(Ed. note : the ‘Sensational Fix’ exhbition continues to hit galleries around the world — full scoop and visual hints of what to expect are below…cue up the press release machine!)
SONIC YOUTH etc. : SENSATIONAL FIX – MUSEION, BOLZANO/BOZEN, ITALY (UNTIL
04.01.2009)
Exhibition:
Most people probably know Sonic Youth (Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, and Steve Shelley) as an experimental guitar band, and to a lesser extent as the multidisciplinary cultural protagonists they have been ever since the collective surfaced in 1981. From day one, Sonic Youth has been exploring and mapping unknown cultural territories through their activities as a band and as four individual musicians, visual artists or cultural entrepreneurs, each member with his or her specific ties to and within the international cultural scene. Through collaborations with musicians, visual artists, filmmakers, fashion designers, writers and other equally creative spirits, Sonic Youth expanded their artistic potential, which by now 27 years later could be defined as a true Sonic Universe.
Before the Sonic Boom, in 1981, both Kim Gordon and Lee Ranaldo were trained as artists who upon arrival in New York City in the late 1970s started playing in bands rather than dedicating themselves fully to the production of visual art. This was the case with many of their artist friends as well, like Glenn Branca, Richard Prince or Robert Longo. The artist Dan Graham was a central figure in this constellation of visual artists/musicians, and was known to schlep his barely portable tape recorder to concerts of punk rock
and no wave bands to record these performances, which were often held in art galleries and so-called art lofts. Back then, visual art and experimental music seemed to be one and the same energy, and the natural crossover between the two, as was apparent in those days, laid the foundations for the
multidisciplinary activities of Sonic Youth.
Since the start, the band has been true to their attitude to be unorthodox and to do their own thing, and in their comprehensive output they continued and still continue to amalgamate punk rock’s rebellious posture and DIY attitude with experimental music and conceptual art, a production that in its range and complexity up until today remains unrivalled by that of any other band or artists’ collective.
Their album covers, inner sleeves and inlays have been the carriers of a multifaceted output of art by next to the band members themselves artists such as James Welling, Richard Kern, Dan Graham, Gerhard Richter,
Raymond Pettibon, Mike Kelley, William S. Burroughs, Savage Pencil, Richard Prince, Christopher Wool, and Jeff Wall, to mention a few. Many of Sonic Youth’s album covers are true collages in which material of a broad range of sources is freely put together, evoking relations between that what hardly had been imagined before to exist side by side in a single glance. This approach is triggered by the band’s curiosity about all sorts of subjects, such as beat poetry, avant-garde art and music, late 1970s punk rock, no wave, early 1980s hardcore, experimental noise, stardom, politics. Thurston Moore once defined these eclectic interests as follows: “There’s a fascination with those things, for sure, but hopefully none of those
things are central to what we’re doing. What we’re doing is always inventing itself. I have no terminology for it.”
The exhibition SONIC YOUTH etc. : SENSATIONAL FIX follows a similar collage technique as the band applies for their album covers. Through this multilayered collage we are able to uncover an alternative history of
contemporary culture, while the goal of this exhibition is not so much to give a complete overview of the history of the band and their collaborations, but rather to pinpoint several directions taken by the band,
while taking into account possible future collaborations, as the essence of Sonic Youth is that they constantly redefine their mission. Sonic Death inevitably followed their early credo Sonic Life, but what remains bouncing back and forth in this cycle is eternal renewal. And that’s Sonic Youth.
2008′s CMJ Music Marathon in New York City begins tomorrow (10/21), but for us, the festivities start tonight with Shearwater’s performance at Le Poisson Rouge (LPR).
Find below, your guide to the official and unofficial CMJ Marathon showcases featuring a trio of Matador acts: Shearwater, Jay Reatard and Mission of Burma.
With quite the live-act triumvirate and manning of the 1′s and 2′s by Billy Hayes and Times New Viking at the Beggars/Matador After Party, this’ll be a week to remember.
…would you be interested in writing bios, one-sheets or sticker blurbs for a NY-based independent label? If so, please get in touch. From The Gauntlet.com :
EPHEL DUATH has never been one to take the traditional approach to creating music and their latest effort takes this outlook even further. THROUGH MY DOG’S EYES is based on a bizarre concept conjured up by guitarist and founding member DAVIDE TISO, in which the entire album is written from the perspective of a dog. TISO explains: “I wrote a few short stories and it was really fun for me to imagine myself as a dog and to imagine the world from a dog’s perspective. The challenge was to translate the words into lyrics.”
From opening track ‘Gift’, which TISO describes as being about “A cat that the dog kills for the owner as a gift, and he asks the owner if he is happy with the present”, to the thought-provoking ‘Promenade’, a song about a walk in the park which takes a twist when the owner questions himself as to why he’s not as carefree and happy with life as his dog is, the barking mad brilliance runs throughout the course of the whole album. “Every song is a window into the dog’s mind or an event,” TISO continues, “The album touches on a lot of things, both deep and sometimes silly.”
It’s not only the lyrics in THROUGH MY DOG’S EYES which are written from the dog’s perspective – rather the entire album, including the music, is based around this unique and previously unexplored concept. “The music in this case is the soundtrack of the thoughts of the dog – at times you can hear the dog running,” TISO elaborates.
As you can see, Times New Viking have been having the time of their lives on the current Drowned in Sound endorsed Shred Yr Face tour with the lovely No Age and Los Campesinos! kids.
There’s still a fair few dates to go (see below) but if you happen to be London bound this weekend, be sure to get yourselves down to the Super Shred Sunday instore frenzy. Details had been kept secret until now, but i’m pleased to announce which band will be playing which store at what time and how you get in and what it’s all about etc etc:
As with all things in life, there’s a catch – to get into the instores, you’ll need to obtain yourself a wristband.
There’s just 300 wristbands for the Super Shred Sunday instores. The first 100 wristbands will be available direct from Pure Groove Records when you pre order the exclusive Shredyrface 7″ (featuring all three bands), these wristbands will get you free entry into all 3 shows on the Sunday. For wristbands call Pure Groove on UK number 0207 778 9278 or visit www.puregroove.co.uk.
The remaining 200 wristbands will be available via Rough Trade East when you preorder the exclusive Shredyrface 7″ and will gain you free entry to the Beyond Retro and RT East instores.
For wristbands call Rough Trade East on 0207-392 7788 or visit www.roughtrade.com.
Remaining Shredyrface dates:
17 Oct Whelan’s, Dublin
18 Oct School Of Arts (14+), Glasgow
20 Oct Electric Ballroom (14+), London
21 Oct Fleece, Bristol (18+)
22 Oct Academy 3, Manchester (14+)
Last night we played at the Beachland Tavern in Cleveland and we visited Music Saves - a very cool little record shop around the corner from the venue. I talked to owners, Kevin and Melanie. Here’s a pic of us after the interview in front of their very cool neon signage.
JO’C: This is your store, right? How long have you been at it?
K&M : 4 years.
JO’C: What’s the best thing about running this store?
Kevin: All the money you make from selling independent records.
JO’C: Ha! Right… I’m familiar with that perk as well.
Melanie: Seriously, we are fans and it is really awesome to be able to be in the unique position where we can really help bands out in a way we couldn’t if we didn’t have this store. If we love a record or a band we can really push them and turn people on to them.
JO’C: How does being in such close proximity to the Beachland Ballroom affect your business? I assume that’s why you chose this location, right?
Melanie: Yes, that’s why. We work together with Beachland. We sell tickets to the shows and help promote the bands that play there. We put on shows with them sometimes. We are all good friends and part of the same community.
JO’C: Do you stay open late on show nights?
Melanie: Yes, sometimes. We did recently for the Neko Case show.
Kevin: We once stayed open until 3:30 in the morning for a Guided By Voices show.
JO’C: That’s awesome. I love the idea of being able to shop for records before, after or during a show.
Do you guys have a prized record in your own personal collection(s)?
Kevin: I’m not so much of a collector.
Melanie: Yeah, but we do have some stuff. We have like 6 copies of that first Menomena record where it folds out into a monster. There are only like 500 copies of those. We each got that for eachother for Christmas that year.
JO’C: Aw, that’s sweet. You guys are married, right?
K&M: Yes.
JO’C: Ok, just a couple more questions. What’s your favorite place to eat in Cleveland?
JO’C: Yum! And its getting to be the time of year for this question….What’s your favorite record of 2008?
Kevin: Bon Iver.
Melanie: We both love the Frightened Rabbit record too
JO’C: They just did an instore here today right?
K&M: Yup.
Kevin and Melanie also professed a love for the new Marnie Stern record but thought maybe it was too soon to add it to their favorites of the year list.
Jon Langmead got some used Willie Nelson vinyl and we went and played our set at the Tavern. Nick Lowe was playing the big room next door and I got to hear half of “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding” before we went on – which was pretty cool. I also met Amy Rigby and Wreckless Eric who were in attendance. So, all in all, a pretty chockful day.
Love from Pontiac, MI where we will play with The New Year tonight,
OK, we’re a little late with this one. Ira gave us the head’s up about Yo La Tengo playing 2008′s 8 night Hanukkah stand at Hoboken’s Maxwell’s from December 21-28. In the 36 hours since that email and a subsequent Pitchfork story, all of the shows save for December 23 are sold out. There might be a handful of tickets remaining at Tunes in Hoboken or Lower Manhattan’s Other Music, but you’d better act fast.
As in years past, you can expect at least 2 support acts per night (one musical, one perhaps non-musical) a Yo La Tengo set that will probably not resemble the prior evening’s all that much, and the knowledge that your $30.00 ticket price is going to a worthy charity-to-be-determined.
The Glasgow, Scotland-born Kerr, 51, was the lead singer of the Hamilton-based band which formed at Westdale High School back in 1975.
Guitarist Gord Lewis announced the death in a press release yesterday afternoon which was later posted on the band’s official website teenagehead.ca.
Teenage Head released its first independent single in 1978 and released its legendary self-titled debut the following year. The group, who performed in Hamilton in early August and were slated to play at this year’s Grey Cup festivities in Montreal, is perhaps best known for the song Let’s Shake which appeared on its Frantic City release.
The band also made national headlines for a June, 1980 concert at Toronto’s Ontario Place Forum when thousands of fans were denied access to the gig. It resulted in what’s known as the Riot at Ontario Place which led to the cancellation of all rock shows at the lakeside venue. There were several arrests and injuries but the attention made Frantic City reach gold status.
Due to circumstances beyond our control, we’ve just been informed that Akon might not turn up until the very end of the evening. The cell phone connection was pretty bad, but I think that’s what Miwa was saying.
This just in from the Monte RV depot in Linden, NJ:
Just leaving linden nj to pick up the hospitality vehicle el monte calls the “jamboree” – an appropriate name for the upcoming festivities we soon will encounter.
-Miwa
Look for this beast parked out front of the Rogan Store all day.
Yo La Tengo and The Feelies are playing Montclair, NJ’s Wellmont Theatre on New Year’s Eve. Tickets are $35 and go on sale October 18 via Tickets.com. I was gonna use this post as an opportunity to take a cheap shot at Montclair, but I’ve since been informed the town is either a past or present home to such luminaries as Yogi Berra, Stephen Colbert, Larry Doby, Christina Ricci, Bill Bradley, Joe Walsh, Thomas Edison and “The Wire”‘s embattled police commish, Frankie Faison. They’re all invited, too!
So the Drowned in Sound sponsored ShredYrFace tour starts tomorrow in the UK. Just a quick reminder of those dates :
October
14 Brighton, England – Komedia
15 Liverpool, England – Academy 2
16 Leeds, England – Irish Centre
16 Leeds, England – Crash (TNV in-store)
17 Dublin, Ireland – Whelans
18 Glasgow, Scotland – School of Arts
19 London, England – Pure Groove (in-store) (3 p.m.)*
19 London, England – Beyond Retro (in-store) (5 p.m.)*
19 London, England – Rough Trade East (in-store) (7 p.m.)*
20 London, England – Electric Ballroom
21 Bristol, England – Fleece
No Age and Los Campesinos! will be part of the touring party in what will be an incredibly cramped tour bus, so have some sympathy for our TNV kids when you see them.
*One band will play one store – find out on the day who’s playing where.
There are a lot of familiar faces hanging out downtown.
Olympic rower Buffy Williams keeps watch over the courthouse.
Howard Engel, author of the Benny Cooperman series, is on standby at city hall.
And Rush drummer Neil Peart is guarding police headquarters.
The trio are among 20 famous St. Catharines residents of the past and present who will grace banners on more than 100 downtown lampposts.
“The list was very, very extensive,” said Tisha Polocko, general manager of the St. Catharines Downtown Association. “There were many more contributors who were born in St. Catharines or moved here. We did have to whittle it down.”
The project, sponsored by the association, was developed and designed by local artists from the CRAM Gallery collective.
The above recognition for the ‘Moving Pictures’ sticksman follows efforts by a Hamilton radio station to have a portion of the Red Hill Expressay renamed “Neil Peart Way“. Not to begrude Peart any honors that come his way, but surely there’s a stretch of road in Vancouver that could be dubbed “Joey Shithead Boulevard”.
So Tuesday was the special day. The day everyone was finally able to get their hands on Jay Reatard’sMatador Singles ’08. As expected many of you are looking for this on vinyl. Unfortunately we are experiencing some production problems but are expecting to have more LPs in stores shortly. Jay, being a man of and for the people, asked that we post a short note from him about this issue:
Hey guys so the Matador Singles 08 comp is finally out and available on Cd/Lp in stores world wide this week ! Only problem is that since everyone and their mom are buying lp’s nowadays the pressing plant is running a bit behind with the majority of the Lp’s but should have them done soon. Just wanted to clarify that this is NOT a limited edtion Lp and should be ready for one or all to buy really soon. thanks for everyone’s patience.
Love,
Jay Reatard
And don’t forget that Jay’s extensive Fall tour starts up this weekend too, with the Riot Fest in Chicago and a FREE in-store at Atomic Records in Milwaukee!
Sat 10/11 – Columbia MO – Mojo’
Sun 10/12 – Chicago IL – Riot Fest
Sun 10/12 – Chicago IL – Double Door (Riot Fest After Party)
Mon 10/13 – Milwaukee WI – Atomic Records (FREE in-store at 7pm)
Tue 10/14 – Fort Wayne IN – Brass Rail
Wed 10/15 – Detroit MI – Magic Stick
Thur 10/16 – Toronto ON – Sneaky Dee’s
Fri 10/17 – Ottawa ON – Babylon
Sat 10/18 – Montreal QC – Cabaret Music Hall
Sun 10/19 – Quebec City QC – Le Cercle
Tue 10/21 – Halifax NS – Halifax Pop Explosion
Wed 10/22 – Boston MA – Middle East
Thur 10/23 – Brooklyn NY – Music Hall of W’burg (CMJ – early show)
Thur 10/23 – Hoboken NJ – Maxwell’s (late show)
Fri 10/24 – New York NY – Bowery Ballroom (CMJ – late show)
Sat 10/25 – Brooklyn NY – Glasslands (CMJ)
Sun 10/26 – New York NY – Santos Party House
Mon 10/27 – Philadelphia PA – Johnny Brenda’s
Tues 10/28 – Washington DC – Black Cat
Wed 10/29 – Charlottesville VA – Outback Lodge
Thur 10/30 – Chapel Hill NC – Local 506
Fri 10/31 – Atlanta GA – Variety Playhouse (Halloween show w/ Deerhunter & Times New Viking)
Sat 11/1 – Atlanta GA – Lenny’s
Sun 11/16 – Dublin Ireland – Green Synergy Festival
Chris Lombardi (photos by Natalie Judge), interrupting a fact finding mission in Glasgow earlier this week to observe the state of music retail. We don’t wanna be cruel to the hard working folks at Zavvi, but it’s not quite a trip to Amoeba Records.
