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When first asked by my dear friend to write about my experiences in China for Indie Schmarm I felt honored, enthusiastic and was raring to go until it struck me, where would I begin? Should I begin writing about my dining experiences? After all it is not uncommon to see dog, yes that furry bundle of joy that so eagerly greets you at the door after your long rigorous day at work, a man’s best friend…all of that, on the restaurant menu. Then again, there is always the charming little Chinese girl dressed to a tee, who smiles at you while gulping down octopus and squid on a stick. By the way, this deserves a side note. Whoever you are and no matter how cool you think your new haircut and second hand boots you bought from Jet Rag are, these Chinese city girls have it on you. You lose, you just do.
This edition of “Get To Know” your local/underground up and coming artists brings us Castledoor. The briefest history in the world about a band goes as follows: Two of the forming members originally came from Northern California, but grouped together in Los Angeles and started to battle the musical world. In 2006 they put out a self released EP titled Follow The Dove and are currently working on a new record to be released by next year. I could ramble on and on about the history and all that, but let’s be honest, all you care about is if you like the music anyway. So go listen.
On 2004’s Album of the Year, Tim Kasher detailed the various highs and lows of a year long relationship and made it a break out success for The Good Life, gaining praise from critics and fans alike. Having spent the last two years recording and touring behind his other band, Cursive, Kasher is back with Good Life accomplices Ryan Fox (guitar, keys), Stephanie Drootin (bass) and Roger Lewis (drums) to release Help Wanted Nights.
Kasher’s recent move to Los Angeles from Omaha was partly due to his interest in writing screenplays and Help Wanted Nights is meant to serve as the musical backing to his first script of the same name. Meant to take place in a small town bar over the course of a week, it follows the perspectives of different struggling relationships that like his past lyrics, focus on the bar room fueled variety, “so pour me a drink and don’t pour it too weak and grab it from the top shelf ” (“Picket Fence”) and “I love your suffering, like gravity loves a stumbling drunk” (“Keely Aimee”). While lyrically the new album doesn’t mark much change for Kasher and his touches of clever word play, musically, this latest offering is a much simpler affair than any of the group’s previous work, stripped down numbers that rarely feature more than guitar, keys, bass and drums.
There’s nothing finer for me than walking into a land of “fashionable” kids who think wearing a fur hat with swim trunks, a fanny pack, flip-flops, talking on the cell in the pool, and giving head to Cobrasnake at the same time is the coolest thing in the world. Well such was the the case this last Sunday at the Summer Camp Little Radio festival. Though to be fair, Cobrasnake was no where to be found as far as I could tell. The cool factor was replaced with the likes of Annie from Giant Drag and Anton from Brian Jonestown Massacre. Aside from the interesting folk that roam these kind of parties and festivals in Downtown LA, it was actually a pretty fun festival. They had a moon bounce, a rather big slip-’n-slide, ping pong, a little pool, badminton, and unlimited beer with a small admission fee of $10.
We here at Indie Schmarm feel it is our duty to not only report the news, but now to also give a weekly recommendation of things that we feel are deemed worthy of our attention. We’ve decided to bring out the big guns and encompass multiple categories such as books, film, T.V., food, and of course music.
This last week’s Indie Schmarm recommendations:
The Music:
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
We here at Indie Schmarm feel it is our duty to not only report the news, but now to also give a weekly recommendation of things that we feel are deemed worthy of our attention. We’ve decided to bring out the big guns and encompass multiple categories such as books, film, T.V., food, and of course music.
This last week’s Indie Schmarm recommendations:
We here at Indie Schmarm feel it is our duty to not only report the news, but now to also give a weekly recommendation of things that we feel are deemed worthy of our attention. We’ve decided to bring out the big guns and encompass multiple categories such as books, film, T.V., food, and of course music.
This last week’s Indie Schmarm recommendations:
Sadly it was too good to be true for local Oakland seller of the famed Velvet Underground LP. Apparently the winning bid was a prank done by someone using a friends computer and eBay account. When you’re talking about $155,000, that’s no place to be fucking around.
Warren Hill says he’ll try again to sell it but he’s not so sure about using eBay, and I for one would have to concur most unarguably. Out.
-Fezzik
“Awful atoll-
O, incalculable indiscreetness and sorrow!
Bawl, bellow:
Sibyl sea-cow, all done up in a bow.
Toddle and roll;
teethe an impalpable bit of leather,
awkwardly molt along the shore.”
San Francisco is one of the lamest places to visit. I actually like the idea of the city, but the people there are rather out of their minds. Just taking a stroll down Haight reminds me of walking down Melrose, but in a Harry Potter film directed by shit caked ass hair. I nearly got fired, hung and shot from the coffee shop I went to asking for water, after buying food and a coffee. I wish I could remember the name of it now so I can tell no one to go there and not order from the coffee nazi who burns his testicles each night to remind himself what it was like when his father used to do it to him.
Way back in 1798 I was sailing the high seas with an aspiring pirate named Mitch. (Well, his pirate name was Captain Neck-Beard but that’s way more syllables.) He was an eager young buck and, he having just set out on his own, I decided to go on some adventures with him and help out. I served as First Mate, crew, cook and parrot-on-shoulder.
So, one time we were sailing about aimlessly, looking for a place to dock for the eve. Lo and behold we came upon a healthy-sized cave that seemed to suit our requirements to a tee! O happy day! As I fastened the anchor to one of the many smooth white stalagmites I suddenly felt a gooch-quivering rumble…to my surprise I discovered that this was no mere cave. No. Were in the jaws of a mighty giant narwhal!
We should have done this way sooner, but we didn’t and here we are and I figured you should all be filled in. We thought long and hard and came up with a system that will honestly probably change pretty soon. This is -5 to +5 using decimals as needed. You just can’t get the exact feel off a solid number sometimes. Same goes if your lowest rating is 0 to 10.0 could come off sounding like you’re in the middle of the road, and it’s been done. Same with percentages. We actually came up with a whole system at one point with garbs and viles of elk blood and things of that nature but thought it to be too confusing. You guys might have to get over it because it could happen that we revive that and make that the system. So be on your guard.
Edit to the previous gay rating system:
Roman numerals 1 to 10 will now be our rating system. In case others didn’t get the memo on these:
I = 1
II = 2
III = 3
IV = 4
V = 5
VI = 6
VII = 7
VIII = 8
IX = 9
X = 10
End Scene,
Dan Tana
Let’s face it, it’s a vicious world we live in. You need to be prepared. You need to know how to look at shows, in your band, amongst friends and in social clicks a like. Here’s the low down. Take notes as needed:
What’s in for music:
Having two drummers in your band.
Having a girl in your band.
Not knowing what the singer is saying.
Being from Canada (illustrated below).
Rules, hipsters, guidelines, unwritten laws, general statements, observations and New Am kids alike for the L.A. chapter:
Okay so I had an enourmous spiel typed up about this and it got fucking deleted on accident so I’m gonna have to do it in two parts because I haven’t the soul nor patience to reconstruct it again at 4-in-the-bloody-morning.This first part will serve as a pointless warm-up/teaser that has absolutely nothing to do with what is to come. What am I talking about “man who cleans the stars? you ask? On guard! I ask you the same as well! What’s the matter, can’t handled the presure? What would you know about pressure! Well I have kissed a…
Ok, as I hustle and bustle around my super rad daily life recently, I find myself on my 9th or 10th run through of the Broken Social Scene’s self titled album in the last 2 days. I know what you’re thinking, is this possible? Can a human endure such intensity? The answer is undecided, leaning toward yes, but I’m sure there is some answer in Kevin Drew and company and I’m bound to find it soon.
But alas, I had to put to rest the BSS for a little. This was due to a car ride with a friend that would lead to a night of drunken bike riding with around a thousand people (May 12th 2006). This outing was going to be Torquil and a few fellow idiots on a mission to have raw choads. The thing about Silverlake and the area akin, is it’s turning the 60’s with a splash of the 80’s disco rave…the porn stash, tight alllmost bell bottom pants (sometimes with full commitment), with a silken/and or light cotton kooky shirt and sports coat of sorts and not showering for days is a common find in the lake. Psh, I mean if any music doesn’t sound like its from the 60’s then who needs it? Henceforth, the activities tend to lean toward things like walk-a-thons, or wheel barrel races, or bike rides at 10pm. Maybe it’s just one more reason to wear a headband, or maybe what I just said doesnt relate and has nothing to do with anything, you decide.