1. business and industrial

AS I L AY DYING o ZURI WATERS o HOWE o TEAM SLEEP o AL AN SANDERSON o MARINA V
Social
D istortion
DON’T TAKE THEM FOR GRANTED
SEPTEMBER 2005 FREE
SEPTEMBER 2005
C O N T E N T S
03
EDITOR’S NOTE
“TEEN AG E M U TA N T N I N J A B I T C H . ”
05
R U M O R S > S TA F F P I C K S
AUST I N C I T Y L I M I T S
ART H A S N O B O R D E R S
HELD T O G E T H E R B Y A T H R E A D
06
TEAM SLEEP
SHOW R E V I E W: L I V E @ S O M A
08
SOCIAL DISTORTION
DON ’ T TA K E T H E M F O R G R A N T E D
12
AL AN SANDERSON
SPOT L I G H T: B R I N G S L A - Q U A L I T Y
RECO R D I N G T O S A N D I E G O
16
20
HOWE
CD REVIEWS
WHIS K E Y TA N G O : C A N DY K A N E
LMNO : S O M E G I R L S
THE A D O L E S C E N T S : T H E LO C U S T
COVER PHOTO: SOCIAL D’S MIKE NESS : BECKY SAPP
24
ANYA M A R I N A’ S R E C O M M E N D E D
FROM F M 9 4 / 9
“Rising Sun” Zuri Waters.
26
Z U R I W AT E R S
CULTU R E : A R T W O R K K A M I K A Z E
30
AS I L AY DYING
BACK S TAG E : N O T H E R E T O
PREAC H A S E R M O N
34
MARINA V
BACK S TAG E : P R OV E S F O L LO W I N G
YOUR D R E A M S I S “ S I M P L E M AG I C ”
36
T H E L O C A L P Y L E BY TIM PYLES
M U S I CM AT T E R S
01
editor’s note
M Ua S gI C M
Az T iT En R Se
m
a
editor
creative director/photography
copy editor/staff writer
editorial writers
contributing writers
contributing photographers
advertising
o
JEN HILBERT
editor
THE FIRST TIME I SAW SOCIAL DISTORTION PERFORM
was in 1990. I was sixteen and, not unlike your typical sixteen
year old, I was somewhat difficult to impress. Okay, more
than difficult, I was a pain in the ass. (Remember the Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles? My then oh-so-sweet boyfriend actually
bought me a button that read “Teenage Mutant Ninja Bitch.”
Real funny, huh?)
JEN HILBERT
KIMBERLY LOSTROSCIO
MARY SMEDES PIKE
ANYA MARINA
TIM PYLES
I was your average angry teen growing up in a suburban steel
town north of Philadelphia. I liked music that was loud and
contentious but meaningful too. There were plenty of loud and
angry bands to be found at the time (Sick of It All, Agnostic Front,
M.O.D., D.R.I., C.O.C., and probably a dozen others whose
names were reduced to acronyms), but their lyrics weren’t quite
what I yearned for. I didn’t realize it then, but more than just
embittered mantras, I was searching for timeless poetry put to
music. I wanted songs that dealt with the frustrations and life
experience of the middle class. I wanted lyrics that championed
the underdog. And more than anything else, I wanted to know
that I wasn’t alone in my thoughts and feelings.
KEVIN FARR
CULLEN HENDRIX
BART MENDOZA
VERONICA MUNGUIA
LINDSAY O’CONNOR
KIM SCHWENK
CHRISTINE MARIE
ANDREW MO
BECKY SAPP
TREVAN WONG
SEAN YOUNG
RACHEL WOLFE
rachel@musicmattersmag.com
office: 619.749.7669
cell: 619.251.3346
webmaster
KEITH DRIVER
distribution
BEAU’S DISTRIBUTION SERVICE
publisher
GREG PASSMORE
SDMUSICMATTERS.COM
Please send all submission queries, CD’s, and any other questions for review/publication.
ATTN: JEN HILBERT
4901 Morena Blvd. Suite 211 San Diego, CA 92117
phone: 858.490.1620
fax: 858.490.1622
email: jen@musicmattersmag.com
02
M U S I C M AT T E R S
MIKE NESS PHOTO: ANDREW MO
MUSICMATTERS Magazine, issue September 2005. Copyright © 2005
by SDMUSICMATTERS.COM. Reproduction in whole or part without
permission is prohibited. Letters to SDMUSICMATTERS.COM are assumed intended for publication in whole or part without permission from
the writer. MUSICMATTERS Magazine does not necessarily endorse the
lifestyles depicted in these pages. This magazine is intended for mature
audiences, and both the magazine publisher and staff encourage you to
live a responsible, healthy and balanced lifestyle while supporting your
local community and abiding by its laws. Please don’t become one of
the many tragic statistics of musicians overdosing, harming others or
generally behaving like an idiot.
That night in 1990 I found what I was searching for in the
music of Social D. Their sound and energy matched the
positive release I needed for my aggressions, and their smart
yet straightforward lyrics captured the essence of what it meant
to be the Everyman(woman). Mike Ness was the underdog
champion that I had long been looking for.
Based on Social Distortion’s ever-increasing fanbase, I think
it’s safe to say that thousands of others were in need of that
champion too. For 27 years their songs have offered a musical
shoulder to lean on and the inspiration that’s often required to
overcome adversity. Their latest album, Sex, Love and Rock and
Roll, is no exception. Older and wiser but still timeless, Social
Distortion may very well understand the story of our lives better
now than ever before. o Jen
M U S I CM AT T E R S
03
o
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REACHES AUSTIN
CITY LIMITS
rumor
STAFF PICKS
by Jen Hilbert
Socal’s own Jason Mraz, Tristan
Prettyman, The Ditty Bops, and
Slightly Stoopid are scheduled
to perform at this year’s Austin
City Limits Festival, September
23 - 25, 2005. The three-day
music celebration takes place
at Zilker Park in - you guessed
it - Austin, Texas! The festival’s
headliners include Coldplay,
Oasis, Wilco, and more. The
Austin City Limits Festival is an
offshoot of the Austin City Limits (ACL) television program, which has aired on
PBS since 1976. The show’s pilot was filmed in 1974 and featured native Texan
Willie Nelson. Since then, everyone from Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash to
Jimmy Buffett and Austin’s own Stevie Ray Vaughn have appeared on the show.
Tickets to this year’s ACL Festival are selling fast! Go get yours before they’re gone.
For information on the complete lineup, ticket prices, and other festival details go to
www.austincitylimits.com.
ART HAS NO BORDERS
TRISTAN PRETTYMAN : MICHAEL HALSBAND
OPPOSITE: PATRICK OF TAMORA PHOTO: KIM LOSTROSCIO
by Mary Smedes Pike
04
M U S I C M AT T E R S
inSite_05 is upon us. inSite_05 is a contemporary art project with the goal of
bridging San Diego and Tijuana culture and community by facilitating bi-national
collaborative arts partnerships among nonprofit and public institutions in the
San Diego-Tijuana region. Artists began a two-year residency in the fall of 2003
that will continue through the end of 2005 in which they have worked to promote
artistic investigation and activation of urban space. The project culminates in the
realization of new projects in the public spaces throughout San Diego and Tijuana.
From August 26 through November 13, 2005, inSite_05 will bring international
attention to the region with an intense, three-month schedule of project openings,
museum exhibitions, performance events, and outreach programs. For more info
on inSite_05 and a complete list of projects go to www.insite05.org.
SOCAL FASHION HELD TOGETHER BY THREAD
by Mary Smedes Pike
Don’t miss the next
THREAD fashion
and lifestyle show on
Saturday, September
10, set for its biggest
event yet! The trade
show, held in The Old
Wonderbread Bakery
in downtown San Diego, brings together independent Southern California
fashion and lifestyle designers and artists to showcase their latest creations in
a warehouse-style trade-show environment. This event is a must for those in
constant search of that next unique piece of fashion or art. The event will feature
over 80 exhibitors, hourly fashion shows, a charity auction, DJ’s, and a martini
bar and cafe. www.threadshow.com
The 88
Over and Over
EMK/Mootron Records
Release - September 20, 2005
www.the88.net
Los Angeles-based quintet The 88 could be the catalyst for the next
British Invasion - if they were British that is. Their latest album, Over
and Over, pays homage to Mondrian-inspired Mod fashions, The
Beatles, The Kinks, and The Who. In fact, the opening track, “Hide
Another Mistake,” sounds reminiscent of The Who’s hit single “I Can’t
Explain.” Recorded and produced by Ethan Allen (Better Than Ezra,
Gram Rabbit), Over and Over offers twelve blisteringly catchy pop tunes
for the inner mop top in all of us.
Silversun Pickups
Pikul
Dangerbird Records
Released - July 2005
www.silversunpickups.com
Hailing from the east Los Angeles indie scene that bred bands like
Earlimart and Irving, Silversun Pickups have released their six-song
debut EP called Pikul (pie-kull). The vocals mutate between the
breathy, sultry edge of Billy Corgan and the instability of Conor Oberst,
but when incensed sound more like Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock. A
trait that otherwise might be put to use in too emotive and whiny an
act here is utilized in a more subtle manner to create a sound a bit
unexpected. Guitars are a bit twangy and fuzzy and in no rush, giving
them that “indie” sound, like they’re being played in a spanking clean
garage. The melodies are the kind that stab you in the heart and twist
the knife, but in a good way.
Jane Lui
Teargirl
Self-produced
Released - May 2005
www.teargirl.com
Starline Theorie’s signature songstress, Jane Lui, is giving girly
coffeeshop pop singers a run for their money with Teargirl. Teargirl
is introspective, elegant, and most importantly a showcase for Lui’s
tremendous vocal talents. Independently produced and released by Jane
Lui, Teargirl can be bought at her website, www.janeshands.com, and
local record stores near you.
Emery Byrd
Self-Titled EP
Pineapple Recording Group
Released - September 2004
www.myspace.com/emerybyrd
On this debut EP produced by Louis XIV’s Jason Hill on his own
Pineapple Recording Group label, catchy hooks and melodies abound,
the band mixes a Kinks-like campiness with the sound of Donovangone-electric, all within the confines of a three-minute pop song. The EP
sounds at once spontaneous and careful. It’s the sound of a young band
with much promise that has yet to reveal their full musical hand.
M U S I CM AT T E R S
05
show review
o
Team Sleep front man Chino Moreno.
TEAM SLEEP
STRIKE HIM CENTURION
SOMA 05.08.05
by Kevin Farr
06
M U S I C M AT T E R S
PHOTO: SEAN YOUNG
HOUSE OF BLUES BOOKING AGENTS BROUGHT TEAM SLEEP AND Strike Him
Centurion to our sunny SoCal community. SOMA’ s climate was intimate and reserved.
The mainstage floor was partitioned by a large black tarp, forcing fans closer to the stage.
With 500 plus people loosely shifting about, one could find a nice area to congregate without
breathing on the necks of fellow music-goers. While absorbing the evening’s atmospheric
vibes, inquisitive fans stared in catatonic disbelief. Each band orchestrated maddening riffs,
synthesized and processed for listening pleasure.
Sacramento’s Strike Him Centurion opened the evening with a multimedia package. A
large white backdrop was installed behind the drummer’s kit, and a projector was situated
stage right. Strike Him Centurion may not be the first to utilize multimedia entertainment
as a strategic form of communication, but it was still quite intoxicating. As the band played
shrieking minor chords processed with ear piercing reverb, amoebas danced, protoplasm
swirled, and blood cells flowed through veins on the screen. It was a disturbing montage of
erratic movie clips.
As eerily haunting instrumental tracks progressed, ex-president Bush Sr.’s head
exploded. Then the music smoothly shifted and you were watching fucked-up clips of the
Japanimation classic, Ikara. What Strike Him Centurion lacked in vocals (they literally
had none whatsoever), they compensated for in
musicianship, originality, and entertainment.
Motionless except for moving hands or an
occasional tap on a pedal, they flawlessly
maneuvered, striking chords and beating drums.
The fans seemed perplexed and bewildered as
the set progressed. Anxious to hear something
from the mouths of these strange obscure beings,
attention spans seemed to long for what they’d
paid for... Team Sleep.
Team Sleep is a unique collaboration between
known and unknown musicians. Fronted by Chino
Moreno (Deftones’ frontman) and Hella drummer
Zach Hill, they solidified a group of talented
musicians. Their sound was both ethereal and
beautifully noxious. It was methodically chaotic.
By utilizing synthesizers, programmed drum
loops, live drums, and heavily distorted guitars, a
unique amalgamation took place. The sound was
fortified by turntabilist DJ Crook, whose presence
was subtle but pivotal. With intense drum lines
beaten with brute strength and rapid repetition,
Zach Hill’s skills defined talent. Hill’s rhythm and
strength coupled with Moreno and Wilkenson’s
riffs delivered a powerful sound. Musically, never
compromising range, they are the paragons of
progressive rock.
Though, after four or five songs, Moreno’s
vocals became distracting and repetitive. On the
brink of annoying and overbearing, he delivered
in a monotone format. His lyrics are long,
unintelligible, and lack inflection or intonation.
However, contrary to his vocals, Moreno’s guitar
playing was exceptional and entertaining. He often
dropped to his knees during solos, contorting his
face soulfully and indulging in the music. But his
presence in the band was not the defining factor for
Team Sleep’s sound. The band, as a whole entity,
created a uniform, clairvoyant sound, pushing the
limits of musical integrity.
Team Sleep and Strike Him Centurion created
abstract music in a digestible format. A less then
reactionary crowd swallowed the sound and
gave little back. Bridging the gap between fan
and performer is an arduous but crucial task for
live shows. Strike Him Centurion’s multimedia
approach created a dialectical relationship
between fan and performance, but neither band
stimulated an overly enthusiastic reciprocation of
emotion from the fans. Perhaps some things are
better left for the individual to explore in solitude
instead of large venues. o
M U S I CM AT T E R S
07
SOCIAL
DISTORTION
DON’T TAKE THEM FOR GRANTED
“They’re telling me, but I’m telling them. I’ll do it my way and
I’ll always win. When the sun goes down I’m ready to play.
It doesn’t matter what anybody says!”
- Social Distortion’s “Telling Them” off 1983’s Mommy’s Little Monster
by Jen Hilbert
photos: Christine Marie
THE SUN’S ALREADY GONE DOWN AT
San Diego’s Street Scene as Social Distortion’s
founder and frontman, Mike Ness, prepares
for the night’s performance. Sitting in a small
RV trailer backstage, Ness is carefully putting
on his trademark eyeliner - a ritual that dates
back to the band’s early days in the late 70’s. As
Ness readies himself guitarist Jonny “2 Bags”
Wickersham and drummer Charlie Quintana
stand in front of the trailer chatting with Ness’
wife, Christine Marie, and other Social D
family and friends. As they talk Ness’ youngest
son emerges from the RV with a chihuahua in
his arms and joins the group huddled outside.
A lot has changed since the days of Mommy’s
Little Monster - Ness beat drug addiction, got
married, had kids, and lost a dear friend, but,
amazingly, Social Distortion has survived
through it all. It may be 2005, but Mike Ness
is still doing it his way - even his eyeliner. It
doesn’t matter what anybody says.
A little over five years ago, in February of 2000,
Social’s Distortion’s future was uncertain.
08
M U S I C M AT T E R S
Dennis Danell, Ness’ childhood friend as well
as Social Distortion’s guitarist and cofounder,
passed away unexpectedly from an apparent
cerebral aneurysm. It was a tough blow to the
entire punk rock community but especially to
Ness. “I am saddened beyond any possible
form of expression,” Ness said in a statement
on the band’s website. “Dennis and I have
been friends since boyhood, starting Social
Distortion while we were in high school.”
It is unfathomable to me how difficult
Danell’s passing must have been for Ness
and the other members of Social D. A few
days ago I popped a new DVD copy of the
1982 punk rock documentary Another State
Of Mind into my computer. I had watched
the movie years ago, but revisiting the film’s
content now made for an entirely different
experience. Viewing it when you know what
happens in the years after the credits roll is
bittersweet. The movie follows a very young
Social Distortion and their tourmates, Youth
Brigade, as they cross the country in a bright
M U S I CM AT T E R S
09
social distortion o
o social distortion
“I’m your worn-in leather jacket/
I’m the volume in your fucked-up teenage band/
A bag of smokes and a six pack/
I’m the dreams you had walking down the railroad tracks/
You and Me.”
- Social Distortion’s “Don’t Take Me For Granted” off 2005’s Sex, Love and Rock and Roll
yellow, broken-down school bus. The film is
full of great moments. (My personal favorites
include Ness’ description of his average day
watching Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart,
and General Hospital, and a wiseguy Danell
trying to convince us he’s 38.) Seeing Ness
and Danell, two twenty-something punks
coping with the grownup realities of a
national tour, is heartening. Their naiveté,
vulnerability, blind optimism, and sense of
humor make them an instantly lovable duo.
I’m sure that tour was no walk in the park.
Traveling in constant close quarters with
approximately a dozen other guys while
you’ve got little more than $10 to your name
is a life-changing event - one that Ness and
Danell experienced together. And even with
all of the difficulties of that journey, the two
remained close friends and bandmates for
the next 18 years.
On Social Distortion’s latest album, Sex,
Love and Rock and Roll (their first release
since Danell’s death), Ness dedicates the
song “Don’t Take Me For Granted” to his
boyhood friend. The song begins, “I’m your
worn-in leather jacket/ I’m the volume in
your fucked-up teenage band/ A bag of
smokes and a six pack/ I’m the dreams you
had walking down the railroad tracks/ You
and Me.” Danell may be gone, but Ness will
never forget him. To the contrary, Ness has
wrangled the difficult emotions of losing his
close friend and bandmate and directed them
into what is, quite possibly, the best album
Social Distortion has ever produced.
Sex, Love and Rock and Roll traverses a
river of human emotion. The songs flow
over life’s rocky landscape but leave you
feeling optimistic about the voyage. In “Live
Before You Die” Ness sings, “So close your
eyes and embrace your memories/ Leave
your troubles and your worries far behind/
Stop contemplating and start celebrating/
Yeah you gotta live before you die.” Ness is
10
M U S I C M AT T E R S
a master at conveying life’s simple truths
with purity, beauty, and honesty. He is, like
Johnny Cash or Joe Strummer, destined to be
a rock and roll legend.
Joining Ness on the recording of Sex,
Love and Rock and Roll are guitarist Jonny
Wickersham, drummer Charlie Quintana,
and longtime Social D bassist John Maurer.
It’s a supreme lineup. Quintana, a fellow
rocker from the 70’s punk scene, joined the
band in 2000 after Chuck Biscuits’ departure.
He and Ness had previously worked together
on Ness’ solo efforts, Cheating At Solitaire
and Under The Influences. Quintana’s
resume includes stints with Soul Asylum,
Joan Osborne, and Bob Dylan. Yes - THE
Bob Dylan. Wickersham, Danell’s guitar
tech, was tapped by Ness to take over on
guitar after Danell’s passing. The former
ex-Cadillac Tramps/US Bombs member was
close to the band for years. Having grown
up in the OC punk scene, Wickersham
played, worked, and partied with Ness and
Danell regularly. Wickersham’s blues guitar
influences (Lee Hooker, Lightning Hopkins,
and Bill Broonzy) can be felt throughout the
album and play a crucial role in its success.
In a conversation just days before Street
Scene I asked Wickersham what it was like
to work with Ness on Sex, Love and Rock
and Roll. He answered, “Making that record
was a great experience. Mike’s got a real
clear focus of what he wants to do with the
sound of Social D and he likes to obviously
experiment and try new ideas, but at the same
time he’s pretty adamant about maintaining
the integrity of the sound that’s made the
band good - growing and changing but not
making an extreme makeover.”
Ness’ decision to maintain the integrity of
the Social D sound is a smart one. Just like
the old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t
fix it.” The formula works. Every Social D
song has a distinct sound, but each one is
unique and timeless enough to stand out
on its own. Think about it, the very same
Social Distortion songs Ness sang at age 20
continue to assail the airwaves with as much
force now as they did then. I don’t think a day
goes by that I don’t hear at least one Social
Distortion song on the radio - in particular
songs like “Prison Bound,” “Mommy’s Little
Monster,” and their tour de force, “Story of
My Life.” Though the songs were written
decades ago, they avoid sounding dated.
I’m certain it’s easy for some to dismiss
Social Distortion as just another OC punk
band that won’t die. And sure their arrival
onto the music scene wasn’t as earthshattering as The Beatles’ or Elvis’. But
Social Distortion’s ability to continually
produce good music that people can relate
to astounds me. After 27 years, the new
music is getting better, and the old music is
timeless. How many bands actually manage
to pull that off and continue to increase their
fanbase every single year as Social Distortion
has? U2 (assuming you’re willing to forgive
that whole Pop era)? The Rolling Stones?
Yes, I know, many people wouldn’t dare utter
those bands’ names in the same sentence as
Social Distortion for fear that an association
with Social D would somehow dilute their
greatness, but I’m gonna do it. I’m going to
dare. I’m going to make these comparisons
because while Social Distortion might not
be as renowned as The Rolling Stones or
as revered as U2, and they may not sell as
many records or have as many wives (with
The Stones it’s hard to keep track), I think
they are destined to become a permanent,
legendary fixture in American music and
in rock and roll history. Social D deserves
to be commended for overcoming adversity
and turning it into inspirational music and
therapy for us all. Do me a favor. Don’t take
them for granted. o
M U S I CM AT T E R S
11
o
spotlight
GO ASK ALAN:
ALAN
SANDERSON
BRINGS LA-QUALITY RECORDING TO SAN DIEGO
by Mary Smedes Pike
photo: Kim Lostroscio
ALAN SANDERSON IS A MAN WITH STORIES TO TELL. At the remote, hidden
residence of Strate Sound Studios, tucked away in a business park off the I-15 in Rancho
Bernardo with no sign on the door, Alan welcomes us in from the heat. The cabinlike bungalow has two floors - the top holds the console and sound board, monitors,
editing equipment, etc. The bottom floor has one large room with soundproofed walls,
light wood flooring, and a persian rug with a chair and mike stand, and a smaller room
that can be closed off as an isolation booth. It’s a unique setup: the band records below
while the engineer peers down from a glass window in the upper corner of the room.
“A lot of the older studios in England, like Trident Studios and even Abbey Road
Studios, are modeled like that because it gives the artist the feeling that they’re not in
the studio, that they’re actually in their... garage. There’s not an engineer sittin’ there
lookin’ over a big, hunkin’ console.” Alan has a smooth, Beatles-esque English accent
that fades in and out without warning as he speaks. At times it’s hard to tell if he’s
from Liverpool or Leucadia. Having moved to the US from the UK in the 80’s, he’s had
plenty of time to adapt. But before landing permanently in San Diego three years ago,
he made sacrifice to the recording industry gods in LA.
We’ve all heard rumors of record industry fairytales, the kind in which some 20-yearold kid lands a bottom-level job cleaning toilets at one of Hollywood’s most prestigious
recording studios, and then, two years later, he’s engineering a session for the Rolling
Stones. Well, Alan was one of those kids. Years ago, when he was actually cleaning
toilets at Ocean Way Studios, possibly the best studios in LA at the time, he took it
in stride, fully aware that such an opportunity should be coveted by any 20-year-old.
To even be able to set foot in such a building warrants fierce competition amongst
the plethora of music-industry-hungry youths that flock to Los Angeles to make it
big in one of the most exclusive and illustrious businesses in the world. If there was
ever a business in which you truly have to work your way to the top, it’s the recording
industry. Competition is cutthroat for even the lowliest of jobs, since they come with
the unspoken premium of providing that opportunity to get a foot in the door.
“Yeah, I’ve paid my dues, absolutely. When I was up in LA I started out at the bottom
just trying to get a studio gig as an intern. I sent out like 400 resumes to every studio in
town, and I got a call back from the two biggest studios in the city, The Record Plant
and Ocean Way. So I went down to The Record Plant and it was this really amazing
place, it was big studios, and Guns N’ Roses were in there. I’m just this twenty-yearold kid, I was totally stoked! I went in and this lady took me upstairs and she was kind
of firm with me, ‘Hey, this is The Record Plant. You’re gonna start out by parking cars,
you’re gonna feel lucky to work here.’ And I was kind of digging it; I was ready to do
anything. And then I went over to Ocean Way, which was a bit more deluxe - you walk
in and there’s gold records, platinum records everywhere. They interviewed me and
they gave me the gig. I can tell ya, Ocean Way gave me the gig because I kept callin’
‘em back. And they got me down there the first day and I was cleaning toilets, you
12
M U S I C M AT T E R S
know. I was cleaning up people’s messes and
getting sandwiches for people for a couple of
years. Finally, the Counting Crows came in and
they threw me into the session because I was the
next guy on the totem pole, I’d been there for two
years, and I pulled it off. And then they gave me
an engineering job. It was kind of... ‘if you don’t
pull off this gig, you’re done,’ after two years of
getting sandwiches and cleaning toilets. And I
really didn’t know what I was doing.”
It was sink or swim for Alan, and he tread
water. But he learned quickly not to assume his
place in the studio ranks when he inquired as
to what his next engineering project would be.
“Well I need you to go out to the studio in the
Valley and clean up the leaves in the back,” the
studio manager replied. Alan quickly realized
that one gig with Counting Crows does not an
engineer make. After he paid a homeless guy
$10 to sweep up the leaves, he stormed back
to the studio ready to quit. But a fellow intern
stopped him short, “Just give it a little bit
more time, you’re almost there.” He was right.
Alan’s next call was for an assistant engineer
for Fleetwood Mac. “It’s gonna be like a year
to two years, this gig,” the producer informed
him. “You’ll be my right-hand guy.”
“So the next thing you know I’m in the studio
with Fleetwood Mac hanging out,” Alan fondly
recalls. “Christine McVie was doin’ keyboard
overdubs, and Mick Fleetwood’s kinda hangin’
out, being a goofball, telling stories, and I’m
just this kid running the tape sheet, keepin’ my
mouth shut.” And the rest is history. “Two years
later, I’d learned so much about making records.
Then I just started gettin’ all these great gigs. I
did this Rolling Stones Bridges to Babylon for
six months. It was an incredible experience. It
started March 1,1997 and went until August. I
got out of the studio in August at like six o’clock
in the morning and was like, ‘What the fuck just
happened?’ The whole summer of ‘97 didn’t
even exist. I started out as the tape op on the
session, and the main engineer ended up quitting
after a month... and Keith brought in one of
his buddies to engineer, some yes-man that he
hooked up with. He didn’t know the first thing
about engineering, so I ended up doing a lot of
stuff. Jagger would come in at like one o’clock
in the afternoon and then work ‘til like six in the
evening and leave, and then Keith and Ronnie
M U S I CM AT T E R S
13
spotlight
o
“...People think you’ve gotta go to LA if you wanna make
something happen professionally. I’m trying to change that.”
and everybody else in LA would come down to the session, and it would
be a big party until like four or five in the morning. And I was just this
guy trying to record all this stuff and make it happen. Just to give you an
idea, most albums are like 30 or 40 reels of tape, this album was like 800something reels. I was the guy [who had to go through and listen to them
all], I would keep track of every single reel. Six months of that. It was
difficult; all kinds of characters would come down all the time, you know,
they’d have celebrities hanging out. One day B.B. King came down to the
studio and he was recording with the Stones in the live room and I was
like frantic... I turned around and screamed at these two guys standing in
front of the tape, ‘Get out of the way!’ I turned around and did a doubletake and it’s Dan Aykroyd and John Landis... In retrospect it was a great
experience, but during the whole thing I thought I was gonna die.”
All that said, Alan came away from his experiences in LA with mixed
emotions. “I was treated pretty badly in LA. It’s very competitive. I
found myself feeling a lot of the time like I was in a shark tank with other
engineers and producers - whoever had the most clout got the prize.”
After a few years of this LA had simply lost its charm. “It just kind of
added up over time. You know, dealing with those kind of celebrities and
having that much pressure, it just gets old.” So about three years ago Alan
decided to take a break and leave LA for the more laid-back atmosphere
of San Diego. He would have no problem riding on the beefed-up resume
he’d amassed over the past 15 years, which included, in addition to those
already mentioned, acts like Janet Jackson, Weezer, and Elton John. In
fact, it has been his experiences in LA that have made Alan a unique
and powerful contender in the San Diego recording industry from the
moment he moved down here. “Down here I can make records I wanna
make. If I can bring a little bit of all those sessions I experienced in LA
to this place in San Diego, then great.” When he happened upon avid
collector and engineer Brian Strate’s studio, which at the time Brian
was renting out cheap to high school kids on the weekends as a sort of
hobby rather than a business, Alan immediately recognized its potential,
and when Brian invited him to take residency there and basically run
the place, Alan was quick to make the necessary improvements. Carpets
were torn out, wood floors were laid, gear was changed out, and it was
calibrated to more of an “LA sound.” “The studios in LA, you walk in
those places and there’s such a vibe, you know, and an energy, like, wow!
People think you’ve gotta go to LA if you wanna make something happen
professionally. I’m trying to change that.”
As we climb the stairs to the upper floor of the studio, where the
sound board and editing equipment is housed, framed gold records of
Elton John’s Songs from the West Coast, the Rolling Stones’ Bridges
to Babylon, and Weezer’s Green Album stand out against the off-white
wall at the top of the stairwell. Against the right wall, the hefty console is
crowned by a flat-screen television-turned-monitor whose display is that
of a dozen or so jagged, rainbow-colored audio tracks. It doesn’t take a
genius to figure out that Alan is a Protools guy. “Protools has changed the
recording industry. Gone are the days of analog recording, in my opinion.
It’s so much easier to make an album now with digital technology. I
mean, back in the day you’d have to go and buy reel tape, and that was
$250 for one reel, which was 16.5 minutes. By the time you were done
with your album you’d gone through 30, 40 reels of tape, and that’s
pretty expensive. Most of the people I’m working with down here don’t
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M U S I C M AT T E R S
have that kind of budget unless [they’ve] got a major label deal. Having
hard disk to record to is free, you don’t have to spend any more money on
recording mediums. And you can be so much more creative with digital
recording. You can do things that you couldn’t even do with tape. When I
first started out in LA I was cutting tape with razor blades, having to stick
things together... it’s so difficult! Sure, they did that for years making
albums, and there’s an artform to it, but being able to use Protools, or
whatever it is that you’re using to make records with digital technology,
is so creative. You can adjust people’s pitch, you can adjust people’s time,
you can adjust people’s feel. Gone are the days of doing 20 takes until
you get it right. You give me one take, and I’ll make it right.” While Alan
will admit that tape recordings do have a certain distinguishable quality,
“Protools, in my opinion, sounds just like tape.”
Protools, and programs like Garage Band and Digital Performer, are
revolutionizing the recording industry because, as Alan reiterates, “It’s
so much easier to make an album now.” These new tools of the trade are
allowing for makeshift recording studios to sprout up in bedrooms and
basements everywhere and are subsequently providing the opportunity
for bands to record albums for little or no money. What’s great for smaller,
up-and-coming bands isn’t necessarily ideal for the recording industry in
general though. Protools is putting a lot of studios out of business. But
what does keep clients coming back to the professionals is that hardearned experience that some of the bigger-name producers can claim to
possess. “Any Tom, Dick, or Harry can go out and buy a computer, stick
a 57 up and record an album. But it’s the experience that’s what’s gonna
make it work, and the production too. If someone’s sitting there doing a
hundred takes of vocals, they need someone to produce them and guide
them and tell them, ‘Hey, it sounds good.’” Essentially, the producer can
be the voice of reason among all the creative suggestion. Although, as
that voice of reason, Alan admits that when it comes down to it, “90% of
it is psychology and 10% of it is gettin’ mikes up and makin’ a sound.”
Maybe Alan should add “psychologist” to his resumé.
As for all those LA stories Alan keeps on the tip of his tongue, the
ones about Rivers Cuomo’s anal perfectionism (“He would keep us in
the control room, and the guitars had to stay in tune, so he had to keep
the temperature really hot so that the tune wouldn’t slip.”) or Cher’s
request for softer toilet paper in the studio bathroom, I’ll need to come
back another day with another couple hours worth of tape to recount
them. Alan assures me that I shouldn’t hesitate to ask about anyone
he’s worked with; he’s eager to share his experiences with whomever
has the patience to listen. And with that, my tape runs out. But before
I go, I must sample a bit of Alan’s work. He has just put the finishing
touches on Tristeza’s new album A Colores, due out next month on
Better Looking Records. He presses a few buttons, and suddenly a
beautiful sound comes pouring forth from the expensive speakers. I
sit quietly in awe of this glimpse of perfection. Rarely does one get the
chance to listen to music in as true a form as it exists coming from the
soundboard in the studio in which it was mixed. Alan leans back in his
chair and breathes in the satisfaction of his completed work. It’s the
first time he’s been silent all afternoon. o
M U S I CM AT T E R S
15
o
fashion
howe:
Orange County is known for its surf culture, and the
style there generally reflects that culture. But from the
land of Volcom and Quicksilver emerges a new line of
fashion-forward men’s clothing called Howe, named
after designer Jade Howe. An alumnus of Quicksilver
and the former owner of Hawaiian Island Creations,
Jade Howe has taken his design style to a new level.
With Howe he blends European fashion trends and
premium quality fabrics with a punk dandy aesthetic to
create a line that integrates the SoCal surf/rock/active
lifestyles. Howe calls it “cowboy punk meets English
country gentleman.”
howe
The line includes tailored blazers, premium denim
jeans, and sophisticated woven shirts and sweaters.
When Operatic frontman Jesse Fritsch, who does a
satellite radio show with Tony Hawk, saw Tony wearing
some of the designs, he asked him where he got them.
It turns out Howe is part of Tony’s own company,
Birdhouse Skateboards.
a new line by jade howe.
These days, “Skaters want to look like musicians,”
Jesse quips. Howe is blurring those distinctions. The
beauty of Howe is that its pieces can be worn in a variety
of scenes without being targeted as specifically surf,
skate, or designer clothes. Howe’s intent is to “upgrade
the way men dress.” Surfers, skaters, and even
musicians are often associated with having a sloppy
look, and Howe is trying to break away from that by
encouraging fashion-conscious men to look good and
still feel comfortable in what they’re wearing.
“As a surf industry designer, I was responsible
for creating the baggy, relaxed clothes that
gave the average guy a sloppy look. Now,
I want to help them progress their look to
something more stylish and elegant but still
relaxed and versatile without ever losing that
alternative vibe.” - Jade Howe
For more info on Howe check out www.
howedenim.com.
Photography: Kim Lostroscio
Models: Jesse & Josh of Operatic
Spread: Andrew & Ted of Operatic
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M U S I C M AT T E R S
PHOTO: GREG PASSMORE
All fashions are modeled by members of the
San Diego rock group Operatic. To learn
more about this up-and-coming band visit
www.operaticmusic.com.
M U S I CM AT T E R S
17
18
M U S I C M AT T E R S
S D M U S I CM AT T E R S . C O M
19
cd review
o
cd reviews
o
WHISKEY TANGO
SELF-TITLED
SELF-PRODUCED
Rated:
ooo
WHILE SAN DIEGO MAY NOT BE KNOWN AS A HOTBED OF
Americana, the city has turned out its fair share of contenders, with
Whiskey Tango the latest to lament the town’s lack of honky tonk
bars. I’ve got to admit that when I first heard of Whiskey Tango I was
expecting weak hard rock. You can blame eighties hair rockers Bang
Tango for ruining the usage of “Tango” in any band name. Indeed, a
web search turned up a classic rock band of the same name - as well as a
fiddle and guitar duo and a punk group. I’ll bet that’s just the tip of the
iceberg. But even among all those Whiskey Tango’s, the homegrown
version stands out.
Listening to the group’s new seven-song EP, you’ll be hit by the range
of influences. The band is clearly steeped in Americana, but there is a lot
of ground covered stylistically. The country twang is most pronounced
on cuts like the opening pedal steel-laced “Since You Said Goodbye,”
as well as “El Centro County Line,” a song so authentic you can smell
the truck stop diesel. Meanwhile, the disc’s obvious single, melancholy
jangle rocker “Society of Fear,” manages to touch on Tommy Roe
and Johnny Cash, with melody to spare. The band also shows a deft
lyrical hand with a clear propensity for the harder side of life. Topped
with lyrics throughout about getting busted or getting medicated, the
quartet’s propensity for hard-edged living is worn on their collective
sleeves and heard in songs with titles like that of power-pop inflected
“I’ve Got A Problem.”
Full of lyrics custom-made for barroom sing-alongs, the disc is
highlighted by excellent musicianship, particularly the lead guitar
work and harmonies. It’s true that seven songs is barely enough of a
listen to get a complete picture of a band’s capabilities. However, on the
strength of the tracks here, a full album will definitely be something to
look forward to. www.whiskeytangomusic.com o BART MENDOZA
CANDYE KANE
WHITE TRASH GIRL
RUF RECORDS
Rated:
ooo
AN ICONIC FIXTURE OF THE SAN DIEGO MUSIC SCENE AND
a concert favorite worldwide, singer Candye Kane’s mix of early rock,
country, blues, and ballads has been a staple of the Southern California
circuit for so long that sometimes it’s easy to take her talent for granted.
It’s true that after seven albums you pretty much know what
you’re getting musically with Kane, but it’s easy to lose sight of how
good her work can be. With White Trash Girl you do get the risqué
material that the former adult film star has made a signature. There
is a preoccupation with sex, and songs with titles like “Masturbation
Blues” are always going to get a chuckle. However, where the album
really excels is in the more straightforward material.
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M U S I C M AT T E R S
Although the production isn’t quite as extravagant as during her
short-lived major label stint of the mid-nineties, this is more than made
up for by some of her strongest songwriting to date. Stylistically Kane
delivers a diverse collection, ranging from torch ballad “I Could Fall
For You,” to gritty shouter “Queen of the Wrecking Ball,” complete
with a Peter Gunn patterned riff.
The album’s two standout cuts are country pop tune “What Happened
to the Girl” with its inspired Motown/Supremes-styled bridge as well as
an impossibly catchy chorus, and “Work What You Got,” a stormin’
piano-based rocker that deserves to become a garage band staple - at
least among those that include a female singer.
The album does feature a batch of cover tunes, including Lieber and
Stoller’s “I Wanna Do More” and a jazzy Hammond topped take on the
Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Daydream.” While they are all welcome additions
to Kane’s discography, the new originals overshadow them.
Topped by superb musicianship, White Trash Girl will be mandatory
listening for longtime fans. Perhaps more importantly, with its balance
of music styles and arrangements it’s an excellent introduction to her
sound. Just bring an I.D. www.candyekane.com o BART MENDOZA
LMNO
P’S & Q’S
UP ABOVE RECORDS
Rated:
oooo
FROM 2MEX TO J5, AND ON TO THE VISIONARIES, Up Above
Records signs premier left coast artists. They employ some of the
heaviest hitters in Cali’s “under” and “above” ground, and LMNO,
a.k.a. Leave My Name Out, is no exception to this policy.
P’s & Q’s hosts production from Key Kool, LD, Polyhedron, and
DJ Khalil to name a few. LMNO’s choices for production exemplify
his diversity. LD beats are for the backpackers out there with a sack to
burn while Polyhedron provides hits which transcend the underground
to the mainstream without compromising musical integrity. For those
educated in the ways of the old and new skool, you’ll hear everything
from tracks that are reminiscent of Eazy E to Ant’s “Champion” track
for Brother Ali’s Shadows On the Sun.
LMNO’s latest release is an exquisite composition that delves into a
plethora of issues from the sociopolitical to the spiritual. Lyrically he
spits with an unusual staccato delivery, but his flow speaks to you on
an intimate level. It’s as if you’re burnin’ an “L” with him, discussing
the beautiful reality of life. His depth of insight into the grime of the
streets and the ethereal provides the listener with a multidimensional
experience. Exploring both his external environment and internal
complications allows you to observe the artist on a stratified level.
The efficacy of his verbiage is unquestionable, though some may find
contradictions with his philosophies. These self-proclaimed moral agents
have missed the point. Those who believe that their third eye knows
all are blind. LMNO attempts to combat the suffocating materialism
consuming the world with metaphysical conceptions on existence. P’s &
Q’s propagates positive, progressive hip hop by fusing all elements of life
into a remarkably well-constructed album. www.upabove.com/lmno.php
o KEVIN FARR
M U S I CM AT T E R S
21
cd reviews
o
SOME GIRLS
THE DNA WILL HAVE ITS SAY EP
THREE ONE G
Rated:
ooo
HAVING JUST FINISHED RECORDING THEIR DEBUT FOR megaindie Epitaph, Some Girls appears destined to be hardcore’s next big
thing. There’s no arguing with the band’s diverse and accomplished
pedigree: Justin Pearson plays bass in The Locust, drummer Sal
Gallegos is in Secret Fun Club and Rail Em to Death, singer Wes Eisold
fronted seminal hardcore outfit American Nightmare, and guitarists
Rob Moran and Chuck Rowell play or played in Unbroken and The
Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower. For better or worse, the results of this
supergroup-ing sound about like what you would expect: shrieking,
metallic hardcore that’s more terrifying than tough.
There’s not much point to discussing this EP’s different songs:
they blaze by in a minute or so each; the listener barely has time to
comprehend what’s happened before being brained by another blastbeat-driven rant beefed up by pseudo-metal riffs. Even the Yeah Yeah
Yeahs’ Karen O, of instantly recognizable voice, is pushed into a scream
that saps her voice of its familiarity and texture.
With the possible exception of American Nightmare (of which I have
no opinion - consider my scene points docked), all the members’ main
gigs surpass this EP in some way. Not as rhythmic as Secret Fun Club,
not as sassy or confrontational as The Plot, not as burly as Unbroken,
and nowhere near as bizarre or perplexing as The Locust, what’s left
is a distillation of the more basic elements of San Diego hardcore. Is it
dissonant and visceral? You bet. Is it heavy and bruising? Hell yes. Is it
terribly original? Not quite. That the members of Some Girls concocted
the blueprint for this stuff makes it all the more disappointing that they
didn’t feel the need to stretch its friendly confines.
www.somegirlshaveallthefuck.com o CULLEN HENDRIX
THE ADOLESCENTS
O.C. CONFIDENTIAL
FINGER RECORDS
Rated:
ooo
WITH A SNAP AND POP THE BLUE ALBUM BRUISED THE FACE
of Orange County punk rock in 1981, as its initiators The Adolescents
plowed the course for expatriate youngsters all over Southern
California. The Adolescents’ early lineup juggled between several
members, whittling down to the “classic” five-piece of Tony “Reflex”
Cadena, Steve Soto, Frank Agnew, Casey Royer, and Rikk Agnew to
record the self-titled album on Frontier Records. Twenty-five years
later, the blue and red boys are back, not only celebrating their formative
career with a national tour but with an album of new tunes. Opinions
surely have changed from the unanimous agreement of admitting to
not being political, given that the new O.C. Confidential gets the last
twenty years up to speed with the current worldly commentary. In
keeping true to form, even though the rest of the band have doubled
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M U S I C M AT T E R S
in age, Frank Agnew’s son plays alongside his senior representing the
new generations of punk.
A gruff-voiced Tony Cadena, still tenacious with his satirical societal
critique on several tracks, reminds us that even after all the years we
are still chipping away at some evil empire. Gone from the album is
the boyish banter of “Wrecking Crew,” replaced with a gentle maturity
one would expect from musicians progressing with the times. The
Adolescents deserve a better round of applause for developing new,
clever, and catchy material rather than regurgitating the tome of punk
anthems. Barebones, The Adolescents follow a realistic pace with O.C.
Confidential, making punk accessible again without all the frills and
expected fashion. While the album wouldn’t necessarily cause a raging
stampede, it’s not for the summer camp sing-a-long either. The band
has landed somewhere between unabashed teenage faultfinding and
seasoned sensitivity. A harsh critic might say a grizzled family guy isn’t
punk, but who’s judging? www.theadolescents.net
o KIM SCHWENK
THE LOCUST
SAFETY SECOND, BODY LAST
IPECAC RECORDS
Rated:
ooooo
THE LOCUST RECENTLY RELEASED AN EP ENTITLED Safety
Second, Body Last (produced by Alex Newport) on Ipecac Records,
which is also home to Tomahawk, Mondo Generator, Melvins, and
Fantomas. The EP, which was released on CD and vinyl, is one track in
four movements, like classical music. Since the vinyl is two-sided and
the movement is broken into two tracks on the record, the CD shows
up as two tracks when you put it in. It’s one song, people, and the band
most recently opened their set at Street Scene with the ten-minute, 11second epic. The Locust - Gabe Serbian, Bobby Bray, Justin Pearson,
and Joseph Karam - continue to push the boundaries of music even after
playing for ten years, since the band formed in 1995. If you’ve never
heard the band’s music, this is not typical of their songs, since most are
under a minute. From spastic primordial soundscapes to slow dirge-like
oscillations to electronic sonics, this record is a testament to the band’s
power. One minute it’s a fast and furious herky jerky, the next a slowmoving mechanized reverberation that lulls you into comfort only to slap
you in the face again! The lyrics, which you may say are indiscernible,
are actually listed on the liner notes, so yes, there are lyrics even if you
can’t make them out. Locusts can hear them for sure. Since their song
titles alone are such fun to read, I thought I’d share the EP breakdown:
“Armless and Overactive” - “Who’s Handling the Population Paste,
Invented Organs” - “New Tongue Sweepstakes/Consenting Abscess,
One Decent Leg” - “Movement Across the Membrane/Oscillating Eyes,
Immune System Overtime” - “Hairy Mouth.”
That’s one song in four movements and it’s glorious. I’d like to call it
science fiction punk rock for aliens, but people can dig it too. Don’t be
scared by what you may have heard, this is the future of punk. The band
is working on the follow-up to their ANTI release, Plague Soundscapes,
with Alex Newport, and they still continue to have a strict policy about
playing all-age venues only. www.thelocust.com o TIM PYLES
M U S I CM AT T E R S
23
recommended o
a’s
n
i
r
a
M
Anya
d
e
d
n
e
m
m
o
c
Re
from FM 94/9
The Local 94/9 Member of the Day is a wee little feature that
spotlights a San Diego band or artist every weeknight at 9pm on
FM 94/9. Here are some of my favorite Local 94/9 Members of the
Day from the last month or so. They range from new to defunct,
familiar to fresh. Either way, you can’t find a more diverse and
prolific music scene than the one in our own backyard. (The Local
94/9 airs Sunday nights at 8PM on FM 94/9).
HOT SNAKES - “THINK ABOUT CARBS”
FONO - “SUNLIGHT SILENCE”
COMFORTABLE FOR YOU - “HAPPY FUN BALL”
NAOMI - “GET THE BETTER OF”
YEARS AROUND THE SUN - “ALIGN”
JASON MRAZ - “WORDPLAY”
TRANSFER - “WALTZ”
TRISTAN PRETTYMAN - “LOVE, LOVE, LOVE”
BEEHIVE & THE BARRACUDAS - “STUCK ON THE BUS” &
“ACTION”
ROOKIE CARD - “YOUR LIFE IS A JOKE”
THE FRANTIC - “THE CARS WE DRIVE”
FIRST WAVE HELLO - “SUITABLE”
SATISFACTION - “IMMORTAL SON OF MORNING”
THE DISPLACED - “TOURNIQUET”
DAVID LALLY - Track 1 (Oftenone)
YOVEE - “INNOCENT WILL PAY” (Too Far Gone)
DIEGO ROOTS - “GOOD TIMES”
DEHRA DUN - “SAVINGS AND LOAN”
_
*Note to local bands: send your best,
most radio-friendly tracks (CD only) to:
Anya Marina c/o The Local 94/9
1615 Murray Canyon Rd., Ste. 710
San Diego, CA 92108
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M U S I C M AT T E R S
M U S I CM AT T E R S
25
o
culture
ZURI WATERS:
ARTWORK KAMIKAZE
by Mary Smedes Pike
photo: Kim Lostroscio
“Soldier Of Fortune” Zuri Waters
26
M U S I C M AT T E R S
ZURI WATERS IS A 20-YEAR-OLD TRAPPED IN THE BODY of
someone at least five years older. It therefore comes as no surprise
that he recently got kicked out of Tower Bar for being underage.
Actually, by the time you’re reading this he’s likely already legal,
his 21st birthday is in September, and he’s planning to go back to
Tower Bar and show the bouncer his real I.D. But being one of the
youngest in his group of artist peers does not seem to phase Zuri.
He’s quick to mention those few even younger artists he knows in
the scene. Despite his age, Zuri’s art is wise beyond its years. His
compositions are strong and confident, the work of a mature, if
rather young, artist.
Zuri is short for Zuriel, an Old Testament name meaning “rock
of God.” Born in Philadelphia, he grew up in Portland and moved
to San Diego at age 16 and attended Helix high school for a year
before focusing on art full-time. Zuri’s art is another aesthetic
that belies his true age. Believe it or not, Zuri has only been
painting for a year. Currently attending SDSU, he has completed
two semesters of painting classes. Having had no real training
before that, other than the occasional drawing workshop when
he was young, Zuri dove headfirst into art full-time two or three
years ago. But he started out using solely pen and ink, creating
works devoid of all color. “And that was like this big statement,
like, I’m not gonna use color, I’m not gonna use shading, I’m just
gonna do everything with line.” But Zuri finally broke down when
he discovered Prismacolor markers. “I started to use Prismacolor
markers, there’s like thousands of colors. As soon as I started
working with color then all the limitations of not using paint, they
became really evident. So then I just loved color, whereas before I was sort of
afraid of it, tentative... And I just started painting like manically as soon as I
started painting. It’s weird, it’s strangely addicting.” Zuri basically learned
to paint through trial and error, lots of error. “With oil paintings especially
it allows so many fuck ups, so many mistakes. You make a mistake and you
just wait for it to dry for a couple of days and just go back over it. It’s just
a medium that really supports learning.” Now he uses an overwhelming
amount of color; he’s gone from one extreme to the other. One of his most
colorful works, entitled “Home,” is a rather peculiar work; at first glance it
looks like a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream carton (see page 28). It’s from his new
series he calls Divine Wind, which is “the English translation of kamikaze,
or ‘breath of god.’ I thought it was really ironic.” The figure in “Home” is
from a snapshot Zuri took of a transient guy who hangs out around the
college area. “He’s really wearing that outfit in the picture I have. And it’s
what inspired the whole piece.”
There’s a chance you may have seen Zuri around town and not even
realized it. He goes on frequent stealth missions with his digital camera to
capture images of unsuspecting figures or objects that catch his eye and
his imagination and later become the subjects of his paintings. “I have a
pretty nice digital camera, and I drive around in my car, around San Diego,
sort of incognito, take pictures of people, all these people I don’t know. I’ll
go on missions for a couple days and just take hundreds of photos... It’s
pretty fun though, to act like a private detective. I sort of stalk people... but
only long enough to make them wonder what the hell’s going on.” Then he
disappears back out of sight. There have been occasions when he has come
across his subjects again, after he’s painted them. I wonder if maybe that’s
why the figures in his works often lack heads. “I’m sort of trying to say that
the subjects are objects, it’s like objectifying the subjects so that they’ll fit in
with the other imagery.” The focus of “Home” is the Pepsi balloons floating
throughout the painting, and the figure, that transient from the college area,
is but another floating object above the landscape. “So it’s not like a portrait,
it’s like he’s sort of floating with Pepsi balloons, he’s just one of ‘em.”
So what is the imagery meant to convey? “It’s sort of this amalgamation
of popular culture. You know, it’s not like someone who’s really concerned
with pop culture, it’s someone who’s sort of in the world of pop culture.”
Are Zuri’s paintings trying to reveal some hidden message, or are they
just creative collages of images? “It’s both. There’s either lots of messages
and lots of subliminal messaging going on, or it’s just whatever, it’s just
M U S I CM AT T E R S
27
culture
o
an abstract surreal piece. It’s pretty much
whatever you want it to be. I mean, I don’t
want to pin it down. I have an idea, which
is what sort of drives it. But then, it’s such a
strange juxtaposition of imagery that I can’t
really control what you’re gonna associate
with Ben & Jerry’s or [Pepsi], or which one
you’re gonna even pick up on first.”
Zuri’s piece entitled “Soldier of Fortune”
(page 27) incorporates one of his favorite
images he snapped of a street sweeper
downtown. It is one of his most striking works
from the new series. “The Soldier of Fortune
is about a lot of different things, but it could
easily be about people coming back from a
war and the kinds of jobs that they get and the
situation that they’re forced into. It’s also a
lot about class systems and how the workers
in American society are perceived, how
they’re seen by people driving by. The guy’s
sweeping up outside, and all he has for a head
is just these sort of artificial hands, which
could either speak for his inhumanness or
just consumerism - him working for this job
that enables him to buy things and contribute
to the society. And then that’s juxtaposed
with the imagery of the idyllic colors and
the big Pepsi ball and the rainbow and this,
like, happy American sensibility. Then the
black shape, which is either his opponent or
his lover or in some way related to it, is also
piercing him and stabbing him.”
Zuri’s no stranger to other forms of artistic
expression. He also plays the saxophone.
He’s played around town here and there with
various folks, including Lady Dottie and
the Diamonds at Tower Bar, before he got
kicked out that is, and Scarlet Symphony,
among others. But music and art play two
different roles for Zuri. Performing music,
for him, is “like the alter-ego. I don’t practice
music the way I practice art, which is like
incessantly, manically. It’s more personal; if
I don’t do it I get real disinterested with life.
So it’s just like, I guess, a release.” Music is a
release, whereas art presents more of a goal
of perfectionism. It takes Zuri about a month
to do a painting. So far he’s showcased
three series of paintings, each consisting of
three to four works. The new series is three
paintings dealing with the subject of coming
to terms with an American existence. “Three
is a good number. It begs a question and then
it answers it.” But Zuri ultimately leaves it
up to you to answer those questions that his
artworks solicit. “I enjoy infusing my work
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“Home” Zuri Waters.
with ideology that may feel confusing at first
but will hopefully prompt different reactions
and assumptions depending on who is seeing
the art. In other words, I want my art to be
an interactive experience.” You can interact
with Zuri’s art at either www.zurizuri30art.
com or www.myspace.com/zurizuri. o
M U S I CM AT T E R S
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backstage
o
AS I LAY DYING
NOT HERE TO PREACH A SERMON
by Lindsay O’Connor
photo: Andrew Mo
“I’M NOT HERE TO PREACH A SERMON,” like As I Lay Dying
vocalist Tim Lambesis once said to me, but here’s a cheap blow to
the metal-fashion-core trend kids with the tiresomely tight jeans and
pyramid belt buckles worn on their hip little hips: there is simply nothing
more un-rebellious than a fashion trend.
In as much as cat-eye, black liquid liner and the desperately “lonely”
but loathsome glare of myspace.com blog photos have become the
personification of breakdown ninja moshers everywhere, assuredly the
time will come when the “hot topic” will no longer be a store but rather an
amusing retrospect on a fashion trend that came to spawn the metalcore
genre - or was it the genre that spawned the fashion?
Now, before you get your Under-roos in a bunch, one has to admit that
at face value, wearing pre-torn, mass manufactured Iron Maiden “tops”
is a little on the non-badass side. But so as not to inflame the injury of this
insult - not all metalcore fans are hapless.
Admittedly, there are an alarming number of metalcore fans who wear
band names like a brand-name; there are those whose first Slayer album
is God Hates Us All; there are those who wear Dimebag Darrel tribute tshirts but have never bought a Pantera record. And there are bands who
have taken the nihilism from metal only to negate it, plastic wrap it, add
in a little melody and melancholy, then serve up this prepackaged dish
on pre-bought commercial slots during the new and unimproved Head
Banger’s Ball - and expect real metal fans to buy into it.
And the truth? We don’t buy it.
While So-Cal’s contributions to real metal are well documented,
Southern California has also bred an unfortunate offspring of bands
that proliferate through shamelessly underhanded marketing schemes.
Bigtime record execs have historically coveted bigtime moneymaker
genres such as pop, pop punk, and dare I say now it has become popmetal? Metalcore’s often digestible aggression is the new glossy groove,
quietly becoming the new nu-metal found in the record aisles at Target
and Wal-mart.
But I’ll stop there, because pegging all of these bands into one little
hole is witless. There are some square pegs in the “metalcore” genre that
define themselves by their impetuous drive to inundate their sound with
talent, explore the connotations of “commercial success” based on their
own terms, and convey their musical vision through an honest channel.
San Diego based As I lay Dying has whittled themselves into one such
“square peg,” refusing the push to be a band that easily slides into one of
the many assigned metalcore cliché coffins. Instead, As I Lay Dying have,
in a short time, risen to an astonishing level of success and popularity all
based on the individuality of their merit.
“I really hate the term metalcore. I don’t even think we’re a metalcore
band anymore,” protests As I Lay Dying throat-man Tim Lambesis.
For as calm and cordial as Lambesis has been during the initial
shoot-the-shit session before the start of the interview/interrogation,
when the term “metalcore” emerges from inquiry a noticeable shift
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M U S I C M AT T E R S
As I Lay Dying throat-man Tim Lambesis.
in ambiance befalls his face, and a rather slight but distinct look of
annoyance emerges.
“From where we are now as a band to where we began, I don’t even
think people could call us that.”
The posed question was, “How do you feel about being associated
with the metalcore genre as it becomes increasingly popular?” But in
hindsight it was, in all sincerity, a rather insulting question.
While some might deem As I Lay Dying the epitome of a “metalcore”
band, the associations with the genre and all of the rather quixotic
aspects therein are thankfully pretty unfounded. As I Lay Dying formed
in early 2001 after Lambesis, who at the time was a guitarist, left
Society’s Finest. The band began as a trio of exploratory musicians with
a knack for emerging in the right place at the right time for bands who
put the metal with the core.
“When we first started playing in As I Lay Dying, our influences
were pretty common: old school hardcore, punk, old school metal. It
was at that time that most bands started playing music that took all
of these genres and put them together. We’ve been lucky we’ve been
able to be noticed.”
After four short weeks of intense writing, rehearsing, and budding
synchronicity with the metal world, the then three-member As I Lay
Dying entered the studio. The resulting work was an emotionally
explosive tirade of creatively channeled aggression - the very core of As I
Lay Dying’s sound. In turn, the foundation was laid for an aural assault
on every kid everywhere that needed something a little newer, a little
fresher, and a little more substantial than the nu-metal that began to
M U S I CM AT T E R S
31
backstage
o
fizzle out of everyone’s immediate perception. In truth, As I Lay Dying
began to usher in the onslaught of a sound the band had cultivated at
the start of the metalcore phenomenon but soon evolved from, only to
emerge as something a little greater, a little more intense, and a little
more pioneering than the bands within the “metalcore” genre today
could even hint at.
There were a lot of kids waiting outside SOMA to see As I Lay Dying
on this particular evening. There is little doubt that the tireless touring
that As I Lay Dying embarked on early in their career was a sure-shot
for nationwide success. At home, the metal scene begot a breath of
air, and heavy music swiftly amplified its presence amongst the sunny
SoCal reggae rock and Blink-182 knockoffs that continually swarmed
within the scene.
On this night the new metal fans and some old school grown-ups
stood in line in solidarity to indulge in the audio and visual spectacle of a
band whose diligence and devotion to their music - rather than a “scene”
- is the defining element of what separates As I Lay Dying from the herd.
“It’s really important to us that we just make sure our fans are into
what we do, but we will always make the kind of music we want to
make,” Lambesis says without a hint of irony.
It may not be probable, but it’s not impossible that a band that helped
usher in a monsoon of metalcore clones would inevitably abandon the
very genre of music that helped propel them to a breathtaking height
of success in such a short timeframe. But in truth, true musicians and
visionaries constantly strive to evolve, change, and grow, which means
to invariably outgrow and shed their metalcore skin, leaving it for the
typical many to join the ranks of the talented few.
“When we first started our music was a lot darker. There was a lot less
melody back then. But as we moved away from listening to what everyone
else was listening to, we started to listen to a lot of the classics and realized
we were missing a lot of diversity, and we were really attracted to the
melodies within old school stuff. Some of the bands we grew up listening
to we stopped listening to because in some ways we thought they became
too mainstream. Iron Maiden, Metallica, bands like that. But as we got
more into our music and became more comfortable with what we were
doing, we didn’t care anymore and just did what we wanted. I think that’s
sometimes lacking with other bands.”
Dare I ask - are you afraid of “selling out?”
“Anybody who knows us knows that we play music that we want to
hear and that we’re passionate about. We’ll never change to be successful.
If more success comes, that’s great. It’s not like we started out to be a big
band. I don’t ever think we’ll be a radio band - but I do hope that we can
keep progressing and changing to keep people interested.”
“I’ve seen a lot of bands that I respected five years ago that I don’t
respect anymore and are pretty much now at the end of their career. They
may have sold a gold record and have done really well, and then two years
later everybody forgot about them. I know that we won’t last forever. We
live in a society with a short attention span.”
But for however lengthy or abrupt As I Lay Dying’s reign as the czars
of metalcore may be, the band has laid for themselves a foundation
for a respectable evolution into an increasingly mature musical
outfit of true music fans; not just metal, not just hardcore. “We’re all
diverse individuals, and that comes across in our music,” Lambesis
earnestly says. “Honestly, we’re not trying to be anything, we just do
what we love.”
And frankly, in a business full of fakes, phonies, and fashion-core,
that’s all that matters. o
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M U S I CM AT T E R S
33
backstage
o
Russian born singer/songwriter Marina V.
With the new album coming out, tell me a little about how each
album prior to Simple Magic has lead you to the creation of this
album.
MV: I technically have 3 other albums (1999’s Let Me Dream, 2001’s
Lift, and 2003’s Something of My Own). The first two I don’t mention
very often because I don’t think I should have released those albums – I
simply wasn’t ready as a singer. But I guess it was a learning experience
because, since then, I became a better singer and songwriter. I am very
proud of my new album and I think it’s mine and Nick’s best work yet.
Nick Baker has been my songwriting partner since 1998; we write,
record, and tour together.
What one song on the album are you most proud of? Rather, what
song do you think will reach out and touch someone?
It’s a hard question to answer. I hope each listener will find something
special in all of the songs and connect with those songs on some level.
Are all of the songs on the album written directly from personal
experience?
Every song on the album was written from personal experience. It’s
usually hard for me to write about something that I did not feel or go
through myself. Although recently I wrote a song for a movie - based
on a script. It was my first time writing a song not based on a personal
experience. It was really fun to write. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but
it turned out really cool I think.
When songwriting, how do you determine what moment in your
life is worth sharing more than others?
I really don’t. Songwriting just happens. I often can’t rationalize
it or explain exactly how it happened. When I feel strong emotions
melodies often just happen in my head.
What type of fan base do you hope to attract with your music?
People who are emotional and smart at the same time. My music and
lyrics that Nick and I write are not bubblegum. And I think that people
who live fully, think deeply, and feel strong emotions will be attracted to
my music. Or at least that has been my experience with my fans so far.
MARINA V
PROVES FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS IS
“SIMPLE MAGIC”
by Veronica Munguia
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M U S I C M AT T E R S
How do you incorporate these influences into your own music?
I don’t do it consciously, it just happens naturally. People often tell me
they hear classical undertones in my songs, and some people hear The
Beatles influence.
To hear some of Marina V’s music, purchase her albums, or to view
upcoming tour dates, visit her website www.MarinaV.com. o
PHOTO: TREVAN WONG
HER ROAD TO SUCCESS HAS BEEN EVERYTHING BUT A
Cinderella story. In fact, Marina V has made every effort to allow herself
the opportunity to make her music heard. Her journey from a childhood
in Soviet Russia, to her opportune scholarship to study in the States, and
her struggles to remain here have lead her to the creation of her newest
album, Simple Magic. With her music gaining airplay on MTV’s The Real
World and radio stations such as XM Satellite Radio, Marina V proves
herself to be solely responsible for the creation of her own magic.
Who are your influences in music?
I grew up listening to Russian classical music, like Tchaikovsky and
Rachmaninoff. I also grew up singing Russian folk songs. The Beatles
were a huge influence, and most recently Jewel. Actually, hearing Jewel
on the radio really inspired me to pursue my music career seriously.
M U S I CM AT T E R S
35
the local pyle
o
IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND WE’VE GOT A new
venue opening up or another hip bar. What’s a scenester to do? You just
have to pick your scene, I guess. I remember when the only cool bar in
town was the Pink Panther on Morena Boulevard and it was filled with
punks, rockers, mods, rude boys, goths, rockabillies, you name it, and we
all got along. When I was younger, downtown was a dirty, dingy place!
Now it’s become a tourist mecca, and the days of hookers and sailors
trolling the streets is long gone. I guess that’s a good thing, but I really
can’t stand you if you wear a shiny shirt and go “clubbing” downtown.
But that’s just me! On with the news...
Jimmy LaValle, also known as The Album Leaf, has just re-released
an EP that originally came out in Spain. The Seal Beach EP, released
on Better Looking Records, has an additional five tracks added, so it’s
really a ten-song full-length. The additional tracks are “live,” culled from
the band’s tour with Sigur Rós, who backs them on several of the “live”
tracks. www.thealbumleaf.com
Finest City Broadcasting is picking up the programming and sales
rights to Tijuana-based 91X, Magic 92.5, and Z90 from Clear Channel.
The new company has named Radio & Records Alternative Editor Kevin
Stapleford VP/Programming, overseeing both 91X and Magic 92.5.
Stapleford programmed 91X in the mid-1990’s and was also at KROQ
in Los Angeles for several years. Additionally, former The Beat 98.5
San Antonio Program Director (PD) Rick Thomas will serve as Z90’s
PD. Current 91X PD Jim Richards will remain with Clear Channel and
continue as Regional VP/Programming, while former Clear Channel/
San Diego VP/Market Manager Mike Glickenhaus will act as Finest
City Broadcasting’s President/CEO. Glickenhaus was a part of the
original 91X team in 1983. The studios will remain at the Clear Channel
complex, which has now been divided into two facilities.
Did anybody notice or care that Mr. Rob Crow (Pinback, Thingy,
Optigonally Yours) is featured on the new self-titled Team Sleep record?
Yes, it’s true - Rob is down with Chino Moreno of the Deftones, because
he is Team Sleep.
Art Fag, the club with DJ Mario Orduno, includes Punk*Rap*Noise
Tuesday nights at Kadan (30th and Adams, San Diego). Free 10pm2am. The label Art Fag, also run by Mario Orduno, is releasing its first
record, a 12”/CD by Kill Me Tomorrow and Dance Disaster Movement
collaborating on two exclusive tracks where all 5 members of both
bands play as one. There’s also a remix by Gold Chains. The CD has an
animated video by E*Rock of Audio Dregs. Release date: Aug./Sept.
Upcoming releases are a 12”/CD by The Plot To Blow Up The Eiffel
Tower and a 12”/CD by VMW - once know as Virgin Mega Whore, but
they got sued. I wonder why?
Buck O Nine is currently writing and recording a batch of new songs. The
project is called Greenfield Sessions, and the band will be posting mp3’s
of the songs on their site as they are completed. Greenfield rehearsal
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M U S I C M AT T E R S
studios is where the band wrote some of Songs in the Key of Bree, all of
Barfly, and some of 28 Teeth. They also shot the video for “Water in my
Head” at Greenfield. www.buck-o-nine.com
Look for the new sensation hitting town - yes, roller derby is back, and we
have the San Diego Derby Dolls right here in our own backyard. Look
for them on MySpace, and if you’re tough enough - join. This ain’t your
daddy’s roller derby.
Sunday, November 5, 2005, San Diego-based indie-activist record
company Say It Records, in conjunction with Champ Records, presents
the 2nd Annual San Diego Indie Music Fest (SDIMF), featuring over
30 extraordinary independent artists. Also present will be indie artisans,
henna tattooists, Tarot, interactive art, tile painting, voter registration,
hair sculpture & jewelry making, massage, delicious and affordable food
and drink - family friendly and all ages welcome. The event will take place
at the historic Abbey on Fifth Ave. in San Diego, CA. and will feature a
12 hour-long musical feast on four stages, with Veruca Salt (“Seether”)
as the featured headliner, Hornswaggled, Al Howard & The K23
Orchestra, The Weepies, The Bellrays, The Laurie Morvan Band,
Danielle LoPresti & The Masses, Alicia Champion, and many more.
There you go, and I hope you enjoyed my little column. Feel free to send
me your news, tunes, and t-shirts! Hit me up at tim@sdmusicmatters.
com or visit www.myspace.com/thelocalpyle. Don’t forget our once-amonth free local shows at the Casbah! o TIM PYLES
POSTER: KIM LOSTROSCIO
Tracy Johnson just released a new six-track EP, Oceans Under Jupiter.
Check it out at www.tracyjohnsonmusic.com, where the CD is available
for $7 including shipping.
Check out casbahmusic.com for The Local Pyle & MusicMatters monthly shows.
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