I got a lot of grief from my last erm ‘article’, not because of the use of the word shit but simply because I had to explain to idiots that its reviews of films based on trailers not reviews of films. I’m fucking busy as fuck and don’t have time to go to the cinema and sit with 200 knobs who shout at the screen and try to finger their girlfriends whilst I watch my £7.50 slowly dissolve in front of me. If you’re one of those c*nts you better watch it because I regularly daydream of following you into the cinema toilets and inserting a full tub of Hagen Daas up your rectum whilst uploading the video of you fingering your girlfriend onto your mums baking blog.
So Wolverine looks shit doesn’t it? Not seen the trailer yet? Well its about some time traveler from the 70’s who was in Slade and he keeps waking up naked in a field like the one in Braveheart where he comes to pick a fight, I think his girlfriend is Jade Goody but with a two wheel car, not a bike, a car with two wheels and she wants to teach him how to write but he dyslexic, so she sticks tons of biro’s into his hands so when he gets angry he just writes loads of wicked letters until the guy from Scream II loses his job at the student paper and plots his revenge.
Most of the 5 year olds I know (I don’t actually) like pouring boiling water over their legs and running across dual carriageways carrying breeze blocks
Unfortunately everyone likes Heroes and no one reads Marvel nowadays so he moves to Australia and goes out with Tom Cruises ex for a while and kills some Aborigines, that’s why he changes he name to Wolverine, then it ends when he doesn’t get an oscar cuz he’s a shit actor. The next shit thing I’ve seen is Ice Age 3-D, god only knows who they got to number three in this series of insipid wank but they have. Its not like kids even like Mammoths and talking Squirrels anyway, most of the 5 year olds I know (I don’t actually) like pouring boiling water over their legs and running across dual carriageways carrying breeze blocks.
Fox need to get with the program and make a cartoon film about a blood sucking water worm that crawls inside ears and lay electric worms that zap them whilst they sleep, I’d actually pay £7.50 to see that. Either that or Hannah Montana turning into a mental Zombie with leg braces and a twelve foot spine that has her curled over into some evil singing ball of horror, did you see her on Jonathan Ross? What a fucking idiot.
Chief all hail from L.A, they play a sleepy vintage style of folk rock and perform beautiful dreamy melodies. They are in fact another band that are probably trapped in the wrong decade, however, I’m glad we have them. I like them, I don’t think you can help but like them. Maybe its the harmony driven indie pioneers Fleet Foxes that have suddenly gotten all mainstream and opened the door a fraction wider to allow bands like ‘chief’ in or maybe its just they remind me of CSN, Young and Dylan all at the same time…
Cheif are also on tour right now…
26 Jun 2009 18:45
Chess Club Stage – Glastonbury Festival Pilton, Southwest
27 Jun 2009 23:00
Dirty Boots Stage – Glastonbury Festival Pilton, Southwest
28 Jun 2009 12:30
Park Stage – Glastonbury Festival Pilton, Southwest
30 Jun 2009 20:00
The Tap House Kidderminster, Midlands
1 Jul 2009 13:00
Pure Groove – In store appearance London, London and South East
The new Apostle of Hustle album dropped through our doors the other day and we felt that cuban vibe shudder through our ears and rip up our tapas. If you are not too familiar with AOH then let us beef up your memory! Apostle of Hustle consists of Andrew Whiteman (lead guitarist of Broken Social Scene), bassist Julian Brown (Feist), and Dean Stone (Sarah Harmer, Amy Millan) on drums. Each highly regarded for their individual accomplishments in their craft, together they create a sound that is incredibly unique, thought-provoking, and fuelled by a raw, explosive energy.
With Eats Darkness, Apostle of Hustle pushes the boundaries of contemporary indie rock. Based on the notion that the greatest art is often drawn from the darkest of experiences (consuming darkness to expel light), the band delivers an unconventional and truly original body of work that will continue to satisfy loyal fans and attract new listeners.
Says Andrew Whiiteman, “Eats Darkness is a serial poem about some struggles people go through. Battles, from the macro to the micro. Songs about tactics and attitudes needed in ‘life during wartime’. Each track is like tapas at the banquet of conflict. A small contribution to the articulation of a fucked and beautiful world.”
Apostle of Hustle first took shape after a two-month sojourn in El Barrio Santo Suarez, in Havana, in 2001. This experience was mind blowing for Apostle of Hustle’s lead, Andrew Whiteman, from the ground up: the community, the fashion, the pace and the music. Whiteman returned to Toronto invigorated about a possible music that did not yet exist. Knowing he wanted to create it, Whiteman took up residency at a local dive as Apostle of Hustle, a quartet; the band played Brazilian and Cuban folk songs, as well as Tom Waits / PJ Harvey / Marc Ribot covers. Whiteman played guitar and tres; plus he recruited Dean Stone on drums and Julian Brown; an old buddy from the mid 90’s indie scene on upright bass. The fourth position was a kind of ‘open door’ to whomever might show up on the nights they played
Apostle of Hustle’s first endeavour, Folkloric Feel, was released in July of 2004. It was a Frankenstein of a record, recorded in over four different locations at different times. By this point, Whiteman was almost completely consumed with recording and touring with Broken Social Scene and finishing the Apostle of Hustle record could only happen in between tours. A collection of tracks and mixes and ideas was brought to BSS producer David Newfeld’s door and he somehow was able to create the psychedelic debut that came out on the Arts & Crafts label.
The follow-up, National Anthem of Nowhere was recorded in Montreal at Studio Masterkut in March of 2006. This time around the band sought the production talents of Martin Davis Kinack (BSS/Sam Roberts front-of house man, as well as Sarah Harmer producer) National Anthem of Nowhere was finished in Whiteman’s bedroom in September and mixed in the woods at Marty’s secret studio locale. National Anthem Of Nowhere was a concept album, though nobody realized it at the time. The band spoke about it: stories about when people go, or are pushed, voluntarily or involuntarily, to the borders of themselves. We all have these walls around us, and they are there for good reason (political /geographical /sexual /cultural /musical! /spiritual). People need these borders to define who they are but when you find yourself outside of your personal safety-zone, then what? The songs on NAON explored what happens or what changes are made within a person when they suddenly become a vagabond in their own body, no familiar home, nowhere to rest.
Shiiiiiit, when the hell did Ash manage to make a million dreams come true and book Mudhoney for a one off show in Leeds, (the only other UK date being London). We knew for a long time but nothing was ever concrete, ya know? Well now we are all full time bone on’s up boner city…
Tour details.
Fri Oct 9 Edinburgh, UK at Studio 25
Sat Oct 10 Leeds, UK at TJ Woodhouse-
Sun Oct 11 London at Koko Theater-
Mon Oct 12 Paris, France at Trebendo
Tue Oct 13 Gent, Belgium at Minnemeers
Wed Oct 14 Amsterda, Germany at Festsaal Kreuzberg
Fri Oct 16 Warsaw, Poland at Proxima
Sat Oct 17 Praha, Czech Republik at Akropolis
Sun Oct 18 Vienna, Austria at Arena
Mon Oct 19 Ljublana, Slovenia at Kino Siska
Tue Oct 20 Zagreb, Croatia at Pauk
Wed Oct 21 Treviso, Italy at New Age Club
Thu Oct 22 Roma Italy at Alpheus Club
Fri Oct 23 Bologna Italy at Estrogen
Sat Oct 24 Winterhur (Zurich), CH at Gaswerk
Cursive need little introduction, however there is a space that needs to be filled. That space is here and I, the dude that is now writing is in fact; in charge of this intro. Cursive have very recently released their first album in a few years titled ‘Mama, I’m Swollen’. The album is brutally life affirming, Kasher once again proving his ability not just as a song writer but as a story teller. Cursive are back and we caught up with them to find out what happened in the past and if they really find the English funny…
So how have things changed for you guys since good old 1995? most of our readers wont have even reached puberty back then?
Ha. I think I could go on forever so I will try and keep this brief. Well, it seems like everything is quite different. We came up with this very strict Independent DIY ethic that we learned by watching labels like Dischord and Touch and Go bands. This was all pre-internet in a lot of ways too. At least it was before we had learned to effectively use it. So we used punk zines like Maximum Rock-N- Roll’s “Book Your Own Fucking Life” to find places to play and book tours. We called the contacts on land lines instead of cell phones. We also got directions to venues by calling the promoter, writing down directions, and using a real life paper map. oh look I used an emoticon! So everything is quite different now and thankfully easier.
All our break ups and hiatuses were never good business decisions but we never based this band around business, so fuck it right?
What was your mothers reaction when you announced the news you were swollen ?
She was quite startled. I dont think any of our Mothers had a positive reaction to the name of the record. I think they thought it was too “weird” and wondered why in the world we would name it this! After some explanation I think they pretended to accept it in order to humor us.
Cursive have been around a long time, but how was the break up and were their any bridges to re build?
All the hiatus’s have been pretty mutually understandable from a friendship standpoint. All our break ups and hiatuses were never good business decisions but we never based this band around business, so fuck it right? So, there were no bridges to rebuild when we got back to together. When it was time to take a break we all welcomed the opportunity to reevaluate what we were doing and make sure we are still doing music for the right reasons and having fun etc.
What happened in the time you were apart?
We hung out as friends and really just got to clear our minds of the business side. We all kept overly busy with our music projects or work in the music world. It was a good time.
Its been three years since your last release, has cursive picked up where they left off?
yeah, I think so. Its funny because as we wrote this record there was the core essence to some of the songs that really reminded of our first record. Very slow sort of brooding and melancholy. Not sure you ever heard the first record but it seemed based around being pretty heavy but slow. Very little uptempo tunes.
Is the record still catering for the long standing fans or is there any changes to the sound or feel of “mama, im swollen” to entice new listeners ?
There is always change. We often are criticized for how different our records sound. On the other hand some people love it. I think we succeeded in presenting another familiar but still quite different side of Cursive. Its like your best friend that returns from Camp after a long summer apart. They are still your best friend but now they are all the sudden just a bit different since they’ve grown separate from you and really gotten into Football. It takes a while to become comfortable talking to them b/c you are not interested in football but over a short time you are as close as ever and you’ve started to appreciate and understand their new found interests. Anyway, the point is that we try and stretch a little more with each record stylistically and continue to challenge ourselves and the listener. Sometimes this can be as simple as choosing to keep a song mellow and not adding in and Cursive-like stops and starts or drastic dynamics.
If we arranged the opportunity for you to meet the queen, would you be interested ?
hmmm… I think I would prefer Tony Blair? Not sure I am proper enough for the queen. Tony on the other hand, seems like we might have some fun. We didn’t talk or hang out while he was running around with that Bush fellow but I think we want to give him another chance.
You recently performed on the late show with david letterman, how did that come about and do you think of it as some kind of defining moment in the history of the band?
We have a wonderful publicist over here in the States, Amanda Pitts, and she was the one who arranged it. We were very excited that it happened. Not sure if it is a defining moment but it was a significant and exciting moment.
Outside of the band, what do you guys do?
Tim and Ted both have other musical projects they work on. Tim’s also been spending a lot of time writing screenplays. Myself and three friends run a label over here called Team Love.
Are you looking forward to being back in the united kingdom ?
Yes. Its been a couple years and there are lots of great people we will be happy to see again.
What do you think of the British? were pretty funny right?haha
The British are good people. Some of you are definitely funny. If there was a pendulum between Benny Hill and the crew of Monty Python I would swing on it a bit but jump off on the side of Monty Python.
oh look I used an emoticon! So everything is quite different now and thankfully easier. 