The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 197

After the 'most important eclipse of the century' (well, not in Barcelona, thanks to pollution...) and with the head set on organizing some new trip (you know, always planning) today we bring you our latest TOP TEN JUKEBOX. A playlist with the usual discoveries and bands in "our radar" (Sea Pinks and Drahla killing it) but with a couple of special hits. The latest of songstress Kirstin Hersh and the final tribute to the much-beloved label Fortuna POP!, with a cover of Comet Gain's 'You Can Hide Your Love Forever' (an all-time favourite of this humble blogger) which might be among the coolest recording collaborations ever, with over 20 bands getting involved. A lot of love involved. Have fun and remember, all the songs are available at our Soundcloud. (Join Us!) 

Direct links to 2018 Jukebox playlists

Week 171  Week 172  Week 173  Week 174  Week 175 Week 176  Week 177  Week 178 
Week 179  Week 180  Week 181  Week 182  Week 183 Week 184  Week 185  Week 186
Week 187  Week 188  Week 189  Week 190  Week 191 Week 192  Week 193  Week 194
Week 195  Week 196

The Indie Anthology 81: essential songs

New year, new attempt to recover the pace of the Blog posts and revitalize some of its dearest sections, like the Indie Anthology. And to do so, here's one of my favourite post-punk tunes from a short-lived but pretty amazing band. Oh, their rapture, one of these nights!!

Song: Brother 
Artist: The Organ 
Year: 2004

Agreed, the post-punk revival was, mostly, a bunch of crap. But there were amazing exceptions to the rule, like Interpol's first albums, Editors' debut and the majestic 'Grab that gun', from Vancouver's quintet The Organ. Still sounding like an album resulting from the marriage of Morrissey (the meaningful one) and Joy Division and The Cure, with hints of Siouxsie, Patti Smith and Kristin Hersh on the arresting voice of Katie Sketch. Sadly, it was just a very short ride, with the band disbanding shortly after, but a striking one. I could choose among half of the record tunes, but I'm sticking with 'Brother', its bouncy immediacy coming out of nowhere, propelled to stratosphere thanks to the simple-yet-mind blowing melody-bearing bass before Jenny's Hammond organ embraces you while guitar lines and concise drumming bring you back to the late 80s now in sepia. I hear bands like beloved Desperate Journalist or even Savages here, and I wonder where The Organ could have achieved. Well, at least their testament was a hell of a record. It was exciting then. It is still exciting now...

These Go to 11: interviewing Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records & Crashing Through Publicity

Our first interview of the year is a very special one, thanks to the incredible curriculum of our guest, a real renaissance man, an incomparable music activist (record store manager, record label owner, and concert promoter). Here are the answers to our questionnaire of Mike Turner, the man behind the label Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records (HBBTM), Crashing Through Publicity, the Athens Popfest and many more. These Go to 11 (but it could possibly go to 40 with him)! 

Mike Turner, HHBTM Records, Crashing Through Publicity, Athens Popfest...

Mike Turner, your go-to-music guy

Mike Turner breathes music 24 hours a day 365 days a year. After a brief stint studying graphic design, Mike returned home and started publishing The Bee’s Knees, an influential magazine than ran from 1995-2005 and featured some of the earliest interviews with Suede, Olivia Tremor Control or the Shins, among others. In its 4th anniversary, Mike released a compilation CD that sold so well he decided to take all the money and started a label called Happy Happy Birthday To Me records (HHBTM). With a label to promote, Mike formed Yum Yum publicity, a small firm that worked some of the earliest records for Dirty Projectors, Yacht, Bearsuit, and many more. Since most of his friends & his label’s roster were already living there, Mike decided to move to Athens, Georgia, in 2004. To celebrate, he threw a four-day party that soon became an annual event: the Athens Popfest, that has featured artists like Daniel Johnston, Throwing Muses, Rory Erickson, Mission of Burma and Of Montreal, just to name a few. He also became manager at Wuxtry Records, one of the top indie record stores in the country & the place where R.E.M.'s legend began. As the day only has 24 hours, he quit working on The Bee’s Knees and the publicity firm to focus on HHBTM, experiencing great success for a label with such a DIY scope. But friends in bands and labels kept asking for his help and advice, so Mike decided to get back into the publicity business with Crashing Through. As you can see, a MAN OF MUSIC. Here we go!

Christmas presents, a risky affair... 

1. First record that you bought (be honest)
Well the first record I ever had was actually a cassette and it was a Christmas gift of Duran Duran's 'Rio', but I also received Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' on cassette as well. The first cassette I ever bought might have been Weird Al Yankovic's '3-D' or Devo's 'Freedom of Choice'. I really don't remember which one I got first.

2. First and last concert you have attended (be honest too!)

This is a bit more tricky of a question cause I went to local high school band shows through high school which would be held at practice spaces, abandoned buildings, rented out VFW Halls, etc. The first like, real concert where I had to buy tickets and so on would have been a triple bill of Nirvana, The Breeders, and Come. The most recent show I went to see was one I put on which was Marshmallow Coast, Nightblonde, and Mind Brains.

The Throwing Muses in high school 

3. Guilty pleasure (song/band you shouldn’t like but you do, yes, it’s the embarrassing question)

Not sure I really have one. I used to be super snobby about music, but years of working in a record store did the opposite to me to where now it's all just whatever. I've always had a soft spot of pre-gangster era hip-hop, and to be honest I don't see why everyone is so anti-Phil Collins. I guess if anything I could probably say Vampire Weekend would be a guilty pleasure.

4. Most precious music item you own (collector mode on)

I have a bunch of records, but I'm not really a collector. I guess I have to say the item it took me the longest to find maybe which would be the self-released 7" by Throwing Muses. Took me over 10 years to find a copy, so I guess that would be it.

5. Favorite lyrics (not yours)
Lately, I love these two lines by this band Ought which just makes me laugh:
'Tell me what the weather's like/so I don't have to go outside' and 'Wave your hands in the air/that is the universal sign for not having a care.'

The Godmother of Goth

6.Musician/s you would like to meet (should be alive, for obvious reasons, but you can choose a dead one too)
I never like meeting heroes really. It can always just go wrong so easily. I guess it depends. I've met most of the bands that mean the most to me and 90% of them have been great, but that other 10%... well, I don't go out of my way, is all. I guess I should find an answer though, so let's just say Siouxsie Sioux or Colin Newman.

7. Favorite artwork album (not yours)
Almost anything by V23 or 23 Envelope. Pretty much everything by the Pixies.

'Rat Girl', the muse tells her story

8. Books or movies? Depending on your answer recommend us one (trick: you can choose both) 

Book is easy 'Rat Girl' by Kristin Hersh which might be the best music book ever.
Movie isn't as easy, maybe 'Bling Ring', 'Spring Breakers', anything by Todd Solondz.

9. Release (of yours) you are most proud of
Each record means something different. I really can't choose the one that means the most. I think I might be the most proud of the leap between albums of Tunabunny, yet I'm proud of Eureka California from how they have grown as a touring act and professional band, and the one I am most blown away by is getting to release a record with Throwing Muses, which is one of my favorite bands of all time. Honestly, each record and band means something different, so almost each record I am proud of or have been proud of for different reasons.

10. What does it mean indie for you? (yes, the “serious question”)
I think it means doing things on your own terms without help or money from major labels or the system that supports them.

11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 
Probably looking at a catalog of 300+ releases, still doing the label, and still doing publicity. I might start another label imprint with a focus on packaging or maybe a reissue imprint, but pretty much I'll be 50 and still going to shows, putting on shows, putting out records, designing records, and doing press. I'd like to maybe get more involved doing videos, or possibly sitting in on a recording and producing a record, but for the most part I'll still be doing the same thing more than likely. I'm a lifer.

                                                                                                                                  Zillion thanks Mike!

These Go to 11: Interviewing EardrumsPop

For our third interview, we move from musicians (after Astrid Wiezell, aka Northern Spies, and Vasco Batista, aka Big Summer) to the man who started EardrumsPop.Yes, a personal music hero. These Go to 11!

Knut, EardrumsPop

Knut, indiepop superhero

How many times EardrumsPop has been featured in this blog? Did you know I run a formal petition & campaign to make the label win the Nobel Prize for their contribution to mankind's well-being & good-taste? Any indiepop lover with ears knows that each time this label announces a new EPop release great music is awaiting us. Do you want to know who started the netlabel & still runs it today along Stefan, Tim and Silja? Coming from Norway, our own Batman, making justice for indiepop on the blogosphere, is Knut B. Lindbjør, and here are his answers.
 
1. First record that you bought (be honest)

The first record I bought was actually a cassette tape, and I got it when I bought my first cassette player. The tape has indeed been a very influential one for my taste in music. It was a compilation of new wave bands, and included several songs and bands I have much love for even today. My first vinyl record was probably something by Elvis or Beatles or Kiss. I can't remember it as well as that first cassette tape. My taste in music was as varied then as it is today! In 10 years time, will you be asking people about their first mp3 or the first song they streamed on Spotify? :-)

2. First and last concert you have attended (be honest too!)

I think my first concert was an outdoor one with A-Ha in my hometown of Tromsø, Norway. Me and my friends played in synthpop-bands at the time, and I think all of us only had our eyes on the synth gear of Magne Furuholmen throughout the concert. I remember we were impressed that he seemed to play everything live, and not much seemed to be on sequencers. The last concert was last week, actually. It was an acoustic concert with the Norwegian singer/songwriter Richard Holmsen in Drammen, Norway. A wonderful night! He's good.

Explanation needed Knut!

3. Guilty pleasure (song/band you shouldn’t like but you do, yes, it’s the embarrassing question)

Not embarrassing at all! I have lots of guilty pleasures, and I am proud of them all. My daughter introduces me to all these boybands and hits of today, and I actually like One Direction. They do have some really catchy songs! I am also a part-time hiphop fan, especially when I am out walking. And Elvis is still cool. And Duran Duran and Bananarama and Bronski Beat. I could go on and on and on!

4. Most precious music item you own (collector mode on)
I am not a collector at all, but I think I must say the compilation "Shadow Factory" by Sarah Records, or the early Creation Records compilations "Doing it for the Kids" and "Doing God's Work". The reason is mainly because they had a huge influence on me at the time, and have shaped me musically.

5. Favorite lyrics (not yours)

I would have to say Kraftwerk's "Pocket Calculator" or any of Cocteau Twins' lyrics. :-)

6. Musician/s you would like to meet (should be alive, for obvious reasons, but you can choose a dead one too)
There are not many musicians that I find so interesting that I would like to meet them in person, but I think Kristin Hersh sounds like an interesting person, and maybe I would like to meet Martin Gore as well - but only if he would show me around his studio and let me watch when he makes music.

7. Favorite artwork album (not yours)
It's not easy to pick one. Impossible, I would say, but let's try. It will be "ONE OF my favourite artworks", not "THE favourite artwork". One of the artworks I have dreamt myself into the most, is probably Yo La Tengo's "And then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out". It's beautiful. I usually fall for illustration-kind of cover art, but this one is very special to me. From more modern bands, I really like the artworks on The Leisure Society's releases. The art on Golden Fable's releases are also outstanding.

8. Books or movies? Depending on your answer recommend us one (trick: you can choose both)

Books. Rob Sheffield - "Love Is a Mixtape". 

9. Song (of yours) you are most proud of
I think it has to be the "Between Two Waves" compilation. It became much bigger - and much better - than we dared to hope for. It also means a lot to me, because it was the start of the label as a team-based project, and I started working with people who mean a lot to me today, - Stefan, Tim, Leena and later Silja.

10. What’s does it mean indie for you? (yes, the “serious question”)

I hate serious questions! The word indie does not mean much to me, and I think I mainly use it as a name for a very wide genre. A long time ago, it meant "independent from the major labels", but today, - I don't know. I don't like the mentality that often goes hand in hand with the word indie. "We're indie, and we're so much better than the major-label-shit-bands". I care about good music, not where it has been released. We at EardrumsPop are probably very indie, if you use the word as "independent", but mostly because we can do whatever we want. That has kind of become an internal slogan for us. It's a creative freedom that we really appreciate. We have no deals with anyone, we are not limited by money and we don't have to please anyone other than ourselves. We hope we make a lot of our listeners happy, though!

11. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I am myopic. I can't see that long.

Zillion thanks Knut!

The Indie Anthology 28: essential songs

I'm really enjoying my latest music-related reads. Kristin Hersh's "Rat Girl", "I Was Keith Richard's Drug Dealer" and Dean Wareham's "Black Postcards", which is making me listen again to some forgotten bands. So the next chapter of our Anthology is devoted to them.

Song: Night Nurse
Artist: Dean Wareham & Britta Phillips
Year: 2003

I jumped very late into Dean Wareham's bandwagon. To be honest, wasn't very impressed the first time I listened to Luna and not immediately engaged when a friend told me about Galaxie 500. But it was this dreamy gem taken from the side affair "L'Avventura", a romantic whisper between the then lovers Britta Phillips and Wareham, a modern impersonation of Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra, but playing soft and warm space rock that made realise what I was missing. Then I turned back to Luna and to found out a very special band, floating music where almost every note sounds true. Looking forward to do the same with Galaxie 500.