May 10, 2004
Hitting the Brix:
by Kris Brix
Here are some random interviews I conducted this winter on Sunset Blvd. I initially wrote them for the now defunct Destroy All Magazine and it was going to be a regular "Man in the Street" article published every month to add levity. Well, we all know what happened to Destroy All and I'm glad I have the opportunity to resume this hobby and hope to continue it as a regular item!
I promised Norma Jean (RIP) that I would get her l'il article published one way or another so I am grateful to Barflies.net for providing me the opportunity to fulfill my small promise. It's rather poignent to read it now, I remember as she excitedly talked to me about boys out
back behind the Dollhut...
These were just general questions I chose for my first interviews ever. They are about MP3 downloading and internet dating sites and some of the answers are kind of amusing, ENJOY!
The Tony Voltage Interview
The Jon Interview
The Steve Interview
The Norma Jean Interview
The Dani Interview
The Jinx Interview
The Jennifer Interview
The Edwin Interview
Posted by Ms. Jen at 1:05 PM
The Streets of Hollywood - The Tony Voltage Interview
Name - Tony “Voltage”
Age - 24
Location – Los Angeles
Occupation – Human Resources Clerk
Favorite bands – A shit load… Destroy, Code 13, Chaos UK, Varukers
How do you acquire new music?
“Through interpunk.com or Headline Records in Hollywood”
What do you think of new CD prices; too high, too low, just fine?
“They are too high when it comes to mainstream corporate music. As for punk that I am into, sometimes I get bargains and sometimes they are high, depends on where I buy.”
What do you think of MP3 downloading, do you feel it’s justified or hurts the artist?
“Screw the artists, it’s a free enterprise. They still make millions so if they get hurt, big deal.”
Do you think Los Angeles is an easy or difficult place to meet others for dating?
“Very difficult because people have high expectations. You have to impress and try hard to get attention, unless you are the go-getter type.”
Have you used online services or personal ads to help you find people to date? If so, were you successful? If not, why not?
“I use them to meet people and if it turns out to be a date then fine. I have met many people from the net, some I keep in touch with and the others I don’t.”
If yes to the above question, any stories you’d like to share?
“Um… Sex, booze and punk rock ‘n’ roll, ha-ha! Whatever happens happens is what I say!”
-- Interview by Kris Brix
Posted by Ms. Jen at 11:56 AM
Waiting for Autumn - Now I Know Forever
by Ashley-Kiana
Waiting for Autumn - Now I Know Forever - American Jealousy Records
I really like this band. I really like this album. I am sad that they are broken up.
I was finally going to review the band Waiting for Autumn so I left the CD on my coffee table. One Friday after a birthday party my friend came over. She looked at the CD and asked me why I had it. She then proceeded to tell me that she was a friend of the band. She also said she didn’t like their music.
That was my little story for tonight. I do have to disagree with my friend though. I do like the band’s music. That was really the whole point of my story.
Now on to more important things: Waiting for Autumn was a San Diego band. They are on American Jealousy Records. The band formed in 2002. They released their first album in October of 2002. The album, Now I Know Forever could be considered very typical, very cliché but I like it. I know I didn’t tell you anything about how the album actually sounds, which makes it mysterious. Now go make your own decisions.
-ashley-kiana
Posted by Ms. Jen at 11:32 AM
Sunday Driver - A Letter to Bryson City
by Ashley-Kiana
Sunday Driver - A Letter to Bryson City – Doghouse Records
One minute and two seconds of typing. This is how Sunday Driver starts off their album.
The Miami band, on Doghouse Records, came out with their first and only album during February of last year. The full length, A Letter to Bryson City, is composed of 12 tracks, 11 which are actual songs. The band recorded their full length outside of Miami in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina.
Although Sunday Driver started playing the local Miami scene with emo and hardcore bands such as New Found Glory and Shai Hulud, the band itself does not fit into a specific mold of music. A Letter to Bryson City has a strong alternative rock feel to it; but the album goes back and forth between this and other music genres. The album is one of those albums that never gets taken out of your CD player. The music and the vocals can’t really be separated because they wouldn’t sound right individually. Aside from that factor, this album might follow bands, the All-American Rejects and the Get up Kids as “the next big thing.” Tracing Doghouse Record’s history of indie bands gone mainstream, A Letter to Bryson City might push Sunday Driver off the indie sector and into mainstream stardom.
-ashley-kiana
Posted by Ms. Jen at 11:27 AM
The Streets of Hollywood - The Jon Interview
Name - Jon
Age - 32
Location – Silverlake
Occupation - Production Mananger
Favorite Bands - Alkaline Trio, Clash, Rise Against, Maxine
How do you acquire new music?
“I buy at Amoeba or Lou’s in San Diego. Sometimes I burn copies off my friends.”
What do you think of new CD prices; too high, too low, just fine?
“Too high! I look for stuff used first, but if it’s more than $13 I’ll download it or burn copies off my buddies. Most chain stores like Tower and the Wherehouse aren’t even worth walking into. Best Buy has good prices on new titles.”
What do you think of MP3 downloading, do you feel it’s justified or hurts the artist?
“Well it hurts the artists and the labels but it’s justified. Music is too expensive. Sometimes the (MP3) quality sucks and it’s hard to find an entire album sometimes...”
Do you think Los Angeles is an easy or difficult place to meet others for dating?
“It’s difficult for sure. People in LA are less friendly than in other parts of California. Dating is weird and lame for the most part.”
Have you used online services or personal ads to help you find people to date? If so, were you successful? If not, why not?
“It never really crossed my mind that it was a real way to meet someone. It seems like a scam to collect emails, I don’t know about it enough. If a friend said they had luck, then maybe I’d try it.”
-- Interview by Kris Brix
Posted by Ms. Jen at 10:10 AM
The Streets of Hollywood - The Steve Interview
Name - Steve
Age - 33
Location - Santa Monica
Occupation - Electronics Technician
Favorite bands - The Cult, NIN, Social Distortion, Sex Pistols
How do you acquire new music?
“I do it all. I buy used and new CD's, download them, copy off of friends…”
What do you think of new CD prices; too high, too low, just fine?
“The price of new CDs now is way higher than what they were when I first started buying them in 1985 – then it was only $9.99! Most of the CDs I buy are used now.”
What do you think of MP3 downloading, do you feel it’s justified or hurts the artist?
“I think I can see both sides to this, sure the artists might have lost some money to downloads, but I think it also can help them also. I have bought CDs because I have liked tunes that I have downloaded.”
Do you think Los Angeles is an easy or difficult place to meet others for dating?
“With all these people crammed in so close, it’s easy to find a date. But at times the quality of these dates is less than desirable.”
Have you used online services or personal ads to help you find people to date? If so, were you successful? If not, why not?
“I have met a few girls here and there online.”
If yes to the above question, any stories you’d like to share?
I dated a couple of the girls I met for a little while. Also went out on a few dates with a DJ from one of the local stations, and we are still good friends. She was a freak!”
-- Interview by Kris Brix
Posted by Ms. Jen at 10:09 AM
The Streets of Hollywood - The Norma Jean Interview
Name – Norma Jean
Age - 21
Location - Orange
Occupation - Student/Beauty Advisor
Favorite bands - Aces & Eights, Wanda Jackson, Depeche Mode
How do you acquire new music?
“I buy CDs at shows a lot, or friends give me CDs. My friends burn CDs for each other.”
What do you think of new CD prices; too high, too low, just fine?
“I don’t see why people would buy CDs when you can burn them for so cheap. And then you can make your own CDs and leave out songs you don’t like.”
What do you think of MP3 downloading, do you feel it’s justified or hurts the artist?
“I don’t really think about it that much. I don’t go out of my way to download music; my friends do it for me.”
Do you think Los Angeles is an easy or difficult place to meet others for dating?
“I think it’s MUCH easier up here, guys from LA don’t give up so easily, they are persistent even if you say ‘no’ at first. In Orange County the guys there are a little bit more scared, they won’t come up to you.”
Have you used online services or personal ads to help you find people to date? If so, were you successful? If not, why not?
“I met a guy in Vegas and took a picture of us all partying. A year later I saw his picture on Rockabillydating.com and recognized him and we got in touch through that.”
If yes to the above question, any stories you’d like to share?
“I hit it off with that guy for 3 months and then I found out that he was back with his ex that he hadn’t completely broken up with. That sucked but I learned a lot about relationships in those three months”
-- Interview by Kris Brix
Posted by Ms. Jen at 10:08 AM
The Streets of Hollywood - The Dani Interview
Name - Dani
Age - 22
Location - Palms
Occupation - student/record store clerk
Favorite bands - White stripes, Outkast, Snoop
How do you acquire new music?
“I burn it, and buy it new and used.”
What do you think of new CD prices; too high, too low, just fine?
“CD prices are way too high, about double the price they should be.”
What do you think of MP3 downloading, do you feel it’s justified or hurts the artist?
“I think it’s amazing and it should be legal and it should be fine.”
Do you think Los Angeles is an easy or difficult place to meet others for dating?
“Very difficult; you’re always in your car, no ones ever just walking, no one’s ever just going some place; it’s always like a big deal to get in the car and go somewhere. And typical reasons like so many people in LA are superficial – especially in Hollywood where the bars are, and once you get drunk it’s not very easy then either!”
Have you used online services or personal ads to help you find people to date? If so, were you successful? If not, why not?
“I don’t use those but I intend to, I haven’t used them because it either costs money or it’s a pain in the ass.”
-- Interview by Kris Brix
Posted by Ms. Jen at 10:07 AM
The Streets of Hollywood - The Jinx Interview
Name - “Jinx”
Age - 18
Location - Lancaster
Occupation - between jobs/keyboardist
Favorite bands - Pantera, Metallica, Nirvana, Black Sabbath
How do you acquire new music?
“Internet, music stores, downloading mp3s and burning cds. Listening to it on the streets I guess, in the car, stuff like that.”
What do you think of new CD prices; too high, too low, just fine?
“A lot of them actually are going up pretty fast; you actually almost have to wait 2 months to get a CD almost at a reasonable price. A lot of places, you just have to know where to go, when to go, stuff like that.”
What do you think of MP3 downloading, do you feel it’s justified or hurts the artist?
“It hurts the artist a little bit because it takes away from what he could be making but it also gets, if the people really like it, it gets them to go out and buy the album afterward if they really like the whole album, since you can’t get the whole album on mp3, you can only get one or two songs. So it gets the person, if they really like the person, to go out and buy the album afterward.”
Do you think Los Angeles is an easy or difficult place to meet others for dating?
“It depends who you know, where to go. It depends actually a lot on where you go because you can just walk up to somebody just walking down the street. I don’t know it’s kind of easy, you could say I guess”
Have you used online services or personal ads to help you find people to date? If so, were you successful? If not, why not?
“Not so much, I mean I’ve got friends and stuff like that over the internet, and I go in chat rooms and stuff like that. Here and there I guess, you could say.”
If yes to the above question, any stories you’d like to share?
“That’s why it’s nice to have a picture, and stuff like that, on the internet so you can send it so you know exactly kinda what the people look like, here or there. I haven’t had any weird experiences myself. I’ve met a few way out people a couple times, that’s why I like having pictures so I can look, see what the person looks like before I meet ‘em”
-- Interview by Kris Brix
Posted by Ms. Jen at 10:06 AM
The Streets of Hollywood - The Jennifer Interview
Name - Jennifer
Age - 26
Location - Burbank
Occupation - costume maker
Favorite bands - Voltaire, Hours, Delirium, Bella Morte
How do you acquire new music?
“I buy them at concerts or online. I buy new CDs online, but not often!”
What do you think of new CD prices; too high, too low, just fine?
“$17 for a CD is an awful lot, I would definitely wait for it to go on sale or buy used or online when they are cheaper.”
What do you think of MP3 downloading, do you feel it’s justified or hurts the artist?
“I think it’s a bit of both”
Do you think Los Angeles is an easy or difficult place to meet others for dating?
“It can be difficult, yes. People are often unapproachable, intimidating”
Have you used online services or personal ads to help you find people to date? If so, were you successful? If not, why not?
Yes, just online dating.
Any stories you’d like to share?
“I only met one person and he was fine…”
-- Interview by Kris Brix
Posted by Ms. Jen at 10:05 AM
The Streets of Hollywood - The Edwin Interview
Name - Edwin
Age - 14
Location - Lennox
Occupation - student/guitarist
Favorite bands - Ramones, Buzzcocks, Peter and the Test Tube Babies
How do you acquire new music?
“I hear about the bands from friends and then look it up on the internet and download it, and if I like it I keep downloading so I have their CD and so forth and then I burn it.”
What do you think of new CD prices; too high, too low, just fine?
“They are just right, some of ‘em are too high though”.
What do you think of MP3 downloading, do you feel it’s justified or hurts the artist?
“It’s pretty good for me; I don’t think it really hurts them”.
Do you think Los Angeles is an easy or difficult place to meet others for dating?
“Easy I guess”.
Have you used online services or personal ads to help you find people to date? If so, were you successful? If not, why not?
“Nope, most of them just jack your money or… I find them pretty dumb”.
-- Interview by Kris Brix
Posted by Ms. Jen at 10:04 AM
May 9, 2004
It May Not Be Sundance, But It’s Warm - The Santa Barbara Film Festival, Part II
It May Not Be Sundance, But It’s Warm
A diary of two weekends at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Part 2
By Lauren Isaacson
Day 8 – Friday, February 6th
Film ~ Mayor of the Sunset Strip
Growing up as a sheltered Jewish American Princess in the Valley, I heard rumors of the mysterious Rodney on the Roq - the little imp with a perfectly unsuitable voice for radio, and an undeniable gift for finding the next big thing in music. This is his story, and it is nothing short of remarkable.
No matter what genre you’re into, Rodney Bingenhiemer had something to do with your favorite band’s success and they probably make an appearance in this documentary.
A highlight was the Q&A with Bingenhiemer and director George Hickenlooper afterwards. Hickenlooper complimented Bingenheimer on his selflessness, stating that success was never a priority for Bingenheimer; it was always about the music. I approached Hickenlooper after the Q&A because he had directed one of my favorite romantic movies, Man from Elysian Fields. He invited me to a private party up the street. Before, I was an official “hanger-on.” Now I’m one level closer to being a fake celebrity, just like Kato.
Film ~ Destiny Has No Favorites
Borrowing from the Bard’s classic tale of Hamlet, this first time director from Peru creates a humorous melodrama about a bored and pampered housewife who must put up with a soap opera filming in her back yard while her neglectful husband is away on business.
Music ~ The Lost and Wandering Jazz Band
Fronted by a lead singer with a striking resemblance to Red Foxx, this band of street musicians from New York by way of Paris entertained the passers by on State Street. I had to stop. It was just too amusing.
Day 9 – Saturday, February 7th
Film ~ Bright Young Things
A film about the vices and misadventures of the idle rich in English society during the 1930’s, and boy, did they know how to dress! Subplots, cameos, and misadventures abound, making this a very worthwhile film.
Film ~ The Boys From County Clare
The 70’s are back in Celtic fashion as three estranged brothers enter a Ceili band competition with their own entries and try to deviously undermine each other’s chances.
Film ~ Love’s Brother
Giovanni Ribisi’s character (an Italian immigrant in Australia during the 50’s) keeps getting rejected by his potential letter-brides. So, he sends the picture of his more aesthetically gifted brother instead, which receives an immediate acceptance. Now, how do you tell her that she’s actually marrying the ugly one?
Acrobatics
Did you know that on the streets of Santa Barbara you can get kids to give you back flips for $1? Being my mother’s daughter, I was able to talk them down to a hug in exchange for their feat. I do my people proud.
Day 10 – Sunday, February 8th
Panel ~ Creative Forces: Women in the Business
Producers Denise Robert [The Barbarian Invasions], Susan Jackson [Cabin Fever], director Mary Kay Place [The Big Chill], set designer Jeanine Oppewall [Seabiscuit], and costume designers Judianna Makovsky [Harry Potter, Seabiscuit] and Nigilla Dixon [Lord of the Rings, Last Samurai] discussed the universals of working in the movie industry.
Oppewall was my favorite: a real ball buster, and not in a bad way. You could just tell that she was capable of going head to head with the big boys and hardly missing a beat. She spoke about how anyone in this business needs Charles Atlas for the ego and being okay with terror. Fear can be your best motivator to do your greatest work.
Lunch with Panelists
After the panel, some of the speakers joined a few lucky members of the press for lunch at Left of Albuquerque. I sat with Jackson, Oppewall, and Place. We talked about product placements in film and television and how offensively obvious it’s gotten. We also talked a lot about Seabiscuit, and the lack of historical preservation in America. A few of the old tracks where they filmed the race scenes are being torn down in favor of housing developments, which would eliminate the one unique property in the area to attract filmmaking. Can we blame filmmakers for going abroad while we are diluting our own local color?
Film ~ Until the Violence Stops
This documentary about the work being done the with the Vagina Monologues V Day organization is a must see for all women and men. Everyone should sit through an hour of quilters talking about sexual abuse, Nigerian women opposing female circumcision, Lakota tribeswomen admitting to experiencing physical abuse, and Pilipino grandmothers coming forward to ask for reparations for being held as sex slaves by the Japanese soldiers during WW2. Violence against women is a horrible worldwide epidemic and this film helps make it visible. See it and bring tissues. You will be moved to tears.
Film ~ The Reckoning
Closing night was fairly anticlimactic -- only half the seats around me were filled. Not quite the full house of Day One. In this film, a former priest joins a band of traveling actors during the Middle Ages. Business is down, so troupe leader Willem Defoe decides to try taking a story from the town itself as opposed to the Bible and discovers the dark truth behind a local mystery.
It’s a solid $10 candidate.
If you have any interest in movies, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival is a great choice. Gorgeous setting, lots of Q&A session with filmmakers and informative panels. High on quality and low on attitude, I can only hope that I’ll be invited back next year.
Posted by Ms. Jen at 11:36 PM
It May Not Be Sundance, But It’s Warm - The Santa Barbara Film Festival, Part I
It May Not Be Sundance, But It’s Warm
A diary of two weekends at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Part 1
By Lauren Isaacson
Day 1 – Friday, January 30th
Opening Gala Movie ~ Valentin
I anticipated glamour and was greeted with a cattle call. I thought showing up at the theater fifteen minutes before show time would be more than enough. Unfortunately, that’s what everyone else in the universe had figured. Men plan. God laughs.
Thankfully, local journalist Steve pulled me in on the pretext that he was saving a seat for me. Once inside, I found a nice spot in the back and made friends with the charming couple sitting next to me, who even shared their popcorn and candy. This was a blessing, considering that the only thing I had for lunch was an orange. Where would I be without peanut M&Ms?
Valentin was delightful – a foreign language romantic comedy from Argentina about a little cross-eyed boy with dreams of finding real parents (as opposed to his ailing grandmother and anger management reject father) and becoming an astronaut.
A solid $10 candidate. Too bad it didn’t come out in time for Valentine’s Day.
Day 2 – Saturday, January 31st
Writer’s Panel ~ It Starts with a Script
This time I was prepared and showed up early. Jim Sheridan (In America, My Left Foot) was the star of the discussion. Sheridan’s most insightful comment was that when writing a script, all the characters are you. You are the mother, the father, and the daughter, all trying to work out your personal issues. If you’re lucky, you have enough of those issues to build a wealth of plot lines upon.
Anthony Minghella (Cold Mountain) also let the audience into his secret for adapting a book for film: read the book once and then simply try to stay true to his memory of the book.
Director’s Panel ~ Directors on Directing
The overwhelming theme of the discussion was the pressure: The budgets. The investments. The scheduling. Finally, Denys Arcand (The Barbarian Invasions) spoke up in his suave French Canadian accent and denounced them all for their complaining, saying that this was the greatest job in the world. Everyday you command an army of 100 men and women who are ready to kill for you. For a few months at a time you are God. Bravo.
Film ~ Noise
When you’re at a film festival, the biggest problem is choosing what to see. I counted how many movies were being shown that day: Twenty-seven. I chose Noise because Alley Sheedy was in it. Now, you can toss her aside for being a Brat Pack member, but she’s made some brave choices in the past few years and even received an Independent Spirit Award for her performance in High Art a few years back.
In this movie she plays a neurotic upstairs neighbor hell bent on driving her fellow tenant to insomnia, drinking, and eventually killing by making enough noise to drive rats into hiding.
Not bad. Not great, but not bad.
Modern Master Awards Ceremony ~ Peter Jackson
This is the biggest event of the festival, more so because it was Peter Jackson’s only personal appearance before the Oscars. The highlight of the ceremony was a surprise appearance by Monty Python’s own John Cleese, who gave Jackson a stuffed kiwi bird and said that a New Zealander being bestowed the title of Modern Master, was like someone from Bakersfield painting the Sistine Chapel.
I guess you had to be there, because it got great laughs in the theater.
Day 3 – Sunday, February 1st
Producer’s Panel ~ Movers and Shakers
According to Clark Peterson (Monster) talent agents don’t understand independent filmmaking. With Monster, the actress was essential, then the financing. Albert Berger (Cold Mountain) agreed. When Tom Cruise was attached to his film, MGM promised $80 million. When Tom dropped out to do Last Samurai, the $80 million went too.
Film ~ I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead
Mike Hodges made his Hollywood directorial debut with Sylvester Stallone in Get Carter. Past transgressions can be forgiven, especially if you can bounce back with the movie that put Clive Owen on the map, The Croupier.
Staying with what works, Hodges worked with Clive again with this story of mystery and revenge.
When Will Graham’s brother commits suicide questions arise and the answers don’t add up. Will must reenter the black market world he left behind in order to discover the truth and take care of what he left undone.
It’s a very good movie, but not for the severely homophobic.
Film ~ Bon Voyage
The clothes! The romance! The intrigue! The French! The CLOTHES!!!
On the eve of the German invasion of France during WW2 a gorgeous actress convinces her lover to dispose of a body. He gets caught and blamed for his murder. She does nothing to help him and the Nazis invade. The lover escapes and mayhem ensues. I’d tell you more but it get complicated.
Good movie. Great female 30’s/40’s costuming. I hope you don’t mind reading subtitles.
Posted by Ms. Jen at 11:30 PM
Forces of Evil and The Weakerthans
Reviews by Brian Yaeger
Forces of Evil - Friend or FoE? - Jive
If thou doth think Forces of Evil (F.o.E.) soundeth too much like Reel Big Fish, thee hast hit it on thine head. Don’t expect anything too creative or erudite (keep in mind, these songs spring from the same well that brought you “She’s Got a Girlfriend Now”), but it doesn’t mean you can’t skank to it. Replete with blue language, but self-aware enough to know that they shouldn’t “rhyme shit with shit,” this is the feel-good retro 3rd Wave ska album you rude boys and girls have been craving. Featuring a gumbo of old school OC ska folk, FoE consists of Justin Evil (Jeffries Fan Club, Longfellow) on the drums, Chris Evil (JFC, the Specials) on t-bone, Derek Evil (JFC) bass, Jay Evil (the Scholars) on trumpet, Jonny Evil (Lone Raspberry) on the trombone and Aaron Evil (Reel Big Fish, The Scholars) singing guitaring. John Evil handles additional trumpet duty. While every track will make you wanna pick it up, the last ditty, “Fight” is the real driving force behind the album. Keep in mind these are the guys who abandoned ska and became “Rock.” Why do they Rock so hard? Not to mention all the rock tribs they’ve been on and how they’re always going off about how metal they are. Anyway, they somehow talked Nsync’s and Britney’s label into releasing the album, so kudos on their fight for the right to skank. You’re still better off seeing Fishbone at 14 Below or Malibu Inn.
Before I close this mutha out, it warrants lauding the recording efforts of the one who truly made this album possible, Dave Irish. If Mr. Barrett thinks he had half as much to do with the quality of this platter, he can meet me in the parking lot behind The Living Room in Goleta, where I first saw RBF for fi’ dolla’, which is where they’d still be w/o Irish.
Weakerthans - Reconstruction Site - Epitaph
To say that this CD surprised me is an understatement. My expectations were anything other than what was delivered. And what was delivered is a moving, poetic & jolting folk-rock album from John K. Sampson of Propagandhi notoriety. Don’t let the occasional horns or voice modulation fool you—this is folk-rock. Folk fuckin’ rock—not this Dashboard Confessional emocore or Pete Yorn/Rufus Wainwright neo Americana. I mean, they’re Canadian. Maybe it’s “Canadiana.” It's not as twangy as No-Depression style bands like Sun Volt & not as rootsy as southern rock artists like Edwin McCain. The music comes from the man who was representin’ the militantly revolutionary punk outfit, Propagandhi, & the prairies of Central Canada's Manitoba, a mind & a place practically none of us can relate to. Sampson's lyrics have shifted away from pointing out the faults of society to the plights of individuals.
Despite my friend from the Great White North lambasting Sampson for singing “I hate Winnipeg,” he’s got the right since he hails from up yonder. Whatever the case, he’s a great lyricist, and he’s in top form on this new batch. Add it to your collection.
-Ipod
• AC/DC best
• Beatles all (avoid doubles?)
• Police all
• Pixies all but Silver incl. Tribs
• Set lists (see files)
• Sugar & Spice
• Covered & Smothered
Posted by Ms. Jen at 11:09 PM
Junkyard "Tried and True"
Review by Miss Kitty Kowalski
These guys woke up and figured out that the kids have been listening to punk rock for the last decade, becuase they issued this 6 song EP and put this incongruous image of a punk rock girl on the cover hoping it would sell to the fans of Brian Baker's current gig, but anyone who expects to hear punk rock on this disc will be sorely disappointed. Not that it's entirely bad - it's just classic Junkyard Sunset Strip circa 1987 rock without the cultural context. Not as silly and fun as Faster Pussycat, not as bombastic as the Crue, but you hear bits of tension trying to get through in "Fight". "Waste of Time" is the straightest hate fuck song I've ever heard. The title track is the power ballad that missed it's heyday, or the Black Crowe stole their slot. Speaking of incongruous,"Old #4" is a honky tonk standard with hair metal production, which makes it very Nelson, and I don't mean Willie. "Simple Man" is album filler, which is sorry, given that this is an EP. It seems as though Junkyard wanted to change musical direction within the span of six songs - from Monsters of Rock to Mavricks - and then gave up. I don't know if the Hot Topic set will get it, but it seems as though they'll buy anything sold in the right package nowadays.
Posted by Ms. Jen at 4:56 PM | TrackBack
The Descendents - " 'Merican"
Review by Miss Kitty Kowalski
Who writes a silly love song in punk form better than The Descendents? No one! (Except for ALL that is - ha ha). This one starts off with a simple little ditty "Nothing with You" which stands out in musicianship but the tune itself is something you've heard before. The bite comes back with "'Merican", a critique of how mean, white people have been shitty to just about everybody that's not mean and white. "Here with Me" is another love song, with the great chord changes, Bill Stevenson beats and song structure you've come to expect from classic Descendents. I'm sure lots of folks will take issue with "I Quit", but it's a great high-octane anger and bitterness-filled rant, and rightly so. Seems though everyone's cashing in on The Descendents' bit nowadays except for them. And as for "punk rock points", these guys have accumulated enough to buy and sell the "sell outs", but unfortunately, that don't pay the bills, kids. On tis EP, you have an older, wiser Descendents, and no worse for the wear, but must understand that they can't live on credibility alone and if you don't, they'll tell you. (p.s. The hidden track "It's a Lie" reflects that sorrow and fatigue).
Posted by Ms. Jen at 4:53 PM
