Music, In All Its Glory
For the last 10-12 weeks, I have been one lucky writer.
I have been given multiple opportunities and have tried my damnedest to take advantage of all of them. Specifically, I was given an opportunity to blog about music, both in this class and for the Houston Press. Between the two, I have over a quarter of 100 articles written in the last semester.
Coupled with being in a band, music has pretty much become my life. And I’ve got no complaints.
In a lot of ways, music was my life before I joined a band or began writing about it. For many people, like it was (and still is) for me, music serves as an escape; a place where you can beat up that guy who’s been bothering you, really tell that ex-girlfriend how you feel and revolutionize politics, people and the world over.
Growing up, I listened to a lot of punk rock. While I enjoyed the Sex Pistols and the Clash, I was only a pre-teenager at the time, so my problems were much simpler, so the music I gravitated toward was, too.
“I feel so mad, I feel so angry, I feel so callous, so lost and confused” were the lyrics Boxcar Racer sang into my headphones every night, as I fell asleep thinking about girls in my high school who wouldn’t even look at me. I thought about how my parents were always mad at me for not working hard enough and for making poor grades in school. I always had a problem paying attention in class and sitting still, so my parents put me on Ritalin, which caused me to act out even more. I always thought of myself as a normal kid – boys will be boys, right? – but some teacher was always complaining about me to the principal who would, in turn, tell my mother who taught at the school I attended from Kindergarten until high school graduation.
Punk rock – specifically Blink 182 and Boxcar Racer – were my escape, my way of screaming at the top of my lungs what I felt. Sometimes, the songs had a meaning behind them. In “I Feel So,” I connected with the lyrics as well as the energy of the song. I did feel mad and angry. I wanted to start over. I wanted to make cures for the way that people are. I wanted to make a cure for the way I was, the way I constantly bothered everyone and could never keep to myself. I just wanted to start over.
Other times, I connected more with the melody and energy and the picture painted by the song more than I did the meaning behind the lyrics.
I never really understood what this song was about, but taken at face value it seemed to be a song from an under appreciated son to his father, who might have been abusive.
But the symbolism behind the lyrics – “I tripped, I fell down naked. I scratched my knees, they bled. Sow up my eyes, see no more.” – always made me feel angry. Not the kind of angry my parents felt. As I listened to these songs, my parents worried that I would become an irate youth. But what they didn’t understand was that I was already an irate youth and that this music gave me a way to vent my frustrations. I would hop on my bicycle or go for a walk as I blared angry, music full of teen angst in my headphones. As the beat would build, I would walk or pedal faster and faster. It was as if I was envisioning myself in a movie, constantly acting out the final scene in which the protagonist overcomes whatever obstacle was in his path.
But eventually, the songs would end, and I would have to go back to the real world, where I had a real life, in which I had real problems, which weren’t easily fixed.
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Eventually, I made my way into high school. I grew a few inches, lost a few pounds off my stomach and was eventually getting attention from girls.
My revenge was to ignore them and work out until I was in perfect shape, which, at one point in my high school career, I was.
I got a drivers license, grew out my hair past “regulation length” and made a point to act out against any authority that questioned my actions.
Suddenly, I was partying every night, smoking cigarettes, popping pills and drinking bottles of hard liquor at a time. Being that I’m from Houston, I got into rap music; dirty south rap music, specifically.
I spent my free time (when I wasn’t partying, of course) driving around the city, listening to this kind of music loud and proud, hoping to get pulled over only to show an officer my up-to-date inspection, license, insurance and car note, which was paid in full.
Who the fuck was I? I was me, thank you very much.
My attitude became abrasive, and I focused all my time and energy on becoming popular, chasing girls and wreaking havoc in the Bayou City.
I ran around for a few years with no real direction. I had a full-time job, got by in school and kept my nose clean. I constantly searched for trouble, but I never involved myself enough to actually get into any trouble, legally or otherwise. It made my parents sick, but I was finally happy and carefree.
I was a Holden Caulfield of sorts; young, smart, good looking, driven, but without direction. Holden’s story of a weekend spent in New York City was my life for two years in Houston.
Then I met a girl named Jenn.
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Jenn and my relationship began casually enough. We met at a coffee shop and recognized one another from grade school. From the moment she laid eyes on me, I knew she was transfixed and had to have me. It was the summer after my senior year of high school, so I decided to have a short fling with the girl, party, screw, party, screw and party, then toss her away, head to Galveston and start my life as a professional college student.
I didn’t know it would be so hard to let go.
Our relationship ended up lasting about a year, and I had never been unhappier. Jenn was a blame-placer, and anytime she had a bad day, I was not allowed to be in a good mood. But if I was having a bad day, I wasn’t allowed to bring her down or unload on her. It was a codependent relationship; her happiness was dependent on my proximity and my near-constant validation of her life.
“I’m not pretty,” she would say.
“You’re beautiful,” I would reply.
“I’m going to lose my scholarship,” she would say.
“You’ll be fine,” I would reply.
“I’m not going to get that job,” she would say.
“You’ll get it, I’m sure,” I would reply.
…and so on, and so forth. Our relationship followed this pattern to a T. Without fail, I would constantly be complimenting her as she acted in a self-deprecating manner. Jenn was also a drug addict, always smoking pot or snorting cocaine to deal with her self-inflicted depression.
My mood, like that of so many others, is oftentimes influenced most by the people around me. We spent a lot of time together, and I found myself crawling into a dark hole, never happy and constantly venting through my music, the only outlet I had.
“There’s something cold and blank behind her smile,” Manson told me. I listened and eventually got up the courage to tell her how I felt, and I left her.
“All the drugs in this world won’t save her from herself.”
Then I spent a year as a single man, and it was one of the happiest times of my life. I began studying more, spending more time with friends and family and focusing on “me-time,” which I had never done before. I began reading for pleasure, not just because I had to for school. I began working out, not to impress girls but for me. I began going for bike rides, not to vent or get away but to enjoy the ride. I spent more time out and about meeting people, not to escape my past but just to enjoy the company of a stranger or two and strike up a conversation.
I began listening to music that made me happy, not focusing too much on the lyrics. Instead, I paid attention to the mood and melody of the songs and let them make me feel the way I wanted to feel.
Happy.
Then I made the mistake of dating a high school student, while I was in college.
I was a sophomore in college and she was a junior in high school. I was 20, she was 17. The age wasn’t too much of a factor, but the amount of life we had experienced was. Once again, I found myself in a relationship with someone who didn’t understand me and had no intent to begin trying to.
Exhausted and confused, I thought I was in love. She told me she loved me, so it must have been true, I thought. She told me that the fights we had were the kind of fights all couples had. And since I’ve never been too familiar with relationships or how they are “supposed to be,” I believed her. But as the months went by, I found myself slowly but surely withdrawing from her emotionally.
It was difficult not to be disappointed.
“Here I am expecting just a little too much from the wounded,” Maynard sang. I felt that this girl, this poor, broken, hurt girl needed me. And if she needed me to be a punching bag, so be it. It was foolish and looking back, I wish I had ended things sooner, but hindsight is 20/20.
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Now I find myself on top of the world. I still have my bad days – everyone does – but the good far outnumber them, and these days I listen to a bevy of music. A lot of times, I’ll get in my car, put my iPod on shuffle and listen to whatever comes on. Sometimes it’s music from my past, sometimes it’s current music, and sometimes it’s music I haven’t heard in years but attach no memory (good or bad) to.
Music, for me, has been a savior, an outlet and someone to listen to my problems. It didn’t matter if I was screaming, crying or laughing. Music has always been there for me.
And now, because of our history, I think music and I have a long, healthy future together.
MK
Aftermath: We Are Not Sorry For Liking LIGHTS And Owl City At Verizon
Friday night at a sold-out Verizon Wireless Theater, LIGHTS and Owl City put on surprisingly solid performances. We use the word ‘surprisingly,’ because we fall into the category of people who oftentimes dismiss these kinds of artists as sans-substance pawns of the industry without giving them much of a chance.
We’re not the biggest fans of electro-pop, and we’ve heard all the talk of Owl City being a carbon copy of the Postal Service, but we listened, we watched, and overall we were impressed.
The people in attendance were what we expected. As we walked into the venue, we saw about a 60 to 40 percent ratio of kids to parents. The kids were wearing skinny jeans, pearl snap button downs, wool caps (in April!) and constantly checking their smart phones for tweets, texts and calls. For some of them, it looked like more of a nervous tic than a habit.
From the waist down, we couldn’t tell the gender of most of the fans. Thanks a lot, skinny jeans. And because we didn’t want to end up on To Catch a Predator, we didn’t make eye contact with anyone. Long story short, we stuck out like a sore thumb.
Before the show, we made our way to the loading dock for an interview with LIGHTS, whom we’re glad we researched, because she was far from what we expected. “We always look forward to coming here,” she said with a smile. “Everyone [in Texas] seems to really love music.”
Sitting on the opposite couch from us on her tour bus, LIGHTS leaned forward, smiled and charmed our pants off (no, not literally). She was accommodating and polite – which, from what we hear, isn’t the norm amongst pop stars. She came across as genuine and wasn’t just feeding us nonsense that her record label told her to say.
“I understand that it’s easy to misconstrue a female pop artist as kind of a puppet and just really fabricated,” LIGHTS said with a confident smile while discussing her acoustic YouTube videos with us. “So it’s cool for me to show people a more raw side of it to say, ‘This is actually what’s there. Don’t be fooled if there is some production on it.’”
Her acoustic sessions are our preference, but that’s not to say that her CD or shows aren’t worthwhile; in fact, quite the opposite.
“I look young, and I’m a girl, and whether or not people admit that they make judgments based on those things, you can feel it,” LIGHTS says about those who underestimate her. “I’ve learned to not act out about it.”
Instead, she proves them wrong, as she did with us.
“There’s something to be said about earning the respect of someone who doubted you,” she said.
LIGHTS is a smart, young lady, and we were impressed by her performance (as she told us we would be) and now officially consider keytars sexy.
Her act, unlike that of many Auto-tune honeys, was pleasing to the ears, and we could actually understand what she was saying. In Ice, she even makes a Vanilla Ice reference, which as far as we’re concerned earns her major kudos.
The girl’s got pipes… and while her CD is electro-pop, her live performance and her acoustic YouTube videos really showcase her talent as a vocalist, songwriter and guitar/keyboard player. Doesn’t sound like your average run-of-the-mill pop star, does it?
Many of her lyrics, taken at face value, aren’t all that deep, but her music is fun and definitely uplifting compared to what most teenage girls listen to. She doesn’t blatantly condone or promote premarital sex, drug use or tell young girls that their tits give them power. We’re not parents, but we still appreciate that.
As Owl City’s set list started, the boys and girls in the crowd began to scream at the same pitch, and a few parents were bobbing their heads – at which point, of course, their kids gave them the “stop it, you’re embarrassing me” look.
We even saw one mother who looked like she was at a Poison concert. Rock on, mama! It seems that Adam Young has received some voice lessons since his rise to superstardom, and surprisingly he managed to hit most of the notes that we thought were auto tuned not for effect, but because he didn’t have the range. We were wrong.
After “Fireflies,” the mood darkened and Ronald Reagan’s famous speech about the explosion of the shuttle Challenger played as Young lightly keyed the piano. He kept referencing space and rockets – “Houston, we do not have a problem,” he said early on during his performance – which we appreciated, but we also couldn’t help but feel that he could have tried a little harder. There’s much more to Houston than NASA, and a quick Google search will tell you that. Besides, he’s been here before.
We felt it was a bit out of place and, either because of disinterest or maybe curfew, many of those in the crowd began to head toward the exits. We stuck around until the end. We may not be the musicians’ niche audience, but you can’t argue with success. And as far as content goes, what’s wrong with a little happy, upbeat pop music from time to time?
Nothing, that’s what.
MK
Research Plan
In this WordPress blog, I have been researching music. On a national and local level, I have been trying to understand what music is popular, why and what (if any) music transcends time and context to live on forever.
Specifically, I have been asking (and will continue to ask):
How do bands market themselves?
What genres of music are most popular in Houston/worldwide?
How and why do people join bands?
What kind of political dissent is in most music?
How do local musicians get noticed?
Who markets the music? The musicians or the producers or the record executives?
I have interviewed dozens of bands and, coupled with much hard work with the Houston Press, feel that I am familiar enough with the local music scene to comment on it.
From there, a lot of research (online, via phone and face-to-face) has given me a better perspective on national and worldwide music.
I plan to continue this research indefinitely.
MK
Political Dissent Found In Music Throughout History
Now that I have your attention…
Music plays a large part in our lives, sometimes larger than we realize.
Music matters, and music has salience. Many artists speak not only their own minds but attempt to connect with their fans. Lady Gaga, for example, wrote the wildly popular Telephone, in which she (and Houston’s own Beyonce Knowles) tell off their respective significant others for bothering them while they are dancing.
The song, taken at face value, has no substance. But the issue of cell phones and the ability to be in near constant contact with anyone at any time has forced many youths to feel trapped. They feel they are always at the beck and call of their boyfriends/girlfriends, and this song has given them an anthem. Whether they realized it right away, haven’t realized it yet or are just beginning to, Gaga and Beyonce have done their part.
Similarly, music has always had a point. Throughout generations, it has had a recurring theme: politics.
–Nine Inch Nails (Survivalism)
The above video, written and directed by Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails singer and songwriter), is a social commentary of what the Patriotic Act means to him and could mean to the rest of America. In it, he (and countless others including a lonely man and a gay couple) by what is assumed to be Big Brother (the government).
Coupled with the lyrics (“I’ve got my propaganda, I’ve got revisionism, I’ve got my violence in hi-def ultra-realism, I’m a part of this great nation, I got my fist, I got my plan, I got survivalism”), the song is blatantly political.
–Flobots (White Flag Warrior)
“We’d rather make our children martyrs than murders. We’d rather make our children white flag warriors. This is love, this is not treason.”
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In the 19th century (and a little of the 20th), Romantic music reigned. Romantic music refers to a particular period, theory, compositional practice andcanon in European music history.
The increasing importance of nationalism as a political force in the 19th century was mirrored in music and in other arts. Many composers expressed their nationalism by incorporating elements unique to their native cultures, such as folk song, dances and legendary histories. In addition to these exterior elements, there was an increasing diversification of musical language, as composers used elements of rhythm, melody and modality characteristic of their respective nations.
Late in the 19th century, Jean Sibelius wrote music based on the Finnish epic, the Kalevala, and his piece ‘Finlandia’ became a symbol of Finnish nationalism.
Chopin wrote in forms like the polonaise and mazurka, that were derived from Polish folk music. Many Russian composers (such as Balakirev, Cui, Borodin and Rimsky-Korsakov) shared a common dream to write music that was inspired by Russian folk music. Here is some of Chopin’s music:
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During the Civil War era, songs by Stephen Collins Foster, George Frederick Root and Henry Clay Work were among the most popular. Much of the music from that time period has transcended time (and context, for that matter) and is now enjoyed by people all over the world.
And let’s not forget the Battle Hymn of the Republic…
Some of these songs were used to rally troops, while others (like most country music today) instill a sense of patriotism in their singers and listeners alike.
In World War I, some popular songs were Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag, Keep The Home Fires Burning, It’s A Long Way To Tipperary, If You Were The Only Girl In The World, Oh! It’s A Lovely War, Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty, I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now, The Rose Of No Man’s Land, Lorraine, My Beautiful, Roses Of Picardy, Lloyd George’s Beer, Hello, Who’s Your Lady Friend?, They Didn’t Believe Me, Over There, For Me And My Girl, Send Me Away With A Smile, But For Gawd’s Sake Don’t Send Me, Daisy Bell, The Girl I Left Behind Me, Goodbye-ee and Are We Downhearted?.
Oh! It’s A Lovely War can be interpreted two ways. Taken at face value, the song is pro-war to a fault
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There is a long history of the connection between music and politics, particularly political expression in music. This expression can use anti-establishment or protest themes, including anti-war songs, although pro-establishment ideas are also used, for example in national anthems, patriotic songs and political campaigns.
Many of these types of songs could be described as topical songs. Unlike many other types of music, political music is not usually ambiguous and is used to portray a specific political message. While the political message in political music is apparent, it is usually in the political context of the time it was made, which makes understanding the historical events and time that inspired the music essential to fully understanding the message in the music.
Since political music is meant to be heard by the people, it is often meant to be popular.
Politically-driven music, as of late, has been mostly critical of the GOP. But you’ll occasionally run across a conservative, patriotic, right-wing band (though it’s rare outside of the country genre).
–Avenged Sevenfold (Critical Acclaim)
Rock the Vote, for example, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan (or so it claims) organization founded in Los Angeles in 1990 by Jeff Ayeroff for the purposes of political advocacy. Rock the Vote works to engage youth in the political process by incorporating the entertainment community and youth culture into its activities. Rock the Vote’s stated mission is to “build the political clout and engagement of young people in order to achieve progressive change in our country.”
Some rock groups, such as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Living Colour, Rage Against the Machine,Manic Street Preachers, Marilyn Manson, Megadeth, Anti-Flag, Scars on Broadway, and System of a Down have openly political messages in their music.
–System of a Down (Sad Statue)
Below are a few examples of political dissent in (relatively) current American rock music. The first song is a cover of John Lennon’s Imagine.
–A Perfect Circle (Imagine)
–Marilyn Manson (The Beautiful People)
–Green Day (21 Guns)
These songs are the type of political music most people hear in the 21st century (these are the songs that receive radio plays), however some songs are designed specifically for union workers to support the middle class (the blue collar workers).
As you can hear, there is a bit of a country twang.
But sometimes, the line between radio-friendly, fan-approved political music and music for the working class are blurred.
–Dropkick Murphys (I’m Shipping Off To Boston)
This band has made a name for itself and built a following as a result of its members’ non-stop touring all over the world and their St. Patrick’s Day weekend shows, which are held in and around Boston. The group is also worldwide famous for their patronage of the Boston Red Sox and Bruins.
The Dropkick Murphys have been known for supporting working class and union causes, and have a strong relationship with the AFL-CIO. The band has said that they are all Democrats, and during the 2004 United States presidential election were part of Punkvoter, a political activist group dedicated to defeating George W. Bush. That year they also appeared on the Rock Against Bush, Vol. 2 compilation contributing the song “We Got the Power.”
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And then, of course, there is the Playing for Change movement, a multimedia music project created by producer and sound engineer Mark Johnson with his Timeless Media Group, that seeks to bring together musicians from around the world. Playing For Change also created a separate non-profit organization called the Playing For Change Foundation which builds music schools for children around the world.
| Periods of European art music | |
|---|---|
| Early | |
| Medieval | (500–1400) |
| Renaissance | (1400–1600) |
| Baroque | (1600–1760) |
| Common practice | |
| Baroque | (1600–1760) |
| Classical | (1730–1820) |
| Romantic | (1815–1910) |
| Modern and contemporary | |
| 20th-century | (1900–2000) |
| Contemporary | (1975–present) |
| 21st-century | (2000–present) |
[rough draft]
MK
Don’t Start A Band, Unless You Have Some Clue How To Market Yourself
Rocks Off has been bad, very bad.
In our last two “Don’t Start a Band” blogs, we ragged on our bassist, our drummer and our guitarist. We meant it all in good fun, but we have yet to rag on ourselves, and that’s just not fair. So here’s to equality and journalistic integrity.
We joined the band a year ago. Our first performance as lead vocalist was last June, but the band has been around for about seven years, previously under another name. We’ve been a longtime friend and fan of the band, so when we were asked to help them market their music as well as get involved in performances, we were stoked.
In the seven years of its existence, the band often came to us for feedback. And being a journalist, we liked to talk with the fans about what they thought. They all said the same thing: “They’re a great band, but they need more stage presence.”
So one night, after discussing the band and ways it could market itself over a few drinks with the drummer, he proposed a question: “Can you sing?”
We were in choir from middle school through high school, but it had been a long time since we had even attempted to sing (other than in the shower when no one was home).
We hesitated. He noticed.
“Look, you’re friends with all of us, and you know we’ll be honest with you. If it sucks, it sucks. We’ll tell you. But if it’s good, we can do something with it.”
We had another drink and agreed.
A week later, we were trying out. We had always wanted to be in a band, but didn’t know how to go about starting one. Instead, we lucked out and became involved in a project that had already been years in the making.
Eventually, our first show came around, and we had an idea. Since the recurring feedback was that the band needed more of a stage presence, we thought we would try something new: uniforms.
Not really, but kind of. We know, we know. It sounds stupid, but we weren’t thinking My Chemical Romance-esque, we just thought it would be a good idea to look like a group. Originally, we wanted to keep it simple, so we suggested black T-shirts (or polos, or button downs) and jeans.
“Every band does that,” our bassist said.
He had a good point, so we decided to wear red instead. All of us are either current or former students of UH, so we thought we’d represent the Coogs. But it didn’t really work because of the stage lights, which we didn’t take into consideration. Coupled with the fact that we were all wearing different shades of red, we don’t think anyone even noticed.
One day, before our first show, a fellow Cougar and acquaintance of ours asked if she could attend, review it, interview us and write about our band in a presentation she was working on for class. Why not, right? We informed our band mates and asked them to play nice, to which they agreed.
The girl showed up to the first show. From the stage, we saw her taking pictures and, after the show, asked her what she thought of our music. She was a bit shy, so she didn’t have much to say, but she did tell us that she was still planning to plug us in her project. Sweet! We asked her to send us a copy of the finished product, which she agreed to do.
It took us months to get it from her and, when we finally did, we realized why it had taken so long. Our drummer told us that, had he done this, he would have lied, said it was lost and never brought it up again. Instead, she actually sent it to us, and we were shocked.
In it were fabricated quotes and bios that were as wrong as they could possibly be. It was as if she actually researched us, but then, for whatever reason, decided to lie. She even quoted members of the audience calling us “Houston’s grunge revival mixed with A Perfect Circle and Tool.”
We wish… but no one ever said that about our band, so the first press we ever got (if that could even be called press) was a complete lie. It also mentioned that our bassist was a Chicago native and would occasionally break out his accordion and didgeridoo onstage. Both statements are false, but maybe he could learn to play those instruments. We’re thinking about the keytar too.
So our first two attempts to market the band were, in Internet terms, a fail – failure is too long of a word for us bloggers. But since then, we’ve been working hard with a lot of people to get our music out there. And we’ve got some time in the studio booked this weekend to (hopefully) finish mixing our first album, so soon we will have an actual product to actually market. FTW!
In the meantime, we should really quit smoking. Our only position in the band is as lead vocals, so we should work on that. Maybe tomorrow we’ll give it a shot. Or maybe the next day. Or maybe not at all.
MK
Don’t Start A Band, Unless You Can Sleep Through Hours Of Pointless Arguing
First and foremost, before we upset our fellow musicians, let’s make one thing clear in case you didn’t pick up on it from the last “Don’t Start A Band” blog: We’re all idiots. That includes us.
If you have chosen to pursue the dream of rock stardom or, like us, just want to make good music for yourself and a few others to enjoy, you’re fighting an uphill battle. Sorry if it upsets you, but it’s true. The likelihood of becoming famous and/or making enough money off of your music to live a nice life is near impossible. It’s like going to college and majoring in communication… Wait, we’re doing that, too. Oh well.
So let’s focus on our idiocy, and if you guys e-mail us, next time we can talk about yours.
Our band is composed of four members: a drummer, a guitarist, a bassist and Rocks Off on lead vocals. Our drummer and guitarist also sing backup vocals to make up for the occasional failings in our voice.
That and three-part harmonies are just awesome. Don’t believe us? Here’s proof. (We’re no Queen, obviously, but we do our best.)
When we do practice, which isn’t nearly often enough, we either rush through our set, because one of us has somewhere we have to be soon, or we have a band meeting of sorts. The band meetings usually go something like this:
Drummer (as we’re writing music): “This is the natural progression of the song, so next we should…”
Guitarist (with a big grin on his face): “Yeah… but that’s what people will be expecting, so we should do the opposite and surprise them.”
Then those two argue for an hour or so while we sleep. We would chime in, but since we don’t play any instruments, we’re the Rodney Dangerfield of the band, garnering absolutely no respect. Our bass player, who usually serves as the tiebreaker, chimes in and suggests we add a lot of distortion and a few notes of dischord.
Wow. That was productive.
And of course, since this is a regular occurrence, our bass player, being the politician that he is, uses his swing vote to please whichever of his two constituents has pleased him the most as of late.
He’s also the only one in the band with a stable job, and he funds the thing. So his vote kind of matters. A lot.
After extensive arguing and no outcome reached, one of us will have to go to work, and we leave having practiced only two or three songs. Then we all point fingers at one another as the reason nothing got done.
We’re all friends, too, and on the days that we don’t want to be, we still have to play nice with one another. We all have the same mutual friends and relax at the same places, so going out for a beer after practice and venting a little about [insert band member's name here] is almost never an option. Instead, our poor girlfriend gets the brunt of it, and we appreciate it even though we’re sure she’s sick of hearing about it all the time.
But for all the arguing (never mind all the hours spent writing, crafting, perfecting and honing), we’re usually pretty pleased with the outcome. And hey, we just finished our first album. Now all we’ve got to do is mix it and send it off to be mastered… but we’ll just have to see how long that process takes.
MK
The Examples, Johnny Gunhand & The Ramblin’ Reverends And A Middle-School Band At Fitzgerald’s
Johnny Gunhand & the Ramblin Reverends
Aftermath went to Fitzgerald’s Saturday night to cover two bands: The Examples and Johnny Gunhand & the Ramblin’ Reverends. We were sent by someone whose musical taste we respect, so we were looking forward to what we were sure would be a good show. We ended up spending an hour upstairs listening to a different band entirely, because of some poorly-made pamphlets at the front door. The band we watched upstairs, a group of middle-school students, played for their parents, their friends and their friends’ parents.
“I wrote it when I was 11,” the young lead singer and guitarist told the audience about one song. “I was grounded.”
Aftermath couldn’t help but feel that we had upset our bosses, and this was our punishment. Eventually, though, we ended up downstairs – we wanted a burger – and as we walked downstairs – lo and behold! – there we found Johnny Gunhand & the Ramblin Reverends. The group, which struck us as a sort of faux-country that doesn’t take itself too seriously, focused on the audience’s energy and channeled its own through its instruments. A few songs into their set, Gunhand covered Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” as a few couples even began to dance along. For whatever reason, Gunhand and the Examples switched spots. After the former, our expectations were raised. While drawing a comparison between the two is impossible due to drastically different genres, both bands were a lot of fun.
The Examples between songs
Before the three members of the Examples were finished setting up their gear, they brought a female friend onto the stage to perform “Crazy” by Patsy Cline. (Cline hated the song, written by Willie Nelson, in case you didn’t know.) She seemed nervous when she first stepped behind the mike, and we were worried she’d hold back and hinder herself. Surprisingly, she hit the high notes and quickly warmed up to the spotlight.
The Examples, an upbeat indie rock band, didn’t move around onstage much, but their fast-paced tunes (coupled with unintelligible lyrics) were impossible not to get into. Drummer James Ashworth carried many of the songs as lead singer Josh Blevin, tall and lanky in skinny jeans and loafers, served the audience with quick, upbeat riffs we thought sounded like very early Kings of Leon before they got so popular and poppy. When we mentioned what we heard to Ashworth, though, he was quick to disagree and give us a list of his influences: Lightning Bolt, Pavement, Black Flag, Deerhunter and Sonic Youth.
“We all come from different scenes, sort of. I was part of the Gulf Coast Hardcore thing for awhile as a drummer in Cumsquirt, the Ale Gore and EndIsNow,” Ashworth told us. “In those bands, I played at the Southmore House and the Rats Nest.”
Could we have been more off? Well, we liked what we heard and, at the end of the day, that’s all that really matters. Most of the audience were friends of the band members. “It’s great to have so many friends,” Blevin said onstage. “It’s been too long since we all got together.” Ashworth also served as the band’s whipping boy. His two bandmates didn’t hesitate to make fun of him for taking off his shirt after the group’s first song. But our own band’s drummer, whom we have lovingly nicknamed Man Sweater, is the punch line to many of our jokes, too. So we understand, and we do it because we like the guy.
After the show, we asked both bands for CDs, hoping to jam some local talent on the drive home, but to no avail. Both bands are still working on albums, but for the time being Aftermath will have to be patient. We’ve never been too good at that. In the meantime, though, the Examples were nice enough to email us MP3s of “The One You Love,” “Don’t Think You’re Ready” and “The Dentist.”
(Click here to give the above tracks a listen.)
“This is the most cohesive band I’ve ever played in. Our personalities go well together,” Ashworth said. “Andrew and I come from the death metal/hardcore/grindcore scene, so it is a big jump to play garage punk like the Examples does. But I like it better, especially when playing live. I don’t think people should be afraid of melody. Anyway, ‘-core’ bands are a dime a dozen these days. So I’ll keep my distance.”
So will we.
MK
Local Trifecta Shreds a Super Bowl Sunday Scout Bar
Reasons to see The Last Place You Look live:
- They put on a hell of a show.
- They were named 2009′s best alternative band in Texas by 94.5 The Buzz.
- They’re actually really nice guys.
Sunday night, at a post-Super Bowl party hosted by Scout Bar and A.D. of The Buzz, Floorbound, From Guts to Glory and The Last Place You Look satiated the crowd while leaving us wanting more. And our ears are still ringing.
The Last Place You Look's lead vocalist Justin Nava
Before each band’s performance, A.D. commended the XLIV Super Bowl champions the New Orleans Saints lauded the vanquished Indianapolis Colts for a game hard-fought, and reminded the crowd that the Minnesota Vikings were supposed to win all along. The response to which proved surprisingly favorable of Minnesota. How many northerners do we have here? Maybe they were just Brett Favre fans. Then again, who isn’t? Sadly, Floorbound’s heavy, melodic pop set went underappreciated, if for no other reason than the low number of people who were there at the beginning of the show – and From Guts to Glory, who The Buzz named 2009′s best rock band in Texas, performed with similar intensity. By the time, TLPYL took the stage, the venue was packed.
TLPYL lead singer Nava made a point to thank Floorbound and From Guts to Glory for their performances, as well as applaud those in the crowd who had been there from the start of the show. Obviously, TLPYL wants to promote their own music, but they’re also interested in endorsing other local bands. And for good reason – other band’s personnel can make good last-minute substitutions.
One of TLPYL’s guitarists, Richard Sherwood, couldn’t make it to the show, so Floorbound’s lead singer/guitarist, Keith Sparks, filled in. Even though he was admittedly drunk, he put on a good show and, minus a few guitar solos not quite matching up with TLPYL’s album See the Light Inside You, the gig went off without a hitch. Andy Moth beat his drums to a pulp, Kevin Pool’s bass boomed, Derek Young shredded his guitar and both Nava and Pool’s vocals reverberated throughout the crowded bar. One inebriated, overzealous fan ruined a lot of our pictures and videos, but we still had a good time. And we can’t deny that we were singing along to quite a few of the band’s songs.
This heavy strain of Texas music, while undeniably up-and-coming, still seems relatively unknown outside the niche audiences that comprise these bands’ fan bases. We need to start paying attention before these guys blow up and we all regret not making it to their shows when they were free, or cheap enough where the bands are still more than happy to mingle with their fans.
Floorbound
And if you’re still hung up on the length of the drive to Scout Bar, we promise it’s worthwhile. We also think it’s pretty cool that you can smoke inside, but that’s just us.
MK
Another Round Of Bands Watching Bands At SXSW Overflow Fest
Two days had gone by since we last visited the SXSW Overflow Fest at Super Happy Fun Land, and the number of people in attendance seemed to have quadrupled. Tuesday night, the bands had much better luck than those who performed on Sunday and, for some of them, it was neither their first trip to Houston nor SHFL.
The Extraordinaires, a progressive, narrative band from Philly, played an energetic set and still had the liveliness afterward to show us their merch. The band’s lead singer, Jay Purdy, a Seth Rogan-looking rock star, told us the band has booked three shows at South by; one today at noon, another tonight at 7 p.m. and a third on Thursday. When we talked to them, the band was debating whether to get a hotel in Houston and wake up early or hit the road right then and there.
As East of the Wall took the stage, the members stumbled to find their instruments – guess why. The band mentioned its new single “Googly Eyes” at least 20 times and, although we assume they had more than their fair share of free beers, they still managed to put on quite a performance. One minute, they sounded like Slipknot; the next, their musical interludes were more akin to Explosions in the Sky.
They reminded us of System of a Down’s later albums, not so much because of a similarity in sound, but more because they seem like an able, young bunch unsure of which direction to go. They have a lot of talent and use it to aggressively shred strings and beat drums. We wouldn’t be surprised if the singer gets polyps sometime soon, either. And yes, that’s a compliment. While his voice may have just been raw, which would be understandable given the band’s musical style, East of the Wall should stick to screamo or tune down some of its softer songs. The poor boy was straining to hit some of the notes, and he never came too close. What seemed like a lot of fans in the seats turned out primarily to be other performers. As each band finished its set, various members of the crowd would get up, walk outside, grab some gear and hit the stage. Bands watching bands!
While we’re sure the support was appreciated, we can’t help but wonder how these bands are making their money. Maybe there’s some sort of unspoken agreement between independent artists, in which they promise to buy each others’ albums and tour together. Please tell us there’s more to the underground music scene than that.
Please?
Resurrect, a Jurrasic 5 variety of hip-hop meets rock, blended together with ska and grungy ’90s guitar solos, kept us and the audience moving. This is what music is about, we thought to ourselves as we tapped our feet. Just looking at the band members, it was obvious they were an eclectic bunch. Resurrect called itself a funk-rock hip-hop group. Their fellow Philadelphians in the Extraordinaires showed them some brotherly love and proceeded to dance, cheer and groove to the funky beats right in front of the stage.
We’ve heard a lot of youngsters around town whining about being stuck in H-Town this week, but we didn’t see any of those faces at the Overflow. So here’s an idea, kiddos: rather than sitting around complaining, be proactive and get to SHFL. A lot of these bands are playing South by.
And independent artists, please take note: tell us your band’s name when you’re onstage. If you don’t, we’re not going to ask after. This is your final warning.
Not really, but it would really help us if you said it onstage at least once. Thanks.
A little after midnight, we got in our car to make the drive home. We listened to Wilco’s “Heavy Metal Drummer” as we drove down Scott St. toward I-45 with giant smiles on our faces. We had a good time, and really want to know why more of you aren’t showing up for this event.
MK
Free Food, Free Beer, Great Music, No Audience At Super Happy Fun Land’s SXSW Overflow Fest
On Sunday night at a sleepy Super Happy Fun Land, the SXSW overflow concerts went relatively unnoticed. Although the fans were scarce, the talent wasn’t. In front of less than 20 people – five or so of whom were sleeping – the likes of Girls at Dawn, Wizzard Sleeve and Gift Horse put on noteworthy performances. However, when backup singers are louder than the lead vocals, harmonies can get lost in the mix. And we’d like all independent artists to take note: When you’re performing, please tell the audience your band’s name. And do it early. It’s hard to constructively critique you (or even just tell you that we really enjoyed your set) when we don’t know who you are.
The Overflow is a place for artists going to and coming from Austin who need gigs as well as local acts who, for whatever reason, couldn’t book the gargantuan festival in Austin. Super Happy Fun Land has taken upon itself the task of bringing South by to Houston. Although the act is noble, the employees there can’t do it alone. Other local venues need to get involved in this project.
The boys from Floating Action (above), a folk-ish rock band from North Carolina, took a song to find their groove but once they found it, they kept it. The crowd stayed small – and yes, more people fell asleep – but the bands, for as much as their performances went pretty unseen, seemed to be having a good time. The free chili was fantastic; it was Southern and spicy, meaty and full of jalapenos. We dropped a few dollars into the food fund, gulped down our helping and spent the next hour chugging water and RC Cola.
While we were there, we ran into Blaine of 10th Grade for Cutie. He said that he’d rather spend all week at SHFL than visit Austin. His preference for H-Town to the ATX, he said, is because our city is dangerous.
“When I walk around Third Ward, I’m sizing people up,” Blaine said, his black bangs almost covering his half-open eyes. “When I’m in Austin, I see people walking around with their laptops… [10th Grade Cutie is] going to bring the dirty, Houston grunge to Austin.”
According to the band’s Web site, they are visiting Austin but have still not confirmed a show. On the band’s MySpace, under ‘Upcoming Shows,’ it reads: “I’m sure something will happen at SXSW. It might be a show but it’ll probably be one of us getting arrested for throwing bottles at bands we don’t like.”
So there you have it. Makes sense, right?
Austin natives Spells took the stage next, and we kept a close eye on Blaine to make sure he didn’t rush the stage and tackle the poor guys just for being Austinites. At first, we thought Spells was going a bit overboard with the delay effect on its singer’s voice. Then, the band performed its finale, “Young Math,” and we were convinced otherwise.
There seems to be a lack of salience for music in our fair city, the end result of which is that kids will be kids and play their music loud and proud, even if no one is listening. After about four and a half hours, we got tired and left. The music Sunday, overall, was great. The atmosphere was chill. The food (and the beer) was free. And the place was empty… so we have one question for you, Houston: Why aren’t you listening?
MK
