with bottle capframed“folk art,” blue dogs, clarinets and trumpets, beads,or somber photographs of gravestones and church steeples.Instead, we are greeted in one of the first selections by SeanStarwars’ “Devil Dogs,” a colorful woodcut of a Bostonterrier, cigarette dangling from his menacing grin while variousanimal fetishes and Mountain Dew cans look on. This is theNew Orleans most of us live and feel and Constance is hereto document it; or as editor Patrick Strange points out in hisopening comments, “Think of this book as a city gallery—onlywith better lighting.”The artists featured in Constance are all accomplishedin some regard; their credits are many and varied, but thecuration is not exactly traditional. Kiesewetter stresses thatthe artists are working, that each contributor has somehowproven him or herself before. One of the nice surprises in thebook is “Goose,” a dedicated graffiti artist (“I’ve lost and quitjobs, dropped out of college, and skipped over most of my lifefor this,” he says in his bio) who has painted on countless traincars and concrete walls, completely forfeiting the blessingsof the art community, the law, and sometimes his ownpersonal safety. But this is what New Orleans is made of—artists who do not always strive for academic and intellectualendorsement. Though many of the contributors in Constancehave done time in universities (Sarah Doerries representsTulane’s creative writing department with her lively poems),some of the best work comes from the freelancers. Jac Currie,who is probably best known for his “Defend New Orleans”t-shirt and sticker campaign, contributes “No Logos,” a fun,time-intensive matrix of black and white images that combinethe familiar with the abstract. The corresponding legend addsanother layer of value to each symbol, though the correlationis not always direct: the Starbucks symbol decoded is “Nicetry.” Currie is appreciative of the opportunity Kiesewetter hasgiven him: “Having lost every sketchbook, mix tape, painting,antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_15

journal, and home recording I’ve ever worked on, I’vebeen placing a huge importance on creating new things anddocumenting everything. Getting my thoughts out theremore than ever before—just really not wanting to wasteany time or creativity.”Katrina forced many of us to rethink our nostalgiaand personal history of New Orleans as much of it wasunceremoniously washed away. The book’s theme of“Replicas + Replacements” is a snapshot of this specialmoment where we are starting over; in that sense Constanceacts as a yearbook and each piece is like a different facefrom the class—and not all of them are exactly starstudents. But a compilation of this sort serves the readerwell as a personal barometer for art and design; as you flipthrough it you might rediscover how you feel about art.The format affords each contributor a prominent say intheir work (their self-written bios and resumes accompanyeach piece), so it is distracting at times much like theinside jokes and clever qualifiers that high school seniorsleave with their portraits. Constance informally promisesfuture issues and in them it might benefit the artwork ifthis information is relegated to an appendix so that eachpiece might speak more for itself and dialogue between theothers without interference.Throughout its pages, Constance condenses the geographyof New Orleans and Southeast Louisiana into sunny yellowblocks, suggesting that this challenge to the past is moreof a byproduct rather than a primary goal. After all, thetone and the color suggest a pleasant, peaceful state ofmind and the book merely reflects a focal point for whathundreds of us have been doing for a long time. The artistsfeatured could not have made their art without everythingthat makes New Orleans what it is, but at the same timethe perspective is larger and the influences borrowed fromfar away; one thing that is made very clear is where eachartist is now in relation to where they were before thestorm. One of Kiesewetter’s own pieces, “PDX. NOLA”pairs a silhouetted Portland, Oregon with a silhouettedNew Orleans skyline. In its utter simplicity, “PDX. NOLA”sums up a lot about what we’ve all been through: a littlerain, a little exile, but most of all another dawn where thesunlight breaks out of the blackness and extends beyondthe page. This is our time and as Constance reminds us,we’re making the most of it.16_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

LIVING THE ROCK ANDROLL LIFESTYLE WITHMIDLAKEBY MARTY GARNERantigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_17

These days, any mention ofFleetwood Mac is bound todevolve into fits of laughtercentered largely around StevieNicks’ witch-like wardrobe. But notin Denton, TX, home of Midlake.The native Texans (save LSU graduate Eric Nichelson) havemade a name for themselves with the same sort of soft rockgentility that Ms. Nicks and her bandmates made thirty yearsago. First Grizzly Bear, now this. Is soft rock the new dance/punk? Doubtful. The music being made by Midlake, GrizzlyBear, et al has serious lasting power. For one, the currentrun of folky-popsters don’t seem to be simply aping theirinfluences. When Midlake’s Tim Smith sings “Let me not getdown from walking with no one,” you may not understandwhat he’s saying but you’re sure he means it. Their lyricsevoke a kind of British sentiment of dreary winters, fresh rainin the woods, and traveling by boat, an amber fog throughsimple mountains. Don’t think the Beatles; that’s too recent.Think Paddington Bear. Or John Keats.Smith has made these landscapes his own with this year’sstellar The Trials of Van Occupanther. Abandoning the franticpop of 2004’s Bamnan and Silvercork for a softer, more gentileside has treated the group well. They have since foundthemselves opening for the Flaming Lips, touring Europe andAustralia, and generally making the calm, pastoral life seempretty cool. I mean, Smith’s a stay-at-home husband; how rockand roll is that? If nothing else, though, Van Occupanther is thesingle most honest record I’ve heard all year. The group’ssongs are largely fictional, but there is a genuine simplicityto the music. I guess that this is what it sounds like whenyou make the music that you want, free from any kind offashion or trend. That said, my favorite record this year wasBruce Springsteen’s attempt at early 20 th Century folk music,so what do I know about honesty?So, given his leanings, I guess it makes sense that Smithwould do his interviews at 9 am.ANTIGRAVITY: Uh, don’t take offense at this oranything, but you’re in a rock and roll band. Whaton Earth are you doing awake at 9 am?Tim Smith: I don’t know, you’ve got to write. It’s cool becauseI don’t have a job anymore, you know. We all used to haveday jobs, but jobs don’t like it when you go on tour, they don’twant you if you can’t be there. So I pretty much got fired frommy day job because of all the touring. So now it’s really cool.I’m not really a rock and roller, anyway. [laughs]AG: Do you write every day?TS: Pretty much. My wife goes to work at eight o’clock andcomes home at five, so in that time I try to write, try to beproductive. It doesn’t always come, you know? I’ll try to write“I mean, there’s nothing specialabout Denton; it’s a small town.But it’s got just enough.”for a week or two and maybe one or two ideas will come. IfI’m not feeling it, I won’t do it.AG: So did you guys all go to UNT [University ofNorth Texas, in their hometown of Denton]?TS: Yeah, all of us except the guitar player, who went to A&M[and keyboardist Eric Nichelson, LSU graduate].AG: How’s the scene in Denton?TS: Well, I suppose there is one, but I’m not exactly clued inon what it is. I don’t get out a whole lot, I don’t really go andwatch bands that much because we see so many bands whenwe’re out on the road. Can’t I just stay at home with my wife?[laughs] There are so many musicians [in Denton], people whowent to the music school or the art school.AG: Do you like living in Denton?TS: Oh yeah, I love it. I’ve been to many places in the worldnow and I just love my home. I mean, there’s nothing specialabout Denton; it’s a small town. But it’s got just enough.AG: Are you from there originally?TS: Well, San Antonio. But I came to Denton for college andnever left.AG: What kind of music influenced you growingup?TS: Man, we didn’t listen to a whole lot of music. I mean, mydad had Sgt. Pepper’s, and I thought that was cool. My favoritesong at the time was “When I’m 64.” But I really didn’t listento a whole lot of music. [But then,] you know, in sixth grade,you have the choice of either being in football or in band, and Ichose band. I thought that the coolest instrument—besides thedrums—was the saxophone; I figured that that would be theone to pick up girls with. So I played saxophone for thirteenyears and totally fell in love with music at that point. I startedreally studying jazz music all the way through middle school andhigh school right up to college. I didn’t really grow up with theradio. I mean, I guess I knew what was going on, but…I don’tknow, in college I think maybe I had a Cranberries tape and Ireally liked them but I thought that the Beatles were really theonly great rock and roll band. I had no clue. Then somebodybrought Radiohead’s OK Computer to my dorm room and itactually didn’t do much for me the first time I heard it. I think Icouldn’t get past that name, Radiohead. [laughs] So he broughtit back to my room and a few months later it was like, “Well,I really like this ‘Paranoid Android’ track, let me just record itonto a tape.” And I listened to that tape every day for over ayear straight. Every day, walking to class, I’d bring it with me.Then I graduated. That was the record that made me want tojoin a band.AG: Looking back, does it upset you at all that youmissed all those years of rock and roll?TS: I don’t know…when I was in high school I picked upguitar. I don’t know, it seems like there are people who maybestarted playing guitar in high school and then, like, ten yearslater they’re still doing what they were doing, you know? Imean, maybe they’re a little better, but you know what I mean.I think for me I would have gotten a little bit tired of it, ofalways listening to punk all the time. I would have eventuallygrown out of it. I’m sure it helped, because when you’re in[high school] band you have to play and listen to a bunchof classical music, and when you go to University for music,you’re exposed a lot to the history of music, so, yeah, I thinkthat all of that was a big help for me. I was never a big rockand roller [laughs], but I can rock out occasionally, you know?It’s hard in my own writing, though, actually. It’s not naturalfor me.AG: Have you noticed that everyone who reviewsyour band makes it a point to mention that, notonly do you like Fleetwood Mac, but you seem tobe pretty okay with that fact? Like it’s some sortof big deal to be honest with yourself and with theworld about what you like?TS: I don’t know, man, but that’s a good point. I mean, thatstuff sounds great to me, they’re great singers. I love that stuff,you know?AG: I just think that that’s so weird, that you’renoteworthy for being honest. Can you tell memore about Van Occupanther, about the recordingof it?TS: I had just really started getting into the old ‘70s folk-rockstuff. That was like right after our first album [2004’s FlamingLips-esque Bamnan and Silvercork] and that was really a biginfluence on the way that it all sounds. We’d always had thatname around [Van Occupanther] in the band and we knewthat we were going to use it somehow. So I just started trying18_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

to write songs very slowly for it. It was quite different from our first album.AG: Just out of curiosity, what’s your favorite Neil Youngrecord?TS: After the Goldrush.AG: Did you get to see that Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Youngtour?TS: I didn’t know that they were on tour.AG: Yeah, and it was a weird mix of people. Like, there werepeople my dad’s age, around 55, and there were a ton of peoplemy age, 22. I don’t know, I guess that some music is sortatimeless.TS: Well, you know, it’s good music.AG: Is capturing that same sort of ‘70s sound what you guysattempted to do going into Van Occupanther or is this just theway the music came out?TS: Yeah, I mean, we definitely knew what we were doing. I guess it was a littlebit of both, though. You know, you start falling in love with that style of musicand it’s all that you want to hear and it’s all you want to write.AG: Do you write more for yourselves or for fans, for potentialfans?TS: Mostly for us, but to be honest, when you’re writing a song there’s got tobe a certain something. Like, for instance, maybe it’s better to have a harderguitar. I’m fine with a softer guitar but I’m sure that critics and people who buyrecords want a heavier guitar. It’s a small part, you know, but it is there. Youhave to think about your audience. It’s harder for bands, you know, to be freewithout writing longer songs. It’s hard to write a three-minute song.AG: You guys seem to operate pretty free of current influence,of whatever’s popular and hip. Is that a self-conscious move onyour part?TS: We totally do, so I guess so. I just don’t listen to a lot of what’s going on. Ithink that there are some bands out there who are really, really great. I don’tknow, I guess I know what you’re talking about, this sorta dance-like thing. It’sjust not the music that moves me, you know? I lean more to the classical side,the “beauty” side.AG: Your record is very timeless, sort of a snapshot ofsomething. Like it exists outside of the influence, you know? Isthat timeless quality something that you guys were going for? Imean, it just seems like Van Occupanther will be just as good intwenty years as it is today.TS: Yeah, exactly. That’s it. You don’t want to put something out that’s onlygood for a year. You want to be able to pick it up a few years from now andhave it still sound good.AG: Paul [Alexander, Midlake bassist] said something in aninterview I read like, “Creating beauty, sincerity, and honestyare imperative while we’re writing and recording.” How do youmaintain these things?TS: Well, we all love one another. We all get along with each other becausewe’ve been doing it for so long. We’ve been doing this for so long in our lives,and we always wanted to do it for however long we could make it. It’s happenedreally slowly, you know? Seven or eight years. But, you know, it keeps gettingbetter and better […] I mean, right now, we canalmost start to afford some sort of tour bus. Notto buy, but to rent, you know? And in Europe,not really in the States yet. So that helps out. It’shard, being out on the road, in this one little vantogether, and you’ve got to sleep in, like, one littlehotel room. I don’t know, I can’t say that it’ll lastforever. I’m 31. But right now things are goingpretty well. We love doing this. There’s nothingelse we want to do. I mean, I don’t think any of uswant to go back to our day jobs.AG: Well, that’s about all I have. We’llsee you guys on February 2 nd .TS: Yeah, I think that’s the first day of our tour.Where are we playing again? The Howlin’ Wolf?AG: At a place called Republic. It usedto be the Howlin’ Wolf but the Howlin’Wolf moved down the street. Have youguys played here before?TS: Oh yeah. Once at the Howlin’ Wolf and acouple of times at the Mermaid Lounge. No oneknew who we were though.antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_19

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PAGINATIONSIn case you hadn’t noticed,2006 was a banner yearfor Howl. Cashing in on thepoem’s fiftieth anniversary,publishers have given useverything from a newGinsberg biography to a (sort of) star-studded collection ofessays on Howl’s impact to a heap of reissued and/or repackagedwork by the poet. Howl on Trial—published by City Lights,the original publishers of Howl and Other Poems—concentrateson Howl’s long struggle against censorship, beginning with theconfiscation of 520 copies by the collector of Customs onMarch 25, 1957 and continuing through the arrests and trial ofLawrence Ferlinghetti, publisher of City Lights, and ShigeyoshiMurao, a salesman in City Lights Bookshop who was takeninto custody after selling a copy of Howl to undercoverpolice. Though mostly comprised of primary sources—correspondence, trial transcripts, and a section on publicreaction in print media—Howl on Trial also tries to give somehistorical context by way of a short introduction by Ferlinghettihimself, a reprinted essay by ACLU defense lawyer AlbertBendich, and some broader insights on censorship in Americaby Bill Morgan and Nancy J. Peters, the book’s editors.To any fans of Ginsberg’s poetry who might be hoping to find inhere a dramatic courtroom confrontation between the frank andfiery poet and the “horde of middlemen whose fearful allegianceto the Organization of mass stereotype communication preventsthem from sympathy with unconditioned individuality”… well,I’ll just burst your bubble right now. Although he wrote Howl inSan Francisco, Ginsberg spent the time of the book’s publicationand the ensuing trial just about everywhere else, from the ArcticCircle to Paris to Tangiers. Ginsberg’s absence from the trialcertainly casts a shade of unintentional irony over the book’spurpose, but the editors attempt to dispel any doubts we mighthave about Ginsberg’s concern about or involvement in thelegal skirmishes by making the poet’s own correspondenceabout Howl’s publication the first large section of Howl on Trial.While many of these letters tend to get bogged down in thetedium of Howl’s typesetting and binding and a manic discussionof publicity and sales, a few manage to reveal the poet’s rangeof emotions about his groundbreaking new work and its ownautonomous life. In March 1956, still buzzing with the raw,earnest ambition of what he had just created, Ginsberg seemspowered up for battle, “almost ready to tackle the U.S. Govt outof sheer delight.” But by September of the following year, havingwritten very little in the interim, his arrogance has dissolvedinto timidity: “There has been at this point almost embarrassingamount of publicity about ‘Howl.’ I afraid the poem almost tooslight to support the enormous pile of bullshit piles over it—thothat’s probably my own fault.”Correspondence aside, what makes Howl on Trial truly wortha read is the partial transcript of the trial itself. In retrospect,the outcome of the “Battle for Free Expression” seems to havebeen predestined; indeed, the trial itself only intensified thecultural impact of Howl and gave well-known literary figures likeKenneth Rexroth the chance to publicly declare “Howl” to be“the most remarkable single poem published by a young mansince the second war.” The real pleasure to be derived fromreading the trial transcript is in the sheer ridiculousness of thesituation. When the somewhat bumbling prosecutor, DeputyD.A. Ralph McIntosh, asks defense witness Mark Schorer“what ‘andgelheaded hipsters burning for the ancient heavenlyconnection to the starry dynamo in the machinery of night’means,” Schorer coolly responds, “Sir, you can’t translate poetryinto prose; that’s why it’s poetry.” And as McIntosh goes onto quote other sections from “Howl,” the juxtaposition ofhis petty agenda with the poem’s bald, raucous power makesfor an absurdity that Ginsberg himself could have scripted:“‘Adorations! illuminations! religions! the whole boatload ofsensitive bullshit!’ Couldn’t that have been worded some otherway? Do they have to put words like that in there?”But what do the legal tussles over Howl have to do with us,almost a decade after Ginsberg’s death? Just who exactly wereHowl’s opponents, anyway, and has the battleground changedany in the last fifty years? Unfortunately, there’s no dominantnarrative voice in Howl on Trial to lead us directly to the answers.But for the reader willing to navigate through all this materialon her own, some compelling themes do eventually take shape.The notion that censorship itself creates obscenity recurs inGinsberg’s letters and in the trial transcript, as does the viewthat most arguments which seem on the surface to be aboutsexual ‘decency’ in art are usually just about plain old power—be it political power or power within the literary establishment.Maybe what still makes Ginsberg a vital role model for today’sartists and writers is his fiercely literal sense of his own reallifesocial duty in the midst of these struggles. In a letter tothe more traditional poet John Hollander, he writes: “[I]t’s beenthe cowardice and treason and abandonment of the poeticnatural democratic soul by the poets themselves that’s causedthe downfall and doom of the rest of the world too—an awfulresponsibility.”—Liz Countrymanantigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_21

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It’s that time of year... time for Top Ten/Best Of lists, andas resident comics columnist here at ANTIGRAVITY, thatmeans it falls to me to serve up a top ten of comics. Myformat of choice is the graphic novel, so I’ll be listing my tenfavorite graphic novels of the year. However, there were somany good graphic novels this year that I found it difficult tonarrow down to ten, and impossible to narrow down to tenif I included everyone. So I’m cheating a bit. My top ten willexclude the big two companies, Marvel and DC, as well asall their imprints, focusing instead on the books published bysmaller companies or by the mainstream book publishers.10. Wings (Purple Bear) Another strange, kind of sad butalso inspiring tale about afarmer who finds a puppywith wings, and whathappens over the course ofthat relationship. ShinsukeTanaka’s intricate pencilwork, not to mention hisendearingly cute puppycreation, gives the book asense of life and energy that is sweet and uplifting. This onemight turn into a bedtime favorite for those who have youngkids that like having comic stories read to them.9. Pizzeria Kamikaze (Alternative) This odd butbeautiful book by Asaf Hanuka is the story of a young manwho commits suicide, andfinds himself in a strangeafterlife where all suicideslive. He also discovers that hisgirlfriend, the reason he died,may have committed suicide,so he sets off on a post-deathroad trip to try and findher. Hanuka (along with hisbrother Tomer) does a lot ofcommercial artwork, and hasa style reminiscent in some ways of Fables cover artist JamesJean, and the book is amazing to look at, as well as featuring atrippy, melancholy story at its heart.8. Making Comics (Harper) Scott McCloud, author ofUnderstanding Comics, returns with a new volume, this timeall about what it takesto make comics. Avariety of analysis ofthe storytelling toolsof the medium, alongwith exercises in eachchapter for the wouldbecreator, makes thisthe ideal book forsomeone who wantsto improve their owncomic book art skillsor just learn the basics,and it’s also just a greatread for any comicsfan who wants to goa little deeper intothe hows and whysof storytelling. Asalways, McCloud takesa textbook type subject and presents it in comic book form,resulting in an engaging and fun read.7. The Surrogates (Top Shelf) Another science-fictionstory, The Surrogates is a speculative piece about a world where93% of humanity interact with one another using roboticsurrogates and telepresence,and the effects that has onsociety. The plot that drives itis about a fanatic who is goingaround destroying surrogates(amounting to murder), the twodetectives trying to catch himand the fanatical religious leaderwho runs a cult of anti-surrogatetechnology on the outskirtsof society. A thoughtful andimaginative future society, notto mention a good pot-boilerof a plot, are the contributionsof writer Robert Venditti, whileartist Brett Weldele provides moody, effective artwork.6. Grease Monkey (Tor)Tim Eldred writes and drawsthis all-ages science fictiontale, which takes place afteraliens have decimated Earthand another set of aliens has“uplifted” gorillas to humanintelligence to make up for thepopulation shortfall. The storyfollows a gorilla mechanic andhis new human apprentice asthey work as the mechanicsfor Barbarian Squadron, theall-female fighter squadron thatis tops aboard the station. Thestory runs the gamut from romance to pranks to starfightermaneuvers, and it’s a light, fun but never inconsequentialread.5. Supermarket (IDW) BrianWood, of Vertigo’s DMZ fame, teamsup with new talent Kristian to tell ahyper-fast, imaginative story of a girlon the run from the Yakuza and theSwedish Porno Mafia in a futuristicmega-city. Car chases, organizedcrime, hot girls, stylish guys, this is justa blast, and Kristian’s amazing stylizedart and unusual bright and luminescentcolors give visuals like no other comicthis year.4. 99 Ways To Tell AStory (ChamberlainBros.) Matt Madden’scomic book textbookmight just be for theprocess wonks, butas someone who hasno intention of evercreating a comic, I stillfound this endlesslyentertaining. Basically,it’s one very simple storytold in 99 different waysusing different comictechniques. It’s a funread, and Madden’s inventiveness is enjoyable to any comicsaficionado, but it’s must-reading for anyone who wants aninsight into the tools available to comic book storytellers.3. Adventures in Oz (IDW) Writer/artist Eric Shanower,who also does the exquisite Trojan War epic Age of Bronze,might just be single-handedly raising the bar for literatecomics with a sense ofhistory. This gorgeousoversized paperback,with IDW’s traditionallyexcellent (if slightly pricey)production values, reprintsShanower’s original storiesbased on the novels of L.Frank Baum. They’re highlyentertaining all-ages fantasy,and Shanower’s full-colorartwork is a perfect matchfor the whimsical, fantasticworld of Oz. If you’ve got themeans and a mind to scourEbay, you might find the deluxe hardcover version, weighingin at $75 but with tons of extra material, including story notesfrom Shanower.2. Action Philosophers Vol.1:Giant Sized Thing (Evil Twin)Written by Fred Van Lente andillustrated by Ryan Dunlavey, ActionPhilosophers is a series about reallife philosophers throughout theages, broken down into shortcomics stories that expound upontheir lives and their philosophies.Van Lente and Dunlavey serve upan idiosyncratic, cartoonish takeon these characters that is at oncedelightfully funny and clever andeducational about these thinkers.There’s plenty of material for this kind of thing, and a secondvolume was also published late in December. Both are mustreadingfor the philosophy major in your life, and just plain funfor anyone who enjoys good cartooning.1. Mom’s Cancer(Abrams) Writtenand drawn by Brian Fies,this book started life asthe winner of the Eisner(the comics’ equivalentof the Oscars) categoryfor Best Web Comic, andthis year it was picked upby Abrams for publication in a nice little hardcover edition.It’s an autobiographical tale, as the cartoonist struggles withhis mother’s battle with cancer. Sounds depressing, but it’sall in the execution. Fies leavens the heavy story of a familymember dealing with disease with hefty doses of humor andplenty of uplifting stories about how his mother and his sistersare coping. A fantastic example of what the medium is capableof, and very accessible to the mainstream reader as well as thecomic fan.OK, I can’t resist. Here are my top ten books from Marvel andDC, not counting Y: The Last Man or Fables:1. Absolute DC New Frontier (DC)2. Fables:1001 Nights Of Snowfall (Vertigo)3. Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Vol. 1 (Marvel)4. American Virgin Vol.1 (Vertigo)5. DMZ Vol 1: On The Ground (DC/Vertigo)6. Essential Official Handbook Of The Marvel Universe Vol. 1-3(Marvel)7. Runaways Vol 2 HC (Marvel)8. Thing: Idol of Millions (Marvel)9. Essential Godzilla (Marvel)10. Batman and the Monster Men (DC)antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_23

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PROJECTIONS In Pan’s Labyrinth, Mexicandirector Guillermo del Toroseamlessly weaves betweenthe fantastic world come tolife inside a young girl’s headand the all-too-real horrorof Franco’s fascist regime in1944 Spain. Young girl Ofelia(Ivana Baquero) and her ailing,pregnant mother arrive at a remote military post under thecommand of her barbarous new step-father (Sergi López ina monumental effort), Captain Vidal. Aided by the Captain’smysterious housekeeper (Maribel Verdú), Ofelia fi nds escapein an ancient overgrown labyrinth behind the compound.Here Ophelia fi nds a whimsical faun (Doug Jones) who givesher three formidable tests she must pass to regain her lostimmortality. Pan’s Labyrinth is an adult fairy tale. The fascistCaptain’s despicable cruelty stamping out a rebel uprising isrivaled only by his lust for a son to carry his name. Whilethe acting is impressive and the shifts from the real to theunreal truly remarkable, it is del Toro’s fearless fi nal scene thatproves the most extraordinary of all.—J.W. SpitalnyZhang Yimou’s Curse of theGolden Flower is a visualfeast set during the decadentChinese Later Tang Dynastyand centering on a dysfunctionalroyal family whose numerousskeletons tumble from theircollective closets for full display during the Chong YangChrysanthemum Festival. Chinese superstar Chow Yun Fatreigns as the Emperor, while his beautiful, ailing Empress GongLi carries on an illicit affair with her eldest stepson, the CrownPrince Wan (Liu Ye). Trouble is, Prince Wan is in love with theImperial Doctor’s daughter Chan (Li Man), who happens tobe ministering the Empress with an hourly medicine meant todrive her mad at the Emperor’s behest. What’s an Empress todo but embroider 10,000 chrysanthemums and plead with theEmperor’s second son, Prince Jai (Chinese pop star Jay Chou)to stage a coup. The art direction and costumes are stunninglybrilliant with battle sequences that evoke both Hong Kongaction and Busby Berkeley brilliance. The colorful gilded palaceand ceremonious calling of the hour so overwhelm the sensesthat you feel the Empress isn’t the only one affected by badmushrooms. And just how bad ass is Chow Yun Fat’s Emperor?Think on this: he purposefully makes his woman a crazy assbitch. And she’s Gong Li, in fever sweats. Never before have Iwatched a picture where I turned toward another critic as wegave each other simultaneous thumbs up. Curse of the GoldenFlower is that kind of fi lm. If this were an episode of CSI: LaterTang Dynasty, the Emperor would have the CSIs dispatched byninja assassins before the fi rst blood test kit even opened. Thatsaid, this fi lm is not for everyone: another viewer who left thescreening early said “It’s Japanese, and they’re speaking Englishat the bottom.” It’s in Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles.Thank you for playing.—J.W. Spitalnyantigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_25

REVOLUTIONSTHE OFFICIAL RECORD STORE OF ANTIGRAVITYMUSIC, DVDS & MORE SINCE 196910am–MIDNIGHT7 DAYS1037 BROADWAYNEW ORLEANS, LA 70118504-866-6065IT’S WORTH THE TRIPBUY-SELL-TRADE NEW + USED MUSIC + MOVIESYOUR ROCK ‘N’ ROLLHEADQUARTERSThere’s something unsettlinggoing on with Of Montreal’s10th record. It’s not the music,that’s for sure: Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer is a masterfulturn for the venerable Athens, Ga., outfit, perhaps besting 2004high-water mark Satanic Panic In The Attic in terms of melodicinspiration and arrangement complexity. “A Sentence Of SortsIn Kongsvinger” and “We Were Born The Mutants AgainWith Leafling” are new entries into Kevin Barnes’ burgeoningpop-classic pantheon, and as always, a graduate-level creativewriting course could be comprised of the man’s best tracktitles (selections for this syllabus: “Fabergé Falls For Shuggie,”“Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse”). So no, it’s notthe music. It’s that Barnes is clearly—audibly, even—clinicallydepressed. Normally it wouldn’t come as a shock for a rockstar to be down in the dumps, but for Barnes, whose formerfancies include gay parades and bedside dramas, to be singingconfessionals like “I spent the winter with my nose buried ina book/While trying to restructure my character,” you knowsomething must be seriously wrong.As the singer confessed in a recent conversation withANTIGRAVITY, while putting together what might be hismasterwork, Barnes was quickly losing his mind.ANTIGRAVITY: Was making this recordtherapeutic?Kevin Barnes: For sure. I really felt like it was the thing thathelped me keep my head together.AG: “Sentence Of Sorts In Kongsvinger” is such ahappy-sounding song, but the lyrics are anythingbut: “I spent the winter on the verge of a totalbreakdown while living in Norway.”KB: Yeah. It’s really bizarre: the reason the music is so poppy isthat, when I find myself in a really dark place, rather than writinga really melancholy, minor-key song, I try to make music thatpicks me up out of the downward spiral. And so the music isgoing to sound really happy, but when it comes to writing thelyrics, I can’t really fake that.AG: When you’re singing, “I fell in love with thefirst cute girl that I met/Who could appreciateGeorges Bataille,” is that about your wife?KB: [Laughs] Yeah.AG: And I can assume “She’s A Rejecter,” too?KB: Well … Kind of, yeah.AG: It’s admirable that you never lost your senseof humor: “There’s the girl that left me bitter/Want to pay some other girl to just walk up to herand hit her” is, I think, one of the funniest thingsyou’ve ever written.KB: Yeah, that’s a tricky one. It could seem misogynistic orendorsing spousal abuse or whatever.AG: You do go on, “But I can’t/I can’t/I can’t.”Like publishing your diary.KB: Yeah, totally. But then, the way I feel about it—kind oftaking a cue from John and Yoko—I really respect them forsharing their thoughts and their view on the rest of the world.You realize you really have nothing to protect. I don’t feelvulnerable anymore because I’ve accepted the fact that I’ma totally fucked up person, and almost everybody is totallyfucked up and weird. There’s no reason to pretend you’resomething you’re not.AG: I love the vocal arrangements, particularlyon “Gronlandic Edit” and “Sentence Of Sorts.”They’re almost operatic.KB: I’m really influenced by David Bowie, as you probablycould tell. He does a lot of really great stuff vocally: using thevoice as an instrument, just as much as any other instrumentin the arrangement. A lot of times you could play the part onthe synthesizer or you could play the part on the guitar, but Ijust decided to do it with my voice, because it’s going to havemore of an original sound to it—only I have my voice, and noone else can have that instrument. It also has a lot to do withbeing alone in the studio and just working on stuff. A lot oftimes you’re just limited; like when I was recording in Norway,all I had was a laptop and a Midi trigger. I didn’t have guitars orsynthesizers beyond that.AG: Most of this was put together in Athens,correct?KB: Most of it was put together in Athens, but a lot of it wasrecorded in Norway. A lot of it was recorded as I was goingthrough these experiences. It’s not like I wrote the songs andthen months later recorded them; they were all recordedright in the moment.AG: Are you doing any actual drumming?KB: There’s some live percussion, but most of the drumsounds are programmed.AG: “The Past Is A Grotesque Animal” is unlikeanything else you’ve ever done.KB: That one, I made the music first. I didn’t really know what Iwas going to do with it; I just knew I wanted to make somethingthat was very emotive and captured that feeling—when youfeel like the whole world is against you and trying to destroyyou. You know, you’re struggling to keep it together.AG: Totally stream of consciousness, too: Thebit about “dodging lamps and vegetables” is aparticularly great line.KB: Yeah, a lot of it was stream of consciousness. Lyrically, itwas almost like primal scream therapy.—Noah Bonaparte26_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

Following a series of hitsingles in British radioover the past year and a half,Forward, Russia! have releasedtheir much anticipated debut album, Give Me a Wall. In theirfirst full-length work, this group from Leeds dives headfirst intothe transatlantic pool of post-punk, dark-pop indie rockerscomprised of artists like Interpol, Franz Ferdinand and BlocParty. While they mess with order in a track list that citesnumbers for names, and at times float dangerously close tothe morbid, melancholic intensity of The Cure in their lyrics,Forward, Russia! nevertheless do more than tread wateramong their musical progenitors. Forward, Russia!’s compactedinstrumental urgency renders Interpol’s antics somewhat tepidby comparison, while the group likewise diverges from the easyglee of Franz Ferdinand in an attempt to reach a more dramaticemotional depth. It’s clear by the arrangement of the album’slyrics in epistolary form on the insert that they feel they havea lot to say and they sound smart when they do it. Give Me aWall’s lyrics cite historical figures such as Caesar, Hemingway,Einstein and Van Gogh, while utilizing an interestingly congruent,modern scientific lexicon; alongside images of a fiery antiquitywith pharaohs, funeral pyres and obsidian bloodbaths, thisultimately achieves a unity throughout the album that lendsa sense of academic and old-world legitimacy to what wouldotherwise be a shallow effusiveness. The effect is an energylike that of Franz Ferdinand but an attempt at an emotionalmessage closer to what we get in the Cure or I Love You ButI’ve Chosen Darkness…minus most of the darkness. However,there are times when the vocals of Tom Woodhead areseriously reminiscent of Robert Smith, the high notes evokingthe same squeamishness I feel when I admit that the song “LoveWill Tear Us Apart” still moves me to dance. It seems that ifthere’s any chance a song could be used for a personal montageof some sort (check out “Nineteen”) there’s no way it canbe taken seriously. But then again, the opportunity to eithertake them seriously or not might be what makes the albumenjoyable. Thus, while they exhibit that certain post-punk paceand ostensible self-seriousness of other contemporaries intheir musical gene pool, Forward, Russia! differs in the uniqueurgency and energy with which they approach an emotionallyand intellectually ambitious content.—Sarah AndertOverweight girls rejoice—Fat Greg Dulli is backwith another mediocre TwilightSingers CD! And, yet again, thefat man has sullied Mark Lanegan’s good name by including theformer Screaming Trees frontman on yet another pointlessTwilight Singers recording; Lanegan duets with Dulli on twotunes on this EP: an almost enjoyable cover of Massive Attack’s“Live with Me” and a cover of “Flashback,” which was originallyrecorded by Fat Freddy’s Drop from New Zealand. Allegedly,these two tracks are previews of the pair’s long promisedGutter Twins project, a group which has been dubbed the“Satanic Everly Brothers” and has yet to officially release anymaterial. Songwriter Joseph Arthur and Rick McCollum fromGreg Dulli’s former (and superior) band The Afghan Whigs cowrotetwo of the other songs on A Stitch in Time and the finaltrack on the EP, “The Lure Would Prove Too Much,” is anouttake from this year’s Powder Burns album that was written byDulli all by his big fat self. Not surprisingly, the two songs thatLanegan sings lead vocals on are the only worthwhile tracks onthis otherwise tepid disc. I don’t normally encourage people tosteal, but buying A Stitch in Time will only help put more foodin Dulli’s big fat mouth and he doesn’t need any more food inthere, so I advise you to snatch this off the Internet for free—Dulli has plenty of cookie dough money as it is, so there’s noreason to feel guilty about your theft.—Joseph LarkinIrecently watched IanMacKaye speak to a group ofdisinterested college students atLoyola University. Afterwards,I overheard a conversation in which two kids discussed thefact that The Melvins were playing a show that night at OneEyed Jacks and neither of ‘em knew who The Melvins were.Fuck those kids. They have no excuse for not knowing whoThe Melvins are—The Melvins have been an undergroundinstitution for well over twenty years now! Kids these days!Christ, I was half their age when I started listening to thisband! I can remember walking ten miles in the snow uphill topurchase the Gluey Porch Treatments seventy-eight for a nickelat the local penny arcade! But I digress. The Melvins have joinedforces with Big Business for A Senile Animal and the addition ofa new bassist and second drummer has breathed new life intothis Sabbath-influenced beast. An additional drummer meansthere are drum solos galore—this latest development is eithera good thing or a bad thing, depending on who you ask. Fans ofHoudini-era Melvins will be pleased to learn that Animal minesthe same sonic territory that Houdini mined many years ago;in fact, “Civilized Worm” almost sounds like an outtake fromthe Houdini sessions! And “A History of Bad Men?” Yeah, itsounds dangerously similar to “Night Goat,” the second trackon Houdini. Anyway, The Melvins have left the long meanderingsongs behind and have replaced them with relatively shortblasts of sludgy rock. The riffs are thick and juicy like a T-bonesteak about to be fed to a pit-bull, the playing is tighter thana noose and the songs kick like a ninja on speed—Animal isHoudini on crack, Houdini from hell, Houdini on crack in hell,etc. Put simply, A Senile Animal is the most satisfying Melvinsalbum in years.—Joseph LarkinJohn Peel was one of GreatBritain’s most belovedbroadcasters and he ofteninvited artists he admired to record raw versions of their songsin his studio for broadcast on his BBC Radio 1 program—PJHarvey was but one of thousands of artists who recordedPeel Sessions for the late DJ’s show. But Harvey was also aclose friend of Peel’s and this collection of songs from hernumerous Peel Sessions has been released during a month ofcommemorative events to mark the second anniversary of theinfluential broadcaster’s death. The twelve tracks, chosen byPolly Jean herself, span her entire career, from early versionsof the songs on her debut album, Dry, to a single track fromher seventh and most recent LP, Uh Huh Her. Astute fans willno doubt note that these Peel Sessions are nowhere nearcomplete—not a single track from her electrifying 1992 and1998 sessions made the cut and only two of the four songs sherecorded for her 1993 session can be found on this disc. Still,beggars can’t be choosers and fans of Harvey’s dirty CaptainBeefheart-inspired music will thrill at the opportunity to hearthese tracks, which sound drastically different from their officialalbum counterparts—songs like “Sheela-Na-Gig” and “NakedCousin” twitch with a new sense of urgency in these mostlylive sessions. And then there are the stark versions of “LosingGround” and “Snake” from Harvey’s 1996 session, whichshowcase Harvey’s naked voice accompanied only by electricguitar…goddamn! Though the last three tracks on this disc aresomewhat disappointing, The Peel Sessions 1991-2004 is a fittingtribute to Peel and a glorious reminder that PJ Harvey is anartistic force to be reckoned with.—Joseph LarkinBlood Mountain is the thirdfull-length studio albumfrom Mastodon, who hail fromHotlanta, GA and sing themetal heavy. Like Mastodon’s previous album, Leviathan, whichwas inspired by Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick (no, seriously! Itreally was!), Blood Mountain is a concept album—the concepthaving something to do with being stranded on a mountain (ofblood!), “being hunted” and “running into strange creatures;”Yeah, it may be goofy, but it beats the hell out of “Bark at theMoon” and “Stairway to Heaven.” The main character of BloodMountain is in search of the Crystal Skull, which he hopes toplace at the top of Blood Mountain. Mastodon bassist TroySanders has revealed in interviews that the main characterruns into Cysquatch, which is “a one-eyed Sasquatch that cansee into the future,” and gets “caught in a blizzard where [he]becomes frostbitten and frozen and [he’s] starving and startsto hallucinate. This snow queen appears before him and tellshim it’s okay to start eating his own flesh. And then he startsto do that. Then an aurora borealis appears and he thinks it’sGod and it starts affecting this Crystal Skull he's been totingup the mountain and it starts to warm his body. That, coupledwith the knowledge of the aurora borealis being God, giveshim the strength to start to carry on again.” Huh! Imagine that!Like a Christmas party hosted by Chevy Chase, Blood Mountainis a star-studded affair that includes guest appearances by ScottKelly of Neurosis, Joshua Homme of Queens of the Stone Ageand two of the uglier members of The Mars Volta, who totallysuck ass, by the way. Unlike a movie starring Chevy Chase, BloodMountain is not a huge artistic failure; in fact, it’s Mastodon’smost accomplished and challenging record to date. Mastodon’spatented brand of progressive riffing is so intoxicating that it’sno wonder people call it stoner metal. The last three songs onBlood Mountain are decidedly slower and less rocking, givingthe story a less urgent ending. My advice? Cancel your weeklyDungeons and Dragons game, put in a call to your connectionand put Blood Mountain on repeat, kids.—Joseph LarkinIndie groups who make theircomputers instruments oftenhave trouble achieving thosescrappy, raw edges that theirguitar-based peers use to prove their autheticity and endearthemselves to their audience. On Paper Television, an albumfilled with drum machines, electro squalls and upbeat grooves,The Blow seem as if they have the software and know-how togo the club route had they wanted… to fill out their sound,embellish it with trippy flourishes, and deepen the bass. Butthe album is firmly on the side of the lo-fi indie pop that’s oftenfound on their label, K Records. The programming is precisebut not too polished, and the songs find brevity at the threeminutemark. The Blow are a guy (Jona Bechtolt) and a girl(Khaela Maricich) who sings about guys aching for girls and girlsaching for guys. It’s typical pop song subject matter even if thelyrics sometimes slide into metaphors about digestive tractsand internal organs. The first song, “Pile of Gold,” might beconsidered the album’s single (after all, it can be found as a freedownload on the Internet), and its elements come togetherterrifically—a balance of pop hooks, attitude, vocal control,and inspired electronic musicianship. Paper Television has plentyof other solid songs, but in one the grooves maybe don’t feelas fun, or in another Maricich’s lyrics never find a solid chorusto wrap themselves around, or the tempo may slow down a bittoo much. Some small type in the CD liner notes shows thatthe band wrestles with the guilt of making a pop record duringdark times, and if it’s not this guilt, then there something elsethat’s holding this concise, appealing album back from reachingits full potential.—Henry Alpertantigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_27

NEW ORLEANSThe Big Top1638 Clio St., (504) 569-2700www.3ringcircusproductions.comCafe Brasil2100 Chartres St., (504) 947-9386Carrollton Station8140 Willow St., (504) 865-9190www.carrolltonstation.comCheckpoint Charlie’s501 Esplanade Ave., (504) 947-0979Chickie Wah Wah2828 Canal St., (504) 304-4714www.circlebar.netCircle Bar1032 St. Charles Ave., (504) 588-2616www.circlebar.netCoach’s Haus616 N. SolomonD.B.A.618 Frenchmen St., (504) 942-373www.drinkgoodstuff.com/noGoldmine Saloon701 Dauphine St., (504) 586-0745Green Space2831 MaraisHot Iron Press1420 KentuckyThe High Ground3612 Hessmer Ave., Metairie, (504) 525-0377www.thehighgroundvenue.comHi-Ho Lounge2239 St. Claude Ave. (504) 723-3113House Of Blues / The Parish225 Decatur, (504)310-4999www.hob.com/neworleansThe Howlin’ Wolf907 S. Peters, (504) 522-WOLFwww.thehowlinwolf.comLe Bon Temps Roule4801 Magazine St., (504) 895-8117Maple Leaf8316 Oak St., (504) 866-9359Marlene’s Place3715 Tchoupitoulas, (504) 897-3415www.myspace.com/marlenesplaceOne Eyed Jacks615 Toulouse St., (504) 569-8361www.oneeyedjacks.netRepublic828 S. Peters St., (504) 528-8282www.republicnola.comSip Wine Market3119 Magazine St., (504) 894-7071www.sipwinenola.comTipitina’s(Uptown) 501 Napoleon Ave., (504) 895-8477(Downtown) 233 N. Peterswww.tipitinas.comBATON ROUGEChelsea’s Cafe2857 Perkins Rd., (225) 387-3679www.chelseascafe.comThe Darkroom10450 Florida Blvd., (225) 274-1111www.darkroombatonrouge.comNorth Gate Tavern136 W. Chimes St.www.northgatetavern.comRed Star Bar222 Laurel St., (225) 346-8454www.redstarbar.comRotolos (All-Ages)808 Pettit Blvd.www.myspace.com/rotolosallagesThe Spanish Moon1109 Highland Rd., (225) 383-MOONwww.thespanishmoon.comThe Varsity3353 Highland Rd., (225)383-7018www.varsitytheatre.comPREMONITIONSRECOMMENDED SHOWS IN BOLDTuesday, 1/2DJ Proppa Bear Presents: Drop (Drum‘N’ Bass), Dragon’s DenAcoustic Open Mic w/ Jim Smith,Checkpoint Charlie’sJohnny Vidacovich Duo, d.b.a., 10pmWednesday, 1/3Beat The Living, Collapse The Memory,My Doppleganger’s Casket, Pride BeforeThe Fall, Darkroom, 7pm, $8Dancehall Classics with DJ T-Roy,Dragon’s DenStarscream’s Revenge, Spanish MoonKenny Holiday and the Rolling Blackouts,Checkpoint Charlie’s, 9pmWalter Wolfman Washington, d.b.a.,10pmThursday, 1/4Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Howlin’ Wolf,10pmThe Dykes Of Hazard Comedy Tourfeature Kristen Becker, Slim Bloodworth,Linda Ellis, emceed by Bill Dykes, TheParish @ House Of Blues, 8pm, $10The Bombshelter w/ DJ BombshellBoogie, Dragon’s DenBig Larry And The River Rats, CheckpointCharlie’s, 7pmThe American Cheese Trio, CheckpointCharlie’s, 10pmSoul Rebels, Le Bon Temps RouleFast Times ‘80s Dance Night, One EyedJacksPaul Sanchez, d.b.a., 10pmFriday, 1/5Battle!, Ghosts In The Lowlights, InMemory Of, Darkroom, 7pm, $10Jude Fawley, Recovery Period, Alarum,The Stud House (805 Geranium St., BatonRouge), 7pmN.O.madic Tribal, Dragon’s Den, 8pm,FREEThe Four Lost Arts, Terror Of The Sea,Dragon’s DenRoberto And Lissa, Checkpoint Charlie’s,7pmSlewfoot And Cary B., CheckpointCharlie’s, 11pmFree Oysters w/ Joe Krown, Le BonTemps Roule, 7pmBig Sam’s Funky Nation, Le Bon TempsRoule, 11pmHot Club Of New Orleans, d.b.a., 6pmEgg Yolk Jubilee, d.b.a., 10pm, $5Saturday, 1/6Zona Jones, Christian Serpas,Ghosttown, The Parish @ House Of Blues,9pm, $10Attrition, Kingdom, In Tomorrow’sShadow, Arcane Theory, Barricade,LetXDown, Darkroom, 7pm, $10Fake Problems, Hop Along QueenAnsleis, Wheatie, Murdock’s Revenge,The Robinsons, Green Space, 7pm, $5Simon Lott, Dragon’s DenLow Country Audio, Spanish MoonDomenic, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 7pmStephie And The White Sox, CheckpointCharlie’s, 11pmBilly Iuso and The Restless Natives, LeBon Temps RouleJohn Boutte’, d.b.a., 7pmRussell Batiste, d.b.a., 10pm, $5Sunday, 1/7Aggro-Fate, Attrition, In Distress, GreenSpace, 7pm, $5Trio De Janiero, Dragon’s DenLinnzi Zaorski, d.b.a., 6pmJeff & Vida, d.b.a., 10pmMonday, 1/8Stumps, The Broken Bottle Band, ,Dragon’s DenJohnny Vidacovich Duo, d.b.a., 10pmTuesday, 1/9Metal Edge Presents: CorporatePunishment Tour 2007 featuring AmityLane, Ghost Machine, Hydrovibe, ForThe Wait, House Of Blues, 7pm, $12DJ Proppa Bear Presents: Drop (Drum‘N’ Bass), , Dragon’s DenSip ‘N’ Spin: ANTIGRAVITY Edition, SipWine Market, 6:30, FREEAcoustic Open Mic w/ Jim Smith,Checkpoint Charlie’s, 10pmWednesday, 1/10Blondzai, Ratzinger, , Dragon’s DenDancehall Classics with DJ T-Roy,Dragon’s DenKenny Holiday and the Rolling Blackouts,Checkpoint Charlie’s, 9pmWashboard Chaz, Le Bon Temps RouleWalter Wolfman Washington, d.b.a.,10pmThursday, 1/11Japanther, Trash Trash Trash,Hot Dish, Screening of StyleWars, Green Space, 7pm, $5The Bombshelter with DJ BombshellBoogie, Dragon’s DenDomenic, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 7pmThe American Cheese Trio, CheckpointCharlie’s, 10pmSoul Rebels, Le Bon Temps RouleFast Times ‘80s Dance Night, One EyedJacksClint Maedgen, d.b.a., 10pmFriday, 1/12Classic Case, Forgive Durden, TheAlmost, House Of Blues, 6pm, $10Morning 40 Federation, House Of Blues,8pm, $10J-Remy, The Hush, The Vettes, RepublicTen 13 Concept, Sticky Bandits,Darkroom, 7pm, $10Antenna Inn, Rotary Downs,One Eyed Jacks, 10pmMike Dillon, Skerik, Dragon’s DenFleur De Tease, Spanish MoonRoberto And Lissa, Checkpoint Charlie’s,7pmDarin Ellsworth, Checkpoint Charlie’s,10pmFree Oysters w/ Joe Krown, Le BonTemps Roule, 7pmBrotherhood Of Groove, Le Bon TempsRoule, 11pmIngrid Lucia, d.b.a., 6pmJuice, d.b.a., 10pm, $5Saturday, 1/13G. Love & Special Sauce, Matt Costa,House Of Blues, 8pm, $20-$24A Night At Miss Mimi’s (BurlesquePuppet Show), The Parish @ House OfBlues, 8pm, $10Downtown Fiasco, Death To Juliet,The Blacklist Royals, Corrupted Youth,Darkroom, 7pm, $10The Eames Era, Silent Cinema,Junior League, We Landed OnThe Moon, Howlin’ Wolf, 10pmNOLA Underground Presents: RaiseThe Dead Festival with Floodgate, Skab,S.I.K., Snake Oiler, The Pallbearers, Haarp,Culpa, Slow The Knife, The Muddpiggs,One Eyed Jacks, 6pm, $13Mr. Lewis & The Funeral 5, A ParticularlyVicious Rumor, Sioux City Pete, TheBeggas, Dragon’s DenT-Bone Stone And The Lazy Boys,Checkpoint Charlie’s, 7pmAndre Bouvier’s Royal Bohemians,Checkpoint Charlie’s, 11pmMike Dillon, Skerick And Co., Le BonTemps RouleJohn Boutte’, d.b.a., 7pmSoul Rebels, d.b.a., 11pm, $5Sunday, 1/14G. Love & Special Sauce, Matt Costa,House Of Blues, 8pm, $20-$24The City Is The Tower, Justinbailey, BallBag Studios (831 Violet St., Baton Rouge),6:30pmPretty And Nice, Terror Of TheSea, Dragon’s DenLinnzi Zaorski, d.b.a., 6pmMonday, 1/15The City Is The Tower, Charts & Maps,Recovery Period, Frenching Action,Screening of Surplus: Terrorized Into BeingConsumers, Green Space, 7pm, $5Some Sort Of New Orleans BenefitShow, Dragon’s DenMike Dillon Duo, f/ Skerik, d.b.a., 10pmTuesday, 1/16An Evening With The Machine, A PinkFloyd Experience, House Of Blues, 8pm,$1428_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

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Tuesday, 1/16 (cont.)Animal City, Rural Route Nine, Darkroom,7pm, $8Porsches On The Autobahn, Dragon’sDenDJ Proppa Bear Presents: Drop (Drum‘N’ Bass), Dragon’s DenUnknown Hinson, Zenbilly, Spanish MoonSip ‘N’ Spin, Sip Wine Market, 6:30, FREEAcoustic Open Mic w/ Jim Smith,Checkpoint Charlie’s, 10pmHeartless Bastards, One Eyed JacksJohnny Vidacovich Duo, f/ Mike Dillon,d.b.a., 10pmWednesday, 1/17Animal City, Tchoupchupacabra, NeutralGround, 10pm, $5 DonationDancehall Classics with DJ T-Roy,Dragon’s DenFred Weaver, Spanish MoonKenny Holiday and the Rolling Blackouts,Checkpoint Charlie’s, 9pmAbsinthe Minded, Le Bon Temps RouleWalter Wolfman Washington, d.b.a.,10pmThursday, 1/18Carbon Leaf, The Parish @ House OfBlues, 8pm, $10Blue October, House Of Blues, 7pm, $19The Bombshelter with DJ BombshellBoogie, Dragon’s DenRoss Hellen And The Hellbenders,Checkpoint Charlie’s, 7pmThe American Cheese Trio, CheckpointCharlie’s, 10pmSoul Rebels, Le Bon Temps RouleFast Times ‘80s Dance Night, One EyedJacksFriday, 1/19Glasgow, Rebirth Brass Band, Howlin’ WolfAlejandro Escovedo Alex McMurray, TheParish @ House Of Blues, 8pm, $10-$12Doomsday Device, Tchoupchupacabra,The Bar, $5Thirteen Deep, To Rise Above, Darkroom,7pm, $10Angry Banana, Little Richard Nixon, HighGround, 7pm, $6K-Flux, Epic, Spanish MoonRoberto And Lissa, Checkpoint Charlie’s,7pmLips And The Trips, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 11pmFree Oysters w/ Joe Krown, Le BonTemps Roule, 7pmGreyson Capps, Le Bon Temps Roule,11pmImpulss, One Eyed JacksHot Club Of New Orleans, d.b.a., 6pmMem Shannon & The Membership, d.b.a.,10pm, $5Johnny Woodstock Benefit, Dragon’s DenSaturday, 1/20The Benjy Davis Project, Greg Vendetti,Howlin’ WolfOf Montreal, A Hawk And AHacksaw, RepublicForever Taken, Wake Into The Nightmare,One Breath From Eternity, By His Blood,In Every Nightmare, Darkroom, 7pm, $10As Cities Burn, The Planning Fallacy, HighGround, 7pmWhite Bitch, Nirvana (WhiteBitch and members of TheBad Off, Testaverde and RockCity Morgue), Riverboat Jones,Saturn Bar, 10pm, FREEJohnny Woodstock Benefit, Dragon’s DenSol.illaquists Of Sound, DJ Storm,Brenton & The Brentones, Spanish MoonBig Larry And The Quarter Rats,Checkpoint Charlie’s, 7pmI Tell You What, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 11pmRobert Mercurio, Jeff Raines w/ KevinO’Day And Joe Ashler, Le Bon TempsRouleThe Tomatoes CD ReleaseParty, One Eyed JacksJohn Boutte’, d.b.a., 7pmCorey & The Young Fellas, d.b.a., 11pm,$5Sunday, 1/21Incubus, Albert Hammond Jr., House OfBlues, 6pm, $40Frelich, Dillon, Singleton, Dragon’s DenLinnzi Zaorski, d.b.a., 6pmWashboard Chaz Blues Trio, d.b.a., 10pmMonday, 1/22Alexisonfire, Saosin, Senses Fail, TheSleeping, House Of Blues, 5:30pm, $15.50Thumbscrew, Abacabb, With BloodComes Cleansing, My Doppleganger’sCasket, Darkroom, 7pm, $10Mr. Mustachio’s Winter Gala, Dragon’sDenRick Troloson & Gringo Do Choro, d.b.a.,10pmTuesday, 1/23The Villa CD Release with The Zoo, TheTruth Brass Band, Howlin’ WolfDJ Proppa Bear Presents: Drop (Drum‘N’ Bass), Dragon’s DenSip ‘N’ Spin, Sip Wine Market, 6:30, FREEAcoustic Open Mic w/ Jim Smith,Checkpoint Charlie’s, 10pmJohnny Vidacovich Duo, d.b.a., 10pmWednesday, 1/24“Strhess Tour” with Fear Before TheMarch Of Flames, Heavy Heavy LowLow, Murder By Death, Thursday, HouseOf Blues, 5:30pm, $15-$18Mastery, Catholicon, Gorebortion,Darkroom, 7pm, $10Dancehall Classics with DJ T-Roy,Dragon’s DenBrass Bed, Terror Of The Sea, AppleButter, Spanish MoonKenny Holiday and the Rolling Blackouts,Checkpoint Charlie’s, 9pmGravy, Le Bon Temps RouleDoug Stanhope, One EyedJacksWalter Wolfman Washington,d.b.a., 10pmThursday, 1/25The Bombshelter with DJBombshell Boogie, Dragon’sDenThe American Cheese Trio,Checkpoint Charlie’s, 10pmSoul Rebels, Le Bon TempsRoule,Storyville Starlettes, WhirlingDervishFast Times ‘80s Dance Night,One Eyed JacksAndy J. Forest, d.b.a., 10pmFriday, 1/26ANTIGRAVITY andTimecode:NOLAPresent: A Screening ofHead Trauma, Republic,8pm, $6 and FREEpopcornConstance Release Party w/ DJsJoey Buttons and Nate White,Circle Bar, 10pmAction Reaction, Kill Hannah, LoveArcade, The Pink Spiders, The Parish @House Of Blues, 8pm, $12-$14Julie Odell, Raise High, MatthrewHerron, Luke Starkiller, Jonathon Lossett,Darkroom, 7pm, $9Remember The Fall, The World’s MostDangerous, Howlin’ Wolf, 10pmJeff Tweedy, House Of Blues, 7pm, $22.50Typecell’s Drum ‘N’ Bass Party, Dragon’sDenAlways The Runner, Unwed Sailor,Lazarus Heart, Spanish MoonRoberto And Lissa, Checkpoint Charlie’s,7pmKid Red, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 11pmFree Oysters w/ Joe Krown, Le BonTemps Roule, 7pmCorey Henry And The Youngfellas, Le BonTemps Roule, 11pmHonky, One Eyed JacksCoco Robocheaux, d.b.a., 6pmRotary Downs, d.b.a., 10pm, $530_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

Saturday, 1/27Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes, MapleLeafVolatile, Sufferstream, The Rosary Falls,One Bullet Left, Eponine, Darkroom, 7pm,$10New Orleans Kid Camera ProjectBenefit, Dragon’s DenAs Cities Burn, Justinbailey, Spanish MoonRoss Hellen And The Hellbenders,Checkpoint Charlie’s, 11pmThe Revealers, Le Bon Temps RouleBlack Rose Band CD ReleaseParty, One Eyed JacksJohn Boutte’, d.b.a., 7pmNew Orleans Klezmer All-Stars, d.b.a.,11pm, $5Sunday, 1/28Unwed Sailor, Circle BarLos Lonely Boys, House Of Blues, 7pm,$25Job For A Cowboy, Psyopus, See YouNext Tuesday, High Ground, 7pmNaked Orchestra, Dragon’s DenLinnzi Zaorski, d.b.a., 6pmGal Holiday & The Honky Tonk Revue,d.b.a., 10pmMonday, 1/29Lindsay Buckingham, House Of Blues, 7pm,$452.13, Uva Ursi, Dragon’s DenRob Wagner Trio, d.b.a., 10pmFriday, 1/29Ditto, Baby! w/ DJsBrice Nice and Joey Buttons,Saturn Bar, 3067 St. Claude Ave.Touted as a ‘straight-up dance party’by its creator Sonali Fernando, DittoBaby!, New Orleans’ newest party night, isgenerating a lot of well-deserved interest.The Texas native isn’t a stranger to the localparty scene, she already acts as manager toMiss DJ Bombshell Boogie, featured Thursdaynights at the Dragon’s Den. However, SaturnBar’s newest monthly event is heading inan entirely different direction than mostother New Orleans dance nights. ‘Thereare themed nights, there are clubs that aregenre-rific, meaning you know where to goto see hip-hop, to hear reggae, ‘80s, etc. Soto counter the nightly monotony Sonali, alongwith co-creator Michelle Lopez and her mainDJs Brice Nice and Joey Buttons, are ‘tryingto create a monthly party where people don’tgive a fuck and dance, wild out and cometogether as New Orleanians in a spirit ofhaving a good time and hopefully supportingcreativity and exchanging ideas.’ That’s whythe night isn’t classified by one type of music.You can expect to hear everything from indierock to dancehall, from electro to hip hop.And of course, Sonali assures, there will bebounce. Judging by the packed house at thefirst Ditto Baby!, Sonali and her crew arecertainly doing more than a little somethingright. Want to see what all talk is about? Puton something fantastic and head to the SaturnBar on Friday, January 19 th , 2007 and be readyfor some rumored surprises and, of course,non-stop dancing!—Jenelle DavisTuesday, 1/30The Gourds, The Parish @ House OfBlues, 8pm, $10DJ Proppa Bear Presents: Drop (Drum‘N’ Bass), Dragon’s DenSip ‘N’ Spin, Sip Wine Market, 6:30, FREEJohnny Vidacovich Duo, d.b.a., 10pmWednesday, 1/31Dancehall Classics with DJ T-Roy,Dragon’s DenKenny Holiday and the Rolling Blackouts,Checkpoint Charlie’s, 9pmGroove Sect, Le Bon Temps RouleWalter Wolfman Washington, d.b.a.,10pmThursday, 2/1Dave Barnes, Gabe Dixon, The Parish @House Of Blues, 8pm, $10Fast Times ‘80s Dance Night, One EyedJacksMidlake, RepublicFriday, 2/2Saturday, 2/3Morning 40 Federation, Big Blue Marble,The Transmission, Howlin’ Wolfantigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_31