Fugazi is probably one of the most anti-pop bands to ever build such a large, fanatical audience. Their message is so appealing, but their music (while usually brilliant) is not all that palatable to even underground audiences. I can honestly say that it took me about five years to “get” Fugazi. I first discovered Fugazi when I was 15 after I found In On The Kill Taker among the CD’s that my “Hipster” uncle kept in his collection. After the decent first track, “Facet Squared“, I kinda just didn’t understand what was happening and turned it off.

Flash forward a couple years to 1999. Fugazi was touring in support of their End Hits album on the US west coast (a rare occurrence during their tenure as a band) with Dutch noise artists The Ex and I scored 2 tickets to see them at Sacramento, CA’s Crest Theater for the fittingly punk rock price of $6 each. I was amazed by the show and shocked by the contrast of the performance and audience to the other punk and hardcore shows I was attending at the time. I borrowed a copy of End Hits from a friend and it didn’t leave my CD player for a month.

After a couple of years (and time to acquire and hear the entire Fugazi discography with more discerning ears), the band released what is considered their paramount album: The Argument. While this is definitely the most tightly-performed and accessible Fugazi album, I continued to pass over the the track Full Disclosure because I couldn’t get past the 30 seconds of guitar scratching or singer Guy Picciotto’s repetitive wailing in the intro. Boy did I miss out.

This track embodies the soft-loud-soft-loud “Emo” songwriting pattern birthed by the same DC scene that Fugazi is king of, brining it full circle. It is as though the band was trying to scare off the pop-seekers during the first minute so that those who took the time and energy to finish the track were rewarded.

The video is below -- and once again support the artist and this site by purchasing the music through the Amazon link below. Cheers!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_cfKaaS_Fo

I was speaking with a friend last night when the topic came up. He had mentioned an 80′s cartoon show “Heathcliff” (based on the comic strip) and I instantly thought of the theme song. Now I was barely 2 years old when the show had its original run so even when I first saw it, it was in re-runs. Not only that, I think I only saw the show maybe 4 or 5 times as a small child. I for the life of me can’t remember even watching an episode specifically but I do know I watched the show. Of course the one element that always stuck with me was the theme song. I never actually knew more than a few words from the intro but the tunes always stuck with me in my head, even to this day. I suppose that’s the magic of nostalgia.

So this post is really just a shout to all the tv themes out there. I am a child of the 80′s so most of the tunes I can remember come from that era. But there were great ones from all decades. Two of my favorite are the original Spider-Man (1967) and the Pink Panther cartoons (1969). Both had awesome jazz BGM and intro’s. I’m sure most anyone who is reading this post is already singing the words to the Spider-Man theme!?! I’ll post a couple vids for your pleasure but you can listen to and find most tv show themes HERE. Of course sites like youtube and retrojunk have plenty of vids to enjoy as well. Give a shout to your favs in the comment box below. Enjoy!!!!!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdZOTp-0VOs

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o29VoxtsFk

Billy Bragg poignantly accomplishes this in his poem of young love spoken over an acoustic riffing of The Left Banke’s 1966 classic “Walk Away Renee” (which Bragg also uses as the track’s title). The slow song was no verses or choruses, and despite the meandering acoustic guitar Bragg’s verbal delivery quickly tells the story of meeting, courting, falling for, and losing a girl from his youth. The story is beautiful enough, but what I admire the most is the care Bragg has taken to distill the tale into a simple, quick, and haunting piece of language where there are no extraneous elements. And yet as minimal and short as it is it evokes such vivid imagery that one can picture all of the events from the story in excruciating detail: feeling the cold bathwater or seeing an ex-lover in a car parked with a new flame. It is reminiscent of the Flash Fiction philosophy of storytelling that was beat into my head by that English professor. The primary reason I am drawn to this song then is the way the story is told as much as the story and music itself.

Additionally, this song ideally illustrates how quality always takes patience. I heard an older version of this performance -- from over 20 years ago (1989) -- and while the elements of the story were all there it had yet to be honed into the elegantly succinct piece of art that it has become. It brings to mind an anecdote about the American author Mark Twain: in a hasty correspondence to a colleague he wrote “…I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”

Below I’ve embedded a video of a live performance of the song featuring Damon Gough (AKA Badly Drawn Boy, another one of my favorites) on guitar.

Support the Artist and this site by buying this music on Amazon using the link below.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Kf3maiQLqA

The past month or so I have been focusing a lot of my attention on how I define myself musically. That is, I have addressed my fans as well as those that attack my musical tastes. You may have read in my other posts that I have been accused of being a music snob. It’s a label that I don’t really mind so much, in fact, I take it as a compliment as well as an insult (it depends on the attitude of the person making the claim). With all that running through my mind lately I thought I would try and clarify some definitions and terms I use to make my arguments. Today I will address the term “Butt Rock.”

Anyone can find a pretty decent definition of butt rock on urban dictionary or other slang dictionaries around. As for the definition, it’s pretty clear but there is an element that is still missing. It’s not in the music itself because the sound is not what ultimately defines butt rock, it’s the attitude. The attitude I am talking about is not necessarily serious or tongue-in-cheek. There are plenty of bands or groups around that take themselves seriously and are not butt rock in my book. The attitude I am talking about is when a group is taking itself or its music seriously when it should be a joke. In addition to being a big fan of music, I am a big fan of comedy, in all forms. When the two are combined it’s even more glorious. I would say the best example of this is the movie “This is Spinal Tap.” For anyone familiar with that movie it is an obvious parody of metal bands of the 70′s and 80′s. The film takes serious musical attitudes and turns them into humor. There are many bands out today who do that with their music. They may sing about serious themes and even be genuine in their feelings towards each song. The difference though, is passion versus taking yourself too seriously. I think most fans can spot the difference of passion versus seriousness in a song or group. One example I can come up with off the top of my head is the song “Photograph”by the band “Nickleback.” Although the lyrics upon reading are heartfelt and meaningful, when listening to the actual song it makes me want to laugh. The whole thing just sounds so contrived and ingenuous. I am sure that Nickleback put a lot of effort into writing that song and performing it, but something about it just does not work. That is just one of many, many examples out there today. In fact if you ever catch one of those infomercials for compilation cd’s (any modern or alternative rock compilation) you can find an entire list of butt rock bands and songs. Even the announcer in those commercials sounds fake as hell. The whole thing just comes off as trying too hard to be one thing when it has absolutely no reason to be that way. I don’t have a problem with most butt rock songs in general. Like I pointed out, the lyrics and music can be quite a good listen, but the feel and attitude of a song can be its downfall. Next time I will address the next step down in butt rock progression, the butt rock cover bands out there (yuck). Catch you next time. Look below for a small sample of what I am talking about!!!!!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4SfFXNZWaE

After bashing certain Northwest AC/DC fans with my last post I figured I would contrast it with something I like. Today I bring you the band Maps and Atlases. The band hails from Chicago, Illinois and I would describe their sound as folk sounding math rock. Think speed metal with clean, jangly guitars, tambourines and bongo drums. What makes this band stand out is their unusual riffs and musical placements. The idea behind math rock is the quick pace and frequent calculated timing changes. Basically it’s a rock version of jazz. This is the first band that I have heard apply that to more folk sounding rock. Although the pace of most of the songs are fast and the instrumentation seems to wander they don’t lack interest. Listening to this band is like trying to solve a puzzle. Because each song has so much going on I can’t just listen to a song and move on. Every listen I find myself focusing on something different in each song. Every instrument is playing on its own yet it fits together with all the others. This band is a buffet of sound, there is so much there but you cant have it all at once. The only choice is to fill your plate and keep coming back for more. The lyrics are not as upfront as the sound of the band but they fit well with the flow of each song. I would say that this band is best suited for a listen while on a quick run or short drive. The next time you need a little pick me up or are a little bored give this band a go around and see if you don’t feel better.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEX0NgCzwLk

Sorry about the delay in posts lately. I have been in the process of moving out-of-state and another contributor to the site and his wife just had their second baby boy…congratulations. With that out of the way I would like to present my first B.O.B. post, this one being bottom of the barrel. So, I just moved from the Northwest down to SoCal (I also went to college in LA as well) and I have quite an idea of how their scenes are different music wise. The Northwest to me has always had a cool underground scene. Growing up in the Nirvana/grunge years in the Northwest definitely impacted my music tastes. LA and Southern California in general are just so crowded and have a lot of the spotlight most of the time that anything coming out of there always seemed so glam. I’m sure there are plenty of great underground musicians coming out of and striving in SoCal but because Hollywood is so, well……Hollywood that no cares to notice. Seattle and the Northwest always had the alternative to what LA was about, which was a good thing. Having said that there are some bad habits that lurk even in the dark corners of the Northwest. One of those that I have noticed in recent years has been the need by at least one person in any dive bar in and around Seattle to play AC/DC. If you walk into any out of the way dive and sit down you will hear at least one AC/DC song within an hour. I actually like AC/DC and I don’t mind hearing them every once in a while. I still get a kick out of showing people my Angus duck walk impression (which he stole from Chuck Berry by the way). Hearing them every time I go drinking with my friends though, not so much. It’s not just the older generation either. I see 22 and 23 year olds throwing their loose change into the jukebox to hear “Thunderstuck” or “Big Balls.” It’s as if the irony of “Big Balls,” never gets old with these people. Literally it’s like going out with your friends and your best buddy tells the same couple of jokes every time. I just cant find the humor in it anymore. Those folks in the Northwest though love their “Big Balls,” over and over and over again. So this is to you Northwest, once-an-hour, AC/DC fans; welcome to the bottom of the barrel!!!!!!

Who's got old balls? He's got old balls!!!

Last week I talked about the Greenhouse Party that occurred in Seattle. This week I bring you part two with the other two bands on the bill and a little bit about why these shows are important.

The band Thrones took the stage around 11 pm and had a rocking set. I believe they started in Seattle originally but they are currently located in Salem, Oregon. I would classify this band as doom metal. Heavy bass with dark keyboard riffs and minimal vocals. What I found really interesting about this band is the cool effects they bring to the music. This band is not meant to have straight forward sing along lyrics at all. When vocals are used they are meant more as a part of the sound rather than words to accompany the songs. I got back to the stage a few min late so I didn’t have a spot good enough for any pics, sorry. You can check out THRONES’ MUSIC HERE.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbAaoDP3zCs

The headliner/closing act of the night was a band called Helms Alee hailing from Seattle. This band is pretty straight forward rock, maybe a bit on the heavy side. If I had to compare them to anything it would be the band The Melvins. Quite a bit of distortion on the guitars and chugging drum rhythms propel this band forward. Their sound absolutely reminds me of grunge rock from the early 90′s late 80′s. It just has that sense of heaviness without weighing the music down. The pace is usually slower but not without the power of rock guitars and crass vocals. The party was winding down at this point so there was mostly a different crowd by the time Helms Alee took the stage. I didn’t get a good spot again so no pics of this band either unfortunately.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=smdn3c7__Wo

The Greenhouse in Seattle promotes themselves as a venue, but really they are more than that. The music artists that gravitate towards a place like this are in it more for the show than for having a huge crowd come and see them. The GH provides an alternative to stuffy venues and bar shows. You can come chill with folks on the front lawn between sets without the bar atmosphere. I think this really contributes to the feel of the music as well. At a traditional bar or club I feel crowded and foreign. This is more like a party and it just makes for a more comforable environment for me and other who come to places like the GH. Also, a place like this is not obligated to have certain bands play or have a specific quota to meet. The only concern is having people pay for the booze and bands. The GH is just a great alternative to what is more traditional and that’s a major part of what DIY is. The GH represents that attitude and style as much as anyone. If you get a chance, go to a show and check it out. HERE is their show calender.

I want to start this post off by giving a little warning first. I am going to make some personal injections which is not very professional, but hey it’s my blog and I can do what I want right?

A Couple days ago I got a call from a friend of mine inviting me to a house party in Seattle. This particular house was notorious for having cool bands play and rocking the DIY scene in central Seattle. For you younger folks out there, this is not a house party like the high school or early college sense of the word. There was no flip cup or beer pong and there certainly was no keg stands. This was a house party where fellow music lovers get together to enjoy some good tunes. There was drinking and some drug use, but there was no drama that immaturity can bring. There were no minors there trying to score some easy booze. 99% of the people were there to enjoy a good show and have a good time. I recently went to a high school type house party and all the drama that high school produced was there. After 45 min someone was already trying to fight me because they felt threatened for whatever reason. So to attended a party like I did the other night was a relief.

First on the set list was a female two piece called Lozen. They played an awesome set with one of the band members switching between drums, guitar and bass every other song or so. The best part about Lozen is the way they maximize their sound with just two members. The vocal styles blend perfectly with the driving guitar (or bass depending on the song). I could understand if on an album they sounded good because of the mixing and studio tricks, but this was a live set. Very punchy and just spot on rock. It’s too bad they were the opening band because honestly they deserved to be the headliner after the show was said and done.

Second up was Brothers of the Sonic Cloth. A nice three piece with very grind-core, metal driven songs. I would say the highlight of this band is the drummer. His use of the crash symbol and slow rhythm drum pounding really came to the forefront while I was listening. The drumming really took the lead as the bass and guitar players fed off of that. Their set was very loud and very in your face, just the way I like it!!!

Next Time I’ll talk about the other two bands and why this party is/was important to the scene.

Today as I was listening to some pop music I began to think about how it had been almost a year since Michael Jackson’s passing (RIP). Feeling a little reminiscent I popped in my copy of “Thriller” and gave it a listen. Although not necessarily MJ’s best album it was by far his most successful and also my favorite. It got me thinking about all that had gone into the making of that and almost all of MJ’s solo albums. Michael Jackson really was the beginning of the end of pop. He was the first to really popularize the pop musician as an artist. He looked good, he could sing, he could dance, and more than all those he could produce. Sure Quincy Jones was the official producer of the greatest MJ albums but it’s almost unheard of how much control Michael had over the creative process. He wrote songs, made some musical arraignments and just went above and beyond being a pretty face on the TV. I think today’s popular music suffers from the lack of great talent that artists like MJ possessed.

Mostly I blame MTV and the visual aspect that it brought to music. Really it was a blessing and a curse. A curse if you were a talented artist that didn’t have a good look (Christopher Cross comes to mind) and blessing if you had a great look but not so much talent (too may artists to name here). I think in a lot of ways it watered down the music and after almost 30 years it’s really starting to show. Now a days you almost have to have a reality show, a movie deal and a record deal just to break onto the scene. The music has just become a side aspect of the MTV generation. An artist like MJ didn’t need all that to stay relevant his entire career (although he did have parts of that throughout, think “Moonwalker” and the “Jackson 5 Variety Show”). MJ was a true talent and they surrounded him with opportunities to stretch that talent. An antithesis to that is what we have today; think Paris Hilton. Most would think she has no talent for anything, yet she had a successful reality show and a music album that was actually not too bad. It’s because they surrounded her with the best in the respected areas. The real genius didn’t come from Paris herself, but from the people around her (songwriters, musicians, choreographers etc etc). I just think it’s sad to see that. It’s a formula that started with the MTV big wigs and continues today. MJ didn’t have all that during his rise to stardom (solo) so he had to work much harder on his talent than today’s artists. So when I sit back and reminisce with a good MJ album I remember to think about what he brought to the music. I like to think that what I am listening to is really MJ himself doing what he did best. Today, I don’t know who’s making the music regardless of who the “artist” on the album is. I challenge everyone who reads this to make an effort to discover the real talent behind what you listen to. Read the liner notes and dig deep to see if the performer is really the one “behind the music.” You might be surprised.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ipk3kL_soU

Here is probably MJ’s most famous live performance. It not only solidified his superstar status, but it was also totally directed by the man himself. Everything from the lights to the camera angles capturing his moonwalk were thought out and directed by MJ. Genius!!!!!