Featuring new songs by these bands:
Color Of Clouds – Brother
Kuan – OnE.G
Marching Band – For Your Love
Money Penny – Say No (Hey Champ Remix)
N.A.M.B. – L.O.N.
Phantogram – When I’m Small
Phosphorescent – It’s Hard To Be Humble
Rapid Cities – In My Mind
Red Dress – (Glitch Mob Remix)
Rykardaparasol – Covenant
Sarah Kirkland Snider – This Is What You’re Like
Savoir Adore – We Talk Like Machines
Seabear – Lion Face Boy
Sleep Bellum Sonno – A House Of Spades
The Bewitched Hands – Hard To Cry
William Brittelle’s – Dunes Of Vermillion
Woods – I Was Gone
With the release of Crystal Antlers new 7″ Little Sister/Dead Horse just released this past Tuesday March 9th, we got on the horn with their people about getting the band to make a Playlist for us. Jonny Bell stepped up for the band and gave us the goods. On a side note, we are sorry but we couldn’t find most of these songs to stream. But please go check them out.
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1. Tuxedomoon – 59 to 1 Notes by Jonny: Michael Belfer produced our second 7″ and played in Tuxedomoon, though mostly uncredited. They were way ahead of their time. -
2. Tangerine Dream – Invisible Limits
Notes: Fits perfectly after Tuxedomoon, but pre-dates them.
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3. Sun Ra – The Code of Interdependence
Notes: The name says it all…
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4. c4am95 – Don The Atmosphere
Notes: Met these guys when they played at a house in my town when i was just a lad. they introduced me to Tangerine Dream.
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5. Ink Spots – We Three (My Echo, My Shadow, and Me)
Notes: One of my favorite vocal groups of all time, and the finest art direction.
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6. Thelonious Monk – Bright Mississipi
Notes: A bit of Jazz sounds nice next to a bunch of electronic stuff and noise.
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7. Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band – One Red Rose That I Mean
Notes: A real tear-jerker, especially for an instrumental with just a bass and guitar.
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8. The Birthday Party – Wild World
Notes: I bought this record (the Bad Seed EP) at an antique store that was going out of business for 25 cents.
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9. The Sleepers – Linda
Notes: Another of Micheal Belfer’s bands. They had a 5 song ep on a 7″ that came out in 78′ and is one of the best punk records of all time. The guitar playing on this track is super creepy.
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10. Leonard Cohen – The Stranger Song
Notes: From his first record. I just saw a documentary made right before the record was recorded called “Ladies & Gentlemen:Leonard Cohen.” He was amazing long before he ever picked up a guitar. Go see it.
N.A.M.B. bandleader Davide Tomat’s came up with a Playlist for us. He calls the list his “Detachment Session” and put notes to each song. The band is from beautiful Torino, Italy and recently released their debut album BMAN on February 23rd.
David Tomat “What am I listening to right now (detachment session)”:
Sufjan Stevens – Year Of The Dragon (with Osso)
I love that song from “Enjoy your rabbit” but this new version taken from “Run Rabbit Run” is really amazing. That song played by the New York string quartet Osso is really, really cool!
Broken Social Scene – da da da
The pads..those voices, that feedback, those noises, that piano and all… the fluid stuff together with the punchy drums! A real cool contrast all throughout the song….
The Flaming Lips – The Ego’s Last Stand
Amazing…bass panned on the left with that slap delay on the right…strong punchy in line bass..really good sound…and the outro makes me fly nailed on the roof…reminds me of Pink Floyd
Steve Reich – Pulses (Music For 18 Musicians)
What can I say? I think there aren’t so many music pieces that can describe nature developments better than this. Nature pulses!
Ravel – Gaspard De La Nuit; 1. Ondine
Again..what should I say?…if someone hasn’t heard that music before, it’s time to do that… But I’m sure you all know about that! You know what I’m talking about!
The Beatles – Blue Jay Way
My favourite Beatles song ever! The mix is great! Voices on the left, drums and organ on the right…reverse effects and strings in the middle. Really psychedelic!
Grizzly Bear – I Live With You
It reminds me of old film and atmospheres…directly from old motion picture soundtracks but with punch in the middle! Really cool!
Boards of Canada – Music is Math
Since I bought this record (Geogaddi) I had to listen to this song at least one time a month… it’s something that brings me up in the universe. I had a car crash once listening to it…it was late in the morning…only me and the street…I was totally absorbed in it..and didn’t realize I was driving and that there was only a car waiting for the green light!
David Bowie – Subterraneans
Right now I’m still asking myself how could Bowie sing that melody at the end of the song…it’s like a melody coming from another song…like an outake voice.. but it sounds perfectly in it and perfectly out when it comes after more then 3 minutes of space super music…and then the voice goes away as it came!
Ennio Morricone – Un Uomo Da Rispettare
From the film “The Master Touch”. I never saw that film..I’ll do it for sure… but I made hundreds of films in my mind with that piece of music going around and listening to it again and again! Unbelievable.
Jonny Greenwood – Moon Trills
Pure music! No words! Love those tremolo strings!
La Monte Young – Day of the Antler [The Obsedioin Ocelot]
26 minutes of supreme musical meditation. Each time it starts I can’t stop it.. and it’s a big problem when you don’t have 26 minutes and it comes up on your iPod shuffle!
How goes?! TheLaw hail from the city of Dundee on Scotland’s’ east coast. We released our debut album in the autumn of last year and have been touring the UK & Germany since then. The record itself is a collection of songs to celebrate everyday life. Recorded in the Sawmills studio, Cornwall, the main objective was to capture the energy of our live shows on tape – the result is ‘A Measure Of Wealth’!
2. Have you ever been fed up with playing music or with band members, why?
This is the best job in the world – music has so many tangents and avenues, it would impossible for even the closed-minded among us to get bored! Band members are the opposite – they tend to have a multitude of deviations and vices so complex that without an open mind, most of them would be grossly misunderstood!
3. What was your first concert experience? Do you remember how you felt once the concert was over?
Yeah, I was 15 in the old Westport bar in Dundee. The band I was in at the time played a mixture of original material and Doors covers. When the gig was over, I stood in the audience to take the total number of bodies in the room up to 5!
4. Did you grow up wanting to play music, or when did the whole making albums thing come about and how?
We all found a certain sanctuary in music from an early age. Playing music is something we all love and making a record is just the next step up the ladder if you want to carry on writing and performing for a living!
5. What qualifies you guys to be in a band?
Marti and Si’s (brothers Martin and Simon Donald, Drummer and Bassist) granddad played the spoons…
6. Do you have a favorite song you have ever written? Why?
For the groove of the tune – Television Satellite from the record! Everyone has a vice, in one form or another, they should really just give up – we chose the squeaky clean subject of Television as apposed to relationships, drugs etc. for this number!
8. What qualities should a successful label or manager have?
A successful act always helps!
9. What’s the scariest thing that has ever happened to you in your life?
Our bass player and motivator is, as is every red-blooded male, partial to a drink. Simon isn’t biased, in fact he is quite open- minded when it comes to the type of said liquor. However, a drink by the name of vodka can cause this gem of a man to turn… During these spells of madness, Simon is, and i quote “neither drunk nor wrong!” These are the scariest moments of my life…
10. What’s the first thing you do when the band arrives in a new town while on tour?
We unload the van, set up the stage and sound check. After all that we usually check a local pub and chill until stage time.
11. Have you ever had an audience member give you the willies because they kept looking at you all weird?
We are of the mindset that if they buy the record, they can look at us whatever way they bloody well want! It would actually be more fitting to ask our audiences, “Have you ever had member of TheLaw give you the willies because they kept looking at you all weird?”
12. Have you ever cried while listening to music? If so what were you listening too?
Every time our old tour manager picked up the guitar it brought a tear to my eye. Having to watch someone disgrace such a beautiful instrument in that way is quite emotional. He was chronic!
13. If you could re-record, or re-write any song of yours what would that song be?
We put a lot of hard work into seeing that the tunes sounded the way we imagined them to. I don’t think any of the band has any desire to move backwards by revisiting old turf. Onwards and upwards!
14. What’s the worst place you have ever played a show at, and why?
Something this band has always been good at is making the best out of a bad situation… or is it, making a bad situation worse?! I forget! Anyway, sometimes the places that look the worst on the face of it all are turn out to be the landmark gigs for your band. It’s a combination of the band and the audience all knowing that things could be a hell of a lot better and just saying, ” F**k it, we’re here now, let’s get on with it!”
15. In a perfect world how many albums would you have to sell to be happy?
None. In a perfect world, commercial success and the cold grip of cash would hold no restraints over the wonders of music. You could pick up CD’s of your favourite groups or download them legitimately for free and gigs would be on a first come first served basis… “Who’s paying us again..?”
16. What do you guys have planned for the future?
We’re currently rehearsing for a US tour that starts on the 15th March. There are a few showcases in New York & L.A. with a mini tour of SXSW in the middle of it all.
17. What music do you listen to when you are having a bad day?
Bad days usually come up when I haven’t listened to music for a couple of days due to one reason or another. It’s just your body’s way of telling you that you need your fix. A heavy dose of Rubber Soul usually sets you on feet again!
18. If you had your life to live over again, what one thing would you change?
Nothing. Ask me in another 40 years… Thanks very much for your time. Hopefully you can make it to one of the shows soon enough.
Get to know The Law and check out their tour info!
1. Tell us about the band?
Hey battlefield is pretty much a rock band. Jason has a real bluesy approach. While Michael brings more of a jazz and rock attack. We don’t tailor the sound in any one way but I feel like we both give each other enough room to play our parts. We really try to focus on a guitar/vocals, drum, and bass lineup to keep it simple. We don’t believe in tons of effects, loops or what we would call noise. We try to keep it pure and simple with more subtle nuances that we hope come through in the songs.
2. Have you ever been fed up with playing music or with band members, why?
Being in a band is like any relationship. There are always issues about commitment and ego that are constantly popping up. Like being married but to 2 people instead of one!
3. What was your first concert experience? Do you remember how you felt once the concert was over?
Jane’s Addiction, I think it was at the Ritz, I was 14 and I was mesmerized, I needed to be up there!
4. Did you grow up wanting to play music, or when did the whole making albums thing come about and how?
I studied music from the time I was 7 with my grandfather who was a jazz trumpet player. Then I picked up the drums and guitar when I was around 11. It is something I have always done. Recording was a natural progression because it gives you the ability to control exactly how your sound is portrayed.
JR: I’ve been writing songs for as long as I can remember, and when I was very young I taught myself how to play the guitar and the piano. I don’t know how to read sheet music; I just play what sounds good to me, which gives me a lot of freedom to experiment. Being in the recording studio is always an education, I find it to be a hard process breaking down the songs like that into pieces, but its an important part of the journey, getting the music down and available for people to listen too.
5. What qualifies you guys to be in a band?
MS: I’m not sure that one can be qualified to be in a band. I think if you enjoy it or you NEED to do it then you do. That’s the only prerequisite as far as I’m concerned.
JR: Playing music isn’t really a choice for me; it’s just something that I have to do.
6. Do you have a favorite song you have ever written? Why?
They go in and out of favor all the time. Sometimes we love certain songs and later we will hate them and not play them for a while. It’s really about what kind of mood we are in I think.
7. What is your greatness weakness as a band?
This will sound cheesy but it might be that we take things very seriously. That has become a problem for Jason and I sometimes because we expect anyone we work with to have the same level of commitment. I think it can be hard for people when they come in to play with us though, feeling included can be an issue.
8. What qualities should a successful label or manager have?
They should be clever, beautiful and never take no for an answer (in a nice way) you can ask Maya our manager about that… she’s perfect for the job!
9. What’s the scariest thing that has ever happened to you in your life?
MS: I’ve had a few close calls. Probably surfing related for me.
JR: Being shot at one crazy night in Queens.
10. What’s the first thing you do when the band arrives in a new town while on tour?
Have a look around, put up flyers, find out where people are and promote the show if there’s time. Maybe see who else is playing or if there’s anything cool to check out. If we don’t have time, it’s straight to sound check and a beer.
11. Have you ever had an audience member give you the willies because they kept looking at you all weird?
There is this one person who shall remain nameless that shows up sometimes who gives us the creeps and acts like they are Jason’s best friends. Usually they take off after the beginning, which is also weird, they don’t always stay for the show…. a bit stalker vibe really…
12. Have you ever cried while listening to music? If so what were you listening too?
MS: Too many to count…. JR: Tom Waits gets me every time!
13. If you could re-record, or re-write any song of yours what would that song be?
All of them, recording are an ongoing process. I don’t think I ever listen to something we have done and think PERFECT! There are constantly changes happening in your head. It’s actually hard to settle in the end.
14. What’s the worst place you have ever played a show at, and why?
I think there are some terrible sound guys out there, wouldn’t blame it on the place. We’ve been pretty lucky.
15. In a perfect world how many albums would you have to sell to be happy?
As many as it took so that we could all be comfortable and felt like people really liked the music we made… couldn’t give a number. If we did this for accolades we would’ve quit years ago.
16. What do you guys have planned for the future?
Just really to keep playing and writing songs… more touring and playing more shows. That’s what we love to do.
17. What music do you listen to when you are having a bad day?
There’s actually a song that we do (Jason wrote it) that I listen to sometimes lately called “hell bent on you”, it’s actually very soothing to me. There are a couple though.
JR: Anything by The Pogues.
18. If you had your life to live over again, what one thing would you change?
I don’t believe in thinking that way… what would you change? If I lived thinking I wish I had or hadn’t I’d miss out on what was happening now. No regrets… what’s that line from the Butthole Surfers song? Its better to regret something you have done than something you haven’t done. And by the way….
1. Tell us about the band?
Well, there’s a lot to tell. We’ve been doing this together for a while now. Going on 5 years I think. Let’s just say we are four relatively average, slightly eccentric, wildly excited guys that get together at least once a week to play rock songs. We also get in a Ford Van (by Ol Elegante) and drive to rock clubs all around the U.S. We record new songs when it’s time to do that. Then we call Travis at the record label. He helps us a lot.
2. Have you ever been fed up with playing music or with band members, why?
There was this guy in my band one time. He was a dick.
3. What was your first concert experience? Do you remember how you felt once the concert was over?
Billy Idol. At the end of it I cried Monk.
4. Did you grow up wanting to play music, or when did the whole making albums thing come about and how?
When I was ten, I put two boom boxes face to face, covered them with pillows and made a copy of my sister’s Billy Squier tape. That’s the first thing I ever tried to record. It was exciting.
5. What qualifies you guys to be in a band?
I was the Captain of The Pinafore in 5th grade. Keelan was a great pitcher at Clanton high school. Lester had a mohawk and a reverse mohawk at the same time. Jake’s mom is originally from California.
6. Do you have a favorite song you have ever written? Why?
Country Roads by John Denver. John and I wrote that one after a long day of cross-country skiing. And there was a basset hound sleeping on the porch. I was talking to Yoko Ono the other day and she said sadly “I really miss John.” I know how she feels.
7. What is your greatness weakness as a band?
Folk music. We are NOT an alt-country band godplamit!
8. What qualities should a successful label or manager have?
A hard working, well intentioned, big tittied, people person who knows how to make things happen and believes in those he represents.
9. What’s the scariest thing that has ever happened to you in your life?
Keelan had a near death experience one time due to anesthesia complications while having hand surgery. He said that he saw the light. Seriously.
10. What’s the first thing you do when the band arrives in a new town while on tour?
Go to Ho Jo.
8:30 Leave HoJo to go to the club.
8:45-11:30 Standing around shooting the shit waiting for our turn to play.
11. Have you ever had an audience member give you the willies because they kept looking at you all weird?
David Baker. Before I knew him. And Trey from 13 Ghost. After I knew him.
12. Have you ever cried while listening to music? If so what were you listening too?
I have cried during many movies. I feel that the emotion that the music adds to the scene is one of the main jerkers of tears of all the elements in a movie.
13. If you could re-record, or re-write any song of yours what would that song be?
I put out a solo album in 2003 called “Chandelier”. It was a “learning experience”.
14. What’s the worst place you have ever played a show at, and why?
There have been many shows that we’ve had to chalk up to paying our dues. But, what makes any bad show worse is a.) You’ve traveled a long way to get there and b.) If the people at the club are flatly unfriendly. There are certain places that we’ve really grown to love because the people at the club are so great to us: The Hummingbird in Macon Georgia, The White Water Tavern in Little Rock, Arkansas, and The Bottle Tree here in Birmingham, AL all come to mind.
15. In a perfect world how many albums would you have to sell to be happy?
Happiness is complicated.
16. What do you guys have planned for the future?
SXSW parties in March, including the Birmingham party on Friday the 19th. We’re touring to Chicago at the end of March. New York in April. Then taking some time to record our 3rd full length.
17. What music do you listen to when you are having a bad day?
18. If you had your life to live over again, what one thing would you change?
I would not have kicked that kid in the balls when I was in fourth grade. Wherever you are, I’m sorry.
1. Tell us about the band?
I write the songs. My brother and father are pretty much the main stays as the backing band. The other backing members change for each record and live.
2. Have you ever been fed up with playing music or with band members, why?
Surely. Bad show. Small crowd. Bad performance. If on tour, if someone becomes a liability it can be annoying.
3. What was your first concert experience? Do you remember how you felt once the concert was over?
The first I remember was Weird Al and the Monkeys. Complete.
4. Did you grow up wanting to play music, or when did the whole making albums thing come about and how?
My brother and I started our first band in 94. That’s when it really started.
5. What qualifies you guys to be in a band?
Nothing
6. Do you have a favorite song you have ever written? Why?
That’s like asking if you have a favorite child. Just kidding. I have three kids. Wish I could remake two of them. Again. Kidding.
7. What is your greatness weakness as a band?
We don’t play the game.
8. What qualities should a successful label or manager have?
Depends on your definition of successful.
9. What’s the scariest thing that has ever happened to you in your life?
Passed out drunk in the middle lane of the Verrazano Bridge. Driving.
10. What’s the first thing you do when the band arrives in a new town while on tour?
We have no routine
11. Have you ever had an audience member give you the willies because they kept looking at you all weird?
If I did, I don’t remember
12. Have you ever cried while listening to music? If so what were you listening too?
Yes. Creed
How is one to sift through all the seemingly endless amount of bands out there? Here’s the answer – you don’t have to because we do it for you. Each week we post the best new songs to download with only the click of a mouse and voila…. they show up on your desktop. You’re welcome.
Featuring new songs by these bands: Cap’n Jazz – Messy Life
Child Abuse – Bebe
DumDum Girls – I Will Be
Flugente – It’s Not Just The Summer That Is Ending
La Roux – Quicksand
Money Brother – Born Under A Bad Sign
Pepper Rabbit – Red Wine
Quitzrow – The Cut
Woven Bones – Alright
Zechs Marquise – Chase Scene
Zechs Marquise – Sirenum Scopuli
Marching Band was started by Erik and Jacob when we met our first year in college. We called ourselves Second Language back then, and played more acoustic stuff, but the focus on melodies and arrangements were there from the start. We released three home made albums before we got signed in 2007. Right now we’re about to release our second album with U&L Records.
2. Have you ever been fed up with playing music or with band members, why?
Music has been a natural part of our lives all our lives. Jacob had been playing in many bands before and had been recording stuff for several years. And we both have always liked, and still like, the process of making an album. When you get the final CD in your hand it always feels very rewarding and that it’s been worth the trouble of making it.
3. What was your first concert experience? Do you remember how you felt once the concert was over?
Jacob went with his family to a Manhattan Transfer concert i Stockholm when he was about 4 years old. It was held at the big amusement park Gröna Lund and Jacob got lost. It took an hour for the family to find him by the police office because they couldn’t call out for his parents during the concert. He was reading black and white comic books when his family found him. It was probably his strongest experience of feeling rejected and had a deep impact on his personality; always wanting to make sure everyone’s happy and getting along…
4. Did you grow up wanting to play music, or when did the whole making albums thing come about and how?
See #1 and #2.
5. What qualifies you guys to be in a band?
Nothing. We just try hard being one. But we’re OK at dealing with conflicts at least. You have to be when it’s just the two of you.
6. Do you have a favorite song you have ever written? Why?
Our first song “Car” is a really sweet country ballad about a car crash. That first record it’s on will become a collectors item.
7. What is your greatness weakness as a band?
We’re great at not allowing any weak parts in our songs. That’s how we made it this far. Our weakness is probably that our live band members have to tell us to rehearse.
8. What qualities should a successful label or manager have?
Be really, really good with people and no BS. You have to have a great music taste and business sense at the same time.
9. What’s the scariest thing that has ever happened to you in your life?
We’ve both lived very comfortable lives. In South Africa we had to reverse our way away from a flock of elephants standing in the road. That’s the only scary thing we can think of right now. But it was more exciting than scary actually…
10. What’s the first thing you do when the band arrives in a new town while on tour?
Feel confused. Grab whatever free food there is.
11. Have you ever had an audience member give you the willies because they kept looking at you all weird?
No. Only pretty, nice, middle class, well behaved boys and girls at our shows…
12. Have you ever cried while listening to music? If so what were you listening too?
In church when Jacob was about 5 years old he cried when an American gospel choir visited the church he grew up in. It might have been a spiritual experience or just the overwhelming atmosphere they managed to build up in the room.
13. If you could re-record, or re-write any song of yours what would that song be?
Jacob regrets he ever recorded a song called “Waiting” on our first demo. It’s a just a huge cliché.
14. What’s the worst place you have ever played a show at, and why?
We played a night club in Sundsvall in northern Sweden once. There were 800 people in the building, 20 of them were staring at us 30 m away at the bar while the rest were dancing to “Cotton Eye Joe” in the basement.
15. In a perfect world how many albums would you have to sell to be happy?
Just enough to make a living out of it. Real happiness comes from other things. Like friends. Or Swedes winning Olympic gold medals.
16. What do you guys have planned for the future?
The new release with the supporting tours.
17. What music do you listen to when you are having a bad day?
Anything that doesn’t make it worse.
18. If you had your life to live over again, what one thing would you change?
We sing on our new album that we “have no regrets, it’s so hard to accept”. Maybe do some more things we’d regret? Just to know how it feels.
It’s time for new music to enter your ears, get ready to groove with Moneybrother and their new track “Born Under A Bad Sign”, which happens to remind me a bit of the great David Bowie for some odd reason. This track is just a sweet sample of what their upcoming album Real Control has in store. Moneybrother hails from Sweden, will be touring the US in support of their upcoming release for Bladen County Records!
Aloha’s latest high fidelity achievement Home Acres debuts across the globe this Tuesday, March 9th of 2010. The album crashes louder than past releases and yet still has that unique brilliance that makes up what is Aloha. So without further ado, we have partnered up with the ever righteous Polyvinyl Records to give away Aloha’s last three albums, which include: Home Acres, Light Works and Some Echoes. The winner gets to decide if he wants the albums on Vinyl or in a CD format.
To enter simply just fill out the form below. We will pick one of our followers at random in two weeks as our winner. Simple as that.
Then make sure you are following us on Twitter, @IRRmusic, and Facebook to find out about more exclusive contest and content!
The band started as a recording experiment between Pierce and I. It was an exercise to explore our interests in ambient music. We never intended to turn it into a real band or play in front of other people etc. We would meet once a week at our practice space and record whatever we came up with that day. Usually sparking ideas around certain sounds or textures.
A lot of times nothing worked, although occasionally, great and unexpected moments would happen and we were always recording so we were able to catch them. We began to build songs around these parts. We tried bringing in a few other people before inviting Ryan (who I had played with in Manishevitz) into the project. He was a quick fit and added real foundation to the songs in progress. With Ryan involved, we also realized we could pull off a lot of our material live, which was exciting because we didn’t think that was an option.
2. Have you ever been fed up with playing music or with band members, why?
I’ve been frustrated with both but never fed up. After Manishevitz folded, I knew I wanted some kind of a break. Breaks are great though, because when you’re really busy with music you don’t have a lot of time to think about music. You end up doing things a certain way because it’s efficient and you, your band mates and studio engineer etc. are used to working like that. I was really depressed after Manishevitz broke up, but I found I had a lot of new ideas once I had some distance from the music.
3. What was your first concert experience? Do you remember how you felt once the concert was over?
It was Poison and David Lee Roth at the St. Louis Arena sometime during the late 1980’s. I don’t remember much except David Lee Roth descended from the top of the arena onto the stage on a giant yellow surfboard. I was proud of having gone to a rock concert for the first time. At the time, I could have seen anyone and I would have been equally excited.
4. Did you grow up wanting to play music, or when did the whole making albums thing come about and how?
I bought a bass guitar when I was seventeen or eighteen and clumsily tried to play along to whatever songs I was into at the time. That was it for a few years. When I moved to Charlottesville VA in my early twenties, I rented a room in a house with a couple of guys who I eventually started a band with. We had no idea what we were doing, but it was a lot of fun. We would have shows in our living room for friends and eventually in other people’s living rooms and basements.
Not long after that, a Sushi Bar called Tokyo Rose began booking shows. We played there all the time with tons of great bands that were touring down the East Coast. Our friend Darius, who was booking Tokyo Rose started a record label and released our first album.
5. What qualifies you guys to be in a band?
If you had to be qualified to play in a band, I probably would have never had the chance to be in one. I think anyone is qualified as long as you’re willing to put in the work and risk making a fool of yourself in front of other people.
6. Do you have a favorite song you have ever written? Why?
I don’t see much point to listening back to my recordings once they’re finished. My enjoyment is in the making of these songs/records. After they’re finished I don’t get much pleasure revisiting them. So I guess the answer is no.
7. What is your greatness weakness as a band?
Talking to the audience from stage. None of us are great at it. I worry we sometimes come off a little cold.
8. What qualities should a successful label or manager have?
Love music, have good intentions and promptly reply to emails.
9. What’s the scariest thing that has ever happened to you in your life?
A couple of yeas ago I threw out my back on a Sunday morning as I was bending over to put a leash on my dog. I ended up paralyzed on the floor for nine hours. I couldn’t sit or stand up. Ever time I moved, my muscles seized and I was racked with pain. Eventually we called the paramedics and I was taken to the hospital. After a couple of muscle relaxers and shots I was fine. But losing control of my body for that period of time was terrifying.
10. What’s the first thing you do when the band arrives in a new town while on tour?
Have a beer. Wait for sound check, pretty boring.
11. Have you ever had an audience member give you the willies because they kept looking at you all weird?
Fortunately not yet!
12. Have you ever cried while listening to music? If so what were you listening too?
I recently heard a song by Lucinda Williams called Sharp Cutting Wings that knocked the wind out of me. There’s a line that goes “I could swear I knew your love before I knew your name”, which is a beautiful thought.
13. If you could re-record, or re-write any song of yours what would that song be?
I don’t see the point in re-recording or re-writing a song. If I have new ideas I’d rather put that energy into a new song.
14. What’s the worst place you have ever played a show at, and why?
I played a show once in Charlottesville (this venue is no longer around thankfully) where we were instructed to begin out set before the doors were opened. By the time people got into the club we were almost done with our first song. Very degrading.
15. In a perfect world how many albums would you have to sell to be happy?
I don’t have a figure in mind. It’s nice when people buy our records, but I’m happy to keep making them regardless of how many we sell.
16. What do you guys have planned for the future?
We’re about 1/2 way through a new record. More recording for certain, it would be nice to finish a new record by the end of this year.
17. What music do you listen to when you are having a bad day?
Robert Wyatt.
18. If you had your life to live over again, what one thing would you change?
“Crazy” is the first single from The Pack A.D.’s upcoming release We Kill Computers. The song features two gorgeous ladies playing dirty rock n’ roll at its best. What could be better? Look for the new album in April in care of Mint Records (New Pornographers, Neko Case, Hanson Brothers, the Evaporators). Here’s a nice description – “The two ladies from Vancouver BC smash a slight hint of delta blues with a healthy dose of garage punk and moments of psychedelics and angular riff-ology.” – Look for the ladies at SXSW
Josh Ottum is a funny and superb musician from Seattle. He is even better at answering questions. Learn more about him here.
1. Tell us about the band?
The band is me. I play solo or with really good friends.
2. Have you ever been fed up with playing music or with band members and why?
I’ve gotten stressed more than fed up. I guess if I got fed up I wouldn’t be doing it anymore. Its fun to play and I’m glad I’m still alive after that one show in that weird town in Germany.
3. What was your first concert experience? Do you remember how you felt once the concert was over?
The first concert I can remember was Jan and Dean and Sha Na Na at the Wild Animal Park in San Diego. I slept for most of it and remember feeling extremely cranky when we got home. My dad carried me to bed and I was probably crying.
4. Did you grow up wanting to play music, or when did the whole making albums thing come about and how?
I started recording songs with words towards the end of college. Everyone in college liked pop music and I wanted to popular.
5. What qualifies you guys to be in a band?
All my connections with people with money and power who are cousins of cousins of famous people. Kidding.
6. Do you have a favorite song you have ever written? Why?
I like a song called fool in the night. It’ll be on my next record. Its to the point and fun to play guitar solos on.
