This just in from Houston’s own Southern Backtones:

Please come celebrate our CD Release party/Halloween Bash with Drop Trio and Tody Castillo at the Continental Club (Main near W. Alabama) this Saturday, October 30th.

Hey, the time change means there will be more time for music.

Dan Workman, producer of the band’s new album, said of the Backtones’ new release: “…By embracing Brit-pop and psychedelia, the Southern Backtones search for darker, more bohemian influences.”

This is going to be a great show. Seriously. You definitely need to come out and support these great local acts.

Drop Trio‘s new CD, Leap, was released last weekend. It’s an amazing improv recording–you have to hear it to believe it. Tody Castillo’s CD should be out sometime soon. More info on that as I get it.

And if you haven’t read it yet, the latest issue of Houston Press has an article on “blogging” that briefly mentions Houston Calling. It’s positive press, so that’s good.

In case you’re too lazy to click, here’s what the article had to say:

But there are also some more structured, focused local blogs. “Houston Calling,” for example, is about on the music scene here. It lists upcoming shows and includes entries in the journalistic “ten questions” format; the guy who runs it, David Cobb (a Houston Press contributor), has interviewed Tom Foolery and the Mistakes, Stiff Little Fingers and the Methods.

I’ll forgive the typo–happens to the best of us.

Now Playing in My iPod: Silver Sunshine — [self-titled]

This Friday night, October 29th, local musician Jeff Greer is hosting his CD release party at Under the Volcano (near Rice Village on Bissonnet).

Jeff’s music has been compared to Devo, Violent Femmes, and other respected musicians. I recently contacted Jeff with questions about his music and his new album, Big Six Consultant. Enjoy.

Ten Questions for Jeff Greer

HC: How did you get started making music? You were active in the Austin music scene during the 80’s, right?

Jeff: I think I’ve always written. I remember being a kid and doing something rhythmic like mowing the yard, and I’d be writing songs in my head. Actually learning to play was another story. I started taking guitar lessons at about 8, but quit shortly after they taught me how to strum a C chord and play “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Boring! Started taking guitar again when I turned about 15. The drummer who taught me was doing it on the side to help pay his rent. I pretty much learned what he knew, and that’s still about all I know.

As for the Austin thing, I lived in Austin from 1997 to 1999, working on my MBA. At the UT MBA school (it wasn’t Red McCombs School of Business until after I left), there was a tradition that each class put together a band. Our class went a little overboard; we started an awful 80’s cover band. We called ourselves Six Figures, and we played places like the Copper Tank, Maggie Mae’s, and Bob Popular’s. It was fun, and I learned a lot from playing with those folks, even though it was just for fun. I’ve gotten a bit more serious since then, doing a stint as a deejay at KTRU and recording the album.

HC: I read comparisons to Devo, Violent Femmes, Willie Nelson, and other respected musicians. What do consider to be your musical influences?

Jeff: To some extent, everything I’ve ever heard…I love Willie Nelson, and I love Devo. I’m a first generation suburbia Texas boy, raised with KIKK and MTV, and so that makes sense to me. I like the Femmes, too. In Austin, I used to sing “Blister in the Sun.” I sang that and one of my own. I couldn’t sing much else because, truth be told, I couldn’t carry a tune if I had it in a bucket.

Other faves: the Judy’s, Ramones, Go-Gos, and Japanic. I was much saddened when Japanic broke up.

HC: What can you tell me about your new album, Big Six Consultant? Where was it recorded? Who produced it? etc.

Jeff: The album was recorded at Greer Ranch Studios. (Yeah, that means my spare bedroom.) All of it was done in Sonar. I did all the writing, performing (except for some pre-recorded loops), recording, mixing, etc. I had it pressed at Oasis CD.

HC: What do you think of the music scene in Houston? How would you improve it?

Jeff: There are a lot of talented folks running around Houston, but I think they have a hard time finding each other and finding a fan base. Houston’s spread out; that’s just the way it is. We don’t have a 6th Street. There are lots of venues, publications, deejays, etc. that do their best to get the word out, but, to some extent, only really devoted fans are listening. “Normal” folks might go listen to an original blues band or something in Austin, but they’re just as entertained listening to some cover band play “Brown Eyed Girl” at Outback Pub.

I’m not sure I know how to fix it. I don’t think we’re gonna talk the owners of Fitzgerald’s, Rudz, the Engine Room, Sidecar, etc. to all relocate to the same street…

HC: How would best describe your music to someone who’s never heard it before?

Jeff: Good songs that are all over the place. Country, punk, wave, whatever. To me, it’s all about writing good songs. I don’t care about genre or image. Video may have killed the radio star, but the micro indies survive.

HC: What’s your take on the state of the music industry? Are you for or against the MP3 “revolution”? How are you using the internet as a tool to market yourself and your album?

Jeff: I think the big record companies were slow to respond to technology, and I was pretty amazed when they were able to cram the genie back in the bottle. I thought Napster had just changed the world. I tend to not like the way big record companies treat artists, so I was actually ok with seeing them go. I figured that everybody would be recording at home and distributing on the Internet in a few years, anyway…It seems to me that the best music is going to get made because it’s created by people that are driven to make it. It shouldn’t be about the money. I mean, I think it’s great that there are people that can make a living doing music, but it’s certainly nothing I ever really thought was possible for me. I do this ‘cuz it makes me happy.

As for using the Internet as a tool, I’m following the MC Frontalot (www.frontalot.com) model. Give away the MP3s, and then beg for folks to buy the album. If they like it well enough to buy it, I’m flattered. If not, it didn’t cost me anything to share it out. If I hadn’t wanted to mail CDs out to non-commercial radio, I may not have even pressed CDs. I wanted to do that, though. (And I will. Eventually. Right now, I have 2000 CDs stacked in my bedroom, waiting on me to save up enough for postage…)

HC: What is the one description that you hate to hear about your music?

Jeff: I don’t know that I have one. Folks are gonna like what the like. “Trite” stings a bit, though.

HC: If you could have any band cover one of your songs, what song would it be and what band?

Jeff: I’d like to hear somebody cover “There Was a Time.” I love that song, and I’m not real thrilled with my recording of it. I kinda had Jim Reeves/Patsy Cline in mind when I wrote it, so I’d love to hear, like, Leann Rimes or Kelly Clarkson sing it. Maybe Harry Connick, Jr. on keys…I’d also like to hear Willie or Bruce Robison or Robert Earl Keen record any of my songs. It’s actually one of my goals in life to get drunk and sit around playing guitar with Willie one of these days. You gotta dream, right?

HC: What’s with the photo on Texas music website?

Jeff: They wanted a photo to list the album, and I was too lazy to go take a pretty one. That’s just a candid shot that happened to be on my hard drive at the time…

HC: What is in your CD player right now?

Jeff: I’ve been listening to a Lookout! Records sampler. My CD changer in the car is currently stocked with an NIV Bible. I’ve also been checking out Li’l Bit and the Customatics, and Megan Slankard, who I learned about, like the rest of the world, on What Not to Wear. I also try to check out stuff I haven’t heard, so I listen to a lot of KTRU and KPFT. Jeffrey Thames’ Sound Awake show on 90.1 is a real treat, and I’m not just saying that because he played me…

Thanks to Jeff Greer for taking the time to answer questions for Houston Calling. Be sure to check his album out. Visit his website here.

One more thing: I’ll be posting about this more in the future, but Speakeasy–a relatively new club on the edge of downtown (Main Street near the Spaghetti Warehouse)–plays hosts to a lot of local bands. Thursday night is open mic night, and should prove to be a good location to catch up-and-coming Houston musicians. Definitely check it out.

Now Playing in My iPod: Moron Parade — Dark Nights, Knife City

Drop Trio will perform at Cactus Music and Video (S. Shepherd @ W. Alabama) today at noon. Their new CD, Leap, will be available.

The band will host its CD release party tonight at Last Concert Cafe. Vibe Committee opens the show. Showtime is 9 p.m. Cover is $7.

Now Playing in My iPod: Charles Mingus — The Jazz Experiments of…

I recently discovered a good musician from New Jersey that goes by the moniker Lanky. His latest CD, Last Chance For A First Impression, contains songs recorded at shows during a tour of the U.S. the songs on this album are acoustic, stripped-down, but not powerless. Each song is a testament to Lanky’s songwriting skill. You should definitely check it out.

Lanky will be in Houston this Friday, performing at Helio’s (on Westheimer). Be sure to make plans to come out and show your support. I recently asked Lanky some questions for Houston Calling. Enjoy.

Ten Questions for Lanky

HC: How did you get started playing music?

Lanky: Well, my cousin turned me on to KISS records when I was a little kid. He sat me down in front of his record player, cranked up KISS ALIVE, let me stare in awe at the album jacket and told me stories about the live concert. I believe that was where it all started.

I ran around the house doing my best air guitar moves and then a few years later I guess I decieded it was time to learn it for real.

HC: With any singer/songwriter, comparisons are pretty much inevitable. I’ll let you take the reins on this one. What do YOU consider to be your musical influences?

Lanky: The list is really long, but at a time when I was really getting my writing skills down, Francis Dunnery and Peter Holsapple come to mind. Though, the biggest and most profound I think would have to be the Indigo Girls. I wore out a lot of their recordings. And I think that was at a time when I wanted to dig in lyrically and they were writing very honest words, coupled with great melody and harmony and a great deal of cool instrumental color and counterpoint.

HC: What prompted you to release a live album? It was recorded in various cities in the U.S.–where are your favorite places to play?

The live cd was a way to keep traveling, revisting a lot of places more quickly then I would have if I waited for the next “studio” cd to be released. And I uess writing songs and performing music is really about just that, getting out and ding it. I get a bit restless at home. I think I’m inspired by connecting with people, realizing that we’re all in this boat together. By that I mean, as different as we are, we go through a lot of the same shit as people.

Also, it’s really a snapshot of the year of promoting INNER ONWRITER. And I wanted to have something that represented how I was touring, solo acoustic. To show the stripped down Lanky style. I didn’t feel comfortable releasing songs from the first cd again. So I went this way. I’m a songwriter, I like to present new songs.

HC: What’s your take on the state of the music industry? Are you for or against the MP3 “revolution”? I notice that you’re pretty active with your website. Do you feel the internet is an important tool to market music?

Lanky: The internet has made my life much easier. I can find things in a instant. So I would think people can find me and my songs much easier. I like the idea of being connected. I like being able to get a song. I am concerned about how that affects income, but it doesn’t affect how I embrace the technology.

It’s funny because the people making lots of money fear it and those of us still struggling embrace it. I would like to think there will come a happy medium. But such matters really point to the growing difference between “haves” and “have nots.” I think it also points to the lack of understanding or appreciation of art and artists. Kids are learning that music should be free, their school music programs are cut. They don’t get to know the work and skill and devotion to making music and the true gifts that some artists possess.

Arresting people isn’t the answer, putting FBI warnings on cds isn’t the answer. Education is always better than fear. Their are just too many people in powerful positions that are scared right now. A system will emerge and we’ll all go, “Shit, I should of thought of that.”

HC: Coming from New Jersey, do you feel influenced by your surroundings? How do you approach the songwriting process?

Lanky: I’m definitely influenced by my surroundings, I’m not sure what is the NJ influence. Probably a lot more rejection, more often. It’s tough to come up in the NYC metro area. Lots of apathetic people, lots of musicians, lots of crazy kinds of music, every act comes through town. It’s hard to make a mark, hard to get people to notice. I guess it makes you tough. Or sound like a complainer, like now!

As far as songwriting, I just wait for the spirit to move me nowadays. I have a good sense now when a song is coming. When it does, I just try to get out of the way, let it flow. From there, I edit and refine. A few don’t need it, and those are the real honest, magical ones. Those are the ones that keep me writing.

HC: You cover U2’s “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” on Last Chance For A First Impression. If you could have any band or musician cover one of your songs, what song would it be and what band or musician?

Lanky: Tough question. I think I’d like to hear Elvis Costello sing “Careless.”

HC: What is the one description that you hate to hear about your music?

Lanky: Singer/songwriter.

HC: Last Chance For A First Impression is a great title, in my opinion. Any deeper meaning you’d like to explain about it?

Lanky: Very tongue-in-cheek. I’m glad you got it. I mean do we really get another chance for a first impression? But to that point I guess it grabbed me because I was presenting another side of me. Most people who see me live, see me with just a guitar but INNER ONWRITER is full-on production. So I was having a second chance to introduce myself. If you hear the CD first and then see me live or vice versa. I’m kind of two different acts in that way.

HC: What’s next for Lanky? More touring? Another full-length next year?

Yes and yes. I’m doing more shows with a band. I should have a few players with me at Helios. It’s the “rocked out” Lanky. It’s good fun. I will do a few songs solo as well. I’m really enjoying having the ability to do both. It’s keeping me on my toes.

HC: What is in your CD player right now?

Lanky: David Mead’s Indiana has been hauting me for months. I’m in Austin now and a beautiful girl is playing me Bjork’s new one, a Postal Service CD, Joe Henry, Ryan Adams, and Stevie Wonder. So, needless to say, I’m in good spirits.

Special thanks to Lanky for taking time out to asnwer a few questions for the site and thanks to Megan for setting it all up.

Be sure to come check out Lanky in Houston this Friday night (October 22, 2004) at Helio’s on Westheimer. It’s sure to be a good show. For more information on Lanky or to purchase his music, visite his website at www.lankymusic.com.

Please remember that the Drop Trio CD release party for their new improv recording, Leap, is Saturday night (October 23rd). The band will also play an in-store at Catcus Music and Video (on Shepherd) at noon on Saturday. See you there!

Now Playing in My iPod: Pink Floyd — Meddle

I recently wasted half an hour of my life. In a moment of weakness, I decided to check out Launch to watch a few videos. I cut my ties to cable so I haven’t seen any music videos in a long time. In a foolish attempt to keep my finger on the pulse of the mainstream, I opted for videos by Good Charlotte, Ashlee Simpson, Avril Lavigne, Green Day, LL Cool J, Hoobastank, Three Days Grace, Christina Aguilera, and something called Chingy. I didn’t completely make it through any of them.

I should have known I’d made a huge mistake when “Hi. This is Rob Thomas from Matchbox 20” was the first thing I heard, but I opted to stick around and see what I’d been “missing.”

It’s worse than I thought. Except for Green Day’s “…not part of your redneck agenda…” (from their new single “American Idiot”), I wanted to jam Q-Tips in my ears and gouge out my eyes. So this is what passes for music today–the mainstream, popular music? They can have it.

Christina Aguilera and her ilk should be silenced forever–it’s seriously horrid stuff. I mean really, people truly like this drivel? It’s just not right. And LL Cool J hasn’t been relevant since 1990–what was I thinking? And now he’s ripping off rappers without a shred of the “talent” he might have once had in his prime. It’s called retirement. Hoobastank, Good Charlotte, Three Days Grace? Let me get this straight. These bands (and dozens like them) sell millions of records while great bands get dropped and are destined for cutout bins and worrying about rent? C’mon. Where’s the justice? Then there’s cute little Ashlee Simpson, singing about growing up in the “shadow” of her big sis (the equally annoying Jessica). You’d be singing in the shadow of the back of the closet if it wasn’t for her, so play nice. And Avril Lavigne? Well, she didn’t even know who David Bowie was. Enough said.

If you want a good laugh, go watch a few of these videos. If you can stomach it, that is.

In keeping with my recent rant about radio and crappy music in general, I thought I’d let you read what Conor Oberst (of the band Bright Eyes) had to say on the subject in a recent article in the latest issue of Magnet magazine. Bright Eyes recently finished playing on the Vote For Change tour. Oberst’s comments to Magnet echo my comments on radio and the music industry that I wrote about a while back and which you can read here.

“Last year, Bright Eyes decided we wouldn’t play any more Clear Channel venues for any reason. The Shortlist Awards seemed like a good spot to say something. Not playing Clear Channel venues has meant missing out on some cool opening spots; we turned down the Cure tour and opening for Morrissey in Los Angeles. We’re trying to play more theaters and sit-down places. A lot of times, you’ve got to go to the more expensive room, which isn’t Clear Channel, and consequently, ticket prices go up. It can be done. You just have to be willing to make alternative plans, and I hope we find ways to play wherever people want to hear it.

Clear Channel’s influence is everywhere, right down to small indie things. My problem with what they’re doing is the amount of radio stations they own. That’s when it gets creepy: when one company controls all of the information being provided to a town. Some places don’t even have local DJs anymore. It makes for horrible music and no diversity at all. Owning 1,200 stations seems pretty dangerous. If radio can’t belong to the people, it could at least be an extension of the community. We run into decisions with Saddle Creek Records, where we’re trying to promote a big record like the new Faint album, and we think there are songs kids would like on commercial radio. But in order for them to be considered, it’s an amazing amount of money up front. It can cost a quarter of a million dollars to hire an independent promoter to possibly get the song played.

The FCC allowed the regulations to disappear. I find Clear Channel’s zero tolerance policy with its DJs amazing because people like Rush Limbaugh spit gross, hateful, racist, sexist, homophobic bile out of their mouths. To be offended that I say “fuck” in one of my pop songs…I can’t resolve that in my mind.

There are certain things I want the government to regulate. I want the government to regulate the ownership of the media. I wants the government to regulate health care. But there’s such an intense fear of anything socialist. It should be completely obvious that it’s inappropriate for the same company to own all the radio stations and all the venues.

Clear Channel will offer to coordinate your whole tour so you don’t have to do anything. They’ll set it up, promote you, and play you on all their radio stations. It’s so easy and streamlined. Of course, the music suffers, as well as the people who really like it. I have friends on major labels who have to play these weenie roasts and shit like that–or else they stop playing your single. It happens all the time.

In Omaha, we have one college/commercial station, broadcast from a nearby Iowa campus. But that’s about it: our NPR station and a bunch of shitty FM stations. The best we can hope for is Clear Channel to grossly control the market, then the government will intervene. It would be great if more artists did their part until that intervention, but Clear Channel is too huge for another competitor to even the playing field. Even then, what do we need? Two Clear Channels? It’s sad. They couldn’t give a shit about any individual artists, even the ones they promote the most. That’s the saddest thing: what little part the music plays in the music industry. It’s endless greed.”

(taken from the October/November 2004 issue of Magnet–if you don’t get this magazine, you should.)

Visit the Saddle Creek Records website for more information on Conor Oberst and his band Bright Eyes.

Discuss in the message board here.

Now Playing in My iPod: By The End Of Tonight — Fireworks On Ice EP

Here’s a list of shows happening this week in the Houston area:

Tonight (Wednesday, 10.13.04)
Senses Fail/Under Oath/The Bled @ The Engine Room
Mouse on Mars w/ Ratatat, Junior Boys @ Fat Cat’s
Arthur Yoria @ Clarks (314 Main)
Richie Havens @ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck

Thursday, 10.14.04
Over It/The Gamits/National Product/Donut Shop @ Fitzgerald’s
Homegrown/Spitalfield/Denver Harbor/Morningside Drive @ The Engine Room
Particle/DJ Logic @ The Meridian
Dead Moon/Baseball Furies @ Rudyard’s

Friday, 10.15.04
Norah Jones @ The Woodlands
Fu Manchu, w/ Cougars, Slunt @ The Engine Room
8 Track Charade @ Rudyard’s
The Shocker @ The Axiom
Slivered @ SideCar Pub
Brown vs. Board/Feeding James/The Phlematics @ Fitzgerald’s
Gomez, w/ Augie March @ The Meridian
Macha w/ The Mercury Program, Soviet Army Chorus @ Fat Cat’s
The Wheel Works/808/Next Best Thing/Amity @ Fitzdown
Volatil @ Buffalo Fred’s Icehouse (2708 North Shepherd @ Loop 610N)
Beryl Grady @ SRO (Northwest Mall)

Saturday, 10.16.04
The Toasters/Los Skarnales @ Fitzgerald’s
Rye Coalition w/ Division of Laura Lee/Your Enemies Friends/The Kinison @ The Engine Room
Recover (CD release) @ Fat Cat’s
Metal Mercy IV Benefit for the Houston Food Bank, featuring Escape, Mindcrime, Abbey Rode, & Lazy @ Forgettaboutit
Dieselboy @ 2401 San Jacinto
Every Passing Moment/The Dolliver Romance/From Heaven with a Gun/A Royal Tragedy/Orca/The Kidnap Soundtrack/Chris Laughter @ Walter’s on Washington
Kairos w/ Rotten Piece, Ossum, and About This Product @ The Southmore House
Sleeping Rubies/Lisa Novak @ Rudyard’s
4th Annual Pan Jam Steel Drum Festival, featuring Kelly McGuire & Tropical Daycare, Water’s Edge, Eric Stone, The OutRiggers Band, North Harris College Steel Drum Band, University of Houston PANtagonists, & Ellie Mannette @ The 600 Block of Sixth Street (Kemah)
Selia Qynn/Wayne Wilkerson @ Coffee Oasis (Clear Lake)
SSE/MGR (split-7″ release) @ Fuel Cyber Cafe (Humble)

Sat./Sun. –> Westheimer Street Festival, featuring Vatos Locos, F For Fake, Los Skarnales, The Delayed, The Slurpees, Silver Tongue Devils, The Grey Life, Hollister Fracus, Popsy, & more @ Westheimer

Sun, 10.17.04
Pixies w/ The Killers, The Thrills @ Reliant Arena
Bad Religion @ Numbers
Habitat House Concert Series, featuring Richard Julian @ 10037 Hazelhurst

Advance warning: Drop Trio‘s new CD, Leap, will be released on 10.23.04. The band will play an in-store at Cactus Music and Video at noon. The CD release party is that night.

Have fun at the shows.

Now Playing in My iPod: John Coltrane — Soultrane

Check out the donewaiting interview with Green Party candidate David Cobb here.

Express yourself here.

Now Playing in My iPod: Interpol — Antics

This week, join Ian Varley (of Drop Trio fame) for a musician meetup in conjunction with Meetup.com. Many may be familiar with Meetup.com, which isa website where various interest groups can meet up in person. The Musician group in Houston has more members than any other city–close to 200 musicians–but it’s been petering out lately due to lack of organization. So, it’s being combined with the regular music roundtable, in order to improve both events.

If you’ve never seen the Houston Musicians Meetup page, check it out here.

You can sign up and find out more (there are meetups on a lot of other subjects in the Houston area) at the website.

As always, the mixer is at the Volcano (2349 Bissonnet @ Morningside) and goes from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m. There’s no cover, and the bar serves drinks at happy hour prices for attendees (maybe free appetizers as well).

This week in Houston music:

Tuesday, October 5
The Melvins w/ Trevor Dunn’s Trio Convulsant @ The Engine Room
Wives, Barr @ Super Happy Fun Land

Wednesday, October 6
The Good Life w/ Neva Denova, The ’89 Cubs @ Fat Cat’s
Sahara Hotnights @ The Engine Room
Arthur Yoria @ Onion Creek (3106 White Oak, just down from Fitz’s)
Hero Dishonest, Storm The Tower, Signal Lost, These Borders Were Drawn In Blood, The Race Against Time @ Bill Hicks Resurrection Laboratory (2915 Delafield; 8PM, $6)
Billy Cerveny w/ Austin Collins @ Rhythm Room

Thursday, October 7
Do Make Say Think w/ Midlake @ Fat Cat’s
Vaux, Fear Before the March of Flames, Codeseven, Before Today @ Walter’s on Washington
Joe Bonamassa @ The Meridian
Drexl @ Rudyard’s
Cru Jones, Heats Over Rome @ Rhythm Room
Mind Flow w/ Mind Bent, Section 8 @ Fitzgerald’s

Friday, October 8
The Sunshine Fix, Saturday Looks Good to Me, The Old Timerz @ Fat Cat’s
Bob Schneider w/ Wide Awake, The Buddacrush @ The Engine Room
Arthur Yoria w/ Skyblue72 @ Helios (downstairs)
Gibby Haynes w/ Heroin Sheiks, Fakers @ Rudyard’s
Mono’s Jungle, Goodtrain @ Industry Cafe
Traffic @ Verizon Wireless Theater
Eames Era w/ Scattered Pages @ Walter’s on Washington
Daryl Hall & John Oates, Michael McDonald, Average White Band @ The Woodlands
The Meat Purveyors @ The Continental Club
Morningside Drive, Nadiri, Little Compass @ Fuel Cyber Cafe (Humble)
Saturday, October 9
Blonde Redhead w/ Fatal Flying Guilloteens @ The Engine Room
Voodoo Glow Skulls, Pistol Grip, Las Kung-Fu Monkeys, Second Society @ Fitzgerald’s
The Used w/ Atreyu, Head Automatica, The Bronx @ Verizon Wireless Theater
The Dresden Dolls w/ Animals of the Bible @ Walter’s on Washington
Isola, Surviving August @ Rudyard’s
Arthur Yoria @ Crossroads Coffee (2531 University)
Hoods, Pride Kills, Under One Flag, Grave Robbers, Ten Crowns @ Fat Cat’s
Organ Failure, Bully Pulpit, Necrosis, Friends Forever @ The Southmore House
Librafest, featuring Dubtex & Kozmonix @ Rhythm Room
Threnody, Obleek, Collapsing Horse, Black Box Originals @ Fitzdown
Habitat House Concert Series, featuring Ken Gaines, Bill Ward, Wayne Wilkerson, & Selia Qynn @ 10037 Hazelhurst (7:30PM; 281-772-7100 for reservations; $10)
Peach Truck Republic @ The 19th Hole
Southshore Dockside Food & Wine Festival, featuring Clay Farmer & more @ Clear Lake

Next week brings Queensryche and The Pixies to Houston. Tickets are very limited at this point. Enjoy.

Now Playing in My iPod: Sonic Youth — Sonic Nurse

I recently turned on the radio on the way home from work. A DJ on 91.7 KTRU was rambling about the songs he played during his show. He talked about a few of the shows the station hosts, including an experimental music show that runs during the week sometime (interesting). Just as I was about to switch to a CD, he announced he was playing a request–it turned out to be the song “Anthrax” by Gang of Four. Odd, since (1) you never hear that on the radio, even an independent station like this, and (2) Gang of Four’s Entertainment! was the CD I was about to listen to. Struck me as a strange coincidence.

It also made me happy to know that there are still a few stations on the air that continue to play nontraditional formats and are not part of some corporate media conglomerate. Stations in Houston like 90.1 and 91.7 are rarities, and it’s good to know they’re out there when you want to listen to the radio. Of course, there’s always WOXY online. This is by far one of the best radio stations out there–if you haven’t yet checked it out, do so immediately. It’s free.

Speaking of corporate radio, I recently read the book So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star: How I Machine-Gunned a Roomful of Record Executives and Other True Tales from a Drummer’s Life
by Jacob Slichter (from the band Semisonic). I highly recommend that any fan of music, aspiring musicians, and especially anyone who listens to Rock 101, The Mix, or The Buzz (or whatever the stations are called in your city), read this book. It is a good look inside the workings of the music industry, told by someone who has experienced the highs and lows of being in a band that “makes it” and sells a lot of albums. Slichter is brutally honest, describing both his fears and insecurities as a musician as well as giving the reader a behind the scenes look at record labels.

His description of what it took to get the band’s singles on radio is disturbing, and made me dig out another book about the music industry, Hit Men by Fredric Dannen, an in-depth expose on the music industry and the corporate sharks that made them what they are today. Billboard called it, “A sobering, blunt, and unusually well-observed depiction of the somtimes sordid inner worksings of the music business.” Dannen’s book also covers the industry’s ties to the mafia and the practice of “payola.”

Payola is illegal now (this book covers the period from the 50s and 60s to the late 80s), but today it is done in different ways. Slichter tells of how, after Semisonic’s first album was released on a major label and subsequently fizzled without any hits, they owed the record label nearly half a million dollars (his estimate was $40K). What made up the difference? Something called “independent promotion”–really just a fancy term for payola.

Here’s how it works–record labels pay independent contractors (can’t you just picture these guys?) to promote the single they want pushed to radio stations across the country. The money paid to the promoters (and then passed on to the program directors at corporate radio) are recoupable costs for the record company. This means that all independent promotion costs get charged back to the bands–so before they can even make a dime from the sales of their albums, they have to pay back the record company for every cent spent promoting the album, recording the album, and any advance they might have received when they signed with the label, etc. The only way for bands to earn money that the label cannot touch is through a publishing deal, and not that many bands are shrewd enough to negotiate that into the deal. Heck, most are just happy to get the chance to sign with a major label and a shot at maybe becoming a star.

Independent promoters often work for multiple labels, allowing them to make a lot of money (much more than the average band with a hit single or album). It’s a shady practice, and Slichter’s book reveals a lot more than that about corporate radio–he recounts a station in Minneapolis that refused to play their song because the band agreed to perform at a rival station’s (an independent radio station) concert. It presents a catch-22 for the bands–they want to get their songs on the radio in order to sell albums. But they have to sell out their roots, for lack of a better term, in order to play the game and get the program directors at the local conglomerate-owned station to agree to play their single X times per day each week in order for the label to get the independent promoters in other cities to get the single on other radio stations. Most of these stations don’t even consider playing local music, and if they do it’s at night or late on the weekend.

I know a lot of this is not news to most readers, but I wanted to spout off about it regardless. Most of what is being forcefed to the masses via radio (and video channels) today is unlistenable tripe. I try to be as open-minded as I can be about music and I can honestly say my tastes run the gamut. Sure, my tastes may lean in one particular direction more than others but I can still respect what some musicians in every genre of music are doing. What I cannot take or respect, however, is the run-of-the-mill, cookie cutter boy band thing, and the “we’re so street and tough, we can dance” thing. It’s really pathetic. If I see another woman wearing some stupid beret or 70s pimp hat a la Brittany Spears or Christina Aguilera I am going to vomit. Seriously. Oh, and start another clothing label, please. Like we need another set of trendy pants. Sure, make them backward–that was a good look.

What constitutes popular music today is a farce–and I pity the sheep who swallow it without question. Where’s the kool-aid when you need it? But people listen, and people spend, and Clear Channel and Infinity love when advertisers eat that up. Which brings me back to my point–it’s all about the dollar. Musicians might cry they’re losing money from downloaded music, and I am sure the original Napster (and the resulting rise in P2P networks) hurt labels’ profits (and took some money from musicians as well). The program directors who work for these stations have long ago stopped caring about the music. It’s about demographics, what sells, and what some DJ in Los Angeles says is cool today.

One interesting bit I pulled from Hit Men really opened my eyes to the sheer crassness of the music industry. The author gives an example of how label execs tested the system of payola (yes, they had grown tired of spending all that money to get their songs on the radio). In 1979, Pink Floyd had a number one hit with “Another Brick In The Wall” from The Wall. Since their stage show was so elaborate, the band only played four cities worldwide, one of which was Los Angeles. Around this time, the labels were sick of having to pay radio stations the “payola” to get their singles on the air, so the label exec at Pink Floyd’s label decided to run a test to see what would happen if he didn’t pay to get their song played on the radio in L.A.

Surely, with everyone under the age of 25 sporting Pink Floyd T-shirts, sold-out concerts, and The Wall being number one on the album charts, radio couldn’t ignore “Another Brick In The Wall.” WRONG. The song did not get played until the labels agreed to pay the usual fees to the program directors.

Makes me never want to listen to radio ever again.

Earlier, I saw a commercial for the local “at work” radio station. I know it was (and probably still is) the number one rated station in Houston. It’s a soft rock station–you know the type, there’s one in every city. You’ll hear some slow Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Elton John. Maybe they’ll get crazy after lunch and throw in a Goo Goo Dolls or Matchbox 20 track to liven things up. Is Mr. Mister really relevant today? The station is on thousands of corporate phone systems and is piped into countless elevators and dental offices. The station never repeat the same song in a day–and why should they? There’s been plenty of harmless, pointless songs released since the dawn of rock’n’roll. Backstreet Boys. Hootie. Michael Bolton. “Wind Beneath My Wings”? C’mon. This music is tantamount to lobotomy.

A lot of the bands making great music today can barely pay their rent. It pains me to think that these artists who bring great things into a lot of people’s lives have to travel in smelly vans or cars, eat fast food, and sleep on fans’ floors while on tour. Meanwhile, the “superstars” of the music world travel in buses, jets, and limos. At least I know they end up paying for that limo ride–whether they know it or not. If these bands put out albums on a major label, maybe they sell 15,000 copies, tour a bit, and then get dropped. And the masses continue to miss out on incredible music.

Want an example? Check out any of The Webb Brothers‘ albums. Or Kopaz. Or Caviar. Or Alta May.

I could keep going…

If major labels continue to cast aside artists that deserve development so they can release another single from the vapid pop star du jour, then I hope their profits continue to dwindle. Part of me hates the success of iTunes. Yes, I love the software–and the fact that people listening to iPods are not listening to radio–but I cringe when I think that the majority of every dollar spent is going back to the same people who fought against downloading (until they saw they could make money from it). Plus, there’s the fact that the top downloaded songs are the same crappy songs being played incessantly on the radio. And the musicians still get screwed by the major labels.

Like The Housemartins once sang, “It’s sheep we’re up against.”

More reading on how the music industry screws musicians can be found in an article by Steve Albini, titled “Why The Music Industry Sucks. You can read it here.

Hit Men can be purchased here. So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star can be purchased here.

Agree with me? Disagree? Hate me for bringing it up? Feel free to join the donewaiting.com message board and let me know your opnion on the subject. Maybe you like Jessica Simpson, 3 Doors Down, and think that Scott Stapp was a poet ahead of his time. Is Sheryl Crow cutting edge? Let’s hear it. Discuss here.

Now Playing in My iPod: The Starlite Desperation — Violate A Sundae

The Methods are a local band that recently released their debut album, Realized Amidst Sorrow (available here). The band’s sound is not unlike early Radiohead or Coldplay, yet is a bit more “dreamy” (if I may be so bold) than those bands.

After catching The Methods live a few times this year, I can honestly say that they’re a great live act and a band that seems to not have any air of pretension about them. The band is playing at Dallas’ famous Club Clearview on Friday as part of the North Texas New Music Festival, sponsored by Dallas Observer. Houston’s Drop Trio, among others, is also playing the festival.

For those of us unfamiliar with it, the North Texas New Music Festival “is North Texas’ premier emerging music showcase event, dedicated to uncovering and celebrating the region’s best new artists. From September 30 to October 2, 2004, thousands of screaming fans will flood the streets and clubs of Dallas’ Deep Ellum club district to watch more than 200 of their favorite new artists perform live on more than ten stages, all within a 2-3 block radius.” [festival website]

I recently asked The Methods to answer a few questions for Houston Calling. They graciously obliged.

Ten Questions for The Methods

HC: How did The Methods get started?

Methods: We felt like there was a vast amount of brilliant music the radio was not playing and decided ourselves to create the music we desired to hear. It was a crazy fluke chance we all met–one’s from Chicago, one was discovered off the internet, and the other was introduced to us via another band. We were guys yearning to create artsy and emotional music.

HC: What do you consider to be your musical influences?

Methods: Our influences combined hits a very wide spectrum of genres ranging from Classical (Stravinsky, Chopin), Ambient (Cocteau Twins, Ester Drang), British-Pop (Coldplay, Doves, Radiohead, Delirious), Electronic-Orchestra (Bjork), rock (Blindside, Smashing Pumpkins, Pedro The Lion, Fugazi), and many more.

HC: You guys just started playing gigs around town less than a year ago. You’ve played everything from churches to coffee houses to clubs and even at U of H. How has your music been received in Houston so far? How would you best describe the sound of The Methods?

Methods: From what we’ve experienced, there seems to be a consensus that our music tends to find a warmer reception with creative-type concert-goers; painters, poets, and other musicians and bands.

The Methods’ sound is designed to reflect a “dark but melodic” mood–designed upon sound texture while creating an ambience without losing musical intensity.

HC: Continuing that last question–what do you think about the music scene in Houston? What’s your take on the state of the music industry as a whole?

Methods: For starters, the music scene in Houston is so spread out, although the clubs in and around the underground districts seem to be a staple for bands like us. Houston in general seems to favor folk-rock and alternative bands. Anything ambient and experimental seems to find its home in the underground. However, it’s getting more attention with the advent of indie bands coming together creating events like Dreamfest.

As for our take on the music industry, there seems to be a feeling that every band signed on to a major is almost guaranteed to have their CD produced in cookie cutter fashion. We think this is great because people are getting bored with the superficial, canned sound and looking in more obscure directions. Being an unsigned band, we feel like we are blessed with a two main options: complete freedom to stay true to our musical selves and produce our music without having to conform, and not controlled by a corporation, forced to do things that may be against our artistic vision as a band/individuals.

HC: Your songs seem to have a really positive message. How does your spirituality play into The Methods’ music?

Methods: Our faith as Christians play an intricate part within our music. Faith has given us stability during all the shifting our emotions put us through. Injecting this reality into our songs is especially important since it is a reflection of our human nature. Like Hurricane Carter once said “…bitterness consumes the vessel that contains it” so the need to to replace “hopelessness” with “Hope” is a vital topic for us. We wouldn’t want anyone to “feel” things couldn’t get better.

HC: Are you for or against the MP3 “revolution”? How are you using the internet as a tool to market yourself?

Methods: It’s obvious we have to agree that downloading copyrighted material is theft of intellectual property–but at the same time, the “MP3-revolutionaries” ironically are providing an indirect platform for “underground marketing” of unknown/unsigned artists. For example, almost all results from an MP3 search end up inadvertently listing unknown artist(s); bringing attention to their existence. We think the internet is an extremely important platform for us to let people outside of Houston hear The Methods’ materials by downloading songs off the site and obtaining information about the band.

HC: What is the one description that you hate to hear about your music?

Methods: We can’t really think of a description that someone has said that we “hated…”

HC: If you could have any band cover one of your songs, what song would it be and what band?

Methods: Anthony – “Static” covered by U2; Marcus – “Save Me” covered by Squirrel Nut Zippers; Michael – “Unveiled” covered by Sigur Ros

HC: What’s in store for The Methods in 2004?

We just finished mastering our debut CD at Essential Sound and awaiting the return of our full-length album entitled “Realized Amidst Sorrow” (Ed. note: in stores now or at CDBaby). After that, we’re planning on starting our local tour in Houston with high hopes of capturing new audiences. Plus, new songs are in the works with some already on the operation table being readied for upcoming performances.

HC: What is in your CD player right now?

Methods: Anthony – Classical (Paganini, Chopin, Stravinsky, Debussy)
Marcus – “( )” by Sigur Ros
Marty – Burnt by the Sun / Eric Dolphy
Michael – “Carmina Burana” by Carl Orff

Thanks to The Methods for taking the time to answer these questions. Be sure to check out The Methods at their next local show (Rhythm Room w/ Strangelight, 10.14.04). The band is also playing at Taft St. Coffee’s Venue 2115 on 10.23.04.

And go get their CD–it’s available at Cactus Music and Video. You can order the CD for only $10 at CDBaby.

Drop Trio‘s new album, Leap, will be released near the end of October, Look for details on a CD release show soon.

Don’t forget! Explosions in the Sky is playing at Fat Cat’s thia Wednesday night, 9.29.04. It is sure to be a packed house, so get tickets before you go or come early.

While I’m at it, today I discovered one of the best albums I have heard this year. I think it’ll make my top 10 list. It’s by an Austin band called What Made Milwaukee Famous (website). You really should check them out and buy their latest album, Trying To Never Catch Up. You won’t be disappointed.

Now Playing in My iPod: The Boxing Lesson — EP