June 2006 (PDF) - Antigravity Magazine

[vol.3 no.8 june. ‘06][your new orleans music and culture alternative]2ND ANNIVERSARY ISSUE WITH THE K CHRONICLES’ KEITH KNIGHTALSO: DANIELSON I BAND OF HORSESDJ QUICKIE MART I DEADBOY & THEELEPHANTMEN I BALLZACK I SEAGAL?antigravitymagazine.comFREE!

DANIELSONThe Brother’s GonnaWork It Out_page 14

FREEFLOATING RAMBLINGSWho are those handsome men on the cover of thisissue? Yeah, yeah, it’s the three editors whosewords appear on this page every month (and the guywho’s used to being in his comics, Keith Knight). Weadmit it–it’s kind of immodest to do it, but when youhave the chance to be immortalized in cartoon form byone of your favorite artists, wouldn’t you take it? Andconsidering all the adversity and roadblocks we’ve allfaced in the past nine months, I hope you can forgive usthis one slightly egotistic act.But is it June again already? It seems like June ‘04 wasjust the other day and we patrolled the streets of NewOrleans for the first time, looking for businesses andpeople that would take our little magazine. As quicklyas our first year passed, this past year flew by even faster.Two months off in September and October will do thatto a year, I guess. We came back in November, betterthan ever (we hope) and just as committed to putting outthe best magazine possible. Since then we’ve added new departments, like the LiveNewOrleans column,our ANTI-News, interviews that accompany our featured album review...and we’ll keep adding things wethink make AG better.To celebrate this month’s momentus occasion, we’ve got a few events on tap. We have a concertplanned for June 24th with Deadboy & The Elephantmen and Ballzack at One Eyed Jacks. Before that wehave this month’s cover artist and creator of the K Chronicles, the aforementioned Keith Knight, presentinghis slideshow at Handsome Willy’s on June 23rd. We hope you’ll join us for those events and that youcontinue to pick us up every month–as long as you people support us it’s easy for us to do our best.This month and every month, we’ll see you out and about!––Leo McGovern, PublisherStrange things are afoot in the Crescent City. Our muchballyhooed, two-month mayoral ordeal resulted in rehiring thesame guy we had before, roughly the democratic equivalent ofwalking around the block twice to find your front door (sorry forthe lack of drama, Soledad). It’s June, again, time for our 200,000-strong washing machine to go back on its six-month spin cycle.Perhaps strangest of all, ANTIGRAVITY turns two this month.Seems just yesterday we were a helpless, sniveling, eight-by-tennewborn, barely able to control our bowels or get an even trimjob; now, wide-eyed and wobbly legged, we stumble confidentlyinto toddlerhood with a tabloid-sized head of steam (the bowelswe’re still working on). In commemoration, local friends (Deadboy& The Elephantmen, Ballzack, DJ Quickie Mart) and out-of-townguests (Danielson, Band Of Horses, Fiery Furnaces) will convergeupon the cozy confines of Handsome Willy’s on Friday, June 23,craving spaghetti and Italian sausage and eager to catch a glimpseof our special emcee—the illustrious illustrator Keith Knight and his infamous slideshow. All of whichaffirms AG’s office mantra of the moment: “Don’t evacuate—celebrate!” Amen to that, brother.––Noah Bonaparte, Senior EditorNow that hurricane season has finally arrived (I thought itwould never come!) I’ve compiled an evacuation list ofnecessary items in the hopes of benefiting those of you who arereadying your preparations. Please feel free to make additions inaccordance to your personal circumstances.1. Full tank of gas2. Mr. Bumby3. Diazepam4. ResumeGood luck out there.––Patrick Strange, Associate Editor04_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

Carolyn, via MySpaceGreetings folk of Antigravity-dom! The name’s Carolyn, and I wasintroduced to your magazine [I mean amazingness] this Cinco deMayo. I strolled into Handsome Willy’s around 3 in the afternoon tovisit a friend of mine bartending at that time. I catch a glimpse of aninteresting looking mag on a table by the door, grab it, and sit downwith a beverage.Two pages later, I was hooked.. and knew I had to find you.When I saw that you had a MySpace page, and being that I am, as oflate, quite the MySpace junkie, I figured this would be the perfect wayto get in touch with you cats.What made me fall: The Letters from the Editor. The AntiNews. Thefirst interview. That’s all I needed.The style of your writers/editors is mine to an effing tee [pardon myfaux-French]. I was floored to finally have found a publication that getsme. And you guys got me.I’m all up for people seeing what non-Top 40 music/media really hasto offer to their lives. Top 50 really isn’t so bad, you know?Oh yeah, hah. Wait. So we’ve established that my name is Carolyn.I’m a Communications/Music Major at Tulane University. I’ve beenwriting since Kindergarten and only stop when I sleep, which isn’t veryoften. I’m a musician as well, currently preparing for my past band’s2nd reunion show, a new band starting up in August, and perhaps a fewOpen Mic nights in the near future with a dear keys-banging friend ofmine. The way I live my life: If I’m not telling a story, I better as hell bemaking one.Correspond with you soon. Have a good night/day, kids.Match the follicles onthe right with the hirsutemen you knowtoo well. Send your answersto feedback@antigravitymagazine.com__AG editor LeoMcGovern__Built To Spill frontman Doug Martsch__Iron & Wine’sSam Beam__The world’s mostwanted: Osamabin LadenAll it takes is an e-mail like this to set us off. Is it a coincidence that allthree editors of this magazine are on the cover this month? Nope, when ourheads get built up like this there’s no stopping the arrogance that eminatesfrom these pages. If we were creepy guys, Carolyn would get several, uh,creepy messages. She has nothing to worry about, though. We feel badenough about all the self-congratulatory things going on this month. Seriously,though, thanks for the kind words, Carolyn.Now on to our e-mail contest from last month. The mission was to sendus an e-mail that details your favorite snowball flavor, and the winner gets asigned copy of the New York Doll DVD. Here we go:Jeanne Stallworth, via e-mailmmmmm,you know what I like to do? Get a lime flavored snowball and havethem put condensed milk in the middle and it is just like key lime pie.In fact I think I’ll go get one down the street right now. darn, I bet theline should be long!Mike Ciardi, via e-mailThe best snoball ever.The one you wait and wait and wait to get from sno blitz ontchoupitoulas cause its never open and then you get it. and its got realfruit. Its awesome!Chris Columbo, via e-mailWho doesn’t like going to weddings? Free food. Free booze.Everybody looks hot. And best of all, the wedding cake is like dessertdrugs. Whoever learned how to juice one of these into a sno-ballflavor is in my will. Give me a $1.50 cup with condensed milk on a 95degree day in July and I’m all set. “It’s too sweet!” you say? Fine! Enjoyyour boring-ass strawberry, pickle-puss!Considering that Chris Columbo is in the great local band Rotary Downsand Mike Ciardi used to work with Infectious Publicity, and that giving theDVD to either of them would be kind of weird, the New York Doll DVD goesto Jeanne Stallworth (plus, we save on the postage it would take to send apackage to Mike in Brooklyn).That’s it for this month–check out the next e-mail contest to the right!antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_05

ANTI-NEWSSOME OF THE NEWS THAT’S FIT TO PRINTSince the self-proclaimed King of All Medialeft terrestrial airwaves in December ‘05 for the moredebaucherous pastures of Sirius satellite radio, New York fanstoo cheap or lazy to get a subscription for the pay service havetaken to scanning the lower parts of the FM dial, which theSirius radio dock transmits its signal to, so they can partake inStern’s broadcast. One source in New Orleans reports that,upon turning off his Sirius receiver after parking on the cornerof Magazine and Race on May 1st, he heard the Stern show on90.9 FM.On June 7th, Boom! Studios releases Tag #1, a horrorcomic “in the tradition of The Ring,” according to the publisher’swebsite. Lafayette-based artist Kody Chamberlain (IDW’s 30Days of Night: Bloodsucker Tales, Punks: the Comic) provides theartwork while longtime comics veteran Keith Giffen (BlueBeetle, Trencher, Formerly Known as the Justice League) writes. Tagfeatures Mitch, a regular guy who gets “tagged” with an ancientpagan curse that makes his skin rot and his joints seize fromrigormortis, and the only way he can save himself is to “tag”someone else. For more info, go to kodychamberlain.com andboom-studios.com.In another example of how you can trust only ANTIGRAVITY,the Universal Music Group has been fined $12 million forpayola. New York attorney general Eliot Spitzer levied the fineagainst UMG after finding that the label provided graft to radiostations, including a laptop computer and vacations. UMG wasalso found to have manipulated MTV’s Total Request Live tobump up call-ins for Lohan videos in June of 2005. AG has yetto field an offer for “pay-for-play.”Because we need a reason to run a photo of Kristen Bell–her teenage sleuth drama is one of a certain hairy editor’sfavorite shows (as if this issue isn’t already self-referential enough-Ed.)–the new WB/UPN combo network, CW, has picked upVeronica Mars for a third season. For more info, go to upn.com/shows/veronica_mars.The Consortium of Genius, a New Orleans multimediabasedband that’s a cross between Morgus the Magnificentand Adult Swim, celebrates their 10th anniversary in July withshows at the Howlin’ Wolf on July 1st and the Big Top on July3rd.C.O.G. will record portions of the Howlin’ Wolf show foran episode of their TV series, the pilot of which airs July 2ndon Cox 10 at 8pm. The show features C.O.G. interacting withlocal bands, and the first episode features Egg Yolk Jubilee. Formore info, go to consortiumofgenius.com.On May 9th the Voodoo Music Experience announced theaddition of Duran Duran to their 2006 lineup. The Britishrockers join the already-announced Red Hot Chili Peppers. Inother Voodoo news, the Experience has sold out of a special,limited amount of $25 weekend passes and has moved to itsnext ticket promotion, a $30 weekend pass coupled with a $3charitable donation.The Voodoo Music Experience is scheduled for October 28thand 29th, and tickets are available at www.voodoomusicfest.com/2006/tickets.Please submit sightings to feedback@antigravitymagazine.com.Celebs in compromising positions preferred.John Goodman, funny big man and default celebrity atMardi Gras balls, has been a busy body as of late, havingbeen spotted twice in two separate occasions. A fellowbibliophile spotted Goodman stepping out of Borders inMetairie on Tuesday, May 9 toting a shopping bag full ofpaperbacks. Speculation reports that the titles of his booksincluded Fat White Vampire Blues, Feminist Television Criticism:A Reader, and Cigarettes are Sublime. The blues man wasalso spied driving his loaded 2005 Mercedes E-Class in theL.G.D on the morning of April 25. Stalker notes indicatethat he “appeared half-awake and even more disheveledthan usual…probably bringing his teenage daughter toschool.”Giancarlo Esposito, the fedora-clad, cigar-smokingFBI agent in The Usual Suspects (not Chazz Palminteri),got caught having Eggs Sardou and lemonade at Café Ranion April 30. An eyewitness claims that in true Hollywoodfashion, Esposito’s attire mirrored that of the charactersthat he plays: plump stogie in mouth, brimmed hat tiltedlow and starched collar shirt. Rumors circulate that heis in town putting his type-cast rep and inquisitive sideglances to good use in Spike Lee’s upcoming investigativedocumentary about Katrina.Fantasia, 2004 American Idol winner and darling of theIdol marketing machine, was seen in the St. Charles Ave.neutral grounds on Thursday, May 25 waving to “whoopingand hollering” construction workers who drove by in theirpick-up trucks. The astonished observer also notes thatFantasia, who has already wrote a book about being a youngunwed mother and recorded a song entitled “Baby Mama,”was standing barefoot and appeared to be seven monthspregnant. However, it is still uncertain whether Fantasiais indeed pregnant or just in costume for her upcomingmade-for-TV movie, Life Is Not a Fairy Tale.- A Rose is a Rose06_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

Atreyu: But why is Fantasia dying, then?G’mork: Because people have begun to lose their hopes and forgettheir dreams. So the Nothing grows stronger.Atreyu: What is the Nothing?G’mork: It’s the emptiness that’s left. It’s like a despair, destroyingthis world.—The Neverending StoryI’ve lived here my whole life, and I’ve never heard so manypeople talking about leaving New Orleans for the summer. Theheat is already weighing down shoulders, and the people aren’texactly looking forward to who-knows-how-many mandatoryevacuations, so I understand the exodus. Hell, this is the closestI’ve come post-Katrina to throwing up my hands and saying,“Screw it,” but I still want to stay and fight for my city andpump money into the economy because I can’t live anywhereelse. Yesterday at the Circle Bar I overheard a man say, “We’renot in New York anymore,” as he leaned into the bar next tome to get his friends a drink. I thought, “Thank God.” NewYork’s a wonderful city, mainly because every concert passesthrough there, but it’s still a nebulous free-for-all where thebeers are $5.Yesterday I also ran into Jimmy Ross, a local poet andperformer who has been hosting the Thursday night readingat the Gold Mine as of late. He said he’s going to spend thesummer in Colorado, the reason being the paranoia that isbeginning to saturate the streets. I feel it, too, but that’s onlybecause I let it get to me. Every failure and wrong turn getsexacerbated by my tense surroundings, but I’m going keephope, even if I feel like the city has lost hope in me, becausedespair spreads like a disease.Still, reality beats platitudes. A month ago New Orleans hada natural diminished population, but now, the city is starting tolook like it did the first month after people were let back in: alittle empty (hopefully college enrollment won’t take a nosedivein the fall). The fear and trepidation regarding upcoming tropicalstorms and hurricanes times the return and possible upturn incrime times a smaller number of people on the streets equals asituation where, as Wyclef would say, “Anything can happen.”When friends tell me they’re leaving for the summer, I wantto tell them I need comrades, but I also want to ask them,“Don’t you want to stay for the big show?” Here it comes, themost crucial moment in the city’s history. Will we be put outof our misery, or will we be spared? Will people leave the cityfor good, spouting, “Fooled me twice, shame on me,” or will wecome through the season with levees intact, a sign to refugeesthat it’s OK to return for good?Does it mean anything for the citythat the sixth day of the sixth monthof the sixth year is this summer? Nah,right? Big Hair Productionsand Backporch Revolutionwill celebrate the evilest of days bypresenting a night of music at The BigTop that will be devoted to the darkestof bands—Black Sabbath.Local minimalist/drone musicianPotpie came up with the idea for theshow because he had always wantedto be in a Sabbath cover band. Eventhough most of the show is made upof electronic/noise musicians, they’veall grown up with and shown a deeplove for Sabbath. Except for JonathanFreilich. According to Potpie, Freilichhad never heard Sabbath’s music beforeChef Menteur will perform, along with a nightclosingperformance of the Twisted KaraokeBand (all Sabbath), but the big news is that localanalog electronic band Electrical Spectaclewill reunite for a performance of “Black Sabbath,”“Paranoid” and a possible third song. DrummerLouis Romanos has moved away since the storm,so the duo of Gussoni and Mike Mayfield will playwith drum machines.“Sabbath is appropriate because they’re based onriffs, just like Electrical Spectacle,” Mayfield said. “It’sbeen a long time since Anton and I played together.We conjure up some pretty cool sounds, but he’s beenmentioning that he might be moving, so this might beone last hoorah.”Mayfield will use a vocoder for the vocals and atheremin for the guitar solos. Also on hand will beMoogs and organs. Tickets are $6.66.he began assembling a YiddishSabbath band, Jonathan Freilichand The Dark Shabbos.Like the Klezmer All-Stars, but Sabbath. Reinterpretationof Sabbath is theorder of the night, while localspace-rockers Shatner willbe shedding their trippiness fora hard-pounding, loyal take onSabbath. Shatner will be performing “Into the Void,” “Lord ofThis World,” “Sweet Leaf,” “Behind The Wall of Sleep,” “BlackSabbath” and “Electric Funeral,” according to Ozzy, a.k.a. AntonGussoni.–During my Katrina-imposed, one-month exile,nola.com was my number one source for NewOrleans news. The website also showed the positivepower of the Internet as it brought together lostfamily and friends. Lately, though, the website hasbeen updated sporadically, and it really droppedthe ball during the mayoral election. CNN.compresented our election results before nola.com did.And, speaking of elections, are we the laughing stockof the nation because we re-elected Ray Nagin?As he begins his second term, I have two suggestionsfor the mayor: 1. Take a retreat with Bush, Blanco, andyour city council, work your stuff out, and then comeback with a better idea of how to communicate andnot point fingers. 2. Get a PR person. Hell, they don’t even haveto possess a degree or a title. Find the person you listen to, andthen when they tell you not to say something, do that.–The music always sounds purer when a rock band plays anacoustic set. When local band Mahayla unplugged for a fewsongs at the Circle Bar a few months ago, the songs they playedpossessed a beauty and clarity impossible with loud drums anddistortion. Local band the Bad Off is working on finishingtheir first full-length album, and since drummer Jody Smith isliving in New York, the band sat on stools at a recent Howlin’Wolf performance. Their drum-less experiment was movingbecause it spoke to the heart and not so much the groin. ErikCorriveaux remains one of the best—if not the best—rockvocalists in New Orleans.08_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

THE IN AND OUTS OF N.O. HIP-HOP WITHDJ QUICKIE MARTBY BILLIE FAYE BAKERDJs don’t exactly warrant much attention.Their role within the music industry can best bedescribed as court jester-flashy, energetic and—to“serious music connoisseurs”—downright comical. No onehas ever felt or learned anything from their music; they havenone to call their own. They simply spin another’s hard workand thoughts, taking displaced credit. But what happens whenthe music they play causes one to feel and learn, and theirenthusiasm for a type of music inadvertently transmits ideasand feelings to someone jaded? Such is the case with myselfand DJ Quickie Mart, and such is the case where the DJ shouldbe praised.Among the flooded-out car dealerships and crack housesof Tulane Avenue lays the 900-square-foot shack that is Nick’sBar. A longtime favorite among college kids, Nick’s was knownfor cheap drinks and slack doormen, both of which packedthe inside and surrounding shell lot most Friday and Saturdaynights. But it was Monday nights that traded Tulane’s richestfor NOLA’s hippest, all there to pay respects to the city’s mosttalented turntablist and coolest white boy to ever rock shelltops—hip-hop’s local golden boy, DJ Quickie Mart.To call Quickie New Orleans’ hip-hop “golden boy” mayseem unsuitable, but the only other descriptor would besavior. In January 2005, The Times-Picayune did a multiple pagefeature on Quickie and his underground comrades, hoping toshed light on the city’s unknown, unsigned hip-hop artists thatwere about more than ass-shakin’ and bling-bling. The Lagniappespread featured Quickie and fellow Media Darling Recordsemcees and producers bent on bringing new life to Big Easyhip-hop. They focused on everything from respecting womento being “dead-broke and proud,” all the while rejecting thelabel politics that threatened to corrupt art for art’s sake, andmisrepresent a genre whose roots had nothing to do withviolence or money.Quickie’s playlist couldn’t consist of the organic undergroundalone; the crowd wouldn’t allow it. By midnight Nick’s becameless of a secret and more of a spectacle. The mere existenceof a hip-hop weekly in New Orleans is hard to come by, andconsequently saw patrons more interested in hip-hop’s Top-40than shit only heard on satellite radio. Quickie acquiesced andthrew on old Tupac and Biggie records as a compromise.But around two the format changed. Most of the thugs hadsmoked themselves stupid, and the only kids remaining werethose with a weakness for blown glass, the b-boys thankfulfor a place to stunt and the true underground heads thatsurrounded them in honor. Here Quickie had his way with thewax he played at home, the wax on which the focus was “fam”and the only thing getting blown up were record contracts anddiamond chains. Here Quickie introduced us to hip-hop’s mostconscious cousins.Raise the lights, cut the track and shield my eyes as my cardoor opens onto Napoleon and Baronne. I finally get to meetthe man whose mixtape introduced me to every artist I’vedug in the past year. I can’t wait to discuss the pitfalls of Top-40 narcissism, and the new underground philosophy trying tochange all that. I should feel thrilled; I just feel nervous.“Are you Billie?”“I am. Nice place.”“Oh, it’s my manager’s,” Quickie says. “I’m just stayinghere for awhile.” He seats me at a table overflowing withdocuments endorsing Media Darling Records, his record labelthat does a surprisingly good job of promoting what’s billed as“unpromoted.” Stacks of leaflets adjoin piles of label stickersand flyers for their “Below Sea Level” tour. I have no room formy computer.With Nick’s gone to the gods of geo-thermal weatherpatterns, Quickie’s essentially had to start from scratch in acity that took years to warm up to him. But with Nick’s asproof of his ability to draw a crowd, post-K prospects werenot hard to find. His first gig had him behind the velvet rope atNOLA’s newest stage for the twentysomething glitterati, theWarehouse District’s Republic.Following format conflicts, Quickie left the Republic toconcentrate on Hookah Café, the Frenchmen Street localewere he spins every Thursday. Relocating to the couch, Iask him about the memory of Nick’s and his new Hookahengagement.ANTIGRAVITY: So, tell me about Hookah Café.Are you excited about that?Quickie Mart: It’s cool. It’s kinda low, not real loud, and everybody’sjust laid back and chill. You can actually sit down and have aconversation. Thursday nights is straight underground stuff.AG: So, kinda like the Nick’s format?QM: Kinda. I get a lot of people that are like, “I used to go toNick’s!” I love that ‘cause that was my favorite weekly. It waskinda dingy and packed to the walls, but it was like the bestDJ weekly in town at the time. I miss it more than anything.You can’t take stuff for granted like that. Someone got killeda couple of blocks away right before the storm. It killed thecrowd. I went from making a lot to making nothing at all.AG: Yeah, the storm. But it seems like your doingeven better now.QM: Yeah, I went from playing six nights a week [pre-Katrina]to playing nothing. It was hard for me to comprehend, youknow? The label had to kinda start from ground zero whichreally sucks. I put a lot of money in it even though it’s notmy company. We’re starting from zero. All the contracts areup. We lost a lot of our investors, and we’re just like startingfrom scratch again. But we’re comingback, you know? Touring again. Startingto save some money.AG: New Orleans isn’t exactlyknown for its undergroundscene. I can’t help but think youwould do better somewhereelse like New York or LosAngeles where undergroundhip-hop has a hold.QM: Whether they like it or not, weare New Orleans music. We’re trying tomake the underground known.AG: That’s nice that you’restaying here even without thehuge following.QM: Yeah, I mean, I love New York. I lovegoing up there, spending money andstuff, but I don’t think I’d do better as faras DJ-ing gigs. In places like Los Angelesor New York, it’s almost impossible toget and maintain a solid weekly.AG: Well, it’s nice that you’restaying out here and helpingus get the word out on theunderground. Isn’t that whatit’s all about anyway?QM: You’re right. I mean, if I stick with itI guess the money will come eventually.AG: So, what are three corevalues of undergroundhip-hop?QM: DJ is one.AG: Oh, actually I meantmore like ideas.QM: Free speech is one. Being able to say whatever the fuckyou want … [At this point, his friends walk in and interrupt.They share a laugh about something I don’t understand, but areclear about it not being “on the record.”] What was I saying?AG: Isn’t hip-hop about not only saying what you wantto say, but about living your life in a different way?QM: Yeah, if you can make it. I mean, I don’t know. I’m the onlyartist on the label that’s kinda making a living off of it. They’reall pretty poor, you know? Like, I’m getting there.antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_09

BANDOFHORSESSNAP, CRACKLEAND SUB POPBY NOAH BONAPARTEWith names like Nirvana,Sebadoh and Sleater-Kinneyat the head of its credits, theroster of Seattle imprint Sub Pop reads like eithera waiting list for the Rock ‘N Roll Hall Of Fame orthe greatest music festival of all time. The venerablelabel has, in recent years, transformed into a farmsystem for indie-rock luminaries: Its outpostsinclude promising prospects (Chad VanGaalen,Kelley Stoltz, Holopaw), mid-level risers (RogueWave, Comets On Fire, Constantines) andeveryday players (Iron & Wine, Wolf Parade,Shins). Amidst the bad baseball analogy, Band OfHorses is the brawny rookie breakthrough, theman among boys. Everything All The Time, the band’saccomplished March debut, packs in crashingpercussion, towering melodies, layered guitarsand reverb-drenched vocals. On spacey opener“The First Song,” frontman Ben Bridwell is DougMartsch fl ying with the Flaming Lips; for sturdysingle “The Great Salt Lake,” he’s James Mercerfronting a steroidal Crazy Horse. ANTIGRAVITYtracked down the head Horseman in Seattle totalk about Everything.

ANTIGRAVITY: How are things up in Seattle?This is your first big headlining tour, correct?Ben Bridwell: Before the album came out, we toured down toSouth By Southwest, and then Seattle. It was like a two week,two-and-a-half week tour. So this is definitely our first shot toheadline, go test the waters a little.AG: Has the last year exceeded your expectations?It has to be thrilling to get so many raves rightoff the bat for your first record.BB: You know what, it is, but I think for any good review, abad one will kill like five good ones. So, honestly, no, I wasn’tprepared for anything like that, for people to get excitedabout it critically. But as soon as I saw some of that stuff, Idecided that I should pull myself away from it. Hopefully I’veavoided most of it.AG: It must be strange, though: You’veexperienced the toil of establishing a band—Carissa’s Wierd—to little national fanfare, andnow suddenly you’re experiencing the opposite.BB: We did work for a long time without really getting anysort of acclaim at all. In Seattle we did prettywell. And we toured, and had small turnouts,but we were able to go out and do it. So now,to be in this band and have it take off so fast,it’s almost like we could’ve done it before.We had an option to sign with Sub Pop withCarissa’s Wierd, and we were like, fuck it,we’ll keep it really indie and do it ourselves.[Laughs] But, honestly, when you do that, youcan really shoot yourself in the foot. I thinkCarissa’s Wierd was caught shooting itself inthe foot, maybe a little bit on purpose. To havethis band now, doing as well as we’re doing,or as well as I think we’re doing, it’s fuckinghilarious.AG: Like, what strange combinationof forces …BB: It’s ridiculous! You can’t prepare foranything like that, and you can’t imagine thatanything like that is going to happen, but itseems that it has, so we’re just kinda stayingcool.AG: Did you immediately know youwanted to form another band?BB: We had decided we were going to split up,that band, on tour. So we rode out the restof the tour, and the wheels started turningduring the long ride home. I’d always kindof thought about it, you know, wondered ifit was something I could do. And when wegot home, no one was using our practicespace—everyone was wishy-washy aboutjumping right in to anything. I just when downthere to get some alone time, and messedaround with every instrument and came upwith these songs.AG: What was the chronology of therecord? Did the songs have a longgestation period?BB: Um, let’s see … It was pretty bad at first.[Laughs] One of the songs that we recordedthat didn’t make the album, but is comingout on an EP sometime on Sub Pop, it hadlike a really bad, modern-rock kind of bridge.[Laughs] For some reason I thought I had tothrow in a bridge.AG: Going through a Creed phase.BB: I guess so! Something like that. It’s so fucking stupid.AG: So they’re all new compositions then?BB: Exactly, none of them came from when we were still inCarissa’s Wierd. They all kind of came in a big bulk.AG: You and Mat [Brooke] shared the songwritingduties?BB: Mat wrote two songs on the record, “St. Augustine” and “IGo To The Barn.” He wrote those, and I wrote the rest of them.AG: What was your impetus to start writingsongs? Looking for closure on Carissa’s Wierd?BB: Definitely, man. It was important, I thought, to startsomething and be fresh with it, to put the old one to bed andget something new going.AG: I read about an aborted outfit between youand Mat … November 16 th ?BB: That was really short-lived. When we were on that tour,as we were breaking up, we had talked about being in a bandtogether again and doing new things. So, for a second, we camein and tried to do some songs. But the commitment—Mat’scommitment to it and, I guess, my commitment to it—wewere just a little unsure about what we were actually doing.Like, I wasn’t sure if Mat wanted to get right back into beingthe singer for a band again, all that stuff. So, because of thatband not really forming is why I started Horses.AG: Tell me about Brown Records. That was yourlabel?BB: That was my label, yeah. I put out the first Carissa’s Wierdand the second one, and I put out Jen from Carissa’s Wierd,her first solo album—that’s called S. And I put out this bandfrom up here called Aveyo, who later signed to Barsuk. Thatwas also kind of out of necessity. Carissa’s Wierd, I wasn’t inthe band at that point, but they needed to get a record out.And I decided I could save up my money and put it out. Itwas more like a hobby. I couldn’t do for us what a normallabel could actually do for a band, but it was supposed to be“I think for any good review, a badone will kill like five good ones. So,honestly, no, I wasn’t preparedfor anything like that, for peopleto get excited about it critically.”just like a stepping-stone kind of label. I can make sure thatpeople can get a CD in your hands and hopefully the labelwill make you up.AG: Any thoughts of releasing the Horses debuton Brown?BB: Oh, no. I know how bad of a job I do. I can’t even trustmyself to promote myself. Fuck no.AG: But you cut the demos before you had anaffiliation with Sub Pop.BB: I recorded the demos—my friend actually recorded themfor me, in our practice space—just to see what was wrong withthe songs, or what was right with the songs. And then later weput them on to a disc and sold them at shows. That’s when SubPop got a hold of it, and our friends at Barsuk got a hold of it,and they were interested as well. It took us a little time, butultimately we decided to go with Sub Pop in the end.AG: Nice position to be in with your debut record.BB: It was great. Well, it wasn’t, actually—it was a really difficultdecision, because they’re both just so great and different intheir own right. So it was really kind of a confusing time, justfiguring out what we’re gonna do.AG: The first time I saw you was in Gainesville,Florida, with Sam [Beam].BB: The Common Grounds?AG: The Common Grounds, exactly. Great show.BB: Thanks. What was the time frame?AG: It was June of last year, I think. Was thatbefore or after you latched on with Sub Pop?BB: It must have been a little less than a year before that showin Florida. Sam came up to play two shows by himself here inSeattle, and I asked him if we could open up for him and heobliged. And that’s when Sub Pop bought the demo.AG: So, there wasn’t much time elapsed after theCarissa’s Wierd breakup?BB: Surprisingly, yeah. The songs all started showingthemselves around the same time. I was lucky enough to getthem recorded quick. We did the Sam show,and he asked us to go on tour that summer.AG: How was the process ofsigning to Sub Pop? Were there anyconcessions?BB: Total artistic freedom. There was nocompromise even asked of us.AG: Was Phil Ek your choice toproduce or theirs?BB: Totally my choice. We had met throughsome friends, a while before we had actuallysigned a deal with anybody. And I was like,“If we have the fucking money, Phil, I swearI’ll use you. But if we’re not on a label thatcan give us that kind of money, you’re gonnahave to fuck yourself.” [Laughs] So we talkedabout it for so long, and eventually it didwork out that we got to work with Phil. Itwas absolutely amazing working with him.He is owed as much credit as any of the restof us. He really turned it on for us.AG: It’s interesting listening to thelatest Built To Spill record—the firstwithout Phil at the helm—and thenlistening to your record. Can youpinpoint exactly what Phil brings tothe table as a producer?BB: At least for me, for this album, it was thefact that he knew exactly what the albumshould sound like, and we didn’t. I mean, atfirst we thought we could go in there and playlive, basically; we thought we could get likea nice live, raw sound going, and just kind ofbreeze through them. Phil knew exactly whatthe fuck it was supposed to sound like. So hemade us do everything a million fucking times.There was a lot of screaming. [Laughs] And thisbeing my first foray into singing on a record,it was fucking painful. To double and triple upvocals, stuff like that … He would bust my ballscompletely. He would not let me get away withanything. So his stubbornness, I think, was reallywhat helped—it’s probably the only reason I’mtalking to you right now. I would’ve easily madea shitty record. He’s got such a knack for—notso much just tones, and the way somethingshould sound, but he’ll hear little bits and pieces of things thatyou normally wouldn’t do that he wants you to throw in. He hasa great grand, whole vision of things before you’ve even started.We’ll definitely be using him again.antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_11

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WHERE IS DANIEL SMITH OFDANIELSON?OR, “DID I STEP ON YOUR TRUMPET?”BY MARTY GARNER

Where is Daniel Smith? It’s raining here inBaton Rouge as I walk my dog and somewherein the Pacific Northwest, Daniel Smith and a vanfull of strange, strange people are driving about. I can see themin my mind’s eye. Smiling. Laughing maybe. Probably singing asugary little song. You may have forgotten about me, but don’tthink that I’ve forgotten about you, Daniel.Who is Daniel Smith and why do his carefree travels botherme? And why should you care? Because May 9 saw the releaseof Ships, the latest effort from Danielson, the collective headedby Smith, a.k.a. Br. Danielson. And don’t be fooled; that “Br.”stands for “Brother,” as in Christian Brother. That’s right. There’ssomething strange happening with Christian music up North.While most people associate Christian music with Godspell andpipe organs, musicians like Smith and Ships contributor SufjanStevens have been blazing a holy trail through small bars justoutside the gates of college campuses and down the pipelinesof Soulseek. Consider it bringing the gospel to the indie masses.But unlike most better-known Christian bands (and you knowwho I’m talking about so I’m not going to drag names throughthe mud), Danielson are, uh, good.Very good.So where is he? It’s May 22and I’m in Atlanta, visiting my dadand watching the Flaming Lips; I’mscheduled to talk to Daniel at 1:30pm. I scribble down questions inmy journal (shut up): “Ships is muchmore rounded and complete. Lesssugar, more substance. Why theshift?” “How complicated is it tomake noise-pop with a band smallenough to fit in one van?” “Howon Earth did you, a Christian, getalong well enough with SteveAlbini to record with him?” Iglance at my cell; 1:45. Quick callto Leo, who puts in a quick call toSecretly Canadian, Smith’s label.The interview, it seems, has beenrescheduled to Wednesday.Part of the reason that I’m soanxious to interview Daniel isbecause I myself am a Christian whois a part of the (and God knowshow much I hate this term) indiescene. In my imagination, Danieland I chat lightly about his musicbefore moving on to issues with theAmerican church, the awesomenessof grace, or good Christian bands(post-rockers Saxon Shore makemy list). I scratch in my journalabout what it must be like to be aChristian musician touring in largelynon-Christian venues, playing tomostly non-Christian people. Arethey hostile? Does the faith getattacked?Are they patronizing?Respectful? Do they even care?Faith would be no issue for you, gentle reader, if Smith’s lyricsweren’t peppered with references to his relationship with God.Despite the mile-a-minute, Unicorns-on-speed music which hisfans have come to adore, Smith’s lyrics are straight from theConfessional, more personal than the Dashboard variety. Itis this insight into the artist that gives Ships its most tendermoments, particularly when the parade stops and Smith quietlyweeps over his guitar. In “When It Comes to You I’m Lazy,”Smith’s boozy melancholic lament to the lack of vitality in hisspiritual life, mournful trombones and whirring organs transformthe squeakiness of his voice from annoying into heartfelt. It’sat these sparse, vulnerable moments that the album (and itsauthor) becomes something real; gone is the man who ate theone-pound bag of Skittles in favor of man whose spiritual lifelooks less like a bottle of Xanax.These are the sounds being choked from my Camry’s speakersas I sojourn back to 225. It strikes me now that the manicdepressivestate of the music on Ships is perfect for exactlywhat I am doing: growing up. I’m 21 years old, Christian foralmost one. Perhaps unintentionally, Danielson have capturedthat nervous spirit that life-changing events yield in a person’spsyche, from the album’s rickety title to its cover’s silver andblue stars. See, I had violent tension headaches for a while aftermy conversion which were caused by my persistent fear thatmy inability to be perfect was pissing God off. Smith capturesthis tension in the noisy final segment of “Two Sitting Ducks,”with pianos crashing against overly-dubbed vocals while thehorn section (the Holy Spirit?) wails away in pain. Of course,“Two Sitting Ducks” plays into the gorgeous “My Lion SleepsTonight,” whose twinkling bells sprinkle down like grace uponmy burning head.∞Finally back in Baton Rouge after many slow miles, I settledown again to interview Daniel Smith. “Hello?” Holy crap, hisvoice is just as nasally when he talks as when he sings! WithDictaphone rolling, and boring preliminary questions out of theway, I begin the real interview. “How hard is it to make all of thenoise on the record with a six-person band?” Allow me to makeat this point in the article a comment regarding cell phones. Yes,they’re lovely. But when you’ve been chasing down one of yourmusical idols and finally get him on the phone, the last thingthat you want is for him to drive through West Virginia, home“Perhaps unintentionally, Danielsonhave captured that nervous spiritthat life-changing events yield in aperson’s psyche...”of mountains, moonshine, and apparently not enough people towarrant a decent phone tower. “Let me call you back from atruck stop,” I pull from the static. That’s fine. I’ll be here.∞Now, for those who do not know, the most crucial tenet ofthe Christian faith is that of grace. Like I mentioned before,grace was the secret anodyne for my miserable headaches.Grace tells me that God loves me exactly the way that I am, thatI don’t have to look like everyone else in my church and that Idon’t have to watch the same movies, listen to the same bands,or vote for the same politicians. God just wants me to loveHim. Grace causes every single sin I could ever commit, fromthe theft of a car to the relatively innocuous (but still grievousagainst God) itty bitty white lie, to be completely overlookedby God. For those who put their faith in Jesus Christ, the Bibleteaches, there is no punishment for sin. Of course, the love ofGod in a person’s life should compel them not to, uh, smokecrack or anything like that, but grace exists to erase any andevery stupid thing, past and future. As Christians, Daniel andI are called to distribute this same sort of grace to the world(You remember the Our Father: “Forgive us our trespasses, aswe forgive those who trespass against us.”). Put shortly, graceis the most appealing aspect of the Christian faith when it’sworking in your favor, but when you have to dispense it, it’s notso attractive.∞A few days pass. I have yet to hear from Br. Danielson, whichwas initially a relief given the amount of work which looms overmy head, but that work includes this very interview, so I give him aring again. “The publicist didn’t get back to you? I told him to setup another interview.” Another quick call to Leo, a quick call backfrom Secretly Canadian, where I am assuredly on speed dial bynow. Sunday at 1:30. Daniel was in the Eastern Time Zone whenI last attempted to talk to him. His publicist nonchalantly tells methat Daniel will be somewhere in the Mountain Time Zone when Inext talk to him. Two days and he’s halfway across the country.∞Danielson.info, the collective’s website, details an anecdotefrom Daniel’s sixth grade band class. One fine day, a kid namedBilly left the band room only to discover upon his return that hisprized silver trumpet’s bell had been caved in. Billy immediatelyaccused Daniel, who, like any good sixth grader would, quicklydenied any wrongdoing. But thatwas 20 years ago. Daniel stateson the website, “I really do notknow if I stepped on it or not. Ifeel like I may have.” As some sortof bizarre 20-years-too-late actof penance, Smith recorded “DidI Step On Your Trumpet?” as anapology, encouraging his fans tomake amends with anyone whomthey have accidentally offended bypolitely asking, “Did I step on yourtrumpet?” The move has becomethe major marketing campaignbehind Ships, with fans writingtheir apologies on a 3x5 card andmailing them to Daniel, who in turnpersonally inserts a “Did I step onyour trumpet?” pin and mails it outto the offended.∞“Hi, this is Daniel Smith. Pleaseleave a message.” It’s Sunday, andthis is what my end of the phonegets at 1:30 pm. I try again 30minutes later. With a thousandapologies, Daniel explains that theinterviewer before me ran overtime and the group is now eating ina Cracker Barrel in North Dakotaand can he call me back when theyare done eating? Sure thing, I say.Sure thing.∞As of this writing, I have yet tointerview Daniel Smith. We havean appointment for 4:00 tomorrow,seven hours past ANTIGRAVITY’sdeadline. To his credit, every timethat I have talked to him, Danielhas been incredibly friendly and very apologetic concerning thesituation. He just forgot to call me back, and I can forgive himfor that. See, one of the hard things about being a Christian isthat people expect us to be angels on Earth. We are never tolose our temper, never to offend anyone in any way, never topass judgment. That’s a tough image to live up to. But that’s thebeauty of grace. I’ll tell you right now, I’ve sinned like 50 times inthe writing of this piece alone. I’ve lied (ooh, try to find it!), I’vecheated (I read other people’s reviews), and I’ve procrastinatedlike a bandit (sloth, frighteningly enough, is a sin). But if God’sgrace can forgive me for all of that and for implying that I mayone day steal a car, then surely I can forgive Daniel Smith forstepping on my trumpet.antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_15

take to the skyby miles brittonAlot’s changed for Deadboy & TheElephantmen since ANTIGRAVITY last talkedwith them a little over a year ago. Back then,frontman Dax Riggs and drummer Tess Brunet were NewOrleans’ best kept secret, unsigned and still a few months shyof recording their then unnamed debut. But once the hauntinggarage rock of We Are Night Sky hit the nation in February,there’s been no holding them back. Four-star reviews in RollingStone and Maxim, a tour opening up for Fat Possum labelmatethe Fiery Furnaces, a lengthy spot on NPR’s Weekend Edition,and gigs at everything from Sasquatch Fest to the upcomingLollapalooza. You would think that all that success would havegone to their head, but the local-band-done-good will still takethe time for us (or maybe we’re that big, hmmm). AG caughtup with Tess on the road, in a hotel somewhere in Vancouver.ANTIGRAVITY: So how’s the tour been going?Tess Brunet: Good, good. Tiring, but good. Musically, it’s beengoing really well. We’ve been playing with a lot of differentbands, and their audiences have been really receptive. Andthere’s been a pretty good crossover of fans from Dax’s oldbands [Acid Bath, Agents Of Oblivion], even though we soundquite different. So there’s sort of this permanent, built-in fanbase for whatever he does. But there’s a lot of people who likewhat he’s doing now that have no idea of his previous stuff, andmay not have necessarily even liked it.AG: You were on the road with Fiery Furnaces fora while. What was that like?TB: [Laughs] They’re kind of like librarians. You know, just kindof quiet. It took a long time to get to that point where wecould actually joke around. The last couple of shows of themonth tour, I felt like we were just getting to the point wherewe all could kind of open up. But it’s always such a weird thingfor bands that don’t know each other to be thrown together.I mean, you don’t know them, and all of a sudden you’rehaving to work together everyday for the next month. Andsometimes its works the opposite way, where you open upto people right away and then towards the end it gets weird.Someone in one band ends up getting pissed off at someonein the other band…AG: Really? It’s so funny, as an audience member,you never even think about all that Behind TheMusic-type stuff. You just assume all the bandsget along as one big happy family.TB: Matt and Eleanor were really nice, though. And JasonLowenstein from Sebadoh was on tour with them playing bass,and he’s super cool to be around. He just had one of thoseenergies and spirits that brought this calmness to everythingthat made life a lot easier for me on the road. Not to soundall hippie-dippy or anything.AG: You all have really blown up since the lasttime I interviewed you. I just recently heard thatspot they did about you on NPR…TB: Yeah, I got a lot of e-mails about that. And it was really kindof neat because it was all from people who had never heardus before, but, you know, listen to NPR every morning. Theywere really excited to learn about us.AG: And I read on your website that you’re goingto be on the Henry Rollins TV show?TB: Yeah, that’s airing in June, but we actually shot that abouta month ago.AG: I didn’t even know Rollins had a TV show. Sowas it like a talk show, like Rollins interviewing you?TB: Sort of, but he actually wasn’t there. He was on a spokenword tour in Amsterdam or somewhere. But I think they’regoing to edit it to look like he’s there. [Laughs]AG: So what’s next for you? Any thoughts yet ona new album?TB: We actually just started talking about that yesterday. Wehave this block of a month and 10 days off coming up afterBonnaroo, so that’s when were planning on concentratingon the new songs, working all that stuff out so we can startrecording the next album. We probably have enough materialfor two albums. Now it’s just a matter of picking the songs wereally want to focus on.AG: Any change in the sound?TB: No, it’s similar to We Are Night Sky. The way the songsare written, and the process and where the songs come from,that’s all the same. But we might add some different soundsto it. Though only change we’ve had recently is that we have abass player now for tour, Alex. He’s been with us for a coupleweeks.AG: That’s a fairly big change. Do you think hecould become a permanent member?TB: I’m not really sure. We’ve always discussed the possibilityof another member, but we’re just going to see how it goes onthis tour for whether or not we’ll have him on the next one.But I think probably so. It seems to be going pretty well.AG: And last question. Lollapalooza—are youpsyched? That’s something we’ve been dreamingabout playing since we were kids.TB: Ummm, to tell you the truth, I’m actually more excitedabout Bonnaroo for some reason. I don’t know why. Probablybecause I just recently heard about Bonnaroo, and it’s notsomething that has been around for that long. I’ve been toLollapalooza a couple of times when I was younger, and it’snot really a mixture of ages. It’s like the Warped Tour, just abunch of young, young kids. It’s not like Jazz Fest or something,where there’s everybody from babies to old people withwalking sticks. There’s something about that that’s really nice.Honestly, I’d play Jazz Fest over Lollapalooza any day.16_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

Ballzack is one of those personalities thatcould only be borne out of New Orleans.Like the city, Ballzack seems able to make sense of allthat is good and really bad through therapeutic doses of witand humor. His first two records touch on everything fromtransgendered Asians to schoolyard antics to hand jobs tosuburban malaise, but while the themes are always comedic, thestories are told through the guise of someone who is foreverself-mocking in his jibes. Hence, you can’t blame him when hesays, “Action figure porn, origami vibrator/I think she really likedme even though she made me pay her/I used to be a groupiefor Striper and Slayer/I know it sounds gay but my cousin’s evengayer.” When Ballzack is sticking it to someone else, he’s alsosticking it to himself.Ballzack is currently working on a third album that issomewhat a divergence from his past projects. Although surelyretaining the playfulness that is characteristic of his material,Ballzack plans to release a record in the fall that will consistentirely of bounce music. As he explains, the idea to make abounce record came from the recording of a song for a WTULcompilation disc. The track, “Wine Candy,” is a hodgepodgetribute to the lifestyle (and local products) of New Orleans laidover traditional bounce beats. The upcoming record promisesto build upon the lyrical and musical content of the single.ANTIGRAVITY was lucky enough to join Ballzack on his cabride home from the airport after he returned to New Orleansfrom an extended stay in New York. During the 20-minute tripto the Westbank, we talked about his new record while pausingintermittently to discuss prostitutes, record collecting and C-student governments.ANTIGRAVITY: So, you just got back from NYC.What were you doing up there?Ballzack: I had some meetings with some guys who were reallyinterested in what I’m doing, but my whole thing was, “I don’tcare how much money you’re going to throw at me, if you don’tunderstand what I’m doing and don’t really get my music, you’renot going to be the right people to put out this record.”AG: Did they at least show you a good time?BZ: Sure, they threw a bunch of money at me just to get me upthere to meet with them. They took me out, threw lots of drugsin my face, but I turned them down. You know, I don’t do drugs.Strippers. Prostitutes. Dildos. But the bottom line is I can makemore money independent, and I don’t care if you signed theBeatles, Steely Dan or Megadeth. I’m happy just to sell recordsto the people on my street. They just didn’t get it up there. Theyeven wanted me to go the Bloodhound Gang angle. Make me aclown and bullshit. Forget it.AG: So what’s the new record going to be like?BZ: The theme is going to be bounce music; New Orleansbounce music.AG: So it’s new original Ballzack material—onlybounce?BZ: Well, it’s as original as bounce music can be. There’s astandard bounce formula and we are trying to pay homage tothat formula but at the same time trying to break out of it anddo new things with it—just do bounce songs that no one hasdone before. Of course, there are the standard Triggerman Beatbounce songs, but we’re making space bounce songs and punkbounce songs … well, maybe not punk bounce songs.AG: Have you always been a fan of bounce music?BZ: Well, I’ve always been big on stuff like Manny Fresh andespecially earlier stuff like TT Tucker, DJ Jubilee and DJ Irv. Imean, in New Orleans you didn’t have to go far to hear themusic. Plus, my dad owned a store in the St. Thomas projectswhere he would hire DJs like TT Tucker and all those other guysto perform outside in the front of the store. That was back in the‘80s when that whole scene was really getting momentum. Thatmight have been the inception of my interest in the music—Idon’t know. But I remember always wanting to make a bouncerecord. There was some other stuff I needed to get out of mysystem first, but now the time is right.AG: Who are you working with during the makingof the album?BZ: Well, the album is being co-produced, recorded andengineered by Jay Yuenger. He helped me record “Wine Candy”for the WTUL compilation disc and it went over pretty well.We had a lot of fun doing it and we thought we would make awhole album that would pay homage to New Orleans rap. So,we did it.AG: How has the process been thus far? Has it beenchallenging to change gears from the content onthe previous two records to something different?BZ: Not really. We’ve been having fun with it. I’ve always feltthat you should make songs that you want to hear, and that’swhat I try to do. I always ask myself, “Wouldn’t it be cool forsomeone to make a song about pencil crack or making groceriesor whatever?” So, I just make them. That’s why there are goingto be different themes and variations on the record … I mean,I don’t think anyone has ever made a space bounce song ortalked about time machines over bounce beats. We just try todo something new. With this one, we just want people to enjoy itand have fun with it. But sure, I make the songs and then I listento them and love myself …AG: So, you’re a fan of your own work?BZ: Yes, I actually own every single one of my CDs. I am aBallzack album collector. Every copy I own of my own CDs isan autographed copy. And I will never run out of autographedcopies unless I run out of me.AG: Would you ever sell your collection?BZ: I would never part with my autographed copies. Well, maybeI would. I know a guy who sells them. I could find more.AG: Well, back to the new project—when this recordcomes out, do you plan to hit the road with it?BZ: No. I don’t want to tour. I don’t know why. I know I don’twant to tour any farther than the southeast. I mean, going out tosome place you’ve never heard of in some van to try to start afollowing just doesn’t do it for me. I mean, did BG have to tour?[Laughs] Probably not. I mean, he had followings in a lot of citiesbut it had nothing to do with touring. I’m lucky to have fans inother cities but it’s not because of touring—the power of theinternet, I guess.AG: It sounds like you’re really happy to be inNew Orleans. Do you have any reservations aboutstaying here?BZ: I love to be able to stay in New Orleans. Sure, it might getdestroyed but we’ve lived with that risk even before. It’s not muchdifferent, it’s just now we’re more aware of the consequencesand know what it actually looks like. So, I’m going to stick it out.I love the city and couldn’t go anywhere else. But I do wish NewOrleans would get its act together. It really seems like a city runby C students.AG: Maybe not even C …BZ: Yeah, not even C students—D students. It’s a bunch ofpeople educated in the same bad school system who end uprunning that same bad school system.AG: And when they get elected, they use the factthat they grew up here and were educated here asa selling point.BZ: Yeah, to say you grew up here is something to be proud ofbut not to say you’re educated here. I mean, that’s the truth. I waseducated here, but I wouldn’t rely on that to run for office. Still, Ireally hope they get their act together. When you go to anothercity, you realize how a city is really supposed to operate. It’s just amixture of incompetence and corruption. I hope they really careand just don’t say they do to get where they want to go.AG: Well, it looks like we’re here. Anything elseyou want to add?BZ: If anyone has a picture of Tom Foot, please send it to methrough my website or on MySpace. I can’t find a picture of TomFoot anywhere.AG: Will do.BZ: Oh yeah … pay the driver.antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_17

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the artist behindthe k chroniclestalks to ag abouthis influences, eastand west coastANTIGRAVITYmentalities, drawing forespn and mad, and his infamousslideshow.BY LEO MCGOVERNThis is in an era of unparalleledawareness for the art of cartooning.Between George Bush’s uncanny ability to stimulatepolitical cartoonists, the now-infamous Danish Muhammadcartoons, animated series based on strips like Aaron McGruder’sBoondocks, and—while much tamer—the domination of thebox office by comic icons Spider-Man, Superman and Batman,more people are experiencing comics than ever before. Onecomic strip that can run the gamut of emotions produced by allthe above is Keith Knight’s the K Chronicles, a unique foray intopolitics, pop culture and human emotions.Keith Knight is just as likely to reference Star Wars as heis to mention his mother, and in any given strip you may betreated to the lighthearted optimism of “Life’s Little Victories,”a theme that celebrates the times when the simple things in lifego your way, or an unabashed send-up of Dick Cheney’s latesthunting misadventure. When you may least expect it, Knightcan deliver a heart wrenching or heartwarming slice of life;whether it’s his wife’s cancer-scare (she’s okay), the death of aninfluential artist (like comic great Will Eisner) or a tribute tothe people of the Gulf Coast.Knight’s not a Johnny-come-lately; some hanger-on toMcGruder’s faux-provocativeness–he’s a seasoned professionalcreating comics for over twelve years. He started out as acaricature artist in his hometown of Boston and, once he movedto indie-comic mecca San Francisco, worked his way from‘zine artist to full-fledged newspaper comics page contributor.Since the K Chronicles became entrenched in national andinternational publications, he’s started a second strip, (th)ink,a comic created in single panel style (a la a serious Far Side)meant to take on race and politics. He’s also illustrated a bookcalled The Beginner’s Guide To Community-Based Arts, a book thattells the stories of several activists from across the countrywho use art to improve the life of their communities.The man’s got legs, as they say, and one method he’s used toaccumulate fans is his slideshow, an indie-comics conventionfavorite. Knight hosts the show like a comedian, moving throughpics of his strips and elaborating on their history like thecollege professor you always wished you had. ANTIGRAVITYhas been on the Keith Knight train since the beginning–the KChronicles was the first strip ever published in this magazine,and when an opportunity to host a slideshow presented itselfwe pounced on it. AG presents the Keith Knight slideshowin the latter part of June, and we spoke with Knight aboutgrowing up in Boston, working for ESPN and MAD, and someof his more controversial strips, like the one where he smokedcrack with God.antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_19

ANTIGRAVITY: Let’s talk about The K Chroniclesa bit. What were some of your influences for thestrip at the beginning of your career? How havethose influences evolved?Keith Knight: Early influences include MAD, Garry Trudeau’sDoonesbury, Berke Breathed’s Bloom County, Bill Watterson’sCalvin and Hobbes, Warner Bros. cartoons (especially ChuckJones, but also Robert McKimson’s stuff), the cartoons inParliament/Funkadelic albums and Charles Schulz’s Peanuts.Then, after moving to San Francisco, I discovered the legacyof underground comics. Matt Groening, Nina Paley, JaimeCrespo, Pete Bagge, Robert Crumb, Harvey Pekar and HarveyKurtzman, plus the humor of Paul Mooney, Richard Pryor andBill Hicks helped shape the strip into what it is now.AG: How did growing up in Boston influence yourcartoons?KK: Well, you’re totally influenced by your surroundings andBoston’s known as a pretty racist place, though you don’treally realize it when you’re growing up there. When yougo someplace else they’re like, “Oh my God, you grew up inBoston, that must’ve been crazy.” I grew up with differenttypes of people, so that was a big influence. And lobster rollsand the Red Sox. Hip-hop was a big thing, but they never lethip-hop groups play in Boston; it was pretty much banned. Youhad to go to Providence, Rhode Island to see a lot ofbands and stuff. I remember Run DMC played at theMetro in ‘83, and Madonna played there too.AG: Was cartooning a big deal in the Boston area?KK: It was a big deal for me, obviously, but I don’ tknow that it was a big deal in the area. My cousin Joeland my friend PJ used to do comics too. We’d all dothe same characters, like it was our own company orsomething. I was influenced by them and I’m sure theywere influenced by me. And by influenced I mean thatthey quit (laughs). I know I learned a lot from thoseguys.AG: When did you realize cartooning waswhat you wanted to do?KK: When I was a junior in high school I read AnimalFarm in an English class. I had all these other books,Catcher in the Rye, one by Jack London, Treasure Island–Inever read any of them, but I really liked Animal Farm.For some reason I could relate to farm animals. Wehad to do book reports and I told my teacher, “There’sno way I can do justice to this,” and he let me doa parody of Animal Farm in comic form. Instead ofanimals taking over a farm, I did students taking overmy high school. I had myself, my friends and all theseother people in it, and caricatures of teachers. Insteadof rules like “four legs good, two legs bad,” it was like“under 18 good, over 18 bad.” The teacher loved it,and my only regret is that he scribbled over the wholething. I got an A++, and he said I should be doing asyndicated cartoon strip.AG: What did that lead to?KK: It was the first time I’d heard “syndicate,” and waslike, “whoa.” I had no idea about anything, so I did upa bunch of cartoons and went to my local paper andsaid, “I’m ready to be a cartoonist.” The guy was like,“You’re such a cute little boy, but we get our stripsthrough a syndicate.” So, as a junior in high school I sent mystrips off to a syndicate and never heard back (laughs). I gotinto my high school newspaper, then my college newspaper,then I moved to San Francisco and did a ‘zine, and then got intosome papers and magazines out there.AG: What prompted you to move to San Francisco?KK: I had a job drawing caricatures in Boston that was thecushiest job in the world. You sit on your ass all day, in thesun, and it’s beautiful women all over the place. I was goodat drawing gags and making people laugh, so I made a lot ofmoney at a young age. In the late ‘80s I was making anywherefrom $15 to $30 an hour and then meeting women, going onbreak during happy hour, just having a good time. There was aguy who worked at the caricature place for like 30 years. Hewas a very large man who sat there all the time, and I saw meand him there 30 years from then. He was like, “Get out now.”I don’t even think he said that, it might have been a vision Ihad. Then there was another artist there who was very good,and he’d get sent nationwide for jobs, and he got sent to SanFrancisco. He came back and said that it was a gigantic versionof all the places I hung out at in Boston. When I got out ofcollege I just saved over that last summer, then took a fewthousand bucks to San Francisco and never looked back.AG: What are some of the differences in moralsensibilities in different parts of the countrywhere your strips run?KK: There’s this East Coast mentality I have that’s way differentthan the California mentality. I think it helps that I live on theWest Coast but have that East Coast mentality. A lot of peopleget that humor. The only way to describe it is that in Californiapeople have an insincerity almost, like “I’ll call you, blah blahblah” and you never get a call, where on the East Coast they’lljust say “Eff you, get out of my face.” That I miss, and I livevicariously through my comics.The places I have the most trouble running things arein San Francisco and Orange County, just over the GoldenGate bridge. There’s this kind of bizarre, uptight sensibility of“Oh no, we’re afraid of offending white people.” I drew myselfsmoking crack. It was a joke, and the fact that Charleston,North Carolina and all these places would run it and this oneeditor wouldn’t is just weird. Living out here, there’s almostan arrogance that everyone’s so open-minded that they havea stick up their butts. Again, at least on the East Coast they’lltell you. I did this thing called “Cruel Joke To Play On a BlackJogger,” which is this white guy walking down the street andsees a black jogger pass by. The white guy screams “Thief!”The next panel the cops show up and start beating the jogger,and the white guy’s walking away and whistling. People calledme a racist. I’d actually done the strip a long time ago, andnothing happened, and reran it not long after the whole DanishMuhammad cartoon thing, so I think people were bent out ofshape about that. It happened in Colorado and on a collegecampus in Salem. The whole country got tight, I guess.AG: And that was after the “Smoking Crack withGod” strip.KK: That ran everywhere.AG: So there are two strips with you smokingcrack…KK: Yeah. “Smoking Crack with God” was just so over thetop. The other one I wasn’t really smoking crack. I said, “Oh,lookee here, all this crack and no one to smoke it with,” and itwas me standing next to this giant rock. I did “Smoking Crackwith God” after because it was so over the top, and it’s me andGod smoking crack. You’d think they wouldn’t run that one, butI guess that’s less realistic than God hating people. I mean Godmade crack, why wouldn’t he smoke it?AG: Besides the controversial ones, from whatstrips have you gotten the most feedback?KK: I did a series of strips where my wife was diagnosed with atumor in her chest. The strips had her going in for the operation.That garnered more e-mails than I’d gotten in years. Tons andtons of e-mails and letters. People offering everything fromtheir thoughts and stories to doctors from WebMD writingand a hospital in Boston offering their services. Amazing, niceletters. It was overwhelming, and I didn’t realize how manyreaders I had until that happened. I saved all of those, and someday I’m going to incorporate them into a slideshow.After 9/11, when I started questioning what George Bush wasdoing–some people just don’t believe you should question thegovernment.AG: Was that feedback from actual readers orpeople who just stumbled upon it? You wouldn’tthink people who read the strip on a regular basiswould be that surprised.KK: You’d be surprised. There were people who wrote mesaying that I shouldn’t do politics, or that I should watch mymouth. Some people were concerned. Granted, I did getmore political after 9/11, but it’s not like I was doing somethingcompletely different than I was doing before. I’m sure if peoplelooked back at what they wrote then they might be ashamed.AG: How’d you get your gigs at ESPN and MAD?KK: This is advice for any cartoonist coming up–it’sperseverance. I’ve been around for twelve years now, andpeople who grow up liking your strip then work at papers ormagazines and they get into positions where they canhire you. The guy at MAD, Jon Bresman, was a fan wholived in Berkeley. He was an intern at MAD and roseup to editor. That’s one of the highlights of my career,being in MAD. It’s one of those magazines that, whenpeople ask where I’m printed, you can tell them andthey get it. ESPN happened because a friend of mine,Dave Eggers, worked on the magazine. We did cartoonsfor the same paper for awhile. They were looking for acartoonist and he recommended me. When I talked tothem I told them I was from Boston and grew up withthe Red Sox (before they won the ‘04 World Series), soit may have been a little sympathy on their end.AG: What are some of the challenges indoing sports strips?KK: It’s funny you say that, because I’m on deadlinenow. Because the magazine comes out every twoweeks, it’s got to be good ten days from now, so it can’tbe of the moment. I did a strip about how Detroitwas suddenly a big sports town–they’d just held theSuper Bowl, the Red Wings were favored (to win theStanley Cup), the Pistons are favored to go all the way,the Tigers are in first place, but all of a sudden the RedWings get knocked out in the first round, the Pistonsmight get knocked out, and by the time the magazinecomes out the Tigers may not be in first place.AG: Politically, how do you incorporateyour views into the strips, and is there aworry that you might get too overbearing?KK: Sometimes you don’t know you’re being overbearinguntil it happens. I haven’t done too many politicalstrips lately because I’m worn out by it. If someonehad suggested all the things that have happened since2000, how ludicrous would it have been? At this point,nothing would surprise me, even if they said they weregrinding children in the White House basement andselling the meat to McDonalds. I’m starting to focus on otherthings because that’s so depressing and it doesn’t seem like it’sgoing to change any time soon. So much stuff has happened,who wants to become President next?AG: It’s like the sports coach mentality. You don’twant to be the guy who follows the guy, you wantto be the guy who follows the guy who followedthe guy.KK: I might incorporate that into a strip soon. We hold oursports teams and coaches more responsible for their behaviorthan we do our government. Grady Little got fired from theRed Sox because he didn’t take Pedro out early enough, but wedon’t have that kind of accountability with our government.AG: You’ve been to New Orleans a numberof times–what are some of your New Orleansexperiences?KK: I first came to New Orleans during an Association ofAlternative Newsweeklies Convention. I was part of a groupof indie cartoonists that was being ignored by all the editors.We’d all go out into the night and have an amazing timedrinking, partying and complaining. At the same time, my friend(and writer of the Beginner’s Guide to Community-Based Arts)Mat Schwarzman had just moved to town and was living in20_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

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. Visit TWX for these free songs and others not listed here.TWX does not profit from the information provided onthe blog or from the mpFree column. ANTIGRAVITY is notresponsible for 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.24_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

When I was a kid, I hada toy guitar that madereally horrific noises, whichsome 1980s engineer probablyimagined rock ‘n’ roll sounded like. And to this day I credit it asGod’s grace that my parents didn’t strangle me with the thickplastic “strings” of that guitar when I would attempt to serenadethem with my versions of “Louie Louie,” “Good Vibrations” or“Born in the USA. In many ways, this is exactly what Islandshas done with Return To The Sea. The former members of theUnicorns have produced a record that sounds like adult musicin the mind of a child and played it out note-perfect on toyinstruments. The difference between me and Nick Diamondsand J’aime Tambeur is that their inner child has managed toproduce some of the most precious and perfect pop musicof the year. Every moment of Return To The Sea is captivating,from the nine-minute opener “Swans (Life After Death)” to thestoned calypso of “Don’t Call Me Whitney, Bobby” to Th’ CornGangg’s leftover “Where There’s A Will There’s A Whalebone,”which features a pair of rappers from Why? and the thickestbass line to come out of Montreal, um, ever. The departure ofthat cute, curly haired child from the Unicorns apparently leftthe remaining ‘Corns with loads of creative running room, and,as it turns out, they are apparently big fans of Paul Simon circa“Cecilia.” From top to bottom it’s as if some crazy Canadianbeach party has broken out, with Canucks two-stepping all overthe sand. Diamonds keeps careful watch from his lifeguardstand, hair oh-so-perfectly shading one side of his face while hemuses mournfully (though with a bit of a grin) about cannibals,bones, ghosts, etc. That’s part of the brilliance of this record:Even though the music has matured, Diamonds does not strayfrom the youthful subjects of the Unicorns’ Who Will Cut OurHair When We’re Gone. While the finished mash-up makes littleto no sense, the bizarre lyrics and melancholy delivery keepthings from sailing into Jimmy Buffett’s waters. Rest assured,this is not the only review that you will read of Return To TheSea, and you should be prepared to see more references tothe Unicorns than you can stomach. But where the Unicornsfell short by alienating people with their Casio keyboards andtoo-cute album art, Islands grows up just enough to be the bestscene that Wes Anderson deleted from The Life Aquatic.-–Marty GarnerOr, How To Get It Right.Lansing-Dreiden arenot a band so much as aMiami/New York anonymousart collective pretending to be a corporation, and for this someof the few who have heard of them at all resent them rightoff the bat, citing the old case of Style v. Substance. But whatjackasses like that (I’m gunning for you, Pitchfork’s Chris Ott)don’t realize is that this kind of style—the minimal art work,everything in black and white, the general pretentiousness—is its own substance. Besides, everyone knows that takingyourself really seriously is the new having-a-laugh. But, crucially,everything LD touches turns to gold. The artwork is gorgeous,the videos are amazing, the fiction is … interesting, and themusic … mwaah! 2004’s The Incomplete Triangle was in threefour-song parts: First the Mamas and the Papas run through theJudas Priest catalog, then Bauhaus play the quieter bits of theVelvet Underground’s oeuvre, then the Chameleons try theirhands at some New Order songs, then it’s over. Vice LOVEDit. And it shouldn’t have worked, really, none of this should, letalone all on one album, but LD have such a handle on theirsound that they can basically do whatever they want and it willbe theirs. They also write tremendous songs and hooks, endof story. And so now we have this year’s The Dividing Island,the self-titled opener of which begins as a Gentlemen TakePolaroids-era Japan b-side, throws in some shoegaze vocals,then suddenly explodes into the Beta Band reforming just towrite a tribute to Dungen. Short of a track by track analysis,I can’t tell you much more than that. “Two Extremes” missedits chance to be the highlight of a John Hughes film soundtrackby a couple of decades, while “Dethroning the Optimyth” isbasically sword metal. Yes, it’s all very over the top and, I’llsay it, pretentious, but it certainly sounds like they’re having awhole hell of lot more fun than White Rose Movement; it’s justup to you to decide whether or not it’s at your expense. Listento the “woah yeah woah-oh yeahs” in “One for All” and justtry not to laugh. With them. And unlike that aforementionedband, Lansing-Dreiden know that when making a great ‘80sinfluenced album, 4/4 beats, one-fingered keyboard lines, and asinger who sounds like he’s being anally raped are only half thebattle. Best thing I’ve heard all year. Then again, I am a huge fanof 80s New Romantic. Japan, Visage, the Associates. All that.—Darren O’BrienThe importance of RayDavies can’t be understatedin terms of his influence onall of Britpop—his jauntysongwriting has informed notjust individual bands and performers, but entire genres. As thelead singer and guitarist of the Kinks, Davies helped churn outsome of the most familiar and timeless melodies during theoriginal British Invasion and beyond: “You Really Got Me,” “SunnyAfternoon,” “Village Green,” “Picture Book,” “Lola,” “WaterlooSunset,” “Apeman,” “Super Sonic Rocket Ship,” “Better Things”… the list goes on and on. Following the disintegration of theKinks in 1996, Ray Davies began writing and recording musicfor an eventual first ever solo-album. For the next 10 years,Davies was beset with bouts of inactivity and times of personalturmoil which culminated in a New Orleans mugging in 2004that left him with a gunshot wound in the leg. However, Daviespersevered and has at last released the album that was adecade in the making. Other People’s Lives is a leap from thefamiliar electronic crunch of the Kinks, showing that Davies’interests also lie in varying styles outside the familiar Britpoplexicon. The sound is one of a matured singer/songwriter whodelves into heartfelt crooning, hip-hoppish lyricism and fits ofbossa nova: “Things Are Gonna Change” employs a big bandfeel with grand choruses; “Stand Up Comic” starts with stiffback beats and then sporadically adds unexpected saxophoneand “Run Away From Time” is Davies’ best British imitation ofAmerican soul/rock. However, the best songs on the albumare the ones that mix the new Davies with a bit of the old.“The Tourist,” a song that was written during Davies’ stay inNew Orleans, has that quirky consistency that made the Kinksso wonderful. Plus, the tune strikes close to home as Davieslaments the New Orleans tourist culture, spewing, “I’m justanother tourist checking out the slums/With my plastic Visadrinking with my chums.” Another such Kinks-esque track is“Next Door Neighbor,” a song in which Davies explores thedistractions of urban living in a way that is reminiscent of oneparticular previous Kinks project, Village Green PreservationSociety. While not all of the songs hit square on their mark,Davies still retains that unmistakable voice and wit that makeseven the less impressive tunes respectable. At 62, Davies proveswhy he’s still considered one of the most gifted songwriters inmodern pop music.—Patrick StrangeIn Kennesaw, Georgia, minutesnorth of Atlanta, there is astore owned by a 70-yearoldnamed Wild Man. Amongthe many items which Wild Man proudly sells is a used KKKuniform, several authentic Nazi armbands and grave markers,and countless anti-black t-shirts. Thirty minutes away, in urbanAtlanta, is the Martin Luther King, Jr., Center, dedicated to thedeceased civil rights activist. Among the many items which thegift shop in the King Center sells is the book I Have a Dream,“non-violence OR non-existence” bracelets, and countlessequal rights t-shirts. Tourists can see both of these places onthe same broiling Atlanta day if they are willing to make thedrive. Most Southerners don’t have to work that hard. Such,as the Drive-By Truckers have been known to say, is the dualityof the Southern thang. For several years, the Truckers’ stockand trade has been this exact topic: the relationship betweendark and light in Southern culture. The duality of the Southernthang. Light and dark, beauty and dirt. A Blessing And A Cursefinds the Truckers no longer painting broad strokes of Southernculture but individual portraits of death, poverty, drugs anddepression that could be from anywhere in the U.S. but stillsound better when played with a Southern accent. “Feb 14”brings to mind ‘80s punk along the lines of the Replacementsmoreso than anything by the Allman Brothers. The twangySouthernisms of Decoration Day and the perfect Dirty South arestill present, of course, but the focus is no longer on geographybut sociology. Each song is a vignette of some poor wretchfrom Dixie, whether it be the father in “Little Bonnie” whothinks that his daughter’s death is divine retribution or thewidowed husband in “Space City” who’s too proud to cry inpublic. A Blessing And A Curse falls into the fine tradition of NeilYoung’s Tonight’s The Night: beautiful albums too dark to seethrough. After all of this darkness, though, Patterson Hoodcloses the record by reminding us that “to love is to feel pain”before he moans, half-convinced, “It’s great to be alive.” TheSouth has risen again, and this time they’re fighting with soul.––Marty GarnerBrainless blockbusters andpristine pop records mayseem a small consolationfor spiking temperaturesand stifling humidity, but from insufferable summers youtake whatever entertainment you can get. That said, TomCruise’s sanity and shaky foreign relations notwithstanding,space out once again to Mission: Impossible III and, whenyou’re finished, bliss out to France’s aphrodisiac houseband Phoenix. The surprising former signaled the arrival ofthe annual summer movie season; were there a similarlyrecognized period for pop music, this fantastic third offeringfrom the latter would have done just the same. Phoenixhas always had an inimitable talent for making memorableretro-mod dance tunes—check the unfuckwithable single“If I Ever Feel Better” from the band’s debut United—butthey’ve always been buried beneath overly slick electroproduction and a preening, distinctly Parisian aesthetic. Nothere: Saying fuck-all to narcissism and bad luck, It’s NeverBeen Like That breaks all the mirrors, cranks down the hardtop and steps firm on the gas. Guitars are the order of theday, replacing the group’s favored digital synths, and “grininducing”only begins to express the amphetamine pop thatfollows. Irrepressibly catchy singles “Long Distance Calls”and “Consolation Prizes” are among the year’s top tracks,their exuberant skips and stops recalling the new Belle &Sebastian joining up with the old Strokes, yet they may notbe the best songs on their side of the album. Vying for thathonor are the beach-trip sing-along “Rally” and the nostalgicroller-rink jangle of “One Time Too Many,” the latter’s sweetshuffle sure to get lodged in your gray matter for days. SideB is almost as engaging—excepting the limp, Scissor-Sistersminus-the-gaydisco/rock of “Courtesy Laughs,” glaring onlybecause everything else here is so over-the-top inspired.Listen to the record on repeat long enough and even thatmisstep starts to sound planned, like a requisite breatherbetween the all-too-regular brilliance that surrounds it.Longtime Phoenix fans are going to freak out over thisrecord, and those who’ve never experienced the band’sinfectious music have no better place to begin. After all, it’snever been like this.—Noah BonaparteMORE REVIEWS ON PAGE 28antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_27

Fresh off his collaborationwith MF Doom, DJDanger Mouse has teamedup with Goodie Mob’s Cee-Lo to form Gnarls Barkley, a duo vastly different from – andarguably more eccentric than – DangerDoom. Aside fromsharing one member, in fact, these two groups are almostnothing alike. Where the former melded hip hop and AdultSwim, this album brings in some Al Green era soul feel andmixes it with some sharp, funky beats. The addition of Cee-Lo’s vocals (sometimes he sings, sometimes he raps andsometimes both) brings to mind old school OutKast andAndré 3000’s solo work.Heavy on vocals and filled with instrumental flourishesthat require close listening (headphones are optimal), St.Elswhere defies easy categorization as it bends expectationsand melds genres. Case in point: “The Boogie Monster,” asong that is, unsurprisingly, about a boogie monster. As thenarrator says, “I used to wonder why he looked familiar/Then I realized it was a mirror/And now it is plain to see/The whole time the monster was me.” The silly lyricsare belied by a slow soulful groove, and this mix seemsto define what Gnarls Barkley is trying to aim for: a littlefrivolity in the vocals mixed with some seriously ornateinstrumentation.Further evidence of their idiosyncratic tastes (asif any was needed) is a cover of the Violent Femme’s“Gone Daddy Gone,” which comes in out of left fieldbut somehow manages to sound just right. St. Elsewhereincludes a bit of everything, and because of this it can’t beeasily encapsulated—it’s a little funk, a lot of soul and somehip-hop thrown in.—Jared KraminitzI’m going to lay whatevercredibility I may have on theline here and admit that I am ahuge fan of ‘80s New Romantic. Japan, Visage, the Associates.All that. So, theoretically, I should be in seventeenth Heaven,what with the ‘80s resurgence that seemingly has no end,which is just fine by me. Unfortunately, no one seems to begetting it quite right and making anything that can stand proudlyamong its ancestors, or that will even be remembered for thenaughties rehash in the 20/20s. There’s Interpol, but afterthat? Franz Ferdinand are now officially annoying; you cannotlook me in the eyes and tell me you can listen to the BlocParty album all the way through; and the Bravery/Killers havea couple good tunes between them, but anyone who writes,records, and still plays live a song with the chorus, “It’s indierock ‘n’ roll for me” … well, I really worry about their qualitycontrol. So now White Rose Movement, a London quintet withhaircuts you could open your mail with, a hot-chick synthesist,and—clutch—super-duper-producer Paul Epworth (Bloc Party,the Futureheads, Maximo Park, every band in this category).If you were paying attention last summer, you’ll know “LoveIs a Number,” the still-terrific bit of synth/glam/disco thatcould only be the highlight of debut album Kick. The fact is,every song here taken by itself would blow some minds, butwhen collected and sequenced one after the other, we noticea distinct lack of depth, and man it gets old. These songs mightas well not have names, they’re so indistinguishable, even afterthe umpteen listens I’ve given it. It’s quite a shame that analbum full of good, sleazy, moody, synth-rock songs should beso impenetrable, but if you happen to have a love for DepecheMode, Gary Numan, and Nine Inch Nails, and—clutch—ownan iPod, this is something you’ll want.—Darren O’Brienmust be honest. I remainedI a devoted fan of Pearl Jamlong after Ten went the wayof the Meatpuppets and semiaccountablegovernments. Vs., Vitalogy, No Code, Yield, evenBinaural got play in my high school days and later on in all the ratinfesteddorm rooms, soiled apartments and Sony Walkmans ofmy post-adolescence. Granted, there was a steady decline in thenovelty of the Pearl Jam catalogue as it grew (although Vitalogy isaging surprisingly well), but I guess my depressive personality andintroverted nature won out. Vedder was, and still is, just so filledwith anger and self-deprecation—something to which a boy likeme could relate. With their new album, Pearl Jam seems to haverecaptured some of what made them so iconic a decade ago. I’veheard people say that the new album is reminiscent of Ten andsuch a comparison is misleading. This is not Ten, nor is it as good.To expect any band to duplicate the timely urgency of “Alive,”the vernal audacity of “Evenflow” or the confessional power of“Black” and “Release” is an impossible request. What the latestrecord does accomplish is a return to material consistency andstraight forward (post?) grunge rock ‘n’ roll. Crashing drums,vintage McCready guitar riffs and patented Vedder wailings areaplenty on this one. And as long as we are on the subject ofVedder’s vocal chords, it must be said that the latest projectresituates his voice as the compositional center piece. It’s not abad thing either. As always, some songs work better than othersin utilizing his signature voice: “Parachutes” is a slow acousticstrum that allows Vedder to do his deep, dark massaging, and“Come Back” is a Pearl Jam-does-blues tune that reveals justhow wonderfully plaintive Vedder can be. All in all, the albumshows a matured Pearl Jam that has left much of the self-hatredand metaphysical philosophizing behind. What’s left is a solidrecord that keeps to the basics of unadorned rock. Alas, I guessthe teenage angst in me has finally died. And good riddance.—Patrick Strange28_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

PREMONITIONSNEW 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) 947-0979Circle Bar1032 St. Charles Ave., (504) 588-2616www.circlebar.netD.B.A.618 Frenchmen St., (504) 942-373www.drinkgoodstuff.com/noGoldmine Saloon701 Dauphine St., New Orleans, (504) 586-0745Handsome Willy’s218 South Robertson St., (504) 525-0377www.handsomewillys.comThe High Ground3612 Hessmer Ave., Metairie, (504) 525-0377www.thehighgroundvenue.comHouse 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/marlenesplaceMcKeown’s Books & Difficult Music4737 Tchoupitoulas, (504) 895-1954One Eyed Jacks615 Toulouse St., (504) 569-8361www.oneeyedjacks.netThe Republic828 S. Peters St., (504) 528-8282www.republicnola.comSip Wine Market3119 Magazine St., (504) 894-7071www.sipwinenola.comShiloh4529 Tchoupitoulas, (504) 895-1456Tipitina’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/rotolosallagesSOGO Live150 Mayflower St., (225) 387-0321www.sogolive.comThe Spanish Moon1109 Highland Rd., (225) 383-MOONwww.thespanishmoon.comThe Varsity3353 Highland Rd., (225)383-7018www.varsitytheatre.comTHURSDAY 6/1Hello Asphalt, Stephanie & the Whitesocks,Radionation, Sustenance, Howlin’ Wolf, 9pm, $7Tin Men, d.b.a., 10pm17 Poets! A Weekly Series, Goldmine SaloonDJ T-Roy, ShilohFRIDAY 6/238 Special, House of BluesMatt Lionett, the Whigs, Will Hoge, Howlin’Wolf, 9pm, $10The Gourds, Chelsea’s CafeThe Benjy Davis Project, Varsity TheatreStarlight Mints, Dios Malos, Project Octopus,One Eyed JacksWheatus, Meriwether, the High Ground,6:30pm, $8Hot Club of New Orleans, d.b.a., 6pmLiquidrone, d.b.a., 10pm, $5DJ Real, ShilohThe Curbs, Cat Jump!, Red StarSATURDAY 6/3Happy Talk Band, Chappy, Marcel Flisiuk artopening, the Big Top, 6pm, FREEPits vs. Preps CD Release, Parabellum,Manwitch, Howlin’ Wolf, 9pm, $5Susan Cowsill, Carrollton StationThe Country Teasers, Groch Fock, MCTracheotemy, One Eyed JacksTeena Marie, House of Blues, 7pm, $42.50John Boutte, d.b.a., 7pmDJ Matic, ShilohIndie Rock Dance Party, Red StarSUNDAY 6/4Yakuza, Dysrhythmia, Behold the Arctopus,One Eyed JacksTeena Marie, House of Blues, 7pm, $42.50Thumbscrew, Abacabb, the High Ground,6:30pm, $6Linnzi Zaorski, d.b.a., 9pmMONDAY 6/5Tiny Hawks, Handsome Willy’s, 6pm, $5Louisiana Ska & Punk Presents: AuthorityZero, OPM, 6-Pack Deep, Rotolo’s, 5:30pm,$10Jeff & Vida, d.b.a., 10pmTUESDAY 6/6Black Sabbath Tribute Night featuring Potpieand appearances by Elecrical Spectacle’sMike Mayfield and Anton Gussoni, KlezmerAll-Stars, Chef Menteur, Shatner, the Big Top,8pm, $8Die Rotzz, Pallbearers, Circle Bar, $5VH1 Soul Presents: Anthony Hamilton, Houseof Blues, 7pm, $35OTEP, the Parish @ House of Blues, 8pm, $13Johnny Vidacovich Duo, d.b.a., 10pmSip ‘N Spin, Sip Wine MarketWEDNESDAY 6/7Thursday, 6/1Friday, 6/2Saturday, 6/3Sunday, 6/4Monday, 6/5Tuesday, 6/6Wednesday, 6/7Soul Rebels Brass Band, Howlin’ Wolf, 9pm, $7Greg Dull’s Twilight Singers w/ Mark Lanegan,One Eyed JacksDash Rip Rock, Carrollton StationJeff Klein, One Eyed JacksVH1 Soul Presents: Anthony Hamilton, Houseof Blues, 7pm, $35Walter Wolfman Washington, d.b.a., 10pmI Tell You What, ShilohLargely Ironic Karaoki, Red StarTHURSDAY 6/8CEX, the Love of Everything, the Republic, 8pm,$9Lifehouse, Rocco Deluca, the Burden, House ofBlues, 7pm, $22.50Otis Gibbs, d.b.a., 6pmStanton Moore/Robert Walter Duo, d.b.a.,10pm, $517 Poets! A Weekly Series, Goldmine SaloonDJ T-Roy, ShilohFRIDAY 6/9One Reason, Hello Asphalt, the Red Beards, theBig Top, 7pm, $5Edwin McCain Band, Garrison Starr, VarsityTheatreSteel Pulse, House of Blues, 7pm, $28.50Hot Club of New Orleans, d.b.a., 6pmJuice, d.b.a., 10pm, $5DJ Real, ShilohThe Cassettes, Red StarSATURDAY 6/10The Junior League CD Release, Circle Bar, 10pm,$5Birdfinger, the American Tragedy, Losing Ana,Barisal Guns, the Howlin’ Wolf, 9pm, $7Edwin McCain Band, Garrison Starr, House ofBlues, 8pm, $20New Orleans Filmmakers Presents: Aperture,featuring work by Kevin Barrace, Todd Voltz,Charlie Brown, Jason Vowell, ChristopherBrown and music videos from Morning 40Federation, Dannell Booker, The Jesus andCharlie Show, Zeitgeist, 8pmFoxy Shazam, StatuesCryBleeding, ArcaneTheory, Bleed Vader, the High Ground, 6:30pm,$6John Boutte, d.b.a., 7pmSophisticats & Sophistikittens, d.b.a., 11pm, $6DJ Matic, ShilohIndie Rock Dance Party featuring The HonoredGuests, Red StarSUNDAY 6/11Gal Holiday & Her Honky Tonk Revue, d.b.a.,10pmQuien Es Boom, We the Living, Project Color3, ShilohMONDAY 6/12Secret Agent Bill, Dirty Dingus, the High Ground,6:30pm, $6Washboard Chaz Blues Trio, d.b.a., 10pmQuien es, BOOM, Red StarTUESDAY 6/13The Know How, the Big TopCabo Wabo Presents: Sammy Hagar, the Wabos,House of Blues, 7pm, $37.50The Absence, the High Ground, 6:30pm, $6Johnny Vidacovich Duo, d.b.a., 10pmSip ‘N Spin, Sip Wine MarketBilly Lusso & the Restless Natives, ShilohWEDNESDAY 6/14Wade Bowen, Varsity TheatreThursday, 6/8Friday, 6/9Steven Seagal, Thunderbox, JJ Bilmour,House of Blues, 7pm, $20-$23His whole career, Steven Seagal has beendefined by dizzying directives: He’s AboveThe Law, but Under Siege; both Into The Sunand Out For Justice. Exhausted of prepositionalphrases, the ponytailed pariah took to adjoininghis existing titles (hence, 2003’s Out For Justice/Hard To Kill hybrid Out For A Kill). Once that gotold, Lt. Casey Ryback did what any black-beltedasskicker approaching 50 would do: He tookSaturday, 6/10 up fusion music. In 2004, Seagal released hisdebut, Songs From The Crystal Cave, a story ofone man’s quest to punish the men who killedhis fam ... no, that was Hard To Kill, wasn’t it?Damn—seems we’ve never listened to SongsFrom The Crystal Cave. But it’s by Steven Seagaland it’s called Songs From The Crystal Cave, sowe’re going out on a limb and saying it’s bothAbove Criticism and Beyond Reproach. Happy?-–Noah BonaparteSunday, 6/11Monday, 6/12Tuesday, 6/13Wednesday, 6/14Don’t Die Cindy, Adeline, Infinite Hours, theHigh Ground, 6:30pm, $6Walter Wolfman Washington, d.b.a., 10pmEl Kaboom, ShilohLargely Ironic Karaoke, Red StarTHURSDAY 6/15Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, House of Blues, 7pm,$20-$22.50Zoso, the Republic, 8pm, $10-$12Brian Lee, d.b.a., 10pm17 Poets! A Weekly Series, Goldmine SaloonDJ T-Roy, ShilohCrawling, Kings, Red StarFRIDAY 6/16Damiera, Judge Genius, Howlin’ Wolf, 9pm, $7The Original Superstars of Jazz Fusion w/Bobbi Humphrey, Jean Carne, Jon Lucien,Ronnie Laws, Roy Ayers, House of Blues,6:30pm, $30Fatter Than Albert, Razabari Sumthing, ABillion Earnies, the High Ground, 6:30pm, $6Hot Club of New Orleans, d.b.a., 6pmThe Fessters, d.b.a., 10pm, $6Groovesect, DJ Real, ShilohTerror of the Sea, the Brass Bed, Red StarSATURDAY 6/17Sunday, 6/11(Continued) Wednesday, 6/14Thursday, 6/15Friday, 6/16Saturday, 6/17The Coup, the Parish @ House of Blues, 9pm,$12Blockhead, ShilohJohn Boutte, d.b.a., 7pmBrian Seeger & The Gentilly GrooveMasters, d.b.a., 11pm, $5antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative_29

Homegrown Designs Presents: Blockhead,DJ Signify, DJ Wizdum, ShilohThe Public, the Tomatoes, the City Life,One Eyed JacksIndie Rock Dance Party featuring theSouthern Backtones, Red StarSUNDAY 6/18John Hiatt, North Mississippi All Stars,House of Blues, 7pm, $32.50Th’ Legendary Shack*Shakers, the Parish @House of Blues, 7pm, $10Linnzi Zaorski, d.b.a., 9pmMONDAY 6/19Drop Dead Gorgeous, Inked in Blood,Scars of Tomorrow, Calico System,DarkroomAndy J Forest, d.b.a., 10pmTUESDAY 6/20Roger Clyne, the Peacemakers, the Parish@ House of Blues, 8pm, $10Man Alive, the Wedding, Minutes Too Far,the High Ground, 6:30pm, $8Johnny Vidacovich Duo, d.b.a., 10pmSip ‘N Spin, Sip Wine MarketSublime Lens, ShilohRent Night, Red StarWEDNESDAY 6/21(Continued) Saturday, 6/17Sunday, 6/18Monday, 6/19Tuesday, 6/20Wednesday, 6/21Soul Rebels Brass Band, Howlin’ Wolf, 9pm,$7Dash Rip Rock, Carrollton StationBane, Modern Life is War, This is Hell,Outbreak, the High Ground, 6:30pm, $10Walter Wolfman Washington, d.b.a., 10pmGroovesect, ShilohLargely Ironic Karaoke, Red StarTHURSDAY 6/2217 Poets! A Weekly Series, Goldmine SaloonDJ T-Roy, ShilohThe Comfi es, Red StarFRIDAY 6/23ANTIGRAVITY PRESENTS: A K ChroniclesSlideshow by Keith Knight, Handsome Willy’s,7pm (see feature, page 19)Todd Barry, One Eyed JacksBand of Horses, Mt. Egypt, the Can’t See, theParish @ House of Blues, 9pm, $12D.R.I., Subzero, DarkroomStand Up NOLA Presents: Todd Barry, OneEyed JacksDeadboy & the Elephantmen, Chelsea’s CafeHot Club of New Orleans, d.b.a., 6pmRotary Downs, d.b.a., 10pm, $5The Fish Don’t Carry Guns Tour w/ Icon theMic King, Dos Noun, Educated Consumers,Fishr Pryce, ShilohPalo Viejo, Maneja Beto, Red StarSATURDAY 6/24Thursday, 6/22Friday, 6/23Saturday, 6/24ANTIGRAVITY PRESENTS: A 2ndAnniversary show featuring: Deadboy & theElephantmen, Ballzack, One Eyed Jacks, 10pm,$10Rasputina, House of Blues, 9pm, $15John Boutte, d.b.a., 7pmDJ Matic, ShilohIndie Rock Dance Party featuring ScarletSpeedster, Red StarSUNDAY 6/25Jimmy Horn, d.b.a., 9pmAbner, Project Color 3, Smiley With a Knife,ShilohMONDAY, 6/26Lamb of God, Children of Bodom, Thine EyesBleed, House of Blues, 7pm, $22-$25Jeff Albert Quartet, d.b.a., 10pmTUESDAY 6/27Legendary Pink Dots, the Parish @ House ofBlues, 8pm, $10-$12Soilent Green, the Acacia Strain, Demiricious,the High Ground, 6:30pm, $10Johnny Vidacovich Duo, d.b.a., 10pmSip ‘N Spin, Sip Wine MarketWEDNESDAY 6/28Sunday, 6/25Monday, 6/26Tuesday, 6/27Wednesday, 6/28David Dondero, Tilly and the Wall, SpanishMoonWalter Wolfman Washington, d.b.a., 10pmGroovesect, ShilohLargely Ironic Karaoke, Red StarTHURSDAY 6/29Merry Go Drown, Howlin’ Wolf, 9pm, $7Joe Krown Organ Combo, d.b.a., 10pmDJ T-Roy, ShilohThe Moonlight Towers, Red StarFRIDAY 6/30The Modern Day Saint, the Silent Game, theHigh Ground, 6:30pm, $6Hot Club of New Orleans, d.b.a., 6pmEgg Yolk Jubilee, d.b.a., 10pm, $6DJ Real, ShilohSATURDAY 7/1Thursday, 6/29Friday, 6/30Saturday, 7/1Morning 40 Federation CD Release, OneEyed JacksWTUL91.5 FMTULANE UNIVERSITY • NEW ORLEANSwww.wtul.fmWE’RE BACKON THE AIR!Music is the doctor.Welcome home!30_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative

Red Hot Chili Peppers and Duran Duran join the ritual.Full line-up will be announced in the coming weeksOctober 28-29 New OrleansOn Sale Now at voodoomusicfest.com