For those of you who followed our suggestions and are watching some great new bands at SXSW, we’re glad we could help you. But here’s the thing: there’s a herd of new bands that require your attention. Many of the bands we’ve featured in the past, didn’t have an album, let alone a label deal. But bands like Warpaint, The Soft Pack and others are now hotly tipped in Rolling Stone and the other major music mags. So, here’s our humble offering: a smattering of new music that we think will be “the next big thing” a year from now. Take a listen and let us know what you like!
Who are they: Clinical Trials
Where are they from: Brooklyn, NY
Where can I find out more about them: http://www.myspace.com/clinicaltrialsmusic
The Song: Polly Got Away
Who are they: Bombay Bicycle Club
Where are they from: London
Where can I find out more about them: http://www.myspace.com/bombaybicycleclub
The Song: Always Like This
Who are they: Weed Hounds
Where are they from: New York
Where can I find out more about them: http://www.myspace.com/weedhounds
The Song: Embrace
Who are they: Cuddle Magic
Where are they from: Brooklyn
Where can I find out more about them: http://www.myspace.com/cuddlemagic
The Song: Expectations
Pop hitmaker, cult hero, and rock iconoclast Alex Chilton has died.
The singer and guitarist, best known as a member of ’60s pop-soul act the Box Tops and the ’70s power-pop act Big Star, died today at a hospital in New Orleans. Chilton, 59, had been complaining of about his health earlier today. He was taken by paramedics to the emergency room where he was pronounced dead. The cause of death is believed to be a heart attack.
His Big Star bandmate Jody Stephens confirmed the news this evening. “Alex passed away a couple of hours ago,” Stephens said from Austin, Texas, where the band was to play Saturday at the annual South By Southwest Festival. “I don’t have a lot of particulars, but they kind of suspect that it was a heart attack.”
The Memphis-born Chilton rose to prominence at age 16, when his gruff vocals powered Box Tops massive hit “The Letter.” The band would score several more hits, including “Cry Like a Baby” and “Neon Rainbow.”
After the Box Tops ended in 1970, Chilton had a brief solo run in New York before returning to Memphis. He soon joined forces with a group of Anglo-pop-obsessed musicians, fellow songwriter/guitarist Chris Bell, bassist Andy Hummel and drummer Jody Stephens, to form Big Star.
The group became the flagship act for the local Ardent Studios’ new Stax-distributed label. Big Star’s 1972 debut album, #1 Record met with critical acclaim but poor sales. The group briefly disbanded, but reunited sans Bell to record the album Radio City. Released in 1974, the album suffered a similar fate, plagued by Stax’s distribution woes.
“I’m crushed. We’re all just crushed,” said Ardent founder John Fry, who engineered most of the Big Star sessions. “This sudden death experience is never something that you’re prepared for. And yet it occurs.”
The group made one more album, Third/Sister Lovers, with just Chilton and Stephens — and it too was a minor masterpiece. Darker and more complex than the band’s previous pop-oriented material, it remained unreleased for several years. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine would name all three Big Star albums to its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
In the mid-’70s Chilton began what would be a polarizing solo career, releasing several albums of material, like 1979’s Like Flies on Sherbet — a strange, chaotically recorded album of originals and obscure covers that divided fans and critics. Chilton also began performing with local roots-punk deconstructionists the Panther Burns.
In the early ’80s, Chilton left Memphis for New Orleans, where he worked a variety of jobs and stopped performing for several years. But interest in his music from a new generation of alternative bands, including R.E.M. and the Replacements, brought him back to the stage in the mid-’80s.
He continued to record and tour as a solo act throughout the decade. Finally, in the early ’90s, the underground cult based around Big Star had become so huge that the group was enticed to reunite with a reconfigured lineup.
“It’s obvious to anybody that listens to his live performances or his body of recorded work, his tremendous talent as a vocalist and songwriter and instrumentalist,” Fry said.
“Beyond the musical talent, he was an interesting, articulate and extremely intelligent person,” Fry added. “I don’t think you’d ever have a conversation with him of any length that you didn’t learn something completely new.”
The band, featuring original member Stephens plus Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow of the Posies, continued to perform regularly over the next 16 years. Big Star became the subject of various articles, books and CD reissue campaigns, including the release of widely hailed box set, Keep an Eye on the Sky, released last year by Rhino Records.
Chilton is survived by his wife, Laura, and a son Timothy.
Artists that appreciate the fragility of music, will always have a place in our heart. While the bombast and anarchy of The Sex Pistols or Nirvana have their merit, we find the subtlety of bands like Galaxie 500 create more lasting emotion for us. Formed in Boston in the late 80’s, the trio of vocalist/guitarist Dean Wareham, bassist Naomi Yang and drummer Damon Krukowski crafted songs that made us weep with their beauty.
We were thrilled to learn that all three G500 albums were being reissued on March 30th. Today, On Fire, and This is Our Music have all been lovingly and respectively bundled with Uncollected, their legendary Peel Sessions and their lone live record, Copenhagen to create this years’ first “must-have” release.
To promote this project, we were given a rare opportunity to speak with Dean Wareham. Since leaving Galaxie 500 to continue his amazing career with Luna and Dean & Britta, he hasn’t discussed his past in great detail. We’re extremely proud to give you this in-depth discussion about his work with this seminal band.
TDOA: How did you feel when you were approached about the Galaxie 500 reissues and to what extent were you involved in the packaging (liner notes, etc.) on this project?
DW: We knew these albums would be re-released one way or another, but I was very very happy that Domino offered to do them. They put out so much great music, and recently re-issued discs by the Feelies and Young Marble Giants, two of my favorite bands, so I feel we’re in good company. Domino commissioned the new liner notes, and the rest of the design is similar to what Naomi did for the earlier releases, so there wasn’t a whole lot to discuss.
TDOA: Most artists tend to tell us that they don’t listen to their older music. Assuming that’s true for you, I’d be interested to know if you went back and listened to the Galaxie 500 and what thoughts you had about that period of your career.
DW: I listened to the Galaxie 500 albums closely last year when they were all re-mastered for vinyl, and I really enjoyed the experience. For me those albums still contain beautiful moments that make my skin tingle. I’m not an objective listener, but apparently some other people love them too. And yet others hate them – we were that kind of band.
TDOA: In retrospect, I wonder if there is anything that you would change about the production of those records and how you feel about Kramer’s work on those records.
DW: No, and I don’t like it when people go back and re-mix older records because they think the production could be improved. It is what it is, a product of the circumstances under which you recorded — the album is what you create in those few days or weeks in the studio. And Kramer was the perfect match for us, you could make the case that he completed the band. He didn’t write the songs of course, but he contributed mightily. He is a multi-instrumentalist with a great sense of sonic texture, and really I can’t think of anyone else who would have done a better job.
TDOA: Music is cyclical and we’re seeing a lot of bands that were clearly influences by your music, experiencing a resurgence (not to mention the numerous “Spaceman 3/Mercury Rev-like” bands). Some of these bands are making great music, but perhaps not breaking new ground. Do you still seek out newer bands to listen to or do you find them to just be treading water?
DW: I agree that many bands are a pale imitation of something else, but that’s how we all start out; not everyone has to break new ground. But somehow the really good bands find their own voice; they combine their interests and influences into something new.
TDOA: Can you talk about how the songwriting process has changed for you over the years? Are the definable differences in the way songs were written for Galaxie 500, Luna and Dean and Britta music?
DW: It was much the same with Galaxie 500 and Luna, in that somebody (either myself or someone else) would come up with a riff or chord progression, and the band would rehearse it over and over, refining some kind of structure, and during that process I would start singing a melody. And then comes what I consider to be the hard part – writing lyrics. It’s easy enough to start writing a song, to come up with a piece of interesting music. But it’s hard to finish it — to put all the pieces of the puzzle together. And writing lyrics is a solitary pursuit (or at least it always has been with me). Sometimes the lyrics would be written the night before I had to sing in the studio, so Damon and Naomi would be hearing them for the first time as we recorded (and so would I). With Luna the technology had changed a little — I tended to write lyrics on a computer instead of scribbling them on paper, and I started pushing myself harder, re-writing certain lines over and over again, looking for the right word.
TDOA: The only time I got an opportunity to see Galaxie 500 was when you were supporting Cocteau Twins. It was an amazing show, but I fear it wasn’t a fun tour for you. Can you share any stories of being on the road with Cocteau Twins and what was going on within your band at that time?
DW: Well I go into this in some depth in my memoir, Black Postcards, so I won’t do that again here, but it was a strange tour. This was April of 1991; there had already been some talk of the band breaking up a few months before that; and once that three-week tour started I knew inside that I didn’t want to continue. So it was awkward. We had a couple of labels pursuing us, and Damon was keen for us to move to a major label (which was sensible enough – Rough Trade filed for bankruptcy soon after that tour). So I would listen to these discussions, but my mind was elsewhere already. And of course that’s not healthy for a friendship, is it? And things weren’t entirely healthy in the Cocteau Twins’ camp either, though for quite different reasons. That’s what it’s like inside bands — from the outside you don’t know what’s going on at all.
TDOA: You’ve dealt with smaller labels like Rough Trade and major labels like Elektra. How was the experience of dealing with a larger label, immediately after leaving Galaxie 500?
DW: It was very different. At Rough Trade I knew a lot of people in the office; at Elektra I discovered that the label people didn’t want to deal with the artist directly — they preferred that the artist have a manager, and they would talk to that person. And of course it was a much bigger company, so we needed a manager to deal with the business affairs and radio and publicity departments of a big company like that. Anyway, there were some visionary people at both places, and some annoying ones too.
I will say that the notion that the big record companies are inherently more dishonest than the indie ones is nonsense. Of course a smaller indie label will have a more singular musical vision, whereas the majors are trying to release albums in whichever format they think might be profitable – country, hip-hop, indie rock – they don’t care. And the long-term contracts the majors sign you to are onerous and unfair. But things can and often do turn ugly at indie labels too.
TDOA: The music industry has changed so much since the 80’s. Do you think we’ll ever go back to a system of major labels dominating the industry or has the internet changed the landscape forever?
DW: Again, this is something I go over in my book, that the music industry expanded in the second half of the Twentieth Century based on the spending power of affluent western teenagers, culminating in the ’90s, an era of fantastic profits for the major labels. But it seems the ride is over. We still have affluent teenagers, but their spending habits of changed – they don’t buy much recorded music.
TDOA: With the reissues of these records, inevitably people will ask you about the possibility of playing shows with Damon and Naomi to commemorate the release. Add us to the list of people and let us know your thoughts on the concept, please.
DW: It almost seems that we are the only band that hasn’t reformed. Which is an achievement in itself, something to be proud of.
TDOA: Can you talk about your plans for 2010 and when we will see new music from you?
DW: I have been touring this multi-media show: playing songs to 13 Screen Tests by Andy Warhol, and those performances are ongoing. We are going to release a 2-disc soundtrack album for that project, with thirteen songs plus remixes by Sonic Boom, Scott Hardkiss and My Robot Friend.
Over the course of the last three weeks, we’ve given you an A to Z preview of the best of SXSW. Our ears are still numb, after listening to mp3’s of every single band playing the festival. With SXSW finally here, we thought we’d give you a round-up of the ten bands we deem to be “the best”. Whether you’re coming down to Austin or sitting at home in….London, Paris or Beijing, we suggest you check out these bands. Click on the band name to find out more about the band. In our opinion, these are the bands that combine great music with great live reputations. These are the bands that will leave a lasting impression on SXSW and the music industry for years to come. #1- Warpaint
When making our list of spring movies that get us excited, The Runaways inevitably comes to forefront. The influence the band had on music and our love of Joan Jett make this a must see. So we’re excited to be able to offer our faithful readers a prize package tied to the release of the film.
The prize: A t-shirt, a poster from the film, a copy of Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway” by Cherie Currie and Tony O’Neill), a copy of “Joan Jet and the Blackhearts Greatest Hits” CD, a copy of the film’s soundtrack which includes tracks from The Runaways, The Stooges, The Sex Pistols (Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning also have recorded a song on the album), in addition to Joan Jett’s upcoming photobook with Todd Oldham.
The contest: Join us on Twitter or Facebook and post the following. Twitter: I just entered the @DumbingAmerica contest to win a “The Runaways” prize pack. RT to enter. Facebook: I just entered the @TheDumbingofAmerica contest to win a “The Runaways” prize pack. Make this your status update to enter.
We will pick one person, at random to win on March 16th. Contest winners will be notified via Facebook or Twitter!
When we first interviewed The Boxer Rebellion back in March of 2009, we found a band that was humble, yet clearly on the verge of greatness. The release of their second album, Union put them on the top of the iTunes alternative charts in the U.S. and U.K. despite not being signed to a record label. Since then, the momentum has continued to grow and with their appearance at this years South By Southwest, they are being touted as the “band to watch” by many of the major music magazines. Comparisons to early U2 and The Verve don’t begin to describe the depth and emotion of this fantastic band. With their impending show in our hometown of Dallas, Texas, the band took some time to reflect on the past year and give us a taste of what is yet to come.
We took this opportunity to launch our partnership with iTunes, which will allow us to bring you weekly interviews with some great musicians of the past and present. Since TBR, were one of the first bands we inteviewed when the site launched a couple of years ago, we thought they were the perfect candidate for this first podcast.
Every year, we listen to mp3’s of every band scheduled to appear at SXSW. We then present you with an A to Z preview of the bands that we think should earn your attention. Whether you’re coming down to SXSW (recommended!) or just looking for new music, there’s no better time of year. There’s a variety of music here, so buckle up for some different sounds. We’ll be previewing two letters per day, which’ll take us right up to SXSW Music Week. Then we’ll give you our picks for the “Ten bands you must see at SXSW!”. This is part 13 of 13!
Every year, we listen to mp3’s of every band scheduled to appear at SXSW. We then present you with an A to Z preview of the bands that we think should earn your attention. Whether you’re coming down to SXSW (recommended!) or just looking for new music, there’s no better time of year. There’s a variety of music here, so buckle up for some different sounds. We’ll be previewing two letters per day, which’ll take us right up to SXSW Music Week. Then we’ll give you our picks for the “Ten bands you must see at SXSW!”. This is part 12 of 13!
Every year, we listen to mp3’s of every band scheduled to appear at SXSW. We then present you with an A to Z preview of the bands that we think should earn your attention. Whether you’re coming down to SXSW (recommended!) or just looking for new music, there’s no better time of year. There’s a variety of music here, so buckle up for some different sounds. We’ll be previewing two letters per day, which’ll take us right up to SXSW Music Week. Then we’ll give you our picks for the “Ten bands you must see at SXSW!”. This is part 11 of 13!
Every year, we listen to mp3’s of every band scheduled to appear at SXSW. We then present you with an A to Z preview of the bands that we think should earn your attention. Whether you’re coming down to SXSW (recommended!) or just looking for new music, there’s no better time of year. There’s a variety of music here, so buckle up for some different sounds. We’ll be previewing two letters per day, which’ll take us right up to SXSW Music Week. Then we’ll give you our picks for the “Ten bands you must see at SXSW!”. This is part 10 of 13!
