Whatever....

RIP Chrissy Amphlett

2013-04-22T12:48:00.000-04:00

Chrissy Amphlett, the lead singer of the Australian band the Divinyls passed away yesterday at the age of 53.

The Divinyls biggest hit in the US was 1991's ode to female masturbation "I Touch Myself". In their native Australia the band had a very long and lustrous career.

My first exposure to the Divinyls was back when I was 12 and I heard their cover of the Syndacate of Sound's "Hey Little Girl" (the Divinyls cover was changed to "Hey Little Boy") on my local alt radio station WDRE. I remember absolutely loving the Divinyls version of the song and dancing around my room like a lunatic each time that song was played on WDRE and spending my allowance on a cassette copy of the Divinyls album that contained the cover of "Hey Little Boy", "Temperamental" .

I remember being impressed by Chrissy's breathy but strong voice and I also remember being impressed by her image which was that of an overly sexual tough girl in charge who didn't shit from anyone, think one of the women from the cult film "Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!". Chrissy Amphlett was not a shrinking violet for sure and her music and image had a huge impact on me.

RIP Chrissy your impact on music was huge!

Shows and songs from Jr High....

2013-04-19T18:02:00.003-04:00

Shilpa Ray and Lazy Eyes have been added to our first Northside Fest 2013 show on June 14th at The Gutter in Williamsburg Brooklyn. Libel, Butchers and Bakers and Meaning of Life are also on this bill. We also have a second Northside Fest 2013 show the following night June 15th at Legion also in Williamsburg, playing that show are Dead Stars, Bad Girlfriend, The Veda Rays, Low Fat Getting High and Clouder. Buying a badge for Northside Fest is the smartest investment you will ever make! To make that smart investment click here.

Moving along. All day today I have had Bell Biv DeVoe's song from the early 90's "Poison" in my head for some reason. "Poison" was released in 1991 when I was in the 8th grade and me I just loved this song! Fast forward some nearly 20 years and listening to this song again as an adult (albeit in my head) I still love this song!

So for your Friday here is a little Bell Biv DeVoe flashback from the early 90's, never trust a big butt and a smile and enjoy!!

Northside Fest 2013

2013-04-11T13:55:00.001-04:00

So the Whatever blog will be going back to Northside again this year. We will be curating two official Northside shows on Friday June 14th and Saturday June 15th. The only details I can give you thus far are; Libel, Bad Girlfriend, Dead Stars, Butchers and Bakers, Meaning of Life, Veda Rays, Low Fat Getting High and a Clouder reunion. More details to follow in the next up and coming weeks.

The music portion of Northside goes from June 13th to June 16th and besides our two little shows, The Walkmen, a reunited Black Flag (sans Henry but with Greg Ginn), Swans and Twin Sister will all be playing Northside shows this year.

Besides music, Northside fest also features film which goes from June 16th to June 20th and a really cool interactive/tech bit which goes on at the same time as the music portion. Northside is a great time you get to hear awesome music and watch cool films and get to see all the new technology pertaining to music and other forms of entertainment. A badge to Northside fest is a smart investment and right now the Northside folks are having an early bird special on badges click here to get those deals.

In honor of the reunion of both Black Flag and Clouder at Northside Fest 2013 here are some Black Flag and Clouder to brighten your day and get you all jazzed for Northside 2013! The name of the Black Flag tune is "Rise Above" and the Clouder clip is from Break Thru Radio.

These United States Movie, New Bands Etc Etc

2013-04-02T14:43:00.000-04:00

Happy April everyone! I hope you all had a lovely holiday weekend. The warmer weather in New York City marks the start of so many music related things around the city, the Crossing Brooklyn Ferry Festival, lots of outdoor shows including the start of the Celebrate Brooklyn concert series and of course Northside!

One of the many glorious things that spring has brought is a documentary about our dear friends These United States it's called "A Picture of the Three of Us". The film chronicles TUS' Picture of Three of Us tour and you can catch the entire film on daytrotter.com on April 12th. In the meantime you can click here to watch the film's trailer .

In other These United States news, TUS' front man Jesse Elliott, the front man has a new really great band called Ark Life which plays the Brooklyn Museum on Saturday April 6.

A reminder...

2013-03-26T12:52:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow night 3/27 is the third of the Whatever blog "March Madness" parties. The third party will take place at the Cameo Gallery in Willamsburg Brooklyn and feature White Mystery, Dead Stars and Samantha, Nick Gazin of Vice Magazine DJ's the night and there will be free Sailor Jerry rum drinks. To RSVP for all this goodness click here.

To get you all pumped for tomorrow night below is some White Mystery.

Ten Questions for Brooklyn Nets DJ TJ Roche

2013-03-25T10:01:00.001-04:00

Back in December right before the holidays I had the pleasure of attending my very first live basketball game, I got to see the Brooklyn Nets play the Utah Jazz. It was a really thrilling experience, live basketball is so fast paced and action packed and it's so much fun to finally in my life time (I grew up hearing stories from various family members about the glory days of Ebbets Field and the Brooklyn Dodgers) have a Brooklyn team to root for!

A big part of the excitement of a Nets game besides the on court action is the music. For all of you who have attended Nets games you know that the music at a Nets game is a step above music played at any other sporting events. The man behind all that good music at the Barclays Center is TJ Roche. TJ was gracious enough to answer all questions I had for him regarding his job via email, his responses are below.

AG: How did you become a DJ?

TJR: I always loved music growing up. In my family’s house, there was always a radio on somewhere no matter the day or time. People always ask why I never learned how to play an instrument, and the reason is that I was always playing sports. I started playing music as a “DJ” for family parties in our basement, which really only consisted of me controlling the radio and announcing each song. Once I started high school, I started to learn from other friends how to actually DJ using turntables. From there I started borrowing other people’s equipment so I would be able to play house parties. Once I was in college, I began purchasing my own equipment little by little and started playing some smaller parties, and local bars and clubs on Staten Island.

AG: Where were you DJing prior to becoming the Nets DJ?

TJR: I was a DJ for a very successful mobile DJ company called Sound Affectz based out of Staten Island and also doing bars and lounges throughout Staten Island and in Hoboken, NJ. Now I have a regular schedule at some of those same places and some other new spots in NYC. You can find me regularly at McSwiggans in Hoboken and Libation in Manhattan (when I am not at Barclays getting our Nets a “W”). I actually still do the occasional party for Sound Affectz and help out as much as my schedule allows. Sometimes it’s just great to go back to Staten Island and play a party, such as someone’s wedding or sweet 16. Over the years I have built many referrals, so people will still call asking if I am doing parties.

AG: How did you get the job as the Nets DJ?

TJR:I had just graduated from St. John’s University in 2005 with a degree in Business Management. The job market was tough, so I was working at Basketball Camps throughout the tri-state area with one of my best friends, Jason Allen. Jason had played college basketball at Wagner College and was friends with Tim Capstraw, who was the Men’s basketball coach at Wagner at the time, and is presently one of the radio commentators for the Brooklyn Nets. I worked at Tim’s camps all summer long and built a great relationship with him. Tim knew of my experience with DJing and at the end of the summer he mentioned that the Nets were looking for a new DJ and I should apply. I did and was called in for an interview. After a few rounds I was notified that they had hired someone who had experience working in the NBA and I would be backing up him up. They knew I had potential and wanted to learn from him, plus my knowledge of music was so broad. In October 2005, I was slated to observe my first Nets event, the team’s Open Practice at Ramapo College. A few nights prior to the practice I received a call that the person they hired turned down the position and they were going to give me the chance at the open practice to see how it goes. The rest as they say, is history!

AG: Are there any songs that you play during the course of the Nets season that serve as "theme music" for a certain player when he makes a play or comes out onto the court?

TJR: Some of the guys have a few quick hits of music I play after a big basket or play. I usually will use the player’s name or something they like to come up with a prompter. In an early interview Brook Lopez said he was a huge Michael Jackson fan, so I started to think if there was a song that would fit him. I started using the chorus from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” it caught on and he approved. Now being in Brooklyn, and Brook having such a great season I wanted to update some of the prompts. I now use Vincent Price’s laugh from “Thriller.” Another example I’ve used is the “Humpty Dance” for Kris Humphries.

AG: Do Jay-Z or any of the players request that certain songs be played during games?

TJR:The players requests songs. I like to play their requests during warm ups. That is their 15-20 minute window to warm up and get hyped for the game. That’s their moment.

AG: Do you get a chance to talk with the players, Jay-Z or Beyonce about music at all? If so, which of the players are serious music guys?

TJR:I do talk music with the players, I like to get their requests, play them, and keep our guys happy. Like I said, I use their requests for when those guys are warming up and getting ready for the game.

AG: There is so much going on in terms of music in Brooklyn, especially with indie rock and hip hop. Do you get out to see live music on your nights off? If so, what are some of your favorite places in Brooklyn to see live music?

TJR:I honestly do not get many nights off. If I am not working a Nets game, chances are I am spinning somewhere else in the area. I hope to take advantage of working in Brooklyn and going to see some great live music this off season. From working a few events there, I think that Brooklyn Bowl looks like a great venue to see a show, so I really hope to do that this summer.

AG: Do you have any favorite "indie" rock and hip hop artists?

TJR:I do not, but I do look forward to finding some hot and upcoming artist from Brooklyn!

AG: What songs are on heavy rotation right now on your iPod?

TJR: I really like the new Justin Timberlake album—he is very talented. Most nights after a game or working a gig, I really enjoy some real old school jams for the drive home like some great Motown!

AG: Do you play any basketball in your spare time? If so, what position do you play?

TJR: I do play some pick up here and there and usually in the summer I try to get into some men’s leagues in the area. I am shooting guard for sure. I played in high school and since I was never very tall I had to learn how to pull up for a jumper very deep to catch the defenders off guard.

Screaming Lord Sutch

2013-03-16T15:51:00.002-04:00

As many of you all know one of my favorite genre of music is 60's garage rock. To me 60's garage rock was the back bone of what would become two favorite rock genres of mine punk rock and hard rock. One of the pioneers of the 60's garage rock movement and the hard rock movement was Screaming Lord Sutch . Screaming Lord Sutch can also be considered the godfather of shock rock.

Many of his songs had horror themes his most well known was a song called "Jack The Ripper" and his live shows consisted of Sutch emerging from a black coffin dressed as Jack the Ripper he also used prop knifes, skulls and large daggers in his live shows. This was a full ten years before Alice Cooper and a good thirty five years before Marilyn Manson.

Notable and legendary musicians such as Keith Moon of the Who, Noel Redding of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple played on Scream Lord Sutch's albums.

Besides music Screaming Lord Sutch was involved in British politics, he ran as a representative of the National Teenage Party in the contested election for embattled UK politician John Profumo's seat in Parliament in 1963. He apparently received 208 votes in this election. In 1983 he founded The Official Monster Raving Loony Party and he ran against Margaret Thatcher, he ran as a representative of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party in various UK elections from 1983 to 1997.

Sadly Sutch suffered from depression and ended his life on June 16th, 1999. His music lives on and without him we would never have had what became shock rock or even punk rock.

Below are some clips of Screaming Lord Sutch performing live.

ETA: The White Stripes covered Screaming Lord Sutch's "Jack the Ripper" nine years ago on the "Under the Blackpool Lights" DVD

Shows and jams of the day

2013-03-11T17:35:00.001-04:00

This past Saturday marked the second March Whatever blog party at Bar Matchless in Greenpoint Brooklyn. Big thanks and lots of high fives to DJ Mojo, Alyson Greenfield, Gatos De Sensei, Hani Zahra and Amos and Benny's Psychedelic Picnic. Those thanks and high fives also go out to the awesome staff at Bar Matchless and all who came out on Saturday night.

The next Whatever blog party is on March 27th at the Cameo Gallery in Willamsburg, Brooklyn. White Mystery, Dead Stars and Samantha play that blog party. To RSVP for this party click here.

And the jam of the day even though it's a few years old is And You Will Know Us By The Trail of The Dead's song "Worlds Apart", the song is off And You Will Know Us'... 2005 album "Worlds Apart". It's on heavy rotation on my iPod and it totally rocks! Plus the lyrics are pretty spot on regarding pop culture and foreign policy of the 2000's and it's an over all killer tune!

Rare Monk and more parties etc

2013-03-06T14:53:00.000-05:00

The first of our March shows went off without a hitch last night at the Cameo Gallery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Much thanks and tons of high fives go out to Rare Monk, Pow Wow!, Yoni Gordon and his Orchestra, Mount Sharp, Bob from ReThink Pop Music, Steve Perry, the awesome staff at the Cameo Gallery and all who came out last night.

We do it all again along side of DJ Mojo this Saturday night March 9th at Bar Matchless in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. There has been a slight line up change for this show, Triana Park isn't able to play this show so Amos and Benny's Psychedelic Picnic will play in their place. Other artists on this bill are; Alyson Greenfield, Gatos De Sensei and Hani Zahra. To RSVP for all this pre SXSW or maybe no SXSW goodness for you but Brooklyn goodness click here.

Rare Monk who played last night are on a winter tour of the US and will be playing SXSW, if you click the above link you can find out when Rare Monk will be playing your town and for all you folks headed to SXSW you can find out from their page when and where they will be playing at SXSW. Definitely go and see Rare Monk when they come to your town or at SXSW, they are a fantastic band who puts on a great, energetic and very tight live show.

Below is the video for Rare Monk's song "Shoot Me Down"...enjoy!

Happy March

2013-03-04T17:53:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow kicks off the first of our March blog parties, which will take place at the Cameo Gallery in Williamsburg Brooklyn. Pow Wow!, Rare Monk, Mount Sharp and Yoni Gordon play. Everything kicks off of at 8pm and it's $8 at the door. To RSVP to all this Tuesday night pre SXSW goodness click here.

And to get you all excited for this show tomorrow night click this link to hear Mount Sharp's newest music in the form of a 3 song EP called "Hello Mount Sharp", it's really major!

Speaking of new music the Brooklyn based duo The Veda Rays have a new song and video out called "Better than the Devil". It's straight ahead really rad rock. Check out the song and video below. On another note regarding the "Better than the Devil" video, I sooo want that skull ring!

David Bowie and Tilda Swinton together at last

2013-02-26T14:24:00.001-05:00

David Bowie and one of my favorite actresses Tilda Swinton (my reasons why I love her is cause she's so good and she is the female David Bowie) made a pretty major new music video for Bowie's new song "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)". The song is a single off Bowie's latest album "The Next Day" which comes out on March 12, 2013.

The video for "The Stars (Are Out Tonight) has all sorts of freaky and creepy things going on and it's just so good as is the song. Seeing this video totally made my day!

After watching this video go to Netflix and watch "Orlando" with Tilda Swinton, it's an excellent film and she's just so amazing in it. Once you watch "Orlando" you may say to yourself that these scenes look familiar and that is because Paula Cole tried to recreate "Orlando" for her video for that lame song of hers that became the theme to "Dawson's Creek". When you watch "Orlando" get Paula Cole and that awful Dawson's Creek theme song video out of your head and only think about Tilda Swinton and the amazingness that is the film "Orlando". Then after you watch "Orlando" watch "The Man Who Fell To Earth" with David Bowie it's another brilliant film and it was made in the mid 70's. Bowie really looks like Tilda Swinton in "The Man Who Fell To Earth".

Not only are both films wonderful films but they are also very sexy films. You'll thank me after you watch them!

March Show Madness

2013-02-21T10:17:00.001-05:00

As previously mentioned we are involved in curating three shows in March. And two of our March shows mark the Brooklyn debuts of two bands Rare Monk and Triana Park.

The first show is on March 5th at the Cameo Gallery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Mount Sharp, Rare Monk from Portland Oregon, Yoni Gordon and Pow Wow! play that show. To RSVP for this show click here.

The second show is on March 9th at Bar Matchless in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. For this show we are teaming up with DJ Mojo. Playing this show are; Alyson Greenfield, Gatos De Sensei, Hani Zahra and from Latvia Triana Park. To RSVP for this show click here.

The third March show on March 27th at the Cameo Gallery, marks the return of our favorite ginger rockers from Chicago White Mystery. Playing along side White Mystery are Dead Stars and Samantha. To RSVP for this show click here.

RIP Kevin Ayers

2013-02-20T17:30:00.002-05:00

I was sad to read that Kevin Ayers a founding member of the English psychedelic band Soft Machine passed away at the age 68 on Monday of this week. Soft Machine was one of the greatest psychedelic bands on the UK scene in the late 60's and early 70's their sound was progressive rock with elements of free form jazz and blues mixed in. Kevin Ayers distinct vocal and bass playing played a huge part of Soft Machine's sound.

After his tenure in Soft Machine Kevin Ayers would go onto work with other artists such as Brian Eno, Syd Barrett (Soft Machine often played on the same bill as Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd at the UFO club in London), John Cale, Nico, Elton John and Mike Oldfield.

His last album called "The Unfair Ground" was released in 2006.

Kevin Ayers was a talent who had a lot of influence on music, just take a listen to any Radiohead, Muse or Coldplay album and you will hear his influence. RIP Kevin Ayers!

Questions for Libel, Crazy Pills and Low Fat Getting High

2013-02-19T14:21:00.002-05:00

This past Saturday marked the first Whatever blog party of 2013. Low Fat Getting High, Crazy Pills, Libel and Meaning of Life all played amazing sets to a packed and lively room at Muchmore's in Williamsburg Brooklyn on Saturday night. Prior to the show I asked all the bands questions and I intended to have their responses up before the show on Saturday but due to some technical difficulties I wasn't able to re post their responses till today.

Below are the email responses (hence the different fonts and the spacing issues are due to blogger's wackiness over the last few days) of Tha Kitten from Crazy Pills, Gavin and Brian from Libel and Michael P, Artie and Kaleen from Low Fat Getting High

AG: What is your songwriting process?

Michael from Low Fat Getting High--- We get into a room with a case of beer, set up a bunch of microphones and a laptop, and act like we're about to play a show. Then we improvise songs for about two hours and record the whole thing--- like we're playing a setlist of songs that we've never heard. Inevitably, when we listen back there are a few ideas in there that are about 80% done--- we'll tweak them, add some lyrics, and then we have more songs.

Gavin from Libel-I listen to whatever is on KEXP, figure out the chords they're playing and then claim I wrote that song first.

Brian from Libel-I'll defer to Gavin on his own songwriting process, which is the genesis of almost all Libel songs. But after he records demos, we spend a huge amount of time in the practice space hammering out arrangements and editing compositions. Arranging and editing is very collaborative and democratic, and it tends to happen in real time when all three of us are in a room together.

Tha Kitten from CP-I typically draw a hot bath, pour myself a glass of champagne and put on some slow jamz to get myself in the mood. Otherwise, I'll sit with one of my guitars and figure out the chords I hear for the song I've probably got all up in the ol' melon and try my best to describe what the hell is going on to the players based on what I work out. Fun fact: I've written half of my Crazy Pills tunes on my acoustic.

AG: What inspires that songwriting process?

Michael from Low Fat Getting High-- I always keep magazines, and books around to inspire content or moods. I like the idea of exploring music through improvisational exercises. Sometimes we'll call out words, or musical genres to set up a mood to write about. We're always thinking about things that would be cool or interesting to do in our live set, and often write to suit that need

Kaleen from Low Fat Getting High-Being alive. While we're here, we might as well make as much music as possible to leave behind.

Artie from Low Fat Getting High-Punk/Metal/Noises and beers... also shitty bathrooms.

Gavin from Libel: 12-pack of Rolling Rock (PBR is too expensive),

2 16-ounce cans of Red Bull

3 99¢ bags of Wise potato chips (Sour cream & onion),

2 packs Parliament Lights,5 grams shittily-cut coke,

14 visits to YouPorn.com (typically short),

1 earmarked copy, "Tropic of Cancer"13,563 illegally downloaded MP3s

Tha Kitten from Crazy Pills: I honestly am not sure where the melodies or whatever come from. But lyrically (I hate doing lyrics, last part of my process mainly for my fear of commitment and issues with memorizing stuff) I have been inspired by things as immediate as a pal being sad about being treated badly by a guy, to themes as abstract as militias and cults. So probably Law & Order.

Brian from Libel: Almost all of my good musical ideas happen when I'm away from my instrument. Oftentimes, with Libel, I'll take a bathroom break at practice, and by the time I come back to the space, I'll have realized what to play during a part of a song that I previously hadn't been able to nail. So, yeah, I guess that means peeing really inspires a lot of my best bass parts with Libel.

AG: What's the most surprising thing anyone has said to you about your music?

Artie from Low Fat Getting High: People keep saying we have a grunge sound. I was not expecting to hear that before. I think we are more like combination of metal/punk and noise!

Kaleen from Low Fat Getting-After a show, this guy came up to me to say I played drums just like Phil Collins.

Michael P from Low Fat Getting High--There was this one old lady at our first show that said our performance was "Adonis masturbating" then she did yoga next to us. That was surprising. But yeah--- the constant reference to grunge is kinda surprising.

Tha Kitten from Crazy Pills-"You sound like a mix of "Jap" pop and The Beatles." Please don't ever come to my show again.

Gavin from Libel-"You're in a band? Let's have sex."

Brian from Libel-Nothing surprises me on that front, but also, no one talks to the bass player, haha. I'm sure Gavin's heard some gems.

AG: You guys are all Brooklyn based bands, this past summer I saw Patti Smith speak, her advice to young artists was pretty much you don't have to be in New York to make art if what you are doing is good it will get noticed no matter where you are. Do you agree with that?

Kaleen from Low Fat Getting High- It would definitely be hard to argue that being in New York isn't a great place to be in a band. That there are shows going on all the time, and like minded bands playing shows together, is a beautiful thing. We've made friends here with some great noise punk bands, and I definitely don't think that would have happened if Low Fat Getting High was...say...a Lawrenceville based band.

Artie from Low Fat Getting High-50/50 Being a band from LA or New York, it will have more opportunities to meet more interesting people in music scene but basically, the band have to be good and have something new to introduce to audiences.

Michael P from Low Fat Getting High--Our band never would have met outside New York. Meeting and working with people in person like Artie and Kaleen just isn't going to happen on the internet or in the suburbs. I think it's important to find people that challenge your art and your thought process. Some people can do that in their hometown, some people have to go search for it somewhere else.

Brian from Libel- She's been saying that for a few years now. I have a huge amount of respect for Patti Smith, and I think it's possible to make the argument that she's the single coolest pop culture figure alive right now in the English-speaking world, but I think she's wrong in this case. It's possible to create and share art of any medium from virtually anywhere on the planet. But the barrier is still in distribution and dissemination. The idea that good art will be recognized and appreciated (and especially monetized) from anywhere is naive. Whether you're a musician, a writer, a visual artist, a filmmaker, a theater artist, a dancer or whatever, it's still very important to be present for the people or companies or organizations that can give you your breaks. Ask anyone you know who's worked with a record label about what happens to unsolicited demos. As anyone who works at a publishing house what happens with unsolicited manuscripts. Creative people get their breaks by personally knowing people who are able to bring their work to the right person's desk, and it's extremely difficult to do that remotely. Also, even though the internet has democratized the production of media, media outlets are still concentrated heavily in cities like New York, L.A., Chicago and London. And people who work at media outlets tend to be overworked and overextended. In breaking new artists, they'll be more inclined to look to their own backyards first, rather than doing extra research.

I know visual artists who would love to move out of New York, but they're convinced moving away would rip them from the interpersonal networks they've established here and would effectively mean career suicide. With music -- well, we're all musicians. Most of us have gigged a lot outside of NYC. Go to Boston, Providence, New Haven, Philadelphia. Ask musicians in those towns whether they feel they're getting their breaks. In my experience, it sounds like they don't feel they are. I spent most of my 20s in New Haven, writing about music for an alt-weekly newspaper. And though I can't speak for any of these people, just off the top of my head, it seems as though Dave Longstreth, MGMT, the guys in Suckers and Bear Hands, Slam Donahue and FaltyDL are doing a lot better for themselves now than when they were all kicking around southern Connecticut

Every once in a while, the music press devotes fairly intense attention to bands/acts from other cities (Atlanta got a lot of attention a few years back, and then San Francisco, and Portland is always kind of lurking on the periphery of mass media consciousness), but digging into regional scenes is not standard operating procedure. It was, maybe, in the '90s, when the music industry put a lot of effort into finding "the next Seattle." But that was a bit of an aberration. If you look at the entire history of recorded music and the music press, going back over 100 years, it's mostly been concentrated on New York, L.A., Chicago, Nashville and London. I don't see that changing. Even the internet hasn't changed it.

Tha Kitten from Crazy Pills- Ah, no we're not :) Crazy Pills are Astoria, Queens-based - all of us in this line-up. BUT we are in NY and I can hear what Patti Smith is saying.]

She's right that you don't have to specifically be in Brooklyn to find listeners. But if you're asking about going the very specific route of being an indie buzz band or whatever, then yes, there is a strong element of networking involved to get the type of attention in certain blogs and magazines. It is a game. But if that's your end goal, please stop playing music. Instead, start a PR firm to support a band that is doing that naturally, and well. You'll have the power and recognition you want, AND there will be good new music on the scene. Thank you.

Gavin from Libel- I notice Patti Smith wherever she is – #cougar.

AG: It seems to me that Brooklyn music scene has become some what played out with subpar bands from other states thinking they'll become the next Pitchfork darlings if they move to Brooklyn. What are your thoughts on the Brooklyn "scene"?

Tha Kitten from Crazy Pills- It's true that Brooklyn is saturated with folks of a certain level of proficiency in instrument and pop-culture savvy, but the nice thing about it is there are different niches that most folks can find their way into. I don't think that moving to Brooklyn is necessary for bands who have a strong sound and vision to go the Pitchfork direction.. But networking wise, being there probably helps I imagine. There will always be 'subpar' bands with money and connections who get big. I file that under "not my problem" ;)

Brian from Libel-I'm with Amanda on this one. Sure, there's a glut of musicians, but so what? I disagree that Brooklyn is "played out." It's a numbers game. The sheer number of musicians in this city is pretty bonkers and just plain daunting. Of course you're going to get a lot of chaff with your wheat, but I'm not concerned with the chaff, and the wheat is often of fairly amazing quality. And like Amanda said, there are countless niches; there's really no such thing as "the Brooklyn scene," because it's so fragmented. People cluster based on the style of music they're into, or based on neighborhoods where they live, or based on where they came from and what the people they know from "back home" are doing here. There are benefits and detriments. I've found musicians in NYC (Brooklyn and Queens in particular) to be extremely motivated in helping their fellow musicians, by setting up shows and by supporting each other at gigs. The downside is that it's easy to just drive deep into one's own niche and never hear the music you can hear just by breaking out of your comfort zone a little. It's not too much of a downside. The wealth of great music is there if you take the initiative to explore it.

Michael P from Low Fat Getting High-- This scene is so vast I can't keep track of it. We do our best to surround ourselves with bands and musicians we like. The goal is to focus on the good stuff, learn from the bad stuff, and let the rest fade into the background. I would probably be more annoyed by certain bands if I were a show promoter though. I can't imagine what kind of stuff surfaces through those channels. Rejection is definitely a huge part of the process of being in a band, though. So, maybe it's great that as a show promoter you're annoyed by these people---- your rejection is a public service to the scene as a whole.

Kaleen from Low Fat Getting High-I don't blame them for trying. There is some great stuff going on in the scene, its just like tuning into the news though, bad news seems to get all the attention.

Gavin from Libel-Pitchfork? Isn't that a farm equipment supplier? Man, Brooklyn has been totally played out since that Lou Reed guy started wearing his sunglasses and leather jacket all over the place. I'm moving to Portland first chance I get.

AG: Brooklyn scene aside what are your pet peeves in music?

Kaleen from Low Fat Getting High--People taking themselves way too seriously. Being in a band is supposed to be fun!

Artie from Low Fat Getting High--Shitty, young, clueless hipsters trying to act like they're professional musicians.

Michael P from Low Fat Getting High-- When people overlook the poor quality of a band's music b/c they have cool hair cuts or b/c they have important friends. It happens everywhere. I wish people could just trust their own taste and act accordingly, but I guess that's just the nature of the industry anyways.

Tha Kitten from Crazy Pills- Brooklyn-scene thing isn't actually a strong pet peeve of mine :) Lack of soul; I define soul as making music that is true to you and your players, not copping someone else's sound or posturing or trying to pander to an audience. Lack of showmate courtesy (e.g., gear share reciprocation, showing up to see the opening act or sticking around to see headliner if they were there, going to shows to support your friends when you can, etc.). Promoters/bookers who don't promote but still take a cut.

Gavin from Libel-That stupid music critics don't realize THAT I AM A FUCKING MUSICAL GENIUS! WORSHIP ME, YOU TONE-DEAF CRETINS! I'm sorry, I didn't mean that – can I send you some MP3s?

Brian from Libel- If the "Brooklyn scene" were a peeve of mine, I'd probably live somewhere else, seriously. My main pet peeve in music is when musicians think the audience owes them something. That's a backwards outlook for a gigging musician. I'm definitely not one to advocate for any kind of dumbing-down of one's creative output. But if you're going to take your music out of your bedroom and willingly play in front of other people, you need to consider you're playing music for people who left the house because they wanted to have a good time; they want to hear music that soundtracks activities like socializing with people of like mind, downing a few drinks and making googly eyes at attractive strangers. Your 30-to-45-minute set is just part of the tapestry of their fun night out. It's a pet peeve when musicians forget or ignore that and operate under the assumption that their set is actually about them, rather than about what they can do for the audience. Another pet peeve is that there are so many people in bands who could be contributing more to humanity by doing something else. I wonder sometimes about all the novels and plays that aren't being written, all the paintings that aren't being painted, because everyone's in a band, man. Being in a band is great for a creative person, because you can combine music, words, theater and visual art, but maybe we'd have a slightly richer culture if more people focused on the one non-musical aspect they're really good at.

AG: What are some of your favorite things about what's going on in music?

Tha Kitten from Crazy Pills-I am glad that grunge put a stop to mass worship of cockrock. I think people now appreciate that it's not just what you do but how you do it. That's the coolest thing about music and art in general.

Brian from Libel-Very broad question, but I like the fact that in the .mp3 era, musicians kind of have to think of each new song as the A-side of a single. Some musicians get this, and some don't.

Kaleen from Low Fat Getting High-- The DIY scene that is now completely possible. I just attended the Don Giovanni showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg, and it was so inspiring that everything is going on there was started just by two buddies Zach and Joe who wanted to put out their music. They put it out themselves, started putting out their friend's bands, and now Don Giovanni is one of the most prolific indie labels!

Michael P from Low Fat Getting High--- I like how technology has made the production of music so accessible to bands. There is sooooo much good music out there that wouldn't have been produced or available otherwise. It's an exciting time. Records are being made in their own way without the tyranny of big business. There is a great democracy beginning to happen in music. We're all getting closer to being our own gate keepers as listeners and musicians. That's amazing.

Gavin from Libel-The sheer number of piano/drum coed duos. If one or both members wear giant plastic frames… OMG! Also, chap-hop.
AG: What are your favorite places to play?

Brian from Libel-The Oasis in New London, CT. Also Glasslands, Cake Shop and DIY spots. In general, I have more fun at house shows and lofts spaces than in "proper" clubs.

Tha Kitten from Crazy Pills-I love the Fort Useless venue and crew. Union Hall, Union Pool and Grand Victory have nice sound and even nicer sound guys. House shows are fun and DIY spaces as long as nobody spills beer on my gear.

Artie from Low Fat Getting High--Any DIY places where you can meet your real fan and really love what you are doing. Playing in major venues is great too unless people come to see your show love your music.

Michael P from Low Fat Getting High-- Don Pedro's is ALWAYS a good time--- Steve and Jake are awesome. It's so warm, comfortable, and unpretentious there. Nobody is a dick.

Gavin from Libel- Nursing homes – the audiences always tell me to turn up.

AG- What are your hopes for the future of music?

Gavin from Libel-New rap genre: Gingercore. Gonna be huge – starting a record label called, "Better Red Than Ded."

Brian from Libel-Well, more stuff that I like! It's all cyclical. It's kind of weird to think that independent music has gone through so many cycles over the last several years, and yet when I tune in to commercial radio, most stations sound exactly the same now as they did when I was in my senior year of high school; the only difference is the names of the bands/singers involved. The exception, of course, is hip-hop/R&B radio, which evolves about as rapidly as the indie buzz cycle. I hope for some newness and change in mainstream rock and pop.

Tha Kitten from Crazy Pills-That I'm part of it :)

Michael P from Low Fat Getting High-- That there's always going to be something new, adventurous, and surprising out there.

Kaleen from Low Fat Getting High--That the egos completely disappear. Maybe that is just my hope for the human race in general.

AG: Last but not least what's your sexiest song?

Tha Kitten from Crazy Pills-My songs are asexual, ha! But maybe...you've inspired me to write one :D

Brian from Libel-After all this time, I kinda think "No Regrets for Our Youth" was a peak in sexiness for Libel. There is a chance Gavin will disagree with me on that.

Michael P from Low Fat Getting High--- I can't say writing a sexy song has been a goal of ours. Maybe we have written some. I have no idea. If anything, our music would probably inspire some really rough sex.

Kaleen from Low Fat Getting High--I think our new EP due out in the fall will inspire fucking and fighting at the same time. Think a sexy mosh pit!

Gavin from Libel-We're working on a new one called "If You Love It, Lube It" that's going to give "Sex Farm" a run for its money.

Shows galore in March

2013-02-14T18:02:00.001-05:00

We have a total of 3 shows going on in March, the flyers for these shows are posted below. And don't forget that this Saturday Feb 16th is the first Whatever blog show of 2013 at Muchmore's in Williamsburg Brooklyn. Meaning of Life, Libel, Low Fat Getting High and Crazy Pills all play this show. To RSVP for this Saturday's show click here.

It's a My Morning Jacket Friday

2013-01-18T17:14:00.002-05:00

I've been listening to My Morning Jacket all day today, there is something about Jim James' vocals and lyrics and the melodies of this band that put me in such a good mood. I'm extending my good mood to you by posting some My Morning Jacket videos!

Better late then never: Ethan Gold best of 2012

2013-01-17T14:53:00.000-05:00

Before the end of 2012 I asked some of my really awesome indie rock friends what their favorite albums of 2012 where and I published what I thought was all of their lists right before the new year. Yesterday I realized there was one "best of list" that I forgot to publish...a combination of old age and that nasty flu virus going around are to blame for this one final list not being published! That list was Ethan Gold's best of 2012 list. So without further ado here is Ethan Gold's best of 2012 list.

1. The Size Queens "Consumption Work: Tammy, Cybertariat, At The Aral Sea":

My new favorite band. I'd like to list all of their albums here but I'll save that for elsewhere… The Size Queens bring the human back to humor. The tumescence back to tumor. The rumination back to rumors. The booty back to beauty. Their music and words are funny, sad, individualistic, universal, awesome.

2. Light Asylum (self titled)

I danced around my room to this one. It's not a perfect record but the good stuff gave me that delicious cold feeling I used to get from New Order. What a facking voice.

Below is a clips of songs off Ethan's album "Songs from a Toxic Apartment" The first video is for the song "Nonstop" and the second video is for the song "Why Don't You Sleep?" Enjoy!

200 Motels

2013-01-11T14:22:00.001-05:00

I like everyone else in New York City have been suffering with this awful upper repository flu like virus this last week. In an effort to get over this thing I have been taking my zPack antibiotics, drinking lots of water, using my humidifier to it's fullest extent, taking cough syrup and getting lots of rest. Getting lots of rest includes watching back episodes of "30 Rock", "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and tons movies on Netflix instant streaming.

One of the movies I watched on Netflix instant streaming was Frank Zappa's 1971 magnum opus "200 Motels" . "200 Motels" is basically a quasi documentary on Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention's touring life done in a very unique way, it's also a commentary done in the most Zappa of ways on the music industry and the 1960's counter culture. The film contains lots of known people in some pretty unique roles for instance Ringo Starr plays a dwarf who is dressed like Zappa throughout the entire film, Keith Moon plays a groupie/nun, legendary 60's groupie Pamela Des Bares (billed as Pamela Miller in this film) plays a rock journalist and Broadway actor Theodore Bikel plays a Nazi, narrator, German man character.

The line up of the Mothers of Invention at the time of "200 Motels" was; Jimmy Carl Black, Howard Kaylan, Mark Volman, George Duke, Aynsley Dunbar and Ian Underwood who all appear in the film as themselves. The Mother's bassist Jeff Simmons left prior to the shooting of the film and was replaced by Ringo Starr's driver.

Zappa himself appears in the film but does not have any dialogue, his band mates have most of the dialogue in the film.

The music in the film is really genius. Most of it is classical music mixed in with rock and jazz and comedic songs.

I highly recommend watching "200 Motels" on Netflix instant streaming. It's one of those rock films that is so out there and so bizarre but yet in comparison to other rock films from the late 60's and the 70's it's so brilliantly done and funny on purpose. You can almost look at "200 Motels" as being high art.

Happy Birthday David Bowie

2013-01-08T10:56:00.001-05:00

Today marks the 66th birthday of one David Robert Jones also known as David Bowie aka Ziggy Stardust, aka the Thin White Duke. On this very momentous occasion it was announced that Bowie will release his first album in 10 years called "The Next Day" this March. The first single from the album called "Where Are We Now"is currently avaliable on iTunes and "The Next Day" is avaliable for pre order on iTunes starting today. To buy the new single and pre order the album you can click here.

Below are clips of the birthday boy's best pieces of work IMHO. I've also included the clip for the new song "Where Are We Now".

Happy Birthday David Bowie!

The flyer for the 1st blog party of 2013

2013-01-07T21:47:00.001-05:00

Made by yours truly with the MegaPhoto app.

First shows of the new year & Shel Silverstein

2013-01-07T12:19:00.001-05:00

A new year is upon us and there are some really big things in store for The Whatever blog in 2013. The first Whatever blog party of 2013 will take place on Febuary 16th at Muchmore's in Williamsburg Brooklyn. Low Fat Getting High, Libel, The Meaning of Life and Crazy Pills will be playing this show. If you come to this show you'll see Crazy Pills with a new bass player and drummer Eddie Davis from Pow Wow! is now on bass and Jimmy Wood formerly of Clouder is now on drums. To RSVP for this very swinging shindig click here.

On another note as of late I have been listening non stop to the music of Shel Silverstein, many of you may be familiar with Silverstein's well known children's poetry books "Where the Sidewalk Ends", "A Light in The Attic" and "The Giving Tree". Shel Silverstein was a jack of all trades he was an illustrator, poet and songwriter, prior to writing his well known children's books his illustrations, poems and songs where quite adult in nature. His illustrations appeared in Playboy magazine and his songs (most notably and perhaps his tamest song was "A Boy Named Sue" which was made famous by Johnny Cash) dealt with getting stoned, freakers balls, getting on the cover of Rolling Stone and the male sexual prowess. Shel Silverstein's lyrics are very funny and very outrageous in a good way even by today's standards.

Below are clips of some Shel Silverstein classics! Enjoy!

Best of 2012: White Mystery

2013-01-01T17:36:00.001-05:00

Today is the very last day of 2012 & for the very last day of 2012 here is White Mystery's best of 2012 list. Have a wonderful & safe new year's celebration & here's to another year of great shows & good music!

1. King Tuff "King Tuff" (Subpop)
2. Turbo Fruits "Butter"
3. Copperheads "Apocalyptic Behavior" (Okie Dope)
4. The Pharcyde "Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde" (Burger)
5. Outerminds "Behind the Mirror" (FDH)

To get tour dates & other announcements for White Mystery you can check their website by clicking here or you can follow them on Twitter & Facebook by clicking here & here.

End of the year lists: Libel & Quiet Loudly

2012-12-30T20:11:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow is the very last day of 2012. As previously mentioned, I have asked my super cool indie rock friends what their favorite albums of 2012 where & here are Gavin from Libel & the gents of Quiet Loudly's responses to my pressing question. Tomorrow you'll find out what was White Mystery's favorite albums of 2012.

Here is Gavin from Libel's list:

Metric - Synthetica
Amazing follow-up to Fantasies – more haunting analog synths and guitar solos; catchy, poignant lyrics as always.

Menomena – Moms
Not as dark as Mines – balances sad themes with springy melodies and ornate instrumentation.

And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead – Lost Songs
Seemingly appropriate album title – these tracks feel like a follow-up to Source Tags and Codes never recorded. Less bombast, more angst than recent efforts.

The Meaning of Life – Play Fuego
Dreamy, driving, melodic – shoegaze with a sense of songwriting. Imagine a Frankie Rose or Pains of Being Pure at Heart album where all the songs didn't blend together.

Passenger Peru - Self Titled
Extremely hard to describe – noisy, complicated and yet serene. Sometimes post-rock, sometimes classic indie – at times they sound like the heir apparent to Polvo. Almost everything is catchy and yet surprising.

Honorable mention: Quiet Loudly – Go Into the Light Smiling
Soulgaze 2.0

Libel plays the Glasslands on January 9, 2013 with Low Fat Getting High.

Here is Max & Tony from Quiet Loudly's best of 2012 list:

Max's Best Of 2012 (in no particular order):

Chris Cohen- Overgrown Path
This album was a bit of a grower for me. I really liked it the first time I heard it, but somewhere around the fourth listen, something really clicked and i was pretty spellbound. It has a bit of a subdued vibe to it, but there's something really magical about it. It's kind of got a 70s AM pop thing going on, with some really groovy sharp turns into hazy psych. And I am in awe of the fact that he played all the instruments on this record. Of course, that isn't unheard of, but the musicianship on this album is PERFECT. Everything. Chris Cohen is most known for his guitar playing in Deerhoof, so it's almost unbelievable to hear the caliber of performance he was able to turn in on the drums and bass. Really fluid, impressive playing, yet never showy. Always remarkably tasteful and fairly restrained. And it's the small details that often stuck with me and had me coming back to this record over and over again. Like, the lead guitar line that leads into the first verse of "Monad" or the flawless drum roll entrance in "Heart Beat". I'm just in love with this album.

Angel Olsen- Half Way Home
Angel Olsen has that rare kind of voice that just totally stopped me dead in my tracks the first time I heard it. There are hues of Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Linda Ronstadt, and Joan Baez, yet her voice is so much more raw and vulnerable than all those influences, making it distinctly her own. Her voice is like an open wound and the hurt it conveys is immediately apparent. Listening to her is an almost painfully intimate experience-- like it brings me closer to her than I have any business being. She easily has one of the most affecting voices I've heard since Jeff Buckley. I can't wait to hear where it takes her.

Cheval Sombre- Mad Love
This is an album that requires some patience. It's kind of a long, deep psychedelic sigh of a record. Produced by Sonic Boom, it is predictably sparse, droning, and ethereal. But, it is very much its own world and one that I relish immersing myself in on long, dark walks alone with my headphones on. Despite Christopher Porpora's distant, unaffected vocal delivery, this is a record of deep longing. I was already a sucker for this guy after falling in love with his last album, but once I heard the story behind these songs, I was a total goner. Supposedly, this collection of songs (mostly originals, but a few covers) was inspired by a schizophrenic woman in a mental hospital in the early 1920s. Over an 11 year period of being completely isolated, she wrote a whole series of love letters to her estranged husband. Sadly enough, the letters never reached him and were discovered years later, undelivered, within the facility after her death. That backstory really gave me chills and effectively brought out a whole new dimension to all these songs. And it may not be a popular preference, but I happen to love slow, sad music.

Vincas- Blood Bleeds
I rarely come across good heavy bands that aren't metal these days. For some reason, indie bands just aren't bringing the heavy as of late. The ones that do seem to all traffic in trite 90s rehash territory that felt much more authentic the first time around. Not these dudes. This album is dark, scuzzy, and primal as hell. It makes me see red in the best way possible. It sounds like murder. I literally can't sit still when I listen to this album. They might not be reinventing the wheel exactly, but their pounding, hypnotic, violent sound, complete with distorted space-echo-drenched vocals is right on the money, as far as I'm concerned. Maybe not ground-breaking, but I feel like they already have "their sound", they don't sound like a carbon copy of another band, and they NAIL it from start to finish of this wonderfully grimy album.

pow wow!- Don't Stop To Look
I told myself I wasn't going to include any friends on this list. Honestly, I know so many local bands that put out really terrific, inspiring music that deserved attention this year. So, I hate the thought of leaving so many off my list when they have earned much more recognition than has come their way. BUT.... this album is too irresistible. These songs are perfect. They are exceptionally well written and incorporate the very best elements of all the very best pop that's come out over the last 50 years while conjuring up the urgency of right now and owning every goddamn second of it. I would be hard-pressed to think of a stronger, more consistent collection of songs this year. Every single track on this record has burrowed its way deep inside my skull, making it impossible for me to go a full week without putting this album on again. I have listened to it a disgusting amount of times. And I never, ever tire of it.

Tony's Best Of 2012:

Cate Le Bon – CYRK
Cate Le Bon exudes a mysterious and girlish wisdom that lets her touch on big-time subject matter (like death and stuff) without sounding like she's overextending herself. Her voice is spooky but understated, and super confident in delivery. Plus she has a sweet welsh accent that goes perfectly with the weird regal feel to a lot of her songs.

Chris Cohen – Overgrown Path
Max turned me on to this one, and it’s killer. Chris Cohen plays all of the instruments himself, and keeps a weather-worn, pseudo-psych palette throughout. His delivery is mostly mellow and sort of dreary, but there’s a certain propulsion to the minor chord melodies that reminds me of the theme music from old NES games (Double Dragon? Ninja Gaiden?) recorded on live instruments.

White Fence – Family Perfume (Vol. 1 & 2)
The Family Perfume series has an unedited, kitchen-sink feel to it, but the songs are great and the genre-jumping–lo-fi garage fuzz, freaky-ass folk meandering, and swirly psychedelia (basically all things San Francisco)–keeps things interesting.

Murals – On a Passing Cloud
This was a big summertime listen for me. These guys take a lot of well-tread sunshine pop and psych-folk influences and make them sound fresh and original with spacey synths and the occasional trumpet.

Ty Segall/White Fence – Hair
Ty Segall put out a ton of great stuff this year, so it’s kind of tough to pick a favorite. But I’m sort of a wuss, and this was the most wuss-friendly thing he was involved with, so this got the heaviest rotation for me.

Quiet Loudly plays the Living Bread Deli in Brooklyn on Feb 2, 2013.

Don't Be A Jerk It's Christmas

2012-12-21T17:00:00.000-05:00

The Christmas holidays and a big bright happy new year 2013 are just days away and we at the Whatever blog have asked our super cool indie rock friends (Libel, Ethan Gold, White Mystery, EULA & Quiet Loudly among others) to make a list of their favorite new releases of 2012. I will publish those lists next week.

In the mean time here is one of my favorite Christmas songs "Don't Be A Jerk It's Christmas" from Sponge Bob Square pants. I love the message of this song! Happy Holidays everyone!

Meaning of Life, Pow Wow!, The Dearloves & Dead Stars @ the Grand Victory

2012-12-04T20:27:00.002-05:00

The last Friday night of November was quite a fun one in Williamsburg Brooklyn, because four really amazing bands Meaning of Life, Pow Wow!, The Dearloves & Dead Stars all played The Grand Victory.

The show at the Grand Victory marked the last show for Pow Wow!'s drummer Pat & it was quite a send off for Pat. Every band on the Grand Victory stage Friday night played a super fun & super tight set.

Us lucky folks in the audience even got treated to a cover of Nirvana's "Breed" courtesy of Dead Stars. It was a fantastic night & a night that Pat & the rest of us who were at the Grand Victory won't soon forget.

Below are my pictures from the night.

Marta from Meaning of Life

Christian from MOL

Pow Wow!

Pat from Pow Wow!

More Pow Wow! Fun

Amanda from Pow Wow!

Pow Wow! being awesome

The Dearloves

Dead Stars

Jeff from Dead Stars

Dead Stars awesomeness