MP3: Grass Helmet

Monday night, Knoxville’s Royal Bangs comes to Skullys as part of their month-long fall tour. Circa 2007, the boys dropped by Cafe Bourbon St. as new signees of Audio Eagle Records. They put on a great show, and the five song EP they sold me was 22 minutes of solid gold. Since then, Royal Bangs has continued to hone their studio craft and tour consistently, steadily building their name from the ground up. March saw the release of their third full-length Flux Outside, which has led to increasing tour slots and appearances on late night TV. Monday marks their third appearance in Columbus in 2011, and since I missed the first two, I’ve been looking forward to this one. The well-rounded bill also includes BOBBY, who released a critically-acclaimed debut album over the summer, and local 3-piece Strangers in Daylight. Doors are at 8pm, $10 cover at the door.

Patrick Carney, the drummer of the Black Keys was asked about Blakroc 2 in this interview with an Atlanta radio station. According to this video, the Keys worked on 8 Blakroc 2 songs in October of 2009, and a trailer was made then.. But there are no current plans to release those 8 songs, and why the trailer was leaked is uncertain. This video was spotted at the Black Keys Fan Lounge,. Click the previous link for more info.

Keys fans can be stoked though, because a new Black Keys record is coming soon, maybe in early 2012 and it is said to be an end to end burner.

I accidentally set a phone interview up with Pat Carney, drummer of the Black Keys, during the same time as my little brother’s bday party. On the upside, the interruption of my little brother’s celebration informed me that my mom saw the Black Keys on Leno, and they talk about the Black Keys at my older brother’s work.

They have family name recognition for obvious reasons: The band debuted number 3 in the nation with their newest  album “Brothers”. People that like rap love them. Teenie boppers who like vampires love them. Movie stars love them. Men, who aren’t pussies and wear jean jackets with patches expressing solidarity with Vietnam P.O.W’s like them. And indie rockers still bump them next to Andrew Bird, St. Vincent, and Best Coast.

I am especially happy that you can now say “Tighten Up” around a female  without her thinking that its a joke about the size of her vagina. (Usually, they will say you have a small dick. The only argument around that is to blame the patriachy for making them shamefull of their big vaginas. It is a double standard)

My point. My mom and older brother know who the Black Keys are for the same reason they sold out the LC. They are doing well and working hard.

The downside it that Pat called me back while my mother was cutting watermelon on the back patio. So i scooted off to another room… I want to call it the family room. But I don’t think we have ever called it that.

But because I was in a place that could be called a family room, I was interrupted by my little brother and my mother offering me watermelon,  soda, video games and conversations that would never pertain to any of my interests.

So a road exhausted Pat Carney forced himself to call me when he would rather be napping to promote a show that was already sold-out, because he didn’t want his younger brother Mike to harass him anymore and I was mad awkward because I didn’t want to curse or speak on ellicit matters in the prescence of those that share genes with me.

With that context read about the Nigerian Bank, Touring, Truth and Soul, Lollapoolaza, the Rza, Columbus, and Mike Carney the life coach.

So I saw that the Nigerian Bank hacked into your email account?

Pat Carney: Someone in Nigeria did. I got a gmail notification that my account was compromised from Nigeria. They sent a mass email out to my contacts saying I was stranded and I needed money.

Did people start hitting you asking why you were in Nigeria?

The email said I was in the UK. I did receive a million texts wondering why I needed money.

Thats funny because you have been touring non-stop..

We haven’t had a real day off since July 17th. A Day with no travel.

How do you cope with touring non-stop?

We are both really tired. We sleep as much as possible.

The new record has done really well. What do you attribute the breakthough success on this album to?

I don’t really know. I think its our best record. I think all our records are good. I don’t really know.

Normally you play as a two-piece. For this tour, you’ve added 2 musicians. How has that gone?

It’s really really fun. It’s also the only way we can do the songs on the new record. Because the way we wrote them. It’s a lot of fun to mix it up at the show. We do somethings as a two piece. We do somethings as 4 piece.

Who are the two musicians?

They are our friends Nick and Leon from New York.

Are they in El-Michel’s Affair?

Yeah.  Yeah. They have both been in a lot of different bands. They’ve done a lot of cool shit.

Do you think the extra musician thing will be something you will keep with in the live show?

To a certain extent yeah. Sure.

On Donewaiting we do this column called Overlooked in Ohio. We had like Jerry Dannemiller, the marketing director of the Wex. He talked about an Ohio record that he thought people slept on.

Awhile back I was at your apartment with Mike, and you were showing me a record from Akron. I think they were from Akron..maybe some guys from Party of Helicopters were involved? I can’t remember what they are called.

Yeah ..right. The Man I Fell In Love With.

What do you love about that record?

It’s an EP. But it’s amazing. They made it in one day. They got into a drunken fight the next day. And broke up before it came out. Which a standard fair for most bands from Kent. I don’t know.

It is ahead of its time.

After this leg,…You have the tour with Kings of Leon.

This tour ends the day after the show in Columbus. We do Detriot then we get a couple weeks off. Then we go out with Kings of Leon for three weeks. Then we go on a West Coast run. It goes back up through Texas for Austin City Limits. And then we go to Europe after that.

(Wes Flexner Note: a google search has found that Kings of Leon do like Lady Gaga, Jay-z,Eminem, new country numbers. So they are a big band. DJ Detox and I were completely ignorant of this fact so we drove to MYBAR on 161 and Sawmill. We asked people what their favorite Kings of Leon songs are. Apprehently “Sex on Fire” is a huge song. But there is a debate if newer or older Kings of Leon material is better. The other reoccuring comments were that Kings of Leon are huge in Europe and Apprehently there was a whole season of Entourage that played nothing but Kings of Leon. So touring with them is a a good idea)
How was Lollapoolza?

It was good. Pretty Exciting because it was such a big crowd. There were 40,000-50,000 people there…It was panic inducing.

How do you deal with big crowds? Do you just put then out of your heads and start playing?

Yeah, hopefully thats what happens. Sometimes it gets to you.

What are some of the highlights this time around?

Lollapoolaza was scary but amazing. Bonnooroo is really good…There is always the negative with the positive. So with Bonorroo we didn’t go on stage until 1230. So we didnt get done until like 2. Then we had to drive straight to the airport. Then you get up at 7. So it can get exhausting.

So the time it takes to be a big rock n roll, band probably does leave much time for rap projects at this point?

No not really at all.

Something like Blakroc. Now that time has passed ..Whats your perspective on that now?

I don’t listen to it anymore. I’m glad that we did it. I think its good.

Whats it like growing up listening to the RZA and now you’ve worked with him?

Um..yeah. We are still involved with that guy.

hmm…

It’s really surreal.

Umm…So you’re first show in Columbus was at Used Kids?

Yeah it was..The I think our second show in Columbus was with the Dotson’s at Little Brothers. Maybe..actually you know what. Our first show in Columbus was actually at Skullys. We had to bring in our own PA. They didn’t have a PA yet. We got paid 50 dollars.

Next time your played Skullys was for the Jack Daniel’s thing. Being from Ohio…does Used Kids have a fond memory in you head?

Before they had that fire. When the Annex was still open. I remember being down in the basement. I hung out there quite a bit because my step-mom family was from there. So we hung out there for Thanksgiving. In Akron at the time we had nothing remotely close. We had nothing remotely as cool as Used Kids. Still is probably one of the best record stores in the country especially for getting used vinyl.

I discovered a lot of music at that store. A lot of garage rock actually.

What are some garage records you remember getting there?

The Henchmen.The Gories. Second-hand stuff. Weird comps in 1994. Just being a freshman in High School buying records because the covers looked cool.

Do you still get excitement when you go to record stores?

Uh…I don’t do much record shopping when I’m on tour because it’s such a fucking pain. Although, I did just go to Dusty Groove in Chicago and bought a lot of records. Then I have to lug them around.

You spoke on buying records as kid because the covers looked cool…Your brother Mike. What do you make of his role in your band’s direction?

Mike is responsible for all of our artwork. And more than that. I trust his opinion about lots of other stuff. He has really good taste in music, clothes and all that other shit. He is basically like my life coach…..Although, He can’t fully be my life coach because he can be such a fucking brat at times. He is the sassiest texter I have ever encountered. My little brother.

Can I ask you about the fight with the Locust at More Than Music?

I barely remember it. I do know it was 8 years ago.

MP3:Kid Cudi, Kanye West, & Common-Make Her Say (Sammy_Bananas_Remix)

Sammy Banana’s is playing at Bristol Bar this Friday along with CJ Townsend, and DJ Dan from Paradise Garage. He puts out music on Fool’s Gold Records (A-trak, Kid Sister, Cool Kids etc). The New York Native dejays all-around the globe.

I met Sammy in the beginning of November. Dood booked Columbus’ CJ Townsend to play at Piano’s in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
I was in the city, hanging out with Pat, and Mike of the Carney family
We met CJ and Lil Franz up at Piano’s because it was CJ’s 21st bday. (if you know me, ask me about me getting really drunk and stomping on a grown man’s feet, and trying to run his pocket because I was confused of his intentions and didn’t like how he looked in general)

Sammy played classic New York rap half the time, and house the other half.
CJ and Sammy sampled Gucci Mane’s adlib “Burr” “Burr”,and would press a button that would repeatedly make this adlib audible at random intervals whenever they felt like it.
Regardless of what music they were playing.
Be it Golded Era Hip Hop, House, New Jack Swing, Electro or Fidget R+B.

Even though we were drunk in NYC, it felt like we were in Columbus.

Sammy really likes R+B and New Jack Swing. He is huge fan of the 90′s. So I figured I’d quiz him on his preferences.

In Living Color or SNL with Chris Rock?
In Living Color. I like the Fly Girls.

Living Single or Family Matters?
Neither.

Living Single was was the show that Friend’s appropriated for white people like Elvis and Family Matters had Urkel.
Definately didn’t watch Urkel.

Family Ties or Alf?
Alf. I’m fond of Aliens. I’m a a big XFIles fan.

Haha..perfect…Fresh Prince or Independence day
Independance Day is a good movie. But I’m going to go with Fresh Prince.

But Independence Day had aliens.
I said I like Indepedence Day. It is a good movie. But Fresh Prince captured the 90′s, Fresh Prince had juxtapositions that allowed for comedic events to transpire.

I love Trading Places movies. Like that one with Eddie Murphy where he trades places. Whats that called? Trading Places
Yeah.

So Fool’s Gold is owned by Atrak who is Kanye’s Dejay.
A-trak was Kanye’s Dejay. Kanye’s show has grown into something that doesn’t need a dejay. It’s a spectacle.

OK…But A-trak was Kanye’s dejay which means you have an insider’s vantage point. Which rappers are members of the reptillian race?
Uh…

There are you tube videos exposing the reptillians. I was wondering which ones you know about.

Well. Lil Wayne always raps about being an alien. Self-admitted. I believe he said.” I am a martian”. Without implicating anyone.

I have a Flukeman T-Shirt. Who is your favorite XFiles Character?
That’s tough. I’m rewatching Xfiles . I just watched a great episode that starred Jack Black and Giovanni Ribsi. The character had controls of both the electric power and the lighnting. So he used these powers to kill people.
My favorite reoccurring character is Agent Skinner. It seemed like sometime he was trying to shut them down. Other times he was looking out for them. It’s a complex role.

Yeah…couldn’t tell if he was looking out or what his agenda was.

Let me ask some more 90′s questions.

Michael Jackson’s Bad or Dangerous?

Dangerous. I was too young when Thriller and Bad came out to understand it. When I first saw the Bad video I was confused. Why are they dancing in a Subway? Dangerous was my first introduction to New Jack Swing. The production was Teddy Riley influenced. It opened the door for the New Jack Swing . It was like the Gateway drug for the music I play and mix Because all the songs but the corny ones were New Jack Swing influenced. I don’t mean to corny in a bad way. I like corny music. They were a different corny.
I didn’t listen to Tribe until 96.I listened to Hip Hop, R+B and grunge. So what got me into hip hop and R+B was Dangerous, Boyz 2 Men, and Bobby Brown.

So Who do you take on the Tribe/Wrecks n Effect fued?
No comment.

okk…Kurt Cobain or Tupac.
Kurt Cobain. Don’t get me wrong. Tupac was talented. But I am biased growing in the North East and going to school in Cambridge. So I was on the Biggie side of things. Tupac didn’t seem to have control as far as his image. He didn’t seem authentic. Not that things have to be authentic. I’m not authentic. I am upper middle class whitekid playing Hip Hop and R+B. But Tupac’s background and the dream he was following didn’t match-up.
Now Kurt Cobain. He was a true punk from his beginning to the end.

How did you start dejaying?
My first DJ gig was at a dance at my Hiigh School. In 98. I played “Superthug” by Noreaga, Camp Lo’s Luchini, Big Pun “Not Player”..What else did I play? I think I tried to play Chemical Brothers but no one liked it. I played “Deja Vu” by Lord Tariq & Peter Guns.

How did you make the transistion from Hip Hop to Electronic music?
Right after that dance I tried mess around with rappers. I began to sample and make instrumentals for songs I was playing. So I wanted to make dance mixes. I really like R+B music.

Yeah everything from T-Pain to Erykad Badu is pretty amazing and futuristic.
I think the new Alicia Keys song is very progressive even though I hate using the word progressive. It sounds like Prince but doesnt sound like Prince. It sounds like 2010.

You did the braids and fades project? Whats next?

I have this group Telephoned with Maggie Horn. It’s a mixtape with us covering songs hooks over original remixes and its completely blended. It’s a super-original idea. If I can say that about my own music. It has flow.

here is what these remixes of cover songs soundlike unmixed)
Telephoned-Turn My Swag On ft. Telli_Federline

What should be expect Friday at Bristol Bar?
New dance music and R+B favorites. Columbus has been good to me. It’s a fun and not pretentious like some of the bigger scenes.
Peoplle seem more willing for fun.
CJ and Kareem from the Milk Bar have been cool

CJ told me to ask you about bacon? You eat a lot of bacon?

Bacon is long-running joke that CJ and I have based on Gucci Mane’s “Gucci” adlib. Everytime he says Gucci, we yell “bacon”.
I went from being a strict vegetarian to eating bacon.

Just got burnt out on it? Were you veg in High School?
Actually, I was vegetarian in college. Mostly for political reasons. The way meat is raised, and industrialized.
Now I just try to find meat that isn’t part of this process.

Factory farming?

I try. At the same time I just ate a Vietnamese sandwhich where I have no idea where the meat was from.

MP3: Mature Fantasy by Drummer

The Black Keys‘ Patrick Carney has assembled Drummer, a new supergroup of drummers playing all sorts of instruments besides the kit. Here’s how the line-up is looking:

Singer/Guitarer – Jon Finley (beaten awake, the man i fell in love with)
Guitarer – Jamie Stillman (harriet the spy, party of helicopters, teeth of the hydra)
Bass guitarer – Patrick Carney (the black keys)
Synthesizer – Steve Clements (houseguest)
Drummer – Gregory Boyd (ghostman sandman)

Pat has been working on a lot of interesting projects lately, like scoring an animated video for Art Spiegelman. Can’t wait to see Drummer live.

You can hear more music on their MySpace page. They’ve got their first show in Columbus coming up next week. Flyer magic:

Art Spiegelman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Maus, creator of Wacky Packs and the Garbage Pail Kids, and father of the modern graphic novel (though hes still demanding a blood test), presents this warts-and-all reproduction of his private sketchbooks — and the results are as candid, sharp, and funny as the relentlessly innovative man behind them. BE A NOSE! is a rare glimpse into the secret scribblings of an American original.

More information at McSweeney’s

You know it’s not possible to murder all your enemies no matter how wrong and insignificant they are. You know some people think it’s a chess game. And you know that you could prolly take the chess board and break it. You could smile at the one individual that didn’t realize you could take the game, and throw it into traffic, have a car crash, and cover it up, because that’s how out of line the person that was playing chess with you was, and the universe would reflect your natural selection eventually.

Then you realize that wouldn’t even matter. So you try to mellow on some hippie, meditative shit. Like.. this is natural, and I am completely righteous but obvious solipsism renders it unimportant. It wouldn’t even matter to anyone but the most ardent devotee of truth or your best friend. Well, Deathly Fighter is here with their new bass tape, Nothern Aggression.

Bass, because, at the end of the day you don’t care about sentiment or politics (no one does when it counts or is practically applied, it’s cool) but they still have the concept of sensual and aural natural response. So it’s mellow, on some DJ Krush, ambient, I could fuck or cuddle to this but I am waiting for something to happen when I am really bumping my music. Well, Deathly Fighter is the moment in time when you are trying to cool out, and just enjoy relaxing, and that tense, angst in your head has repetitive lash out. The lash is a treble heavy, guitar riff that is constantly heard throughout in this recording. Like, you are chill, but even the cycle of anger lurks.

At the very least it’s the sound of someone getting a swirly at Outland.
I could be projecting.

At the end of the day, this recording is a weird point between noise, electronic music and industrial.
It’s the sound of content with the underlying aspect of the constant of animosity to everything that walks this earth.

Eh..really it’s just a recording by Smoke, Christian Weiland, and Mike Carney, that was done at the 3CB studios in the heart of downtown Columbus, Ohio, the true panoramic of urban renewal. It was mixed by Patrick Carney, Ike Turner’s drummer, and possessor of the cabal’s instinct.

Deathly Fighter is celebrating the release of their tape on Saturday at Cafe Bourbon Street in Columbus Ohio. Unholy Two, who knows the girl that tries to high-post is a cutter, and Swamp Leather, who doesn’t know what to make of either group but feels they fit in with both will be playing, as well.
Lookie Here.

MP3: “Track 2″ by Deathly Fighter