R.I.P. Camu Tao, 1977-2008
“He was an almost uncategorizable force of nature,” said El-P. “Wild, hilarious, proud, loving, tough, outspoken, spontaneous and brilliant.”
music that matters
Does M. Night Shyamalan Have a Thing for Pixies?
And where Hitchcock leaned on the striking scores of Bernard Hermann to propel his movies, Night seems to be borrowing ideas from … the Pixies?
Reunited, And It Feels So Loud: An Interview With Swervedriver
As one of the finest bands from the so-called shoegaze scene, Swervedriver released four stellar, underrated efforts from 1991-1998 during a chaotic career marred by label drama and changing pop […]
From Spacemen 3 to Spiritualized: Jason Pierce Transcends Time
The influential artist’s experiments have ranged from drone, psychedelia and trance rock to jazz, gospel and ragged blues, sometimes all at once.
Ring the Alarm: An Interview With REM’s Michael Stipe
“I think we can turn this around, but we can’t wait. We need the attention of everyone immediately.”
Grounded In Sound: DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Kid Koala
Consider then, if you will, the Hard Sell Tour as a gathering of fellow revolutionaries keeping the dual promises of turntablism and historiography alive.
Swervedriver, Film School Hypnotize Hollywood
The mesmerizing reunion virus infected Hollywood on Saturday night, as Swervedriver’s ax pyrotechnics mind-melded with Film School’s phased anthems at the Henry Fonda.
Rob Sonic’s Gigantic Sabotage
Another smart-ass triple-threat (rapping, producing, not sucking) from Def Jux, another slam-dunk for independent-minded hip-hop.
The Sounds of Silence
Internet radio recently received another brief reprieve from excessive royalties. But will the booming medium ever be the same again?
DJ Spooky On The Birth of Hip Hop
“Forget Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Bandor Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland as studio masterpieces, I’m talking about rare dub tracks that cut across the whole idea of what a song was meant to be.”
Give Peace a Price Tag
Money may not be ably to buy you love, but evidently it can buy you peace.
Mogwai Scores, Zidane Kicks
The greatest instro-rock band on earth soundtracks a film about one of European football’s infamous titans, and the result is a win for all.
Jeff Chang: Hip Hop Chaos In Context
authenticity, identity and expression are tackled with ease in Chang’s latest effort Total Chaos: The Art and Aesthetics of Hip-Hop
El-P: A Scanner, Darkly
“I’m fucking angry and upset right now, and I’m also scared and trying to come to grips with balancing this incredible fatalism and the fact that I am still alive.”
DJ Spooky and Rob Swift Remix War and Peace
“With Rebirth of a Nation, I’m remixing Griffith’s film live every time off of Pioneer DVJs. So I’m making a remix by applying DJ technique to film.”
Michel Gondry Keeps It Reel
“ I stopped my son from playing videogames, and he began to develop all kinds of creative skills.”
Mogwai: Louder Than Bombs
“When people compare us to My Bloody Valentine, I think it’s because they were the last band outside of the mainstream to actually infiltrate the mainstream.”
Jenny Toomey: Defending Artists Rights
I admire Walt Whitman–his idealism, generosity, grace, and joy.
Boiling Points: The Mars Volta Vs. Jaga Jazzist
Both are highly esteemed musicians, fronting genre-shredding outfits that offer up elaborate and cerebral musical explorations.
Jeff Chang’s Hip-Hop History
“I hope the grassroots is able to take back control of hip-hop, and in the process take control of its own destiny.”
Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A Chat With Jeff Chang
“If blues culture had developed under the conditions of oppressive, forced labor, hip-hop culture would arise from the conditions of no work.”
Lydia Lunch, 21st-Century Cassandra
“We must remember that sex is not dirty. It’s normal. Even when it’s dirty.”
Wave Of Adoration: Pixies Reunite!
The Pixies cast a long shadow over modern rock’s past — and future.
Pinback Vacations to Abaddon
With their new album, the indie-rock impresarios of Pinback have crafted their most exquisite offering, a release equally packed with dark, foreboding lyrics and meticulous sonic structures.
Black Francis: Pixies Didn’t Change Anything
Black Francis summarily reformed the band 12 years after they’d called it quits, and set about touring the world like nothing ever happened.