Yea, we got the talent....
PV's Jennifer Sica's photograpy is featured in the new issue of Alternative Press (with Chiodos on the cover). Pick it up and turn to page 122 to droll over her shots of Motion City Soundtrack!
Jen was Managing Editor when Planet Verge was in print.
Friend her on MySpace: www.myspace.com/jennifersicaphotography
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Lolla and other adventures!
As the weather starts to cool down, I am reminded that summer is nearly over. Unfortunately, I live in a part of America where the majority of the population embraces the change of scenery and temperatures. I do not. I frown upon it - as it means the summer outdoor concert season has come to a close. Boo! Can I at least think back through the last month of summer adventures?! Come with me, my dear ....
In 1991, a gentleman named Perry Farrell (Jane's Addiction, Porno For Pyros, Satellite Party) decided to organize an event he named Lollapalooza. This event was aimed to be similar to Woodstock and it ran annually until 1997. In 2003, it was restarted and I believe was cancelled in 2004 (due to poor ticket sales). Suddenly, a brilliant idea was had ... "let's have it in CHICAGO"! The 'if you build it, they will come' attitude worked! In 2005, Lollapalooza set itself in Chicago's Grant Park and has used that as its destination city/venue every year since. It started out with 4 main stages over 2 days. This past year, it expanded to 9 main stages over 3 days! It was literally 3 full days, nearly 12 hours a day of constant incredible music (along with a sea of endless masses of people)! Chicago's Grant Park not only boasts amazing views of the city's skyline, but it also includes Buckingham Fountain (which should be familiar for those of you who are fans of the old tv sitcom 'Married With Children'). My favorite stage was the Myspace stage on Saturday - as it sort of reminded me of a reunion with the current trendy favorites from Minneapolis - Tapes 'N Tapes, Motion City Soundtrack, and The Hold Steady played back-to-back (Sherwood also played on that stage).
I love watching Motion City Soundtrack's live show ... those guys have so much energy and I always wonder about Jesse Johnson and his synthesizer. I worry for him, actually - it seems he might get whiplash one of these days from playing so crazy. I realistically can't talk about every single band I saw at Lollapalooza as we'd be here until next year! BUT, with that said, I will quickly mention a few more of my favorites. Starting with Saturday - I ADORE Toyko Police Club!!! I believe they are all under 19 and from Canada but you'd never know their age from watching them play. Very entertaining and their indie rock style is super catchy! Silverchair is always another favorite of mine. I still can't believe they were only 15 when they recorded 'Frogstomp'. That album is still to this day one of my favorites! They played some new stuff from their fifth album 'Young Modern' which was released in March of this year. I was bummed nothing was played from 'Frogstomp'. The Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs were weird. Lead singer Karen O was sporting some wacky get-up and I was so busy trying to figure out what it was made of and how it was staying up that I think I lost track of the music! haha! Muse was the best headliner - hands down! It started pouring rain in the middle of their performance and not one person budged.
Lastly, Sunday I was most excited for performances from Paolo Nutini (he has the thickest Scottish accent I've ever heard and it's totally adorable), Kings Of Leon (by far one of most popular performances!), Peter Bjorn and John (whom lost power onstage and, after 20 minutes of waiting for them to return, the heat and crowd made me give up and move on to a different stage), and Amy Winehouse.
Now, Amy Winehouse seemed to be the concert of choice for many artists. I moved up to try and get a few great pictures during her show and I bumped into Ben Harper, Eric Applewick (Tapes 'N Tapes), Craig Finn (The Hold Steady), Eric Harvey (Spoon), and Chris Guanlao (Silversun Pickups)! I'm sure there were many more artists there to see her in the mix of the crowd.
After Lollapalooza, I spent a week in Los Angeles and luckily found myself in town during the outdoor street fair known as Sunset Junction.
It's a weekend festival on a closed-off section of Sunset Boulvard and I stopped by with some friends for Saturday afternoon's events. I saw Sea Wolf - an indie alternative pop band based in LA. It's actually a band formed around Alex Brown Church whom used to be in the LA band Irving. The concert was very entertaining but the heat and sun was sort of overwhelming at times and my friends and I ended up leaving before any other bands made it onstage. I also had the pleasure of seeing Andy Blunda's new project Eject at the Key Club AND James Grundler's project Golden State at the Viper Room that week. I first met Andy around 1998 - during his touring days with Fastball (do you remember their hit song 'The Way'?!). He soon joined James Grundler's project called Paloalto in 1999. If you've never heard of this band, please look them up (Paloalto). Honestly, Paloalto is one of my favorite bands (and sadly they are now broken up)! Their indie alternative sound paired with James' voice and song writing is unbelievable!
Ok, so enough traveling, right?! I'm back in Minneapolis now and I closed out the summer with my last week of warm temps here in the city. The Format returned to the Twin Cities (this time on a headlining tour!) and they played for over an hour I believe! Yah! This made me happy!
Their tour mates Steel Train and Limbeck ruled as well. Now a fact you may not know ... Motion City Soundtrack singer, Justin Pierre loves filmmaking and he paired with Shane Nelson to direct the Limbeck video for "Big Drag". If you've never seen it, take a peek (Big Drag) - it's a clever video shot to look like it was done in one full take (I hear it was really 2 takes but let's pretend it was one).
I also saw Damien Rice's solo acoustic show this past week. UN.REAL. I've been a Damien Rice fan for about a year or so. I think I was late on that bandwagon, but - nonetheless - I attended the show and was quite impressed. As he came out from stage right, the lights fully dimmed ... in fact, they shut off completely - and the only light came from 6 candles placed at the front of the stage. It was literally him, his acoustic guitar, and a grand piano for over 2 1/2 hours! He played his heart out (and occasionally told us funny stories between songs with his sassy Irish accent). At the end of the concert, he sat onstage heavily drinking a bottle of wine and telling the story behind the song "Cheers Darlin'" ... apparently it's about a man who bumped into a beautiful girl in front of a bar as they ran inside to get out of the pouring rain one night. They clicked right away and sat at the bar all night laughing and drinking. Suddenly, it's last call and they begin gathering their things and paying their tabs. This man is so excited about this woman and their connection. He wants to spend more time with her but, she leans over right then and whispers that she must get going as her boyfriend will be there soon to pick her up! He is shocked ... BOYFRIEND?!!! ... oh no - how disappointing ... and, that - my friends, is where the song begins. Now, go play it and listen with this story in mind. It will hurt your heart (in a good way).
* by Jen Panczenko, the "new girl" - thanks for reading!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
In which Jessica throws a book at her TV
"The war in Iraq, a direct result of the tragedy six years ago today..." was how a story began on the evening news.
BULLSHIT.
The end.
*By Jess, who is still waiting not only for evidence of Saddam's involvement with 9/11, but also of any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
BULLSHIT.
The end.
*By Jess, who is still waiting not only for evidence of Saddam's involvement with 9/11, but also of any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Geography was never this fun
I came across a really cool artist at the Red Bank Street Fair this weekend. She paints pin-up girls on maps. Check her out at www.pellmell.com. Glam up your walls! I deff. plan on it
<3 Joelle
<3 Joelle
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Exciting Revelation
I just realized that the new bass player for the Smashing Pumpkins is Ginger Reyes from the Halo Friendlies! Halo Friendlies were the first female artists I ever interviewed (they were opening for Good Charlotte) and they made the cover of Issue 3 of Planet Verge Magazine many years ago! The band has been on hiatus and members have been doing side projects, but it's so nice to see Ginger stepped up to the big time. Even if I don't really care for Smashing Pumpkins either way and that's prob. why I just figured it all out now.
Reminise with me: www.myspace.com/thehalofriendlies
Love,
Joelle
Reminise with me: www.myspace.com/thehalofriendlies
Love,
Joelle
Help Me Save Tigers!
For years I have been active in Save the Tiger efforts and never asked for help from my friends. But now I am, so please do it! lol thanks!
Without these efforts, tigers can become EXTINCT within the next 20 years. That's in our lifetime. Our children or grandchildren may never see tigers in a zoo.... These are such beautiful creatures and contrary to popular belief, they are solitary and only go near or attack people when they are ill or STARVING because we HUMANS destroy their habitat and they have nowhere to go but into villages.
Now do this for the tiger I adopted that was sadly killed by a logger and trapped under a falling tree years ago. And the cubs who died because their mom was killed and no one was there to save them.
all you have to do is go to this link and hit a button
* Action Defenders. org
we need 15,000 more people to sign the petition to save tigers! you all know my obsession with tigers.....
http://action.defenders.org/tigerhabitat
In the early 1900s, there were around 100,000 tigers throughout their range. Today, only an estimated 4000-5500 exist in the wild.
Thanks!
Joelle
since we're on the subject...
....I'll just say that I was a big fan of Breaking Benjamin, as members of that band were once in LIFER. And LIFER was the first band I ever interviewed. My first interview with Breaking Benjamin was a phoner with Aaron--back when their first album came out. It went great.
By the next album, I suppose Rock Star status went to their heads. It was an in- person interview when they headlined Starland Ballroom and a disaster! I arrived at the venue and the tour manager didn't know where anyone was. He said something like "Ben (the singer) is passed out drunk and Aaron jumped off the tour bus and we have no idea where he is or when he'll be here." Nice. So they tracked down Mark, who was super cool in his LIFER days. This time, Mark who was not prepared for an interview, said he had to go brush his teeth and would be right back. I waited a half-hour and then left to go eat White Castle. I skipped the show and went to a movie. No more Breaking Benjamin shows for me.
On a brighter note, the best interview ever was when Jen and I interviewed The Used. Jeph was soo nice and talked to us for an hour, which is way longer than the standard 10-15 minute alloted time for interviews. He revealed details of his personal life that out of respect, we'll never print.
We're not out to bash anyone, but if you're a jerk, we have the freedom of speech to let people know. Just like when Jared Leto kicked our photographer in the shoulder and poured water over her camera --when she had a photo pass to be up there taking pictures. But he did redeem himself by being uber nice and even hugging Planet Verge crew numerous times after that occasion.
And I must mention that Frank Iero is super nice. It's obvious My Chem has a super-strict management team. It was barely impossible for us to get an interview approved with them when MCR hit it big. But when Ordinary Clothing was nice enough to introduce Frank to me one Warped Tour, he said I could interview him right there on the spot. The result? The first article on Skeleton Crew ever published, I think.
I'll leave you with that, before I reveal even more gossip.
Love,
Joelle
By the next album, I suppose Rock Star status went to their heads. It was an in- person interview when they headlined Starland Ballroom and a disaster! I arrived at the venue and the tour manager didn't know where anyone was. He said something like "Ben (the singer) is passed out drunk and Aaron jumped off the tour bus and we have no idea where he is or when he'll be here." Nice. So they tracked down Mark, who was super cool in his LIFER days. This time, Mark who was not prepared for an interview, said he had to go brush his teeth and would be right back. I waited a half-hour and then left to go eat White Castle. I skipped the show and went to a movie. No more Breaking Benjamin shows for me.
On a brighter note, the best interview ever was when Jen and I interviewed The Used. Jeph was soo nice and talked to us for an hour, which is way longer than the standard 10-15 minute alloted time for interviews. He revealed details of his personal life that out of respect, we'll never print.
We're not out to bash anyone, but if you're a jerk, we have the freedom of speech to let people know. Just like when Jared Leto kicked our photographer in the shoulder and poured water over her camera --when she had a photo pass to be up there taking pictures. But he did redeem himself by being uber nice and even hugging Planet Verge crew numerous times after that occasion.
And I must mention that Frank Iero is super nice. It's obvious My Chem has a super-strict management team. It was barely impossible for us to get an interview approved with them when MCR hit it big. But when Ordinary Clothing was nice enough to introduce Frank to me one Warped Tour, he said I could interview him right there on the spot. The result? The first article on Skeleton Crew ever published, I think.
I'll leave you with that, before I reveal even more gossip.
Love,
Joelle
And then there's the flipside.
While I appreciate and admire Ms. Tumulty's enthusiasm for her work, I want to point out that most music journalism isn't really like a gossip column at all, unless you're talking that Pete Wentz/Ashlee Simpson type garbage.
Most music journalists--the good ones, anyway--write about real experiences. Not all of these are positive ones, no matter how you try to spin it to appease their publicists.
Take, for example, Houston Calls. They stood us up--which we understand can happen, but then they threatened to sue us when I wrote a make-due show review to have an article to turn in by my deadline (which, I should add, actually complimented their music tremendously), then stood us up again for a make up. Writing this now, I still have a little bit of an expectation to receive a summons in the mail any minute.
Then there was Hoobastank, who tried getting me drunk when I was sixteen, and Wakefield, of whom J.D. was a total sweetheart and Ryan and Mike pompous assholes (Aaron wasn't around long enough for me to characterize him) with sticks up their asses and egos the size of my very own stick-free derriere (which is pretty large for a white girl).
The fact is, most musicians are, in fact, good people--but not all of them. Both my journalistic and personal integrity prevent me from glorifying douchebags, especially when there are so many more talented, genuine souls out there who can't seem to catch a break. If that makes me sound like a Page Six reporter, so be it.
*By Jess, who thinks you should buy Cinematographic by The Junior Varsity.
Most music journalists--the good ones, anyway--write about real experiences. Not all of these are positive ones, no matter how you try to spin it to appease their publicists.
Take, for example, Houston Calls. They stood us up--which we understand can happen, but then they threatened to sue us when I wrote a make-due show review to have an article to turn in by my deadline (which, I should add, actually complimented their music tremendously), then stood us up again for a make up. Writing this now, I still have a little bit of an expectation to receive a summons in the mail any minute.
Then there was Hoobastank, who tried getting me drunk when I was sixteen, and Wakefield, of whom J.D. was a total sweetheart and Ryan and Mike pompous assholes (Aaron wasn't around long enough for me to characterize him) with sticks up their asses and egos the size of my very own stick-free derriere (which is pretty large for a white girl).
The fact is, most musicians are, in fact, good people--but not all of them. Both my journalistic and personal integrity prevent me from glorifying douchebags, especially when there are so many more talented, genuine souls out there who can't seem to catch a break. If that makes me sound like a Page Six reporter, so be it.
*By Jess, who thinks you should buy Cinematographic by The Junior Varsity.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
What MY Media REALLY Is...
It has recently occurred to me that after all this time of writing for Planet Verge (and loving every single second of it), that I am actually becoming a music journalist. I thank Joelle from the bottom of my heart for all these incredible opportunities she has given me. This has opened doors that I did not know existed, and I will continue to venture in this world learning as much as I can about myself, music, and journalism.
There are some people and some people in bands that view the media as a gossip column, spreading the often elaborated and embellished untruth of the band...the somewhat fabricated opinion or half assed biography/interview of what the band is and what it stands for... NOT every journalist does this. The media can be good! There are writers out there that are looking to give you the truth about the music you listen to, and are the printed voice for what bands want their fans to know!
I am not a journalist that does an interview with a band I don't love or do research on, or listen to their albums and know all the words. I would put off writing an article on a band I could not do HONEST justice, I write an article when I have experienced them as artists and as people (music is more than what you hear on your ipod). You can not write about a country you do no know exists and that you can not find on a map with your eyes closed.
I am not condoning writing anything extra ordinarily sugar coated...write what you mean, mean what you write. I have been fortunate enough to have opportunities presented to me to learn about new talented bands through this expedition into journalism.
Attending the AP Tour this past April I had only really heard of Circa Survive, yet I had been asked to write about many of the other bands that were there... Thanks to Anthony Green, I discovered tremendous talent where I was not sure there was any (As Tall As Lions, who is playing in my car). Don't judge a book by its cover. You can not write an article or a book or a accident report based on hear-say.
I do not judge bands or their members on their past mistakes or career choices. I look at what they are doing for themselves NOW and what they are planning on doing in the future. Their past was once their present and they were judged and ridiculed then, what is important is that they are doing what they are doing NOW. I want to do what I can to show the people that read Planet Verge who the band REALLY is... When I do an interview, I don't sit on a bench and ask meaningless question after question, I walk around the venue with them, or I sit on their bus and read the paper with them...I get to know the band that I love as people and as the musicians that make up the band...
I refuse to provide a altered version of a bands existence, I will show you who the band really is...the way THEY want to be known...
I just want to take a minute and thank all of my friends...who are in bands. I will never show you as something your are not. I am on your team.
Sorry for my rant. I just wanted to make sure that all you readers know that I care about you and what you read about music...
By Amanda Tumulty...who is listening to a mix of all her favorite bands...thank you.
There are some people and some people in bands that view the media as a gossip column, spreading the often elaborated and embellished untruth of the band...the somewhat fabricated opinion or half assed biography/interview of what the band is and what it stands for... NOT every journalist does this. The media can be good! There are writers out there that are looking to give you the truth about the music you listen to, and are the printed voice for what bands want their fans to know!
I am not a journalist that does an interview with a band I don't love or do research on, or listen to their albums and know all the words. I would put off writing an article on a band I could not do HONEST justice, I write an article when I have experienced them as artists and as people (music is more than what you hear on your ipod). You can not write about a country you do no know exists and that you can not find on a map with your eyes closed.
I am not condoning writing anything extra ordinarily sugar coated...write what you mean, mean what you write. I have been fortunate enough to have opportunities presented to me to learn about new talented bands through this expedition into journalism.
Attending the AP Tour this past April I had only really heard of Circa Survive, yet I had been asked to write about many of the other bands that were there... Thanks to Anthony Green, I discovered tremendous talent where I was not sure there was any (As Tall As Lions, who is playing in my car). Don't judge a book by its cover. You can not write an article or a book or a accident report based on hear-say.
I do not judge bands or their members on their past mistakes or career choices. I look at what they are doing for themselves NOW and what they are planning on doing in the future. Their past was once their present and they were judged and ridiculed then, what is important is that they are doing what they are doing NOW. I want to do what I can to show the people that read Planet Verge who the band REALLY is... When I do an interview, I don't sit on a bench and ask meaningless question after question, I walk around the venue with them, or I sit on their bus and read the paper with them...I get to know the band that I love as people and as the musicians that make up the band...
I refuse to provide a altered version of a bands existence, I will show you who the band really is...the way THEY want to be known...
I just want to take a minute and thank all of my friends...who are in bands. I will never show you as something your are not. I am on your team.
Sorry for my rant. I just wanted to make sure that all you readers know that I care about you and what you read about music...
By Amanda Tumulty...who is listening to a mix of all her favorite bands...thank you.
Punk's "Bling-Bling"
Meet Rusty Pistachio, husband, guitarist, rock icon, hero, jewelry maker. For years Rusty has been hand crafting jewelry for stars and for the people that stumble upon his hidden treasures… Rusty's jewelry line is called PNUT (yes, kind of a take off of his last name...). A few years ago one of my best friends, Jay Weinberg (of the band CHAOSIS) introduced me to Rusty and his lovely wife backstage at the Conan O'Brien show. Jay bought a couple of his pieces right there on the spot, and from just checking out what Jay was buying and the few pieces left for others, I was hooked. Rusty gets much of his inspiration from his tattoos and music ( he is the kick ass guitarist in the infamous underground rock band H2O), his unique style and handcrafting ability has helped him create lines of charms, rings, key chains, etc that people like, Brody Dale, Joel Madden, Mike Dirnt, and Braden Steineckert are rocking.
Recently I checked out the website to see if there was anything new that I needed to update my jewelry box with and I stumbled upon a new line that I think everyone should jump on…
By Amanda who will be adorning new PNUT jewelry for her up and coming birthday!!
Recently I checked out the website to see if there was anything new that I needed to update my jewelry box with and I stumbled upon a new line that I think everyone should jump on…
By Amanda who will be adorning new PNUT jewelry for her up and coming birthday!!
Friday, August 31, 2007
You're a filthy, drunk Hoboken
So today I made a field trip to Hoboken to go to the Beauty Parlour for a haircut and glaze (I like the word "glaze" because it makes me think of donuts, and I really like donuts) and to see The Gay Blades play at Maxwell's with Readymade Breakup, Hero Pattern, and some soft rock band (their words, dude). This blog was originally going to be about that, but then I drove home.
Through my first ever DWI checkpoint.
Having never consumed a drop of alcohol in my life, I wasn't expecting any problems, but they came, and they came in bulk. My first issue was with simply pulling up to the stop area. The cop's foot was on the line, so I stopped short of it, which, through some masochistic tendency that I don't care to dwell on, the officer disliked.
Then he proceeded to ask me what in the world I was doing in Hoboken. I told him, "I went to see the bands playing at Maxwell's."
He asked if they were any good.
"Three out of four were wonderful. One out of four was mediocre at best."
He kept scowling with skepticism, and at this point, I didn't know what to do. So I asked him plaintively and politely, "Sir, is there anything further I have to do here?" I thought since he wasn't letting me pass, he was going to ask me to walk in a straight line. This terrified me, because my billboard-sized birthin' hips don't allow that to happen, alcohol or no; in addition, my inch worm of an attention span would probably prohibit me from reciting the alphabet backwards without long pauses to look at shiny things.
The officer then handed me a drunk driving pamphlet and told me to read it and be on my way. I told him I wouldn't read it til I got home so I could keep my [lash-batting] eyes on the road. He glared at me. I rolled off.
The moral of the story is, don't drink and drive so I won't have to go through shit like this. I don't have the patience to argue with the poh-leese at 2 AM.
*By Jess, who was instructed to blog about the show by the newly bearded Jason Kundrath, but wound up getting offtopic
Through my first ever DWI checkpoint.
Having never consumed a drop of alcohol in my life, I wasn't expecting any problems, but they came, and they came in bulk. My first issue was with simply pulling up to the stop area. The cop's foot was on the line, so I stopped short of it, which, through some masochistic tendency that I don't care to dwell on, the officer disliked.
Then he proceeded to ask me what in the world I was doing in Hoboken. I told him, "I went to see the bands playing at Maxwell's."
He asked if they were any good.
"Three out of four were wonderful. One out of four was mediocre at best."
He kept scowling with skepticism, and at this point, I didn't know what to do. So I asked him plaintively and politely, "Sir, is there anything further I have to do here?" I thought since he wasn't letting me pass, he was going to ask me to walk in a straight line. This terrified me, because my billboard-sized birthin' hips don't allow that to happen, alcohol or no; in addition, my inch worm of an attention span would probably prohibit me from reciting the alphabet backwards without long pauses to look at shiny things.
The officer then handed me a drunk driving pamphlet and told me to read it and be on my way. I told him I wouldn't read it til I got home so I could keep my [lash-batting] eyes on the road. He glared at me. I rolled off.
The moral of the story is, don't drink and drive so I won't have to go through shit like this. I don't have the patience to argue with the poh-leese at 2 AM.
*By Jess, who was instructed to blog about the show by the newly bearded Jason Kundrath, but wound up getting offtopic
THE HIGH COURT
With fresh battle wounds still looming from their summer spent on Warped Tour, the New Jersey natives The High Court embarked on yet another tour, this time with the likes of The Cursive Memory and other more local talents. The band is made up of four charismatic guys named JB (vocals), Mike (guitar), Shell (bass), Denny (guitar), and Lou (drums). Last night they played a tiny, hot, sweaty venue all the Red Bank area kids know as the Internet Café. One might think that going from playing the Kevin Says! stage on this summers Warped Tour to playing a venue where there really isn’t a stage might be difficult or hard on the ego, not for THC…the guys seemed to feel even more at home.
Last night I had the opportunity to pull aside Mike and Shell and ask them about everything from their non-stop touring to liking the band Boys Like Girls….
Q: What was it like to be on such a huge national tour like Warped Tour?
Shell and Mike: It was awesome, probably the most fun we have ever had....You're out on Warped Tour NO sleeping allowed...
Q: What has been the hardest thing to over come as a band?
Shall: Being able to drop everything...leave your girlfriend at home and go and be broke for months...
Q:Where do you get your biggest inspiration?
Mike and Shell: The fans, when we are writing or recording we are sitting in a room picturing a room full of people listening and enjoying our music...
Q: If you could only play one more show where would it be and who would it be with?
Mike: Central park and maybe with Butch Walker.
Q:What do you do in your free time?
Shell: I'm a snowboarder, so I like doing that... Lou is a party animal, his friends stood by him, haha and he is also kinda an interenet hound.
Q: Who are you guys listening to?
Mike: We just got the new Envy on the Coast Cd and we have that in the van right now, they are awesome...
Shell: I'm really into Maroon 5 right now, they are such a solid talented band...
BOTTOM LINE- Go see them perform, and say hi...they are the nicest guys ever.
By Amanda who is thankful for The High Court and their fun-loving, always smiling personalities...
Last night I had the opportunity to pull aside Mike and Shell and ask them about everything from their non-stop touring to liking the band Boys Like Girls….
Q: What was it like to be on such a huge national tour like Warped Tour?
Shell and Mike: It was awesome, probably the most fun we have ever had....You're out on Warped Tour NO sleeping allowed...
Q: What has been the hardest thing to over come as a band?
Shall: Being able to drop everything...leave your girlfriend at home and go and be broke for months...
Q:Where do you get your biggest inspiration?
Mike and Shell: The fans, when we are writing or recording we are sitting in a room picturing a room full of people listening and enjoying our music...
Q: If you could only play one more show where would it be and who would it be with?
Mike: Central park and maybe with Butch Walker.
Q:What do you do in your free time?
Shell: I'm a snowboarder, so I like doing that... Lou is a party animal, his friends stood by him, haha and he is also kinda an interenet hound.
Q: Who are you guys listening to?
Mike: We just got the new Envy on the Coast Cd and we have that in the van right now, they are awesome...
Shell: I'm really into Maroon 5 right now, they are such a solid talented band...
BOTTOM LINE- Go see them perform, and say hi...they are the nicest guys ever.
By Amanda who is thankful for The High Court and their fun-loving, always smiling personalities...
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Quietdrive: One On One With Guitarist, Matt Kirby
House of Blues: Anaheim, California
By: Jackie Rudolph
There’s nothing quiet about this band, which goes by the name of Quietdrive. Representing Quietdrive was guitarist, Matt Kirby, who took the plate at explaining what the band truly stands for. Coming from Minneapolis, Minnesota, these guys were used to somewhat of a city life. They grew up in a great little music town which was both artsy and eclectic. No wonder why they’re so creative. Minneapolis was just enough for them, as if it was like a mini Chicago. Although these guys basically left their hearts at home, it’s the joy at the end of the day which keeps them going day by day.
Quietdrive’s success all started back in December of 2004 when Epic approached them for a major label signing, but it didn’t all happen so quickly. It took a couple of years for the guys to really put themselves out there and make themselves a worthy band. With so much experience in touring, these guys couldn’t and still can’t stop hitting a road. Matt describes them as a ‘touring band,’ since they are constantly on the road. Maybe one day they will be able to fly overseas instead of driving around the states and Canada in their tour van! But what are the best places to tour according to the band? Simple, home is where the heart is. Matt explained how coming home is the best thing, especially since the guys barely visit their hometown.
Speaking of their hometown, some of the lyrics are able to relate to home. With their song, “Rush Together,” Matt explains that vocalist, Kevin Truckenmiller ,wrote this song when he was in London, while the other guys were in college back in the states. Kevin wrote this song in Hyde Park about a real life person who he grew up with. Matt commented, “I would probably consider this song the most powerful song on the record.” As for the mystery behind the lyrics, the guys also change it up with a little cover work of the song, Time After Time, originally done by Cyndi Lauper. It’s an interesting story because one day, Kevin (vocalist) was at Kmart and heard the song on the loud speaker. He was not even that familiar with the song, so he made a techno beat for it. Then they changed the beat to rock, and finally it all fell into place as the guys made the song their own. The band seems to not believe in boundaries, but just know that the sky is the limit.
As for the artwork of their lyrics, their album artwork is breathtaking as well. Matt explained how their deadline for the album’s artwork was approaching and they were on the very last minute of time. With the concern of this artwork being the first stamp they were putting on themselves, they had to make a good first impression. The deadline was noon, and it was already 3am. The guys grabbed some drinks, and a friend who designed shirts. They went to the city that never sleeps, and got some shots of the drummer, Brandon, alone in the streets of Times Square, and finally, the artwork was on its way to a meaningful impression after a couple digitized details. Interesting how a place in which you’ve probably have made a visit to, shows off its true beauty on the band’s cover, amazing, is it not? Catching such a quiet, yet meaningful photo in such a loud and awake city is truly an unspoken vision of amazement.
With their album produced by Butch Walker, can there even be one single doubt that this music is true beauty? Matt commented, “There’s not a single bad word to ever talk about him. I’m a fan of Butch Walker’s production work. He’s amazing and so kind. He was trying to prepare for Avril Lavigne in Japan, so we only had 5 days with him before he left. Every night we were with him, he took us out to dinner and got to know us personally. He’s an awesome dude. He’s a total rockstar and the most down to earth kind of guy. We all totally look up to him.” With the love of Mr. Butch Walker, the guys also have a brotherly love for each other. Being on the road so long, they still are a group of great friends, and basically, family. “I’m married to like four dudes,” Matt mentioned. The guys have all grown so much with each other, and continue to day by day as they share their passion of music. Hopefully this is just the start of Quietdrive’s success, and most likely is, especially with the help of Butch Walker, whom we all love oh so much.
These guys tour a ton, so make sure to check them out!
www.quietdrivemusic.com
By: Jackie Rudolph
There’s nothing quiet about this band, which goes by the name of Quietdrive. Representing Quietdrive was guitarist, Matt Kirby, who took the plate at explaining what the band truly stands for. Coming from Minneapolis, Minnesota, these guys were used to somewhat of a city life. They grew up in a great little music town which was both artsy and eclectic. No wonder why they’re so creative. Minneapolis was just enough for them, as if it was like a mini Chicago. Although these guys basically left their hearts at home, it’s the joy at the end of the day which keeps them going day by day.
Quietdrive’s success all started back in December of 2004 when Epic approached them for a major label signing, but it didn’t all happen so quickly. It took a couple of years for the guys to really put themselves out there and make themselves a worthy band. With so much experience in touring, these guys couldn’t and still can’t stop hitting a road. Matt describes them as a ‘touring band,’ since they are constantly on the road. Maybe one day they will be able to fly overseas instead of driving around the states and Canada in their tour van! But what are the best places to tour according to the band? Simple, home is where the heart is. Matt explained how coming home is the best thing, especially since the guys barely visit their hometown.
Speaking of their hometown, some of the lyrics are able to relate to home. With their song, “Rush Together,” Matt explains that vocalist, Kevin Truckenmiller ,wrote this song when he was in London, while the other guys were in college back in the states. Kevin wrote this song in Hyde Park about a real life person who he grew up with. Matt commented, “I would probably consider this song the most powerful song on the record.” As for the mystery behind the lyrics, the guys also change it up with a little cover work of the song, Time After Time, originally done by Cyndi Lauper. It’s an interesting story because one day, Kevin (vocalist) was at Kmart and heard the song on the loud speaker. He was not even that familiar with the song, so he made a techno beat for it. Then they changed the beat to rock, and finally it all fell into place as the guys made the song their own. The band seems to not believe in boundaries, but just know that the sky is the limit.
As for the artwork of their lyrics, their album artwork is breathtaking as well. Matt explained how their deadline for the album’s artwork was approaching and they were on the very last minute of time. With the concern of this artwork being the first stamp they were putting on themselves, they had to make a good first impression. The deadline was noon, and it was already 3am. The guys grabbed some drinks, and a friend who designed shirts. They went to the city that never sleeps, and got some shots of the drummer, Brandon, alone in the streets of Times Square, and finally, the artwork was on its way to a meaningful impression after a couple digitized details. Interesting how a place in which you’ve probably have made a visit to, shows off its true beauty on the band’s cover, amazing, is it not? Catching such a quiet, yet meaningful photo in such a loud and awake city is truly an unspoken vision of amazement.
With their album produced by Butch Walker, can there even be one single doubt that this music is true beauty? Matt commented, “There’s not a single bad word to ever talk about him. I’m a fan of Butch Walker’s production work. He’s amazing and so kind. He was trying to prepare for Avril Lavigne in Japan, so we only had 5 days with him before he left. Every night we were with him, he took us out to dinner and got to know us personally. He’s an awesome dude. He’s a total rockstar and the most down to earth kind of guy. We all totally look up to him.” With the love of Mr. Butch Walker, the guys also have a brotherly love for each other. Being on the road so long, they still are a group of great friends, and basically, family. “I’m married to like four dudes,” Matt mentioned. The guys have all grown so much with each other, and continue to day by day as they share their passion of music. Hopefully this is just the start of Quietdrive’s success, and most likely is, especially with the help of Butch Walker, whom we all love oh so much.
These guys tour a ton, so make sure to check them out!
www.quietdrivemusic.com
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Spotlight: Unsigned Act -- THE MULHOLLANDS
Key Club (West Hollywood, CA)
By: Jackie Rudolph
"It’s always such a sunny day in California." This is just one of the many lyrics by the new, emerging band, The Mulhollands, which they proclaim to their audience…but really, what’s the meaning behind their words? Sarah, front singer and single standing female, explained that even if it is just another sunny day in California, there are other things going on besides the usual sunny days in California, for example, a tragic time. Even if many of the songs, as well as their band name, is Los Angeles based, not all of the members were born and raised in good old LA.
Hanging outside of West Hollywood's Key Club, I was able to meet up with the front female singer, Sarah. She explained her history as she came from across the country and settled in LA to try to live out the “Rockstar dream.” Well, she’s almost there at least. The gathering of The Mulhollands came together as the members all found each other and meshed together as a whole. It started when Sarah heard her future band mate jamming while she was hanging out poolside at her new LA apartment. And then it all rolled on from there. But why the name, The Mulhollands? One word, Inspiration. The band’s songwriter usually went up to Mulholland Drive, a well known road in Los Angeles, where one can see the whole city view, to write his lyrics, hence the name of the band. As of now, the band is not officially signed by any record label, but are in the talk of signing with a major label. PV wishes the best of luck to this band!
For more information, check them out at www.myspace.com/themulhollands
And if you're in the Los Angeles area, catch a show throughout all of September!
By: Jackie Rudolph
"It’s always such a sunny day in California." This is just one of the many lyrics by the new, emerging band, The Mulhollands, which they proclaim to their audience…but really, what’s the meaning behind their words? Sarah, front singer and single standing female, explained that even if it is just another sunny day in California, there are other things going on besides the usual sunny days in California, for example, a tragic time. Even if many of the songs, as well as their band name, is Los Angeles based, not all of the members were born and raised in good old LA.
Hanging outside of West Hollywood's Key Club, I was able to meet up with the front female singer, Sarah. She explained her history as she came from across the country and settled in LA to try to live out the “Rockstar dream.” Well, she’s almost there at least. The gathering of The Mulhollands came together as the members all found each other and meshed together as a whole. It started when Sarah heard her future band mate jamming while she was hanging out poolside at her new LA apartment. And then it all rolled on from there. But why the name, The Mulhollands? One word, Inspiration. The band’s songwriter usually went up to Mulholland Drive, a well known road in Los Angeles, where one can see the whole city view, to write his lyrics, hence the name of the band. As of now, the band is not officially signed by any record label, but are in the talk of signing with a major label. PV wishes the best of luck to this band!
For more information, check them out at www.myspace.com/themulhollands
And if you're in the Los Angeles area, catch a show throughout all of September!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Kind of musicaly related but you will be interested post.
I just thought i would drop a quick post with some tour dates...but not of the musical variety. I assure you i think you will like it though!
Chris Gutierrez, professional thought provoker and insanely honest writer is (or has by the time this is posted) hit the road in the US again to read to innocent ears of American civilians everywhere. "famed" (and i use the term loosely) for the Fall out boy name check in 'Take this to your grave's' track 'Hey chris' (Grenade jumper if i remember correctly) he has attracted fans from both this and beyond by setting up his own publishing company, Deadxstop. With his first book selling out and the second book now released, Chris is driving around the US ready to give you an insight to all of his thoughts and childhood stories. If you want to have a read of a few story snippets from the second book, the head on over to http://newbook2.livejournal.com/ and if you want to head on out to a date, which would be highly appreciated and very nice!, then have a look below to see where he is at, which is pretty much everywhere!
1 Aug 2007 18:00
uncommon grounds jacksonville, Florida
22 Aug 2007 19:00
souther folklore memphis, Tennessee
23 Aug 2007 18:00
Walter’s On Washington houston, Texas
24 Aug 2007 18:00
cafe brazil dallas, Texas
25 Aug 2007 13:00
Scooter’s Coffeehouse kansas city, Missouri
26 Aug 2007 18:00
coffee cartel st. louis, Missouri
7 Sep 2007 18:00
TBA las vegas, Nevada
8 Sep 2007 18:00
TBA phoenix, Arizona
9 Sep 2007 11:00
jennifers coffee connection studio city, California
10 Sep 2007 18:00
TBA sna francisco, California
13 Sep 2007 19:00
cutter point cafe tacoma, Washington
14 Sep 2007 18:00
bean scene minneapolis, Minnesota
15 Sep 2007 18:00
TBA milwaukee, Wisconsin
16 Sep 2007 18:00
the fixx coffeebar chicago, Illinois
17 Sep 2007 18:00
AJs cafe ferndale, Michigan
18 Sep 2007 18:00
Brielle’s Coffee and Team Room cleveland, Ohio
19 Sep 2007 18:00
TBA buffalo, New York
20 Sep 2007 18:00
TBA albany, New York
21 Sep 2007 18:00
Umass-lowell lowell, Massachusetts
22 Sep 2007 18:00
voxpop cafe brooklyn, New York
23 Sep 2007 18:00
starbucks Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
24 Sep 2007 18:00
TBA baltimore, Maryland
Some other useful link include!
http://www.myspace.com/thedeadxstoppublishingcompany
http://www.myspace.com/deadxstopstreetteam
http://www.askheychris.com - for the online store and livejournal
Seriously recommended for people who like the following
Coffee, coffee houses, anything in coffee houses (i recommend the cheesecake, always), being in a coffee house chillin while listening to someone talk FOR FREE, laughing, laughing out loud, using your brain a little, being intreuged, laughing at someone elses embarrasing expense, supporting the DIY ethics of punk rock.
sweet. ok. now go!
Gina x
ps. did anyone watch Biffy Clyro at Warped, if you did what did you think?
Chris Gutierrez, professional thought provoker and insanely honest writer is (or has by the time this is posted) hit the road in the US again to read to innocent ears of American civilians everywhere. "famed" (and i use the term loosely) for the Fall out boy name check in 'Take this to your grave's' track 'Hey chris' (Grenade jumper if i remember correctly) he has attracted fans from both this and beyond by setting up his own publishing company, Deadxstop. With his first book selling out and the second book now released, Chris is driving around the US ready to give you an insight to all of his thoughts and childhood stories. If you want to have a read of a few story snippets from the second book, the head on over to http://newbook2.livejournal.com/ and if you want to head on out to a date, which would be highly appreciated and very nice!, then have a look below to see where he is at, which is pretty much everywhere!
1 Aug 2007 18:00
uncommon grounds jacksonville, Florida
22 Aug 2007 19:00
souther folklore memphis, Tennessee
23 Aug 2007 18:00
Walter’s On Washington houston, Texas
24 Aug 2007 18:00
cafe brazil dallas, Texas
25 Aug 2007 13:00
Scooter’s Coffeehouse kansas city, Missouri
26 Aug 2007 18:00
coffee cartel st. louis, Missouri
7 Sep 2007 18:00
TBA las vegas, Nevada
8 Sep 2007 18:00
TBA phoenix, Arizona
9 Sep 2007 11:00
jennifers coffee connection studio city, California
10 Sep 2007 18:00
TBA sna francisco, California
13 Sep 2007 19:00
cutter point cafe tacoma, Washington
14 Sep 2007 18:00
bean scene minneapolis, Minnesota
15 Sep 2007 18:00
TBA milwaukee, Wisconsin
16 Sep 2007 18:00
the fixx coffeebar chicago, Illinois
17 Sep 2007 18:00
AJs cafe ferndale, Michigan
18 Sep 2007 18:00
Brielle’s Coffee and Team Room cleveland, Ohio
19 Sep 2007 18:00
TBA buffalo, New York
20 Sep 2007 18:00
TBA albany, New York
21 Sep 2007 18:00
Umass-lowell lowell, Massachusetts
22 Sep 2007 18:00
voxpop cafe brooklyn, New York
23 Sep 2007 18:00
starbucks Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
24 Sep 2007 18:00
TBA baltimore, Maryland
Some other useful link include!
http://www.myspace.com/thedeadxstoppublishingcompany
http://www.myspace.com/deadxstopstreetteam
http://www.askheychris.com - for the online store and livejournal
Seriously recommended for people who like the following
Coffee, coffee houses, anything in coffee houses (i recommend the cheesecake, always), being in a coffee house chillin while listening to someone talk FOR FREE, laughing, laughing out loud, using your brain a little, being intreuged, laughing at someone elses embarrasing expense, supporting the DIY ethics of punk rock.
sweet. ok. now go!
Gina x
ps. did anyone watch Biffy Clyro at Warped, if you did what did you think?
Monday, August 20, 2007
My bite is just as bad as my bark.
I, Jessica Sager, at the age of twenty years and eight months, just got orthodontic braces.
Apparently my dentist never noticed that I still had a baby tooth, and as a result, the canine that was supposed to come in its place became "impacted," meaning it never came down and is just chillin' out inside my gum. Now the adult tooth doesn't have enough room to emerge, so everything has to be moved over. My dentist would have gone on not noticing this had I not asked him if he knew why my teeth in that area felt more sensitive than usual. My dentist is a douchebag.
A problem that most people resolve in junior high is now being dealt with entering my junior year of college. Even I don't procrastinate that much.
I am still in shock at my transformation from Jessica Sager to Paul Wall in drag, and I've been listening to John Mayer, who will not love me for two years now, and weeping since leaving the office with a mouthful of Pantera.
On the bright side... Wait, what bright side? I went from a 5 to a 2, at best a butterface 4. The only silver lining I can find is the one connecting my brackets.
*By Jess, who has no desire to leave the house for 731 days.
Apparently my dentist never noticed that I still had a baby tooth, and as a result, the canine that was supposed to come in its place became "impacted," meaning it never came down and is just chillin' out inside my gum. Now the adult tooth doesn't have enough room to emerge, so everything has to be moved over. My dentist would have gone on not noticing this had I not asked him if he knew why my teeth in that area felt more sensitive than usual. My dentist is a douchebag.
A problem that most people resolve in junior high is now being dealt with entering my junior year of college. Even I don't procrastinate that much.
I am still in shock at my transformation from Jessica Sager to Paul Wall in drag, and I've been listening to John Mayer, who will not love me for two years now, and weeping since leaving the office with a mouthful of Pantera.
On the bright side... Wait, what bright side? I went from a 5 to a 2, at best a butterface 4. The only silver lining I can find is the one connecting my brackets.
*By Jess, who has no desire to leave the house for 731 days.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Scary Kids to Release NEW Album...
This is Amanda's pick for album of the "end-of-summer"....
After the sucess of their first full length album the Gilbert, Arizona natives are back to shock and awe with a sophomore album that, I think, will blow your minds.
Many of you may have recently been creeping around MySpace and stumble upon the Scary Kids Scaring Kids page and found that they have released their first single off their up coming release (which is self-entitled) which is called "Faces."
Having listened to the first couple tracks that have been released on their MySpace, I feel that it is safe for me to say that this new self entitled may be their best work yet... I can confidently foreshadow that this album will not let you down.
SKSK is currently on tour! Check them out!!!
www.myspace.com/scarykids
BUY IT.
By Amanda who is STOKED to see them on the 28th for their album release.
After the sucess of their first full length album the Gilbert, Arizona natives are back to shock and awe with a sophomore album that, I think, will blow your minds.
Many of you may have recently been creeping around MySpace and stumble upon the Scary Kids Scaring Kids page and found that they have released their first single off their up coming release (which is self-entitled) which is called "Faces."
Having listened to the first couple tracks that have been released on their MySpace, I feel that it is safe for me to say that this new self entitled may be their best work yet... I can confidently foreshadow that this album will not let you down.
SKSK is currently on tour! Check them out!!!
www.myspace.com/scarykids
BUY IT.
By Amanda who is STOKED to see them on the 28th for their album release.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Just a taste, just a taste on the tip of your tongue
The new June album, Make it Blur, is absolutely superb. It's evident that they had more production available to them with this record than with If You Speak Any Faster; their harmonies and drumming have made the clearest improvements, along with the addition on some tracks of a keyboard. And we all know I flippin' loves me some keyboards, especially if they're attached to the shoulder with a strap and played on a diagonal.
That's all I really needed to say for now.
*By Jess, who is in Texas and pretty bored
That's all I really needed to say for now.
*By Jess, who is in Texas and pretty bored
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Good:
- The new Rooney album, Calling The World; especially "Believe In Me," "Love Me or Leave Me," the title track... Well, darn it, the whole thing with the exception of "Are You Afraid Of Me," which is too slow for an upbeat band and sounds out of place on this record.
- The new Junior Varsity, Cinematographic; especially "I Went Blind," "The Sky"--they're filming a video for that one right now!--and, again, dammit, the whole thing. It's really hard to narrow down. The instrumentation on this album is absolutely sick. If you like shredding, sarcasm, and killer hooks, this is for you. It also features a cameo on "Wunderdrug" by Ken Vasoli of The Starting Line, which leads me to...
- The new Starting Line, Direction; especially "Island" (the first single), and "21." It's classic TSL fare: catchy, earnest, and just a tiny bit lyrically old at times: Kenny, we get it, you grew up on the road and people bitched about your hair. We know. And we love you anyway. This record also marks the band's departure from Drive-Thru and onto major label Virgin.
- The Soho Dolls are starting to get their British behinds in American gear, and damn, they're good. Think Shiny Toy Guns, only better. And hotter. Oh, yes.
- Under the Influence of Giants. Not only do they make the best dance rock I've heard in quite some time, but they're also really down to earth. I sent them a myspace message asking where I can purchase their new song "On My Own" so I could listen to it on my upcoming flight to Texas, and it turns out, they answered me within five minutes asking for my e-mail so they could send me a present. Keep in mind that I've never met them and they didn't have much incentive to send it to me because I said nothing about being a music writer in my message. They're sweet. And schweeeeeet.
The Bad:
- I don't care how much buzz, hype, etc. surrounds Feist--I can't wrap my head around a song that counts "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10." I suck at math, and even I know there's two numbers missing.
- While the thunder was keeping me awake last night, I decided to watch Cops, in which I counted no less than four instances of arrests without suspects being read their Miranda rights. Oink!
The Ugly:
- As a fan of Neil Strauss' The Game, I was crazy excited to watch the premiere of The Pick Up Artist on VH1, in part so I could put a face to the characters I'd read about. While Mystery is pretty hot, I can guarantee you that "Matador" and "J-Dog" would be regarded as a tool and gay, respectively, by me if I was to be approached by them at a club. "Matador" has slicked back hair and an angry, devious looking face. "J-Dog" looks like the crackbaby lovechild of Thom Yorke, Paul Reubens (better known as "Pee Wee Herman"), and Johnny Rotten. I pray that Pradip, Spoon, and the rest don't follow figurative and literal suit.
*By Jessica, who should probably start packing soon
- The new Rooney album, Calling The World; especially "Believe In Me," "Love Me or Leave Me," the title track... Well, darn it, the whole thing with the exception of "Are You Afraid Of Me," which is too slow for an upbeat band and sounds out of place on this record.
- The new Junior Varsity, Cinematographic; especially "I Went Blind," "The Sky"--they're filming a video for that one right now!--and, again, dammit, the whole thing. It's really hard to narrow down. The instrumentation on this album is absolutely sick. If you like shredding, sarcasm, and killer hooks, this is for you. It also features a cameo on "Wunderdrug" by Ken Vasoli of The Starting Line, which leads me to...
- The new Starting Line, Direction; especially "Island" (the first single), and "21." It's classic TSL fare: catchy, earnest, and just a tiny bit lyrically old at times: Kenny, we get it, you grew up on the road and people bitched about your hair. We know. And we love you anyway. This record also marks the band's departure from Drive-Thru and onto major label Virgin.
- The Soho Dolls are starting to get their British behinds in American gear, and damn, they're good. Think Shiny Toy Guns, only better. And hotter. Oh, yes.
- Under the Influence of Giants. Not only do they make the best dance rock I've heard in quite some time, but they're also really down to earth. I sent them a myspace message asking where I can purchase their new song "On My Own" so I could listen to it on my upcoming flight to Texas, and it turns out, they answered me within five minutes asking for my e-mail so they could send me a present. Keep in mind that I've never met them and they didn't have much incentive to send it to me because I said nothing about being a music writer in my message. They're sweet. And schweeeeeet.
The Bad:
- I don't care how much buzz, hype, etc. surrounds Feist--I can't wrap my head around a song that counts "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10." I suck at math, and even I know there's two numbers missing.
- While the thunder was keeping me awake last night, I decided to watch Cops, in which I counted no less than four instances of arrests without suspects being read their Miranda rights. Oink!
The Ugly:
- As a fan of Neil Strauss' The Game, I was crazy excited to watch the premiere of The Pick Up Artist on VH1, in part so I could put a face to the characters I'd read about. While Mystery is pretty hot, I can guarantee you that "Matador" and "J-Dog" would be regarded as a tool and gay, respectively, by me if I was to be approached by them at a club. "Matador" has slicked back hair and an angry, devious looking face. "J-Dog" looks like the crackbaby lovechild of Thom Yorke, Paul Reubens (better known as "Pee Wee Herman"), and Johnny Rotten. I pray that Pradip, Spoon, and the rest don't follow figurative and literal suit.
*By Jessica, who should probably start packing soon
Friday, July 27, 2007
They brighten my life like polysterene hats.
Words: Jess
Photos and Video: Joelle
A little over ten years ago, when I was roughly nine years old, there was quite a bit of snow one morning, leading to a delayed opening. I had extra time before catching the bus to go to my third grade class, so I decided to watch some TV. I flipped to MTV in the middle of a music video that sounded a smidgen like Nirvana, but with a much more beautiful frontman. The song was "Tomorrow" and the band was silverchair.
Since that day, I have been an avid fan and follower of these lovely Australian imports, from their grunge beginnings to their electrifying evolution to an almost operatic, ultra-melodic rock band. They are one of the rare acts that continuously and exponentially improves with every record.
Last night, for the first time in the ten years I'd been in love with silverchair, I finally saw them live. They played selections from every album sans Frogstomp, which is understandable. While that record wasn't by any means bad, when you compare it to the art they're creating now, it's probably a little cringe worthy for them. It'd be like Michelangelo putting childhood fingerpaintings inside the Sistene Chapel.
I could easily go on for days about their energy, their crowd work, their sheer musical genius--except it was so moving that I honestly can't find words for them. In fact, I almost fainted. I can sum it up with when my pal/hair stylist/fiancee-to-Joelle Michael asked, "Isn't it a dream come true?"
I nodded profusely, then went back to gaping at the image of Chris Joannou's glittering silver bass, Ben Gillies' constant smiling, and the image of a shirtless, nipple-pierced Daniel Johns dancing and shredding with his teeth. When, at the closing of the show, he kissed his guitar? Never have I wanted to be used as an instrument more.
*By Jess, whose throat is sore today from all the screaming she did last night. At the show, so get your head out of the gutter please.
PS--- We have an interview with Silverchair coming very, very soon!
AND NOW---- WATCH EXCLUSIVE PLANET VERGE CLIPS OF THE SHOW! Hold your applause for the end. I just want to say that I have been pretty jaded lately with the whole music scene. But Silverchair has rekindled my faith that superior musicianship still exists and there is a reason to shut off the television (ok so I technically cheated and taped General Hospital on Soapnet) and go out to shows again. I don't think mainstream America is worthy of Silverchair, quite honestly. But I'll share them with anyone if it means getting the band to tour here more often!
<3 Joelle
"Emotion Sickness"
"Ana's Song" Intro
"Straight Lines"
Daniel's Bird Joke
"If You Keep Loosing Sleep"
"Freak"
Jessica from Planet Verge and Perfuma's commentary after the show!
Photos and Video: Joelle
A little over ten years ago, when I was roughly nine years old, there was quite a bit of snow one morning, leading to a delayed opening. I had extra time before catching the bus to go to my third grade class, so I decided to watch some TV. I flipped to MTV in the middle of a music video that sounded a smidgen like Nirvana, but with a much more beautiful frontman. The song was "Tomorrow" and the band was silverchair.
Since that day, I have been an avid fan and follower of these lovely Australian imports, from their grunge beginnings to their electrifying evolution to an almost operatic, ultra-melodic rock band. They are one of the rare acts that continuously and exponentially improves with every record.
Last night, for the first time in the ten years I'd been in love with silverchair, I finally saw them live. They played selections from every album sans Frogstomp, which is understandable. While that record wasn't by any means bad, when you compare it to the art they're creating now, it's probably a little cringe worthy for them. It'd be like Michelangelo putting childhood fingerpaintings inside the Sistene Chapel.
I could easily go on for days about their energy, their crowd work, their sheer musical genius--except it was so moving that I honestly can't find words for them. In fact, I almost fainted. I can sum it up with when my pal/hair stylist/fiancee-to-Joelle Michael asked, "Isn't it a dream come true?"
I nodded profusely, then went back to gaping at the image of Chris Joannou's glittering silver bass, Ben Gillies' constant smiling, and the image of a shirtless, nipple-pierced Daniel Johns dancing and shredding with his teeth. When, at the closing of the show, he kissed his guitar? Never have I wanted to be used as an instrument more.
*By Jess, whose throat is sore today from all the screaming she did last night. At the show, so get your head out of the gutter please.
PS--- We have an interview with Silverchair coming very, very soon!
AND NOW---- WATCH EXCLUSIVE PLANET VERGE CLIPS OF THE SHOW! Hold your applause for the end. I just want to say that I have been pretty jaded lately with the whole music scene. But Silverchair has rekindled my faith that superior musicianship still exists and there is a reason to shut off the television (ok so I technically cheated and taped General Hospital on Soapnet) and go out to shows again. I don't think mainstream America is worthy of Silverchair, quite honestly. But I'll share them with anyone if it means getting the band to tour here more often!
<3 Joelle
"Emotion Sickness"
"Ana's Song" Intro
"Straight Lines"
Daniel's Bird Joke
"If You Keep Loosing Sleep"
"Freak"
Jessica from Planet Verge and Perfuma's commentary after the show!
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