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Archive for January, 2009
Question of the Week: What song or artist is most inspiring…
Posted by A.C. Rhodes on January 26, 2009
Posted in Question of the Week | 13 Comments »
Post-Punk’s Visual Chronicler: Interview with Laura Levine (Part 3)
Posted by s woods on January 23, 2009
Exene and John Doe, NYC, 1982 © Laura Levine
Richard and Linda Thompson, NYC, 1982 © Laura Levine
Scott: Did you ever reach a point with music photography where you felt you had enough? You’ve branched out into so many other interesting areas – is it because there were always other things you wanted to do, or did music photography take its toll?
Laura: Both, in fact. I felt I’d accomplished all I’d wanted to in photographing bands (creatively, that is) and I wasn’t interested in repeating myself. I probably could have made a nice living taking variations on the same photos over and over, but truthfully that wasn’t very interesting or challenging to me, from a creative point of view. At the same time, the industry was changing. I felt the focus was becoming more on style over substance – image, fashion, high-concept shoots. Celebrity culture. The makeup and clothing were the stars, not the artists. Some of my photo sessions evolved into huge productions, involving a dozen people on a sound stage. Once the novelty wore off, this didn’t interest me. In fact, towards the end I refused to shoot anyone unless it was just one-on-one – just me and them and maybe one assistant – preferably in natural light, as intimately as possible.
Posted in Art & Photography, Interviews | 7 Comments »
Post-Punk’s Visual Chronicler: Interview with Laura Levine (Part 2)
Posted by s woods on January 22, 2009
Joey Ramone in his kitchen, NYC, 1982, © Laura Levine
Scott: Talk a bit about your job as Photo Editor at New York Rocker. Was being an editor something you particularly enjoyed (I mean, in comparison to being a freelance photographer)? What was the atmosphere like there? Was it difficult putting the paper out every month?
Laura: I have great memories of the Rocker. As Photo Editor and chief photographer, it put me in the enviable position of being probably one of the few photographers of the time who had access to most of the punk, post-punk, new wave, No Wave, and college radio (as it was called then) bands of the time. I was there during Andy Schwartz’s reign as Editor, from 1980 until 1983, when it folded. The Rocker was on the second floor of a commercial loft building on lower Fifth Avenue – a few metal desks, a stereo that was always on (and where I first heard Mission of Burma, Prince, and countless other bands), tons of posters and flyers and a few ratty sofas. As a freelance photographer you’re always on the move, but being a member of the editorial staff meant I had a home base, and, without sounding too corny, I was part of a family, which I really appreciated. Once a month we’d pull an all-nighter pasting the issue together, with Xacto blades and melted wax. Since the Rocker was around the corner from Danceteria, we’d generally meet at the office and all head over there for gigs afterwards. I made some wonderful friends there who I am still close with.
Posted in Art & Photography, Interviews | 1 Comment »
Post-Punk’s Visual Chronicler: Interview with Laura Levine (Part 1)
Posted by s woods on January 21, 2009
Laura Levine’s work is too varied and voluminous to be hemmed in to one particular time, scene, or discipline — the bio on her website rightfully describes her as a “cross-disciplinary visual artist” — but I’m assuming many readers of this site discovered her work the same way I did: via her photography in the pages of several music publications during the ’80s, including the Village Voice, Trouser Press, Musician, Rolling Stone, and especially New York Rocker, where she served as chief photographer before becoming Photo Editor. Levine’s photography resumé reads like a Who’s Who of those loopy years following punk and disco: from early snaps of Prince and Madonna (pre-world domination) to photogenic weirdos like Captain Beefheart, August Darnell (a.k.a. Kid Creole), and Bow Wow Wow’s Annabella Lwin to No Wave shit disturbers D.N.A. and Glenn Branca to “new romantic” mop-fops Yazoo to rap icons Run-D.M.C. and Afrika Bambaata to hardcore visionaries Black Flag and X to… well, you get the picure.
A restless and eclectic artist, Levine eventually branched out from “rock photography” into painting, movies, animation, and antique junk proprietorship, along the way winning awards for her documentary film work and producing a lavishly illustrated series of childrens books (including Wig! a collaboration with the B-52’s). LauraLevine.com is a terrific resource that showcases her work across the spectrum, while providing information about current and upcoming projects. She was a key contributor to Byron Coley and Thurston Moore’s 2008 publication, No Wave: Post-punk. Underground. New York. 1976-1980, which features several of her photographs of that scene’s “horrible noise” merchants. This month, several dozen of her photographs will be featured in the exhibition Backstage Pass: Rock & Roll Photography at the Portland Museum of Art, opening January 22; she has also contributed an essay to the show’s accompanying exhibition catalogue, published by Yale University Press. And this fall, her work will be included in a major music photography retrospective at the Brooklyn Museum.
Laura Levine and Michael Stipe in Athens, GA, circa 1983
Levine was kind enough to recently answer a number of e-mail questions about her work, with particular emphasis on her time at New York Rocker, a publication I hope one day receives the proper tribute it deserves.
(In addition to Levine’s online photo gallery, be sure to check out her sale page on Illogator, where, for a limited time, Levine is offering archival hand-signed prints of her 1991 photo of Bjork to readers at a special discount. Of the image, Levine says: “I’m often asked if I have a favorite photo and I can say without hesitation that it’s this one right here. All of the elements combined to make it one of my favorite moments as a photographer, and it happened purely by chance.” Click on her gallery to read more of the story behind the photo.)
Bjork, Woodstock, NY, 1991 © Laura Levine
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Scott: I assume that, like everyone, you were into music at a young age, but what first sparked your interest in the visual aspect of music? How did these two passions come together in your mind?
Laura: I didn’t consciously make the connection between music and photography until I’d already been shooting pictures as a teenager for a few years (documentary-style street photography), but now that I think of it I was probably influenced by the magazines and album covers and imagery of the time. I had rock posters and photos I’d cut out from magazines in my room and in particular I remember a copy of a photograph of Janis Joplin taken by the great David Gahr on my bedroom wall which I’m sure seeped into my subconscious night and day.
Being the wily New York City kid that I was, as soon as I had a camera I was sneaking it into concerts, even if it meant shooting from the nosebleed seats. I’d hide my camera in my jeans and the telephoto lens in my sock, and I actually managed to get some pretty decent shots (this was around 1974) of Elton John at the Garden, Bette Midler’s Clams on the Half Shell Revue, etc. I printed up a fake press pass and managed to talk myself in as “press” to shoot Patti Smith and Paul Simon (among others) from right beneath the stage at a concert in Central Park. Getting the shot always involved a bit of stealth and moxie if you were a sixteen year old kid. Years later, when I had proper press credentials, I never lost that thrill to be able to have the run of the backstage at the Garden or shoot from the side of the stage or from the photo pit.
So even though I later ended up focusing more on portraits, it started, I guess, with performance photos.
Posted in Art & Photography, Interviews | 16 Comments »
Question of the Week: Who is your favorite rock & roll…
Posted by A.C. Rhodes on January 12, 2009
wife, girlfriend or muse of all time?
Posted in Question of the Week | 15 Comments »
From the Department of Naughty and Nice: Jason Gross opines off on the best and worst in music writing of 2008
Posted by A.C. Rhodes on January 9, 2009
It was the baddest of times, it was the even worse of times. Amid firings, layoffs and buyouts, Perfect Sound Forever‘s Jason Gross lays it all out for us at Pop Matters with his Best Music Scribing Awards 2008.
Categories include Super, Superior, Quality and Bottom of the Barrel. Topics covered range from heady (various artists facing health challenges) to humorous (posts left in response to a YouTube video of self-important noise rockers) and topical (two about music used as torture in the middle east).
No matter if opinions are in kind or differ, one thing is certain, this segment is thought provoking and sure to get avid readers and music enthusiasts talking.
Posted in Links, Polls & Lists | Leave a Comment »
The Best of the Rest, ’08
Posted by A.C. Rhodes on January 3, 2009
Aside from holiday blues, year-end wrap up and best ofs can be as irritating or oppressive. That said, we’re delighted to bring you ours, collected from an intimate variety of writers and artists. Below, lists and links are posted if only in a tidier fashion. You may even have fun spotting the duplicates. So, here’s the best of what last year had to offer – new President notwithstanding.
******
A.C. Rhodes
*The Black Angels – Directions to See a Ghost (Light in the Attic)
*British Sea Power – Do You Like Rock Music? (Rough Trade)
*The Black Keys – Attack & Release (Nonesuch)
*Magnetic Fields – Distortion (Nonesuch)
*The Walkmen – You and Me (Gigantic)
*MGMT – Oracular Spectacular (Sony)
*Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
*Tricky – Knowle West Boy (Domino)
Somewhat overlooked, but outstanding:
* The Baseball Project – Volume 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails (Yep Roc)
* Flight of the Conchords – Flight of the Conchords (Sub Pop)
* Bombay Dub Orchestra – 3 Cities (Six Degrees)
* Cindy Lee Berryhill – Beloved Stranger (Populuxe Records)
* The Sadies – New Seasons (Yep Roc)
Good old Chuck Eddy. He took a beating here at RockCritics, what with his posts mysteriously winding up in the spam bin and other writers lashing out on occasion. No matter, here’s his 10 topper CDs and singles. And be sure to check out his link.
1. Jamey Johnson – That Lonesome Song (Mercury)
2. Ross Johnson – Make It Stop! The Most Of Ross Johnson (Goner)
3. Rose Tattoo – Blood Brothers (SPV/ Wacken)
4. Rick Springfield – Venus In Overdrive (New Door/UME)
5. Woodbox Gang – Drunk As Dragons (Alternative Tentacles)
6. The Tonic Rays – The Tonic Rays (thetonicrays.com)
7. The Knux – Remind Me In 3 Days… (Interscope)
8. Carter’s Chord – Carter’s Chord (Show Dog Nashville)
9. Phil Vassar – Prayer Of A Common Man (Universal)
10. New Bloods – The Secret Life (Kill Rock Stars)
1. Miley Cyrus – “See You Again” (Hollywood)
2. Phil Vassar – “Love Is a Beautiful Thing” (Universal)
3. Sister Sin – “One Out Of Ten” (Victory)
4. Buraka Som Sistema featuring PongoLove – “Kalemba (Wegue Wegue)” (Fabric)
5. Kid Rock – “All Summer Long” (Atlantic)
6. Cyndi Lauper – “Into The Nightlife” (Epic)
7. Scooter – “The Question Is What Is The Question” (Sheffield Lab)
8. Alphabeat – “Boyfriend (Pete Hammond Remix)” (EMI Europe)
9. Sway featuring $tush – “F Ur X” (Dcypha Alliance)
10. Blackout Crew – “Put A Donk On It” (All Around The World)
His Top 50 can be found here (with the rest of the Top 150): Chuck_in_the_rest
Britta Phillips, of Dean & Britta, whose L’Avventura (Jet Set Records) was just re-released writes: “Our music list is very short.” But it’s sweet, especially if your tastes run along Americana dream pop:
Jonathan Richman – Because Her Beauty Is Raw & Wild (Vapor Records)
Crystal Stilts – Alight of Night (Slumberland Records)
Hercules & Love Affair – Hercules & Love Affair (DFA Records)
Happy New Year, Britta
Wil Forbis (Editor, Acidlogic.com)
1. Nicole Atkins – Neptune City (Red Int/Red Ink)
2. Rancho Deluxe – True Freedom (Independent Release)
3. Stace England and the Salt Kings – Salt Sex Slaves (Rankoutsider Records)
4. Guns N’ Roses – Chinese Democracy (Geffen Records)
5. Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III (Cash Money/Universal Motown)
Jeff Giles (Editor, Popdose.com & Bullz-Eye.com)
1. Randy Newman – Harps and Angels (Nonesuch)
2. Dr. John – City That Care Forgot (429 Records)
3. The Felice Brothers – The Felice Brothers (Team Love)
4. Matthew Ryan – Matthew Ryan vs. the Silver State (Megaforce)
5. Lindsey Buckingham – Gift of Screws (Reprise)
6. Q-Tip – The Renaissance (Universal Motown)
7. Steve Poltz – Traveling (Emergent / 92E)
8. The Roots – Rising Down (Def Jam)
9. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend (Xl Recordings)
10. Pete Seeger – At 89 (Appleseed Records)
Ted Cogswell (Freelance Writer in Seattle, WA)
1. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! (Anti)
2. Jay Reatard – Singles 06-07 (In the Red) & Singles ’08 (Matador)
3. Little Willie John – Nineteen Sixty Six (Ace/Kent)
4. Cheap Time – Cheap Time (In the Red)
5. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
6. The Black Keys – Attack & Release (Nonesuch)
7. Various artists – Como Now (Daptone)
8. Bob Dylan – Tell Tale Signs (Sony)
9. White Denim – Workout Holiday (Full Time Hobby)
10. King Khan – The Supreme Genius of King Khan & the Shrines (Vice)
Robert Hull (Former editor, current writer and entrepreneur – See PopKrazy)
1. Velvet Underground & Nico – Unripened (XTV bootleg)
2. Bob Dylan – Tell Tales Signs—Deluxe Edition (Columbia)
3. Dennis Wilson – Pacific Ocean Blue/Bambu (Epic/Caribou/Legacy)
4. Elvis Presley – The Complete 68 Comeback Special, Box Set (BMG)
5. The Clash – Rat Patrol from Fort Bragg (Nicaragua/Redline bootleg)
6. Raphael Saadiq – The Way I See It (Columbia)
7. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
8. Randy Newman – Harps and Angels (Nonesuch)
9. Brian Wilson – That Lucky Old Sun (Capitol)
10. Hank Williams – The Unreleased Recordings (Time Life)
Honorable Mention: Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III & all unreleased sessions (Cash Money/Universal Motown)
BEST ALBUM OF 2009: The Memphis Goons: Peppo (Shangri-La)
This in from Young Fresh Fellows’ Scott McCaughey, also of the supergroup Minus 5
These are good ones I remember. Keep warm now…
1. She & Him – Vol. 1 (Merge)
2. Death Cab For Cutie – Narrow Stairs (Atlantic)
3. The Tripwires – Makes You Look Around (Paisley Pop)
4. Little Sue – Baby Knows Better (Bathtub Lily Music)
5. Randy Newman – Harps And Angels (Nonesuch)
6. Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue (Warner Bros.)
7. Boston Spaceships – Brown Submarine (Guided By Voices Inc.)
8. Brian Wilson – That Lucky Old Sun (Capitol)
9. Chris Walla – Field Manual (Barsuk)
10. Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid (Fiction)
Sylvie Simmons, writer and author (sylviesimmons.com)
1. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
2. Bon Iver – For Emma… (Jagjaguwar)
3. John Martyn – The Battle Of Medway, July 17 1973 (Hux Records)
4. Mark Lanegan & Isobel Campbell – Sunday At Devil Dirt (Fontana Intl)
5. Drive By Truckers – Brighter Than Creation’s Dark (New West Records)
6. Sun Kil Moon – April (Caldo Verde)
7. Johnny Dowd – A Drunkard’s Masterpiece (Munich)
8. Okkervil River – The Stage Names (Jagjaguwar)
9. Tindersticks – The Hungry Saw (Beggars Banquet, Intl)
10. Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip – Angels (Strangefamousrecords)
Toby Mamis, freelance journalist and public relations manager weighs in with his Top 5 and goes into some detail:
1. Tat – Soho Lights (Red Wagon)
2. Duffy – Rockferry (Mercury)
3. Ting Tings – We Started Nothing (Columbia/ Red Ink)
4. Gabriella Cilmi – Lessons To Be Learned (Universal UK)
5. Hanoi Rocks – This One’s For Rock N Roll (Megamania)
“I am sure I missed some good ones, but it’s been a busy year, and these are the ones that got through to me. For doubters, the Duffy album is way deeper than most people think; Duffy 2008 may seem like Lulu 1965, but I think there’s more to her than that.”
Mark Kemp, author and freelance writer:
TV on the Radio – Dear Science (Interscope)
Calle 13 – Los De Atrás Vienen Conmigo (Sony International)
Drive-By Truckers – Brighter Than Creation’s Dark (New West Records)
Orchestra Baobab – Made in Dakar (Nonesuch)
The Knux – Remind Me in Three Days (E Pluribus Unum)
Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
Girl Talk – Feed the Animals (Illegal Art)
Hayes Carll – Trouble in Mind (Lost Highway)
Erhykah Badu – New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War (Motown)
Ximena Sariñana – Mediocre (WEA International)
Aterciopelados – Rio (Nacional)
Beck – Modern Guilt (DGC)
Buena Vista Social Club – Buena Vista Social Club at Carnegie Hall (Nonesuch)
Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend (XL)
B.B. King – One Kind Favor (Geffen Records)
My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges (ATO)
Tim Napalm – A self-described “punk rock musician/internet radio DJ/blogger/rock journalist in recovery,”
1. Primal Scream – Beautiful Future (WEA Intl)
2. Ultrazeen – VS
3. Motorhead – Motorizer (Steamhammer/SPV)
4. Carbon/Silicon – Carbon Casino (Carbon/Silicon Records)
5. Wild Billy Childish and the MBEs – Thatcher’s Children (Damaged Goods)
6. The Clash – Live At Shea Stadium (Epic)
7. Joy Division – The Miriam Collection (DVD) (The Weinstein Company)
8. Ladies and Gentlemen – The Fabulous Stains (Rhino Entertainment) (on DVD at fucking last!)
9. ZZ TOP – live in some shed named for a bank in Corpus Christi, TX, this past May
10. “Atomic Cocktail” with Vic Tripp (Wednesdays at 6 PM Pacific over www.luxuriamusic.com).
Matt Schild, Editor of Aversion.com, inarguably one of the best e-zines, presents his admittedly “rather weird list,” already published on Aversion, but doesn’t have a problem with us reposting and linking to it. Aw, gee, Matt.
1. TV on the Radio – Dear Science (Interscope)
2. Future of the Left – Curses (Too Pure)
3. Sons and Daughters – This Gift (Domino)
4. Portishead – Third (Mercury)
5. The Shackeltons – The Shackeltons (Loveless)
6. British Sea Power – Do You Like Rock Music? (Rough Trade)
7. Frightened Rabbit – The Midnight Organ Fight (FatCat)
8. Ghost Buffalo – The Magician (Suburban Home)
9. Fucked Up – The Chemistry of Common Life (Matador)
10. The Dutchess and the Duke – She’s the Dutchess, He’s the Duke (Hardly Art)
He adds, “Since I’m tired of hearing about TVOTR all the time, I’ll go with Future of the Left.” 
J. Sigler, a former short story scribe, foodie and soon to be overly popular Bay Area photographer no doubt hopes to both enlighten and bug you with his Top Ten picks:
1. Saosin – Saosin (Capitol)
2. Mute Math – Mute Math (Import)
3. Anberlin – Never Take Friendship Personal (Tooth & Nail Records)
4. City and Colour – Bring Me Your Love (Vagrant)
5. The Almost – Southern Weather (Tooth & Nail/Virgin Records)
6. Radiohead – In Rainbows (Ato Records/Red)
7. Fair – Best Worst Case Scenario (Tooth & Nail)
8. Foo Fighters – Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (Phantom Sound & Vision)
9. Thrice – Alchemy Inde, Vol. 3 & 4: Air & Earth (Vagrant)
10. Spitalfield – Better Than Knowing Where You Are (Victory Records)
Always the consumate professional and over-acheiver, Holly Gleason, columnist and author, got to us first with her copious list. Someone was paying attention last year:
Top 10 CDs
1. Lee Ann Womack – Call Me Crazy (MCA Nashville)
2. Erykah Badu – New Amerykah, Pt. 1 (Motown)
3. AC/DC – Black Ice (Columbia Records)
4. Allison Moorer – Mockingbird (New Line Records)
5. The Black Keys – Attack & Release (Nonesuch)
6. Mudcrutch – Mudcrutch (Reprise)
7. Rodney Crowell – Sex & Gasoline (Yep Roc Records)
8. The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely (Third Man/Warner Bros.)
9. JD Souther – If The World Was You (MRI Associated)
10. Michael Stanley – Just Another Night (Line Level Music)
Top 10 Singles
1. “Last Call” – Lee Ann Womack (MCA Nashville)
2. “Sex on Fire” – Kings of Leon (RCA)
3. “All Apologies” – Grace Potter & the Nocturnals (Ragged Company/Hollywood Records)
4. “Girls in their Summer Clothes” – Bruce Springsteen (Columbia/CBS Records)
5. “Better As A Memory” – Kenny Chesney (BNA Records)
6. “Addicted” – Saving Abel (Virgin Records)
7. “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore” – Lady Antebellum (Capitol/Nashville)
8. “4 Minutes (To Save The World)” – Justin Timberlake (Jive Records)
9. “All Summer Long” – Kid Rock (Atlantic)
10. “Anything Goes” – Randy Houser (Universal South)
Similarly, Bud Scoppa, former A&R executive, author and freelance writer extraordinaire, was a good egg and got back to us tout-de-suite! We’re sure you’ll agree with his XL list. He even caught some shows.
BUD SCOPPA 2008 TOP 10
1. Pictures and Sound – Pictures and Sound (Vanguard)
2. Randy Newman – Harps and Angels (Nonesuch)
3. TV on the Radio – Dear Science (Interscope)
4. Kings of Leon – Only by the Night (RCA)
5. Mudcrutch – Mudcrutch (Reprise)
6. My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges (ATO)
7. Beck – Modern Guilt (DGC)
8. Teddy Thompson – A Piece of What You Need (Decca)
9. Explorers Club – Freedom Wind (Dead Oceans)
10. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
NEXT 15
11. Lindsey Buckingham – Gift of Screws (Reprise)
12. Ray LaMontagne – Gossip in the Grain (RCA)
13. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend (XL)
14. Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid (Fiction/Geffen)
15. Matthew Sweet – Sunshine Lies (Shout! Factory)
16. Death Cab for Cutie – Narrow Stairs (Atlantic)
17. The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely (Third Man/Warner Bros.)
18. Robin Danar – Altered States (Shanachie)
19. Boz Scaggs – Speak Low (Decca)
20. Lucinda Williams – Little Honey (Lost Highway)
21. Coldplay – Viva La Vida… (Capitol)
22. Brian Wilson – That Lucky Old Sun (Capitol)
23. John Mellencamp – Life Death Love and Freedom (Hear Music)
24. Willie Nelson/Wynton Marsalis – Two Men With the Blues (Blue Note)
25. Shelby Lynne – Just a Little Lovin’ (Lost Highway)
IMPORTANT ARCHIVAL RELEASES
Neil Young – Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House 1968 (Reprise)
Bob Dylan – Tell Tale Signs: Bootleg Series Vol. 8 (Columbia Legacy)
Nick Lowe – Jesus of Cool (Yep Roc)
Dennis Wilson – Pacific Ocean Blue (Caribou/Epic Legacy)
Blue Ash – No More, No Less (Collectors Choice/UMe)
CONCERTS
Radiohead (@ Hollywood Bowl) gets the godhead award.
Kings of Leon (@ Nokia Theatre) is rapidly growing into the best rock & roll band on the planet, period.
Mudcrutch (@ the Troubadour) set off a rollicking blast from the past.
Beck (@ Club Nokia) fused phat beats and arena-rock riffage.
Ray LaMontagne (@ the Wiltern) proved you don’t have to be loud to be heavy (to borrow Tom Morello’s line).
Plant/Krauss (@ Santa Barbara County Bowl), I imagine, but there was a ticket snafu, so I can’t say for sure.
Posted in Polls & Lists, You Be the Critic | 4 Comments »
