L.A. RECORD » robyn hitchcock

It’s All For You, Tube: JOE ALBANESE of JOHN CARPENTER

Daiana Feuer — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:10:44 +0000

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NlMTaI5FIY

John Carpenter‘s drummer extraordinaire Joe Albanese happens to be a Youtube connoisseur and general master of music entertainment. He can engage a group of people for days on Facebook in a race to name bands with the word “black” in the their names. Today he sent over a link to the video seen above, “Old Electro Boogie,” a gem, inspiring us to launch the new L.A. RECORD weekly blog column today: IT’S ALL FOR YOU, TUBE will feature a Youtube Mixtape contribution from someone really cool who is, like, in a band or something cool. For your ocular pleasure and mind experience.

We’d also like to introduce a new term into the English language. L.A. Record thanks Eli Stonberg for coining the official term, “mixtube,” a mixtape made of Youtube.

Joe Albanese’ mixtube even has a title. It’s called FROZEN WARNINGS.

John Cale -- Frozen Warnings

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFgqEb6v6Ow

Nico -- 60/40

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ccu4EHwBdHE

Pentangle -- Lyke Wake Dirge

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNFoi2Lt_zk

Nick Drake -- River Man

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sftEYVYEoew

Peter Hammill -- Candle

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE46D2e4BpE

Conway Twitty -- Big Town

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjvfgFYPOIU

Roxy Music -- For Your Pleasure

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS_NRR86Qnw

Robyn Hitchcock -- I Often Dream Of Trains

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAbO87zDqx0

Johnny Thunders -- Sad Vacation Paradiso, Amsterdam 10 Nov. 1985

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkripMvBTkc

The Teardrop Explodes -- The Great Dominions

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAGBV1WaQtQ

Françoise Hardy -- Viens

www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7vX3s9Kd3I

Duke Ellington -- Fleurette Africaine

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pJlmFyaLCk

James Carr -- At The Dark End Of The Street

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzcdNwIkmYA

Earl Gains -- The Best Of Luck To You

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtlWrORwEoI

The Dixie Hummingbirds -- Your Good Deeds

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOgN_KmERY0

Gil Evans -- Las Vegas Tango

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrr9YPYJONo

Dusty Springfield -- Summer Is Over

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEy3fhrDYNY

David McCallum -- The Edge

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pG_3jZxzlo

Popol Vuh -- Letzte Tage, Letzte Nachte

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AAG4M6Yz_4

Charlie Rich -- Life Has Its Little Ups And Downs.wmv

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Azui-cs9DQ

Parliament -- The Silent Boatman

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CK8KPh167g

Check out more of Joe’s mixtubes

ROBYN HITCHCOCK @ SPACELAND

lar_import — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:59:14 +0000

Eros was much on Robyn’s mind and thighs this evening as he frooged and prophesied with his folk-rock supergroup the Venus 3: Peter Buck of R.E.M. on 6- and 12-string Rickenbacker, furry-hatted Scott McCaughey (pronounced like “McCoy”) of Young Fresh Fellows on bass and vocals and William “fucking” Rieflin of Ministry on drums—who also play together in the Minus 5 and in R.E.M.’s touring band. The opening mind-raid of “I Often Dream of Trains,” “Kingdom of Love,” and “Brenda’s Iron Sledge” ate each individual member of the Incredible String Band for late supper before feasting on the audience’s hopes and dreams and burglarizing their emotions in a venereal insect frenzy. I mean it was good. The lucky customers were treated to “Television” with Robyn’s comrades Gillian Welch and David Rawlings sitting in and Rieflin joining the others (except Buck, who does not sing) on harmony—which I mention because I did not know Rieflin sang; and then the happy patrons delighted in the gorgeous tonalities of hits old and new: “Airscape,” “I’m Falling,” “Up To Our Nex,” “Madonna of the Wasps,” though I was too busy enjoying myself to keep track of the set list. Hitchcock’s singing voice is in top form and his distinctive instrumental voice cooks food; there are echoes of Robby Krieger and Richard Thompson in his guitar style, but it would be hard to mistake a Robyn Hitchcock guitar part for anyone else’s if you ever got to hear him on the radio. During one song I did not recognize, Hitchcock took a wild fuzztone solo while still singing the lead melody, which is not a thing people can just do. Rieflin delivered a brief studious lecture about how to make a proper studio recording as human hands grew from spectators’ eyeballs and undid the Gordian knot that binds commerce and music in our post-industrial society. Welch and Rawlings returned for the encores, “Queen Elvis” from Hitchcock’s masterpiece Eye, and the Soft Boys’ “I Wanna Destroy You.” One of the great rock performances of all time. Adroitly opened by Parson Red Heads, who remind me favorably of Teenage Fanclub and have sweet vocal harmonies and a steel guitarist. This seems like a good opportunity to say that Hitchcock’s Groovy Decay, which I once derided in print as “unlistenable,” now strikes me as a really good album that ought to be reissued in an expensive sleeve.

—Oliver Hall

THE SADIES: YOU’RE BRINGING OUT THE BADASS IN ME

lar_import — Mon, 25 May 2009 05:34:29 +0000

amy hagemeier

Stream: The Sadies “Stop The World And Let Me Off” (with John Doe)

(from Country Club out now on Yep Roc)

The Sadies are Canada’s magnificent responding echo to California country and just finished a set of shows with Black Mountain. Their new album (featuring John Doe, one in a long line of Sadies collaborators also including Andre Williams, Robyn Hitchcock and Jon Langford) is out now on Yep Roc and drummer Mike Belitsky speaks now before the van goes tearing away southward. This interview by Chris Ziegler.

Why do people call you ‘Snake’?
Mike Belitsky (drums): It’s kind of really not as tough as it sounds. I don’t know if you ever saw that movie Escape From New York—Snake Plissken is in that movie and I moved to Toronto from New York and the Sadies’ road manager was like, “What’s his last name—Plissken?” Because my name is Belitsky—he’s like, “Plissken from New York? Snake Plissken!” So they started calling me ‘Snake.’
I’m glad it didn’t have anything to do with human anatomy.
No. Well, I mean—that’s a story for another magazine.
Do you still have the same ‘64 Ludwig kit that you used to sleep inside the kick drum?
I do still have it. I practice on it and I keep it in my basement now.
What kind of dreams did you have when you were inside? Was it like a return to the womb?
Pretty much. I think I did it mostly because I was so psyched. It was a bit of a Christmas morning kind of thing—I didn’t get ‘em for Christmas but it was like that to wake up and be so excited that I had something new and I wouldn’t even have to go downstairs. They were just right there—my head was inside of them.
From ‘Snake’ to ‘sweet’ in like two seconds. How many times have you thrown up on your own drum set?
Once. Have you heard about this? Is that why you’re asking? It was some food poisoning, I was feeling really sick and it was opening up for Whiskey Town when we played as Neko Case’s band. They were psyched. It was my kit, not his, and I was just thinking, ‘If I can just get through this set, I can go back to the hotel and crash out.’ But I couldn’t make it to the end of the set. I counted in the first song and right on the one I threw up.
But you came in on the one?
I still came in on the one—I just came in with some extra vomit.
Have you ever broken two laws at one time?
I have and I got arrested for it.
Did they charge you for both of them or did they give you a break?
No, just one of them. That’s the problem—if you do two you’re going to get caught for doing one of them. Stick to one and you’re doing alright.
What is the most number of laws you broke at one time?
You know, probably no more than three at once—but none of them were anything crazy. Like breaking and entering or drinking underage, that’s the worst I ever did—and the breaking and entering was in an empty warehouse. I mean, you have to drink somewhere when you’re 16.
You’re really growing into the ‘Snake’ nickname as the interview progresses.
Hey, man, you’re bringing out the badass in me—asking me about my criminal record.
Have you ever visited the Sudbury Nickel in person?
I have. It’s big. It’s like five stories high. It was funny because I drove through there a bunch of times before I ever saw it so I was kind of excited. Humbling? No, not so much but definitely a bit of a closure of a chapter. I’ve always wanted to see it and I saw it so now I can move on. I can move on to giant dinosaurs in the Midwest.
What’s the next landmark you’ve got to cross off on the list?
I kind of want to see the Chrysler building in New York. I also want to go to Madison Square Garden. I saw the Stray Cats there but I don’t remember it. It was just really dark. I want to go to a sporting event there.
Hockey, by chance?
Yeah, I’d love to go see hockey there.
I found a quote by [guitarist] Travis [Good] where he says during all the lifetime of the band you guys have just kept speeding up. Is that true? How does that weigh on you since you have to be the guy to put the speed in it?
It’s kind of true. I’m conscious of it—I remember shortly after I’d moved to Toronto to join the band, I realized how fast and good of guitar players those two guys were and at the same time I had injured my wrist—so in order to get through rehabbing, it made me focus on rudiments and by focusing on rudiments I was able to increase the speed at which I was able to play. I was very conscious of not wanting to be the reason why we were playing the songs slower.
What are you guys playing in the set right now? Everything?
We do a pretty wide variety of our recorded repertoire. I don’t think there’s any record that we don’t do at least one or two songs from. Naturally it’s a little bit more leaning towards our newer releases but there are some staples that haven’t ever gone away. There’s stuff for everyone. There’s been a pretty big style change from record one to now and if you like one kind you wont be left in the woods not hearing that type of music.
If anybody shouts out for Pink Floyd are you going to play it?
Maybe. We do a couple of numbers by them. We do ‘Astronomy Domine’ and ‘Lucifer Sam,’ but yeah—we love that Piper At the Gates of Dawn record.
Of all the folks—like John Doe, Jon Langford, and Robyn Hitchcock—who have crossed paths with you, what sort of wisdom have they passed along?
I don’t think anything like word-wise, but the one thing that I find to be the most recurring quality in all those people is that they are really on the level. And if it’s not going how they want, they will speak their mind and not try to pull a fast one on anybody.
So what’s the lesson there? ‘Don’t fuck around’?
Yeah, that’s pretty good. You know—just be really upfront with people whether it’s about business or music. Unfortunately it’s a music business and that can be alienating to people in partnerships and it’s really important to be upfront and on the level about not only making the music but also the other side of it, too.
Is it true you guys all have your own separate iPods in the van?
We don’t really do a communal listen—we tend to keep it kind of individual. Every now and then somebody will hook their iPod up to the main stereo and share. The bands that we probably agree on are the Ramones, AC/DC, the Byrds, Love, Johnny Cash. Then there’s stuff I like that nobody wants to hear. I really like that AM ‘70s pop. Yacht rock seems more like Kenny Loggins and Messina and shit like that. I never really liked that too much. I’m more kind of like Poco-y stuff.
What is your most beloved California record?
I really like Forever Changes by Love—I think that was probably recorded in California. Dallas turned me on to that record and I really like it a lot. I don’t know if it’s my all time favorite, but that’s the one I’m listening to the most from California.
If you only have five minutes to make a good impression on Andre Williams, what’s a good way to get him going?
He really likes talking about women, for sure.
Any specific aspect of femininity?
I think he doesn’t discern. He likes all parts and anything that is woman. But he’s a great guy—I really love the guy. From the time that I spent with him there is not a day that goes by where somehow I don’t reference him or something he said.
What is the latest that you’ve ever stayed up with him?
All night. We were on a tour bus together, so that sometimes just happens. You get on a schedule where you’re working at night and you wind down after the show and everybody is just there. We had some great all-night bull sessions and he’s a great guy.
What’s it like to watch the sunrise with Andre Williams?
It’s incredible. I loved it. He’s really, really special. I think it might even be on videotape somewhere too. And it was in Sweden to top it all off, so that’s pretty neat.
How much of your wardrobe has rhinestones on it?
I don’t think anything, me personally. I’ve got some fancy snaps though—they kind of look like jelly beans.

THE SADIES ON TUE., MAY 26, AT SPACELAND, 1717 SILVERLAKE BLVD., SILVERLAKE. 8:30PM / $10-$12 / 21+. CLUBSPACELAND.COM. THE SADIES’ COUNTRY CLUB (WITH JOHN DOE) IS OUT NOW ON YEP ROC. VISIT THE SADIES AT THESADIES.NET OR MYSPACE.COM/THESADIES.

FRI., APR. 11: NICK LOWE / ROBYN HITCHCOCK @ THE EL REY

lar_import — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 22:10:25 +0000

An evening with two of the 70s and 80s greatest underground songwriters (though it’s hard to say Nick Lowe is underground when I hear one of his songs is going to be used in the new Ant Bully movie) seemed like a crime to miss. But it turned out my expectations got the best of me. When I arrived, Robyn Hitchcock was already on the stage performing his 1988 hit “Balloon Man.” The former leader of the influential 70s punk band the Soft Boys, Hitchcock stood alone with an acoustic guitar, seeming just as natural up there as he did with his full band past, offering explanations of his songs and little jokes about Cockney accents and Elton John. When Nick Lowe took the stage, also only with an acoustic guitar, I must admit my hopes were pretty high. I want to say I was disappointed, but that might be a little extreme. After the recent re-release of Pure Pop for Now People I was hoping that Lowe was going to dig deep into his back catalogue and play some of his classic cuts like “So It Goes,” “Switchboard Susan,” and “Teacher Teacher.” Instead he played mostly newer material promoting his new album At My Age (accidentally calling it My Aim Is True), though he did play “What’s So Funny About Peace, Love, and Understanding,” “Cruel to Be Kind,” and the more recent “Beast In Me.” The set was quite long and the most interesting part of it was a drunken man in the front row spitting ice on people and falling on himself. After Lowe’s set both men took the stage together to do a couple of covers, including Buddy Holly’s “Peggy Sue,” in which Hitchcock sang lead. Even the duet didn’t hold up to the drunken man.

— Daniel Clodfelter

When I heard that Robyn Hitchcock was coming back to town as co-headliner with Nick Lowe at the El Rey, the first thing I did was cash in on my fabulous L.A. RECORD connections to score tickets. The second thing I did was miss his entire set. I arrived at 10 pm, which on a Friday night by L.A. standards is pretty damn prompt, to find that not only had Robyn come and gone, but I’d already even missed Nick Lowe’s first couple of tunes. Not being all that familiar with Lowe’s stuff–except of course for his standards “Cruel to Be Kind” and “(What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding”–I disappointedly resigned myself to sit through his set and try to enjoy myself. After listening to him play a couple of tunes of just him and acoustic guitar, I was sure that was not going to happen. But as the evening wore on, I found myself increasingly entranced by the 50-something Englishman’s simple yet heartfelt melodies and story-like lyrics of life and love. Though sponsored by Indie 103, it felt like more of a KCRW crowd, the audience comprising faux-hipsters in their late twenties who allowed their parents to tag along, all singing to every song, completely enamored with Lowe. The highlight for me was the encore, when both Lowe and Hitchcock took the stage together and performed a number of surprising old covers, including the little-known 1963 tune “Hungry For Love” by Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, “Peggy Sue” by Buddy Holly” and the Beatles’ “If I Fell.”

— Lovely Linda