7.13.13 Minneapolis, MN
Where I've Been/Where I'm Going 7.24
Since July 10th:
NYC:
PC Worship at 285 Kent
Shivering Brigade at Trash Bar, WIlliamsburg
MN:
Prom Queef recording at the Barn, Northfield
Brain Tumors at Memory Lanes, Minneapolis
Prom Queef at the Cow, Northfield
Merchandise at Triple Rock, Minneapolis
Condominium house show
Future:
CA:
G. Green at Press Club, Sacramento
G. Green at Fleaspace, Davis
Mike from Sic Alps, San Francisco
Places We Slept, LA
Milk Music, Joshua Tree
Merchandise @ Triple Rock. Poor quality (don't worry there will be better)
Updates with actual words coming in the future.
MDB
NYC
A few photos from my time in New York while I edit the rest and compile my notes about the bands I spoke with in the cities. Thanks to Soren and Cooper for the places to stay, all of my NYC buddies for showing me a good time, the pizza makers of New York for the excellent slices and most importantly to PC Worship and Shivering Brigade for interviews and two great shows.
PC Worship
Shivering Brigade
Leaving the Midwest
It's almost time for me to head out on the longest leg of my trip. July 9th I fly to NYC where I will be visiting PC Worship in Brooklyn and the Beets in Queens. July 13th I'll head to Minnesota to see Brain Tumors, Condominium, and Teenage Moods. I'll also talk with Merchandise as they stop by the cities on their tour. On the 24th I head to California to see G. Green and Fine Steps in Sacramento, talk with Mike Donovan from Sic Alps in San Francisco, and then down to LA and Joshua Tree to see Milk Music.
Some things I've learned from Places We Slept (Omaha) and Solid Attitude (Iowa City) that I'll take with me on my trip:
On being a musician:
-Members from both bands talked about prioritizing being a musician above their other jobs. They take time off work to tour and their bosses just deal with it. Often they see music as the obvious life choice for them at the time.
--"I consider myself a musician. I don't do it for a living, but I'd like to." Nathan-PWS
--"This isn't our profession, but it'd be nice." Walker-SA
--"There's nothing else that I'd want to be doing right now. I could either put myself in a little bit of debt and have some really incredible times with my friends doing stuff that is the only thing I feel is worthwhile right now." Brendan-SA
On touring:
-Touring is the best/cheapest way to get out of town and see places you wouldn't otherwise see.
On booking shows:
-Credibility and being an established individual go a long way in booking shows. It is harder to get a show if you are an "outsider" to the scene. It seems to be a lot easier if you have "ex-members" of a previously established band.
--"A lot of people only listen to bands that have ex-members of other bands or have some kind of pseudo-credibility from a blog or something. There's a lot of great bands that no one even checks out because they don't have members of old bands or a good reputation on the internet." JD-PWS
-Both PWS and SA talked about crowds showing up to shows with intentions other than to hear music.
--"You want a local band to open so people get there to see their friend's band and you want a local band to close so people stay." Brendan-SA
On working hard:
-SA and PWS both talked about how they work hard to separate themselves from the pack. Working hard is often defined in terms of touring and releasing albums.
--"Touring is fun but it is working every night. We work as hard as we can and we do it ourselves in order to stand out." Nathan-PWS
--"I think theres a lot of stock in recordings and such because right now you can be playing great live shows and people are seeing you and enjoying themselves but down the line you don’t have anything to show for it if you don’t have recordings." Brendan-SA
Some things I've learned from Places We Slept (Omaha) and Solid Attitude (Iowa City) that I'll take with me on my trip:
On being a musician:
-Members from both bands talked about prioritizing being a musician above their other jobs. They take time off work to tour and their bosses just deal with it. Often they see music as the obvious life choice for them at the time.
--"I consider myself a musician. I don't do it for a living, but I'd like to." Nathan-PWS
--"This isn't our profession, but it'd be nice." Walker-SA
--"There's nothing else that I'd want to be doing right now. I could either put myself in a little bit of debt and have some really incredible times with my friends doing stuff that is the only thing I feel is worthwhile right now." Brendan-SA
On touring:
-Touring is the best/cheapest way to get out of town and see places you wouldn't otherwise see.
--"Early on, it was always like a vacation; getting out of town sometimes is our intent." Walker-SA
-Both bands told tour horror stories and talked about losing money on tour. The troubles of tour manifested in treating touring bands in their hometowns like heroes. They treat bands how they want to be treated on tour; with gas money, a good show, and a place to stay.
On booking shows:
-Credibility and being an established individual go a long way in booking shows. It is harder to get a show if you are an "outsider" to the scene. It seems to be a lot easier if you have "ex-members" of a previously established band.
--"A lot of people only listen to bands that have ex-members of other bands or have some kind of pseudo-credibility from a blog or something. There's a lot of great bands that no one even checks out because they don't have members of old bands or a good reputation on the internet." JD-PWS
-Both PWS and SA talked about crowds showing up to shows with intentions other than to hear music.
--"You want a local band to open so people get there to see their friend's band and you want a local band to close so people stay." Brendan-SA
--"There’s a split between people going there to see bands and are excited and
some people there who are just there because it’s the thing to do." Walker-SA
--"[People who come to Middle House just to party are] a bummer. It's fucked up. They're not supporting anyone. We aren't doing the show so kids can party, we are trying to support the touring band." JD and Nathan-PWS
On working hard:
-SA and PWS both talked about how they work hard to separate themselves from the pack. Working hard is often defined in terms of touring and releasing albums.
--"Touring is fun but it is working every night. We work as hard as we can and we do it ourselves in order to stand out." Nathan-PWS
--"I think theres a lot of stock in recordings and such because right now you can be playing great live shows and people are seeing you and enjoying themselves but down the line you don’t have anything to show for it if you don’t have recordings." Brendan-SA
On being from the Midwest:
-People generally don't expect IC and Omaha to have punk scenes and are surprised when they find out.
--"A lot of people don't think there are punks here or they will even have a place to stay. Sometimes we will pay a touring band a lot of money and they are shocked. People just skip Omaha." Nathan-PWS
--"We get it a lot, people are surprised we are from Iowa City, or say 'not bad for an Iowa band.' " Brendan-SA
On the Internet:
-Solely existing on the internet isn't enough. In order to be authentic, a band must also have a tangible product: recordings and a live show.
--"Anyone can be a band even if they don't have an LP out. Tons of bands are touring and so it is harder to get a show. It's frustrating." Nathan-PWS
--"There's a lot more you have to do to back it up in order to exist beyond the internet." Brendan SA
-But internet presence is important in order to connect with other bands for touring or get onto a label. PWS saw increased popularity and record sales in the UK after a favorable internet review from Collective Zine. Solid Attitude has a new 7" on a label from Vancouver thanks to their online recordings. PWS even started on the internet, when JD Myspaced Nathan and Mark's band.
I anticipate that hard work as the way to get ahead will remain constant beyond the Midwest. I think that both Solid Attitude and Places We Slept have demonstrated the positive results of hard work in that they are well-respected bands in the Midwest with great records. Thanks to both of them for their help in my project.
I'm curious to find out what things change on the coasts. Stay tuned.
mdb
6.20.13 The Dad/ Solid Attitude/Parquet Courts at the Sweatshop
In December of 2012
these three bands played to a packed house at the Sweatshop. This show wasn’t
quite as packed as the December one, but still people showed up to see a repeat
what had been called “the best show of 2012” in summer of 2013.
The Sweatshop is an art gallery in Benson, in Omaha, NE. They often have wild rock shows and other events such as bull riding and mud wrestling. The venue has a main room connected to a garage, with a beautiful geometric black and white painting as backdrop for the bands. The lower room has art hanging on the walls-at this show there was a drawing of Gucci Mane imploring the viewer: "Do acid with me."
The Sweatshop is an art gallery in Benson, in Omaha, NE. They often have wild rock shows and other events such as bull riding and mud wrestling. The venue has a main room connected to a garage, with a beautiful geometric black and white painting as backdrop for the bands. The lower room has art hanging on the walls-at this show there was a drawing of Gucci Mane imploring the viewer: "Do acid with me."
My brother, Jack (Boogs), plays keyboard and
guitar in the Dad. He booked this show, and he is good friends with both Parquet
Courts and Solid Attitude.
I came not only to support my brother and see the newly
huge Parquet Courts but also to meet and observe Solid Attitude for my
project. I had seen Solid Attitude once before, in San Francisco with my
brother. They played to a less-than packed grimy bar with CCR Headcleaner. At
the time, I had no idea that Solid Attitude would become a part of my senior
thesis project. I was attracted to their energetic performance and no-fuss
music. I think I was also into the novelty of seeing an Iowa City band in
glamorous California.
At this show, armed with some ideas about my thesis and some
background research I did on Solid Attitude, I was ready to notice everything
about Solid Attitude’s performing mannerisms. Of course, I got sucked into the
music and the crowd and had a hard time keeping my distance to take
photographs.
Mickey Shaw, the singer of Solid Attitude, is the most
energetic and enigmatic performer I have ever seen. His feet were constantly in
motion. They turned in and out as if he were performing a soft-shoe routine on
the beer-covered floor. He rocked back and forth, pitching forward and bending
over. At times it looked as if he were going to swallow the microphone. He sang
with an urgency that can be heard on the record, but the live experience is a
whole new degree of intensity. Between verses, as the band played on, Mickey
looked at the crowd bewildered and gasping for air-like a fish out of water. He
stared down those of us in the front row with a kind of curiosity-as if he were
surprised that we were all there to see him.
Walker Neudorff, the drummer, stood up shirtless behind his
kit consisting of a floor tom, snare, and crash. He drums with the intensity of
a jackhammer. As he got sweatier and sweatier, I understood why he took off his
shirt before the show even began. Walker knew how wild this show would get and
planned accordingly. He kept the band at a frantic pace with his wild yet tight drumming.
Brendan Wells, on the bass, and Matt Fenner, on guitar, took up the melodic brunt of the band's music. In an interview after the show, Matt said that he appreciated that Mickey was such a crazy performer so the audience focused on Mickey's antics instead of on his guitar playing. They are both understated performers, but the music they play clearly requires some concentration. Brendan slings heavy, fuzz bass lines and Matt hits some cleaner high riffs that work with the rest of the noisy music in a nice juxtaposition.
Maybe I'm biased since I am putting so much work into understanding Solid Attitude's music and performance, but I thought they were the best band of the night. They put on a tight, well-rehearsed show that was exciting and engaging. Everyone in the audience was rapt with attention and thrashed around to the music. Despite the heat (there was sweat dripping down my legs), I think that everyone really enjoyed the show. The Sweatshop is an art gallery and lets in all-ages. Many people there were from the Omaha punk scene-familiar faces-but there were also some nighttime wanderers of Benson who came in just for the $10-a-cup unlimited beer.
Notes from Iowa City to come next, as well as post facto notes on Places We Slept interview and Omaha show.
Up next is NYC.
mdb
6.21.13
A Big Adventure
Thanks to the Class of 1963 Grant from Carleton College, I'll be traveling the country to do research for my senior thesis project.
Wake Up, It's Over
I'll be interviewing and observing different bands and musicians to see how they navigate the music industry of today. I'll be investigating how the internet and technology that makes creating a band easier than ever affects these bands lives and music.
The final product will be a series of essays; one essay on each band I visit and speak with. The bands/locations where I will meet them:
Places We Slept-Omaha, NE
Solid Attitude-Iowa City, IA
The Beets-Jackson Heights, NY
Brain Tumors-Minneapolis, MN
Teenage Moods-Minneapolis, MN
Merchandise - Minneapolis, MN
G. Green-Sacramento, CA
Fine Steps-Sacramento, CA
Sic Alps-San Francisco, CA
Milk Music-Joshua Tree, CA
This week I interviewed and took some photos of Nathan, Mark, and JD, my buds from Places We Slept. Tonight I went and saw Solid Attitude at the Sweatshop in Omaha. Tomorrow I head to Iowa City to see the dudes of Solid Attitude in their natural habitat.
Expect notes from the trip, photos, and maybe some brilliant observations about punk rock.
MDB
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