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WORDS FOR TWO: An interview with BEN CHASNY [Six Organs of Admittance]

April 7, 2011 in Interviews, Music

Under the pseudonym of “Six Organs of Admittance“, Ben Chasny has carved out an impressive niche for himself as one of the most versatile guitarists of the last decade.  Carrying a torch lit by innovators like Bert Jansch, Masaki Batoh (Ghost), and Robbie Basho, Chasny’s dense, varied style of playing has consistently defied easy classification. In recent years, Ben has somehow found the time to work on collective ventures like Comets on Fire, Badgerlore, and Rangda (with Sir Richard Bishop), among many others.  As these collaborative projects have come and gone, it’s become increasingly clear that Chasny’s solo work remains the centerpiece of his musical pursuits.

This February saw the release of Asleep on the Floodplain, the thirteenth album for Six Organs of Admittance and, quite possibly, the finest under the moniker to date.  For Chasny, this latest effort marks a return to home recording and to songs focused on the acoustic guitar.  In part, the release is a meditation on the light, deserts, and water of the musician’s childhood; a time spent in Elk River, CA.  Delicate and melodic songs like “Hold But Let Go” and “Light of the Light” are woven between fuzzed-out tracks like “Brilliant Blue Sea Between Us” and “S/Word and Leviathan.”  Asleep on the Floodplain is representative of what Chasny does best: capturing a balance between melody and dissonance that is akin to no other.

With a handful of shows in the works, Ben Chasny took some time out of his schedule to discuss his latest release, his creation process, and the inspirations that have fueled them.

- R. Leuzinger Read the rest of this entry →

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EnvyはＥｎｖｙ: Interview with ENVY guitarist/songwriter NOBUKATA KAWAI

March 23, 2011 in Interviews, Music, Notes From Japan, With Video

It was a hot day for November and it was the time of year when hotter than average days felt good.  At about 4pm, I was scheduled to interview Tetsu Fukagawa, the lead vocalist of the hardcore group, Envy, at Club Upset in Nagoya, Japan, a city of over two million people.

To get to the club from Nagoya Station, one has to take the subway to a little station called Ikeshita station.  Ikeshita station is a small subway station that contains a large bus station.  That day, it looked kind of dumpy, littered with cigarettes, Styrofoam noodle cups, and rustling brown leaves.  Pigeons waddled freely across the bricks, feeding on random morsels of refuse.  There is a large mural that is visible upon exiting the subway gates.  It is a highly textured, black and brown piece that appears to depict two long-necked birds facing each other.

I walked around the surrounding area looking for the club.  During my walk, I saw many cheap restaurants selling low quality chicken and cheap beer.  There was also an abundance of adult video arcades and openly publicized brothels. Suited men stood in front of the walls, which were plastered with large numbered photos of the young women working.  The defining features of the women’s faces were blurred out.

I eventually found Club Upset, which was located upstairs in a brick building, five floors above a pizza kitchen.  Once inside the door I came to a small lobby.  The walls were plastered with posters of shows past; almost exclusively Japanese acts.  There was also a small ticket booth, but nobody was in it, so I opened the thick black door opposite the unmanned station.  There was a small hallway that led to another thick black door; a sound proofing technique used by smaller clubs in Japan to avoid noise complaints.

The club was of modest size with a two-level, black and blue checkered board.  Envy’s two guitar players were on stage with their instruments.  The people in the room were surprised to see me and nobody seemed to know what I was talking about when I said that I was there for an interview.  Finally, after some discussion amongst various folks, the singer, Tetsu came out and said, “Hey.”  Then, in Japanese, he explained that he had to do a soundcheck, which might take about an hour, but that I could watch if I wanted, so that’s what I did. Read the rest of this entry →

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SERGE AHEAD: An interview with San Francisco Artist, SERGE GAY JR.

March 8, 2011 in art, Interviews, With Video

I was first introduced to the work of Serge Gay Jr. by Dead C, when he shot me a link to the Monster Fresh preview for Spoke Art’s “Bad Dads” exhibit in San Francisco last October.  Serge had contributed to the Wes Anderson-themed group show and, after being immediately struck by his work, I decided to start digging a little deeper.  What I discovered was that artists like Serge are embarrassingly rare for two reasons:

1) He’s an African American artist on the brink of serious success, and…

2) He’s broaching stardom for his talents in more than one medium.

Not many people will argue with the fact that the newer outcrops of pop art, pop surrealism, and the like, have proven themselves to be more inclusive and accessible to artists of color than average.  At first glance, there is little doubt that there is a strong mix of major contributors to the scene, from various cultural backgrounds.  That being said, it seems odd that there aren’t more African American figures; a contradiction that I cannot make sense of.   Serge Gay is submitting his art and introducing himself later; allowing his work to speak for itself. His appearances in the “Bad Dads” exhibit and the upcoming “Quentin vs Coen” group show at the Bold Hype in NY (also presented by Spokeart) could be marking a shift in this traditionally insular art universe.  Serge could very well be helping to pave a new path for other young talented artists; as one can only hope.

Serge Gay Jr. is a versatile artist whose mastery of color and form, along with lush sceneries, creates a visual treat for the viewer.  He is skilled at adapting to various concepts while sticking with his signature style, often blending the figurative and the surreal with stunning technical acuity.  Of his paintings, my personal favorites are the ones like “Catching Haiti’s Beauty” or “City of New Kids in Town” where he is able to create colorful new worlds.  By providing a note of social commentary, these pieces and others become even more aesthetically complex and engrossing.  In short, the man has skills!   He’s a unique artist who is blazing a trail through the, sometimes, prickly art-world both in his hometown of San Francisco and beyond. When I see artists like this, who fearlessly showcases their talent with such grace and energy, I become freakishly hopeful that the art bubble might be eroding and that new artists might even find inspiration through such a rising star. Read the rest of this entry →

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Interview with THE GOOD ONES Producer, IAN BRENNAN

February 17, 2011 in Global Destruction, Interviews, Music, Politics, With Video

When we mention “two-time award nominated producer, Ian Brennan,” a good percentage of mainstream America would likely assume that we were referring to the creator of the FOX network’s musical sitcom, GLEE.  We aren’t.  Although his work may be less recognizable among the soccer mom and mall-frequenting tween sets,  the Bay Area producer/musician/writer/indie-promoter is, arguably, much more prolific than his prime-time Hollywood namesake.  [Please note that this is not a claim that Brennan is likely to make himself or one that he is even likely to concern himself with.]

Through various successful ventures, Ian has consistently proven himself a modern day Renaissance man, drawn to any project or cause that he finds substance in and feels that he has the ability to be beneficial towards.  Besides working on his own music, Brennan produced the debut release from Rain Machine (aka: Kyp Malone from TV on the Radio) in 2009, and has received Grammy nominations for his work on albums for both Rambling Jack Elliot [I Stand Alone -2006] and Peter Case [Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John - 2007].  He’s been a highly successful concert promoter- raising over $100,000 in charity funding from benefit shows- and booked the music for the free “Food Not Bombs” 20th anniversary show (feat. Fugazi and Sleater Kinney).  Over the last 17 plus years, he has worked as an expert on the subjects of violence prevention, anger management, and conflict resolution (both as a published author and lecturer) and, in 2008, created San Francisco‘s Sidewalk Homeless Memorial, raising awareness for the numerous casualties that annually befall individuals who are living on the streets.  Brennan has worked in public radio, written a music column, directed a weekly public-access TV show, and even created the original “Boxing Bush” online video game, after unsuccessfully extending a challenge to the former U.S. President to compete against him in an 8-round charity boxing match.  For his latest project/labor of love, the Bay Area-native has focused his sights overseas and unearthed the soulful music of a relatively unknown Rwandan trio known as The Good Ones.  At a time when bad musical theater renditions of 80s covers by Twenty-something actors posing as precocious teens are being credited with breaking Billboard Top 100 records held by the likes of The Beatles (who they cover!), James Brown, and Elvis, music this unpretentious, pure, and untainted by over the top marketing gimmicks is more essential than ever. Read the rest of this entry →

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NOBODY GIVES A SHIT: An Interview with The Gaslamp Killer

October 29, 2010 in Interviews, Music, Technology

William Bensussen (aka “The Gaslamp Killer”) has been tearing up stages and DJ booths since he was 17, infiltrating and wrecking the, otherwise, fairly orthodox “dance club” scene of San Diego‘s Gaslamp district.  In 2006, he relocated to Los Angeles and helped found the Low End Theory weekly that now serves as the epicenter for U.S.-based experimental beats.  Generously borrowing from a wide range of genres, GLK blends hip-hop, dubstep, jazz, and just about anything else into high-energy, schizophrenic sets characterized by fast cuts, chest-crushing bass, and gritty top-shelf beats.   Although mostly known for his DJ sets and mixes, Bensussen has also dabbled in production, collaborating with label-mates Flying Lotus and Daedelus in the past, and, more recently, with Gonjasufi on the critically acclaimed A Sufi And A Killer.   His most recent project, the Death Gate EP, just came out on Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder label this past month, and blends deep bass lines with dirty analog drums patterns, twisted ethnic samples, and dreamy, distorted synth lines.  The album includes guest appearances by Gonjasufi, San Francisco-based DJ/producer Mophono, and LA keyboard wiz Computer Jay.

I sat down with The Gaslamp Killer before the “Magical Properties” show at 103 Harriet in San Francisco on October 15th.  The tour featured other Brainfeeder/LA acts such as IDM pioneer Daedelus, dubstep producer/DJ 12th Planet, and Brainfeeder newcomer Teebs.  The lineup encompasses much of what is so exciting about the LA scene- off-kilter beats, powerful bass, record-crate samples, and plenty of weirdness.

- Davis Memes

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“I INTERVIEWED NEIL HAMBURGER”- a comic strip/tragedy by Ben Parrish

September 18, 2010 in art, Comedy, Interviews, Music

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