Que? Si! K Sera
A guy had a bad year, wrote some songs, got a bunch of different musicians together to record on his album, and then put a band together and decided to start playing shows. This guy and his band kicked off their CD release party with more than five cameras filming, a headliner like Self Against City and a nearly sold-out show. This band and this guy are K Sera. Their name comes from the Spanish expression, “Que Sera, Sera,” which means whatever will be, will be.
K Sera started as an idea that I almost didn’t believe would happen. Frontman Mike Caswell parted ways with his previous band and decided he would write a record, record it, and then tour. So far he’s accomplished two of the three, with help of his manager Sig Pikul, who I have come to the conclusion doesn’t sleep. Now, all that’s left is to tour. With their motivation and hard work, it seems like this step is almost inevitable. Their go-get style attitude is the way they seem to approach things, including recording. It’s pretty common for Indie type bands to collaborate with other musicians and invite them to record on their CD, but I haven’t seen it done too much with pop. K Sera is pop, but lyrically has it’s moody moments, like in the song, This Heart of Mine: “I’ve found rock bottom is comfortable/when you’re living in a haze/lonely at 20 years old/singing please don’t go”. Despite the lyrics, the music will keep your head bobbing.
I wondered if K Sera’s front man and songwriter Mike Caswell had concrete ideas on the songs and if he was very strict about the way his guests played them on the album. So I asked him. He told me that they made a big list of all the instruments that they wanted on the CD (like cello, over five different types of drums, various percussion instruments (not just your run of the mill shakers). He said he had a basic idea of what he wanted but wanted it to be a collaborative effort and mainly an open dialogue with the music, leaving it open for the guest musicians to create their own slant on the tracks.
The only other “official” member of K Sera is Sean Stack, who spent about as much time in the studio as Caswell. His contributions to the album are mostly sweat, tears and very likely some blood, too. The rest of the band lineup with time might change as some of the members who are performing with K SERA are also in other bands.
Caswell and Stack are very happy with the way the CD turned out. In my opinion, the wide collaboration created pieces of music that are very dynamic. With diverse input from so many different artists, it makes the songs really alive in a different way. Mike also stated that this CD is basically a year of his life recorded. He feels like it is a very honest record and is very proud of that. Honest music is hard to come by these days, but I think it’s making a comeback.
K Sera is giving their CD away for free. To everyone. They have been seen at almost every big show in Sacramento for the past month, passing out CD’s to every kid they can find. The reasoning behind it? Caswell says pretty much, “cause we can.” K Sera may be brand new, but has a ton of support from local promoters 26 Productions, Supergiant Productions (shameless plug) and other bands who have been a part of the process. Their manager and owner of Impresario Artists Management & Catalyst Media, Sig Pikul has also been an imperative piece of the puzzle. He has made sure that the CD burning doesn’t slow down, even if its 4 a.m.
K Sera is a new band with an attitude that this Sacramento scene needs more of. I tried to get Caswell to be even a little bit negative about the project, asking him what he was unhappy with about the way things turned out (if anything), and he cheerily said, “It’s all really good. The whole thing was a learning process. We are happy with the way the songs turned out.” At their CD release, it looked like their passing out of thousands of CDs worked, as the crowd was loudly singing along to the songs, at basically their first show. That was pretty damn cool.
If you’d like to see the band, or hear them for that matter, then check out K Sera’s MySpace for their next show: myspace.com/kseraband.
Joan Jett’s Still Rockin’ Hard
Everybody who has a pulse no doubt knows who Joan Jett is. Over the years she has given us countless great songs, and practically paved the way for all of the female rockers to follow. Not only has she conquered the music industry, but she also made her way to the silver screen, and even did some time on Broadway. On top of that, she currently has her own radio show on Sirius satellite radio. What hasn’t she done? Signed bands to her label? Oh, wait! She has done that too!
I was recently extremely fortunate have the opportunity to catch up with Joan Jett to get the inside scoop on where she’s been, and where she is going. I wondered how it felt to be such an influential figure in the music industry, for both female and male musicians.
“Intellectually, I know that’s the case in some instances,” Joan said. “It’s very humbling, and I’m always kind of hesitant on accepting that. But when someone comes up to me and tells me that I inspired them, that makes me feel good.”
“I Love Rock and Roll” came out when I was in the seventh grade. I’ve been a huge fan ever since. That song is over 25 years old now. You can probably guess how many times Joan Jett has performed that song live. Does she get tired of playing it?
“No, I don’t get tired of it. I try to stay in the moment, and it’s a lot of fun. It makes a lot of people really happy, and I respect that. It’s not about me…I’m just an instrument. I still love playing the old songs, people know them. Sometimes I have to really focus on my singing, because there have been times when I would watch the people in the front singing along, and they would sing the wrong lyrics, and that would cause me to sing the wrong lyrics as well.” For those of you who misplaced all your old Joan Jett and the Blackhearts LPs and cassettes, fear not, for there is a new Greatest Hits compilation being released very soon.
“Yeah, we’ve been working on remastering a lot of the old songs, and we may put a few new tracks on it as well, and maybe some other surprises. I’m not sure what’s going to be on it yet, though. It should be out by the summer.” Back in the late ’80s, Joan Jett starred in the motion picture, The ‘Light of Day,’ with Michael J. Fox. In this movie she portrayed a singer who would pretty much stop at nothing to get on the stage and rock! I was curious to find out if that character had any similarities to her true self.
“I guess that the similarities would be that I’m also the oldest in my family, and I’ve always been driven in the same way that the character of Patty was.” If you have seen this film, you may or may not have known that Trent Reznor (NIN) appeared in it, as well. I asked Joan if, at the time, she looked at him and thought to herself, “now that man there is going to be a cultural icon in about five years.”
“At the time, no,” she stated. “I did know that he was making some noise locally, but I wasn’t really focusing on him. Doing that film was a new experience for me, so I was really focusing on my work.”
Will there be any future forays into the film industry?
“Yeah! Later in the year there will be two movies coming out that I have parts in.
There is a movie called ‘Endless Bummer,’ which is a rock & roll surf movie. I play sort of an ex-surfer that lives on the beach giving unique wisdom to surfer kids. And the other one is called Lock and Roll. It’s about a Japanese all-girl band that came out to L.A. I play a rock star and help them out. Both movies should be out sometime in the summer.”
Joan Jett also recently did a stint on Broadway, performing in the Rocky Horror Picture Show. She regularly plays one of the songs from the soundtrack, Science Fiction Double Feature, at her concerts. Are there any plans to release any video footage from that performance?
“I don’t think that’ll happen. It’s kind of like the Runaways, you know, if you weren’t there, then you missed out.”
And she does her own radio show?
“Yeah! It’s on Sirius, it is called the Faction, on series 28. I play a mix of pretty much whatever I feel like hearing at the time. It’s usually a mix of punk, rock, fusion, metal, I can mix it up however I want. Sometimes I’ll go on the air and say something like, ‘this is a record that I listened to every day when I was in junior high’ or something, and play an entire Who album.” Are there ever any unsigned bands featured?
“I have done that a few times, but for the most part it’s usually signed acts.” And speaking of unsigned acts, Joan Jett definitely does her part in helping out her fellow musical brethren, signing such acts like Girl in a Coma. What does the label look for when seeking new talent?
“Well, the most important thing is, do we like the music? We want to feel it right away. And we make sure the bands want to work hard and tour. Things are very different now than when I was first starting out. I mean, we had to tour non-stop to get the music out. These days you don’t have to do that quite as much, but it’s still very important to get out there.”
As our conversation came to an end, I had one more thing I had to ask. If she were able to change one aspect of the world with her music, what would that change be?
“That’s a good one. I would want people to be a little more tolerant of each other, and be less judgmental. And that applies to myself, as well.”
Since her teens, Joan Jett has worked extremely hard to find success. There are so many lessons to be learned from her story. Most importantly though, if you believe in yourself and you work very hard, there will be no stopping you. Joan Jett has been an influence and an inspiration to many. She has written so many fantastic songs that have stood the test of time. That is not an easy thing to accomplish. With a new CD coming out, two movies coming out, a radio show, and a never-ending tour schedule, one may wonder when she ever takes a break. Staying busy and working hard is her work ethic. That’s how she made it.
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts will be performing at the Stockton Asparagus Festival on April 26th. You’ll be sure to hear all your old favorites; “I Love Rock & Roll,” “Bad Reputation,” “I Hate Myself for Loving You,” “Do You Wanna Touch Me,” and so many others. While good songs come and go, the great songs last forever. Joan Jett has the secret formula for writing those timeless songs. And after all these years, she is still the same rocker we’ve always loved.
Soilwork: An Ocean Dividing
Not many bands have the luxury of saying that they helped to create a new, original sound in heavy metal. Soilwork have the right to call themselves leaders of the Swedish metal scene. Hailing from Helsingborg, Sweden, Soilwork has been a staple of the metal community since 1995.
They are an aggressive onslaught of Swedish/American Progressive metal, but off stage they were as nice as can be, offering beer to the thirsty, and talking your ear off. But on the last night of March 2008, with a reduced set of only 40 minutes (sadly), Soilwork brought to the Boardwalk in Orangevale what they bring to every show, beer and real true heavy-to-the-bone metal.
Walking in, anyone could tell that there weren’t many people there to see the Swedish metallers, but by the time they hit their third song, I could tell that when the seas of angry pedestrians opened up into a feeding frenzy of pit maniacs. They had won them over already. About an hour prior to the show I was able to sit down with long-time drummer Dirk Verbeuren
Fringe: How’s the tour going so far with Throwdown, War of Ages?
Dirk: It’s going pretty good. I think one of the good things about this tour is that it’s an eclectic package musically. I think it’s interesting because Throwdown’s latest album is a little less hardcore and more metal, but they still have a more hardcore crowd and we have a more metal crowd. It’s interesting to see, I think both bands benefit a lot from it, and War of Ages brings a lot of people, too. Crowd-wise, it’s been really good. Every night we have people coming up to us saying ‘Oh we’ve never heard you guys before, you were great’, buying t-shirts and CD’s and stuff.
Fringe: For those that aren’t from Helsingborg, Sweden, what’s it like there?
Dirk: Well, I don’t live there, but I’ve been there a lot. I’m from Belgium actually and I live in the U.S. I’m kind of the odd man out. But, it’s a really calm place, it’s not a big city, you know. When people think of Sweden they think a really extreme climate, and actually Helsingborg isn’t because it’s South. They get a lot of rain, not that much snow. I always enjoy going there, and when we rehearse we always take walks down to the sea.
Fringe: With the music getting more dynamic and adding more a rock element, how does it keep evolving and getting better and more progressive every time?
Dirk: Yeah, mainly we just try to write good songs. I think Stabbing [the drama] was a lot of Peter’s writing [Peter Wichers], and he personally evolved as a songwriter toward more of a rock territory. He’s not as crazy metal, crazy technical as he used to be. On the new album when Peter wasn’t there, it was more of a band effort, it just turned out the way it did, we wanted to write good songs. The whole band contributed to making the songs what they are. I think the next album will be different again. There’s not really a plan set out.
Fringe: Where did the name Soilwork come from?
Dirk: Well, it just means building from the ground up. It’s a metaphor for starting in the underground and slowly getting big.
Fringe: What are your expectations for the band?
Dirk: Well, just make better music and hopefully do better tours, I know it’s very cliche to say, but just take it to the next level, keeping the quality up. Like a lot of bands, we get a lot of slack because we evolve and there’s always those people who like the first two or three albums and now think we’re sell-outs. A lot of bands get that, that’s fine, but we always keep a certain quality level to what we do. We really put a lot of heart and soul into our records.
Fringe: How did it come about that you guys were able to get onto Guitar Hero?
Dirk: I’m actually not sure, I know that we got a new management recently like a year ago. I think they’re trying to get Soilwork out there more than our past management did, it’s another way of getting our music out there, it’s a different medium. We didn’t know about Guitar Hero until it pretty much happened.
Fringe: Any chance of any big American festivals this year?
Dirk: We’re booked for all that stuff in Europe. I know there’s been talks about doing stuff like some American things but if we do some of those then we’ll have to cancel a bunch of European ones. We’ll definitely be touring into 2009, so there’s a good chance if we don’t do any American festivals this year we will next summer. And we’ll definitely be back for tours after the summer for either a headlining tour or another support tour and then a headlining tour.
Fringe: You guys have been pretty much all over the world now, what’s been the best place to play so far?
Dirk: Japan is definitely one of them. It’s such a different world all together, the fans are insane. We would play a show, and walk out, people would already have the pictures developed from that show and ready to be signed. Australia is great also, the fans are so happy to see bands there, it’s insane. But sometimes when you don’t expect it, it gets insane. We had a show in Seattle at El Corazon, it was just insane.
Fringe: For those who don’t listen to Soilwork, or have never heard Soilwork, what would you say to them to make them go out and bang their heads to you guys?
Dirk: If you like metal that’s both heavy and intricate and at the same time good song-writing and catchy choruses and overall solid musicianship they should check it out. I think if they are familiar with other Swedish bands that Soilwork has been compared to in the past like In Flames, the band has developed it’s own sound now.
Marte… Him And Him Alone
From the time he started playing cover songs in coffee houses, joined by a group of his close friends, Russell Martelaro and his guitar have been on a mission.
His solo shows in downtown Vacaville soon received a venue change when Martellaro headed to Chico State and was joined by a buddy to become a duet. That project parlayed itself into a full band called Standard, that received some radio airplay regionally.
But when Martellaro returned home to the Bay Area, it was just him and his guitar. In fact, he soon wrote enough solo material to return to the stage for a show in Davis. After his set, he was greeted by a group of prospective fans who were in search of an album they could buy. He was caught empty-handed and right then made a promise to himself.
“I said ‘Screw this. I’m not doing another show until I have a CD,’” said Martellaro, who sat down with Fringe over a massive burger at Nation’s.
Martellaro made a decision. He would use his digital equipment, computer and self-taught skills in his own lab to create a full-length CD. Nearly two years after he set out to do it, the album is finished, titled “You and You Alone,” and a release party has been set up on April 19 at Sophia’s in Sacramento.
That party will be a far stretch from his old days in coffee shops. Starting out covering a lot of Dave Matthews Band and other popular artists aren’t his fondest memories, however Martellaro said it was what he needed to get a start. “It was ridiculous,” he said. “But I didn’t do that, I wouldn’t be here.”
The album features a mix of love songs (sorry ladies, he got engaged earlier this year) and some darker feelings. His voice is smooth and pretty even for most of the tracks, but has the ability to alter his delivery when changing in and out of choruses. It’s the kind of record you can throw on in the background while entertaining a lady friend and it even makes a nice sound track for driving through the back roads.
He said in the past he would record himself while singing and playing and then clean it up later. This time around, he said he recorded his music, then went back and added the vocals.
The whole process of singing, playing and recording on his own is pretty impressive for a guy who’s only training came on the trumpet. However, he said the trumpet and singing uses similar throat muscles, which he said helped him while perfecting his voice.
“Holding those high notes, it’s the same thing,” he said.
With a solo career in the works, a name needed to be born as well. With a long Italian last name that gets butchered often he had to come up with something short and sweet. He finally settled on Marte (pronounced Marty), a family nickname. Although it has no accent mark, he said people usually want to fancy it up by pronouncing it Mar-tay.
“I don’t have a very marketable name. I wanted something that was one or two syllables,” he said. “I put a lot of thought into it. It’s not easy.”
So with his 15-song album, of which a handful of songs are old Standard tunes turned into solos, Martellaro said he is creating a foundation for his career. With the album, a press kit and a few interviews along the way, he said he’s going to give it a solid shot, even if he is trying to break into the business at age 28. “It’s tough to make it in the commercial world. It’s hard,” he said. “This is my last chance. I’m on that edge.”
Knowing that breaking into the business as a solo artist may be tough, Martellaro said creating the album is a big step and will be something he cherishes if he makes it or not.
“I’m very proud of this,” he said. “If I had to quit today, it would be fine. I have this to remember.”
Looking back on his time with a band, he said he pulled a lot from those experiences. Much of the music is the same, but as writer of both music and lyrics, Martellaro said he has total control over content and organization.
“Something didn’t feel right and I had to go my own way,” he said. “It wasn’t an ego thing. At least I hope it wasn’t. I love the idea of a band, the friendship and family, but right now I’ve been building it by myself.”
Find out more about Marte at www.marte.mu and www.myspace.com/martemusic
Have Zills, Will Travel: A Weekend At Rakkasah Festival
With coin belts and silky veils in tow, caravans of belly dancers converged on Vallejo for a weekend of performance, music, and shopping. It was Rakkasah West festival, the biggest belly dancing festival in the world, which happens every year in mid-March only an hour or so away from Sacramento.
I was one of these dancers, and totally stoked about being able to stay for the entire weekend for the first time. I was also performing a solo there, which is no credit to my dancing skills, as spots are first-come first-serve and pretty much anybody can dance. Still, I was excited at the opportunity to be able to strut my stuff on stage. In a hotel room with four other dancers from my troupe, with people dancing and playing music out in the parking lot, I knew it was going to be an exciting weekend.
This was Rakkasah’s first year in its new home, the Solano County Fairgrounds. Having two full-size stages was the biggest perk: last year, my dance partner Kalila and I performed on a dinky little stage hidden in a corner. And it wasn’t even much of a stage, just some floor space and a painted backdrop. In all other respects, though, I preferred the old location in Richmond. This year the festival was divided into two buildings, which lessened the impact of the sheer size of the event. The dressing room situation was much better at the previous site, as was the food. Actually, I was extremely disappointed in the food situation. In the past they always had some decent Mediterranean food, and I was really looking forward to some falafels. But no, all they had was fair food like turkey sandwiches, popcorn, and hot dogs. Hot dogs! At a belly dancing festival? You have got to be kidding me.
I woke up bright and early to attend my first workshop on a chilly Saturday morning. I should have slept in, as it was a total waste of time and money. I could have taught that class better than the instructor did. It was a sword and tray balancing workshop, and although she asked everyone if they’ve danced with swords before and found that we all had, she proceeded to give us a very basic beginner-level class. Seriously, how can you call it a dance class with no choreography, no music, and pretty much no dancing? I was seriously considering never taking a Rakkasah workshop again, but the one I took Sunday morning redeemed them. This was with Jenna, who has studios in LA and New York. This one was a class on dancing to live music, she actually had a live drummer and Auld player in the class with us. She was well-prepared and gave us a ton of great material as well as a good workout. She performed later in the day, and she’s as great a dancer as she is a teacher.
Performances ran on both stages from opening to close Friday through Sunday. Dancers of all styles, all ages, and from all over the world came to perform. A few big names in the belly dancing world were there, including Suhaila Salimpour, Dondi, Saqra, and Jim Boz. I was actually surprised by the number of male belly dancers I saw there. Most of these were the token awkward guy looking totally bored in a troupe of otherwise female dancers, but there were a couple that were really good. Jim Boz, for instance, worked that crowd of screaming women like a pro. Looking like something between a sultan and a hard rocker, he was graceful without being effeminate, which is tough to do. Another guy gave up all pretenses of masculinity and danced in drag. He was absolutely adorable dancing his heart out in a blonde wig, pink and white belly dancer-cheerleader costume, tiara, and white pumps.
Other acts were far less entertaining. For one thing, the disadvantage to these festivals is that there are a lot of people in belly dancing costumes you would prefer not to see in a belly dancing costume. Now I’m not trying to be catty, as everyone is there to have a good time and support each other, and props should be given to everyone to have the courage to get up there and dance. It’s very empowering, and I’m not trying to deny anyone that. Is it so much to ask that if someone is so large you literally cannot see their belly button that they wear a one-piece costume? A flattering costume adds so much more to the performance, and many of these were mediocre anyway. That’s the other problem. Since anyone can get a spot, you end up sitting through a lot of really bad dancing.
Of course, watching the performances is not the only reason to come. For belly dancing costumes and supplies, Rakkasah is a shopper’s paradise. Full costumes, veils, props, instruments, music, DVDs: you name it, it’s all there in abundance. Plus all kinds of unique funky street clothes that would be sure to earn you plenty of compliments. I spent entirely too much money that weekend. The highlight for me, though, was getting up there on stage myself. I certainly wasn’t the best dancer there, but I like to think I’m fairly decent, and I wanted to wow the audience a little bit. I did a spin and dropped into a Turkish back-bend, on my knees with my back on the floor, and then played my zills (finger cymbals) on the ground. I fell into the drop rather harder than I anticipated, I think the thump echoed through the entire hall. It had the intended dramatic effect, though, and did get people cheering so it was worth the bruises it gave me.
So, if you’re into belly dancing (or just looking for a fun day trip) and missed Rakkasah this year, be sure and check it out next year. It’s only a short drive away, and it’s well worth it.
Sacramento Duo Ditches Monotony For Center Stage
Past tracts of cookie-cutter suburban residences and a mile from a local jail, you can follow a road until everything disappears and stumble upon a farmhouse plunked among prairie grasses and grazing cows.
In all its bucolic glory, this locale is anything but rock ‘n’ roll.
But Monday through Friday from 3 to 11 p.m., guitarist/vocalist Zack Lopez and drummer/vocalist Sean Stockham, a.k.a. Middle Class Rut, hole up in this rural Sacramento rehearsal space crafting music that’s been igniting a fire in the hearts and minds of both fans and industry alike.
Despite geographical isolation, it’s hard to keep a low profile when your band’s songs explode in such a compelling blend of hard rock, alternative, punk and metal.
From the claustrophobic crunch of “New Low” (”This box is getting smaller/I’m trying to get out”) to the impassioned shouts of “Dead End” (”Get your problems off of me … Without your weight/I could be so much lighter”), Middle Class Rut infuses their songs with a sweat-and-grit intensity that has bewitched scores of listeners with their aggressive rejection of life spinning on a hamster wheel.
Consider it rage against the mundane.
Back home from a March tour where they played four shows at the annual South By Southwest music conference, that bastion for propelling new bands into the limelight, the guys have found eager reception for their rock gospel. “We tripped out at the fact that there were a lot of people at our shows. Everyone that’s tuned in to all parts of the industry saw us,” Lopez says of the A&R reps, booking agents and myriad execs scouring the five-day festival for that needle in a haystack of more than 1,500 bands. “It just helped spread the word that much more.”
Already hooking attention from some pretty prominent locals, Middle Class Rut is garnering frequent airplay from the modern and alternative radio stations they grew up on, including Sac staples KWOD and KRXQ.
And the influential Aaron Axelsen, music director of San Francisco’s LIVE 105 whose track record of breaking new bands makes him a particularly qualified soothsayer of success, elicits strong faith in MC Rut and spotlights them weekly on his Soundcheck program.
Though Lopez and Stockham officially formed Middle Class Rut in December 2006, it’s a project that’s been brewing since they first met as 12-year-olds navigating the Sactown music scene. Boasting influences like locals The Deftones and Far, and not-so-locals like Jane’s Addiction and Refused, they began playing instruments.
“It was a really early version of what we’re doing now - riff oriented rock, heavy stuff,” Lopez says.
Continuing music through high school and following the-grass-is-greener-in-L.A. mentality, the guys headed south at age 18 with their band, Leisure, and signed a recording contract with DreamWorks.
But they soon found themselves in an artistic rut. Falling into the trap of following formulas, the band’s four-piece structure didn’t fulfill Lopez and Stockham’s artistic vision, so things quickly fell apart.
“We never felt super happy with our songs,” Lopez says. “We never had a crazy amount of pride in our music as we do now.”
Leisure broke up in 2003, leaving Lopez and Stockham wary of a major label machine’s song and dance. “I won’t say jaded or bitter is the word, but we feel super-wise,” Lopez says.
After a few years working in construction and in recording studios, Lopez and Stockham moved home to reclaim their musical identity as a two-piece and find their angst-filled groove.
“All the songs are rooted in frustration - working really lame jobs and spending an hour commuting,” Lopez says. “Year after year that was my life, sitting in traffic in L.A. wondering what the f—- I was doing.”
Middle Class Rut proved to be their path toward enlightenment and escape from the ho-hum of day-to-day existence. “Our life consists of this band,” Lopez says. “This is the only thing we could do.”
Within this minimalist two-player incarnation, Lopez lays down double guitar tracks, the odd ambient noise thrown in, while Stockham attacks his kit, both trading off on vocals, to achieve a startlingly raucous and full sound. “We like really roomy sounding recordings, sounds we’ll play live,” Lopez says. The songs develop organically, and the guys stick to a work’s original soul. “We’re not into overanalyzing what we’re doing,” Lopez says.
Currently unsigned but with a self-released, self-titled EP out, songs consistently uploaded onto their MySpace site and a downright prolific six records worth of material at the ready, Middle Class Rut are eager to put out their first full-length – and not willing to compromise a thing, creatively. “At this point, we’re not willing to change anything we’ve been doing,” Lopez says.
And more shows – including a stop May 9 at the Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco – are in the works.
It also helps that the band is unfazed by sleep deprivation, 10-hour stints in the tour van and inclement weather. Heading west from the scathing Austin heat toward Salt Lake City recently, the guys, who hadn’t slept in 24 hours, hit a snowstorm and braved nearly invisible roads driving 20 mph for two hours. “We feel at home doing that,” Lopez says of the marathon drives. “Whenever you leave home, you get used to that lifestyle.”
Boosted by their commanding live presence and a quality batch of songs recorded in their isolated farmhouse studio, Middle Class Rut shouldn’t be isolated for much longer.
Tough Luxury Has Trouble Sleeping
“This next song is called ‘Happy Endings,’” announced Tough Luxury front man Chris Magana. “And no, it’s not about the massage parlor on Marconi and Eastern.” The music kicked up again, filling San Francisco’s House of Shields with rockin’ sound. Those of us watching the show where crammed together with the band in the hot and stuffy second story mezzanine. Some people chose to chill out at the bar below, but they were graced with live video of the band projected on the wall. And although there wasn’t any room to dance to the catchy tunes, the crowd was still enthusiastic, bopping their heads along to the beat.
The following week, I was given the opportunity to see Tough Luxury’s creative process in action: They were working on a new song when I came to visit them in their studio. As Chris read lyrics off a computer monitor, the band attempted to follow his cues to change from verse to chorus. Like their other songs, the lyrics and the “rough draft” of their new creation was first written by Chris on Midi. “If you listen to the original version of our songs, they sound like ringtones,” quipped bassist Anthony Biagi. These skeletal songs are brought to the next practice and run through the “T. Lux. Machine,” after which the rest of the band members add their input and make changes. The creative process becomes a collaborative effort, with members swapping ideas and instruments as the song develops in unexpected ways and eventually into the finished product. “I’m a big believer in accidents,” noted Chris. “Sometimes a mess-up becomes the new coolest part of a song.”
What is truly unique, though, is the fact that Tough Luxury uses recording as a part of the writing process. According to Chris, they “do the recording as we write, and the re-writing as we record.” “It’s kind of backwards when you think about it,” drummer Jason Raney admitted. “Usually people write the songs and then record it.” Chris agreed. “We are backwards. Maybe it’s not what a lot of people do, but it’s what we do, and it’s getting interesting.”
It seems to be a formula that works well for them, as they have carved out a style that is uniquely their own. When asked to describe their sound, I got the usual “musician eye rolls” at the idea of pigeonholing themselves into a genre.
“Electronic dance rock is what we’ve been saying on the Internet,” Chris told me. “You can dance to it, and it’s got electronic stuff in there.” Audiences have noticed their music spans a variety of genres, and no two songs sound the same. Sometimes rockin’, sometimes poppy, it’s definitely danceable and addictive. It’s kind of like crack for your ears, but probably better for you.
Tough Luxury seeks to set itself apart from other bands in the Sacramento scene. As guitarist and keyboardist David Carl observed, “In Sacramento, either agriculture is going to creep its way into the music and you end up with that alt-country sound, or you have someone rebelling against that alt-country sound and playing nu metal. We’re trying to get away from either of those ends of the spectrum and just create good music.”
According to him, the ultimate goal is for the music to touch the audience, to “move people, either emotionally or through dancing.” Guitarist Brian Holzgang agreed: “I want to get a reaction out of somebody, that’s what I look forward to — the response. It’s an art, like painting; you want people to get something out of it.”
Well, I can personally attest to the ability of their music to do just that. Before the interview, I was listening to them practice their usual songs in the studio. They struck up into their only ballad-style song, “Hard to Sleep.” Although the lyrics are uplifting for the most part, the melancholy feel of the song swept me up, so that I was only vaguely aware of what I was feeling. “When it’s all on me, and the night is free, I find it hard to sleep…” Before I realized it, my eyes filled with tears. In the midst of the biggest breakup of my life, my entire world on shaky footing: oh yes, insomnia was a friend I knew quite well. As the song closed I tried in vain to hide the waterworks, but in retrospect, perhaps I shouldn’t have been embarrassed. If the goal of their music really is, as Chris said, “to touch somebody on some level, even if it’s not the way I saw it,” then maybe they should the tears as a compliment. It certainly touched me in a way that was entirely unexpected.
Tough Luxury may indeed be moving toward their own happy ending, as their music seems to be catching on in the local scene. Like many Indie bands, they have dreams of making it big. “Everybody wants to play in front of a big crowd, make money and not have to eat Spam for dinner every night,” Chris told me. He noted that it’s a hard market for musicians these days, and it requires a lot of sacrifice to keep making the music they love. But, even he conceded that often the difficulties can serve as sources of creative inspiration. “It’s been a pretty rough year for me, but out of the darkness comes some really interesting stuff.” David half-jokingly added that they “find luxury in the toughness.” But Chris found some seriousness in the joke: “I guess it is luxurious. That’s one of the best feelings, being involved in music.”
So, if you haven’t checked them out already, you’ve been waiting way too long. They will be playing at the Fire Escape in Citrus Heights on May 31 with Maldroid and Broken Poet, and keep an eye out for their upcoming EP, which is going straight to iTunes under Cyanide records. More info can be found at: myspace.com/tough-luxury.
Getting Ugly In Sacramento
I first saw the band “Ugly” last year at the Speak Easy Lounge in Old Sacramento. They struck me as a band with a lot of positive energy and I was certainly anxious to meet in person for this interview. The first thing I noticed upon entering the practice space of the local band “Ugly” was the style of the room. The tiles are red and black, the lights are dim for mood, and their space contains a full kitchen and bath (including a shower). It was like an apartment that was set up for band rehearsal. I asked them if they’d had any after-parties and vocalist Adam replied, “We’ve had a few little somethings here.” I took the “somethings” to mean that they had in fact partied there. They offered me some tea, and we all sat down and began to talk.
First, I wanted to get to know everyone. Adam is the vocalist and has been a part of the band since it’s beginning along with guitarist Elvis. Johnny plays drums and has been with the group for about a year while Nick, who plays the keys, is the newest member of the group. Nick was introduced to the band during a recording session. Their previous keyboardist had just quit, and they were in desperate need to replace him. That’s when Nick came into the picture. Learning all the songs on bass and keys, Nick was described as the “most polished” of all the try-outs. He’s been a member for only three months, but is already a fully integrated part of the group.
After talking to all of them, it would seem they’ve known each other for years, and they all share one thing in common: a passion for playing live shows.
Asking how often they’d like to perform, Elvis replied, “a lot.” So how much is a lot? Every weekend. I asked them how they planned on playing every weekend, “Don’t you guys have jobs?” They told me that they’ve all been trying to get fired from their jobs simultaneously so they can devote their lives to music, while funding their tours with their unemployment checks. I laughed when I heard that, but they were absolutely serious. We then joked about making the “Ugly” movie, a candid camera film about all the crazy antics each member would attempt in order to get fired.
After finding out that playing shows is this band’s passion, I asked about their future plans. They all want to tour California first before moving any further. “How do you plan on getting across the Golden State?” I asked. “In our tour bus,” said Adam. “We call it the ‘little big’ tour bus.” They want to take this tour bus to L.A. and possibly Las Vegas this summer. Ugly is serious about playing shows. Elvis claimed that playing shows “keeps him alive.” During the interview Adam was taking phone calls, booking shows and making connections. I was impressed by the professionalism they all displayed.
I asked how they’d describe their music. This is typically a hard question for a band to answer, and an even more difficult question for a band to agree on. After tossing around a few descriptive words, it was agreed by all that the music can only be described as “ill-sonic.” I was curious what “ill-sonic” music sounded like, so I had them play a song for me. Their music is exhilarating, to say the least. The bass from Nick’s SVT 8×10 cabinet chattered my teeth. During their much anticipated break down, I felt as if the world was melting around me. I’ve never experienced an earthquake before, but I must be very similar to their live show (without the danger of dying). Johnny described an Ugly live show as, “if you went at a small world with an M-16, an atomic bomb.” What direction is this band going? They want to “make it.” They’d like to “blow the f*** up, but not go commercial.” Elvis chimes in, “maybe a condom commercial, but not Pepsi.” Ugly has too many shows booked in the local Sacramento area to list in this article, but you can visit their MySpace page.
Ugly is a band who loves to entertain, watch the ladies dance, and move people with their music. Check them out live before they hit the road this summer, you won’t be disappointed! Also, while you’re at the show, ask Elvis about his side project the “Traveling Lady-bugs.”
Anonymous Comes Out To Play
According to the online Encyclopedia Dramatica, Anonymous is not a person or a group, but an idea. Despite this claim, Anonymous seems to be a group of typically young, mostly male hackers who enjoy making enemies and flaunting an utter disrespect of… well, everything. Anonymous can be arrogant, calling itself God, and can also be hilarious: “Anonymous does not wear fanny packs.” Whatever they do, they do for the lulz (laughter at someone else’s expense).
Fox News attempted to define Anonymous as a dangerous group of Internet terrorists in a highly sensationalized tale of high school drama. This is a group that formed out of the first generation to grow up with the Internet, and pranks are certainly part of their M.O. So is a specialized language and a tendency toward verbal gay-bashing. Cross Anonymous, and you might be the target of abstract threats made by someone wearing a Guy Fawkes mask on a series of YouTube videos.
Recently, however, Anonymous has taken on a more serious fight and gained more mainstream media attention through its effort to dismantle the Church of Scientology. Evidently, the battle began when inside footage of Scientology’s radiant son, Tom Cruise, was “leaked.” Versions of the video have had well over a million viewers witness Cruise rant about how he can’t take a vacation because he’s too busy saving the world, and how he wishes he had more help. The Church claimed copyright infringement and had the video pulled from YouTube, though there are currently several still posted.
On February 10 of this year, disguised Anonymous members abandoned their keyboards to gather in cities as widespread as Seattle, Dublin and Sidney, staging a world-wide protest of Scientology’s attempt to block free speech. Sacramento was one of those cities. “I do think this whole thing is truly epic, and fascinating, and huge for reasons larger than just the fight against Scientology,” said one local protester who wishes, of course, to remain anonymous. “Nearly 8,000 young Internet pranksters, with no governing body and just a hive-mind, organized and successfully pulled off a synchronized world-wide demonstration.” The most recent demonstration was held March 15, in honor of L. Ron Hubbard’s birthday. Tom Cruise could not be reached for comment.
Popscene
What’s going on with the nightlife in Sacramento? Several clubs have gone out within the past few years (first the Sacramento Capitol Club within the Downtown Plaza at 400 Capitol Mall, then the Tuesday Club of Sacramento just to the east of the capitol city freeway at 1050 38th St, along with several others). Granted, before these clubs went out, they both went through unhealthy shifts in management, thus incorporating uninvited musical shifts across the board. These clubs apparently changed so frequently, they certainly did not leave a void for any signature style. Regardless, what musical style is “in” or “out” right now anyway? Who will be the next to go? And now what will become of the growing fashion?
Rather than understanding this as any form of loss, this face-lift needs to be understood more for its new or innovative or modern or even liberated artistic sense.
Let’s dig into the rudiments of the club scene: The Sacramento nightlife is always just one step behind SF-though even closer than the rest of Northern California, let alone the rest of the country-and LA accentuates a more individual “heart-beat,” if you will. So now I’ll rub my little crystal ball to see what ideals and patterns it will display to cast a bit of clairvoyance on the future… Popscene, huh? Imagine a dance club centered around a band on a stage and there you have it. 330 Ritch Street in SF has become world-renowned as a pacesetter of this rock music medley that people can dance to, and it’s making its way. Off 3rd and Townsend streets in SF, walking distance from the AT&T park in San Francisco (”the Home of the San Francisco Giants”), this scene has set the pace for the innovative style to come. The Popscene lives on weekly at this SoMa hot-spot, 330 Ritch Street in San Francisco, were new Popscene sensations are presented every Thursday.
Popscene-otherwise known as Britpop, an essential outlet which has brought many remarkable indie-rock artists to light throughout the the recent history. With names like the Killers, Pulp, Amy Winehouse, The Smiths, Radiohead, this rock/dance crossover is still on a climbing trend. Throughout 2008, 330 Ritch Street is expected to present names such as Kate Nash, The Teenagers, Vampire Weekend, Robyn, Great Northern, Light Speed Champion, Does it Offend You, Yeah, The Cribs, A Place to Bury Strangers, Foals, The Kills. Many other names, will be there, also.
By “be there,” many of them will BE THERE in attendance. 330 Ritch Street is known not to have any form of VIP or “Garden Room” or any kind of room to ban the public from any recognized form of elite crew. Many names such as the Manic Street Preachers, Oasis, The Killers, Blur, Mike Joyce of The Smiths, Radiohead, right along with many others, have a history of showing up as regular customers. The band members, while not performing, typically become just as much a part of the setting as every other customer.
As an abstract, the Popscene which originated as an “Indie dance” phenomenon in Britian was acquired from a song name. The English band Blur released a song of this title. Though the Popscene died in Britian nearly a decade ago, it is still very much alive here. An entire musical genre directly took its name from the Blur song “Popscene,” as did the instantly fashionable club located inside the LA2 (London Astoria 2) on Charing Cross Road in Central London; this Blur song, which has never been included on any Blur album, served to symbolize a change in musical direction for this band as it refuted the homogeneous nature of the music industry.
So Popscene came about, evolved, and modernized in London. Then it immediately evolved into becoming publicly known, alongside the Heavenly Social, as one of the major breakthrough clubs for the Big Beat music genre in the latter half of the decade and into the new millennium. Ultimately a generation of UK clubbers became identifiable as the Popscene generation. Then the integration of the U.K.’s Popscene in San Francisco at 330 Ritch Street came about and prevails as one of the most successful Indie dance clubs in the United States. Since the summer of 1995, 330 Ritch Street has incorporated this infectious mix of DJs spinning Britpop, Indie rock, new wave, electro, 60s soul, post-punk, and live rock.
Though Popscene has become a San Francisco based phenomenon, Popscene is slowly popping up in the Sacramento scene. Local Sacramento band Popgun has become known as the leader of the Sacramento Popscene. They’ve acquired quite a name, many CDs and more than one local awards (Sacramento Area Music Awards for CD of the Year). www.popgun.org
