Slow...going

Still been working on that Noise Rock piece. It's just frustrating because some bands and labels will not get back to me. If you know some of these musicians and labels involved in Midwest Noise and Experimental music, tell them to get in touch with me so this article is as well-informed as it can be. The Noise Rock scene is slowly turning into my new Cleveland...

Chris: peoplewithanimalheads@yahoo.com

Nepal's 'Buddha Boy' begins three-year meditation in bunker

News has been coming out pretty fast on Buddha Boy lately. I think I missed the article between where he disappeared again and started doing this bunker thing...thanks to Rich for passing this article on to me:

A Nepali teenager dubbed the "Buddha Boy" has recently begun meditating for a planned three years in an underground bunker and will neither sleep, eat nor drink any water during that time, supporters claimed Tuesday.
Ram Bahadur Bomjan, 17, who supporters insist is the reincarnation of the Buddha, shot to fame in May 2005 amid reports he did not need food, water or sleep while meditating.
He has, however, been spotted nibbling on fruit and catching a nap.
"We've constructed an underground room with a tiled roof as requested by Bomjan," said Raju Shah, a member of a village committee set up to support the activities of the young man.
Shah said Bomjam began meditating in the bunker on Monday.
"He has not eaten, slept or taken any water and he plans to continue meditating without food or water for three years there," Shah claimed.
The cement-walled bunker is seven feet (2.1 metres) deep and is located in the jungle 60 kilometers (40 miles) southeast of Kathmandu, Shah told AFP.
Tens of thousands of people came to visit the teenager at his first meditation site under a pipal tree in the same area.
He vanished from the site in March 2006 after meditating for 10 months.
"This time he does not want visitors - not even his family," said Shah.
Local authorities, however, have poured cold water on the fasting claims and said the boy was being used by supporters to fleece funds from villagers. They froze the committee's bank account containing 8,000 dollars - a small fortune in impoverished Nepal.
Bomjam returned to the same area to meditate in December 2006, but disappeared again earlier this month.
"While he was wandering round the jungle, he met a villager and asked him to construct an underground room. We began doing it immediately and he has started to meditate there," Shah told AFP.
Gautama Siddhartha, who later became known as Buddha or the Enlightened One, is believed to have been born in southern Nepal around 500 BC.
Buddhists believe Siddhartha achieved enlightenment after meditating under a pipal tree.
The media here has reported that Bomjan had told a friend that he is not a reincarnation of Buddha, but merely an "austere sage."

Buddha Boy vanishes again

A Nepalese teenager hailed as a reincarnation of the Buddha has vanished for a second time in southern Nepal, a member of his support committee said Saturday.
Ram Bahadur Bomjam, 17, who shot to fame in 2005 when his supporters said he had begun a meditation session that would go on uninterrupted for years, went missing on Thursday night (March 8), the committee member said.
"He suddenly disappeared from his meditating site in the jungle of Bara," said Raju Shah, a member of the committee set up after the boy became a local media sensation.
"He told his priest Indra Lama that he would meditate somewhere in other undisclosed locations."
Local media dubbed Bomjan "Buddha Boy" after supporters said he had been meditating for months without food, water or sleep, and tens of thousands of people flocked to see him.
He first disappeared in March 2006, telling his supporters the site had become too crowded.
Nine months later he reappeared and was set up at a new site by the committee, but this time visitors have been sparse.
Scepticism about the teenager's claims increased after his reappearance late last year, and local authorities froze bank accounts containing money collected from visitors.
Gautama Siddhartha, who later became known as Buddha or the Enlightened One, is believed to have been born in southern Nepal in around 500 BC.
Buddhists believe Siddhartha achieved enlightenment after meditating under a pipal tree.
---------------------
Other information found:
Kathmandu, Nepal (AHN) - Locals in the district said he left his meditating place Thursday midnight. Bomjan, who claimed to have been meditating without food and water since mid May 2005, is a resident of Ratanpuri-9, Bara. He had gone missing in February 2006 and was again spotted in December.
Officials of Namo Buddha Service Committee searched for him throughout the day on Friday. Inspector Rameshwor Yadav of the Area Police Office in Nijgadh said the police have not been able to reach the spot though they were reported about his missing.
---------------------
"He quietly left the site around midnight on Thursday. Earlier that night he had told his attendants that he would move to a new location for meditation," policeman Rameshwar Yadav said on Sunday.
"We are searching for the boy in the forests but have found no trace of him so far."

Represent...

If you haven't noticed, Cincinnati's Heartless Bastards have been on the Myspace home page all week. Nice.

Buck Fush

From an AP news article on the House approving subpeonas against presidential aides, "Bush said he worried that allowing testimony under oath would set a precedent on the separation of powers that would harm the presidency as an institution."

That just pisses me off. If anything has ruined the presidency as an "institution" it's been douchebags like Bush and Nixon. When you outright lie to the American people about every goddam move you make, sooner or later people begin to mistrust you and everything you stand for. Subpeona every fucking aide they can find and document every word of it, for a change.

What do you recommend?

Detroit experimental artist Mammal gives us some of his favorite bands:
There are a handful of really great bands in the Midwest:
Cadaver In Drag (Kentucky)
Warmer Milks (Kentucky)
Viki (Detroit)
UVU (no web presence)
Some bands I appreciate:
Meat Puppets - Every time I hear 'II' or 'Up on the Sun', they still sound pretty damn fresh and exciting. Been listening to them a lot lately...
Growing - 2 strangers in a strange land who've (perhaps unknowingly) given me the push to keep going a few times. They've also written one of my favorite albums of all time.
Viki - Under-appreciated genius and a real inspiration. She's fixed my guitar and synthesizer in the past allowing me to keep it alive. The best and most talented of the current electronic crop. Someday she'll get her due.

There's a lot more, but ultimately I really appreciate bands that write songs, and record albums that will stand the test of time.

Cleveland bands - Part II

Sam from Mr. Gnome is a gem of a person. He clarified a bit on some other local Cleveland bands for you fine people:

"Technically, you're right about If These Trees Could talk and The Doctor Teeeth not being based out of Cleveland, but both bands are comprised of local Clevelanders and both bands are very much a part of the greater Cleveland music scene and are an accurate representation of the sound of the scene at the moment. Infinite Number of Sounds is still very much a band although they are going through a line-up change (editor's note: Glad to hear that, they are good).
As for other bands, here are some of the more popular names although we have no working relationship with any of them: This Moment in Black History (one of three bands from Cleveland to go to SXSW this year), Roue, The Boatzz, Bears, Machine Go Boom, Unkle Scratch's Gospel Revival, Plasma for Guns, The New Lou Reeds and The Black Diamonds (we just played a show with these guys on Friday).

Thanks to Mr. Gnome for keeping Cleveland alive to the outside world!!

Technical difficulties

Hello readers, so far I have tried to conduct People wtih Animal Heads strictly as an "underground" online publication. I do this through general word of mouth, but also through Myspace at our site HERE. Unfortunately, for the past two weeks I haven't been able to post bulletins about new articles on this site because Myspace is a hog fucker. I'm sick of it.
So if any readers would like to be informed of updates to this site outside of Myspace, just send me a message via my contact email listed in the side rail of this page: peoplewithanimalheads@yahoo.com. This way I don't have to rely on the dillrods at Myspace for everything and we can stay in touch.

Thanks,
Chris
People with Animal Heads

Mr. Gnome shows us into the dark underbelly of Cleveland's music scene. Areas no one has seen before!!

Since I started this site and the subsequent "project," I have had a hard time with Cleveland. Detroit is a close second, but Cleveland far surpasses. Finding a band that actually is from there has been a chore I didn't want to deal with. I tried to contact the rare two that I heard of, but not only did I find out they were either from Akron and/or Kent, I never heard back a word from either one.
So I was flabbergasted to find out that Mr. Gnome is from Cleveland. I had always assumed they were from Toledo or Detroit. They recently agreed to help us out on People with Animal Heads (PWAH), by answering a few questions into the dark unknown void known as Cleveland. Don't be scared, readers. We must understand our darkest fears or elst they will overtake us.
But as glad as I am that Mr. Gnome obliged me, I must admit I still know nothing about Cleveland's music scene. I'm also sure that Cleveland bands will continue to never email you back and venues will always ignore you. Good luck show swapping. It won't happen. Your glass is half empty.
--------
PWAH: First off, could you name some of your favorite Cleveland bands, and explain the overall "sound" currently coming out of the town. For example, Columbus is pretty fixated on that Pere Ubu/noise pop sound right now and there are numous bands who make up that scene.
Mr. Gnome: There are so many talented bands and artists in this area, some that we've had the pleasure of performing with include: If These Trees Could Talk - an instrumental band along the lines of Mogwai, Tool, Explosions in the Sky - Editor's note: They are actually from Akron.
There is also Infinite Number of Sounds - Editor's note: Although they broke up in early December- (another instrumental band known for their amazing audio/visual syncopated live shows).
And Xe La (a staple in the Cleveland local scene, former front man of Cows in the Graveyard, one of the most talented singer-songwriters I've ever come across, or had the pleasure of sharing a stage with) - Editor's note: Can't find any MP3s yet on them yet, but we're getting somewhere - and The Doctor Teeth (a good ol' 3 piece rock band known for their bad ass riffs and three-part harmonies) - Editor's note: They are actually from Kent. - As for a "sound" coming out of Cleveland, it's just too difficult to say. There isn't actually a dominate scene taking place here right now, no one sound seems more popular than any other, nor does one genre seem any more popular. There are a lot of mixed bills taking place, with a lot of original music not heavily influenced by anyone in particular.
PWAH: Cleveland has this very real reputation of being like China. The walls are up, big time. It is incredibly difficult for bands to get shows there. Most bands I know have given up long ago trying to get gigs there. Why do you think this is? Is it justified? That is one of the biggest unknowns about my project right now. I have been kind of using Cleveland as my whipping boy throughout the entire project, so I apologize for that.
Mr. Gnome: I'm sure there are a lot of hypothesis on this question and I can only offer another one. I do agree it can be hard for traveling bands without label representation to get into the clubs around here. I've actually heard it first hand from a number of regionally-touring bands, but I'm usually at a loss as to why. It doesn't make sense for a centrally-located city, home of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, to not have a strong foothold in the underground regional scene, or to be a seemingly unwilling participant. I can't find any real justification for it, other than financially-based excuses. So that brings me to my hypothesis, which in itself is lame and overused. Its all a matter of money. The venues are more likely to invest in something commercially successful, than something with artistic integrity. They're more comfortable with short term success, than with the long-term potential growth and development of a strong music community. It's not a risk to work with bands on labels. They've already proven themselves, but it is a risk to work with someone unrepresented, who may or may not have the potential of future representation and commercial success. It's just too much of a crapshoot. But I do have to add, it's not just regional bands finding themselves shunned by Cleveland venues. This holds true for local musicians as well. It can be difficult to set up shows in advance with some venues. A lot of locals are just treated as safety nets when all else fails for the club. Second class citizens. Not all Cleveland venues are this way of course. There are a few local clubs that support the scene, but there are just as many that don't. It is the music "business," not the music co-op utopia. But on that note, if a talented band really does their research, locally or on a regional level, they'll undoubtedly find a venue, underground show, or promoter willing to work with them. Good music is good music, and that's not hard to sell, even in Cleveland.
PWAH: How would you suggest a band from Indiana or any other city in Ohio go about getting a gig in Cleveland?
Mr.Gnome: I guess I would suggest the normal routes of booking first. Find a club conducive to your style of music. Send an email, phone call...follow-up emails and phone calls. Polite persistence with whatever venue your interested in playing. If that fails, do a little research on the scene. There are a lot of underground parties and concerts at non-traditional venues taking place. Try to hook up with the artists and promoters putting on these events, because the people attending them are going to be much more receptive to new music and you'll most likely be treated with a certain amount of respect you might not find at a traditional venue. If all else fails and your in the position to, gig swap. Although a lot of bands don't seem to realize this works both ways. So if you can't hold up your end of the deal, don't set up a swap, you'll just end up burning your bridge back into that market. And your last chance of getting a gig in Cleveland...move to Cleveland, but really, who wants to move to Cleveland?

Howlin' Maggie's Blast from the Past

"RJ" who runs Happy Chichester's Myspace page had this bulletin:
"I just discovered that Sony has uploaded the videos for "Alcohol" and "I'm A Slut" on YouTube. Both were shot in 1996 and feature Happy with his former band Howlin' Maggie. You can go to YouTube.com and do a search for Howlin' Maggie, or save yourself the trouble, go to Happy's MySpace and click on the link in the Biography section. I've also included a link to the Twilight Singers video for 'King Only.' Click on 'Twilight Singers' in the biography and enjoy a live version, with Happy on keys and vocals."

Here is the quick link to save you the time: Howlin' Maggie videos
Check out a young guitarist Andy Harrison with long hair and your future NIN drummer. It funny to see Chichester totally camping it up too. I remember seeing that "Alcohol" video on MTV.

Gil in the Garden

I had to ask Gil Mantera about the Madison Square Garden gig, mentioned in that Pitchfork article. He did not disappoint:

Well, we played the Madison Square Garden Theater... that's pretty much it as far as the performance is concerned. The guy who directed our Elmo's Wish video is dating the main girl in the Scissor Sisters, who were gracious enough to invite us to open up for their sold-out show. It was all very last minute. We found out on a Wednesday and played the following Saturday. We both do this for a living, but you know, i had to drop my plans of doing jack-shit that day, which was a total bummer.

It was a lot of stress and I'm glad it's over, but I can tell my kids a cool sounding story even though it was mostly a humbling experience and a huge pain in the ass. I think the Garden staff got a big kick out of the elaborate tour bus we travel in, Ultimate Donny's 2001 Honda Civic. There were no groupies or mounds of coke for us backstage stage, but i did have a nice meal. And for the first time in a while we got everything on our rider, which made me think we gotta get more shit on our rider... I think I could perform better after chowing down on some fine imported caviar! And that's showbiz, baby!
Best,
Gil
Donny also weighed in:
He messed up one thing, though. My Civic is a 2000, not 2001.

Editor's note: I think what I appreciate so much about that photo above is its David Bowie "Labrynth" moose knuckle qualities.

The Muncie Sound?

When I started this project of exploring the Midwest's current indie scene, I thought it would be great to get to know unheard of bands in Chicago and Detroit. Pretty much by chance, I fell into the lap of Indiana. I thought it would be a quick state to sum up and I could move on to Chicago. But I immediately became one of Indiana's biggest fans. The music is incredible. I still haven't even started on Chicago.
Every association I have with the state of Indiana is driving through it on the way out west.
When you're at the beginning of a long trip, the whole state sometimes feels like a line at the amusement park: Just waiting to get to the end.
The whole reason for this is because most people live in a bubble. Mine is Ohio. I didn't choose it, but I'm here nonetheless for better or worse.
The back story is that I asked Margot and the Nuclear So and So's to do an interview about their views of Indiana's music scene. Before agreeing to the interview, they instead provided a list of links and suggested I first get to know the scene and then come back. I instantly realized that doing this project half-assed was not what I wanted to do. So I took them up on that challenge. I dove into Indiana with a wet suit.
Surprisingly enough, what I soon discovered is that the state is not just about Indianapolis. In fact, that city is probably the weakest link. Instead, I was immediatey drawn to Muncie. I know nothing about Muncie. Rarely do I even hear people mutter that word on accident.
Nestled about 50 miles north-east of Indianapolis sits Muncie, Indiana. Semi-conservative and the land of Ball State University, it has been described as a turn of the century gas boom town. I also heard country music is big there, and when The Strokes came to town the venue lost money because not enough people showed up.
Muncie has a small batch of excellent bands, almost entirely under the Standard Recording record label. These bands create a home for incredibly quirky, interesting and well-crafted music. I think I would categorize the band Arrah and the Ferns as a great water mark to judge other Muncie bands by. Plenty of humor and sincerity and the overall feeling is pure joy. My guess is that people in Muncie love to have fun. I also appreciate that bands are extremely focused on creating inventive indie pop rock and music that is completely original and hopefull.
Check out Everything, Now!, Arrah and the Ferns and Everthus the Deadbeats to see what I mean.
Everything, Now! I would consider one of the top five bands in the entire Midwest. That's saying a lot.
I also found this interesting site where this guy notes city's with "giant" statues of random stuff. Muncie has a few of those too. Check it out HERE.

Pitchfork joins into the Midwestern fray

Love them or loathe them, Pitchfork writers (specifically, Cincinnati's Dave Maher) did a huge fucking interview with Akron-based Black Keys' Patrick Carney. A lot of interesting topics came up. Specifically, they go into discussion about different music scenes going on in Ohio cities. So of course, I have to tell you about that. The more discussion on Ohio music the better.
Check out the interview HERE
They also do some discussion on Akron-based band HOUSEGUEST and Kent's BEATEN AWAKE, both on Carney's AUDIO EAGLE. They even include an MP3 of each band.

But I think the most interesting thing about the interview is that I learned Youngstown's GIL MANTERA'S PARTY DREAM recently played Madison Square Garden. Couldn't have happened to nicer people.

Rust-Colored Belts

I totally forgot I was going to post this great response on Midwestern music, from Justin Longacre, of the Toledo band THE HOMEVILLE CIRCLE:
"I read your blogspot about the Toledo sound and found it very interesting. My goal for The Homeville Circle is to create a particular sound of the Midwest in the wake of post-industrialism. Perhaps similar to the way Southern Gothic writers like Faulkner and O'Connor sought to capture the South in the wake of Reconstruction. I try to write songs about the 'rusted out' nature of the city and surrounding areas. In fact the new record is going to be called 'Moths, Rust and Weeds.' The idea of these forces as agents destructive judgement is interesting to me lately. See 'rustbelt' on our page (this version was recorded for a radio show over the phone).
"I call this style, based on the broken nature of the landscape, Midwestern Shambling. The exciting thing is, there are bands cropping up all over that arrived at a similar idea and sound independantly. Check out FRONTIER RUCKUSfrom Michigan, or CHURCH OF THE RED MUSEUM in Columbus. That's the Midwest singing."

The NOISE on your face

I often speak about my love of abstract pop music. But what I have been missing out on is something that has become uniquely Midwestern. It's the concept of pure, unadulterated Noise. No rhyme or reason. Random knobs as as far as the eye can see. Saxophones and Speak and Spells. Squeals and open wounds.
Back story: In my quest to speak with Columbus group Times New Viking (Siltbreeze/Matador) about the concept of Noise Rock in the Midwest, I accidentally stumbled upon an entire subculture. This is what this project was all about in the first place. Unearthing what is unique to us as Midwesterns.
So whether I understand or even appreciate the art behind Noise Rock, we are going to jump in with both feet until I do.
As Columbus musician Time and Temperature explained to me, "the noise scene, as a whole, is better in the Midwest than anywhere else in the country."
Stay tuned for interviews, MP3s and more.

Fight the power!

It's still International Women's Day, for a couple more hours. What are you doing to empower women in your community?
Might I suggest listening to such Midwestern luminaries as:

Time and Temperature
Sarah Asher
Arrah and the Ferns
Magic City
Heartless Bastards

Life in Cleveland!

Oh my god. I finally found a real honest to goodness Cleveland band: Mr. Gnome. They actually live there. More on this later.

Buddha Boy update

The boy is still under investigation, so no update on that. But I found this LINK where the authorities mean business. Which to my American ears, means he's screwed. All he has to do is lick some sweat off his lip, or have a bug fly in his mouth and they will call foul.

Radio, Radio

Folks over at the Donewaiting's message board are busy discussing the merits of Athens/Columbus band EARWIG's recent heavy radio airplay. Is it because it's a novelty song about Columbus' USED KIDS RECORDS store? Do they deserve the radio airplay on something like CD101?
I guess my take on it is that these arguments are stupid. It's Earwig, they have been performing for decades. Singer Lizard McGee managed to create a song that has lyrics people can relate to and it's catchy. After all these years, Earwig has managed to retain its Midwestern Sound ties. They don't jump ship to sound like Radiohead. McGee doesn't form other bands and act like Arcade Fire or TV on the Radio. He even shaved his beard and everyone knows beards are all the rage right now!
It's Earwig - a band you can count on to do the right thing. I've never even seen them perform live and I know that. I don't even live in Columbus and I know that. It's also a self-released CD, give them some props for god sake.
What I think bands are overlooking is that "Used Kids" is a topical song. Right now there is a serious worry that great record stores like these are going to die out. The reason is because of the Internet, home computers and Ipods.
In a similar way, radio stations like CD 101 are in the same boat. People may joke that no one listens to Satellite radio. But they do and those space stations are in direct competition with college and independent radio. You put this all together and you realize that a song like "Used Kids" is creating a discussion around Ron House and what he represents. The song came along at the perfect time. For people who love independent radio and record stores, this is a great thing to bring awareness to.
I think what many bands also seem to overlook is something as simple as quality. To even begin to be considered for radio you have to have a nice recording. But the trend nowadays is using crappy mics to record your buddies banging sticks in a room - which is cool in its own way, but it won't get you on the radio. Most don't care about that. It's an aesthetic choice. Some do and they lay the foundation in their recordings.
If you want to help them out even more:
Email CD101 : dj@cd101.com
Call the DJ to request: (614) 221-1011
Oh yeah:
Earwig is also #5 on the charts at many universities that report to the CMJ.
WXCU Playlists for CMJ
New Music Review - Issue #1000 - Radio 200
1 PETE YORN... Nightcrawler... Columbia
2 ARCADE FIRE... Neon Bible... Merge
3 MODEST MOUSE... "Dashboard" [Single]... Epic
4 KOOKS... Inside In/Inside Out... Astralwerks
5 EARWIG... Center Of The Earth... Lizard Family
6 COLD WAR KIDS... Robbers And Cowards... Downtown
7 KAISER CHIEFS... "Ruby" [Single]... B-Unique
8 RAZORLIGHT... Razorlight ... Universal
9 MIKA... "Grace Kelly" [Single]... Universal
10 WARM IN THE WAKE... Gold Dust Trail... Livewire
11 HOLD STEADY... Boys And Girls In America... Vagrant
12 DUSTIN KENSRUE... Please Come Home... Equal Vision
13 JESSE MALIN... Glitter In The Gutter... Adeline
14 TED LEO AND THE PHARMACISTS... Living With The Living... Touch And Go
15 MANCINO... Manners Matter Self-Released
16 BLOC PARTY... A Weekend In The City Vice
17 SHINS... Wincing The Night Away Sub Pop
18 GET SET GO... Selling Out And Going Home TSR
19 SILVERSUN PICKUPS... Carnavas Dangerbird
20 EARLY YEARS... The Early Years Beggars Banquet
21 BREAKERS... Here For A Laugh... Funzalo
22 MOTHER MOTHER... Touch Up... Last Gang
23 DECEMBERISTS.... The Crane Wife... Capitol
24 BABYSHAMBLES... The Blinding [EP]... Capitol
25 BECK... The Information... Interscope
26 LUCERO... Rebels, Rogues, And Sworn Brothers... Liberty And Lament
27 HEADLIGHTS... Kill Them With Kindness... Polyvinyl
28 BE YOUR OWN PET... Be Your Own Pet... Ecstatic Peace
29 PALOMAR... All Things, Forests... Misra
30 I'M FROM BARCELONA... Let Me Introduce My Friends

The Detroit Sound?

I can remember my family was driving north through Michigan on our way to the Upper Penninsula. It was in the middle of winter at night. I woke up from sleeping in the back seat as my dad pulled into a gas station. I wasn't sure where we were. There were bars on all the building windows outside.
Across the street, four guys were throwing bottles at a wall, very much on purpose. My younger sister announced she had to go to the bathroom and opened the door. My dad yelled at her to stay inside the car.
He got out, looked around a bit, filled up the car with gas and quickly got back in. We drove away with a slight squeal of the tires. It was the first time I had ever seen my dad scared of anything. We had stopped for gas in probably the worst area possible, in the middle of the night.
Welcome to Detroit.
Since then, my memories of The Motor City have either consisted of getting lost on the way to the airport, getting lost on the way to a concert, getting lost on the way to a friend's house, getting lost on the way to a gig, or just plain getting lost trying to find some gas. Detroit is like the Burmuda Triangle of the Midwest.
One time I got so lost the road wasn't even paved anymore. It was the land time forgot. I was in a section of town where the city gave up on a paving project. It was half gravel, half grounded asphalt. A bum walked down the middle of the road. I asked him directions. Thanks to a one dollar bill I found my way back onto I-75.
That's how I feel about Detroit. It seems scary as hell, but once you get over that, it's actually a pretty interesting city.
Historically and culturally it also has one of the most well-defined "sounds" in the entire nation. It's the home of garage rock with a purpose. Books have been written about it. Legends have been created.
From 1965 to 1972, the Detroit Sound was developed. Before that Michigan's Thumb Muscle was creating figures like John Lee Hooker.
Down south, the blues were played gentle and lolling. As it went north, it turned nasty. By the time it hit Detroit, the blues had become a fight, a reason for being.
But what I found after talking with several Detroit bands is that they don't see it that way. The High Strung see that tough exterior as just an extension of that original fascination with the blues. But even The High Strung live their music. They are out there touring and doing it.
But I prefer to listen to the editors of Creem Magazine, who said that what defined the Detroit Sound were musicians who believed in the power of rock. Lester Bangs wrote about it like he was documenting a war. Music changed who they were. It made John Sinclair a freedom fighter. MC5 became cultural revolutionaries. It made some dork into Alice Effing Cooper. It turned ted nugent into TED NUGENT. These are personalities. Iggy Pop? These are people who weren't writing music, they were living music.
MOTOWN!
Then, of course, it stopped. Since the 1950's Detroit's population has apparently been cut in half. The auto industry folded. Race riots in the late 60s sent the white suburban families running for the hills. They probably went to Ohio.
The music still kept coming, but the sound changed to the sound of rust, like Bob Seger. He may write truck jungles now, but he was the real deal back then.
Today, the Detroit music scene is still producing bare bones rock n' roll in its purest form. But more importantly, it has retained its hold over musicians lives. The White Stripes are just as much an image of rock n' roll as they are musicians. Even when swing came back (which I love to make fun of) it was the Detroit bands that wore the whole zoot suit get ups. Even the industrial metal death rock scene is filled with bands who dress up and play these parts. Isn't Insane Clown Posse from Detroit? I forget, but just another example.
So if this city can teach the Midwest anything, it is that you are nothing if you don't have a cause. Everyone needs something to live for and you have to create if for yourself. That is innately Midwestern. We know that no one is going to do anything for you around here. If you want that, go to LA or Nashville. Go buy a rock n' roll costume and step into it.
You won't find some Albert Grossman figure asking his folk duos to stay out of the sun because it makes them look bookish in Detroit. But you will find Ted Nugent spearing a deer to death with a knife the shape of a double necked guitar.
As long as this is happening, there will always be a Santa Claus in Detroit.

A few Chichester tunes up

If you wanted a hint of Happy Chichester's new CD "Lovers Come Back," head over to his myspace page HERE

"To roar once again, the people's music" An update on the project

So far this project is beginning to really make the Midwest music scene much smaller to me.
Before I started, a place like Indiana was a big mystery. I'd heard of a couple bands that sometimes played in Ohio. Mostly I'd just heard of Margot and the Nuclear So and So's and perhaps Loretta. Now I know music by countless groups, seen numerous websites from artists and other blogs going on. With this, I'd count Indiana as having some of the most interesting musicians in the entire region. People would be remiss to not learn more.
So I'm just about ready to do my "Indianapolis Sound?" essay. Just a few more people to talk to.
I am also beginning to delve into Michigan, and have begun contacting Detroit musicians, writers and artists to help bring its myth down too.
One trait that seems to tie everyone together amongst the Midwest music scenes is this overriding sense that one city can have absolutely no idea what is happening in another city one hour away. Even the distance between Columbus and Toledo is like New York to LA. No one communicates. It's getting better, but it's still pretty bad.
Sure, in most cases it's due to the fact that not many bands actually have the balls to perform outside of their protective bubbles. Columbus is guilty of that. I'd say Indiana has that problem even worse. Cleveland is just a mess.
But deep down all musicians know that they will never truly learn what they are capable of unless they try. Performing to your fraternity brothers or the same hipster friends every friday night is not the same as performing in front of 5 people who could give a shit about you in some other town. Touring is your test.
I suppose the other side of it is that some musicians don't give a crap. Their intention is only to create music. It's not their desire to traipse all over the country trying to get people to listen. I guess that's where the Internet helps out.
All I know is that there is nothing more disappointing to me than a talented musician who lacks the desire to be heard.

More on J*A*M*C

When it comes to Buddha Boy and Jesus and Mary Chain, it doesn't matter if it has to do with the Midwest. That's the rule.

I will not be happy unless the band tours again and comes out with another Honey's Dead or Automatic. Some update news from the Filter Magazine blog:

JAMC Talk Reunion

The Jesus & Mary Chain return to play their first shows in nine years when they appear at Coachella this April and at the Summercase Festival in Madrid and Barcelona. Jim Reid breaks the silence:
Who else is in the band?
"On bass it's Phil King, on drums it's Loz Colbert, and on second guitar is Mark Crozer, and of course myself and William."
Phil King was in Lush and Loz Colbert was in Ride. Can I get a hell yeah?
Why are you doing the show now?
"Well, I would say 'why not?' there are many reasons really. Firstly it's taken this long for me and William to get to a point where it would be realistic to do it, and to some degree each of us assumed the other wouldn't be interested, and it was only after we talked about it that we realised this. Also Coachella were very persistent."
The last show was in 1998?
"Yes, the last Mary Chain gig was in 1998 and was such a bloody awful mess, too much drink, too many drugs, nobody seeing eye to eye on anything and the band just blew up, and I suppose you could say this is another good reason for our reformation, cause that was no way for the Mary Chain to end."
William lives in LA and you live in Devon?
"You can imagine the problems this presents."
Will there be more shows and an album?
"I really don't know. Maybe. I think we would like to and we're looking at another show or 2."
Are William and yourself working on solo albums?
"Yes, both are at the recording stage at the moment, and both will hopefully be out later in the year."

Cincy video updates

Head on over to MIND IGNITION CHANNEL for new videos of Cincinnati bands The Turnbull ACs and 500 Miles to Memphis.

Hyperlinks

Keep checking in with the site. I plan to put in hyperlinks to websites from all the bands listed within the past few days. It'll just take a bit of time.

Get to know Indiana, cont'd

I recently got a ton of great information on the entire Indiana music scene, from the Bloomington band RESTING ROOSTER.
The band is a folkrock/psychedelia three-piece, which is releasing its first record next month on UNDERWATER TEA PARTY RECORDS.
"The Indiana scenes that I am most familiar with are Indianapolis, Bloomington, and Muncie," the band's David Bower said. "Bloomington has a long legacy of interesting music. The town's liberal attitude lends itself to a broad variety of bands. I have lived (there) and have been musically active for the past six years."
In Bloomington, Bower recommends checking out:
• THE IMPOSSIBLE SHAPES (Secretly Canadian): Seventies acidic folk-rock with a Pavement meets Television edge. He also noted their side projects: NORMAN OAKS and THE HORNS OF HAPPINESS.
• TURN PALE: One of the most exciting live bands around. Sounds like the Birthday Party, The Cure, and Echo and the Bunnymen with a very theatrical leading man. Also see: Drekka and Panoply Academy
• VOLLMAR: Justin Vollmar is an amazing songwriter. He sounds like Leonard Cohen, Lou Reed, David Bazan, and Jandek. Very much worth a listen.
• RACEBANNON: Harsh metal spasm madness. It seriously sounds like if captain beefheart was a german prog metal band.
Bower said the go-to label is SECRETLY CANADIAN, which People with Animal Heads couldn't agree more with. But he also noted ART HOSPITAL and Landlocked Record Store.
In Indianapolis, Bower said to watch for these bands:
• ODAWAS: Neil Young meets Ennio Morricone. Their records are complete multi-track lunacy, but in a good way. www.myspace.com/odawastheband ... i am sure you haven't heard anything quite like it. Their side project is MORE ANIMALS OF THE ARCTIC.
• MARMOSET (Secretly Canadian): In my opinion, Jorma is one of the greatest songwriters of our time. "Today it's you" and "Record in red" are total classics. The band sounds like Wire, Syd Barrett, John Lennon, and Swans.
• ELEPHANT MICAH: Talented singer songwriter.
He said venues worth noting include the BIG CAR GALLERY.
Bower said that Muncie is home of Ball State University. All the bands from here tend to have a large roster and a cute, quirky element. Many of the bands from this town, as well as a few from Indianapolis, are on the Standard Recording label. For the Columbus folks, that's the former label of Miranda Sound.
• EVERYTHING, NOW!: Probably the most popular band from muncie...sounds like the Flaming Lips meets the Beach Boys at an ice cream social.
• CASTLE OLDCHAIR: Good songwriter, great guitarist. A little like Elliott Smith.
• EVERTHUS THE DEADBEATS: Sounds like Roxy Music on pixie sticks.
"So, I definately left out a lot of good bands, but this is my particular taste. And these bands are trying hard enough to tour/make good records et cetera," Bower said.

SPOTLIGHT: Happy Chichester's House of Mirrors

Talking about Columbus music and not mentioning Happy Chichester is like talking about Dayton music and not mentioning Bob Pollard. They go hand in hand.
Last week Chichester released his long-anticipated solo CD, "Lovers Come Back" on his own PopFly Music label. Unfortunately, I haven't heard the entire album yet, but I've seen him perform most of the songs live. So I am still curious as to how Chichester fully arranged them.
What I sense from his recent work is a feeling of nostalgia - except not in the sense of longing, but more in how the past has formed him. I also felt that the lyrics leaned toward the romantic, using lush images and strong emotions.
So I wondered how Chichester faired in the studio, after using different musicians instead of a steady supporting band as he has done for years. Did that mean more or less freedom?
"It was a 'house of mirrors' effect, working by myself most of the time. Disorienting, often. I would go out and tour, come home and record, write, etcetera, and then go out on the road again. The audiences' responses to the material helped shape the final form of the album in a way like a band would. As far as freedom goes: music is never free. I am, in a way, possessed by the music in my head, and when I assert my will over it too much, it doesn't necessarily help," Chichester said.
He said that making the album proved to be just as challenging and confrontational as any he has done in the past, but with results that produced a richer and softer tone.
"It is diverse like many of the albums I've done, but not as loud. As a solo performer, I'm able to be more introspective and quiet, as you say, which has not always been the case with the bands. There is a broader range of sounds and I can create things in the studio like I could never do before. And you are correct, there is a romantic quality most of my bands couldn't wear well. 'Lovers Come Back' is a poetic title that is both a humble wish and a big statement, and appropriately characterizes the feel of the album," he said.

So I hate to keep bringing up Howlin' Maggie, but the band put Columbus music on the national radar in the 1990s. Besides, I think that his new stuff has progressed beyond his past music, so it's OK.
But I wondered if doing a solo album was a vacation of sorts or a plan for the future - Chichester was pretty clear about that.
"I have never had any intention of going back to (the name) Howlin' Maggie," he said.
Despite using some great local musicians to help record his songs this time around, Chichester put together a band to go on tour with Columbus' RJD2.
I told him I'd heard that when he came back there were talks he'd put together a steady backing band for the next string of shows, with the help of a certain Dayton band called (COUGH) Captain of Industry.
"Depending upon how things look, I may put a band together, but there are no definite plans for that at this time. I had asked Captain Of Industry to be my backing band last year, but we have not gotten together to play, for whatever reason. It just doesn't seem to be the time for that yet," he explained.
Ultimately, Chichester's new release shines a light on lyrical topics he has touched upon in the past, but now are finally able to breathe a bit more.
"I think of the songs on the album as having what I call a 'thematic chronology,' meaning that each one sets up the next much like scenes in a movie. The words are printed in the CD, and the themes are evident in the titles," he said. "For me, songwriting is a conscious effort that entails cultivating the unconscious too, sort of like trying to gain insight into a dream. Even though people have been saying that the album format is dead, I made an album that works as a unified piece, but also can be broken up if people want just a few of the songs on i-tunes or whatever."

Because, after all, this website is a project to get to know Midwestern music, I asked Chichester to name his favorite area bands. But he admitted a sense of detachment, as touring musicians often do.
"I don't hear a Columbus 'sound.' I hear people trying out all kinds of things in the bars. I have friends out west who come to Columbus and marvel at the deepness of the groove here, compared with the west coast feel. That's not to say we're better, but that the groove is distinct. I'm not up on all the bands playing around, though. Always room to remedy that," he said.
But Chichester noted that he respects a lot of individul musicians who make up the Columbus music scene, many of which helped him out on "Lovers Come Back," such as Foley, Jeff Ciampa, Megan Palmer, Barry Hensley, Carlos Fisher, Kris Keith, Jon Chinn, Middle Child, Vickie Saunders and Kevin Oliver.
"That's just scratching the surface. There are so many amazing musical geniuses around I can't even begin to get to all the
names," Chichester said. "Whatever band they're in, I can usually spot them."

So it begins: High Strung's Detroit

The High Strung (out of Detroit) are one of my favorite bands in the entire Midwest. Incredible songs, amazing melodies and they tour like mutherfuckers. The band is starting a mini-tour in support of the re-release of its second record, MOXIE BRAVO, which came out on Feb. 13 in stores everywhere. They also appear to be doing numerous other dates with Sun Volt (but just in the south, so far). My hope is to start defining the Detroit music scene now.
I have always thought of The High Strung as kind of like the Kinks on speed. Check them out. They get a lot of love on Sirius Satellite radio's Underground Garage channel. With the recent XM Satellite radio merger pending, hopefully it'll mean more listeners for The High Strung.
In my quest to get to know every city in the Midwest, I am now venturing into the Detroit music scene. So I started with High Strung bass player Chad Stocker for help.
What are some great bands that currently make up the Detroit music scene?
The Muggs, The Singles, The Paybacks, SSM, and i like this little band I saw once called Kiddo.
What are some great venues bands should look at if they come through town?
Not too many of 'em out here. The Lager House is like home, I love it there, the sound isn't perfect, but the feel makes up for it. The Magic Stick is great all around. Everything else is good, but i prefer these two.
What would you recommend to a band from some other town do if they are trying to get a show lined up in Detroit?
Check on line for booking agents names, and call them, hound them, hound the local weekly music mags too, and the public radio station, they play rock sometimes, not just jazz, make friends some how with a band from around town, that always helps, a little. It's hard to get people out to shows around here, for bands they don know, just how it goes... I know a lot of touring bands that skip us. It's a shame.
How would you define the current "Detroit Sound," if there is one?
Well the sound used to be dominated by garage rock, and it should be, we have great garage bands out here, but i think the the bands aren't all doing that anymore, there are some more indie-pop and indie dance bands showing up and making a lot of fuss!
I suppose I would historically say that the defining sound to come out of Detroit has always been a kind of angst-driven garage rock. It's probably the most stable "sound" in the Midwest. In the 90s I suppose it became a bit more dark and heavy. Why do you think that Detroit music is so akin to a kind of brutal power? Even you guys have a kind of Super Kinks vibe.
I don't feel like we have too much angst, at least not overtly! But i agree that we listen to quite a bit of The Kinks. Brutality? I dunno, it's more of a blues fascination around here. There are great blues bars around, there has always been blues coming from the streets of Detroit, and I think that has a lot to do with Detroit's tone. Also, that faster, more heavier sound comes maybe the industrial side of things. But then you have bands who are super conscious of chords and melodies, like Outrageous Cherry, Pas/Cal, who have studied not only the Motown (because who hasn't) but also the smaller bands from the 60s who mixed the soul and psychedelic into their blues.

The Redwalls dropped?

I read today on Filter Magazine's blog that apparently after Capitol and Virgin merged, they dropped a ton of acts, one of which being Chicago's The Redwalls. But I haven't seen anything officially confirming they were dropped yet.
(UPDATE: I think it's true. Their myspace page currently lists them as "unsigned."

Secretly Canadian and Jagjaguwar, branch into Dead Oceans

Just read this, sounds great:

Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar Brand New Label
Story by: Kevin Kampwirth

The owners of the Bloomington, Indiana-based Secretly Canadian and Jagjaguwar labels have announced the creation of a new sticker, Dead Oceans, which will retain the same staff and creative aesthetic as the other two. A statement by the group noted that, "Dead Oceans will focus on bold and timeless recordings, not emphasizing a particular genre or scene, but instead fostering a diverse stable of sound creators." An initial roster of artists has also been released, including new records by Iran, Dirty Projectors, Evangelicals and Bishop Allen.

DEAD OCEANS