Matador Records | News November 1999

You might've guessed this was in the works, especially if you caught LIVE HUMAN's amazing guest appearance at last September's Nice Weekend in London concerts. But now it is official, the San Francisco trio of drummer Albert Mathias, bassist Andrew Kushin and DJ Quest, collectively known as Live Human, have signed with Matador. A new full length album is planned for 2000. If you haven't heard their previous recordings (one self-released LP on the Cosmic label, a devestating pair of 12"'s on Fat Cat "Improvisessions" and "Orange Bush Monkey Flower," a Fat Cat LP/CD called "Monosterosis" that might be the best album of 1999), you're missing out big time. Live Human are destroying whatever barriers exist between improvised jazz, underground hip-hop and experimental rock... and creating a category or 2 no one has named yet. We'll have more info, pictures and music for you to wade through before long. In the meantime, for more information about Live Human's previous releases, check out Fat Cat Records.

Wow, this place is expensive and everyone talks like Dr. Smith. Being one of only two folks on the guest list (the other being JARVIS COCKER from Pulp), you'd think it wouldn't be too hard to lose said list, but alas, things are running like clockwork and I miss JIMI TENOR's set. The mood is very celebratory and RED SNAPPER hit their stride with yet another incendiary set followed by the tight soul stylings of NIGHTMARES ON WAX, full band and all performing perfect replications of tracks from "Carboot Soul." I stumble back to the youth hostel with the world's blandest order of fish 'n' chips.

The day is spent trying to find Matador London's office on foot and wandering around Portobello Road looking for PAUL SIMONON, but instead see both ARTHUR BAKER and GEOFF TRAVIS. That's much better than the celebrity sightings we get 'round the Matador office in New York (JOE JACKSON and CORKY from "Life Goes On" usually... really.) Night Two kicks off with PLONE, who were the biggest surprise of the Warp Nights: the sound is even more panoramic live and they really play! None of the "Battleship" rock that we've come to accept in electronic music, just banks of analog synthesizers.

BROADCAST kick it out next with a good set that is more retro-pysch than their records would lead one to believe. The lead singer's vocals are even stronger live... think SANDIE SHAW fronting SPIRITUALIZED in 1968 (that's supposed to be complimentary). I catch a little of PLAID, who were kicking out a particularly bleepy set, before running off to see the ARSONISTS at the Scala. Except, I can't get in... there's a hundred people waiting in the paying line and another hundred waiting on the guest list line. After forty five minutes on this, I turn homeward, having worn short pants and not carrying any anti-freeze for these cold, wet London nights.

Everyone's got rugby on the brain with the World Cup being held in the UK. I learn some derogatory joke about the New Zealand team ("What's the difference between the All Blacks and a teabag? A teabag stays in the cup longer." guffaw...) and try to get in the spirit of rooting for Australia (actually against France more than anything). But then I remember what loutish thugs the rugby players I knew at school were and decided to stick to lawn bowling.

Turns out Bonfire Night (kind of like the 4th of July in the UK, but colder and drearier) coincides with the last Warp Nights, where everyone's full of anticipation for the appearance of BOARDS OF CANADA, this being only their third set ever. You'll be pleased as punch to know they pulled it off with aplomb. The sound was massive and the new material was really good. The action on stage wasn't robust but visuals kept everyone focused. They walked straight off the stage just after the last note died, passed me out the door and straight back to Scotland, I was told. After that, it kind of became a hazy... Buzzing on the high of the Boards' set (or did someone in MOGWAI slip something in my drink?), things raged into the late night with solid sets from AUTECHRE and (mostly jazz-free) SQUAREPUSHER, though I had to wait until APHEX TWIN's smokin' apres l'heure DJ set to hear my favorite Squarepusher song.

The webcast site will be coming down on Monday the 15th. Apologies for all the technical difficulties in bringing you the shows, especially the YO LA TENGO and COME sets. We're working to bring them to you in the future. Working hard!

Tonic's Songwriter Series, this Sunday the 14th: Matt Sweeney, international minister of intrigue, is singer/guitarist of CHAVEZ and has also played with Cat Power, Guided By Voices and Bonnie Prince Billie, among others. He built his empire on the back of drummer James Lo (Chavez), who will be joining him this evening. With Anomoanon. At Tonic, 107 Norfolk Street.

JSBX's "Flavor" will be on MTV's 120 Minutes this Sunday (the 9th video)

New THE WISDOM OF HARRY single under the name "Atari Priest"

Rapeman, Butthole Surfers and the Laughing Hyenas are now Matador Recording artists, just don't tell Corey Rusk, okay? We want him to find out on the internet first.

NIGHTMARES ON WAX, RED SNAPPER and TWO LONE SWORDSMEN amongst many on new Sugar Hill Remixed project in stores right now.

On that note, in between Super Furry Animals and ARAB STRAP gigs and pimping around London looking for more athletic gear endorsement deals, MOGWAI have been working on a track with the legendary Arthur Baker. It's a track for some benefit album that Arthur is executive producing.