A friend of mine, Portland indie rock overachiever Andrew Stern (he does a radio show, runs his own record label, and plays bass with five bands), asked me last-minute if I'd like to ride with one of his bands, electro-pop four-piece The Fast Computers, in their van down to Eugene to play the Eugene Celebration. It had been years since I'd made it down that way, and it sounded like a fun adventure, so I agreed.
The first thing I noticed (after noticing all the Cat-in-the-Hat hats) was the readerboard with the bands' names and times for their stage, which also attempted to give them some sort of genre category:
I had seen two of the three bands the previous weekend at Musicfest NW, but I realized that, since half of the experience of seeing a band live is the crowd and context you're seeing them in, this would be a completely different show.
One of my favorite parts of seeing the Fast Computers live is their drummer, Jennifer Fox. She is happy whenever you talk to her or see her, but when she's on the drums, she beams. She bounces around the whole time, with a smile that could cheer even the most depressed emo teenager.
Peter Dean is showman's showman, with a voice so golden, only a gold microphone will do.
LISTEN: The Fast Computers - Sweden Hasn't Changed, You Have
Despite some sound problems and the lights going out, Menomena played a fabulous and solid set of their loop-based, um, punk.
MP3: Menomena - Wet and Rusting
VIDEO: Menomena - Cough Coughing
VIDEO: Menomena - Evil Bee
VIDEO: Menomena - Wet and Rusting
It was difficult to tell how much of the crowd had heard of any of the three bands' music, but they were really receptive to all three. That carried through the Helio Sequence's blend of electronic, folk and rock.
MP3: The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead
MP3: The Helio Sequence - Blood Bleeds
MP3: The Helio Sequence - Everyone Knows Everyone
MP3: The Helio Sequence - Can't Say No
LISTEN: Helio Sequence: Live in-studio @ OPB
And that was the night. The drive back started with a stop at Taco Bell (Fast Computers were given $500 in "Bell Bucks" in a band essay contest last year), and continued with discussions of dreams and sleepwalking, and their favorite podcasts and writers. And there's one thing they don't want people outside that van to know, because they don't think it seems very "rock & roll": they LOVE books on tape, especially on tour. (Sorry, guys.)
Full photo gallery here or here.
September 18, 2008 at 4:28pm by gunky
No comment on DC's Excellent Eugene Adventure, except to say I'm mortified that he gave away their secret about books on tape. Good luck going on a road trip with THEM again!
Wanted to comment on Issa Bagayogo, or rather the fact that it seems to continue to be popular on your web site. Given that, I submit that there's a lot more where that came from, world-beat that is. Go for it.
In general, your mix seems to have been getting more .... er, mixed, lately, which is a great thing from my standpoint. I like the variety swinging from Johnny Cash to Star-f-er, Super XX men, some world-beat (Issa B.), Squeeze, Avett Bro's, Byrne & Eno, etc. Feel free to throw in some Toots and the Maytals, Hanza al Din (?world ud master who just died), Ry Cooder, & Dave Alvin along with all the excellent new stuff.
September 19, 2008 at 8:48am by Ando
At least he didn't spill the beans about our boring Trivial Pursuit contests in the van....wait, oops...
September 19, 2008 at 9:07am by Jeremy Petersen
A mixed mix is the best kind of mix, then-- right, Gunky? Toots and Ry Cooder occasionally make it in, and great point on the Dave Alvin. He's under-appreciated in my book and has done a lot of great work, and not just with The Knitters, though that's all pretty great, too, in my estimation.
Ando-- if I wasn't jealous of Cusick's trip before I'm there now.
September 19, 2008 at 4:36pm by gunky
Don't get me wrong - I like a mix that holds together but there are lots of ways to do that. And I do (wryly) recognize that Toots and certainly Ry have made it in. I just like to be surprised. With good stuff. So far you guys have been pretty good about that. Which reminds me - what about a search feature on your site, to be able to look up the music you play by band name or song title? You could even throw in the reviews and ratings.
A constructive point - I'd like to hear other songs from some of the newer bands you're playing - e.g. seems like I've heard Fur from Blitzen Trapper but not much else. And all I've heard from the Aimee Man disc is the Freeway (whatever) song. If I'm going to go out a buy a disc I want to get a feel that there's more than one good song on it.
But it's all good...
September 20, 2008 at 10:25am by Dave Cusick
Ando: Well, I thought about mentioning the Trivial Pursuit, but (a) didn't want to overplay your bookishness, and (b) didn't think I could put it in without talking about how bad I was at it.
September 20, 2008 at 3:16pm by inmemoryofjohnpeel
As far a mix/eclectic/etc... it's a difficult thing to pull off if a DJ gets too diverse. I am delighted with Issa Bagayogo - but wouldn't want the program going "afro-pop", conversely I can hardly bare the 'neo-soul' acts most of which strikes me as cynical and empty, even though it is competent and slick (with a few exceptions eg Berkeley). I'd rather hear Stevie Wonder from his Innervisions period if I hear this style at all, but not often in this program because the stated station focus is new and local music.
My personal slant would push the selection a little more edgy - like the excellent Smog and Elbow, The Fall continue to release excellent music outside of the mainstream, Robert Wyatt is, after all these years more sensational than ever.
In House is an excellent show, I'm not sure how much it reflects JP's taste though, is there a playlist?
September 20, 2008 at 3:49pm by Jeremy Petersen
My opinion would be that a DJ's job is different than to sit and play everything he or she loves for everybody. I love a lot of it, I like most of it, but the over-riding determinant is that things stay within our decided realm. To some we're probably too esoteric, to some most certainly not enough. This could get long and boring so i'm not going to go on about it, but the suggestions here are good all around-- more Toots, Ry, Blitzen Trapper, Elbow, Smog, Robert Wyatt-- I certainly take no issue with any of those suggestions.
Playlist? Aren't your reviews all over it? :)
September 20, 2008 at 4:09pm by inmemoryofjohnpeel
JP. On the mark. You are a many sided beast. First hour I didn't have anything outside the 1-3 range, second hour all 3-5. 3rd hour I'll be painting, so maybe no ratings... but will be listening.
PS _ sorry not 'playlist' I meant a certain few tracks you were obliged to play, not the actual tracks played on the site..
September 20, 2008 at 4:23pm by gunky
As I said, it's all good. I do like the new stuff, and can get my afropop either from my own collection or .... online? And IMOJP's getting his Stevie Wonder as I sit type, which is fine with me. Plus I notice a Ry Cooder tune a few hours back in the playlist, so I gotta appreciate it.
But I missed the first hour and a half tonight because I, too, was painting and happened to turn on the Roy Orbison Black and White Night Special on the TV side of OPB. Turned out to be excellent, even for one like me who was never big on RO. I hadn't heard about this concert before. Amazing to see Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, k.d. lang, T-Bone Burnett, and others on stage with Roy.
September 20, 2008 at 4:43pm by Jeremy Petersen
Oh yeah, that's a great concert, with everyone wearing their late 80's styles as an added bonus. I guess if we're competing with someone, it may as well be ourselves.
What's with all of the painting? Is there a painting/opbmusic regular link of some kind? Does the music you hear come out in the brush in some way?
Outside of living up to our stated goals, IMOJP, there's nothing I'm necessarily obliged to play, but again the foci are regional, new, relevant, etc., so it's with those at least partly in mind. That and trying to please fickle listeners.
September 20, 2008 at 4:54pm by inmemoryofjohnpeel
gunky - that's a congealed moniker. Stevie Wonder was a manipulated man, much of his stuff is very dodgy, but JP hit an undeniable dance tune from when he was on fire.
JP - good news - no obligations
That RO concert. "I guess if we're competing with someone, it may as well be ourselves." Famous for a couple of egos not knowing how not to grab the glory (The Boss and Costello), while they smile/grimace in a world of their own, others enhance the glory.
Fickle listeners! Pitch your stuff... I call that fly ball as I see it. :)
September 20, 2008 at 5:06pm by Jeremy Petersen
Sacrilege! Words like that about the only man who has earned the right to be called simply "Elvis."
Quick to the defense, aren't you? :)
September 20, 2008 at 5:27pm by inmemoryofjohnpeel
Nice.
But blogexchange dilutes and defies the impact of irony of the kind Whistler and Wilde.
Quick to the defense? Colditz.
After the show I played Liz Phair's whitechocolateegg album, not my favourite but there's a woman who's (s)miles ahead of many new pretenders like Aimie Mann, for instance.
Good night and see well
September 21, 2008 at 2:30pm by inmemoryofjohnpeel
Welcome dcusick - is it Dave? Dee? Dozy?... that music reference is probably far too ancient for you. Anyhow, nice start, relax and ignore those practical jokes that JP has no doubt left you to stumble over!
And don't bother with the blog until you've got the super-collider system down.
September 21, 2008 at 3:10pm by Dave Cusick
Thanks, memory! It's Dave (Mr. Cusick if you're nasty).
It is a little like cooking in someone else's kitchen in here... Thanks for listening!
September 21, 2008 at 4:23pm by inmemoryofjohnpeel
The telling moment was when you half-laughed after yet another minor error, then you'd accepted it and things are going swimmingly since (of course there's always Loudon Wainwright III's swimming to consider...). You'll look back at this fondly in years ahead.
Blogger contest: Who can complete the "Five" (Dave, Dee, Dozy, ? ?) I bet David Christensen can.They were not great music btw.
September 26, 2008 at 0:21am by Music Fan
I drove 5 hours to see Menomena and the Helio Sequence. I think I had more fun than anyone there. The Helio Sequence is simply stunning live. Saw them for the first time at musicfest in Portland and I was blown away. Menomena is criminally underrated and misunderstood, they are my favorite band to come along in the last several years. There last album (in my opinion) is the most prolific album released since "Kid A" and more people really need to give this band a chance. Admittedly it's not the most accessible to new listeners but their music has a way of engulfing and consuming every fiber of your being when you really start listening to it. It's not just the musical compositions but the themes which are so eloquently expressed in the cover art by Craig Thompson, once it hits you it's simply amazing.
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