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This is Part 1 of a live interview and concert with Dan Sartain that my friends Monti Smith, Tyler Dixon and I recorded for IRR. Dan is one of those rare talents whose many sounds are rivaled only by his many facial expressions. In this part, Dan talks Mexico, zebra-painted donkeys and compromising his morals. Stay tuned for Parts 2 and 3 where Dan talks about why his new record sounds British, why rock ‘n’ roll isn’t dead and why the Ramones are still his favorite band. And go out and buy his new record – Dan Sartin Lives (www.myspace.com/dansartain).

Dan Sartain Lives – Part 1 from Ryan Bunker on Vimeo.

Check out our previous interview with him here or our album review here.

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It was May 4th, 2010 that Athens, GA based Gift Horse released their debut album Mountain of Youth. Like the fool I am I didn’t take much notice of the release until a week or so ago when we got lucky with an opportunity to premiere a new video for their song “Missionaries”. It’s a gentle rocker that pulls on my memories of when I first heard Built To Spill, Boilermaker, and perhaps Nada Surf. It’s a good song, I can’t speak for the album though, as I haven’t heard it yet. For all you factoids they did record with Hank Sullivant (The Whigs, MGMT), which should keen you up. Enjoy!

Visit Gift Horse

Dan Sartain–Dan Sartain Lives

Label: One Little Indian

Score: 8.9/10

Author: Sean David

In a quite entertaining interview with IRR’s own Thirst n’ Howl, Dan Sartain recently expressed his misgivings about touring with Social Distortion. What, with their “old-fashioned hairdos with purple stripes and Frankenstein shoes,” it may be dangerous to associate himself so closely with that rockabilly scene. In reality, Dan Sartain’s name looked better on set-lists next to the likes of The White Stripes. And it was on this 2007 tour that he learned what the rest of the world (after It Might Get Loud) now knows —Jack White may write good songs and have “good taste in musical equipment,” Sartain says, but “that dude’s a dick.” And therein lies part of the allure of Dan Sartain. In conversation he sounds like a normal guy (a “dude” if you will) who lives in his parents basement in Alabama: he’s annoyed by assholes, yearns for fame and fortune, listens to the Ramones because they’re “safe,” and seems only a little concerned about what the repercussions of calling Jack White an asshole might be. Hell, after the interview, he might even go get one of those new Chic-Fil-A sandwiches everyone is talking about.

And the only thing more entertaining than a Dan Sartain interview is Dan Sartain’s music. His unique brand of blues-tinged country-punk recalls Flat Duo Jets. Through two impressive LPs (released via San Diego’s Swami) and countless rip-roaring live-set, Sartain has become somewhat of a cult figure amongst his fans. A blue-collared singer-songwriter with just about the truest voice you‘ve ever heard. As Black Heat Processions Pall Jenkins once said, “That boy can write a song.” And anyone else who has seen his live set will know he is no slouch on the guitar either—often losing his rhythm section with his pace. On his latest album, Dan Sartain Lives, he continues on his rich run of form, picking up right where 2006’s Join Dan Sartain left off.

At one moment a country boy with an old guitar crooning away on songs like “Ruby Carol” or “Praying For a Miracle”, the next a larger-than-life ball of energy churning out foot-stomping anthems like “Voo-Doo” or “Anything I Say.” The improved production on Lives affords Sartain the ability to—more effectively than ever—showcase his range, not only as a singer-songwriter but also as an out-and-out frontman. And what makes Lives one of the best releases of 2010 is that Sartain is still essentially making the music he wants—the music that sounds like the music he likes. His lyrics are never more complicated than they need to be: “Bad things will happen if you act like a fool.” And with every track under 3 minutes, the songs are never longer than they need be either. Yet with all his brevity, Sartain is a study in efficiency when it comes to getting his messages across in a two-minute song: see “Walk Among The Cobras IV.” Lives’ thirteen tracks drip with the same pessimism, paranoia, regret, and disenchantment of his earlier releases. Sartain’s misanthropy (ie “I Don’t Wanna Go To The Party”) plays a central role in his music than ever. But his denunciations and manifestos are delivered with a wry smile and wink so as to never seem preachy or pretentious. Even the most God-fearing man would find it hard to resist bouncing along to the bass-line on “Atheist Funeral.” Whether or not you agree with his commentary, you’ll burn in hell (or somewhere roundabout) if you don’t join Dan Sartain and buy Lives today.

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Aerosmith @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Irvine, California
July 29, 2010
by Lindsay DeLong

I used to detest boys before Steven Tyler was introduced to my life. I planned on marrying my brother Camden, because I figured, if I had to marry a boy, I might as well pick one that shared my own cooties. But then I discovered Steven and realized that maybe I should keep my options open for a bit. My life changed drastically from then on. Hello boy crazy! Steven Tyler has an unnatural and alarming affect on people… even little girls.

I have been actively trying to meet Steven Tyler since I was 10. I used to send him invitations to my birthday parties each year, leaving my phone number along with the exact location, time, and theme of the event. He never came. I’ve written to Oprah because I heard that she makes dreams come true. She doesn’t. And not too long ago, I made a video for the Ellen DeGeneres show of me sitting in a bubble bath in a hideous pink polka-dot one-piece bathing suit singing the Aerosmith song, “Pink” at the top of my lungs. Ellen’s supposed to love that kind of passion-over-talent stuff… but apparently it can’t hurt the audience’s ears.

Nothing was working, and I still had an undying passion to meet him. That’s when I entered the Aerosmith’s Most Deserving Fan contest. The dedicated winner would receive a Meet and Greet with Steven Tyler and Joe Perry at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine on July 29, 2010. Each fan had to write an essay describing why they were most deserving and I was up against some pretty fierce competition, most notably– Richard S. –“The cancer patient who overcame cancer due to Aerosmith.” His entry made me want to quit and cry. But still, I’d gone through my fair share of disappointing birthday parties and wanted to win.

It was neck and neck between him and I for the entire four days of voting. He had forums of Aerosmith fans and fellow survivors on the official website rooting for him. He was fending well– but I was too. I was now an airline stewardess, and as soon as passengers stepped onto my plane, they were fair game. They had entered my audience, and I used it to my full advantage. They had to listen to an Aerosmith speech after the mandatory “seat belt and oxygen mask operations.” I would chat people up during the beverage service handing out full cans of cola, instead of the normal splash on a cup of ice. “You want two packs of peanuts? Here, have a handful!!! (Wink wink.)” As passengers would deplane I would hand them a cocktail napkin engraved with the link to vote. After the flight people would clap, and as old ladies exited they would grab me and squeeze my wrist and whisper, “You go girl!” and “I don’t blame you… he’s sooo sexy.” The people were feeling the affect.

It worked, and I won. And to ease my conscience I made a quick vow that someday, somehow I will pass my crown to Richard S.

The big day finally came. I was completely ready. I had given up pizza, candy, and Cheez-It’s a month prior. I did sit ups and pushups. I put glitter dust on my skin and an Aerosmith temporary tattoo on my arm. I wore gold. I wore earrings flaunting Stevens face. I was a nervous wreck.

I survived the VIP Pre-Party and drank free beer to calm my nerves. I made friends with ladies who had paid $1500 each to be there. I took a picture kissing a tattooed Steven Tyler on the lower back of a girl. I checked the makeup of a woman who had just turned 50 and had Heidi Montag-fake boobs, who dropped the tip of her red lipstick down the front of her shirt, just to watch it swiftly fall out the bottom because her boobs were so spaced out and perky nothing could have stuck.

The next thing we knew we were in a single file line leading into the room where Steven and Joe were. We were allowed to have them sign one thing each. The girl with the tattoo went ahead of me, empty handed, because all she wanted/needed was Steven Tyler to sign her tramp stamp. I was next. I had a framed photo of him and his girlfriend, Erin Brady (grrrr…) on the red carpet at some event… except my face was photo-shopped over hers. We looked perfect together. I adjusted my skintight denim dress and walked in.

And that is when 17 years of preparation took control: I handed Steven the framed photo and said in one breath, “Here Steven this is for you-it’s a present-it’s me and you-only not really me and you because that’s someone else’s body-and look at my earrings-they have you on them!” And that is when Steven Tyler said to me, “You’re crazy!” And I paused and looked back at him and said, “YOU’RE crazy!” And he screamed (thee Steven Tyler scream), and then I screamed (thee Steven Tyler scream), and I swung my arms around both him and Joe Perry like they were my old buddies and we took a picture. I was then whisked outside in a blur; tears of happiness swarming down my cheeks. The first person I saw was a woman security guard and I hugged her and she hugged me back and as I nuzzled my face into her bosom she said, “I understand, I understand.”

The Steven Tyler affect conquers all. From little girls and old woman, to models and actresses, to cancer survivors and most deserving fans, to security guards and 27-year-old “crazies.” Camden is going to have to find someone else to marry. Maybe I’ll go for Richard S.

Arcade Fire: The Suburbs

Score: 8.2/10

By: Sean David

We know everybody likes the Arcade Fire, but who would of thought EVERYBODY LIKES THE ARCADE FIRE. The Suburbs is going on a week as the #1 album in America. It’s not their best release to date (Funeral), but if you look at the albums it’s beating out in the list it’s pretty extraordinary and certainly justified. So instead of writing a review for the album we’ll just tip our hats, scratch our head, and wonder how such a thing could actually happen. Are people starting to like good music?

Pitchfork Music Festival 2010
Photos by: Josh Darr
Words by: Josh Darr and Derek Walker

Friday, July 16
It surprised me to see the crowd for The Tallest Man On Earth Friday afternoon. I had only heard a few of his songs before his performance, none of which I particularly enjoyed, so I didn’t expect such a large draw right out of the gate. But Kristian Matsson, the eclectic Swede, changed my mind with a strong half-hour set. A bit jet-lagged and sleepy-eyed, Matsson explained why he would have to keep his set to a minimum. “It’s an extremely short set today,” he said. “They won’t let me play longer. Maybe they saw how I looked.”

Matsson didn’t deny how he felt. “You get to see me at my weakest. The sun is so hot. I haven’t slept in two days,” he admitted to a vibrant early-afternoon audience at the Connector Stage. However, he did the most with his time, tearing into a handful of self-confessed love songs, including the beautiful “Love Is All.” And, while I have no qualms saying I didn’t care for his most recent album, I have no qualms saying I loved his set. Passionate, energetic and moving, Matsson brought an honesty and a bravado to the stage I never expected. His cocky strutting as he jammed away on his acoustic more than won me over – and I’m sure it won more than me over, as well.

I stuck around the C Stage for Liars, another band I hadn’t heard much of, but was curious to hear in a live venue. The crowd swelled a little bit as the sun started to dip, with plenty people gathering nearby to position themselves for Broken Social Scene. Immediately, I was taken by frontman Angus Andrew’s wild choice of attire – a shrunken Men At Work shirt and about the shortest shorts I’ve ever seen. His shrieks translated well to the big stage, amping up the energy of both the crowd and his bandmates, who weren’t half as outgoing as he was.

The heat still cranked all the way up, Andrew invited sweaty fans onstage to “have a go” at him because, hey, why not? Clearly, the band was there to have fun. The reverb-heavy affair was hit or miss for me, though the crowd more than got into it, with a few scattered mosh pits forming throughout. There were just enough hypnotic dance moves, microphone half-swallowings, head wobbles and Chicago name drops to keep me interested for the duration. A pleasant surprise, indeed.

After Liars’ supercharged set I had an important decision to make: do I get a decent spot for Broken Social Scene or do I go all in for Modest Mouse? While it was a tough call, I chose to line up for Modest Mouse around 7:30, a full hour before they took the stage. However, thanks to the festival layout, I was close enough to hear and see both bands – one more than the other, obviously. I never was too sold on Broken Social Scene beyond their stellar “You Forgot It In People” full-length, and as they only ended up playing two songs from that record. It was nice to hear “Cause = Time” and “Stars and Sons,” but the nostalgic in me would have went haywire for “Anthems For a Seventeen Year Old Girl” or “Almost Crimes.” Since those two weren’t played, I had no qualms about my decision to push closer to Modest Mouse.

By 8:30, the sun had nearly set and I was a good four feet from the barricade separating photographers and other important folks from the normals. Isaac Brock took the stage first, cigarette dangling from his lip, to an uproarious applause from the eager audience. He seemed in high spirits, as did the rest of the band, upon tearing into the first song of the set, “Tiny Cities Made of Ashes,” which was one of the more energetic of the entire evening. While many people I’ve talked to said the opener was the wildest the band got all night, I have to disagree – the craziest thing I personally witnessed was the epic 10-minute rendition of “Dramamine,” which blended perfectly into “Life Like Weeds.”

The set itself was fairly satisfying. There was a bit of leaning toward newer stuff, which was a bit disappointing, but Brock and company played every song so perfectly it didn’t make much of a difference. Despite glowsticks being chucked at his head the entire 80 minutes he was on stage, he took it well and shrugged it off, making a joke about swallowing the green fluid to turn his mouth pretty colors. He never ended up drinking the harmful-if-swallowed chemical, but his high spirits were more than enough. Another fun moment occurred as a fan held up a sign reading, “Play The Lonesome Crowded West,” which made Brock ask, “The whole album?” He then peered down at an invisible wristwatch, shrugged and kept going.

After much deliberation the band played an encore consisting of “Gravity Rides Everything” and “Black Cadillacs,” but I’m not so sure those were the right choices. I can only imagine how insane the park would have went had the much requested “Cowboy Dan” been played, if only for a few notes. In all, an explosive showing from the guys though the set could have used some tweaking.

Saturday, July 17
My Saturday did not have me arriving until the later part of the afternoon in an attempt to pace myself for the fun-tastic full schedule I had in store for Sunday as well as being more excited for the later acts. If you read my preview on Wolf Parade then there is no need explain my excitement to catch their performance seemingly on the hottest part and stage of the day, I feared at times Spencer Krug was going to melt on stage. This was a first time for me as I hadn’t the opportunity to catch them on any of the various side acts not to mention getting to shoot them to boot. Beginning the set with the opener, “Cloud Shadow..” to their most recent, Expo 86 with a quick rambly dispense of lyrics the Canadian quartet set the tone for the day’s later acts all of who utilized a synthesizing approach in some capacity.

They continued on swapping vocal duties between Dan Boekner and Krug, each poignantly illustrating their perspectives and playing unfazed from the heat. At one point, Krug announces, “I’m not sure what we’re gonna play; we’re just going to play for the hour they gave us,” as the crowd cheers to this announcement the band recommences. They play with high energy and intensity playing from each of their three records as Krug is set up on his keyboards center stage half sitting and hunched over in a true composer fashion. Not to take away from Boekner or Dante DeCaro pulling off double duty of their own strumming or pounding down on their respected keyboard as well. In between songs, Krug takes a moment to orchestrate the audience to say “HI Todd” their tour Manager, back in Canada with a broken leg noting the amazing aspects of technology allowing Todd and Dan’s wife (Handsome Furs band mate) Alexi Perry to enjoy the show from the comforts of their homes. Their set list reads like a greatest hits compilation of their last seven years, not having a weak moment in sound or again the amazingness of their energy not faltering from the blistering sun.

I hurry over to Stage B, as Brooklyn’s Bear in Heaven prepare to take the stage in the most shaded area of the park as the crowd eagerly awaits their performance, taking an intermission from the heat to relax and enjoy the psychedelic krautrock. I was excited to see them perform again as the last time was when they blew through town with Metric, finishing up their tour excited for a much needed break. Although just a trio, so much sound comes from the stage with a booming explosion of sound complimenting the high pitched wails of singer, Jon Philpot. Adam Willis sits back with ease observing the crowd, who hang on each word nodding their heads in a trance like fashion. The trio sits back with ease creating these grand multi-layered compositions emulating a soundtrack of a pseudo-futuristic film from the seventies growing with intensity and bombastic sound. What excited me more, was their evening set at Lincoln Hall that would include the newly developed light show the guys have been tinkering on during this tour.

My Saturday coverage ended with LCD Soundsystem playing background music to conversations with new and old friends. I totally respect James Murphy for what he is able to produce and I am just as inclined to throw on a disk when in the mood but my musical upbringing was not one post punk experimental dance rock. I had the please of catching there set in Manchester, TN this year at Bonnaroo as he played to an overfilled tent in the wee hours of the morning so I did not have an urgency to fight with the crowds to dance along. I have to admit I’m slightly bummed I didn’t shoot the performance but my priority lied under a tree with a cold beer. Regardless of my choice the crowd was energetic and pumped, dancing and moving along like the previous night the weather slightly cooled down aiding in laid back evening with enjoyable tunes.

Sunday, July 18
Unforeseen circumstances forced me to miss Saturday’s amazing lineup, including the band I most wanted to see, Wolf Parade, so I tried making the most of my Sunday. The first band that really interested me and caught my ears was Washed Out on the Balance Stage. I had caught a show of his a couple months ago at a much smaller venue called the Empty Bottle, and that almost ruined this experience for me. All the energy and emotion fueling that tiny bar show was sucked out of the set at Pitchfork, and I’m uncertain as to why. It was a little underpowered, a little boring and nowhere near as brilliant as I remembered it being in a cramped, sweaty dive bar this winter. And that’s a shame, because Ernest Greene, the man behind the Mac Book, is a wonderful performer.

The crowd didn’t help matters much. About half full as it could have been, most in the people were sitting around, seemingly waiting for the highly anticipated Neon Indian. Pretty hit and miss performance, though I wouldn’t go as far as blaming any one entity. Honestly, I just think the Washed Out sound works a lot better in the dark corner of a 200-person venue.

Sunday seemed like a good day for those there to relax and hang out. The temperatures cooled off by about 10 degrees and the cloud cover was more prevalent than the days before. This aided Beach House’s set on the C Stage and kept the band members cool-headed and full of well-timed, good-natured humor. “We’re happy to be back in the United States of America,” said singer Victoria Legrand as she opened the show. “We missed the big coffees.”

Like many other Pitchfork performers, I’d only heard one of Beach House’s records, and it never blew me away. Seeing them live changed my opinion almost instantaneously, as I was treated to delicate, dreamy pop music that was both deep with meaning and easy to digest. Songs like “Master of None” and “Norway,” two tunes I had heard before the festival, were done so well it almost makes me wonder how this band is still fairly unknown in most social circles. “If anyone has dry underwear by the end of this song, you’d better leave the festival,” said guitarist Alex Scally before playing “Walk in the Park.” Nobody left.

After my Beach House hangover, I swung by the festival’s arts and crafts set up for a while as I waited for Neon Indian. I had a sizable gap to fill between bands, and I thought I’d have a little more time before that set, but I was mistaken. Upon arriving to the B Stage, I was swarmed with people dancing and gyrating back and forth, some sober, some not. But, in unison, everyone was having a blast as Alan Palomo got the most he could out of the stage’s reduced sound capacity. I was pretty far back for this set, a good hundred feet from where I was standing for Washed Out, but I still heard everything perfectly.

I loved “Psychic Chasms,” which I still consider one of the better albums of the past two or three years, so to see the live takes of songs like “Local Joke” and the hit “Should Have Taken Acid With You” was a treat. My only wish was getting there a little sooner so I could comfortably catch more of the music. Well, a lot sooner, because this was one of the more crowded performances of the weekend, smallest stage withstanding.

Please excuse me as the sixteen year old me reviews the final performance of the weekend’s festivities. Winning the luck of the draw, I made it into the pit with the first wave of photographers as we listened to the rowdy crowd anxiously and rudely booing Pavement’s lead in, Q101 former shock jock, Ryan Rockin’ Murphy. His long winded intro beckoned the audience’s gratitude for his tiring attempts to break the band in the early 90s, as he sidestepped objects thrown at the stage by the impatient fans. Finally after an unending interlude the band walk onto stage thanking Murphy for his comic relief and strapping on their guitars ready to jam amping the crowd up even more as the first notes begin..Wait!!! Stephen Malkmus is having amp issues which no one had noticed and let’s try this again.

With the strum of the guitar and the high pitched hoots the set begins with “Cut Your Hair” singing with ease and familiarity as though these seventeen years have allowed them to evolve as musician yet retained the angst filled sound that had many teenagers blaring their music from their room in revolt. Thrilled and grateful to be taking the stage this weekend, Stephen greets the crowd momentarily before continuing the eloquent cacophony that had the overfilled park singing and dancing along. The beauty of bringing in a nostalgic ridden headliner like Pavement, is the fact that their setlist will essentially play out like a greatest hits album allowing the audience to drum up their memories to favorites and also reveal a new appreciation for a younger generation of fans.

Bob Nastanovich sat setup beside drummer Steve West playing an array of extra instruments pending on the song not to mention his ageless raspy yell as he handled many of the choruses and extra vocals. So many memories flooding my cerebral cortex triggering a mixture of emotions good and bad as I take in the last of this year Pitchfork Festival. Especially at the meat of the set with personal favorites, “Spit on a Stranger”, “Range Life” and “Trigger Cut”. A quarantine of the past end capped a festival of the now, with many emerging bands drawing from their youthful inspirations in their music from bands like Modest Mouse and Pavement closing a chapter on another congregation of the “intellectual” music fans and hipsters. Sweet dreams Pitchfork, until next year..I am headed to Lincoln Hall to see my friends Local Natives close out the weekend in style.

Festival culture
Atmosphere-wise, nobody does it better than Pitchfork. While Union Park isn’t in the most friendly of neighborhoods – something I would find out after Modest Mouse’s set Friday night – the festival grounds themselves are spacious and accommodating. Even with thousands of fans cramming the staging area waiting for Pavement, navigation from one side of the park to the other was painless. And unlike big brother Lollapalooza, Pitchfork offers a heck of a lot more than just music.

In addition to a terrific lineup spread across three stages, there was an art show called the Flatstock Poster Gallery, where concertgoers could buy old gig posters from their favorite musicians and screenprinters. The variety of talent on-hand for this was incredible, as literally every style was represented. OK, maybe not every style, but the selection was fairly massive.

Another unique addition to Pitchfork was the record store fair, a massive, bigtop-sized tent where record labels from all over the country come together to showcase their artists. Labels like Sub Pop, Polyvinyl and Drag City had impressive displays, while local boy Graveface impressed with a ton of freebies. Other vendors sold $5 DVDs, T-shirts of the bands not attending the festival, buttons, discounted vinyl records, CDs and tapes, and crafts.

Yes, crafts. Sharing the tent with the record labels were a number of artists displaying their artwork and handmade items. Everything from paintings to jewelry was offered, and for relatively cheap. The hour or so I spent browsing this tent really filled the gap between bands for me Sunday, and that’s what makes this fest stick out. I’m not a guy who can stand around listening to music for 10 hours straight, three days in a row. Never have been, never will be, so to be able to cool off in the shade and check out some local artists, dig through some records and snag a few more pins for my already pin-heavy backpack, that means something to me.

I should also mention the food and drink vendors, which were top-notch. A little expensive, but it’s a festival, I expected no less. Pitchfork deserves much praise for their low prices on water. The first day or so it was two bucks per bottle, which was then lowered to one dollar. Seriously, good move. With so many people being affected by the overwhelming heat, this was a very smart business decision.

Finally, while I’m handing out kudos, I must give a special mention to the staff. You all were unbelievable. Never have I been surrounded by a nicer, more caring group that looked out for my safety, as well as the safety of the thousands in attendance. If someone fell, security guards rushed into the crowd to save them, and if someone needed water, they would pass a bottle around the crowd or, even better, throw water into the crowd. It was a hot, sticky weekend and the people at Pitchfork more than made up for it. As someone who was affected by the heat himself, I appreciated the water I received while waiting listening to Broken Social Scene on Friday. This is how a festival should be run. Everybody else, take note.

Tim Kasher at The Tonic Room, Chicago, IL
From July 27, 2010
Review by: Derek Walker

Tim Kasher is a strange sort. After much success with Cursive, the band that made many a high schooler’s awkward phase just a little bit easier, he swapped bandmates and started The Good Life. The reviews were mixed. Some enjoyed the more somber, heartfelt lyricism of the new band, while others wished for more classics from Cursive. Both sides had their merits, and Kasher never really conceded one way or the other; he still releases albums under both monikers – good ones, at that. And now it seems he’s trying to outdo himself again with a third project, this one under his own name.

Kasher brought some new material to The Tonic Room in Chicago Tuesday, and the lot of it was fairly impressive. The venue itself was rather narrow, holding about 100 people on the best of nights. I have to admit it was awkward seeing the guy so close and candid. Having seen Cursive at festivals and medium-sized venues, one gets the illusion that Kasher is untouchable, a god of the stage who is just out of reach. To see him at a bar on the city’s north side, nervously strumming through poignant, delicately worded songs he attributes to nobody but himself was something special. He was backed by a three-piece band which included Geoff Dolce on bass and violin, Erin Tate (Minus the Bear) on drums and Patrick Newbery (Cursive, Head of Femur) on keys and horn.

The set list contained a good portion of Kasher’s upcoming solo album titled “The Game of Monogamy,” a cover of Tom Waits’s “I Want You” and a tremendous rendition of The Good Life’s “Night and Day.” Songs like “Monogamy” and “Uh-huh,” meanwhile, were true gems that allowed Kasher to belt out some of those “Ugly Organ”-era screams. On the whole, he looked a lot more comfortable than he did several months ago at a house show, also in Chicago. There, he forgot words and had to start a few songs over – which he alluded to and joked about during the most recent set.

It was a treat seeing such a high-profile musician in such an intimate setting. Even if the goal of this set was to work out the kinks of the new songs and test them out in front of an audience, nobody left disappointed.

“The Game of Monogamy” will be released October 5 on Saddle Creek Records.

Set list:
1. Bad, Bad Dreams
2. I’m Afraid I’m Gonna Die Here
3. There Must Be Something I’ve Lost
4. No Fireworks
5. Strays
6. I Want You (Tom Waits cover)
7. A Grown Man
8. Just Don’t Get Caught
9. Night and Day
10. Monogamy
11. The Prodigal Husband
12. Cold Love
13. Uh-huh

FOLLOW TIM KASHER ON FACEBOOK
VISIT TIM KASHER ON SADDLE CREEK

(Courtesy: Tim McPherrin)

In our favorite revenge tale of the year, a flock of pigeons shat upon (and maybe even in the mouth of) Kings of Leon bassist Jared Followill at a show in St. Louis on July 23rd! The attack was only a small portion of The Universe’s much grander scheme–retaliation for the band’s meteoric fall from honest southern rock band to the shambolic representation of everything that sucks about The World. But the gritty southerners didn’t just give up at the site of a little white shite on their leather Aldos. According to their publicist, “They really tried to hang in there.” How long exactly did they hang in there? Three songs. But in fairness to the Followills, if they opened with “Use Somebody” and/or “Be Somebody” it would seem like an eternity. We have to admit it would take somebody quite extraordinary to continue playing such crap music while being crapped upon. Apparently, Jared couldn’t be that somebody. Instead of seeing the shit as a sign from God (which reads “Stop Now”), these sons-of-a-preacherman merely cancelled the show and refunded ticketholders. If you want in on some of this action, tickets to one of their shows go for over $100. But seeing Doug Martsch’s face when the Kings of Leon get shat on: priceless.

Cap’n Jazz at Bottom Lounge, Chicago, IL
From July 18, 2010
By: Derek Walker

It’s been a long time coming for fans of the Kinsellas’ late-80s super group, Cap’n Jazz. Those who weren’t lucky enough to catch the band’s unannounced 20-minute reunion gig in January were treated to not one but two shows at Chicago’s Bottom Lounge, located a convenient block or two away from the Pitchfork Festival grounds in Union Park.

Both shows sold out minutes after they went on sale, which left many hopefuls to turn to E-Bay and Craigslist to acquire a ticket for either of the life-changing shows. Or both. I unfortunately missed the Saturday show, but tried my luck Sunday by hovering around the venue before doors opened, skipping the entirety of Pavement’s set down the street in the process.

I heard from friends who attended the night before the insanity a Cap’n Jazz reunion set provides. I’ve been in crazy, livid crowds before – as recently as Friday night when I caught Modest Mouse – so I sort of knew what to expect. Those expectations were far surpassed when the band tore into its first of 17 songs, “The Sands’ve Turned Purple.” Almost instantaneously, I was thrust frontward into the stage, then pulled back, then – well, you know how a mosh pit works.

The sheer lunacy provided by the guys who make up the band, each of whom is now in the mid-to-late 30s, was unreal. Tim Kinsella, frontman, occasional tambourine slammer and French horn blower, was especially animated. Even for him. Anybody who has attended a show for the defunct/on hiatus Make Believe knows how berserk the guy could be without a guitar in his hands, and Sunday was no different. No microphone stand or fan in the first 10 rows was safe from his constant flailing and many stage dives. One fan got nailed in the teeth with the microphone during “Yes, I Am Talking to You” – which she took like a pro, as she continued to scream her head off.

Midway through the energetic set, Tim tore his shirt off at the behest of the fans, his furry, sweaty chest acting as a Blarney Stone of sorts. Fans young and old, male and female all reached for Kinsella, hoping to touch history in the making. While guitarists Davey von Bohlen and Victor Villarreal, and bassist Sam Zurick, were spot-on the entire performance, Mike Kinsella deserves special recognition for his drum work. Rarely, if ever, missing a beat, the ex-American Football and current Owen frontman seemed more at ease behind the kit than he does with the spotlight directly on him.

There was a lot of moshing, as is to be expected at shows like this, and a few overzealous fans leapt up to the stage and started dancing beside Tim Kinsella and playing air guitar next to Villarreal before security pushed them back into the crowd. This didn’t deter the band from strumming through the songs, though. If anything, it only encouraged them to try harder, play louder and give in to their emotions.

Tongues opened the set with a rather disturbing stage act, though not everybody might consider a topless, tattooed girl in a clown mask rolling around on the floor “disturbing.” If you’re reading this and you fall into that lot, rent “It.” Tim Curry stars, it’s pretty great. Tongues played a tight half-hour set which was fairly enjoyable, minus the freaky clown lady – that was just unnecessary. Plague Bringer performed second, and while their sound wasn’t my style, the individual members were thrilled to be there, opening for Cap’n Jazz.

It was a wild night and a great capper on a hectic Pitchfork Festival weekend. While I ended up sacrificing the opportunity to see Pavement, I lucked out and found a spot at Cap’n Jazz’s last show this size in Chicago perhaps ever. The band will be back at Wicker Park Fest later this month, and they will play the Pygmalion Festival in Champaign/Urbana come September. And after that, who knows? Mike is working on his sixth Owen LP, with a tentative release date of spring 2011. Davey is hard at work on the next Maritime record for new label Dangerbird Records, and he hopes to have it out by the beginning of 2011. Victor continues to work on his second solo record, and will be releasing a split 7-inch with math rock band Loose Lips Sink Ships. Tim looks to head back to Joan of Arc, alongside bassist Bobby Burg and drummer Theo Katsauonis. The three are billing themselves the “Joan of Arc Power Trio,” and have plans to release a new full-length in the upcoming months. And Sam is, well, Sam.

Whether or not these next handful of shows are the end of Cap’n Jazz remains to be seen. The reaction from fans, however, has been beyond anything I ever have witnessed, and that alone may lend itself to future reunions or one-off gigs. But then, maybe it will not.

Set list:
1. The Sands’ve Turned Purple
2. Ooh Do I Love You
3. Planet Shh
4. We Are Scientists!
5. Olerud
6. Forget Who We Are
7. Basil’s Kite
8. Little League
9. Oh Messy Life
10. Sergio Valente
11. Tokyo
12. In The Clear
13. Yes, I Am Talking To You
14. Que Suerte!
15. Precious (encore)
16. Take On Me (encore)
17. Puddle Splashers (encore)

Remaining shows for Cap’n Jazz:
July 31, 2010 – Chicago, IL at Wicker Park Fest
August 27, 2010 – San Francisco, CA at Bimbo’s 365
August 28, 2010 – Los Angeles, CA at Echoplex
September 25, 2010 – Urbana, IL at Canopy Club

VISIT CAP’N JAZZ

-
Dan Sartain Interview
by Thirst n’ Howl

In any type of deep diving or self control course they teach you to breathe deep and slow prior to jumping into the shit. As I was about to interview one of my favorites, I figured I would do the same. It’s a good thing I did because the rest of the interview I was laughing my head off. Dan Sartain is a wild man. A goddamn feral animal of music and probably the most revered phone number stored in my phone.

IRR – Hey Dan Sartain, this is Monti Smith with IRR, how you doing?

Dan Sartain – Yeah, man, good, how ya been?

IRR – Not to freak you out or anything but I am actually super excited about doing this interview. (At this point I am obviously as happy and confused as a puppy with two peters)

DS – Cool man. Right on. I’m stoked to do it too man. Where you at?

IRR – I’m actually out here in California, just outside of San Diego.

Ds Cool man, I’m headed out there in July. You get that Swami show out there?
The radio show and whatnot?

IRR – Yeah, we dig Swami out here.

DS – I wish that stuff would have got more infectious. It seems a little exclusive to so cal but there are even people up in nor cal that dig it. I wish everybody had that mentality because I always thought that stuff was great, what he was doing.

IRR – So where are you at these days?

DS – I’m back in Alabama for the time being.

IRR – Alabama? Cool.

DS – Uhm, yeah, I don’t know. I don’t know why it’s cool to claim you’re from the south or something like that. I mean back in the day I would have to be like I don’t fuck pigs, I don’t hate black people, I’m from Alabama yes but I don’t own a horse or remotely know what to do with a cow. I used to have to do that with people. Now I see these guys, because I’ve been going over to England and they have a love affair with the blues. Like some mystic view, probably how I would view an old time band of gypsies or something like that. They probably view the south or blues people like that or something. I told some people that I’m from Alabama, and they say “do you live there now” and they’re from Michigan or something. And its like yeah I live there but it sucks. I’m not claiming it or something to have some connection to some history that I don’t even know about. I mean I like the Swami radio show more than I like the blues. I mean I guess there have been some posers from the south lately. I mean I have been going around with a fake California accent all my life. Saying dude all the time and fucking, trying to ride a skateboard. I guess I’ve been trying to imitate you guys my whole life and than I go to England and we get invited to play this blues oriented festival and there is this total English guy who gets up there and he is singing like a total negro spiritual. He was this white dude who looked like Rick Rubin and he’s English but he’s up there singing like “Jump down, turn around, pick a barrel of cotton” and I’m going “oh my god” this is like the most black faced thing I have ever seen. He is contorting his voice to sound like that. Its fake south.

IRR – So he’s dropping ya’lls with an English accent?

DS – Yeah he was while he was singing and it was honestly kind of insulting.

IRR – So you’ve been touring quite a bit in England lately?

DS – Yeah, its been going better for me over there.

Irr How do you like England?

DS – It’s good man. I’ve finally figured out what to eat over there. It took years but I think I’ve got it. You usually can’t eat English food but there is tons of other food. Its kind of like all of America is closer to Mexico, so I don’t really trust a Mexican place in England. But we’re closer to Mexico so we have better Mexican food. I mean, we are better at imitating Mexican food cause we’re closer but they are better at imitating Italy or India. Actually there’s too much Indian food over there. Its tough to tell which is actually better.

IRR – Now when you are playing in England do you have a backing band?

DS – Yeah I get different guys all the time. Some of them are English guys when I m over there. Last time I had some guys from Atlanta, which isn’t too far from here. But I think I may have tapped out all my resources here with musicians in Alabama. They go “this is too crazy, I can’t do it.” Which I don’t get it cuz I’m not getting drunk or into fights or anything like that. They might prefer that if I did cuz than they would think this guy is cool.

IRR – So, no one is getting knifed or shot?

DS – No, no, not yet. There’s potential there for it I guess. Hasn’t happened yet. Pretty tame actually. These guys are like this sucks. I’m sick of the hotel rooms.

IRR – Now back in the day you toured with the White Stripes. What was Jack white like?

DS – Uhm, that was weird man. I mean they knew that it was a privilege for us to be on that tour. And yeah, they were aware that anybody at my level or any level for that matter could use that tour. I mean Alice Cooper is great, and he could have played in front of that many people and he’s been doing it since the 60s. It was a privilege to go and do that, but they knew it. It was like “Ooh, wow, we know that we can be replaced at the drop of a hat if we don’t do every little thing right”. It was totally hospitable though.

IRR – Really? Because the few things I have seen of him, he looks pretty pompous.

DS – Uhm. Off the record, I hate that fucking guy. Off the record I fucking hate that guy. He was totally pompous.

IRR – Ok don’t worry, that won’t go on the record.

DS – Fuck it man, I don’t care. I don’t care. I got nothing to lose at this point. That guy was a fucking jerk and I am sick of pussyfooting around. I mean you assume that you are a nice cool guy but than people take it the wrong way. And people might really like him but they didn’t walk a mile in my shoes. And he was a fucking dick. That man is uncool.
I mean when he is cool, he’s cool as fuck. He writes good songs, he sings good, he’s got good taste in musical equipment so what the fuck man? I know lots of friends that do, and they aren’t assholes. Fuck it. I don’t know. People been asking those questions and I keep saying he’s hospitable. And its true, we got fed, we got everything we needed. But you know, I didn’t feel like I walked away with any friends because of it. No, that dudes a dick.

IRR – Hahahaha, you are my idol. On the other hand, how was it working with Jon Reiss?

DS – Great. Always. No, I mean there was a few times that I didn’t’ want to be there, but than I had to say that’s Jon. I mean the dude hasn’t been in a bad band. Ever. He’s never made a bad record. The dude has a flawless record since what, 1989? It’s going on a longtime. I really trust the guys’ opinion. Every time that I would realize that, I would think maybe that’s not where I would go with it but than I would think “I cant argue with him. It’s Jon.” But I didn’t feel like that working with Jack because I had to wonder, “Does he want this record to sound bad?” I don’t know man, I don’t know.

IRR – So what music are you listening to these days?

DS – Tons and tons of the Ramones. It’s been kind of a weird year and those guys just rode the happiness. It’s totally safe. For as dangerous as they must have seemed at the time, they are just really safe. I know that I can get any Ramones record and there will be 3 or 4 songs that I like a lot. I mean even the ones with the studio guitarist ripping in the background are always good. I mean even Brain Drain. They are just always good. A safe place I can go.

IRR – I think on your Daytrotter sessions you did a Rufus Thomas cover that I really dug.

DS – Yeah Rufus Thomas. I love that song “Tiger Man”. I know it as the funny Elvis version.

*At this point my phone recorder is dying after the standard amount of time we give each interview. I have not yet even spoken to Dan about the new album Dan Sartain Lives, Girlfriends, Cats, Chic-Fil-A and Cobras, which seem to fascinate him so he agrees to talk to me later.

Phone rings, I slow my breathing and pray he picks up again.

DS – Hey man.

IRR – Sorry about that, glad I got you back and I want to ask you some more about some of my favorite songs. I notice you have quite a penchant for Cobras. What’s the background on that?

DS – Well, its just that it was one of my earlier songs and one of my best songs. I really liked that song when I made it. When I wrote it I knew that it was good, so I’ve been trying to do it again. I don’t know. I thought I was done with em. And those problems that I had when I wrote it seem to be recurring.

IRR – Yeah it seems to be a recurring theme between cobras, leeches and hanger ons. Is that people hanging on you or memories hanging on you?

DS – Well, probably both. I heard Mike Tyson quoting somebody else. He was talking about his old trainer. This old white dude from the old days in upstate New York. He got Tyson, this kid from the city and he brought him into his house and kind of raised him up there in a place with a huge yard and things like that. And he was talking to him and just telling it to him straight. “Look there are people out there and they are animals disguised as human beings, and you aren’t intelligent enough to decipher the two” and he told Tyson that and Tyson still quotes it. Basically telling him that he wasn’t really that smart. And hopefully I can tell the two apart but sometimes you can’t. But I don’t know. I’m like that too. There are folks that I let down and they probably feel that way about me. I hate it, but that’s kind of life.

IRR – Another one of my favorites of yours is “ The world is gonna break your heart”

DS – I recently started doing that one live, because everybody was requesting it. But when I am doing these openings there may only be 10 or 20 of my folks there. That may be coincidentally a fan of the other band but if you are the opening act you don’t want to play a song that soft. You want to grab people’s attention with the harder songs. Plus if I play a softer song and the 10 or so people love it but the rest of the crowd is thinking “who is this pussy singing about his feelings” well than you know I’m not going to do it. But on this last tour I was playing by myself and I just started doing it and it got real quite. Like you could hear a pin drop, but not in a bad way, I mean everybody clapped at the end.

IRR – On that same album Join Dan Sartain you also had Besame Mucho and Flight of the Finch which both kind of had a Latino feel. Was that new for you and what caused you to go exploring that genre?

DS – Honestly, it probably had less to do with that culture and more to do with Italian Westerns. I mean I really like those movies and those guitar tones. So I guess I am trying to sound like Italian guys trying to sound like Latino guys. You know. Its just minor chords I guess.

IRR – So you’re headed out with Social distortion pretty soon. When does that start July?

DS – Yeah a little sooner than that. I have to head up to New York pretty soon. Yeah, I am kind of weary of it cuz I know that crowd. But I usually do pretty good in front of those crowds.

IRR – What’s that a rockabilly crowd?

DS – Yeah for lack of better words we can call them that. I don’t know what it is. People with old-fashioned hairdos with a purple stripe and Frankenstein shoes. Wear earplugs and have a haircut like Elvis. I mean its cool. I want to do it. It’s a privilege and I don’t want to appear ungrateful or anything.

IRR – Than in August you come to San Diego and will be headlining at the Casbah, correct?

DS – Yeah, it’s going to be my first headlining show there. Ive headlined at some other spots in San Diego but never at the Casbah. I’ve opened for friend’s bands there. IF its one of Jon’s bands or Garr’s bands or any of our friends out there. I usually end up opening but this time it’s my show, so hopefully one of my friends will open for me.

IRR – Cool, that will be great we’ll have to get some Mexican food also

DS – Yeah man, anything that ends in bertos.

IRR – Shoot , we got one of those on every corner around here.

DS – I know man, don’t remind me. Well how about Chic-Fil-A? You got those out there? We got one here and they have this new sandwich that everyone is fucking excited about. It’s actually pretty good. I’ll probably go get one when we ‘re done talking.

IRR – Sounds delicious, and in that same vein let’s talk about the new album Dan Sartain Lives. Did you go into the studio with something specific that you wanted to accomplish?

DS – Yeah, well, we went and did the whole thing with Liam this time. Ive worked with him before and he’s very meticulous. He basically breaks me down to the level to where I am like wow, I can’t play guitar at all, like I’m absolutely no good. Than he rebuilds it and I’m better than ever. I don’t know if I’m a better musician after but I know I’ve got a better ear. I’m hearing things that he hears and I go, you know what, you’re right. He’s a really good producer. I want to do it again. I’ve already got some things reordered with him and I want to do more. Hopefully it wont be long before the new record because I have some things written and plenty to write about and more to write about and we’ve got a good team.

IRR – I love the new record, I don’t have it as memorized yet as Join Dan Sartain seeing as I just got it but it’ll get there, it’s a solid record.

DS – Right on, it’ll take a few spins. But, man… I really want this one to be successful monetarily. I feel like I’ve already done more than I thought I was going to do…I mean I hate to sound cliché or like I’m saying I’m a member of a club that I don’t have identification for but I think I’ve done as much as I think I can do underground or in the club circuit and it has branched out into doing big shows with big acts and things like that. So, i don’t know, I really want this one to be successful and I don’t really see any shame in that. People used to accuse bands of selling out and things like that. And yeah maybe in the early 90s or the early 80s when you could save up some money and have something to show for yourself. I mean, yeah, I’m in a punk band and I put out punk records and I own this house. But nowadays, I don’t know, I mean some friends of mine have just sold a song to Wal-Mart. And I know that Wal-Marts the bad guy and they aren’t paying those people living wages and they outsource everything and the jobs they do provide in this country aren’t really livable wages, but I also know my friends are good guys. They aren’t bad. And they are in their 30s or almost and they are still couch surfing and they aren’t really members of society or they wouldn’t be if it wasn’t for their girlfriend. You know what I mean. I don’t see any shame in that. There is no such thing as selling out anymore. And what’s even more fucked up is that they used to get people to write songs and whatnot. But I mean the music industry is dead or almost dead. I mean back in the day they used to employ people to write songs and write jingles for Ajax, or Coco Krispies or Coca Cola or whatever. They would hire somebody who had an ear for tunes to write something and they don’t do that anymore. They take pre-existing songs and the people in charge of that have better ears than people on the radio. I mean you don’t hear the Buzzcocks on the radio, at least not here in Alabama. But you do hear it on the TV. I fucking turn on the television a few years ago and I hear the Misfits. On the television! It’s fucking crazy. It’s not entirely bad because it’s showing that whoever does the hiring for those companies isn’t doing such a bad job. But that’s not their job. They are supposed to be selling you car insurance not turning you onto good music. That should be the radios job. You know what I mean. I mean I heard this great band from a Tony Hawk video game. And I can’t deny it because it is great music on those commercials man. And I want to be in a commercial man!

IRR – Let’s do it. Lets get you rich!

DS – Well at least out my parents goddamn house! That would be nice. That would be really nice. But really, I got no complaints. I know why I’m here. I’m probably not a very good boyfriend and it doesn’t really make sense to pay money for a place that i’m not really going to be at for moths at a time. I mean I don’t want to ask my friends to take care of my cat and crank my car once a week cuz I come back and my battery is dead and my cats fucking skinny and has got fleas. Ya know. I’m waiting around for the right girl to move in.

IRR – There you go, lets start the Win A Date With Dan Sartain contest

DS – Yeah, man. A holiday in Cambodia. Those guys in England that put out my record. Some of the stuff we don’t agree with but ultimately I’ve decided I really like those guys. Sometimes they’ll do something that irks me or leaves me scratching my head but I like them But one time I showed up at the club and there was this god-awful picture of me that I never approved. Like with my shirt off or something and under it, it says “ win a trip to Alabama” I was like “Why? Man why? I mean Alabama is not a vacation destination at all. I mean anything that we have there, there is somewhere better that has it better. I mean Memphis is a town that actually has culture and things going for it and it’s still a pretty lousy vacation. So why would you want to come to Alabama? And than I found out it wasn’t even a contest. It was to get on a mailing list. But I mean if they want someone to win and come to my house cool but they will be thinking “ why the fuck am I here? I just flew 17 hours or something and now I’m in Alabama. What am I going to do” I guess they can hang with my parents, we got some Neil young records or we can go get that Chic-Fil-A sandwich I was talking about. I mean now I can look at it as funny but at the time I was like “What the Fuck” Plus I hate mailers. Those things are annoying.

IRR – Yup the mail never stops.

DS – Not for bad bands it doesn’t. Those things just keep coming, Myself included man. I’m not above anybody. I’m sure some people are sick of hearing about me. Maybe they don’t even want to know about this third record.

IRR – No man, I think the world is going to recognize.

DS – I hope so man, and it kind of felt like it this last time in England. I mean there were kids kind of dressed like me and they handed me this song and they said “we wrote you a song” and they give it to me and I’m like wow, this sounds like one of my songs. A lot of bands get bummed by that thinking that their sound is getting ripped off but I know what that means. It means if they rip you off they like you. And I would like to feel like I’ve accomplished something. I mean I’m almost 30 and I’d like to have something by this time. I mean I feel like I’ve accomplished some things definitely but its just that every job I’ve had I get fired at. I’m just not very good at it. Music is the only job I’ve ever got a promotion at. So i’m going to stick with that and hopefully it goes somewhere. And if it did, I wouldn’t be a dick.

IRR – Well, shoot, I hope it does go big. I hope you get all the money and you, your cat, your girlfriend and your car live happily ever after.

DS – That sounds great man. That’s what I’m trying for.

IRR –Alright man, this has been my favorite interview and you are one of my all time favorites out there so I’m looking forward to seeing you in San Diego. I just want to warn you that 2 or 3 of my friends love your music so much they will probably be so excited to see you they may go gay for you.

DS – Awesome, I’m ready for the Gay. See you in San Diego. Later man.