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Consumable Online Issue 037
==== ISSUE 37 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [April 19, 1995]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
Sr. Contributors: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, Al Crawford,
Dan Enright, Tim Kennedy, Reto Koradi,
David Landgren, Tim Mohr, Joe Silva, John Walker
Other Contributors: Kelley Crowley, Tim Hulsizer, Melissa Pellegrin,
P. Nina Ramos, Michelle Richmond, Jamie Roberts,
Linda Scott, Ali Sinclair, Jon Steltenpohl,
Jorge Velez, Scott Williams
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak,
Jason Williams
Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@pilot.njin.net
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form other than within this
document must be obtained from the editor.
==================================================================
.------------.
| Contents |-.
`------------' |
`------------'
REVIEW: Juliana Hatfield, _Only Everything_ - Jon Steltenpohl
CONCERT REVIEW & INTERVIEW : Faith No More - Martin Bate
REVIEW: PJ Harvey, _To Bring You My Love_ - Jon Steltenpohl
REVIEW: Geffen Vintage 80's Volume 1 - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW : Tricky _Maxinquaye_ - Martin Bate
REVIEW: Patti Palladin, _Rituals_ - Jeremy Ashcroft
REVIEW: Grenoble Jazz Festival, 1995 - Alison Popowicz
INTERVIEW: KMFDM's Sascha Konietzko - Jamie Roberts
ERRATA: Juicy
NEWS: Dave Matthews Band
TOUR DATES: Beastie Boys / Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Dave Matthews Band,
From Good Homes, Portishead, Smithereens, Toad the Wet Sprocket / Rusted
Root
Back Issues of Consumable
---
REVIEW: Juliana Hatfield, _Only Everything_ (Atlantic/Mammoth)
- Jon Steltenpohl
From the very first seconds of _Only Everything_, my worst fears were
confirmed: Juliana Hatfield is still trying to be Dinosaur Jr. Ever since
the break up of Blake Babies, Hatfield has been veering to the slacker
guitar sound. Buzzing guitars and lazy solos dominate _Only Everything_,
and the transition from J. Hatfield to Ms. Dinosaur the Third is nearly
complete. Fortunately, Hatfield knows what she's doing, and the slacker
sound works for her.
In the past, Hatfield's music was often quiet and sweet sounding. Her
voice carried a fragility in it that was misleading. But now, there is a
bit of a sneer in her voice. Some of the songs on _Only Everything_ begin
with a whisper, and, instead of backing down when the lyrics get intense,
Hatfield strikes back with her guitar. She slashes out buzzing riffs and
grating solos as if she were possessed by J. Mascis himself. Hatfield
still has her quieter moments, but those are usually just the choruses
between the verses.
Fans will just have to accept that the sweet, innocent Juliana of
Blake Babies has finally grown-up. You won't find many self-absorbed, pity
songs like "Ugly" on _Only Everything_. In fact, Hatfield's knack for penning
self-indulgent songs is practically gone. It only appears briefly with
songs like "Live on Tomorrow" and "Outsider". Maybe she decided to start
listening to some of the overly negative critics who labeled her lyrics a
little too childish and naive. Or maybe Hatfield has just gotten a bit
more serious and cynical with age.
In "Dying Proof", she writes as the friend of a junkie who she finds
"turned blue". Instead of reaching out to help, the friend finally gives
up and says "it's so hard to care what you do.". This is a far cry from
past Hatfield lyrics about her sister and spin the bottle. "Dumb Fun" ends
with the words of the cynical sage, "Hate your job. Love your stuff. If
you think that's living then you're wrong, wrong, wrong."
"Universal Heartbeat" might seem like a nice little song from the
title. And, if you don't pay attention to the lyrics, it's a peppy little
tune. You'll be bobbing your head along and singing along to the chorus. But
after a bit, you'll realize that the peppy chorus is actually "A heart that
hurts is a heart that works." Whee!
Old fans might be a bit disappointed with Hatfield's new sound, but
after a few listens, the harder edge will grow on you. Where some of
Hatfield's older work lost it's impact on multiple spins through the CD
player, _Only Everything_ is a solid, consistent effort. It comes alive
when played loud. Hatfield's voice and multi-track harmony are mixed in
just right with the guitar, bass, and drums, and the wall of sound is both
sloppy and pristine at the same time. One might even describe the sonics as
bombastic. Only a few bands have mastered this slacker sound, and now
Hatfield joins them.
_Only Everything_ will fit great in your collection between The
Breeders and Dinosaur Jr. Even though _Only Everything_ is a bit of a
departure from her old stuff, it's still Juliana Hatfield. She still writes
a great song (whether it's self-indulgent or not), and she can play slacker
guitar with the best of them. Old fans might even find that Hatfield's new
confidence is refreshing. It's as if she's finally decided to stand up to
her own self image. _Only Everything_ may not break new musical ground,
but it is Juliana Hatfield's best work since going solo.
---
CONCERT REVIEW & INTERVIEW : Faith No More
- Martin Bate
Faith No More are back from the wilderness. It's been nearly three
years since their massively succesful (in the non-American world) _Angel
Dust_ album. During this period they toured for a ridiculously long time,
fired their long-time guitarist Jim Martin, searched long and hard for a
replacement, finally found one in Mr. Bungle guitarist Trey Spruance,
recorded an album, parted company with Spruance almost as soon as it was
finshed and asked keyboard tech Dean Menta to join half an hour later. FNM
always seem to be a band forced to do things the hard way.
I caught up with them six shows into a pre-album-release mini tour
of Europe which saw them playing small venues in the UK, the size of which
they hadn't played since back before 'Epic' went nova.
The show itself was incredible as always - nobody juxtaposes
beauty and ugliness quite like FNM - the frightening Black-Sabbath-on-
crack of "Jizzlobber" is followed by the majestic Bee-Gees cover "I
Started a Joke" and the super-smooth soundtrack-funk of "Evidence"
contrasts with the opening assault of "Cuckoo for Caca". Mike Patton is
visually the center of attention, snarling and spitting, screaming in a
crouch, bouncing off the stage-front monitors, crooning gently with mock
cabaret stage moves and joking with the audience - when someone throws
a drink at him, he asks for more. And, the encore tongue-in-cheek cover of
The Cranberries "Zombie" with some poor girl from the audience being
dragged on stage to sing while Patton rocks out was one of the funniest
things I'd seen in ages.
The rest of the band is equally in control. Bill Gould and Mike
Bordin are one of the best rythym sections around at the moment, swapping
between tribal pummeling and fluid grooves with ease. Roddy Bottum
expands the sound with his keyboards and is almost a second front-man and
new guitarist Dean Menta plays old and new material alike with confidence
and an energy that had slowly become missing from Jim Martin. He is also
without a doubt the nicest guy in the music business - fact!
If there's a feeling that they aren't *quite* back to 100% it's
probably down to the set-list. A good two-thirds of the set is made up of
established favorites (the new album wasn't due to come out for another
few days) and songs like "Epic" and "We Care a Lot" can't do anything
*but* sound a little tired and over-familiar after years of faithful
service.
I talked to bassist Bill Gould after the show with Dean dropping
into the conversation occasionally. Bill is friendly and talkative, his
relaxed confidence and business-like manner giving him the air of someone
who'd do well in white-collar management if he ever fancied a career
change.
Consumable: So how's the tour going ?
Faith No More: Fine. I mean it's only been like six or seven shows.
It's brand new, we've just started.
C: Why the small clubs ?
FNM: It's good to be out here when the record comes out and we don't
want to do anything too big because we want to work Dean into it in a
comfortable way.
C: How's Dean doing ?
Bill smiles and says "He's doing good I think - what do you think ?"
I tell him that there definitely seems to have been something
that's just clicked with Dean coming on board. That there seems to be a
new confidence and strength and that everyone just seems *happier*.
Bill nods, "Aw, totally! I mean just the atmosphere...." he tails
off looking satisfied.
C: What happened with Trey ? The official story was that he got cold
feet about touring...
FNM: Well, yeah kinda. Y'know, he's a good guitar player but he
wasn't the right guy for the band.
C: There were all sorts of rumors about a fall-out with his long
time Mr. Bungle band-mate Patton and money disagreements.
FNM: Well...Trey has some personal problems that will probably never
be resolved.", he states, abruptly ending that avenue.
I hit another slight brick-wall when it comes to song-writing.
How did the breakdown of the writing go on the album ? I heard Patton
wrote a few guitar parts..
"Yeah, he did."
In the past, it's always been hard to work out who does what.
"Its something we don't like to talk about."
Okay...What would you say if I said the new album wasn't particularly
a challenging album (in the sense that _Angel Dust_ was a notoriously
difficult album) but that it was challenging people's ideas of what FNM
are. Is that fair?
"Yeah. No. Actually, I think that we didn't think like that as
much as we used to. I think it's just more like we decided to stop fucking
around and just make a good record", he laughs, "As far as we see one. I
don't see us so much as trying to change or define what we are. I think
now we're pretty comfortable with what we are."
I noticed a few people tonight who went to the bar as soon as
you started playing new smoothie "Evidence". Does that bother you ?
"No, that's cool, it doesn't matter. They did the same thing with
(the Commodores) "Easy" when we started playing it too, it's the same thing -
it's got the same effect. Y'know in six months it'll be totally different -
it's just that people don't have the record yet."
FNM are always challenging people. One of their greatest strengths
is that even their fans have no idea wha'ts coming next. The song I had
the most problem getting my head round on the new record was "Take This
Bottle", (previously compared in Consumable to Poison's "Every Rose Has
Its Thorn"). "Just a Man" is pretty camp and "Easy" was pretty
tongue-in-cheek but...
Bill interjects, "Take This Bottle" is *not* tongue in cheek!"
"Well that's the thing", I tell him. "I kept looking for the irony.
There's definitely a sinister undercurrent in there though. Maybe a little
violence."
Bill nods, "Yeah, a little bit. It's just going to take people
a little while to get used to it, it's always like this when our record
comes out. If people hear the songs and don't have the album it's a little
strange. It doesn't ever actually work live until they get to hear it."
Bill, Roddy and Dean are all computer-literate and all three are
members of the independent FNM/Mr. Bungle mailing-list, 'Caca Volante'.
Indeed Dean was lurking on the group from its creation back near the
start of the year....
So Bill, the Internet, and computers in general - whaddya reckon ?
Bill laughs, "What do I reckon ? Ha Ha ! Big question!"
I laugh. OK, well...a few people reckon that 'net-surfing' is
just a fad.
"No, it's definitely not a fad. I don't think it's that, I just
think it should be cheaper and more accessible. Y'know there's no
international access really - like, I travel, I tour a lot all over the
world and there's no way I can find any international access. The internet
is not internet for me because I can't log onto my computer, I can't do
any telnets from out here to get back there, so I'm fucked!"
Courtney Love, was making her infamous usenet posts from her hotel
rooms. I guess she was doing that within the US though....
"Yeah well she did it from America On-Line. Any fucking idiot can
do that."
Yeah, AOL gets a bad name...
"Well it's stupid! I mean it's cool for what it does but..."
We get distracted as Dean wanders over and I take the chance to
ask Dean about his other work. He's done work on soundtracks for several
games. Anything we'd know ?
"Probably not. I did work for like this major game for this new
company but the game was kind of a flop. And then I worked for a guy
who did all independent stuff, sound for Virgin games. I don't know the
names of them, but tons and tons of stuff. I was like understudy for the
guy."
So start looking at the credits for your software, FNM fans.
I tell Bill I heard he wrote the title-track for _King for a Day_
on computer. Is that right ?
"Well, ", he pauses then laughs, "a lot of this record was written
on computer actually. I tell you what, "Digging the Grave", that song was
*all* on computer. The whole fucking song, believe it or not."
I look surprised.
"Well, the thing is, all the ideas...it's just the way you present
your ideas to the rest of the band. I used to have a four-track and I
used to put my ideas on there and play them to everybody. And then you
want more, you want to learn digital audio and start learning MIDI, so
I just do it on computer now because they're more versatile."
"But y'know after you bring your ideas in everybody goes through
and arranges the song - Everybody does everything together."
Do you find it easier to work like that ?
"I just *like* it, I think its cool. I love computers."
What do you think of the Caca Volante mailing list ?
"CV's pretty interesting. I like to watch CV. If there's any
mis-information going on I like to say something, but other than that I
like to see it develop on its own."
There used to be more gossip before people knew you guys were
listening.
Bill perks up. "Good gossip huh ? Weird shit ?"
Well, nobody said much about the Select interview (Recent UK
interview which centered tabloid-style around Patton's marriage and
Roddy Bottum's personal problems) whereas before it would have sparked
some discussion. How much did that interview exaggerate things ?
Bill sighs, "Well, y'know this is the thing about the British
press right now, they're using old ideas, things we were fucking around
with 2 or 3 years ago. They don't know what to write about and
everything is going back to shit and Roddy's drug
problems - I mean, Roddy hasn't had a drug problem in two years!"
Yeah, they seem pretty obsessed right now Patton and his shit
(Patton now has a history of doing things people normally wouldn't do with
their own feces including having a taste of it according to a recent
interview. Call it sick, call it an inquisitive mind, call it what you like,
as he doesn't seem to care as long as it keeps the conversation off his
private life).
"They don't know what else to talk about. They don't have any
other angle."
I tell him it seems as if they're trying to make Patton the
cartoon character now that the most easily defined character, Jim Martin
has left.
Bill agrees, "Yeah, that's exactly what they're trying to do.
See, once they turn you into a cartoon character then they have the power
to kill you."
A lot of the mis-information and tabloid-hype in the press is
kind of scary.
"Well, the thing is, you can't really defend yourself because
if you do you're giving *power* to the bullshit they say. The thing is,
the British press, no matter how funny and entertaining it is to read,
doesn't have a lot of credibility outside of England. It's pretty nuch
a joke to the rest of the world. So it's hard to take that seriously."
What about some of the almost fan-hysteria on the mailing-list ?
Does it worry you or bother you ?
"They can't touch me. I can just delete all my messages.", he
grins, "I don't give a fuck! I like it better that way. I like it better
electronically cause I can come and go. There's a certain amount of
respect because I take somebody at their word, face-value, none of the
bullshit, I don't see what they look like. It's cool - it's the way to
really communicate with people.
With respect to fan-artist contact, computers have really broken down
barriers.
"Yeah, I'm fucking into it! It's a good way to get way to get
information out and a good way to write information. If you want to know
something, ask the source. Better than hearing it from some other
asshole!" he laughs.
Later he tells me, "We're gonna try and get a web site going in
the next couple of months so we'll have like a chat-room on the site and
an information center. Warner has their own web site now (at
http://www.warner.com)"
Many of the companies do seem to be getting in to it just now
but a lot of the time it seems they're just doing it because it's trendy.
"Thats cool. Y'know, whatever it takes. If it gets done, I don't
care."
He's got a point.
So what's the plan now ?
"We're gonna tour for fucking forever! Until this time next year
at least. We're doing this 'Alternative Nation' thing in Australia
[Lollapalooza-type bill happening around Easter]. Three shows and then
straight back to the US for the tour starting four days after that."
Are you going to do Lollapalooza ? Have you been asked ?
"No. We have been deemed uncool for Lollapalooza. We *asked* to
be on it actually. We don't have the cool factor though."
Would a big thing like that not worry you after your bad
experiences on the G'n'R/Metallica tour ? Although it can`t be as 'rock-n-
roll' as that...
"Well from what I hear, it is! But I think it would've been good
for us to be on it."
For the exposure ?
"Exactly. But you can't be cool to everybody.", he shrugs.
How much further do you see all this going ? There's been a lot
of talk of how things nearly came to an end and so on.
"One day at a time. It's always been fucking tense in this band.
And it'll continue to be.", he smiles resignedly.
There's been mention of how if you go out now, you'll be going out
on a high with the new album.
"Well, no. We'll do another one after this, definitely. We
already have half of it writen so it's not going to take three years to
come out next time. We're gonna write it on tour so when we get off tour
we'll just make it right away. I'm gonna have a beer, d'you want one ?"
As I say yes, it seems like a good place to end to end this
interview. Cheers!
---
REVIEW: PJ Harvey, _To Bring You My Love_ (Island)
- Jon Steltenpohl
It's hard to say just what defines the music of Polly Jean Harvey.
Maybe it's the distorted, flailing voice - or the searing guitars.
Possibly, even the tortured string quartets. Whatever it is, PJ Harvey has
it stamped boldly on every one of her songs.
This explains the strange feeling caused when "Down By the Water"
first unleashed itself over the airwaves. The song shares little with
Harvey's previous work except for the presence of Harvey herself. A look at
the liner notes of _To Bring You My Love_ reveals that the buzzing bass line
is from Harvey's organ. The change in sound is marked by the exiting of "the
PJ Harvey band" and the addition of John Parish and Joe Gore (Tom Waits)
with Flood at the producer's helm and mixer's board.
The change of producer is cause for celebration. Although _Rid of Me_
is a phenomenal work, it was hampered by Steve Albini's need to distort, and
his tendency to bury the vocals on everything he touches. Fortunately, _To
Bring You My Love_ won't require a _4-track Demos_ to prove a point. With
a competent producer, PJ Harvey's sound is wild, free, and clear. Each
distortion and wretched note comes from Harvey wringing her own heart
through the microphone, not the whim of a producer.
_To Bring You My Love_ sounds very much like the soundtrack to a David
Lynch movie. The liner art sets the mood with pictures of Harvey in a
satin red dress against a green background. On the cover, she floats in
the water with a cold, serene look on her face. With the help of Flood,
_To Bring You My Love_ is, at times, chillingly atmospheric. One expects
to slip into a dream and witness a Lynchian one-armed midget dancing by
with a tormented beauty by his side. At other times, Harvey rises up like
the exaggerated shadow of a man with a knife and then crashes down like a
rain of glass.
The best song on the album is "C'mon Billy". It's an epic, western of
a song with an incessant guitar strum backed by John Parish's expert
percussion. Harvey's voice is mirrored with a string quartet, and she
sings with driving passion for an absent lover. By the end of the song,
her pleading rises until Harvey just wails over and over "C'mon on Billy,
come to me!". By the time the song ends, you feel drained. Amazing for a
piece that is less than three minutes long.
The rest of the album is filled with songs that feel much different
but accomplish the same thing. _To Bring You My Love_ catapults PJ Harvey
beyond the ranks of ordinary musicians. It is an album that is remote but
engaging, disfigured but beautiful, abrasive but caressing. Like her first
album, _Dry_, _To Bring You My Love_ has simplicity as its core. Like all
of Harvey's work, the album is focused on relationships gone wrong. Each
song is a pageant of loss and deception. For those who are new to PJ
Harvey, _To Bring You My Love_ might be a bit of a surprise, but fans of
Harvey's previous work will cherish _To Bring You My Love_ as a
masterpiece.
---
REVIEW: Geffen Vintage 80's Volume 1 (Geffen)
- Bob Gajarsky
Geffen Records has recently jumped into the foray of 1980's
compilation discs with their selection of favorites, _Vintage 80's Volume 1_.
_Vintage 80's_ tenderly walks the fine line between alternative and
pop. Although Wang Chung gets played on alternative stations today, during
their time in the 80's, the group was a staple on exploratory pop stations.
Conversely, with Blondie's revitalization in clubs and on the charts,
Debbie Harry's "French Kissin'" is appearing more on pop stations today
than when the record was first released.
Highlights of the compilation include the only appearance on disc of
the debut Was (Not Was) single, "Knocked Down, Made Small (Treated Like A
Rubber Ball)". It doesn't have the pop toss-away sound of "Walk The
Dinosaur", but remains this reviewer's favorite song that the Was "brothers"
have helped to record. The Quarterflash selection, "Take Me To Heart", also
has not seen the disc light of day in the States, and fans of the teachers
from Northwest America should eagerly welcome this cut.
Although some of the tracks appear elsewhere on multiple
compilations (the Berlin tracks, Plimsouls, Madness), these were all
jewels in the Geffen 80's crown, and their exclusion would not shine a
light on tracks still featured during Flashback Lunch Hours.
All in all, it's an admirable entry into the 80's reissue market.
If you're a fan of EMI's _Living In Oblivion_ series, Geffen's release
is right up your alley.
Track listing: Wang Chung - Dance Hall Days, Everybody Have Fun Tonight;
Debbie Harry - French Kissin'; John Hiatt - Living With The King;
Berlin - Sex (I'm A...), No More Words; Stan Ridgeway - Goin' Southbound;
Lone Justice - Ways To Be Wicked; Madness - Our House; Plimsouls - A Million
Miles Away; Quarterflash - Take Me To Heart; Ric Ocasek - Emotion In Motion;
Gene Loves Jezebel - Desire
---
REVIEW : Tricky _Maxinquaye_ (Island)
- Martin Bate
Massive Attack collaborator Tricky finally goes out on his own
here, or rather in the company of his companion, 18 year old Martine.
_Maxinquaye_ is the most warped take on the trip-hop sound yet. Where
Portishead and Massive Attack have established the Bristol sound as being
the point where stoned hip-hop meets smoky nightclub soul, Tricky takes
the sound into a far nastier area than that inhabited by Portishead and
track after track is more bleak and disconcerting than anything Massive
Attack have yet to come up with.
Martine's sultry feminine voice counterpoints Tricky's 3am London
drawl perfectly and it isn't until the fourth song that Tricky takes the lead,
on "Hell is Round the Corner" which uses a floating string backing nicked
from Portishead to scary effect. The atmosphere, as throughout the album,
is that of an urban nightmare dreamscape with Martine luring you into the
shadows where Tricky lurks.
Opener, "Overcome" has Martine crooning Tricky's Massive Attack
collaboration "Karmacoma", spinning round the line "You sure you want to
be with me ? I've nothing to give..." while "Ponderosa"s eastern beats
and vivid imagery ("Beneath the weeping willow lies a weeping wino", "I
drink till I'm drunk and smoke till I'm senseless") provide the ultimate
eerie soundtrack to urban life.
More genius is evident on the cover of Public Enemy's "Black
Steel" where Chuck D's original rap is subverted with Martine's
sneering feminine vocals and a metallic clanking rhythm welded to metal
guitars and squelch bass.
To go on picking highlights would be futile. Suffice to say that
this is an incredibly sexy album, though one where you're constantly
aware of the emotional and physical danger involved. The album works on
two levels - walking through the city with it on, looking at the faces
and the urban sprawl, the music comes alive and everything looks
simultaneously romantic and horrifying; but listen to it safe inside and
its the words that grab the attention, ripping apart the fabric and lies
of love, *just* as romantic and horrifying as the streets outside.
Although Tricky doesn't have the command over the studio that
Massive Attack do, the sound is deceptive. The initial impression is that
the sound is extremely sparse but you soon notice that it is actually
extremely deep - samples are layered three deep in places and snippets
of other music and voices cut in occasionally in the background like
short-wave radio interference.
Occasionally the production can get a little muddy and lessen the
tension but only on the last two tracks does Tricky almost lose it.
"Strugglin'" meanders nowhere for an awfully long time despite a rhythm
track The Orb would be proud of - a tap drips, a gun is loaded, a watch
ticks; and "Feed Me" is an emotionally unengaging, dischordant slur.
_Maxinquaye_ is a dark album that requires many, many listens to
unravel. Do you fancy a bit of danger ?
---
REVIEW: Patti Palladin, _Rituals_ (Peek-a-Boo, Europe)
- Jeremy Ashcroft
Way back in about 1977/78, I remember buying the single of Brian
Eno's _King's Lead Hat_ and the very knowledgeable guy at the counter
saying "I bet you really bought that for the b-side". He was quite
correct - the b-side was a collaboration between Eno and a group called
Snatch. It was called _RAF_ and is still a pretty unique combination of
electronics, funk and sheer street feel. Snatch were Judy Nylon and Patti
Palladin - they only had a handful of releases, but I think they stand as
one of the most interesting bands of the late-70s.
Since then, the twosome have split. Judy (an ex-collaborator with
John Cale) released a great album called _Pal Judy_, but seems to have
disappeared from the scene. Patti, after producing and singing with
Johnny Thunders on many of his albums, had also been missing for far too
long... though luckily she's back. She returned, fittingly, on a recent
Thunders tribute album, _I Only Wrote This Song For You_, and has now
released an all too short, but perfectly sweet, solo album, _Rituals_.
Actually, "sweet" isn't quite the word you'd associate with
Patti... she's from Noo Yawk and she's got about the best sneer in the
business. Attitude on a plate. That said, she also has a classic 60s
singing voice - she once made an album of 50s and 60s pop covers with
Johnny Thunders, _Copy Cats_ - her voice on the Shangri Las' _He Cried_
could really make a grown man cry, it's beautiful.
Just one listen to _Rituals_ should impress anyone with her
versatility. Take the final three tracks, for example. "Turnin' The Other
Cheek" is quite a straightforward song, but Patti's vocals are so rich.
"Runnin' With The Pack" is really brooding and atmospheric - for such a
petite lady, Patti has a really deep voice. Sexy? Definitely. The last
track is "Who Needs It?" and it's the late-70s again. Punk is _not_ dead.
Debbie Harry was always great at snarling, but Patti goes one better.
_Who Needs It?_ Anyone who appreciates a classic voice and real
attitude, that's who.
---
REVIEW: Grenoble Jazz Festival, 1995
- Alison Popowicz
The Grenoble Jazz Festival, 1995 version, is finished for another
year. The audiences have gone home, the musicians have packed their bags
and guitar-cases, the concert halls have been swept clean of the last
floating echo and discarded entrance ticket. Even the posters are
beginning to peel and fade as the chill, unseasonal rain falls.
Who played at Grenoble? Famous jazzsters such as Helen Merrill,
McCoy Tyner, Bobby Hutcherson, Bill Frisell, Joe-Louis Walker, Calvin Russell,
Linda Sharrock, Henri Texier, James Blood Ulmer, Martial Solal and Didier
Lockwood. Add many many more, well-known and little-known and totally
unknown: singers and instrumentalists from the USA, from all over
Europe, Africa and Bosnia and the Crimea: some in France just for the
festival, some passing through town on their year-long European tours.
Something for everybody, all under one big, brassy jazz umbrella - and
this year, the umbrella spread wide to cover not only traditional and
improvisational jazz, but also including jazz-root blues, and R-and-B,
and even folk and rock-and-roll. Definitely, something for everybody. Whatever
you like to call it, jazz or otherwise, or just `music'!
During the festival, at first, the town seems the same as every
other day of the year: there's the usual number of buskers, all
good and bad and indifferent and all expecting to be paid: there's
no great ceremony, no fireworks, no shouting-in-the-street apart
from the market traders and the schoolkids greeting their friends.
But then you notice the striking, eye-catching posters: the big-
band bus parked in the square, and the three sax-playing
minstrels who go strolling through the Saturday crowds: the
snippets of jazz as you are riding on the tram, the jazz playing in
all the bars... and the tired-eyed colleagues who go to every
concert they can, from the noon-time jazz in town to the early-
evening solo shows and the nine-o'clock big stars right through to
the one-o'clock-in-the-morning restaurant for a steak-and-jam-
session... it's happening, all right. Not only in the concert halls and
theatres, but in the bars and on the streets.
It is impossible to see everyone or hear everything; you have to
choose according to your tastes, your locality and your budget. Many
concerts are free: the big names who pack the concert halls in the
evenings are inevitably more expensive. You can buy an
"abonnement" - a ticket that allows entry to a set of concerts - or go
as you please. Even if you don't spend a single centime, you can
still have an excellent ten days music!
It's hard to know where to start making a choice: the big names or
the up-and-comings? Traditional or experimental or something
completely different? Guitar or singing or drums or saxophone or
kitchen implements or keyboards or everything? And will you have
time to take a master class, or visit the two photo exhibitions, and
what if someone invites you to a concert `en appartement'? And
how-on-earth will you be able to get from Voiron after the concert
that starts at 6.30, to Grenoble in time for the concert at 8 o'clock?
You just have to try your best.
For me, the acts that linger on were, first-of-all and most-of-all,
Calvin Russell, who plays nothing-like-jazz but a rude, Texan,
rock'n'roll and raw, haunting, acoustic cowboy-ballads: the Bill
Frisell Quintet, a group of magnificent musicians, who, (when they
all played the same tune at the same time), produced some of the
most beautiful music I've heard in years: Enver Ismailov, the
Crimean-Tatar electric-guitarist, with his unique string-tapping
method of playing and melodies that draw from the heritage of the
entire ex-Soviet-Union: and the unforgettable, irreplaceable,
inimitable James `Blood' Ulmer with his Blues Experience, playing
heavyweight funk and rap and scaring the living daylights out of all
the jazz purists who'd just been listening to Bill Frisell.
I shall wear my "23rd Grenoble Jazz Festival" T-shirt with happy
memories - and I'll be looking forward to next year. I've marked it
in my diary: take ten days away from the office, and plan to see
and listen to everything. Any jazz fan who can escape to Grenoble,
France for a few days of some great music should definitely do so.
---
INTERVIEW: KMFDM's Sascha Konietzko
- Jamie Roberts
Sascha Konietzko, KMFDM mastermind, stellar producer/remixer for the
likes of Die Warzau, Living Colour, and Megadeth, is one of the most
recognizable names in Industrial or any kind of music. If you know your
knife-edged, intense music, odds are you are famliar with this man's work.
Charged as one of the fathers of the genre, Konietzko shows much
modesty. He gives the credit where he feels it due, and sets the record
straight about TVT, those darn guitars, and KMFDM's new CD, _Nihil_.
Consumable: From your first album, _What Do You Know Deutschland?_
(1986) to _Nihil_ (1995), what has changed? What has remained the same?
Konietzko: You can't start a band and say "This is what we are doing
'til the end of time". We explored different styles and concepts in making
each of our albums. Each album is like a snapshot - a product of situations
and dynamics of the band. We are really fond of our past work... It's not
like other bands, who say "Don't listen to our first album, it sucks!" So
we recycle some elements (often samples) from our previous work in each new
work. By the way, I want to tell you something...
Make sure you let people know we are on Wax Trax!... It is
Wax Trax/TVT now... I've seen it listed all different ways "TVT" only, etc.
C: And how are things going at Wax Trax! post-financial troubles?
How has it affected your work with them? Also, how is working with TVT?
Some people have had problems...
SK:Things are better than ever - our dealings with TVT have been
nothing but positive. Some people can have problems with anybody.
C: _Nihil_ does something different with guitars than your previous
work.
SK: We really overdid it on _Angst_. On _Nihil_ we, in effect, did
the whole album, then added the guitars in at the end. When we started
bringing in the guitars on _Angst_, we wanted to make it more like our live
shows. When we actually went out and played live, and people saw the
guitars, they would walk out! I guess it wasn't what they expected from
us. Our goal, of late, has been to be real musicians. We started out
distorting vacuum cleaner sounds as we were into noise manipulation. Now
we want to be real musicians. It is an obsession of ours, so that's part
of the reasoning behind the use of guitars...
C: So this album is not "Industrial" in the purest sense... you
know, all mechanized...?
SK: There are no Industrial purists anymore...Thrill Kill Kult are
campy Industrial-Pop, Ministry are Industrial-Metal, and so on. New terms
and definitions are coming about in this genre all the time.
C: I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that your work
formed my opinions about (and my taste for) Industrial. You originated it.
SK: Thank you, but we missed the first wave of Industrial. We
started in 1984 and are certainly not originators of the style. Milestones
in music for us were Kraftwerk and DAF.
C: Another thing - the cover art for your albums. I heard about the
problems with the _Naive_ cover art. Sexism? How do you plead?
SK: The charges of sexism were stupid! _Naive_ was banned because
of the cover art. We play with fire in all aspects of our career. We use
excess as artists, to demonstrate something. The supposed "rape scene"
was not intended that way.
C: So with the women on your covers and in your video, and the
female vocals in songs like "Juke Joint Jezebel" (_Nihil_'s first single)
what exactly are you getting at? Are you a feminist band?
SK: Feminist? That's an interesting way of putting it. Female
strength is projected through the vocals, so, yes, maybe we are 'feminist'.
We are certainly not sexist! En Esch has a lot to say on that subject
(albeit not in perfect English).
C: A friend of mine wouldn't even listen to your music because
she was a Depeche Mode fan. You know, the Kill Mother Fucking Depeche
Mode anagram?
SK: (Laughs) That is actually one of my favorites! We get them
in the mail all the time. We have about 1500 of them right now. The sad
thing is that in "KMFDM" the "MF" lends itself to "Mother Fucker". People
ought to be more creative than that!
C: So when will you be touring?
SK: We are beginning a full tour in about 2 weeks. We will go
around the United States with Dink [who are counted among Konietzko's
production credits]. In the summer we will be in Japan and Europe. We
get back to the US in the fall; you must come see us when we're out!
C: Is that an order?
SK: Sure! (Laughs)
C: It has been a pleasure talking to you. Good luck!
---
ERRATA: Last week's tour dates included "For the Ladies", which was
actually the title of the album for the band Juicy. Juicy is the one
who is on tour. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have
caused.
NEWS: Somehow, somewhere, someone started a rumour that Dave
Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band is HIV positive. According
to the band's management, "This is a sad rumor. There is no basis
to the rumor whatosever. We view it as a negative and unfortunate
side effect of the attention the band has received lately". The band
recently appeared on Saturday Night Live, and has just completed
a tour of Europe.
---
TOUR DATES:
Beastie Boys / Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
April 26 Los Angeles, CA The Palace
April 27 San Diego, CA RIMAC Gym
April 28 Santa Barbara, CA County Bowl
April 30 Salt Lake City, UT Salt Air
May 1 Denver, CO Red Rocks
May 3 Kansas City, MO Municipal Aud.
May 4 Dallas, TX Fairpark Coliseum
May 6 Houston, TX Astro Arena
May 7 New Orleans, LA UNO Arena
May 8 Atlanta, GA The Omni
May 10 Philadelphia, PA Civic Center
May 11 Long Island, NY Nassau Coliseum
May 13 Washington, DC Patriot Center
Dave Matthews Band
April 19 New Orleans, LA State Palace Theater
April 21 Springfield, MO Shrine Mosque
April 22 Oklahoma City, OK Bricktown Brewery
April 23 Tulsa, OK University of Tulsa
April 25 Dallas, TX Bomb Factory
April 26 Austin, TX Backyard
April 27 Houston, TX International Ballroom
April 29 Santa Fe, NM Paolo Soleri
April 30 Fort Collins, CO Moby Gym
May 1 Salt Lake City, UT Salt Air
May 2 Jackson Hole, WY Snow King Center
May 4 Olympia, WA Recreation Center
May 5 Salem, OR LB Day Amphitheater
May 6 Vancouver, BC Commadore Ballroom
May 8 Sacramento, CA Community Theater
May 9 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theater
May 10 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theater
May 12 San Jose, CA Event Center
May 13 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Palladium
May 14 Phoenix, AZ Mesa Amphitheater
From Good Homes
April 19 Philadelphia, PA Middle East
April 20 Newark, DE Stone Balloon
April 21 Washington, DC Bayous
April 22 Lexington, VA Zollman's Pavillion
April 23 Nelson CIty, VA Van Riper's Lake (w/Widespread Panic)
(these gigs, to April 30 are with Shannon Worrell)
April 26 Providence, RI Met Cafe
April 27 Burlington, VT Club Toast
April 28 Albany, NY Bogie's
April 29 Portland, ME Granny Killiam's
April 30 New Market, NH Stone Church
May 2 Pittsburgh, PA Rosebud
May 3 Louisville, KY Cherokee
May 3 Nashville, TN Exit In
May 5 Memphis, TN Beale St. Music (with Fleetwood Mac)
May 6 New Orleans, LA Tipitina's (with Cowboy Mouth)
May 8 Lafayette, LA Grant St. Dance Hall (with Cowboy Mouth)
May 9 Pensacola, FL Seville Quarter
May 10 Birmingham, AL 5 Points South
May 11 Columbia, SC Elbow Room
May 12 Atlanta, GA Music Mid-town (Music Festival 99X)
May 13 Charlotte, NC Metrolina Expo
May 14 Charleston, SC Music Farm
May 20 Columbus, OH Ohio State
May 25 Fort Wayne, IN Piere's
May 26 Chicago, IL Otis (w/ Shannon Worrell)
May 27 Evanston, IL Lake Field
Portishead
April 19 San Francisco, CA Bimbos
April 21 Seattle, WA Moe's
April 23 Minneapolis, MN Guthrie Theatre
April 25 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
April 26 Toronto, ON Trinity Center
April 27 Detroit, MI Industry
April 29 Boston, MA Ballroom
April 30 New York, NY Supper Club
May 2 Washington, DC Music Hall
May 3 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
Smithereens
April 19 Greenville, SC Cowboy's
April 20 Ashville, NC Coyote's
April 21 Raleigh, NC Long Branch
April 22 Charlotte, NC The Ritz @ The Capri Theatre
April 24-25 Baltimore, MD 8 April 10
April 26 Boston, MA Mama Kin
April 27 New York City, NY Irving Plaza
April 27 - The Conan O'Brien Show!
April 28 Hamden, CT Quinnipiac College
April 29 Syracuse, NY Syracuse University Block Party
April 30 New Britain, CT The Sting
May 2 Lancaster, PA The Chameleon
May 3 Toledo, OH Roxanne's
May 4 Chicago, IL The Metro
May 5 Indianapolis, IN Live Annex
May 6 Detroit, MI The Ritz
May 7 Grand Rapids, MI The Orbit Room
May 8 Louisville, KY The Toy Tiger
May 10 Little Rock, AR Blues Rock Performance Hall
May 11 Bossier City, LA Cowboy's
May 12 Vinton, LA FX
May 13 Memphis, TN 616
May 14 Pensacola, FL Spring Fest
May 16 San Antonio, TX Sneakers
May 17 Houston, TX Rockefeller's
May 18 Dallas, TX The Kegl @ Las Colinas
May 19 Amarillo, TX Roxy
May 21 El Paso, TX Metropolis
May 23 Las Vegas, NV Drink
May 24 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues
May 25 San Diego, CA Belly Up
May 27 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
May 28 Denver, CO Rock the Rockies Stapleton Airport
June 8 St. Louis, MO Union Station
June 9 Joliet, IL Joliet Memorial Stadium
Toad the Wet Sprocket / Rusted Root
April 24 Toronto, ON Opera House
April 25 Montreal, QC Club Soda
April 26 Ottawa, ON Barrymores
April 28 Burlington, VT University of Vermont
April 29 Loudenville, NY Siena College
April 30 Storrs, CT University of Connecticut
May 2 South Hadley, MA Mt. Holyoke College
May 5 New York, NY Roseland
May 6 Philadelphia, PA Tower Theater
May 7 Princeton, NJ Princeton University
May 9 Providence, RI The Strand
May 10 Boston, MA Orpheum Theater
May 12 Poughkeepsie, NY Mid-Hudson Civic Center
---
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