February 2009 (PDF) - Antigravity Magazine
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KATEY RED GLASGOW A HANGING THE ROOKS<br />
CAPITOL OFFENSE BIG FAT & DELICIOUS DIRTY COAST<br />
vol.6 no.4 feb. ’09 your new orleans music and culture alternative<br />
GUITAR LIGHTNIN’ LEE<br />
IS THE LOVE CONNECTION<br />
www.antigravitymagazine.com free!
PHOTO BY MANTARAY PHOTOGRAPHY
STAFF<br />
PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF:<br />
Leo McGovern<br />
leo@antigravitymagazine.com<br />
ASSOCIATE EDITOR:<br />
Dan Fox<br />
fox@antigravitymagazine.com<br />
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:<br />
Tom Hopkins<br />
thomasghopkins@yahoo.com<br />
Nancy Kang, M.D.<br />
nancy@antigravitymagazine.com<br />
Jacob Mazer<br />
jacob.mazer@gmail.com<br />
Dan Mitchell<br />
dmitchel@tulane.edu<br />
Sara Pic<br />
sarapic@antigravitymagazine.com<br />
Mike Rodgers<br />
mike@antigravitymagazine.com<br />
Brett Schwaner<br />
brett@antigravitymagazine.com<br />
Brian Serpas<br />
brian@antigravitymagazine.com<br />
Jason Songe<br />
jasonsonge@antigravitymagazine.com<br />
Colby Spath<br />
colbito@gmail.com<br />
Mallory Whitfield<br />
mallory@antigravitymagazine.com<br />
AD SALES:<br />
ads@antigravitymagazine.com<br />
504-881-7508<br />
Cover Photo by Zack Smith<br />
Katey Red Photo by Robin Walker<br />
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111 South Alexander St.<br />
New Orleans, La. 70119<br />
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events@antigravity<br />
magazine.com<br />
ANTIGRAVITY is a publication of<br />
ANTIGRAVITY, INC.<br />
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4_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative<br />
Katey Red<br />
Shows a sweet side like no other rapper in this month’s ANTI-News.<br />
INTRO<br />
FEATURES:<br />
ANTI-News_page 6<br />
Some of the news that’s fit to print.<br />
Guitar Lightnin’_page 15<br />
Spreads the love with his Thunder Band.<br />
COLUMNS:<br />
Guidance Counseling_page 11<br />
DJs Kristen and Matty dish advice.<br />
Dr. Feelgood_page 12<br />
Who’s got the worst tattoo?<br />
The Goods_page 13<br />
Pet art in New Orleans<br />
Homefield Advantage_page 14<br />
And now...Hornets coverage.<br />
Photo Review_page 28<br />
The month in photos.<br />
REVIEWS:<br />
Music_page 20<br />
Albums by Bobby Adams, Animal<br />
Collective, Gore, Lil Wayne, Shell<br />
Shock and more...<br />
EVENTS:<br />
Listings_page 23<br />
<strong>February</strong> events in New Orleans<br />
COMICS:<br />
Illustrations_page 26<br />
Qomix, How To Be Happy, The<br />
K Chronicles, Firesquito.<br />
Charlie Cooper, 1977—<strong>2009</strong><br />
Happy Mardi Gras. This issue is a bittersweet<br />
one for me; while I’m excited about all of the<br />
amazing stories we’ve managed to put together<br />
for this holiest of months, it was with great sadness and<br />
shock that I learned of Charlie Cooper’s death a few<br />
days before press. I knew him since high school and we<br />
shared a lot of good friends who I really feel for right<br />
now. One of my earliest and most vivid memories of<br />
Charlie was watching him onstage with his band Supafly<br />
in the Hangar next to Rendon Inn, probably around<br />
1994. Even then, at such a young age, he proved to be<br />
a formidable front man, a magnetic talent and even a<br />
little bit ahead of his time. Joshua Eustis, another longtime friend and New Orleanian, partnered with Charlie to form<br />
the acclaimed Telefon Tel Aviv, which took them a lot of places we all dream about daily. But no matter how far his<br />
music took him away from New Orleans or how sophisticated he got, Charlie was always about some Saints, some<br />
good bounce rap and of course, Vietnamese food. (The last time I saw him was at Pho Bang on Manhattan Boulevard,<br />
not a couple months ago). I think it will honor Charlie’s memory to continue this great NOLA music scene of ours,<br />
a community which he had a huge part in building. New Orleans will never be the same, Charlie; but at least we had<br />
you when we did and we’re forever grateful. Thank you. —Dan Fox, Associate Editor
ANTI-NEWS<br />
EMERGENCE FRONTMAN RETURNS WITH BIG FAT<br />
& DELICIOUS<br />
Even though the local dub rock troupe Emergence<br />
called it quits last summer, their fans knew that it<br />
was only a matter of time before the group’s core<br />
members cooked up something new. After months—if<br />
not years—of simmering, Emergence’s former lead<br />
singer Dustin Walkowski is back with his newest<br />
effort: Big, Fat & Delicious. “We just played our first<br />
show on January 16th, but Big, Fat & Delicious has<br />
been in the works for, literally, years,” Walkowski told<br />
ANTIGRAVITY. “It started out with just me, my brother<br />
and a couple of our friends playing together, and it sort<br />
of evolved from that. Between the other bands we’ve<br />
been involved with, it’s been a matter of finding the time<br />
to finally have an official debut for Big, Fat &Delicious.”<br />
Local ska fans may also remember Walkowski from his<br />
four-year stint as the vocalist for Samurai Deli, where he<br />
first played alongside Daniel Ray, a current collaborator<br />
in Big, Fat & Delicious. “We’re not really shooting for<br />
any particular style, but we try to incorporate different<br />
elements of punk, reggae, ska, and rock,” Walkowski<br />
explained. “It’s got a similar vibe to some of the stuff<br />
I did with Samurai Deli and Emergence, but with a lot<br />
more emphasis on acoustic guitars. It may be acoustic,<br />
but it’s still punk. There’s just no way I could ever be<br />
able to shake punk from my soul.” Walkowski also said<br />
that the freestyle nature of Big, Fat & Delicious keeps the<br />
band’s live sets fun and unpredictable. “For our show at<br />
the end of <strong>February</strong>, a lot of our friends will be joining<br />
us to collaborate on some songs. Ted Dunaway from Sick Like Sinatra will be playing bass and some of the<br />
guys from Samurai Deli will be joining us as well. Big Fat & Delicious started with a couple of core members<br />
and guests showing up to jam whenever they’re in the mood. That’s how it’s always been—we’re a family<br />
band.” —Brett Schwaner<br />
Big, Fat & Delicious plays The Dragon’s Den on Tuesday, <strong>February</strong> 27th as part of the Suicide Girls Benefi t for the<br />
LSPCA. Showtime is 9pm. For more info on Big, Fat & Delicious, visit myspace.com/bigphatdeliciousnola<br />
BIG CHANGES AND FAMILIAR FACES AHEAD FOR<br />
CAPITOL OFFENSE<br />
Although they’ve been laying<br />
low since last fall, the guys in<br />
Capitol Offense haven’t spent<br />
their downtime as shiftless, drunken<br />
lay-abouts…for the most part. Formed<br />
by members of Hello Asphalt and<br />
Dirty Dingus after both groups called<br />
it quits in 2006, Capitol Offense picked<br />
right up, putting together a mix of poppunk,<br />
politics, and hardcore. The group<br />
recently welcomed a familiar face to<br />
the lineup with the addition of former<br />
Dirty Dingus mainstay Adrian Mejia.<br />
Mejia had taken a lengthy break from<br />
local music following the unexpected<br />
death of his brother, Pablo Mejia.<br />
“Since Dirty Dingus broke up, I’ve<br />
pretty much just been working with my<br />
dad at the family construction business,” Adrian Mejia told ANTIGRAVITY. “About four months ago, I<br />
started jamming with some of my friends in The Test Subjects, which got me back into playing music again<br />
on a regular basis. The Test Subjects have only done one show since I’ve joined, but I’m looking forward to<br />
doing more with them and also with Capitol Offense.” Mejia also said that his involvement in music played<br />
a big part in helping him to cope with his brother’s passing. “When the incident happened with my brother,<br />
I didn’t go to doing drugs or drinking. I picked up my guitar and that really helped me get through it,” said<br />
Mejia. “There was never a point where I thought about giving up on music. It’s been awhile, but I’m glad to<br />
be playing with my friends again.” Mejia’s presence in Capitol Offense may also signal a stylistic shift for the<br />
band and a possible return to the early days of Dirty Dingus. “A year ago, we were leaning more towards barebones<br />
hardcore,” said Capitol Offense vocalist Keith Hogan. “Now that Adrian’s in the band, the sound that<br />
we’re leaning towards is really melodic pop-punk, kind of like the chugga-chugga style of most of the bands<br />
on Fat Wreck Chords.” Hogan also said that the group plans to abstain from scheduling any shows for the<br />
time being. “Right now, we’re just writing and practicing. We’d like to have a solid album worth of material<br />
finished, so we’re holding off on playing shows until then. Once we get to that point, we’ll start playing locally<br />
again and do some short tours over the summer.” —Brett Schwaner<br />
For more updates from Capitol Offense, log on to myspace.com/breachpunk.<br />
6_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative<br />
BURIAL OF THE RATS:<br />
A HANGING UNLEASHES THEIR<br />
GUT-WRENCHING DEBUT<br />
interview by brett schwaner<br />
After spending<br />
a couple<br />
of hours<br />
listening to Food For<br />
Rats, the recently<br />
released debut album<br />
from New Orleansarea<br />
hardcore artists<br />
A Hanging, I really<br />
wanted to claw my<br />
eyes out—but not in<br />
a bad way. Food For<br />
Rats plays like a highspeed<br />
suicide note<br />
and doubles as a grim<br />
confessional of the<br />
types of thoughts seldom verbalized in mixed company. Food For Rats<br />
is as honest as it is ugly, as writhing as it is poetic, and unceasingly and<br />
unapologetically vicious. A Hanging came into existence first as a retooled<br />
version of a long-running Crescent City band called Daisy. Although<br />
Daisy disbanded following the death of their guitarist, Ryan Morrison,<br />
A Hanging carried on much of Daisy’s spirit, eventually leading to a<br />
lineup consisting of vocalist Alix Petrovich, drummer Billy Bones,<br />
bassist Chris Squire, and guitarist Scott Walle. ANTIGRAVITY had a<br />
chance to speak with Petrovich in the days following the completion of<br />
Food For Rats and discussed A Hanging’s past, present, and future.<br />
Before Daisy and A Hanging, had you spent time in any other bands,<br />
locally or outside of New Orleans?<br />
I really wasn’t in any bands until I moved to Savannah, Georgia in<br />
1999 to go to film school. I was in band called Hammered Shit out there<br />
for about two years and we did a couple of tours. We just played basic<br />
drunk punk music and it was a lot of fun. I moved back to New Orleans<br />
in 2004.<br />
How did you end up in Daisy and, eventually, A Hanging?<br />
A Hanging started because Daisy kicked out their lead singer. I kind of<br />
jokingly told Billy Bones [Daisy’s drummer] that I’d try out. Billy had<br />
heard some of the stuff I recorded when I lived in Georgia, so he kind of<br />
knew what I sounded like. He invited me to come try out and Thomas<br />
and Ryan loved it, so we started jamming as Daisy. That was sort of the<br />
beginning of A Hanging. Less than a year into that, Ryan Morrison,<br />
Daisy’s guitarist, passed away. He was a big part of Daisy, so we all<br />
decided that we couldn’t go on calling ourselves Daisy out of respect for<br />
Ryan. Some time later, we started trying out guitarists and A Hanging<br />
got its start from there. Thomas left the band a little later. We weren’t<br />
meshing too well. He’s a great guy, but we can’t work together. Scott<br />
joined the band after that and Chris joined the band last November.”<br />
When I listen to A Hanging, I hear fairly equal influences of punk,<br />
metal, and hardcore. Do you guys have any specific style that you<br />
typically lean towards?<br />
I’ve heard people describe us and our recordings as anything from<br />
straight-up hardcore to something like Soilent Green, to crust punk. For<br />
me, it’s kind of hard to decide. Personally, I listen to a lot of crust and<br />
punk. My personal history is more with punk rather than metal. I started<br />
out as an angry punk kid. I’ve heard people describe us as hardcore, but<br />
I don’t think we’re really a hardcore band either.<br />
You mentioned Soilent Green. How much influence does A Hanging<br />
draw from other local punk and metal music in New Orleans?<br />
If Billy and Scott weren’t in A Hanging, I think we’d sound like a totally<br />
different band. Both of them absolutely reek of New Orleans punk and<br />
metal. I think that might be a big part of why our style is so hard to<br />
define. Billy’s drumming is just straight-up punk rock—it’s just so fast<br />
and so loud. He’s such a hard-hitting drummer. I remember watching<br />
him when he was in Daisy and thinking, “God, this guy is a stupid-fast<br />
drummer and an amazing drummer. His timing is just impeccable.”<br />
More A Hanging on page 30...<br />
For more info, updates, and streaming tracks from Food For Rats, check out<br />
myspace.com/ahanging.
ANTI-NEWS<br />
DIRTY COAST GETS INKED<br />
There are thousands of shirts<br />
on sale that proclaim New<br />
Orleans’ virtues, but for those<br />
of us that actually live in the city<br />
and see it beyond the context of one<br />
long spring break bar crawl, “I Got<br />
Bourbon Faced On Shit Street” fails,<br />
on some level, to resonate. The shirts<br />
made and sold by Dirty Coast Press<br />
offer the city’s residents a vision of the<br />
city more recognizable. Their wares<br />
are printed locally and speak to the<br />
unique character of the town: a reverence to its icons and turns of phrase, an unpretentious<br />
commitment to rebuilding, skepticism toward its politics, a steadfast devotion to drinking.<br />
One design, “NOLA Gothic,” depicts a man and a woman with a paintbrush and a face<br />
mask standing before a shotgun house, posed as the farmers of Grant Wood’s American<br />
Gothic. Another boldly declares “DJ Soul Sister For President.”<br />
Last July, Dirty Coast sent out a call for fans willing to get its “Acadiana Self Reliance”<br />
design tattooed—on the company’s dime—on their body. The design depicts a bird<br />
clutching a snake in its bill, fish and money in its talons, a fleur de lis emblazoned on its<br />
belly, and text reading “Pouvoir Acces Culture” (power, access, culture). The Dirty Coast<br />
website declares the design a statement “that Louisiana deserves more than she receives<br />
from the rest of the country considering all she provides.”<br />
The before, during, and after of the tattoo processes were documented and are now available<br />
to view as videos on the Dirty Coast website. One of the most interesting accounts is the kiltwearing<br />
Gramm, whose testimony alludes to the strange magnetism of the city that draws and<br />
enchants its visitors and makes the prospect of leaving unthinkable. Above the ever-present<br />
buzz of the tattoo needle, the volunteers describe their decision; though the interviews are brief,<br />
what comes across is an intense love and devotion to the city that is difficult to express but, for<br />
New Orleanians, instantly recognizable. —Jacob Mazer; Photo by Rob Davis<br />
The videos are online at dirtycoast.com/tattoo.php. You can visit the Dirty Coast store at 5704<br />
<strong>Magazine</strong> St.<br />
SPIDER-MAN GOES TO WASHINGTON,<br />
NOT NEW ORLEANS<br />
Local Barack Obama supporters and treasure-hunters<br />
alike were mightily disappointed on January 14th,<br />
when an anticipated collectible issue of Amazing Spider-<br />
Man failed to hit comic shops in the New Orleans area.<br />
Amazing Spider-Man #583 featured a story about the<br />
webhead’s love life, but people were more interested<br />
in a five-page backup story that had the New Yorkbased<br />
superhero cross paths with Obama and, more<br />
specifically a 1-in-20 variant edition that had a cover<br />
featuring the then-President elect. Because of a story<br />
on the comic in the January 7th edition of USA Today,<br />
New York comic shops saw long lines while New<br />
Orleans shops were forced to rebuff anxious, and often<br />
angry, patrons. “We probably had fifty phone calls<br />
about it,” said DC Harbold, manager at Oak Street’s<br />
More Fun Comics, “but we didn’t get any.” How could<br />
a comic that caused such a furor be so hard to find on<br />
the day of release? Blame a combination of the comic<br />
industry’s archaic ordering process and a perfect storm<br />
of publicity that perhaps not even Marvel Comics could have anticipated.<br />
Comic shops must place orders with their distributor three months before the product is<br />
scheduled for release, a tricky situation even in normal times, as shop owners must guess<br />
how many copies of a particular book will sell based on that book’s current sales and what<br />
they know of upcoming storylines. It’s important to note that shop owners ordered this<br />
book last October, before the election took place. Exacerbating the problem is that in order<br />
to even receive the variant (then billed as just a “special election cover”) retailers were<br />
forced to match or exceed their October 2007 order of Amazing Spider-Man—which may not<br />
sound like that big of a deal until you see how local sales of the title have dropped over the<br />
past year. More Fun Comics currently sells half the copies of Amazing Spider-Man they did<br />
in 2007. “We weren’t going to order over 60 copies of a comic we sell 28 of in order to get<br />
a variant edition that had a cover we didn’t even know about,” said Harbold. Metairie’s<br />
Media Underground Comics also didn’t receive any of the first printing. “A year ago we<br />
went through about thirty copies of the title,” said owner Ronnie Prudhomme, “but now<br />
I order around ten.” By the time USA Today ran its story, it was too late to order more,<br />
because it had sold out at the distributor level.<br />
It also seems that most people were more worried about the cover than the actual story,<br />
asked how many Obama-inquirers purchased the “standard” version of the comic, Harbold<br />
said, “none.” The issue is currently in its fourth printing. —Leo McGovern<br />
KATEY RED DOESN’T NEED YOU TO BUY<br />
THE DRINKS<br />
interview by michael patrick welch photo by robin walker<br />
With the release of her album<br />
Melpomene Block Party ten<br />
years ago on DJ Jubilee’s<br />
Take Fo’ imprint, Katey Red staked<br />
her claim as the first ever homosexual,<br />
transgendered bounce rap artist. To<br />
celebrate this milestone, Katey and<br />
her popular “punk rapper” peers, Big<br />
Freedia and Sissy Nobby, will perform<br />
at One Eyed Jacks on Valentine’s Day.<br />
We rolled up to Katey’s house in her<br />
neighborhood north of Tulane Medical<br />
Center, where the flood looks to have<br />
occurred just last month. We were told<br />
she wasn’t there yet, and warned to<br />
wait in the car. Soon, Katey rolled up,<br />
smiling, chauffeuring two friends in her<br />
back seat. Bounce music blared. Almost<br />
seven feet of genuinely pretty Katey<br />
stepped out of her car in a mini-skirt suit<br />
decorated in the pattern of some jungle<br />
cat. She looked ready to perform. “If we<br />
takin’ pictures y’all,” she said, “then I<br />
gotta go in and get dressed.”<br />
For nearly an hour we waited outside,<br />
talking to Katey’s girls over their superloud<br />
bounce mixtape. Of course, bounce<br />
music can be heard at every turn in New Orleans, but after a hit off the girls’ blunt, I listened<br />
deeper than ever before to almost an hour of that continuous sampled “Triggerman” beat,<br />
all the newest songs chopped up with hundreds of New Orleans references and slang words<br />
and southern accents skipping and hiccupping and creating their own complex, loud-ass<br />
little world. Layers and layers of samples reflected all eras of black music from Genuine to<br />
Marvin Gay, plus a hundred local neighborhoods like Katey’s that I’ve rarely visited. This<br />
new super-choppy, grainy bounce (grainy from that beat being sampled so many times)<br />
somehow felt simultaneously laid back and intense, like an amazing party in a dangerous<br />
Third World country. Much of its intensity derives from the crazy stuttering of the vocals,<br />
which I notice many MCs doing via sampler, whereas Katey Red is aided only by her quick<br />
tongue.<br />
Soon, three little kids curious about the music pop out of what look like flooded homes<br />
and dance over to Katey’s rattling car. “This man work for a magazine,” Katey’s friend<br />
tells the kids, “show him your moves!” The kids then proceed to kill the music; moves so<br />
amazing my eyes welled up—until Katey finally came back out. Dressed in another black<br />
and white mini-skirt suit, she looks fresher but just as good as before, to me. Which I guess<br />
is further proof that men just don’t understand women. Or wait...<br />
Anyway, Katey led us all to the daiquiri shop at the river bend (peach and Hypnotiq is her<br />
flavor, FYI) to discuss with ANTIGRAVITY the 10th anniversary of Melpomene Block Party,<br />
her upcoming show at One Eyed Jacks, the difference between white and black audiences,<br />
plus The Whos, The Whoas, and Dem Hoes.<br />
So my first question for all musicians is, how do you go about making your music? Do<br />
you have equipment at your home to make beats?<br />
No, but Sissy Nobby do. Nobby do that. Various DJs make the tracks for me. Or sometimes<br />
we get together and make it from scratch, starting with the little tempo. I guide it, I direct<br />
it, I hear the sound—I know the sound—I hear the sound I know the sound. But now since<br />
the new millennium hit, a lot of people just steal a piece up out another person’s song. Also,<br />
it’s too many gay rappers, too many gay rappers, too many gay rappers, and they all tryin’<br />
to do what everybody else doin’. I recorded a new song Monday, and I was there wrackin’<br />
my nerves and brain trying to figure out something to say on the mic, when most bounce<br />
music nowadays might have only one verse, and you can just take that one verse and chop<br />
it all up and let the beat just run, and you’ll make money off it. But I like the writers. I’m not<br />
a hardcore rapper, but they takin’ the rap outta bounce rap!<br />
You don’t really write though, right? You improvise?<br />
Mostly yeah, you just, whatever come out yo head, you just get it goin’: biggity-bigity-biggitybiggity-bounce-b-bounce-b-bounce-bounce!<br />
And as long as it got a good beat they gonna just<br />
dance to it. Real rap is where you have to write the lyrics, memorize, memorize, memorize,<br />
and then you gotta run it. That’s real rhyming. On my next album I was gonna rap different.<br />
Not like hip-hop hip-hop like, “grab the nine with your gun” and all that, but more like a<br />
Jamaican way, like “putcha lytahs up,” that style. But I just couldn’t get on it, and then Lil<br />
Kim came out with hers...<br />
More Katey Red on page 30...<br />
Katey Red plays the Sissy Bounce Concert with Big Freedia and Sissy Nobby at One Eyed Jacks on<br />
Saturday, <strong>February</strong> 14th. For more info on Katey Red, go to myspace.com/kateyred.<br />
antigravitymagazine.com_7
ANTI-NEWS<br />
THE SECRET’S OUT ON THE ROOKS<br />
As a big fan of upper Midwest and east coast punk rock, it’s<br />
been rare to hear anything remotely influenced by the likes<br />
of Dillinger Four, The Broadways, or Fugazi circulating<br />
through the Crescent City’s music scene in recent years. Thankfully,<br />
I’ve got The Rooks around to keep my ears happy these days. The<br />
Rooks made their debut in the summer of 2008 and simply rock<br />
your face off. Considering that The Rooks are essentially a local<br />
punk rock super group, made up of members of Angry Banana,<br />
Fatter Than Albert, and Further Reasoning, you weren’t expecting<br />
anything less from them. “The Rooks are three different guys from<br />
three different bands who just wanted to play punk rock without<br />
fitting into any kind of specific mold,” Rooks guitarist Brian Pretus<br />
told ANTIGRAVITY. “I’ve always been a big fan of punk and it’s a<br />
lot of fun to go back to playing the kind of music I was playing when<br />
I was twelve years old. Since we’re all in different bands, The Rooks<br />
has been mainly a side thing, but we take it just as seriously as any<br />
of our other bands.” Involvement in those other bands has kept The<br />
Rooks preoccupied over the past few months, but the group looks to<br />
step things up a notch in the first half of <strong>2009</strong>. “Since Fatter Than<br />
Albert is going on hiatus for awhile, that’ll give us a little more time<br />
to concentrate on The Rooks,” said Pretus. “We’ve got some pretty<br />
weird and pretty cool ideas in the works right now, like playing shows in places bands don’t play all that often.”<br />
The Rooks’ plans also include their debut record release. “The plan right now is to release the first couple of songs<br />
on a split 7” with The Loblaws [from Nashville],” said Rooks vocalist Greg Rodrigue. “It will probably be a joint<br />
release between One Eye Records and Community Records, but we’re still working out the details of that. The<br />
songs that don’t end up on the split will be released as MP3s and we’ll probably put out some kind of DIY CD<br />
as well.” And as far as upcoming shows are concerned, The Rooks are thoughts in the truest spirit of bare bones<br />
punk rock. “In <strong>February</strong>, we’d like to do a guerilla show with our band set up in the back of a pickup truck, parked<br />
somewhere around town, like at Lee Circle or in front of City Hall,” said Rodrigue. “You probably won’t see any<br />
flyers or any kind of promotion for these shows, and probably very little on the internet. We’re going to try to do<br />
this strictly as word-of-mouth.” —Brett Schwaner<br />
For more on The Rooks’ plans for global domination, visit myspace.com/rooksneworleans.<br />
8_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative<br />
PARTY ’TIL YOU PUKE WITH<br />
ANDREW W.K.<br />
You’re not likely to find much<br />
about the performer known<br />
as Andrew W.K. on the<br />
internet. Or, I should say: you’re not<br />
likely to find the truth about Andrew<br />
W.K. Scour Google and Wikipedia<br />
all you like, but the true story of the<br />
one-man party machine is seldom<br />
spoken of and shrouded largely in<br />
secrecy. The true story of Andrew<br />
W.K., allegedly born as “Andrew<br />
Fetterly Wilkes-Krier” in 1979, has<br />
never been written, but the mystery surrounding his life is stuff of legend<br />
and folklore in some circles. From his involvement with the New World<br />
Order Illuminati, to rumors of multiple Andrew W.K. clones working<br />
together in the pursuit of clandestine goals, to speculation that the<br />
majority of W.K.’s songs contain hidden messages with dark overtones<br />
of murder, violence, and social anarchy, there is clearly more to this<br />
enigmatic artist than just “partying hard.” To demonstrate this theory,<br />
simply pull up any Andrew W.K. song on your playlist or record player<br />
and replace any reference to “partying” with “killing” or “murder.”<br />
Taking this to mind, W.K.’s recordings take on a far darker and<br />
anarchistic tone. Rumors and speculation aside, the man knows how to<br />
throw an epic party, and what better time and place to throw one than<br />
New Orleans on the eve of Mardi Gras? If I haven’t “disappeared” by<br />
the time Andrew W.K.’s New Orleans appearance with Quintron rolls<br />
around on Lundi Gras, <strong>February</strong> 23rd, I’ll be in the crowd, having close<br />
calls with brick walls, and generally partying hard. —Brett Schwaner<br />
Andrew W.K. and Quintron are scheduled to perform at One Eyed Jack’s<br />
on Monday, <strong>February</strong> 23rd. Showtime is 10pm. For more on Mr. Quintron,<br />
check out myspace.com/mrquintron.
ANTI-NEWS<br />
GLASGOW RIDES ON THE<br />
ROCK OF LOVE BUS<br />
interview by brian serpas photo by chris george<br />
As a true fan of weirdo music, I need more than the<br />
missionary position-style of song most indie-rock<br />
bands give up. I was met halfway by Glasgow, a<br />
band set to release its debut album, On Earth, on <strong>February</strong><br />
6th at Republic. The name of the group comes not as a tribute<br />
to the city in Scotland but from a diagnostic tool used for<br />
measuring the severity of a coma—it’s a purposefully obscure<br />
honorific that adds to their wanting to grab the audience’s<br />
attention not just musically but also aesthetically. The group<br />
took a recent hiatus from performing to write and record On<br />
Earth, a decision that enabled them to focus more on the<br />
writing process and make sure they accomplished their goals<br />
for composition. The band is lead by brothers Sam and Jack<br />
Craft, with help from bassist and multi-instrumentalist Cory<br />
Schultz and drummer Eric Rogers, two members they share<br />
with Antenna Inn. The eleven-track On Earth takes chances<br />
with noisy soundscapes and classical string ensembles, with<br />
some of the more notable tracks being “Volcano,” a song<br />
that sounds of several decades past of pop rock and serves<br />
as an example of how musicians borrow from one another<br />
and “Dinosaur,” which has a great progressive intro akin to<br />
Queen that is used as the main theme. Listening to the album,<br />
it’s evident the group put much thought into the layering and<br />
harmonizing of the vocals. This idea is heard at different<br />
points on the record and is especially realized on “Monkey,”<br />
which also has a fun lead guitar riff that is simple enough to<br />
disregard yet sophisticated and thoughtful enough to respect.<br />
“Samurai” has plenty of little tricks via scale play and good<br />
mood-setting, and is a personal favorite. Bandleader Sam<br />
Craft took the time to trade e-mails with ANTIGRAVITY<br />
about the recording, playing music with his brother and the<br />
phenomenon known as The Rock of Love Bus.<br />
Is being in a band with your brother easy?<br />
Being in a band with my brother is extremely easy and practical.<br />
We are always around each other to discuss band matters; we<br />
can finish each other’s thoughts—both verbally and musically—<br />
and if Jack ever tried to beat me up, I’ll just tell Mom!<br />
When you write a song, is it more of one instrument bringing<br />
an idea to the table for foundation, or are all minds working<br />
in the same room?<br />
Most songs start with me bringing in the chords, melodies, lyrics and<br />
a vague idea for a groove. Jack and I bounce ideas off of one another,<br />
and then we bring it to our rhythm section to make it rock.<br />
What were some of the highlights and downers during the<br />
recording process?<br />
A huge highlight was recording at Chris George and Daniel<br />
Majorie’s amazing Living Room Studio in Algiers. Another<br />
highlight was bringing in a ton of old car parts to drum on for the<br />
song “Slave,” as well as getting to direct a choir for the final track. A<br />
huge downer was during the vocal tracks. I was really sick and my<br />
throat hurt, so I did the old Mom recipe of a tablespoon of honey.<br />
I ended up guzzling the whole honey bear and started puking in<br />
between takes. I think I ruined their carpet. No pain, No gain.<br />
What do you think of Bret Michael’s’ Rock of Love Bus?<br />
I am without television so I had to Wikipedia this one. I got<br />
halfway through the synopsis before I started beating my head<br />
against the coffee table. How can this be? Where is the justice?<br />
I hope Obama doesn’t let such unchecked perversions of the<br />
media persist in <strong>2009</strong>. God help us!<br />
Glasgow will release On Earth on <strong>February</strong> 6th with a show at<br />
Republic.<br />
SINCE LAST MONTH...<br />
Following up on some of the bands we covered last month...<br />
Sick Like Sinatra<br />
Treading the line somewhere between high performance<br />
art and low-brow humor, Sick Like Sinatra is back with<br />
a slew of local shows scheduled for <strong>February</strong>. The twisted<br />
trio of sex rock crusaders plans to ransack The Banks<br />
Street Bar & Grill on Saturday, <strong>February</strong> 7th, followed<br />
by a sticky Valentine’s Day stop at The Frat House on<br />
Saturday, <strong>February</strong> 14th. On Saturday, <strong>February</strong> 21st,<br />
Sick Like Sinatra will take part at the Suicide Girls<br />
Benefit for the LSPCA at the Dragon’s Den. The Sick<br />
Like Sinatra love-train makes its final <strong>February</strong> stop at<br />
The Green Room in Covington on Saturday, <strong>February</strong><br />
28th. Visit myspace.com/sicklikesinatra for more info and<br />
a cold shower.<br />
Outlaw Order<br />
Outlaw Order plans to follow up their big January<br />
record release with an appearance at The Bar on Friday,<br />
<strong>February</strong> 13 th . Tire Fire will also perform, along with a<br />
rare appearance by longtime local death metal grind core<br />
veterans, Flesh Parade. To stream tracks from Outlaw<br />
Order’s newest record, 00%, check out myspace.com/<br />
outlaworder.<br />
In Tomorrows Shadow<br />
On Saturday, <strong>February</strong> 21st, local death metal<br />
mainstays In Tomorrows Shadow return to Metairie<br />
with their first all-ages show at The High Ground<br />
since November, performing alongside Sky Fell<br />
To Earth and Wake Into The Nightmare. On<br />
Sunday, March 1st, In Tomorrows Shadow takes<br />
their best shot at The Howlin’ Wolf’s Battle of the<br />
Bands competition, starting at 8pm. For regular In<br />
Tomorrows Shadow news and updates, visit myspace.<br />
com/intomorrowsshadow.<br />
antigravitymagazine.com_9
ANTI-NEWS<br />
HANGTIME DRUMMER TALKS CLOGGED ARTERIES<br />
AND KARATE KICKS<br />
Hangtime started pretty much out of boredom with the local<br />
hardcore scene in New Orleans. There’s no traditional<br />
hardcore in New Orleans,” Hangtime drummer Brandon<br />
Mueller told ANTIGRAVITY. “We’re trying to bring some of that<br />
back. We’re not private school kids trying to be a Metairie hardcore<br />
band.” Leaning towards old school hardcore is what makes Hangtime<br />
stand out in an era in which it’s become trendy for many hardcore<br />
artists to eschew the old and lean more heavily towards breakdowns,<br />
beatdowns, and karate kicks. Mueller, along with Jordan Lutz and<br />
Will Taylor, started Hangtime in 2008 as an offshoot of an existing<br />
local band called Jabberjaw. The recent addition of Fun Boys<br />
guitarist Ryan Lamberton finalized the group’s lineup. “The guys<br />
from Jabberjaw originally contacted me about doing something. They were looking to do a tough guy beat down<br />
kind of thing, which I’m really not into,” said Mueller. “Along the way, I kind of persuaded them to go along with<br />
doing something with a more punk/rock kind of feel to it instead of doing something that sounded more like Terror<br />
or Shattered Realm. I basically tickled them into doing 1980s hardcore.” Since then, the guys from Hangtime have<br />
spent their practice time balancing punk and hardcore, while drawing inspiration from some rather unlikely sources.<br />
“When Hangtime gets together, there’s usually a lot of McDonald’s and Taco Bell involved,” said Mueller. “A large<br />
staple of Hangtime is a sandwich that we invented called ‘the McDougal.’ It’s a Spicy McChicken sandwich between<br />
a double cheeseburger. Eating two or three of those at a time really helps with our writing process. I’d recommend<br />
that everyone try one of these at some point. You’ll be hooked. You’ll probably die, too.” Assuming that Mueller<br />
and his bandmates don’t experience massive heart attacks anytime soon, the next few months look to be extra salty<br />
and delicious times for Hangtime. “We’ve got MCHC, Mike Hardcore, working on some artwork for us, which is<br />
really an honor and a pleasure, because I love his stuff,” Mueller said. “We’re probably going to record some more<br />
demos with Gary Smiley from In Tomorrows Shadow. After we do the demo, we’re going to record a couple of<br />
three-song sessions for a series of split releases. We’re looking at doing a couple of split 7-inches with Dead Icons<br />
from Kentucky and Low Life from Jackson. We may also do a split with She Rides, who we played with at the<br />
Dragon’s Den in January. We’re also looking at possibly doing a tour over the summer with a band from Jackson,<br />
Miss. called Courage.” —Brett Schwaner<br />
Get ticklish with Hangtime plus the JV Allstars and Hercules at The Saturn Bar on Monday, <strong>February</strong> 16th at 10pm.<br />
For more, visit myspace.com/hangtimehc<br />
10_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative<br />
LOCAL ARTISTS WIND UP WAY<br />
DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS<br />
If you haven’t been to<br />
the Pearl Art Gallery<br />
yet “Way Down in<br />
New Orleans,” their latest<br />
show, is a great opportunity<br />
to check this space out.<br />
Kind of a bite-sized Big Top<br />
3 Ring Circus, the Pearl<br />
is another addition to the<br />
exploding fringe art gallery<br />
scene here in New Orleans.<br />
The show, which has<br />
travelled to Austin, Texas<br />
and Washington D.C.,<br />
showcases artists who were<br />
affected by Katrina yet<br />
energized by the [civilian]<br />
energy of the aftermath.<br />
Work by Kyle Bravo and<br />
Jenny Leblanc (<strong>Antigravity</strong>,<br />
November ’08), whose 9th<br />
Ward printing studio Hot<br />
Iron Press was completely<br />
submerged in floodwater,<br />
Courtney Egan and even AG EIC Leo McGovern will be shown, as well as<br />
a dozen others. The Pearl has been teaming up with its next-door-neighbor<br />
Buddha Belly to host after-parties to its openings, and for this show Baton<br />
Rouge’s BedlamVille Triflers and Durel Yates of Suplecs will be performing.<br />
—Dan Fox<br />
“Way Down in New Orleans” opens at The Pearl Gallery (4421 <strong>Magazine</strong> St.) on<br />
Saturday, <strong>February</strong> 7th from 6-9pm. For more information, call 504.322.2297.
COLUMNS ADVICE<br />
GUIDANCE COUNSELING<br />
this month’s trusted advisor: djs kristen and matty<br />
ON CRAIGSLIST AND VALENTINE’S DAY<br />
DJ Matty and Kristen have been<br />
hosting the Mod Dance Party, New<br />
Orleans’ longest continuous running<br />
dance night, for over eight years. <strong>February</strong>’s<br />
Mod Dance Party falls on Valentines Day, so<br />
if you want to hook up, make up, or break up,<br />
Matty and Kristen will see you on the dance<br />
floor at the Saturn Bar.<br />
Dear AG,<br />
Long story short, I was about to be “set up” with<br />
this girl until she found out she knew me from high<br />
school. Now, I was all psyched to know that it was<br />
her but she got all weird and pretty much dissed<br />
me through our go-between. Now, it might have<br />
something to do with the fact that I dated her friend<br />
in high school but that was a really long time ago.<br />
Also, I always thought she was cool and actually<br />
kind of nicer than her friends (one of them obviously<br />
being my ex) but I’m wondering if she’s just as<br />
dumb and mean as the rest of them. How should I proceed?<br />
It sounds like we need to call a “waaaaaah-bulance” for someone. Buck up Soldier. Goaround<br />
the go-between. As Elvis says, “A little less conversation, a little more action.”<br />
Dear AG,<br />
Since Valentine’s Day is coming up, I have a conundrum. I just started dating a girl in early January,<br />
and while it’s not serious we are into each other and it could be something lasting. How crazy do I go<br />
with a Valentine’s gift?<br />
To quote Roy Head:<br />
“I wanna tell you a story<br />
Every man oughta know<br />
If you want a little loving<br />
You gotta start real slow<br />
She’s gonna love you tonight now<br />
If you just treat her right<br />
Oh squeeze her real gentle<br />
Gotta make her feel good<br />
Tell her that you love her<br />
Like you know you should<br />
And she’ll be glad every night<br />
That you treated her right<br />
If you practice my method<br />
Just as hard as you can<br />
You’re gonna get a reputation<br />
As a lovin’ man<br />
And you’ll be glad every night<br />
That you treated her right”<br />
To make a long answer short, take her to dinner and then Mod Dance Party. You will get<br />
some.<br />
Dear AG,<br />
My boyfriend wants to have a threesome. I’m not totally opposed, but I feel like it’d be more a thrill for<br />
him than me. Is it too much to request a little quid pro quo--he gets a threesome with another girl and<br />
I get one with another guy?<br />
Even-stevens.<br />
Dear AG,<br />
Do you know anybody that’s used CraigsList effectively? It seems like such a waste land for finding<br />
some lovin’ and especially that “casual encounters” section. Ugh. Maybe in bigger cities it’s more<br />
useful but here in NOLA I’m scared to respond to anything, thinking it might be some spam or just<br />
some gay dude pretending to be a hot chick so he can get cock pics all day long. WTF? Where are all<br />
the horny, internet-savvy ladies? Or at least, where are the CL success stories?<br />
What? Do you really want to find a girlfriend on the same website you would find a used<br />
mattress? Seriously. Do it the old fashioned way: Whiskey.<br />
antigravitymagazine.com_11
12_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative<br />
DR. FEELGOOD<br />
by nancy kang, m.d. nancy@antigravitymagazine.com<br />
COLUMNS MEDICINE<br />
TAT-B-GONE!<br />
I<br />
have a friend, let’s call her Lancey, and she has an oh-so-regrettable, currently<br />
too-reminiscent-of-the-early-’90s Calvin and Hobbes tattoo in an equally regrettable,<br />
quite visible part of her body. Lancey can wait a few more months and boast instead<br />
an uber-so-unhip-it’s-super-hip-gonna-be-retro Calvin and Hobbes tattoo or try tattoo<br />
removal.<br />
We all have actions we regret, but regrettable body art is harder to ignore. Whether<br />
it is a gang-related I-did-a-really-bad-thing tattoo, a clown-face-on-your-real-face tattoo<br />
(“Clowns for life, dude!”), or a drunken-sorority-butterfly-on-the-boobie tattoo, we have<br />
different reasons to get it off for good. What are the latest tattoo removal methods? Does<br />
it hurt? Does it work?<br />
First of all, a tattoo is a design or drawing placed with permanent-intent on the skin. The<br />
word tattoo likely comes from the Samoan word tatau, meaning open wound. Tattooing<br />
has been<br />
p r a c t i c e d<br />
s i n c e<br />
N e o l i t h i c<br />
times as<br />
evidenced by<br />
f i f t y - s e v e n<br />
tattoos found<br />
on Otzi the<br />
Iceman, a<br />
mummy who<br />
lived around<br />
3300 BC.<br />
To create<br />
a tattoo,<br />
a needle<br />
pushes the<br />
ink into the very deep layer of the skin called the dermis. Most professional tattoo<br />
parlors use an electric needle that moves up and down much like a sewing machine<br />
needle. Tattooing can also be done (in prison, during history class) with a plain needle by<br />
pushing ink deep down into the skin. This is also called the “stick and poke” method.<br />
Even with today’s newer technologies, the rule of thumb is that removing the tattoo<br />
will cost a lot more than the cost of getting the tattoo in the first place. Previous to the<br />
advent of lasers, there were few options to remove tattoos. Tattoos were removed by<br />
slicing away the skin and stitching the two sides back together, or one could tattoo over<br />
the offensive design with something even better!<br />
Laser tattoo removal is the most common method used today. It works by shooting<br />
pulses of highly concentrated light at the tattoo. The light energy breaks the ink into<br />
tiny pieces and the body’s immune system can clear out the tiny bits. After treatment<br />
with a laser, the effect is not seen immediately. It takes between days and weeks for<br />
the immune system to sweep away the ink. The tattoo will slowly fade with time and<br />
additional treatments.<br />
Each treatment can cost $100 with several treatments needed over the course of<br />
months. Some practitioners charge by the square inch. This is neither an instantaneous<br />
nor cheap fix. It is slightly painful, with the sensation described as “being splattered<br />
with hot bacon grease.” The more sessions you have, the more the tattoo fades.<br />
Unfortunately, the more sessions you have, the more damage to you skin, increasing<br />
your chances for a less-than-desired outcome such as blisters or scars. Possible<br />
undesirable results include: removal of only certain colors of ink, incomplete removal<br />
(instead of Calvin and Hobbes, just a pale ghost-like image of Calvin and Hobbes),<br />
scarring (cool), and hyperpigmentation (instead of Calvin and Hobbes, an ill-defined<br />
dark splotch).<br />
Lasers work best on dark-colored ink and worst on yellow and green ink. It also works<br />
best in lighter-skinned people, on older tattoos and on professional tattoos. Professional<br />
tattoo instruments place ink at about the same level of the skin, making the laser more<br />
effective at zapping it all.<br />
A less common technique is called Intense Pulsed Light Therapy. The idea is similar<br />
to laser tattoo removal but instead of laser light, high intensity light is used. This is the<br />
same light used to treat acne. Although there are claims that this method is less painful<br />
and marginally more effective, it costs a lot more.<br />
Especially on the internet, or in the back of certain pulpy magazines, there are creams<br />
and ointments on the market with names like Tattoo-Off, Wrecking Balm, or Tat-B-<br />
Gone. They claim to work by peeling off the skin and causing irritation to the skin.<br />
These claims sound nebulous at best. I would advise against these creams as they are<br />
not regulated and there is no solid evidence that they work or are safe.<br />
If you have a tattoo and are considering having it removed, consultation with a<br />
dermatologist is probably the best way to start. It is best to understand the risks. The<br />
most important thing is to come to terms with the fact that the tattoo may become very<br />
faded but not disappear completely.<br />
This column serves the public health interest of New Orleans’ music community and is not meant<br />
as medical advice. For medical treatment or counseling, seek care from a medical professional.
THE GOODS<br />
by miss malaprop mallory@antigravitymagazine.com<br />
COLUMNS FASHION<br />
PERFECT PORTRAITS FOR YOUR POOCH<br />
I<br />
don’t know about you, but one of my favorite things about this time of year is the<br />
Krewe of Barkus dog parade (barkus.org). I love that so many local animal lovers gather<br />
together to celebrate our furry four-legged friends while raising money and awareness<br />
for pets in need of adoption throughout our region. As an animal lover, I am similarly<br />
inspired by the work of local artist Heather LeMay, who creates wonderful custom pet<br />
portraits and jewelry pieces.<br />
Heather’s work, which can be found at kayannworks.com, portrays pets in a colorful and<br />
whimsical way. As Heather puts it, “My pet portraits can be described as vivid, expressive<br />
and fun. I do not strive for realism, just enjoyment.” It typically takes about two weeks<br />
for a custom pet portrait, and Heather strives to capture the pet’s unique personality in<br />
each piece. These paintings, typically acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas, are available in<br />
a variety of sizes and are all very reasonably priced for custom artwork. In addition to her<br />
paintings, she also sells handmade domino pendants and earrings featuring her original<br />
animal illustrations.<br />
I recently chatted with Heather to find out more about how she got started creating these<br />
one-of-a-kind portraits and how living in New Orleans has influenced her work.<br />
How did you get started as an artist?<br />
I’m often reminded that I was fascinated<br />
with drawing since a young child, a<br />
habit that’s stuck with me to this day.<br />
Art to me is more then just a hobby or<br />
career. Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis and<br />
diabetes, I am frequently in and out of the<br />
hospital. Therefore, it is a lifestyle; a way<br />
to escape from the turmoil of everyday<br />
life, and it allows me to be transported<br />
far away the moment I begin to lay paint<br />
to canvas. I feel very fortunate to see<br />
the world through eyes that take in and<br />
admire every color, every aspect, every<br />
gradient and hue. We may not be able<br />
to control every aspect of our lives, but<br />
we are able to control and fabricate our<br />
creations.<br />
What inspires your work?<br />
Definitely my pets, especially my<br />
heartdog—a Pembroke Welsh Corgi<br />
named Kiba—and a spunky, vicious<br />
little cat named Roxas. I’ve always had<br />
a love for color and am often influenced by strong pop art pieces. I am also inspired by a<br />
multitude of different cultures, particularly East Asia; that is becoming more apparent in<br />
my upcoming pieces.<br />
Do you have a particular piece that you’re proudest of?<br />
Surprisingly, the piece I am most happy with is one that was initially created only as a<br />
sketch that later turned into a small 3.5” x 2.5” piece of art that was fashioned into an<br />
earring/pendant design. The piece was of a kitten dreaming away of sushi, curled around<br />
a giant, comical salmon roll, in a very “cute” style directly inspired by modern Japanese<br />
culture. Shana Logic (a fabulous online indie shop) decided to stock the design. A year<br />
later, it is my very best seller and often sold out.<br />
What do you do when you’re not creating?<br />
Music is another major part of my life, something I can’t go a day without, unless you want<br />
to catch me in a potentially hostile mood! I can’t say my neighbors are very appreciative of<br />
my selections though, which often include a lot of foreign world music bands. Otherwise,<br />
you’ll find me most at home in the kitchen, trying many strange recipes that contain<br />
anything from eel to octopus and always irking my family.<br />
How has living in New Orleans influenced your artwork?<br />
New Orleans has such a diverse culture and lifestyle that it’s often hard to convey to nonnatives.<br />
It really takes living here to appreciate the little things, and leaving the city (even if<br />
just for vacation) to realize how much you’d miss it. There is art on every corner, from the<br />
architecture to the French-equivalent above the English street names in the Quarter. They<br />
are all equally inspiring.<br />
What’s your favorite spot in town?<br />
Cafe Du Monde. Not only does it entertain my love of music with live bands drifting<br />
throughout the cafe, but it quenches my everlasting thirst for a good cup of coffee and<br />
chicory. Plus, you can always find some wonderful artisans in the French Market a walk<br />
away.<br />
Where can people find your work?<br />
My work is currently only available at my personal online shop on Etsy, which can be<br />
found at kayannworks.etsy.com, or my Shana Logic exclusives are at shanalogic.com.<br />
antigravitymagazine.com_13
COLUMNS SPORTS<br />
HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE<br />
TEAL FOR REAL<br />
by dirk fontenot dirk@antigravitymagazine.com<br />
I<br />
was listening to my daily fix of Garland Robinette the other day, and a caller called in. He was a<br />
young guy, African-American, small business owner. He was responding to Garland’s discussion<br />
on New Orleans politics. In no time, the discussion quickly led to a Saints reference (not that much<br />
a stretch, really). The caller remarked that the 2006 Saints getting as far as one win away from the<br />
Super Bowl was “like almost too much right, ya know?” Unfortunately, yes, I do know. I knew because<br />
that exact thing happened again in the second round of the 2007-2008 NBA Playoffs, when the San<br />
Antonio Spurs, the most despicable team of any professional sport in the last decade, sent our beloved<br />
Hornets packing. I knew exactly what he was talking about before I could figure out the logistics or<br />
linguistic meaning of what he was saying. He was, through a brilliant turn of phrase, referring to the<br />
collective subconscious belief New Orleanians have, that when things are going that good for the city<br />
(and its pro sports teams—I tend to link the two together), the balance of the universe is upset and<br />
therefore will not last. As if it is in our very nature as a culture to come to the brink, to come that close<br />
just to lose the big one and be cheated again by fate, over and over, for the rest of eternity. It’s what<br />
we’ve always been known for, so why should our defining characteristic change?<br />
This must end here. If we don’t change the attitude, it will continue to pervade our citybrain. All we<br />
need is one championship to break the illusion of gris-gris, and I think it will begin with our beloved<br />
teal-and-gold knights of the nest. If any team has a chance of winning all the marbles, it’s Chris Paul,<br />
Inc. I’ve got my reasons for believing this:<br />
* We’ll start with David West, who at press time is averaging 20 points and 7 rebounds this season.<br />
He’s always been one of my faves and is a beast. His aggressive response to a challenge smacks of<br />
Michael Jordan. However, the chink in D-West’s armor is the same fungus that plagues both New<br />
Orleans franchises: inconsistency. My personal belief is that this is something our boy can overcome,<br />
and judging by both his performance in the playoffs last season and his recent contribution in the loss to<br />
the Knicks (25 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists), West seems to slowly but assuredly be doing this.<br />
* I’m a fan of the NBA “big guy.” I love centers, second only to the coveted position of power forward.<br />
And I’ve been a Tyson Chandler fan since his Chicago days. Frame-wise, he’s a shade lankier than most<br />
centers, but you can’t tell me he’s not one of the best today at answering an alley-oop with a dunk of the<br />
utmost authority. CP gets all the kudos, but surely Chandler has roused the crowd almost as much, if not<br />
more, than his superstar teammate. Due to his raw physical play, a friend and I have dubbed him “le loup<br />
garou,” the fabled bayou werewolf of Acadian folklore.<br />
* The roleplayers—Peja Stojakovic, James Posey, Rasual Butler, Julian Wright, Morris Peterson,<br />
freshly acquired Antonio Daniels, even Hilton Armstrong—are what’s gonna make or break this<br />
team. Sadly, we’ve proven to be only mediocre when Paul’s on the bench resting, and that’s something<br />
big that we have to work on. How do we fix this? Work on fundamentals? Sure, but I think it’s a<br />
little late in the game for that. Sign or trade for a better free agent? That might work. But we need to<br />
do something fast. Otherwise, the same thing will happen this postseason—Chris Paul will get two<br />
phantom fouls, be forced to sit the bench and our opponent (Lakers, Spurs, Nuggets, Utah, maybe<br />
even Portland) will take advantage of the situation. Which leads me to this…<br />
* Please indulge me in my conspiratorial fantasy. The NBA is not the NFL, not by a long shot,<br />
and this was demonstrated to me last year in the playoffs. It was not about the Hornets losing to<br />
the horrendous San Antonio Spunks. No, what I have issue with is David Stern, the state of “ref<br />
power” in today’s game, and modern commercialism and its relation to international sports media,<br />
namely ESPN. It seemed like last year, everyone in the world wanted to see a Lakers-Celtics<br />
championship series. And this is all fine and dandy, if it hadn’t been shoved down our throats<br />
NOTES DURING THE OFFSEASON<br />
by leo mcgovern leo@antigravitymagazine.com<br />
Since the Saints are now in offseason mode, we’re going to go with quick-hits for our football<br />
coverage until the Hornets end their season (hopefully as late in the year as possible!). Let’s<br />
welcome Dirk Fontenot aboard, who’ll write about basketball in New Orleans! Now, on with<br />
football:<br />
* How many times can Saints fans watch former cellar dwellers rise up to Super Bowl status before the<br />
question “When’s our time?” really starts to affect the fan base? The question has more validity because<br />
the Arizona Cardinals secured the first Super Bowl appearance in their franchise’s history, ending a<br />
stretch of futility that spanned three cities over sixty years. The Cardinals’ success leaves five NFL<br />
teams without an appearance in the modern version of the league championship: the Detroit Lions, the<br />
Jacksonville Jaguars, the Houston Texans, the Kansas City Chiefs and, yes, our New Orleans Saints.<br />
The Jaguars and Texans are expansion teams, so they get a pass, but the Saints, Lions and Chiefs have<br />
no excuses now, right?<br />
* My thoughts on overtime (before and after the Saints’ overtime woes in ’08)—you’re probably never<br />
going to find a plan that all parties agree is fair, but you have to change the current format, and I’ll<br />
tell you why. The NFL hasn’t earned its “No Fun League” nickname by accident. The nickname’s<br />
in part because the league has tilted the rules so towards offense that defensive players can barely do<br />
anything aggressive. Let’s take just one example here. Remember back in the 2004 playoffs, when the<br />
New England Patriots defense so mauled the Indianapolis Colts’ receivers that the NFL changed the<br />
rules? Now there’s the “five-yard bump zone,” where the defense can touch receivers five yards past the<br />
line of scrimmage and any contact after that results in “illegal contact,” a five-yard penalty. I think the<br />
rule’s a bunch of bull, but it’s there for a reason—to produce more offense. There’s no irony lost that<br />
the following year the Colts won their first Super Bowl with Peyton Manning. That’s just one rule that<br />
immensely favors offenses—and rule was implemented in 2005 where the current overtime rules first<br />
saw action waaay back in 1958. So what you’re telling me is that a rule that dictates possibly the only<br />
possession of overtime, set fifty years ago, hasn’t been tweaked even though the basic rules of the game<br />
have been? The argument that goes “Well, if you lose the coin toss, you need to play defense” has been<br />
rendered moot because a) who can play defense anymore and b) in a natural reaction to the rules teams<br />
(like the Colts and, yes, the Saints) have built their teams largely around offenses. The rule’s come<br />
under attack in recent years, but I think this may finally be the time when it’s changed.<br />
* Next month we’ll tackle a list of free agents the Saints could possibly acquire this offseason, but if<br />
all the team does is re-sign middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma, this writer will be happy. Thankfully,<br />
all signs point to Vilma being back in the black and gold next year. And about Dan Morgan returning<br />
from his one-year retirement? I’ll believe it at the end of training camp if he’s still on the team. Until<br />
then it’s a non-story.<br />
14_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative<br />
the minute the ridiculous trade went down where<br />
the Celtics acquired Kevin Garnett. I mean,<br />
there were KG commercials at the beginning<br />
of the season touting the Boston revival (the<br />
one playing Badfinger’s “Day After Day” most<br />
prominently sticks out in my memory). And it<br />
really just seemed to me like Stern commanded<br />
his ref puppets to do whatever it costs to make a<br />
Boston-L.A. series happen. It was such an empty<br />
series to me that I swore off the NBA. Well, that<br />
lasted long (I mean, look, Stern, at who’s playing<br />
in the Super Bowl?! The Arizona Cardinals?).<br />
Maybe I’m not like most people, but I, and a<br />
number of friends, like watching real matchups<br />
and consider unpredictability exciting.<br />
* Coach Byron Scott: One of the faces of the ’80s-<br />
Lakers Showtime era and, in his time, generally<br />
regarded around the league as one of the best<br />
shooters/dunkers in the NBA, Scott’s shooting<br />
perimeter prowess seems to have blossomed into a<br />
monster coaching career, and we are lucky to have<br />
him. Of course, it helps to have a superstar or two<br />
to lead a team, but it’s clear that Scott earned his<br />
2008-’09 Coach of the Year award. Also, imagine<br />
the possibilities: Coach has the chance to work with<br />
a point guard widely considered to be one of the<br />
best in the world. (Furthermore, Coach has had<br />
experience in this area with Jason Kidd, and they<br />
brought the Nets to two finals!)<br />
* And finally... Chris Paul, CP3, God’s gift to point<br />
guards, the coach on the court, the savior of NOLA,<br />
etc. These titles all fit, and deservedly so. We would<br />
not exist without this guy, and not to wipe out Baron<br />
Davis’s legacy here (which is actually more pertinent<br />
to Charlotte basketball than us), but it’s clear that this<br />
guy is one of the best basketball players in the history<br />
of the game, and as much as I hate adopting other<br />
people’s phrases, “he’s only 23!” Maybe we should<br />
set a bear trap for him—just ask the Pacers, who our<br />
boy hit a fadeaway three-pointer to win the game,<br />
with time expiring. Need I say more?
FEATURE MUSIC<br />
GUITAR LIGHTNIN’<br />
MAKES THE LOVE<br />
by dan fox<br />
photos by zack smith<br />
In a city where it feels<br />
like every cultural<br />
treasure has been<br />
unearthed and tucked<br />
away in some museum (real<br />
and imagined), it’s hard to<br />
believe there are still a few<br />
surprises left. But guess<br />
what? Guitar Lightnin’ Lee<br />
has been here all along.<br />
antigravitymagazine.com_15
FEATURE MUSIC<br />
The kind of musician who could easily take a cue from<br />
his contemporaries while staying firmly entrenched<br />
in the past, playing comfortable and predictable sets<br />
for the blueserati, Lightnin’ instead decided to take<br />
a chance on a group of scruffy punk rockers decades<br />
younger than him so he could play a simple, raw and<br />
timeless version of rock and roll. Their visual presence<br />
might be slightly disorienting, but the music itself is as<br />
natural as the flow of the Mississippi River, making<br />
them right at home whether it’s at the Saturn Bar or<br />
the Lusher Crawfish Boil.<br />
ANTIGRAVITY spent a good part of a chilly<br />
January evening with Guitar Lightnin’ and his band:<br />
drummer Paul Artigues, bassist Marvin Hirsch and<br />
lead/slide guitar player Todd Mathews. Starting at the<br />
Mother-in-Law Lounge, because in Lightnin’s words,<br />
“Toni K-Doe is a real force with this organization,”<br />
we talked for a while and shot some photographs.<br />
Then we took off for Mickey B’s in the lower 9 to get<br />
something to eat and continue the conversation. On<br />
our way back “uptown,” we detoured to The Saturn<br />
Bar for one last round. Every place we went, Lightnin’<br />
was treated like royalty, as was his entourage. Though<br />
our local music establishment may be just waking up<br />
to his presence (or sleeping on it altogether), it’s clear<br />
that Guitar Lightnin’ has all the patience in the world.<br />
This is only the beginning.<br />
16_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative<br />
How did you get this group of guys together?<br />
Paul Artigues: Tell him about when me and you met at<br />
Guitar Joe’s.<br />
Guitar Lightnin’ Lee: Well, Guitar Joe used to be my road<br />
manager, years ago. We all used to get together at Joe’s<br />
House of Blues. This one particular night, we were all<br />
playing and this little skinny kid walks in off the street—<br />
this one [Points to Paul]—and I don’t know whether he was<br />
asking other people to play or not, but he asked me. I said,<br />
“Well, we’ll see...” Anyway, I ended up telling him to<br />
come on up with me. It sounded so good I thought, “This<br />
youngster might have something going on.” We’ve been<br />
together ever since. That’s been ten years.<br />
What did you like about Paul’s playing?<br />
GL: Energy. And he was so close to the right sound, I<br />
thought if we really worked together we could get it<br />
right. And we ended up getting it right. That’s how we<br />
got to work together. We did “Johnny B Good” that<br />
particular night. I was more on a Delta Blues kick back<br />
then. He calmed down and was smart enough to watch my<br />
movements. My old teacher Boogie Bill always told me<br />
there’s no such thing as bad timing. If everyone’s together,<br />
it’s good timing. When Marvin and Ted came in, it all<br />
gelled. I was happy; he was happy.<br />
Tell me more about your teacher, Boogie Bill.<br />
GL: That was my idol; my hero, really. But before I met<br />
Boogie, I met Jimmy Reed when I was real young. I<br />
From Left to Right: Marvin Hirsch, Todd Mathews, Antoinette K-Doe, Guitar Lightnin’, Paul Artigues<br />
caught myself running away from home, going to Chicago<br />
with just the clothes on my back; and I met this chick<br />
on a Greyhound bus. And she told me to go over by her<br />
dad’s—he was a preacher, of all things—so I got off the<br />
bus on 63rd and Stony Island in Chicago, and she told me<br />
she lived on 68th and Wentworth. And I’m thinking 68th?<br />
I’m on 63rd, that’s only five blocks. Come to find out it<br />
was slam across town; took me eight hours to get there.<br />
Like froze to death. When I got over there, this guy, he<br />
was from New Orleans and anybody from home he liked<br />
to help. I met his sons and all; they had a trucking business.<br />
So this man actually gave me money and said, “Go get<br />
you a room, come back and we’ll put you to work.” I got<br />
to work with his sons; it was pretty good. The next couple<br />
of days I met another guy, his name was Leon and we got<br />
to talking about music. I had just left here and I had met<br />
some guys from Eunice, Louisiana and they loved Jimmy<br />
Reed. The first thing they tried to teach me was a Jimmy<br />
Reed song. It happened that Jimmy Reed lived right next<br />
door to this Reverend. Come to find out, the guy who told<br />
me this was liking Jimmy Reed’s daughter. But anyway...<br />
This particular evening, Jimmy was home. I told him,<br />
“Man, I’m from New Orleans; we play all your music<br />
down home all the time!” But he had this attitude: “I don’t<br />
care where you from. You need to go back to Louisiana.”<br />
Never seen the man before, never did him nothin’; but he<br />
just had that attitude. He wasn’t a bad guy, he just liked<br />
to drink that gin. Every morning when I went to work, I<br />
stopped by his house. I didn’t care what time it was. And
FEATURE MUSIC<br />
he had a little son, Jimmy Reed, Jr., but we called him<br />
Boonie. He’s got songs out today. But this little kid could<br />
play the guitar. And we’d sit on that couch and I’d watch<br />
him play, thinking “Man, that’s pretty good.” I’d watch<br />
Jimmy too, but as far as him sitting down and showing<br />
you something, he wouldn’t do it. Never did it.<br />
PA: Tell him how old Boonie was.<br />
GL: Bonnie had to be maybe ten. One morning when I<br />
came through the house, Jimmy told me “Man, I wish<br />
you’d go back to Louisiana, I hate people from Louisiana!<br />
I said, “Man, I don’t care what you say, when I go back<br />
to Louisiana, I’m going to be<br />
doing the same thing you doin’.”<br />
As time went on I got a little<br />
better and a little better. When<br />
I came back to New Orleans<br />
I was doing it—not as good,<br />
but I was doing it, too. That’s<br />
why one of the first records we<br />
recorded was [Reed’s] “Honest,<br />
I do.” [Lightnin’s travels take him back to New Orleans, then<br />
to Los Angeles, then back again to New Orleans] I’ll never<br />
forget when Freddie King walked in this club on Conti<br />
and Broad. I was all sharp—blazer on, ascot on my chest.<br />
Polka Dot Slim and another guy we used to call Toothless<br />
Freddy or somebody, we’re all having a good time. In<br />
walks Freddie King, boots on, mud all over them and I’m<br />
going “What is this?” Between Polka Dot and Toothless<br />
Freddy, they fooled me: “Lightnin’, let him play a song.”<br />
I had a beautiful guitar. So Freddie King got on the floor<br />
with a beer bottle, sliding it up and down the neck, feet<br />
straight up in the air and mud falling off him. And padnah,<br />
that little joint rocked! The woman gave everybody a plate<br />
of fish that night. After that, we got to be real good friends<br />
and by me being out of the 9th Ward , I met Boogie Bill,<br />
and that did it. He was teaching me how to play behind<br />
him. He had one big record, Stinkin’ and Drinkin’.<br />
How come you kept leaving New Orleans?<br />
GL: Women, of course! Hey man, I had a prize fighter<br />
body, a big head, hair like Little Richard, thought I<br />
was good looking. Everybody said I looked like Jackie<br />
Wilson—that’s why I stopped boxing. I was a young prize<br />
fighter. I had a boxing team! But I couldn’t stay out of<br />
Los Angeles and I couldn’t stay out of New Orleans. My<br />
daddy told me I was making the railroads rich. But that’s<br />
the way it was; I didn’t have no cares—that was before<br />
“Paul’s like my right arm, I<br />
kid you not. This goes beyond<br />
music. Simple as that.”<br />
my first daughter was born. I was just having a good time.<br />
Until I went in the Army, of course.<br />
Tell me a little bit about your guitar, Josephine. How’d<br />
you get her?<br />
GL: It’s a long story, sort of like that thing B.B. King<br />
has. I had this girlfriend; her name was Josephine, we<br />
called her Josie. When I looked at her, the way her hips<br />
were, and I looked at my semi-hollow body [guitar], it<br />
looked like Josephine. But we had a big fight one time.<br />
Something like this, we were talking one day and she<br />
heard me telling the guys. So, after that, all my guitars<br />
were Josephine.<br />
How do you write your songs?<br />
GL: Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with<br />
a song in my mind. I gotta get out of bed with my pen and<br />
pencil, and I go sit in my window and watch the cars go by<br />
and write that song. Other times, I’ll be riding in my car,<br />
and if that song hits me I’ll pull on the side and write it<br />
down, go back home, pick up Josephine, start picking and<br />
I’ll finish right there. That’s why I have so many songs,<br />
in the real. I don’t write songs, I write lyrics. I don’t need<br />
music. I don’t need nothing but lyrics. Like I said, I’m old<br />
school. And I do it the way the guys like Polka Dot Slim<br />
use to do back in the day. Get my words together, find my<br />
key and pick it out. And that’s a song.<br />
What’s up between you and<br />
Paul? You told me earlier you<br />
raised him.<br />
GL: I did! He wasn’t but twenty.<br />
Paul, were you twenty?<br />
PL: I don’t know, man. I was<br />
nineteen.<br />
GL: Yeah. I took him under my<br />
wing and brought him along slow.<br />
How’s that working out?<br />
GL: He don’t listen to me anymore!<br />
Is that because of the age/culture difference? What are<br />
some of your pros and cons about that?<br />
GL: The worst one is, he thinks he’s as old as I am, and<br />
I think I’m as young as he is. The one thing I love about<br />
him—he knows how I am because I had that back surgery.<br />
If I tell him “Hey man I don’t feel good,” he won’t let me<br />
pick up nothing. And he’ll see to it that the bandstand is<br />
set up, the equipment is set up, everything is just right. All<br />
I got to do is strap Josephine on and go to work.<br />
PL: It’s weird having a sixty-year-old black guy as your<br />
best friend. It’s just weird. It’s not so much the cultural<br />
antigravitymagazine.com_17
FEATURE MUSIC<br />
“My old teacher Boogie Bill always told<br />
me there’s no such thing as bad timing. If<br />
everyone’s together, it’s good timing.”<br />
differences because we’re in New Orleans. You start realizing how similar everyone’s<br />
culture is; it’s more just... It’s just fucked up.<br />
What have you learned from each other?<br />
PL: He learned how to play in time.<br />
GL: Well, he used to fuss about my time but he quit. And it’s still not right, but they stay<br />
with me so it’s no problem. Look, man, this is my son. He hates it when I tell him that<br />
because I get to tell him what to do. But even his mom—when I met his mom, the first<br />
thing she told me (and I love her to death for this), she said “Lightnin’, thank you. You<br />
took care of my son and I have never seen him inspired like this until he got with you.”<br />
That was ten years ago. He’s crazy, man. I told you that. Remember that. Before you say<br />
anything, remember I told you he’s nuts. But look, when he’s not around I’m not even<br />
comfortable. And I play with other people, but I need him with me. He’s like my right<br />
arm, I kid you not. This goes beyond music. Simple as that.<br />
Why do you think you’ve slipped through the cracks, so to speak?<br />
PA: It’s all my fault, I blame it all on me. I don’t know what to do.<br />
GL: And I don’t either, but I do know this: we have an audience that loves us. I can tell<br />
you that. This is what I look to: If my fans are happy, I’m tickled to death. I don’t care if<br />
I make money or not.<br />
How do you describe your audience?<br />
GL: All different nations…<br />
PA: Lots of chicks that kiss each other.<br />
GL: I don’t want to say that. Don’t put that in my interview.<br />
Marvin Hirsch: We get so many people laid. That d.b.a. show, some dude was sitting<br />
there, he went and fucked his girlfriend in the bathroom—while we were playing. They<br />
came out half-an-hour later; her hair was all messed up. That’s when I realized, “This is<br />
actually what we do.”<br />
PA: When we play, I sit there and play drums and I watch people meet each other, start<br />
dancing and then leave together. And I see that every time. It’s booze, Lightnin’, men,<br />
18_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative<br />
women and then you see them leave together. It’s a formula.<br />
GL: I tell you what, we get some strange characters. Why they get wild, I have no idea.<br />
PA: It’s beautiful; you’re like cupid! You have a giant guitar that shoots little arrows with<br />
hearts on it.<br />
GL: Look man, people just like dancing to our music. When they’re dancing, they get happy,<br />
they get close to each other... I can’t help what happens! It ain’t my fault!<br />
Guitar Lightnin’ Lee and His Thunder Band will be playing <strong>February</strong> 24th—Mardi Gras Day—at<br />
the Mother-in-Law Lounge, on the corner of Columbus and North Claiborne. For more info, go to<br />
guitarlightninlee.com or myspace.com/guitarlightninlee.
REVIEWS<br />
BOBBY ADAMS<br />
NEWEST ALBUM<br />
(INDEPENDENT)<br />
Don’t let this little CD fool<br />
you: it comes packaged like<br />
a demo (absent of any information<br />
except the track names) and if<br />
studio guru and former Clones<br />
at Play guitarist Ben Mumphrey<br />
hadn’t personally handed it to me, I’d have zero idea where<br />
this came from. This is a prolific and polished effort from<br />
Bobby Adams, who is also an ex-Clone and apparently these<br />
songs were collected over several years. There is unity to the<br />
album, however, as each song is a thickly layered, jangly pop<br />
standard ala Sgt. Peppers or even Beck, with a persona fronting<br />
the songs that reminds me of that really difficult friend we<br />
all might have: the one that’s always getting fucked up and<br />
saying horrible things to people (at one point he screams out<br />
“Shut your stinking mouth you filthy ass whore!”) but we<br />
keep hanging out with him (or her) anyway. Newest Album<br />
grew on me steadily as I found the edge and dementia of<br />
the sound compelling enough to keep listening, and pretty<br />
soon I was singing along. Ironically, it’s the more straightahead<br />
tunes that drew me in the most, like the ultra-cool<br />
and somber “Donna” or the mass murderer-themed lullaby<br />
“Nice to Know You.” Adams recently played One Eyed<br />
Jacks, opening for the Morning 40s on New Year’s Eve;<br />
hopefully he and his ever-rotating ensemble of musicians<br />
will reappear and start playing out more often, because these<br />
songs are too good to be this obscure. —Dan Fox<br />
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE<br />
MERRIWEATHER POST<br />
PAVILION<br />
(DOMINO)<br />
NPR suggested during<br />
their listening party for<br />
Merriweather Post Pavilion that<br />
Animal Collective’s music seems<br />
“to spring from a previously<br />
untapped well.” This is an interesting way of thinking about<br />
the group who, over the past ten years, have nurtured and<br />
brought to maturity a sound unlike any other in the modern<br />
pop/rock realm, a sound largely without precedent, other<br />
than perhaps feeble comparisons to Pet Sounds-era Beach<br />
Boys, a sound that may one day be looked back on as being<br />
this decades’ defining musical statement. Named after an<br />
outdoor amphitheater built during the 1960s in suburban<br />
Baltimore by Frank Gehry, where “we used to go to shows<br />
while growing up and have fond memories of times spent<br />
on the lawn,” Merriweather Post Pavilion promised to be the<br />
Collective’s most expansive and listener-friendly recording<br />
to date simply based on the title’s allusion. And expansile it<br />
is, easily capable of filling a large amphitheater yet intimate<br />
enough, especially considering the lyrical approach, to<br />
become your new best friend. Terms like “listener-friendly”<br />
and “simplicity” rarely surface when discussing Animal<br />
Collective, but this should change because these may be<br />
the two most appropriate descriptive designators for this<br />
MUSIC REVIEWS SPONSORED BY THE OFFICIAL RECORD STORE OF ANTIGRAVITY<br />
20_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative<br />
newest offering. While hardly off-putting in past records,<br />
though maybe a little too weird for the mainstream palate,<br />
Animal Collective amalgamate their eccentricities into an<br />
inviting, concise and all together blissful psychedelic freakout<br />
on Merriweather; Ouroboric-rock whose fat, pulsating<br />
yet generally calming bass lines prove to be the only<br />
grounding aspect herein—the rest is purely stratospheric.<br />
From the vocal harmonizing between Noah Lennox and<br />
Dave Portner to the synth and keyboard fractals prevalent<br />
throughout, this album has a psychotomimetic effect, mindfuckery<br />
sans the normal drug accompaniment necessary.<br />
Praise for Merriweather is damn near universal, but that is<br />
just it—this album is empyrean. A glimpse of the high<br />
heavens for us mortals, spiritual, immediate, poignant and<br />
for everyone, and by “for everyone” I mean that this simply<br />
is mastery of a realm. “Chills on my neck and it makes me<br />
smile;” “It makes me so crazy though I can’t say why;”<br />
“Some kind of magic.” Animal Collective is perfectly aware<br />
and comfortable in their own growth and grasp of life and<br />
musicianship, like they have stumbled across something<br />
timeless and yearn to spread the good word, to enrich the<br />
lives of the potential multitudinous listeners—just before<br />
print, Merriweather crashed the Billboard Top 200 in at No.<br />
13. And the multitudes need this, something to believe in,<br />
something to keep us going, a certain shade of hope; “Am<br />
I really all the things that are outside of me?” We are all<br />
human and we are all in this together for better or for worse,<br />
“Sometimes I don’t know what to do.” No shit, and yet we<br />
live on. —Dan Mitchell<br />
GORE<br />
HART GORE/MEAN<br />
MAN’S DREAM<br />
(SOUTHERN LORD)<br />
The post rock-influenced heavy<br />
metal genre has begun to<br />
blossom lately. Bands like Pelican,<br />
This Will Destroy You and Jesu are<br />
receiving more and more exposure.<br />
The one thing all these bands have in common is a deep<br />
debt to Dutch pioneers Gore. Formed in the mid-’80s, Gore<br />
combined the intensity of hardcore and the chugging power<br />
of metal into one massive beast. Though lyrics for their songs<br />
exist, the tracks are all instrumental. Southern Lord, as a part<br />
of their bid to be the kings of heavy music, have re-released<br />
the first two Gore records for some long overdue appreciation.<br />
The first, Hart Gore, roars out of the gate. Built on one intense<br />
riff after another, the songs are simple and more powerful for<br />
it. Unlike many of the post-metal bands active today, Gore<br />
wasn’t looking for grandeur in their music; a track like “Axe<br />
of Revenge” does only what it needs to, grinding along on<br />
a sludge riff, slowly adding elements to the song but never<br />
letting complicated writing hinder the elemental power of the<br />
guitars. The playing is oftentimes sloppy; notes are missed,<br />
the tempo is dropped for a moment, and the production is<br />
low-fi at best, permeated as it is with hiss and sound bleed. But<br />
this basement level recording only adds to the energy, letting<br />
the power of Gore’s music outshine any studio trickery. Mean<br />
Man’s Dream, their second album, opens with the title track<br />
and change is immediately noticeable. The sound is tinnier,<br />
less concerned with bottom heavy feedback, the guitars shred<br />
a bit more, and after a reassuringly heavy opening, the song<br />
speeds up and achieves a stoner metal boogie. The songs on<br />
Mean Man’s Dream are decidedly more complex than Hart<br />
Gore’s. The riffs here are more complex and time changes dot<br />
the cuts. There’s more urgency on the sophomore record as<br />
well, with a track like “Love” barreling forward on rolling<br />
drum fills and staccato guitar squalls where the band might<br />
have only chugged before. Included in the reissue is a wealth<br />
of album-specific bonus material. Most of the B-sides, demos<br />
and live cuts don’t really add any new dimensions to the band,<br />
but their inclusion is more than welcome—their practice<br />
room recording of David Bowie’s “Station to Station” does<br />
belie some of their less than obvious influences. Though<br />
not as grandiose as most new wave post-metal, Gore prove<br />
themselves a band more than capable of conjuring ferocious<br />
power from the interplay between guitars and rhythm. Hart<br />
Gore and Mean Man’s Hand stand as important milestones<br />
in the heavy rock pantheon and necessary additions to any<br />
serious metalhead’s catalog. —Mike Rodgers<br />
LIL WAYNE<br />
DEDICATION 3<br />
(GANGSTA GRILLZ)<br />
Completely inessential is the<br />
best way of summarizing<br />
Lil Wayne’s most recent offering<br />
to the masses. Dedication 3 is<br />
everything that Lil Wayne’s<br />
recent success has hinted at:<br />
sloppy, lazy, uninspired and either a cheap cash-in on his<br />
massive notoriety or a bait-and-switch to give some of his<br />
Young Money compadres time on CD. If Wayne’s previous<br />
mixtapes were barometers of his ill flow and whacko<br />
tendencies, then last years Tha Carter III was a distillation<br />
of that psycho potential into a mainstream dish. But here his<br />
rhymes are flat and generally lackluster. He ekes out a few<br />
worthy couplets here and there, but the spark of mad genius<br />
he showed so often in the past is dim. It seems as if he’s<br />
content to just dole out one good line, one original metaphor<br />
per track, letting his laid-back sing-speak carry the rest. It’s<br />
impossible to listen to Dedication 3 without getting the feeling<br />
that Wayne’s just coasting, assuming he even makes an<br />
appearance on the song at all. The biggest flaw of Dedication<br />
3 is its heavy reliance on lesser rappers; Gudda Gudda, Jae<br />
Millz, and the rest of the Young Money crew hold down far<br />
more time at the mic than Weezy, and let’s just say most<br />
of them are far off from main event material at this point.<br />
Nicki Manaj acquits herself well on the T.I.-pilfered “Still<br />
I Rise,” but it’s this exception that proves the rule. For a<br />
rapper who practically made his name cutting mind-blowing<br />
mixtape after mixtape, hearing the complete lack of focus,<br />
inspiration or even effort on this album is a real drag. With<br />
the myriad of projects waiting in Lil Wayne’s syrup-soaked<br />
wings, (a Carter III redux, a rock project, possibly a trip to<br />
Jupiter), I hope that Dedication 3 is merely a speed bump,<br />
a momentary distraction instead of a harbinger of things to<br />
come. —Mike Rodgers
REVIEWS<br />
SHELL SHOCK<br />
EXECUTION TIME: 1981-’87 ORIGINAL<br />
RECORDINGS LP<br />
(MINDLESS/RAVE UP)<br />
On the cover of this long overdue reissue, “New Orleans’ First<br />
Hardcore Band!” screams out in large red type. No false<br />
advertising there. Shell Shock was a fixture throughout the 1980s,<br />
releasing two 7” EPs, two full-length LPs and ushering hundreds of<br />
impressionable local youth into the world of hardcore punk rock.<br />
Just prior to possible larger national exposure, Shell Shock’s history abruptly ended with the death<br />
of guitar player Mike Hatch. The minor flaw of this release is the compiler’s decision to arrange<br />
these songs non-chronologically, making it difficult to appreciate Shell Shock’s progression from<br />
a competent, but fairly typical, punk sound to a band beginning to craft its own signature style.<br />
It’s been years since I heard the three songs from the first EP. I was surprised to notice a Southern<br />
California punk influence in the guitar from somewhere in the wasteland between early Agent<br />
Orange and early Black Flag. There is a drastic change in the songs on No Holds Barred, which<br />
offer the first glimpse of what Shell Shock would perfect on their first LP, Whites of Their Eyes.<br />
Now for the major flaw of the release: the sound quality, when compared to the original vinyl<br />
releases, is painfully poor. Songs that are crisp on the original records at times sound muddy and<br />
slowed down on this LP. The result could leave those unfamiliar with these songs shrugging their<br />
shoulders and attributing any reverence for this band to old-timer nostalgia. Added to this is the<br />
misrepresentation of the source of the songs. The LP claims that the majority of these tracks are<br />
the three songs from Shell Shock’s 1981 self-titled EP and the four songs from 1986’s No Holds<br />
Barred EP, with three previously unreleased versions of later songs. Two of the “unreleased” songs<br />
are from the last LP More Gore while the remaining one is from the 1983’s Lost and Found cassette.<br />
Amazingly, this LP’s version of “My Brain Is Jelly” is from More Gore and not the first EP. Bobby<br />
Bergeron, the archivist and historian of all things punk, hardcore and metal in New Orleans,<br />
penned the album’s liner notes. There isn’t room in Bergeron’s liner notes (or in this review) to<br />
fully convey the aspect of Shell Shock’s legacy that is just as important as the music left behind.<br />
Shell Shock was a full-time participant in the 80’s hardcore punk scene’s network of friends: they<br />
toured extensively, had shows set up by pen pals and returned the favor when their bands came<br />
through New Orleans. All of this work made them the anchor of the local hardcore scene and well<br />
known throughout the US, a fact made clear to me when, years after Hatch’s death, Ian MacKaye<br />
paid his respects to Hatch during Fugazi’s first New Orleans appearance. —Tom Hopkins<br />
VARIOUS ARTISTS<br />
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE SOUNDTRACK<br />
(INTERSCOPE)<br />
Slumdog Millionaire is director Danny Boyle’s best cinematic effort<br />
since the breakout Trainspotting, and both films owe a lot of their<br />
impact to their soundtracks. And while Slumdog Millionaire doesn’t<br />
quite draw from as wide a variety of genres as Trainspotting does, it is<br />
just as effective in fusing the film’s most amazing moments into our<br />
synapses by way of a few choice cuts. The first track, “O... Saya”<br />
is a collaboration between the film’s composer, A.R. Rahman and M.I.A. The frenetic pace<br />
sharply recalls the early scene in Slumdog when the protagonist, Jamal Malik (played by Dev<br />
Patel) and his brother are chased through the slums of Mumbai by anti-Muslim Hindus. The edit<br />
sequence where the slums are revealed in ever-larger frames, showing a certain chaotic geometry<br />
to the haphazard structures, is a perfect visual description of this soundtrack. Every song is<br />
heavily processed, sometimes mixing traditional Indian chants and drums into contemporary,<br />
fully digitized dance beats. With such an approach it would seem M.I.A. would have more of a<br />
presence on this soundtrack, so it was somewhat of a disappointment to find her on only three<br />
tracks: one original to the film, a straight up version of “Paper Planes” (and does anybody really<br />
need another copy of this?) and a terrible DFA remix of “Paper Planes” that robs the original of<br />
its dreamy quality. However, the original version, played when Jamal and his brother escape the<br />
draconian measures of their orphanage and send the film on a simple, yet elegant montage of<br />
the Indian countryside, is so appropriate it rivals other classic film-song couplings, for example<br />
the use of “Layla (Piano Exit)” in Goodfellas (track over to a pink Cadillac with two corpses in<br />
it, anyone?). Other notable tracks on the album include “Mausam & Escape” which features<br />
some wicked sitar work (?) over a hardcore gothic beat and “Gangsta Blues,” a hip-hop track<br />
that, like M.I.A., takes gangsta rap global.<br />
Overall, the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack<br />
might not exactly stand up on its own the way<br />
Trainspotting’s mixtape style might, but the best<br />
tracks and a good viewing of the film makes<br />
this a worthwhile addition to any soundtrack<br />
collection. —Dan Fox<br />
Take 1: Studio Notes<br />
Compiled by Dan Fox<br />
*The funky throw-back Bipolaroid is<br />
recording demo versions of a new album<br />
above Checkpoint Charlie’s. Prodded<br />
for more info, Ben Glover had this to say<br />
about the recording process: “Currently<br />
recording with both the group and alone<br />
using everything from reel-to-reels, field<br />
recorders, laptops and even an iPhone. The<br />
last record went half a dozen times over the<br />
original budget, thousands and thousands of<br />
dollars, so I am taking a new approach with<br />
the new album and producing/engineering<br />
everything myself on a zero budget, using<br />
only black magic and a deal with the devil.<br />
This is a departure record.” Arriving where?<br />
I guess we’ll have to wait.<br />
*J Yuenger has a new website chronicling his<br />
exploits both studio and non-studio related,<br />
which you can find at jyuenger.com. This<br />
guy is one of the city’s more interesting and<br />
travelled people and his site reflects that,<br />
with entry topics ranging from his days in<br />
White Zombie (fascinating and depressing<br />
all the same. Why? Well, go read about it!)<br />
to his travels to Vietnam. Oh yeah, there’s his<br />
studio work, too. Currently he is waiting for<br />
the Rik Slave & The Phantoms record to be<br />
mastered and the packaging finalized. Tattoo<br />
artist Randy Muller provided the cover art for<br />
the forthcoming Noble Sons of the South. They<br />
recorded it at Balance Studios in Mandeville.<br />
Also in the works is the new Rock City<br />
Morgue album, The Boy Who Cried Werewolf,<br />
which was recorded at Piety Street. And how<br />
about this: he is also co-producing a track<br />
with Ballzack for the forthcoming Defend<br />
New Orleans compilation. That, of course,<br />
was recorded at home.<br />
*Speaking of compilations, local peace<br />
punkers Rougarou just wrapped up some<br />
tunes for the upcoming WTUL Marathon<br />
CD. It was recorded by Kris-Chuck “Lovey<br />
Dovie” Dass at their practice space.<br />
Bands, engineers, producers, recorders: let<br />
me know what you’re up to, how you’re<br />
doing it and where. Send an email to<br />
fox@antigravitymagazine.com.<br />
PATRICK<br />
LUSSIER<br />
MY BLOODY<br />
VALENTINE 3D<br />
(LION’S GATE)<br />
Full disclosure:<br />
I’m a horror<br />
junkie. I crave it—the<br />
blood, the gore, the<br />
scares, everything.<br />
There exists a soft<br />
spot in my heart for<br />
good, old-fashioned<br />
slasher movies, despite their less than stellar<br />
reputation, and the formulaic, simple and fun<br />
My Bloody Valentine 3D easily fits that bill. The<br />
story is strictly by-the-numbers; after a cavein<br />
at the local mine, a hulking mass in a gas<br />
mask rampages through a group of teens with<br />
a pickaxe before coming to a not-so-definitive<br />
demise. Years later, one of the survivors returns<br />
and the killings begin anew. Not since Grindhouse<br />
has a film fit so easily and comfortably in the<br />
“throwback” category, positing itself as a retro,<br />
’80s slash fest. The movie is stuffed with red<br />
herrings and blind alleys that try to twist the<br />
audience in their seats, straining to figure out<br />
who the new murderer might be. Though an<br />
effort to add some depth to the story and its<br />
eventual axe fodder is applauded, the film bogs<br />
down in its exposition-heavy middle, losing<br />
the bright red energy that its opening moments<br />
captured so brilliantly. My Bloody Valentine 3D is<br />
at its best when it drops the thriller aspects and<br />
plot-centric stylings for down-home rippings.<br />
The first quarter of the flick resurrects the goresplashed<br />
splendor of 1980s fright films in all<br />
of their arterial glory. Fear not, gore hounds,<br />
bodies are laid open, limbs are severed and<br />
victims are dispatched with the utmost brutality,<br />
all on camera and without the annoying<br />
presence of CGI. The added 3D technology,<br />
unlike the wonky headache-inducing 3D of the<br />
past, actually adds a—pardon the pun—new<br />
dimension to the experience. Eschewing most of<br />
the old, laughably obvious “gotcha” moments,<br />
the 3D in My Bloody Valentine remains subtle at<br />
most times but doesn’t shy away from throwing<br />
a pickaxe point, shredded corpse or rogue tree<br />
branch at the audience when necessary. After<br />
the halfway point I forgot about the 3D glasses<br />
and sat totally immersed in the experience. I<br />
recommend viewing My Bloody Valentine, if at<br />
all possible, in a 3D-capable theater, but the<br />
film is still a blast for those without that option.<br />
Citizen Kane it is not, but if you check your<br />
expectations (and about a third of your brain) at<br />
the door, My Bloody Valentine 3D delivers bloodsplashed<br />
fun. —Mike Rodgers<br />
antigravitymagazine.com_21
EVENTS<br />
NEW ORLEANS VENUES<br />
45 Tchoup, 4529 Tchoupitoulas (504) 891-9066<br />
Banks St. Bar And Grill, 4401 Banks St., (504)<br />
486-0258, www.banksstreetbar.com<br />
Barrister’s Art Gallery, 2331 St. Claude Ave.<br />
The Big Top, 1638 Clio St., (504) 569-2700,<br />
www.3ringcircusproductions.com<br />
The Blue Nile, 534 Frenchmen St., (504) 948-2583<br />
Broadmoor House, 4127 Walmsley, (504) 821-<br />
2434<br />
Cafe Brasil, 2100 Chartres St., (504) 947-9386<br />
Candle Factory, 4537 N. Robertson St.<br />
Carrollton Station, 8140 Willow St., (504) 865-<br />
9190, www.carrolltonstation.com<br />
Checkpoint Charlie’s, 501 Esplanade Ave.,<br />
(504) 947-0979<br />
Chickie Wah Wah, 2828 Canal Street (504)<br />
304-4714, www.chickiewahwah.com<br />
Circle Bar, 1032 St. Charles Ave., (504) 588-<br />
2616, www.circlebar.net<br />
Club 300, 300 Decatur Street, www.<br />
neworleansjazzbistro.com<br />
Coach’s Haus, 616 N. Solomon<br />
The Country Club, 634 Louisa St., (504) 945-<br />
0742, www.countryclubneworleans.com<br />
d.b.a., 618 Frenchmen St., (504) 942-373, www.<br />
drinkgoodstuff.com/no<br />
Der Rathskeller (Tulane’s Campus), McAlister<br />
Dr., http://wtul.fm<br />
Dragon’s Den, 435 Esplanade Ave., http://<br />
myspace.com/dragonsdennola<br />
Eldon’s House, 3055 Royal Street,<br />
arlovanderbel@hotmail.com<br />
Ernie K-Doe’s Mother-in-Law Lounge, 1500<br />
N. Claiborne Ave.<br />
Fair Grinds Coffee House, 3133 Ponce de<br />
Leon, (504) 913-9072, www.fairgrinds.com<br />
Fuel Coffee House, 4807 <strong>Magazine</strong> St. (504)<br />
895-5757<br />
Goldmine Saloon, 701 Dauphine St., (504) 586-<br />
0745, www.goldminesaloon.net<br />
The Green Space, 2831 Marais Street (504) 945-<br />
0240, www.thegreenproject.org<br />
Handsome Willy’s, 218 S. Robertson St., (504)<br />
525-0377, http://handsomewillys.com<br />
Hi-Ho Lounge, 2239 St. Claude Ave. (504) 945-<br />
4446, www.myspace.com/hiholounge<br />
Hostel, 329 Decatur St. (504-587-0036),<br />
hostelnola.com<br />
Hot Iron Press Plant, 1420 Kentucky Ave.,<br />
hotironpress@hotmail.com<br />
House Of Blues / The Parish, 225 Decatur,<br />
(504)310-4999, www.hob.com/neworleans<br />
The Howlin’ Wolf, 907 S. Peters, (504) 522-<br />
WOLF, www.thehowlinwolf.com<br />
Kajun’s Pub, 2256 St. Claude Avenue (504) 947-<br />
3735, www.myspace.com/kajunspub<br />
Kim’s 940, 940 Elysian Fields, (504) 844-4888<br />
The Kingpin, 1307 Lyons St., (504) 891-2373<br />
Le Bon Temps Roule, 4801 <strong>Magazine</strong> St., (504)<br />
895-8117<br />
Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., (504) 581-<br />
5812, www.cabaretlechatnoir.com<br />
Lyceum Central, 618 City Park Ave., (410) 523-<br />
4182, http://lyceumproject.com<br />
Lyon’s Club, 2920 Arlington St.<br />
Mama’s Blues, 616 N. Rampart St., (504) 453-9290<br />
Maple Leaf, 8316 Oak St., (504) 866-9359<br />
Marlene’s Place, 3715 Tchoupitoulas, (504)<br />
897-3415, www.myspace.com/marlenesplace<br />
McKeown’s Books, 4737 Tchoupitoulas, (504)<br />
895-1954, http://mckeownsbooks.net<br />
Melvin’s, 2112 St. Claude Ave.<br />
NEW ORLEANS (Cont.)<br />
MVC, 9800 Westbank Expressway, (504) 234-<br />
2331, www.themvc.net<br />
Neutral Ground Coffee House, 5110 Danneel St.,<br />
(504) 891-3381, www.neutralground.org<br />
Nowe Miasto, 223 Jane Pl., (504) 821-6721<br />
Ogden Museum, 925 Camp St., (504) 539-9600<br />
One Eyed Jacks, 615 Toulouse St., (504) 569-<br />
8361, www.oneeyedjacks.net<br />
Outer Banks, 2401 Palmyra (at S. Tonti),<br />
(504) 628-5976, www.myspace.com/<br />
outerbanksmidcity<br />
Republic, 828 S. Peters St., (504) 528-8282,<br />
www.republicnola.com<br />
Rusty Nail, 1100 Constance Street (504) 525-<br />
5515, www.therustynail.org/<br />
The Saturn Bar, 3067 St. Claude Ave., www.<br />
myspace.com/saturnbar<br />
Side Arm Gallery, 1122 St. Roch Ave., (504)<br />
218-8379, www.sidearmgallery.org<br />
Southport Hall, 200 Monticello Ave., (504) 835-<br />
2903, www.newsouthport.com<br />
The Spellcaster Lodge, 3052 St. Claude<br />
Avenue, www.quintonandmisspussycat.com/<br />
tourdates.html<br />
St. Roch Taverne, 1200 St. Roch Ave., (504)<br />
945-0194<br />
Tipitina’s, (Uptown) 501 Napoleon Ave., (504)<br />
895-8477 (Downtown) 233 N. Peters, www.<br />
tipitinas.com<br />
The Zeitgeist, 1618 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.,<br />
(504) 827-5858, www.zeitgeistinc.net<br />
Vintage Uptown, 4523 <strong>Magazine</strong> St.,<br />
askmexico@gmail.com<br />
METAIRIE VENUES<br />
Airline Lion’s Home, 3110 Division St.<br />
Badabing’s, 3515 Hessmer, (504) 454-1120<br />
The Bar, 3224 Edenborn<br />
Hammerhead’s, 1300 N Causeway Blvd, (504)<br />
834-6474<br />
The High Ground, 3612 Hessmer<br />
Ave., Metairie, (504) 525-0377, www.<br />
thehighgroundvenue.com<br />
Keystone’s Lounge, 3408 28 th Street, www.<br />
myspace.com/keystoneslounge<br />
Stitches, 3941 Houma Blvd., www.myspace.<br />
com/stitchesbar<br />
BATON ROUGE VENUES<br />
The Caterie, 3617 Perkins Rd., www.thecaterie.com<br />
Chelsea’s Café, 2857 Perkins Rd., (225) 387-<br />
3679, www.chelseascafe.com<br />
Dragonfly’s, 124 West Chimes<br />
The Darkroom, 10450 Florida Blvd., (225) 274-<br />
1111, www.darkroombatonrouge.com<br />
Government St., 3864 Government St., www.<br />
myspace.com/rcpzine<br />
Junkyard House, 3299 Ivanhoe St.<br />
North Gate Tavern, 136 W. Chimes St.<br />
(225)346-6784, www.northgatetavern.com<br />
Red Star Bar, 222 Laurel St., (225) 346-8454,<br />
www.redstarbar.com<br />
Rotolos, 1125 Bob Pettit Blvd. (225) 761-1999,<br />
www.myspace.com/rotolosallages<br />
The Spanish Moon, 1109 Highland Rd., (225)<br />
383-MOON, www.thespanishmoon.com<br />
The Varsity, 3353 Highland Rd., (225)383-7018,<br />
www.varsitytheatre.com<br />
SUNDAY 2/1<br />
The Allure, Jamel Williams, Dragon’s Den<br />
(Downstairs)<br />
Banks Street Angry Old Men Rock & Roll Open<br />
Mic, Banks St. Bar & Grill, 9pm<br />
Glorybee, DJ Mike Mayfield, MC Shellshock,<br />
Circle Bar<br />
Mad Mike Xperience, Marzipan, Hi-Ho Lounge,<br />
10pm<br />
Marc Stone Band, d.b.a., 10pm<br />
The Palmetto Bug Stompers, d.b.a., 6pm<br />
MONDAY 2/2<br />
Glen David Andrews, d.b.a., 10pm<br />
Indira’s Birthday Extravaganza, Circle Bar<br />
Loose Marbles, One Eyed Jacks, 9pm<br />
Molotov, House Of Blues<br />
TUESDAY 2/3<br />
Helen Gillet and Friends, Circle Bar<br />
Golden Boots Listening Party, The Saint, 9pm<br />
The Slackers, Zydepunks, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs)<br />
WEDNESDAY 2/4<br />
Homegrown Night, Tipitina’s, 8:30pm, FREE<br />
Paleo, Mosquitosophagus, Circle Bar<br />
Susan Tedeschi w/ James Hunter, House Of Blues<br />
THURSDAY 2/5<br />
Billy Iuso and Restless Natives, am540,<br />
Tipitina’s, 10pm, $5<br />
Black Stone Cherry, Steadlur, Centerpunch, The<br />
Parish @ House Of Blues<br />
Cliff Hines, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs)<br />
Colin Lake, d.b.a., 7pm<br />
Cosmic Sweat Society, Banks St. Bar & Grill, 10pm<br />
An Evening w/ Yonder Mountain String Band,<br />
House Of Blues<br />
Felix, Brave Citizens, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm<br />
Joe Krown Organ Combo, d.b.a., 10pm<br />
FRIDAY 2/6<br />
999 Eyes Freakshow, One Eyed Jacks<br />
ActionActionReaction Indie Dance Party, Circle Bar<br />
Bayou Rebirth Gala and Fete f/ Soul Rebels,<br />
Howlin’ Wolf, 10pm<br />
Drysocket, The Bar, 9pm<br />
Hot Club of New Orleans, d.b.a., 6pm<br />
The Iguanas, d.b.a., 10pm, $5<br />
Justin Peake Beautiful Bells, One Man Machine,<br />
Bill Haite, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm<br />
The Kinky Tuscaderos, Ruby Rendrag, Banks St.<br />
Bar & Grill, 10pm<br />
Pure w/ Paul B, Josh Sense, Sio2, Dragon’s Den<br />
(Downstairs)<br />
Reckless Kelly, Sons of Bill, The Parish @ House<br />
Of Blues<br />
Shadow Gallery, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs)<br />
SATURDAY 2/7<br />
Andrew Bird, Loney, dear, House Of Blues<br />
The Benjy Davis Project, Pat McGee, Ernie<br />
Halter, Howlin’ Wolf, 9pm, $10<br />
Bonerama, Topaz, Tipitina’s, 10pm, $10<br />
Dar Williams, Joshua Radin, Jesse Harris, The<br />
Parish @ House Of Blues<br />
Guitar Lightnin’ Lee, Clockwork Elvis, The<br />
Kitty Lynn Band, Saturn Bar, 10pm<br />
Krewe Du Vieux Parade at d.b.a., d.b.a., 7pm<br />
O’Death, Why Are We Building Such a Big<br />
Ship?, Hurray For The Riff Raff, My Graveyard<br />
Jaw, One Eyed Jacks<br />
PonyKiller, Paint, Moon Hoar Dark<br />
Bellydancing, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm<br />
Resurrection Man Album Release Party, The Bar,<br />
9pm<br />
Sick Like Sinatra, Banks St. Bar & Grill, 10pm<br />
Susan Cowsill Band, Carrollton Station<br />
Tin Men, d.b.a., 10pm, $5<br />
Truth Universal Presents Grass Roots, Dragon’s<br />
Den (Downstairs)<br />
SUNDAY 2/8<br />
American Aquarium, Peace of Mind Orchestra,<br />
Circle Bar<br />
Banks Street Angry Old Men Rock & Roll Open<br />
Mic, Banks St. Bar & Grill, 9pm<br />
Fleur de Tease’s Valentine’s Day Show, One Eyed<br />
Jacks<br />
Honey Island Swamp Band, d.b.a., 10pm<br />
The Palmetto Bug Stompers, d.b.a., 6pm<br />
Russian Mafia Band, Dragon’s Den (Downstairs)<br />
State Radio, Rebelution, The Parish @ House Of<br />
Blues<br />
Tim Green, Helen Gillet, Rick Trolsen, Justin<br />
Peake, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm<br />
MONDAY 2/9<br />
Agnostic Front, The Mongoloids, Hammer-On,<br />
The Parish @ House Of Blues<br />
El Cantador, Circle Bar<br />
Glen David Andrews, d.b.a., 10pm<br />
Helen Gilette, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs)<br />
Loose Marbles, One Eyed Jacks, 9pm<br />
TUESDAY 2/10<br />
Annuals, Jessica Lea Mayfield, What Laura<br />
Says, The Parish @ House Of Blues<br />
Brotherhood of Groove, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs)<br />
Harptallica, Circle Bar<br />
The Sour Mash Hug Band, One Eyed Jacks, 9pm<br />
Stephen Marley: Acoustic and Unplugged, House<br />
Of Blues<br />
WEDNESDAY 2/11<br />
Country Fried, Noah Sugarman, Ryan Malott,<br />
Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm<br />
The Physics of Meaning, Wazozo, Circle Bar<br />
THURSDAY 2/12<br />
Anders Osborne w/ Big Chief Monk Boudreaux,<br />
Kirk Joseph’s Backyard Groove, Tipitina’s, 10pm,<br />
$12<br />
Feral, Patrick Godbey, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm<br />
Los Po-Boy-Citos, d.b.a., 10pm, $5<br />
Meadow Flow, Black Belt, Magic Legs, Dragon’s<br />
Den (Upstairs)<br />
Ruby Rendrag, Circle Bar<br />
Sweet Home New Orleans R&B Legends Nite,<br />
Banks St. Bar & Grill, 9pm<br />
FRIDAY 2/13<br />
ActionActionReaction Presents: I Was a Teenage<br />
Dance Zombie, One Eyed Jacks<br />
Big Rock Candy Mountain, Brass Bed, Hi-Ho<br />
Lounge, 10pm<br />
The Boxing Lesson, The Steps, Circle Bar<br />
Do It Like We Used To Tour w/ North<br />
Mississippi All-Stars, Hill Country Revue,<br />
Tipitina’s, 10pm, $20<br />
Free Jazz, Brah!, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs)<br />
Headspill, Falls From Grace, A Gift of Fiction,<br />
Howlin’ Wolf, 10pm<br />
Ingrid Lucia, d.b.a., 6pm<br />
Johnny Cash Tribute Show f/ Happy Talk Band,<br />
Gal Holiday, Les Poissons Rouges, Saturn Bar,<br />
10pm<br />
Old Crow Medicine Show, The Felice Brothers,<br />
House Of Blues<br />
One Man Machine, I Octopus, Dragon’s Den<br />
(Upstairs)<br />
Outlaw Order, Flesh Parade, Tire Fire, The Bar,<br />
9pm<br />
Rotary Downs, d.b.a., 10pm, $5<br />
The Space Heaters, Banks St. Bar & Grill, 10:30pm<br />
SATURDAY 2/14<br />
101 Runners, Tipitina’s, 10pm, $12<br />
Anders Osborne, d.b.a., 11pm, $10<br />
Corey Smith, American Aquarium, House Of<br />
Blues<br />
antigravitymagazine.com_23
24_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative<br />
EVENTS<br />
DJ Resin & La. DnB Hosts My Bloody Valentine:<br />
2 Floors of Drum N Bass, Dragon’s Den<br />
Felix’s Valentine’s Day Festival, Circle Bar<br />
Misled, The Saltines, Friends of Fire, The Bar, 9pm<br />
Mod Dance Party, Saturn Bar<br />
Paul Sanchez w/ John Rankin, Alex McMurray<br />
and Matt Perine, d.b.a., 7pm<br />
Reverend Spooky LeStrange’s Church of<br />
Burlesque f/ The Good Goddamn Match, Hi-Ho<br />
Lounge, 10pm<br />
Sissy Bounce Concert w/ Katey Red, Big<br />
Freedia, Sissy Nobby, One Eyed Jacks<br />
The Unnaturals Valentine’s Day Party w/ The<br />
Cemetary Surfers, Jeff Ugly Shoes, Banks St. Bar<br />
& Grill, 10pm<br />
V-Day NOLA Benefit Performance of Eve<br />
Ensler’s Vagina Monologues, The Parish @ House<br />
Of Blues<br />
SUNDAY 2/15<br />
86 Caprice f/ Jimbo Mathus and Derrick<br />
Freeman, One Eyed Jacks<br />
Eve’s Lucky Planet Save The Earth Concert,<br />
Banks St. Bar & Grill, 9pm<br />
Hank III, Assjack, Those Poor Bastards, House<br />
Of Blues<br />
The Palmetto Bug Stompers, d.b.a., 6pm<br />
White Colla Crimes, The Kings of Happy Hour,<br />
Circle Bar<br />
V-Day NOLA Benefit Performance of Eve<br />
Ensler’s Vagina Monologues, The Parish @ House<br />
Of Blues<br />
Washboard Chaz Blues Trio, d.b.a., 10pm<br />
WonderFarm Cabaret Variety Show, Hi-Ho<br />
Lounge, 10pm<br />
MONDAY 2/16<br />
The 2.2. Marching Band, Circle Bar<br />
Glen David Andrews, d.b.a., 10pm<br />
Loose Marbles, One Eyed Jacks, 9pm<br />
Tesla, The Leo Project, House Of Blues<br />
TUESDAY 2/17<br />
Dr. Dog, Drug Rug, The Peekers, One Eyed Jacks<br />
The Modern Skirts, Jettison Never, Circle Bar<br />
Naked on the Floor, d.b.a., 10pm<br />
WEDNESDAY 2/18<br />
G. Love and Special Sauce, Eric Hutchinson,<br />
Tipitina’s, 9:30pm, $25<br />
Hurray For The Riff Raff, Why Are We Building<br />
Such a Big Ship?, Circle Bar<br />
Zydepunks, The Panorama Brass Band, One Eyed Jacks<br />
THURSDAY 2/19<br />
Brittany Anniversary Party w/ Elliot Cohn’s<br />
Cosmic Sweat Society, Banks St. Bar & Grill, 10pm<br />
EF Cuttin, KB, What Da Fuk, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs)<br />
Happy Talk Band, d.b.a., 10pm, $5<br />
Morning 40 Federation w/ D’Lyricist, One Eyed Jacks<br />
Panorama Brass Band, Circle Bar<br />
Papa Mali’s 2nd Annual Supernatural Ball w/<br />
Hot 8 Brass Band, John Mooney, Revolutionary<br />
Snake Ensemble, Tipitina’s, 10pm, $15<br />
Paul Sanchez w/ Matt Perine and Jason Butler,<br />
d.b.a., 7pm<br />
Rebirth Brass Band, The Revivalists, Howlin’<br />
Wolf, FREE<br />
Robert Earl Keen, Cross Canadian Ragweed,<br />
House Of Blues<br />
Surf Night f/ The Bills, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm<br />
FRIDAY 2/20<br />
Angie/Levi’s Birthday Massacre f/ Pain Tribe,<br />
Nothing Sacred, Floodstage, The Bar, 8pm<br />
Better Than Ezra, House Of Blues<br />
Bonerama, d.b.a., 10pm, $10<br />
The Bruisers, The Jackals, Circle Bar<br />
Egg Yolk Jubilee, Dragon’s Den (Downstairs)<br />
Hot Club of New Orleans, d.b.a., 6pm<br />
Mardi Gras Hayride f/ Christian Serpas & Ghost<br />
Town, Gal Holiday & the Honky Tonk Revue,<br />
Country Fried, The Parish @ House Of Blues<br />
The Radiators, Honey Island Swamp Band,<br />
Tipitina’s, 10pm, $20<br />
Rebirth Brass Band, Soul Rebels, Howlin’ Wolf,<br />
FREE<br />
The Revealers, Banks St. Bar & Grill, 10:30pm<br />
SATURDAY 2/21<br />
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead,<br />
One Eyed Jacks<br />
Alex Embrace’s B-Day Party, Dragon’s Den<br />
(Downstairs)<br />
An Evening With James Hall, Circle Bar<br />
Banks St. Mid-City Endymion Music Festival w/<br />
Juice, Irene Sage, Westbank Mike, Banks St. Bar<br />
& Grill, 10pm<br />
Better Than Ezra, House Of Blues<br />
DJ Rusty Lazer, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs)<br />
Galactic, Johnny Sketch and The Dirty Notes,<br />
Tipitina’s, 10pm, $25<br />
John Boutte, d.b.a., 7pm<br />
Latin Bullshit, After Time Has Passed, Built to<br />
Destroy, The Bar, 9pm<br />
Not-So-Super Superhero Costume Party w/<br />
Rotary Downs, A.Lott of Coogan and Friends,<br />
Fleur de Tease, Hi-Ho Lounge<br />
Pine Leaf Boys, d.b.a., 11pm, $5<br />
Rebirth Brass Band, Papa Grows Funk, Howlin’<br />
Wolf, FREE<br />
SUNDAY 2/22<br />
Bass Parade Party w/ Free Jazz, Brah!, Dragon’s<br />
Den (Downstairs), 2am<br />
The Bingo! Show, One Eyed Jacks<br />
The Derek Trucks Band, Erik Mongrain, House<br />
Of Blues<br />
Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Howlin’ Wolf, FREE<br />
The Palmetto Bug Stompers, d.b.a., 6pm<br />
Papa Grows Funk w/ Big Chief Monk<br />
Boudreaux, d.b.a., 10pm, $10<br />
Ratty Scurvic’s Singularity, Herringbone<br />
Orchestra, Giffa, Dragon’s Den (Downstairs), 10pm<br />
Rik Slave and The Phantoms, Circle Bar<br />
Soul Project’s New Orleans Reunion Party,<br />
Banks St. Bar & Grill, 9pm<br />
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue’s 3rd<br />
Annual Bacchus Blowout, Soul Rebels, Tipitina’s,<br />
10pm, $15<br />
MONDAY 2/23<br />
De Los Muertos, Die Rotzz, The Unnaturals,<br />
Checkpoint Charlie’s, 8pm<br />
Galactic, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and The<br />
Golden Eagles, Tipitina’s, 10pm, $25<br />
George Porter Jr. and His Runnin’ Pardners’<br />
11th Annual Lundi Gras f/ Extravaganza w/<br />
The Hot 8 Brass Band, Howlin’ Wolf, FREE<br />
Gravity A, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs), 2am<br />
Justin Peake, Dragon’s Den (Downstairs), 8pm<br />
Loose Marbles, One Eyed Jacks, Dusk<br />
Lucinda Williams, Buick 6, House Of Blues<br />
Lundi Gras w/ Papa Mali, Cedric Burnside,<br />
Lightning Malcolm, d.b.a., 10pm, $5<br />
New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars, Dragon’s Den<br />
(Upstairs), 10pm<br />
Quintron, Andrew WK, Super Nice Brothers,<br />
One Eyed Jacks, 9pm<br />
TUESDAY 2/24<br />
DJ Matty, d.b.a., 8pm, $5<br />
Mardi Gras Indian Orchestra, Hi-Ho Lounge, 3pm<br />
Mardi Gras w/ The New Orleans Klezmer All-<br />
Stars, d.b.a., 3pm<br />
Street Gumbo, Yes Indeed, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs)<br />
White Colla Crimes, DJ Proppa Bear, Dragon’s<br />
Den (Upstairs)<br />
WEDNESDAY 2/25<br />
Magnolia Sons, Circle Bar<br />
THURSDAY 2/26<br />
Andrew Duhon, d.b.a., 7pm
EVENTS<br />
Freezepop, Hi-Ho Lounge, 10pm<br />
Lowry, Circle Bar<br />
Shamarr Allen, d.b.a., 10pm<br />
Sweet Home New Orleans R&B Legends Nite,<br />
Banks St. Bar & Grill, 9pm<br />
FRIDAY 2/27<br />
Ingrid Lucia, d.b.a., 6pm<br />
Kirk Joseph’s Backyard Groove, d.b.a., 10pm, $5<br />
The Local Skanks, The Andy Pizzo Project,<br />
Banks St. Bar & Grill, 10pm<br />
Smiley With a Knife, Caddy Whumpass,<br />
Panthalass, Dragon’s Den (Downstairs)<br />
Suicide Girls Presents: Reverend Spooky<br />
LaStrange and Her Billion-Dollar Baby Dolls w/<br />
Sick Like Sinatra, Big Fat + Delicious, Dragon’s<br />
Den (Upstairs)<br />
Vedas, Trevelyan, Sinkhole, The Bar, 9pm<br />
SATURDAY 2/28<br />
Gal Holiday & the Honky Tonk Revue, Circle Bar<br />
John Boutte, d.b.a., 7pm<br />
Otra, d.b.a., 11pm, $5<br />
The Switchblade Combs, The Pallbearers, Banks<br />
St. Bar & Grill, 10pm<br />
Winners Cup w/ ATM, Intelligence, J-Dubble,<br />
Blaze, Verbal Chemist, Slangston Huges,<br />
Dragon’s Den (Upstairs)<br />
SUNDAY 3/1<br />
Arms and Sleepers, Circle Bar<br />
Flogging Molly, The Aggrolites, House Of Blues<br />
WEEKLIES & DANCE NIGHTS<br />
MONDAYS<br />
Beacoup Crasseaux w/ Free Jambalaya, Banks<br />
St. Bar and Grill, 10pm<br />
Blue Grass Pickin’ Party, Hi-Ho Lounge, 8pm<br />
Glen David Andrews, d.b.a., 10pm<br />
Justin Peake’s Acoustic Trio, Dragon’s Den<br />
(Downstairs), 8pm, FREE<br />
Mad Mike, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 8pm<br />
Missy Meatlocker, Circle Bar, (Every Other<br />
Monday), 5pm<br />
Van Halen II: Rise of the Machines, Dragon’s Den<br />
(Downstairs), 10pm<br />
TUESDAYS<br />
The Abney Effect, Hostel<br />
Acoustic Night, Dragon’s Den (Downstairs), 7pm<br />
Acoustic Open Mic, Carrollton Station, 9pm<br />
Acoustic Open Mic w/ Jim Smith, Checkpoint<br />
Charlie’s, 10pm<br />
Jonathan Freilich and Alex McMurray, Circle Bar, 6pm<br />
Open Mic w/ Whiskey T., Rusty Nail, 8pm<br />
Reggae Jam with The Uppressors, John Lisi,<br />
Dave Jordan, Mike Burkart, Banks St. Bar and<br />
Grill, 10pm<br />
WEDNESDAYS<br />
DJ T-Roy Presents: Dancehall Classics, Dragon’s<br />
Den, 10pm, $5<br />
Gravity A, Banks St. Bar and Grill, 11pm<br />
Jim O. and The No Shows, Circle Bar, 6pm<br />
Kenny holiday and the Rolling Blackouts,<br />
Checkpoint Charlie’s, 9pm<br />
Mojotoro Tango Trio, Yuki (525 Frenchmen St.), 8pm<br />
Tin Men, d.b.a., 7pm<br />
Walter Wolfman Washington and The<br />
Roadmasters, d.b.a., 10pm, $5<br />
THURSDAYS<br />
DJ Kemistry, Republic, 11pm<br />
DJ Matic, Hostel<br />
DJ Proppa Bear Presents: Bassbin Safari,<br />
Dragon’s Den (Downstairs), 10pm<br />
Fast Times ‘80s Dance Night, One Eyed Jacks<br />
The Fens w/ Sneaky Pete, Checkpoint Charlie’s, 10pm<br />
Sam and Boone, Circle Bar, 6pm<br />
Soul Rebels, Les Bon Temps Roule, 11pm<br />
Sweet Home New Orleans R&B Heritage Night,<br />
Banks St. Bar & Grill, 9pm<br />
FRIDAYS<br />
Friday Night Music Camp, The Big Top, 5pm;<br />
2/13 w/ Mr. Rogan’s Mardi Gras Review<br />
Javier Drada, Hostel<br />
Throwback, Republic<br />
Tipitina’s Foundation Free Friday!, Tipitina’s, 10pm<br />
SATURDAYS<br />
DJ Damion Yancy, Republic, 11pm<br />
Javier Drada, Hostel<br />
John Boutte’, d.b.a., 7pm<br />
SUNDAYS<br />
Acoustic Open Mic w/ Jim Smith, Checkpoint<br />
Charlie’s, 7pm<br />
Cajun Fais Do Do f/ Bruce Danigerpoint,<br />
Tipitina’s, 5:30pm, $7<br />
Corrosion, Dragon’s Den (Upstairs), 10pm<br />
Linnzi Zaorski, d.b.a., 6pm<br />
Micah McKee and Friends, Circle Bar, 6pm<br />
Music Workshop Series, Tipitina’s, 12:30pm<br />
Latin Dance Nite w/ Los Pinginos, Banks St. Bar<br />
and Grill<br />
The Palmetto Bug Stompers, d.b.a., 6pm<br />
The Sunday Gospel Brunch, House Of Blues<br />
COMEDY<br />
FRIDAY 2/13<br />
Comedy by Jonah, The Big Top, 9pm<br />
FRIDAY 2/27<br />
Doug Stanhope, One Eyed Jacks<br />
WEDNESDAYS<br />
Standup Comedy Open Mic, Carrollton Station, 9pm<br />
THURSDAYS<br />
Karaoke Fury, La Nuit Comedy Theater, 10pm<br />
Rabbit Hole, La Nuit Comedy Theater, 8:30<br />
FRIDAYS<br />
God’s Been Drinking, La Nuit Comedy Theater,<br />
8:30pm, $10<br />
Open Mic Stand-Up, La Nuit Comedy Theater,<br />
10pm, $5<br />
SATURDAYS<br />
ComedySportz: All-Ages Comedy Show, La Nuit<br />
Comedy Theater, 7pm, $10<br />
Jonah’s Variety Hour, La Nuit Comedy Theater, 10pm<br />
NOTABLE UPCOMING SHOWS<br />
3/01 & 3/02: Flogging Molly: Green 17 Tour,<br />
House Of Blues<br />
3/02: Dead Friends, Mordechai, Necro Hippies,<br />
Nowe Miasto, 7pm, $5<br />
3/10: Tokyo Police Club, Ra Ra Riot, House Of Blues<br />
3/13: The Junior League Album Release Party,<br />
Carrollton Station<br />
3/15: King Khan and The Shrines, One Eyed Jacks<br />
3/20: The Alternative Media Expo ’09 Fashion<br />
Show Presented by Dirty Coast, One Eyed Jacks<br />
3/21: The Alternative Media Expo ’09, The<br />
Warehouse at the Contemporary Arts Center, 12pm-<br />
6pm, $5<br />
3/21: The Alternative Media Expo ’09 Post-<br />
Party w/ Ballzack, The Buttons, One Eyed Jacks<br />
3/23: The Black Lips, One Eyed Jacks<br />
3/25: Ani DiFranco, House Of Blues<br />
3/28: MyNameIsJohnMichael Album Release<br />
Party, One Eyed Jacks<br />
4/13: Dan Deacon, Heavy Metal Parking Lot, 7pm,<br />
$5<br />
antigravitymagazine.com_25
COMICS<br />
26_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative
COMICS<br />
antigravitymagazine.com_27
PHOTOS<br />
28_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative
PHOTOS<br />
antigravitymagazine.com_29
CONTINUED...<br />
An interview with Katey Red, continued from page 7...<br />
So Melpomene Block Party is 10 years old now. It seems to be out<br />
of print, though you can still get it on the internet. How many<br />
copies do you think were sold in the last 10 years?<br />
Well, the last time I checked it was like 164,000 copies. And that<br />
was in like ’01 or ’02.<br />
Oh, wow. What was your last release?<br />
The last thing I put out was in ’06 or ’07, Time to Be Original. It was an<br />
underground release, just to get my stuff around the neighborhood<br />
or whatever. My last album on Take Fo’ was Y2 Katey, and that<br />
album was the shit. It had “Local New Orleans,” “Tiddy Bop,”<br />
“Wham Alabama.” I had a lot of hot songs on that CD, and I didn’t<br />
even know at the time! I was just in the studio and they was like<br />
“Don’t stop writin’! Don’t stop writin’!” Take Fo’ had another<br />
album of mine after that, The Real America Idol, and they never put<br />
it out. But I have a new song, “Bugaboo”: “You’re ugly and you’re<br />
buggin’ me.” I know you prolly heard it, but I sample Destiny’s<br />
Child. It’s like so so different. I’m waiting to see if somebody gonna<br />
try and steal that style. They’ll probably slow it up and give it a<br />
different taste. I try to give people a different taste, and that’s why<br />
people respect my mind. They say “Katey is the greatest, Nobby<br />
is the latest, Freedia is the best, motherfuck the rest.” This person<br />
named MC Calliope Preist put that in a song. And it’s true: when<br />
the three of us on stage together, the club is automatically on fire.<br />
Where do you record?<br />
It’s on Tchoupitoulas, beside 8 Ball. Actually it’s part of 8 Ball. Go<br />
to door C.<br />
[Laughs] OK. When you perform, do you still have three different<br />
groups of backing girls (The Whos, ages 13 to 15, and The Whoas,<br />
ages 15 to 18, both of which played at family block parties and<br />
such. Then there are the adult dancers, called Dem Hoes, who<br />
perform in the clubs)?<br />
I still use Dem Hoes. But now the little ones grown, so I call them<br />
all the TMGs, the True Melph Girls, cause they don’t like being<br />
called Hoes. When we’re in the club and I only have like two or<br />
three of the Hoes there—the original Hoes—but the Whoas and<br />
Whos is there, I’m not gonna say, “Where my Hoes at?” I’ma<br />
say “Where my Melph girls at?” and they all gonna buck for that,<br />
throw they hands in the air. They buck them up for me, hit the<br />
mic for me, they represent me, I love my girls. And they love they<br />
fag.<br />
When you performed with the littler kids did you do different,<br />
non-explicit material or?<br />
I did the radio versions.<br />
I’ll bet the little ones still knew the dirty versions though.<br />
Kids...<br />
[Smiles] Yeah, they knew ’em, they knew ’em. But I had a different<br />
kind of respect with them being so little. I had to go to they parents<br />
and stuff, and ask if it’s OK if they go with me. I’m bringing them<br />
with me so they’re my responsibility, and who knows what might<br />
happen to one of them? The parents knew me already, but I still<br />
had to go and ask permission and tell their parents where they were<br />
going for all these hours.<br />
Were any of the parents like, “Oh, hell no”?<br />
Sometimes. But only because maybe the child was actin’ up in<br />
school or something like that. All them love me. I bring that joy into<br />
they life. Like, “Hey, you got the spotlight on you now!” And they<br />
like, “I’m up here with Katey!” And they get popular so fast, when<br />
they be at school Monday the other kids be like, “I saw her on stage<br />
dancing with Katey Red! Katey Red was saying her name!”<br />
When I’ve read articles about you, I get the distinct impression<br />
that many of the writers don’t know the difference between a<br />
transvestite, a transexual, a homosexual. Can you clarify your<br />
own particular position?<br />
Well, a drag queen is a man by day, woman by night. That’s a<br />
transvestite. A transexual is a man who lives his life as a woman every<br />
day, where she is never seen without the hair and the... That’s me.<br />
See, I had thought you weren’t a transexual until you’d had “the<br />
procedure.”<br />
I had thought that too. And that makes more sense to me: “I’m<br />
transexual because I transed [sic] my sex.” But as I’ve been going<br />
through it, I noticed New Orleans’ gay world just calls everything<br />
transexual. Now they shorten it to just “transy,” [sic]. I’m a “transit”<br />
[sic]. And they have another word they use, “transgendered.”<br />
That New York Times profile on you from 2001 said that you<br />
had just started taking the hormones at that time. How far along<br />
are you now?<br />
Well, I had stopped after Katrina. I dressed like a boy and everything<br />
else. But I just started back (on the hormones).<br />
I read another article where you said you would never have “the<br />
procedure,” because you didn’t know how you might feel in the future.<br />
For real? I said that? I wonder where that at? Cause I know some<br />
30_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative<br />
people put in articles that I was only out here rappin’ to get me some<br />
breasts. And I did not say that. I think that was in XXL magazine.<br />
I’ve also read a lot since the flood about how Katrina made<br />
bounce rap way more popular, and that doesn’t seem true either.<br />
Except for a couple little songs, bounce has always seemed to stay<br />
on the same local level, like New Orleans’ neighborhood music.<br />
But you have been playing a lot of different kind of shows in the<br />
last few years, right? To a broader crowd?<br />
When you say “broad,” what you mean by “broad?”<br />
White people. I mean, unlike a lot of other bounce artists, you<br />
play all over the city for different kinds of people, not just in black<br />
clubs. Describe what’s the difference between playing black clubs<br />
and playing at like, this upcoming One Eyed Jacks show, or for<br />
all the white kids at Spellcaster Lodge?<br />
Well, no offense, but black people got me started. And I’m black,<br />
and that’s black music. And they already know what’s goin’ on,<br />
they know the vibe, they know my music and they know how to<br />
react to it. When I play a black club I know everyone, I make the<br />
rounds and everybody be like, “Hi Katey!” and they pass the little<br />
weed to you, and we all talk and crack jokes. That’s what I’m used<br />
to. I played [Spellcaster] twice: first when I first came out with<br />
Melpomene Block Party, then again in Mardi Gras 2007. Don’t get<br />
me wrong, but when I went the first time, I was like “Do they even<br />
know about me? Do they even know about my music?” I am a fun<br />
loving person, so if I feel the vibe isn’t right, I have to peep it out<br />
first. And at first, I mean, everyone knew Katey Red was supposed<br />
to be there, but I walk in and I don’t see no Katey Red posters, just<br />
a bunch of drunk motherfuckers. And I’m like, “Why ain’t nobody<br />
make any noise when I walked in? Why nobody like, “Hey! Hey!”<br />
This was my first time on that scene, and I walk in and people got<br />
face paint on, and white sheets, and she have on a ballerina outfit,<br />
and I was like, “Uh uh, no way. They gone kill me.” You ever<br />
seen like a scary movie, where there’s this wild wild party, and<br />
everybody’s fucked up and drunk and crazy looking...<br />
And then it turns out they’re all vampires? Yeah, I see what<br />
you mean. My friends who saw that show did say you seemed<br />
nervous at first. They said you held onto your purse the whole<br />
time performance. Do you always keep it with you on stage?<br />
I didn’t know who to give it to; I didn’t know who was who! A lady<br />
in the audience reached for it, “Let me hold your purse!” I’m like<br />
“No.” I had all my money in there! I mean, the people were all nice.<br />
But they was offerin’ me drinks and I was like, “Uh, no, I’m okay.”<br />
I mean, I ain’t ask for no drink, why she buyin’ me a drink? I ain’t<br />
gonna lie, I was scared. Then Quintron asked me, “You nervous?”<br />
So he put me upstairs and he was like, “Just sit here.” I started<br />
smokin’ my little weed, and I finally calmed down, then Quintron<br />
came back and he was like, “I know your fuckin’ ass like to drink,<br />
cause baby I heard your songs.” So he gave me a big old bottle of<br />
Alizay or somethin’, and he was like “This is for you.” Then they<br />
called me to the stage, and the reaction I got, I was like, “Oh all<br />
right! Time for me to start sweatin’ now!” And by the time it was my<br />
time to stop I was like, “I ain’t ready to go! I want something more<br />
to drank!” But with white crowds it’s always not until after I get off<br />
stage that everyone’s like, (effects over-annunciated white voice) “Katey<br />
Red, wow yeah you’re awesome! Can I take a picture with you?”<br />
And I always be like, “Now why didn’t you do this before I went on<br />
stage? I woulda felt more comfortable with myself!”<br />
But the more I go back to a place, the more I know the people<br />
and the more comfortable I feel. Like, Galactic told me to show up<br />
at Tipitina’s and if I felt like rappin’ they’d give me a little treat. So<br />
I performed offa they music. It was like funk mixed with jazz, so it<br />
sounded weird a little. I was getting’ ahold of it, but it was throwin’ me<br />
off a little, makin’ me forget what I wanted to say. But after that now I<br />
love the Tipitina’s people, Wendy and them, and they all love me.<br />
Have you played outside of Louisiana yet?<br />
[Mildly insulted] Oh, yes indeed.<br />
Sorry, I just read an article from 2008 that said you hadn’t. Where<br />
have you performed?<br />
I went to Texas. And Atlanta. I also was very happy and honored to<br />
be the first and only homosexual rapper to ever play JazzFest!<br />
In every single article I’ve read about you, it always says<br />
something about you coming up in the “especially homophobic<br />
world of hip-hop,” or they claim that black culture is less cool<br />
with homosexuality, when really, most white country fans aren’t<br />
any less homophobic. In your experience, do you think black<br />
people really are harder on black homosexuals, or is that an<br />
exaggeration?<br />
No, I don’t think it’s exaggerated. It’s been hard for me. But I’m<br />
kinda glad for it though; because of me now there’s like thirty or<br />
forty punk rappers in New Orleans, for real. All the big labels are<br />
now gonna to try and get homosexual rappers. Jay Z gonna try it,<br />
Puff Daddy gonna try it, they all gonna.<br />
There are supposedly already two groups, one called VIP, made<br />
up of three gay white guys, and another three lesbian black girls<br />
called Yo Majesty.<br />
For real? Well, I’m already down in history. I’m glad New York<br />
heard of Katey Red first. But any beef people have with me is usually<br />
because they jealous. I was at one show where these boys got up<br />
there and did their thing and the crowd was like, alright, alright.<br />
Then they was chanting, “We want Katey! We want Katey!” and<br />
the boys get mad. I done got in a buncha fights, but it’s always with<br />
other fag rappers. Not boys. Cause they know not to play with me.<br />
They know I’m dangerous.<br />
Have any of the big New Orleans rappers heard your music?<br />
Me and Mia X are down. BG and them, I know all them.<br />
What do they say about your music?<br />
They say it over! They repeat it. Lil Wayne repeated it. He copied<br />
some of the stuff I wrote: “Rollin down the river, rollin’ with my<br />
nigga.” He copied some stuff Big Freedia wrote. They know about<br />
us. They not gonna tell you they fans. In XXL magazine, though,<br />
Cash Money did said, “Katey Red doin’ her thing, and we wish the<br />
best for her.”<br />
Well, that’s Cash Money for you: you’ve seen that photo of Lil<br />
Wayne kissing Birdman? At the time I assumed that the hip-hop<br />
community was homophobic enough that Weezy’s career might<br />
be over. But obviously the opposite happened.<br />
Women kiss women all the time! Lil Wayne a man, so he not<br />
unsure of hisself. To me when boys act [homophobic], they unsure<br />
of theyself. If you know who you are and what you stand for, you<br />
shouldn’t have a problem with homosexuals and what they doin’.<br />
Plus Baby been around Lil Wayne for how many years? That’s his<br />
mentor. He made sure Lil Wayne ain’t curse on his songs when he<br />
was lil. But boy, Lil Wayne could not wait to get grown though, so<br />
he could start cursin’ in his songs! Now all he can do is “fuck this”<br />
and “bitch that.” I love it though.<br />
Lastly, I know you play a lot of not-very-highly publicized show<br />
every week. Tell us your gig schedule.<br />
We do Wednesday at Blue Ribbon, then Patinum 3000 on<br />
Thursday, and um, Fabulous on a Monday. Big Freedia got a<br />
seven-day schedule for her.<br />
You performing this evening? It’s Friday.<br />
No, I’m just goin’ out to be a ho.<br />
Katey Red plays the Sissy Bounce Concert with Big Freedia and Sissy<br />
Nobby at One Eyed Jacks on Saturday, <strong>February</strong> 14th. For more info<br />
on Katey Red, go to myspace.com/kateyred.<br />
Interview with Alix Petrovich of A Hanging, continued from page 6...<br />
We brought a little of that onto A Hanging’s first album by recording<br />
two Daisy songs. Scott is just a straight-up New Orleans metal dude,<br />
hard and loud, and he loves it.<br />
What other local bands have you found yourselves performing<br />
with over the past few months?<br />
I think the obvious answer to that is Haarp, since we play with them<br />
a lot and we love them. They’re awesome dudes and their music is<br />
incredible. I think that’s not a bad thing because we compliment<br />
each other so well. Their music is kind of slow, heavy, and driving,<br />
and we’re a bit faster. I also love playing with Hawg Jaw because<br />
they’re one of my favorite bands ever.<br />
Tell us a little bit about the recording process for Food For Rats.<br />
We started recording in October of last year. Scott handled the<br />
guitar and the bass tracks, since Chris hadn’t joined the band yet.<br />
After that, he gave me a digital recorder to take home and record<br />
the vocals myself, which was really awesome. I’ve never been very<br />
happy with any of the vocals I’ve recorded in the past. It’s always<br />
been rushed and I’ve never had much of an opinion about how I<br />
wanted them to sound. Doing it this way was really great and I<br />
just recorded the vocals in my bathroom at my own pace. I kept<br />
recording, erasing, and redoing them for about a month until Scott<br />
finally just took the recorder away from me so he could get to work<br />
on mixing them.<br />
What’s in store to mark the album’s release?<br />
We’re planning on doing an official record release in <strong>February</strong>,<br />
even though we ended up getting the CDs in January, which was<br />
earlier than we planned. In late January, we filmed our part in a<br />
metal documentary called Slow Southern Steel. Haarp and Suplecs<br />
and a ton of other New Orleans bands are in it, along with some<br />
interviews and live performance footage. It’s being put together<br />
by one of the guys from Rwake from Little Rock and it covers a<br />
lot of contemporary bands that are active in the southern metal<br />
movement.<br />
As of press time, the date and venue for A Hanging’s official record<br />
release party in <strong>February</strong> had yet to be finalized. For more info, updates,<br />
and streaming tracks from Food For Rats, check out myspace.com/<br />
ahanging.