Read more "Review: Regas-McDonald – Toward Void & Vistas"
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We got somethin’ here. It’s a fighter, but I can get it in the boat. Look at ‘em go! Aw, shit. Well, we’ll get ‘em next time.
I like fishing. I mostly do catch and release when I do. The few times I’ve tried to eat what I catch have been…bad. Never the less, I fish on. I like the patience. It’s nice to not have to do anything for a little while. Usually I just listen to music and try to think about not thinking. That works for a little while. Someone told me to check out a release by Regas-McDonald called “Toward Void & Vistas” so I found it, went for a little walk, listened to it, and then kept walking and listening to it some more. I played through it 3 times before I decided to head back home. What started as a quick trip to get some cigarettes turned into a proper walkabout. This has nothing to do with fishing.
“Toward Void & Vistas” is the only release (I think?) from Regas-McDonald. It sounds like a real labor of love and the attention to detail really shines throughout the album. Composed by cousins Sam Regas and Matt McDonald, they really put their work to task on this. I didn’t think it was two people listening to it. There’s this great wash of sound that comes over certain tracks like “Agamemnon’s Ghost” and “bullseyebuddhas”. A lot of this sounds like sleepwalking. There is an energy that keeps everything in motion, but it’s all moving underwater. Except for “A Season for High Splendor”. This is the track that stood out for me. They’re on that talking cure with this one. Storytelling over disciplined beats with occasional interceptions from reverb and fuzz. “A man can lead many lives before noon.” I like that one a lot.
You can find “Toward Void & Vistas” on the Regas-McDonald bandcamp page, and I would suggest that you do. They got one of them “name your price” features, so you can be a cheap bastard. Or, alternatively, you can be a decent human being and throw a few dollars their way. I’m gonna keep an eye on Regas-McDonald and see what happens. Maybe they like fishing, too.
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]]>Read more "Review: Lithics – Wendy Kraemer EP"
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You’ve got the gears turning now. Everything has been shifted into lock and key formation. What time is it? No time at all. These are some of the initial thoughts I had going into the “Wendy Kraemer EP” from Lithics. There are a lot of good ideas flying around this release. There’s an urgency that presses each track further than each other. This is not to say that there is no relative corroboration between the tracks. This feels more like having each song circled around a central energy that is expanding so rapidly that it pushes the circle wider. It has a steady pulse and, somehow, arrhythmia. You can see it breathing.
This 4 piece from Portland, Oregon, have been actively playing since 2014 and the “Wendy Kraemer EP” is a collection of home recordings, snippets, demos, and cutlery. Divided into simply “Side A” and “Side B”, there’s a sense of freedom from the constraints of direct cuts and track listing. There are no rules regarding how many songs to a side or which is the best playlist. Wendy Kraemer exists best as a stream. It works perfectly as a machine of the heart. The bass lines are tight as Hell, the guitars will make you dizzy, the drums are forensic scientists, and Aubrey Hornor’s voice is goddamn hypnotic. This is a Moone Records release and it is delivered without the pretentious trappings or nostalgia framing that’s become popular among post-punk worship. Lithics are not trying to sound like anyone but themselves and it’s fucking refreshing.
“Wendy Kraemer EP” is getting released by Moone Records this coming February. So get jazzed up, suckers! Not everything has to be so doomy gloomy. In the worst of times, we always have good releases to look forward to. Until then, let’s continue to burn the state.
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]]>Read more "Review: Baluchitherium – Lost Glasses, Empty Love"
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Sometimes it’s not good enough. You’re not sure what’s up, but something ain’t right. It could be the absence of something or too much of something else. There is a current run of general dissatisfaction among folks with half a brain knocking around in their noggin. You can call it complacency, bein’ a grouch, or just a stiff feeling at the base of the neck. Either way, you gotta get the fuck to movin’. That’s where the Baluchitherium boys can lend a hand.
You got three brothers in this one. Dug, Jerry, and Michael McCormack flash their dissatisfaction like one of those trench coat fellas from the 1970’s. Ed Dormody and Gregory Porter round out the rest of the group with their own brilliant style that stands out from the standard bar band feel. This is something else. Although the concept of sad bastard songs about drinking, love, and longing are the farthest thing from a new concept, Baluchitherium spends their time bathing in the style. They have their own sound on the subject and they are not shy about telling you about it. This shit makes me want to drive, and I hate driving.
The album is called Lost Glasses, Empty Love and it’s a banger. There’s a beautiful vulnerability that develops as the album progresses. Lost Glasses, Empty Love is the friend you haven’t seen in a while. Y’all get together and ask each other the same question:
“Hey, how are you?”
“I’m good, yeah. How are you?”
“Yeah, I’m good.”
It is later on in the conversation that you realize that neither one of you is actually good. Maybe you thought you were at the beginning of the conversation, or maybe you knew already and you didn’t want to make a fuss. After the blatant and offensive pleasantries leave the start of the conversation, you dig in to the introspective neurosis. You almost feel guilty about dumping problems on your friend, but you’re first in line to drag theirs out. Sometimes it’s funny like that.
Stylistically, Lost Glasses, Empty Love feels like a smoke hotel in one of the lesser desert cities. The kind of place where the lines between good things and bad things blur because what the Hell is the difference, anyway? As the listener you move from room to room looking for something you might have dropped. You can hear a baby crying, but you’re not sure where it’s coming from. There’s a lady wearing too much make-up and not enough clothes. She’s smoking and staring at you while she leans on a wall, but she does not want to talk to you. Just as well. You’re still looking for something. Once you notice there’s a fella following you, and once you realize the cigar he’s chomping on hasn’t been lit in ten years, you decide it’s time to go. You still take your time, but you make your way. Once you get in the car its damn near three o’clock in the morning and the wind is a little too hot. You’re window doesn’t roll down anymore, but you drive on anyway. That is what Lost Glasses, Empty Love sounds like.
The album can be purchased digitally off of the groups Bandcamp, and it’s a steal at $7. Don’t let the hat pass you by without throwing a little something in for the boys. They’re hungry and they have teeth.
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]]>Read more "Milkman of Human Kindness: Billy Bragg at the Sinclair"
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Billy Bragg, the fearless folk singer, author, and activist, came to Cambridge the weekend of October 3rd – October 5th to play a three night residency at The Sinclair in Harvard Square. Each night he performed a different focal point of his career from a mélange of career spanning favorites on Thursday, his first three albums on Friday, and a retrospective of his saddest songs on Saturday. Bragg’s career spanning 35 years has been a triumph of the human condition and a testament to the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
Each of the three nights reached a sold out capacity almost immediately when the tickets became available. Even those who had a change of plans and were looking to unload their tickets were only looking for the face value from when they were purchased. This speaks a lot to Billy Bragg’s message of fairness, equality, and how that translates to his fans; no vultures, no gougers, and certainly no scabs need apply. I was fortunate enough to have tickets for the Friday show and it did not disappoint. I was doubly fortunate as I had been marching on a picket line earlier that day.
https://twitter.com/NickyPanic/status/1180255485892673539
I joined the few hundred people that had gathered to support the striking workers at the Battery Wharf hotel on the edge of the North End in Boston. The contract had been up for renegotiation in the early months of 2017 and the company had refused to budge at the negotiating table with Unite Here! local 26. Unite Here! is an international union in the US and Canada which represents roughly 250,000 workers. Local 26 are the union representatives for hotel and hospitality workers in Boston and Rhode Island and they represent over 10,000 employees. After the final attempts for negotiations were at an impasse between the company and the union, the employees voted a majority and agreed to a strike. That was over a month ago now, and the momentum is building for the workers of the Battery Wharf hotel.
There is still a long fight ahead, but the energy at the rally was very high. With people from across the city, some being union members, some unaffiliated, all marching, chanting, holding signs and dancing with each other, there was not a sad face in the crowd. There were plenty of angry faces, but it was not from a place of fear. When a company claims to look out for your best interest, claims that you should work together as a family, and then refuses you the right to basic healthcare and a living wage, yeah, I’d be pissed, too. This is only a brief glimpse into the reality that is being spread through the guise of hospitality. Without union representation it is all too easy for a company to instate whatever rules they want. This often comes with a complete disregard to an employee’s safety, dignity, health, and income. The money goes up the ladder and the shit falls down. Smiling for the sake of tears.
As I’m walking the picket line, sign in hand and shouting to capacity, a friend of mine points to a fella on the edge of the line. He’s talking to workers and asks genuine questions, administering hugs, handshakes, and words of encouragement. It’s Billy Bragg. My instinct is to book it over from where I am, but discipline takes control and I keep my place in line. I’ll catch him on the next loop. Coming around again my friend and I stop to chat with Billy Bragg and thank him for coming to the picket line. He smiled ear to ear and says something along the lines of wouldn’t miss it. We talked for a bit about capitalist, the fight of the working class, and the inherent corporate greed that plagues America. He’s inherently optimistic, though. With high hopes for the future and the newest generation to come, he had a look on his face that translated to, “Just you wait and see”.
The picket line turned into a march where we all took to Hanover Street and blocked traffic as we made our way to that little Paul Revere Park. There was a small stage set up where Union representatives, city politicians, and workers all talked about their love and support for the workers on strike. There were heartbreaking stories of abuse and disrespect, a few jokes at the company’s expense, and loud cheers as Billy Bragg took to the stage. He sang Which Side Are You On, There Is Power in a Union, and other traditional labor favorites. It was a brief set because he still had to sound check at The Sinclair and it was getting to be that time.
That night at the show I saw a lot people from the picket line. It felt like we were all in on something that should not be a secret. Billy took care of that, though. He was brilliantly blasting through songs from his first three albums. Life’s a Riot with Spy vs Spy, Brewing up with Billy Bragg, and Talking to the Taxman about Poetry. He talked about the strike extensively throughout his set. This was met with cheers of support from the audience and lead to further explanations of his latest takes on politics, sociology, and the importance for kindness. These are expanded upon in his newest book, The Three Dimensions of Freedom. I haven’t had the chance to read it yet, but it’s coming in the mail. I have a feeling that it will not disappoint.
The show was an inspiration for what people can be capable of with a little courage and truth. Filled with stories of his first interactions with Jon Peele, his first American tours, and his initial distrust of New York City, the whole evening became increasingly personal as it wore on. This was all without pretense. “I’m not a musician. I’m a guitar player. Musicians play the piano.” he quipped from the stage to laughter and a showing that he speaks to his own truth. He’s one of the few performers who can sell out three nights in a row and remain modest. He was confident, sure, but it was a barroom kind of confidence. He could have just finished his shift on the dockyard loading shipments to go overseas and we wouldn’t know the difference.
I talked to him again briefly after the show and he was wearing a Local 26 shirt while he met with fans. After walking a good length of time on a picket line and playing over 2 hours of music, yeah, he looked a bit tired. This did not stop him from talking to every single person that lingered after the show. And he had to do it all again the next day. Why? Because this is who he is. He is the poet. The dreamer. The activist. The guitar player. The listener. The Writer. The Fighter.
If you already know Billy Bragg, then you know what I mean. If you don’t know Billy Bragg, then I would suggest starting with Talking to the Taxman about Poetry. It’s my personal favorite and Levi Stubbs Tears is a jammer. Incidentally, the strike is still on at the Battery Wharf hotel every day from 7am-7pm. They’ll be on strike until they win. Why not come down and raise a fuss? They’d love to see you.
One day longer, one day stronger.
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]]>Read more "Review: Tashi Dorji / John Dieterich – Midden"
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News from the frontal lobe:
Good Evening. Our program directors have informed us that between our regularly scheduled self-destructive behavior (i.e. intropunitive thoughts & actions) we bring you the collaboration “Midden” from Bhutanese guitarist Tashi Dorji and Deerhoof’s own John Dieterich. Both Dorji and Dieterich are prolific artists who relentlessly churn out new material at remarkable pace. These are seldom rushed, though. A large body of work produced quickly can often leave the impression that very little thought or effort had been utilized in the creative process. This is not the case for either party involved. There is a lot of intention in the Midden album, released on Gilgongo Records and Moone Records, respectively. Even the transitional period sounds like the brain piecing together information to reach a conclusion. When that conclusion hits, it’s something magical.
There are no song titles. Playing through the vinyl record it has little to no breaks between sequences. Occasionally you’ll recognize a pause where they shift gears, but most of the album is in a stream of consciousness. That’s not to say that it’s disorganized at all. Every note and sequence sounds intentional and really presents the talents of Dorji and Dieterich. There are points in the album where you can tell where Dorji is and where Dieterich is. Dorji has more discipline and patience where Dieterich can be a bit impatient in his contributions. You can hear some parts where Dieterich can’t help but create the beginnings of what could become traditional melodies. This works because they’re disintegrated before they can form, but it’s still telling where his comfort zone is.
I really like this album. The percussive guitars and production really stand out with clarity and even with its free jazz proclivities, it never really sounds confused. Again, you can hear the brain working it out. Going from alien world to 1970’s Italian horror film score (more Frizzi than Goblin), Midden is a driving and emotional work that really express the talents of Tashi Dorji and John Dieterich. I would like to see them work together again someday.
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]]>Read more "Review: Who Killed Ralph? // Residents Tribute"
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Anyone who knows me a little bit knows that I love The Residents. Their blatant disregard for the rules of songwriting and their irreverent love of discord has been an inspiration to weirdos across the globe. They’re a hard nut to crack into, but if you do you will find a catalog of over 60(!) albums since their birth in 1969. They thrived off of their Theory of Obscurity, meaning that The Residents have never publicly declared who is in the actual band. Though there are rumors, especially since the perverse evolution of the internet, there have yet to be any confirmed members apart from the dear Hardy Fox who had passed away last year.
It warms my crooked little heart to know I am not alone in this obsession. Despite their best efforts, The Residents have garnered an international cult following while remaining completely anonymous. Never appearing in public without a disguise, the mystique of their methods will outlast the physical vessels of the players. This brings me to Who Killed Ralph?. Started as a project by Tom-Erik Loe of Norway, Who Killed Ralph? is a kind of continuous tribute to The Residents. Welcoming any and all players who would like to submit their own versions of Residents tunes, it stands as a pillar in the Church of Obscurity.
With the voluminous amount of material produced by The Residents, there is no shortage of options for an inspired musician to tackle. This was also exercised by The Residents themselves last year with the release of I Am A Resident, where the band invited fans to cover their own music for an official release. Who Killed Ralph?, named after The Residents own label Ralph Records, currently has 8 volumes available for free on Bandcamp. With no sign of slowing down, this could easily extend another 50 years more. Someone will always be ready at the helm.
So if you’re feeling ambitious, if you’re feeling weird and bored with your standard can of pop formulae, reach out to the fine folks at Who Killed Ralph?. And while you’re at it, find yourself a Residents album to curl up with. They have more than enough variety.
Suggested Residents Albums:
Fingerprince
Eskimo
Meet the Residents
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]]>Read more "Sir, You Can’t Shave Here! A Conversation with Dan Carswell"
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I recently had the pleasure of grabbing a coffee with Dan Carswell, resident booker at Charlie’s Kitchen and soon to be guardian of the newest venue in Cambridge: Hong Kong in Harvard Square. Now Hong Kong has always had comedy shows upstairs, but they’ve never really had live bands before. Dan and I have shared a number of live music experiences so I wanted his perspective as the man on the other side of the stage. We talk to musicians all the time, but the promoters never really get enough of a voice. This was our conversation:
Nicholas Panagakos: Daniel, you’re currently the booker and promoter for Charlie’s Kitchen and soon to be booker and promoter for Hong Kong in Harvard Square, is that correct?
Dan Carswell: Yes, I would also put down sound engineer on that resume as well.
NP: So just doing double duty or just can’t find the help?
DC: A very good balance of both. But I like to be involved with everything as much as I can. Bend till you break.
NP: How long have you been doing this? Promoting bands and putting shows together?
DC: I want to say it’s been about five years, but if it’s been shorter than that then I have to do it till its five years. Just to commit to it. But yeah, I had always booked my bands. And there’s always that band that you want to play with, so just ask them. I’ve always made shows that I wanted to go to. And then it got to the point where I got my band out of it and just did it without them. Um, far too long. (laughs) I mean, at least once a week I’ve been booking shows for that time. It’s been cool. Definitely had rooms come and go since then.
NP: Where did you start booking shows? Was Charlie’s the first place?
DC: I did a couple of one-offs before Charlie’s. I did one at All-Asia, if you want a good laugh.
NP: Rest in Peace
DC: Rest in Peace. Yeah, that one actually ended up getting double booked so they gave me a bunch of porter stouts so I wouldn’t get angry with them. And when TT the Bears had a room when you walked in, on the left side of the bar where you would stash your coat, they would have shows in that nook. Jim Keeney of The Appreciation Post ran sound for them. I did a couple shows there. But Charlie’s was the one where I had to commit to one a week. That was the kick I needed to be less lazy and do something. Ryan the Terrible from O’Brien’s graciously helped me
out. I worked under him for about six months or so and then he gave me the whole, “You got this,” and patted me on the back. Then I just got scared.
NP: That sounds about right. I mean, Ryan is one of the greatest human beings to have ever lived.
DC: I know! Nobody does it like him. That’s why I tried to model…well, I tried to rip him off as best I can. But everything he does is so thought out and so smooth. He’s makes it look so effortless and that made me want to book shows. I have so much love and respect for the guy.
NP: What is the single-most worst experience you’ve had booking shows? Give me a Hindenburg.
DC: Oh, man…my “favorite” least-favorite moment…I had walked outside for a real quick second to smoke a butt and Zach (Wilson), who was helping me at Charlies, looked like he had seen a ghost. I was like, “What’s up, dude?” and he said that one of the performers had attempted to shave their pubes during their set. I guess I’m not well versed in performance art. That was just something I hadn’t seen before, but we’re a restaurant! You don’t have to know a lot about restaurants to know that you can’t shave yourself openly in a restaurant.
NP: “Sir, you can’t shave here.”
DC: Yeah! So I was just…”Oh, bud…god…” ‘cause I never want to be someone who censors art or doesn’t allow art. I want everyone to feel welcome and feel like a part of something. Just shave at home? Yeah, that was a tough one. Also whenever we have to call an ambulance, really sucks absolutely.
NP: Does that happen frequently?
DC: No, maybe a couple of times? The one that really sticks out in my mind was a super sold-out show. We had Weather Box at Charlie’s and it sold out just as the doors opened. We had 100 something people, so I sent the door person home. We’re done. We’re capped. I was just hanging out, it was super easy and their drummer broke their crash cymbal with one hit and the next hit sliced his wrist. Just, blood everywhere. He must have hit a vein. So I had to call an ambulance and get the police involved and get everybody out of there. It was just crazy having a room full of people. I mean, a lot of people can’t move quickly, but c’mon. Get out of the way! Now if that happens again it’s like second nature, but your first time is always goofy no matter what it is. When you start with shaving and ambulances, its just….always fucking something.
NP: As a performer and a booker, you’ve seen both sides of the fence now. Would you have any advice for people looking to book their bands that don’t have a lot of exposure or experience?
DC: We need bands as much as bands need venues. It’s a back-and-forth community, absolutely. Sometimes for me, with my band, I feel a little shy e-mailing people to try to ask for things. But I don’t even think that when I flip it around. I’m accepting and welcoming of everybody e-mailing
me for shows. It’s weird because it’s the opposite of how I work sometimes. It can be quick easy and painless. A lot of the time I’ll get e-mails and reach-outs that just don’t have any information. Like, what’s your band? For real though, what’s your band like? What do you sound like? What date are you looking for? I’ll help, I just need to know how. It seems like it’s super easy, but it’s weird, y’know? The amount of E-mails without a band name is wild. Fucking wild. Just be honest with what you’re looking for. One of my favorite e-mails I got a while ago, young Boston band, said, “Yeah, we can draw ten people.” And that’s super honest. It’s not a lot of people, but now I know what to expect. That means I’ll have you first, you’ll probably bring a couple of people, maybe more. It helps me paint the picture for the show I’m going to build. Just be honest. And send me your band’s name!
Dan Carswell is the primary booker and promoter at Charlie’s Kitchen in Harvard Square and soon to be Johnny-on-the-spot at Hong Kong in Harvard Square. Charlie’s has shows every Monday starting at 9PM and the cover is always $5. Shoot them an e-mail if you want to play a show but give them details, ya fink!
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]]>Read more "Review: Terry and Louie – …A Thousand Guitars"
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It always fucks me up when an album gets released at the end of a year. Just when I’m ready to wipe the dust from my hands and prepare for the lull of early year doldrums, out comes a banger from Terry Six and Louie Bankston; right at the buzzer. …A Thousand Guitars is their full length debut, having released a few 7” EP’s here and there. This album has been worth the wait. Every song rips with loud, driving riffs, catchy hooks, and a sneer. This is purified Rock & Roll straight out of the tap. No filter and no gimmicks here. It’s not a sentimental nostalgia piece, either.
Those of you familiar with Terry Six and Louie Bankston are undoubtedly aware of the Exploding Hearts and their unfortunate end. There are some moments of familiarity in the songwriting, but this is something wholly other. It stands apart and doesn’t get wrapped up in the past. Instead, it comes around to the present as a reminder that hard times are eternal. Just because something terrible has happened before, that doesn’t mean that it stops happening. The real difference is what you do with that information as it becomes clear. You can lay down with despair or spit in its eye. I try to do both, m’self. “Broken forever, broken together…”
…A Thousand Guitars does not disappoint. The title track is an anthem for the socially disengaged. We’re trapped together in a world we find dissatisfying and neither one of us are doing particularly well. What’s the solution? We stick it out together and come out swinging. Most of the tracks on the album are rebuking the idea of isolationism. There’s an understanding of comradery between the band and the listener. For those who still don’t quite feel good, those who still don’t feel the world makes sense, Terry & Louie got you covered.
Terry and Louie are:
Terry Six
Louie Bankston
Aaron Hill
Chad Savage
Now, if you need me, I’m gonna go drink under my favorite bridge and get a little stoned.
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]]>Read more "Review: Brook Pridemore – Metal Is My Only Friend"
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Hope seems to have become a byline buried deep beneath the earth. Hope is page ten stuff. Doesn’t sell. Do not inquire. Don’t ask. Get lost. People want the Colosseum. People want blood. Brook Pridemore will drink your blood.
They (Brook) say this and so many other beautiful things in their 6th album, Metal Is My Only Friend. This is an album of hope from the Brooklyn Bullet. With driving riffs and lyrical depth, Metal stands beautifully and spits love into the eyes of cruelty.
Brook plays most of the instruments on this album and it really shows their range of talents. The poetic simplicity of A City Without Limits! and the transition into the aggressive Cupcake Empire is enough to rattle anyone’s cage in the best possible way.
The album opens with the track Everything At Once, and it’s one of the best openers to an album that I’ve heard in a long time. Pocket Scheme is so goddamn cheerful and playful that you forget to listen to the lyrics. It’s my favorite kind of writing style, where the music is up and poppy and the lyrics are a bummer. It’s a beautifully crafted song and there’s more where that came from.
Brook has an honesty that is both refreshing and terrifying all at once. Their jokes are so personal and cutting that every listener will find an “oof” moment where their own defenses will have no choice but to drop, if not only for a little while. But this moment will stay with the listener after the fact. I find myself humming Brook’s songs to myself on the train or just walking around. The songs are infectious.
Metal is a gem of an album and it really shows Brook’s musical growth and development. Listening to their previous albums is a joy and a privilege, but Metal makes a lot of sense in these trying times. There is no point in watching CNN or FoxNews unless you’ve given up on life or if you’ve recently been lobotomized.
For the rest of the fully-brained, anxiety riddled individuals, I highly recommend Metal is My Only Friend by Brook Pridemore. And if you have the opportunity to see them play live, fucking do it. Brook tours relentlessly and spends most of their time while on tour booking the next one. Odds are they’ll be in your neighborhood soon. Won’t you please help them build their death-ray? If you can’t at least slip them a twenty for the record. Shit’s bangin’.
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]]>Read more "Chesty Vulva Interview"
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Interview with Brian Salazar aka Chesty Vulva, Colorado-based project that was one of the participants in I Am A Resident. Read our review of their Subjects LP.
How long did it take you to put Subjects together? When did you start writing it?
I probably started writing it in the beginning of last year. I started writing music and we went to Europe and that was where I got a lot of inspiration for the lyrics and the theme for the album. I wrote a lot of it on airplanes and just all over. It took me a good year to put it all together.
What was it about Europe that you found inspiring?
It was just weird. It was the first time I had ever been out of the country. Flying from Denver to Iceland and just seeing all the colors, fading of the sunsets, it was almost like a fairy tale that you read when you’re a kid. When we got to Iceland, it was our first stop. It just reminded me of Oz. We walk down Reykjavik, the main street, and when we get to the end there’s just this big church. After I saw that I had decided to go for an Oz theme.
I mean, it works really well.
I know! I figured I could use some themes from the books. I’m a huge fan of L. Frank Baum and I wanted to use some themes from the book to convey a story about corruptions and manipulations. I think I did a pretty good job with it.
Where did the name come from? Where did you get Chesty Vulva from?
Yeah (laughs) people get a little confused from the name. I feel like some people are a little hesitant when they see the name. The name came around back in 2005. I was doing a lot of charity work raising money for breast cancer awareness and MS. They were saying how much they liked my music and that I should start a project. So I was home after that just listening to music and a Morrissey song came on, of all people, and I’m listening to this song and I swear there is this part in the song where he says “chesty vulva”. So I was addicted to this song because I swear he’s singing it about someone named Chesty Vulva. I was singing it over at a friend’s place and he turns to me and says, “What the fuck did you just sing to me?” So I told him what I thought he was saying and my friend goes, “Dude, that’s not what he’s singing!”
After that we just laughed and thought it was a great name for a music project. For 1, it’s unique. 2, it’s attention getting. And it’s hilarious. I wanted to appall Morrissey.
I think that should be everyone’s goal in life, one way or another.
It’s my way of throwing meat at him.
Just out of curiosity, which Morrissey song was it?
It was “Our Frank”.
Are you afraid you’re going to lose people over the name?
I mean, I don’t really care. I’m not going for Guns ‘N’ Roses status. (laughs) I’m just an artist who makes music on the side and thought it was time to release something. I did a Residents cover and that ended taking off like a wild fire. It got me attention and the fan base and the connections to actually put this album together. So the day we got back from Europe, The Residents had announced that they were doing the I Am A Resident project. The Residents had invited all of their fans to cover a song of theirs and submit them. I submitted under a few different names and, Lo and Behold, they liked my stuff. They asked me to submit all of my covers and a band photo and I ended up on the album with one song on the bonus track and I’m also on three of the songs for the main project. There’s a lot of Vulva on that I Am A Resident project. I’m so thankful for it and its super weird to look on my discography online and see that.
Did you ever think you’d have an opportunity to work with The Residents?
No, I remember when I put the cover out and people loved it I…um…what was I saying? I’m stoned. (both of us laughing) No, sorry. I remember talking with my friends and saying wouldn’t it be cool to be a Resident and actually work with them? To be involved in any way? And within a year I was on the album. Oddly enough it came out the same day as my album. It was perfect.
What’s your favorite Residents album, at the moment?
My favorite Residents album at the moment is probably Animal Lover. Something about the stories that go along with the songs are really touching. It strikes a nerve. I’m a huge Residents fan.
What other kinds of art have you been working on apart from music?
About five years ago I was working as a head engineer in a hotel. I had been doing it for about ten years, but I started making pop art. I was making stencils and spray painting them onto canvases and people ate that shit up! They started asking, “Can you do this for me? Can you do that for me?” so I quit my job, took everything from my last paycheck and bought a bunch of art supplies. So I buy everything, I work on all kinds of paintings, I put them up on Facebook and somebody from Santa Fe, New Mexico, said they thought my work would look fantastic in their establishment. They asked me to be the featured artist in their gallery, so I said sure. It was a little place called Dr. Field Goods, it’s a very popular eatery down there. They booked me for a month and I sold so many paintings. They decided to keep me there for a total of eight months. I hold their record for most paintings sold and most money earned. It was pretty exciting. I took all that money and invested it in music equipment. That’s about when that Residents song came out.
It’s funny. It’s like a process of small steps that lead down a path. And it all started when you quit your job.
Absolutely! It always starts when you quit your job. When you quit playing the games. Start thinking positive. Take a risk. I don’t ever expect to make money from Chesty Vulva. What I want is for people to hear it and say, “Oh, I can do that” and just get off the couch and do something. John Waters said, “Art is like hitch-hiking. All you need is one person to say ‘get in’ and you’re on your way.”
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