Songs That Are Cool Right Now (I do this so that you too can be cool, thus adhere, suckas)

The National “Secret Meeting.” So the song is from their previous album, Alligator, and I guess would then be outdated, but I just discovered it (“If I haven’t seen it, it’s new to me,” Charles Manson quote from Family Guy). But they’ve got their new album coming out and they’re all the rave right now.

The Ponys “I Wanna Fuck You.” I’ve been seeing their name all over as well. They’re sound is borrowed but good. This song is also from an older album.

Silver Apples “A Pox on You.” It’s weird, but not out there.

-The Mari

BFD contest down to 5

We're really getting tired of being all up in Live 105's ass, but, honestly, what other radio station gives a fuck about local music? Once again, the good folks of Live 105 are opening their arms to talented, under-appreciated and unsigned local bands for the BFD Local Band Contest. This year's battle goes down at Bottom of the Hill, between Apside, Broken October, Two Left Feet, Overview, and Panda. Show some love for these desperate bastards 6/4. Now that the pimple-faced lads of Panda are 18, maybe they'll finally get a fair shot. (They should have won the NSSN local contest!)

more info: LIVE 105

Hiero enters fashion world

Their logo is almost as recognizable as the Nike swoosh (Rolling Stone declared it the third most known logo in music today). So why not enter the fashion world? Bay Area hip hop vets, Hieroglyphics announced a plan to launch a new line of high fashion denim jeans. The loose fitted jeans will feature silk screened lyrics from various members and the famous logo. Look for the jeans August 07.


more here: All Hip Hop

Radio Over-exposure

A strange thing has recently happened to my Zune mp3 player. Since I am driving a rental at the moment and have few cds and no input for said Zune, I have been forced to listen to the radio for the past few weeks while in my car, which I am in quite a lot. Anyway, the stations I listen to all have their favorite old songs that they play over and over again. Live 105 plays at least once daily Collective Soul's "December", Black Crowes' "Hard To Handle", Screaming Trees' "Nearly Lost You" and Folk Implosion's "Natural One." The Bone has been playing Scorpions' "The Zoo" WAY too much.

So now, my Zune is beginning to emulate the radio playlists seemingly by itself because I am compelled, nay conditioned, to come home and download all these songs that work their into my brain like a tapeworm.

However, not everything about this radio over-exposure has been annoying. The new Smashing Pumpkins has managed to restore the faith I had in the bands I loved as a kid, the same faith that Nine Inch Nails has steadily torn down over the course of two albums. When the heros you had as a kid start making bad music, there is a self-doubt that comes with shunning it. You think, "Is it me? Have I just grown out of it?" In this case, no. Reznor is steadily devolving into Adam Ant and Billy Corgan has rediscovered his balls. It's sweet.

-Briana Hernandez

BUYING THE NEW WILCO ALBUM

I'm prone to buying music on iTunes, but when a favorite band has a new release, I try to avoid hearing streams and samples and continue the tradition of the release day pilgrimage to a favorite record store to buy my copy. Such was the case for the new Wilco album, Sky Blue Sky, though my journey was not without a few hiccups...

6:30 p.m. I enter Rasputin Music in Pleasant Hill and head for the LPs in the back of the store. Just like the guy at Rasputin's 800-number told me, they have 4 vinyl copies of Sky Blue Sky in stock. The sticker on the shrink-wrap confirms that the vinyl copy includes a CD copy of the album. Plus, all new vinyl at Rasputin is an extra 10% off, until they move to their new location (the old Tower Records space on Willow Pass Road.) Sweet.

6:35 p.m. After deciding not to also buy Johnny Cash, American V: A Hundred Highways on vinyl, I take the Wilco album up to the face-full-of-piercings slackerboy working the register. Before handing over my debit card, I explain the the Rasputin website says that Wilco purchasers get a bonus disc with unreleased tracks.

"Oh, man, I don't know anything about that," he says. His fingernails are painted black. "I don't see anything here, so we probably don't have them. I just got here."

"Well, just call someone in the back to check, because you should have them," I tell him, in a calm, firm tone. "It says so on the Rasputin website. I'm sure you just don't know where they are."

"Maybe we already gave them all away," he suggests. "They're probably already all gone."

"I doubt it. The album just came out today, and I doubt that all the bigger Wilco geeks than me got here this afternoon and got all the B-side bonus discs. Just call the manager or someone in the stockroom."

This goes on for awhile, with Black Fingernails angrily debating that the only two possibilities are 1) Rasputin Pleasant Hill never had any bonus discs, or, 2) Rasputin Pleasant Hill already gave away all the bonus discs. I finally convince him to use his walkie-talkie to call someone in the back, who finds the still-unopened box of Wilco bonus-discs in about five seconds.

6:51 p.m. Fingernails shoves everything in a big plastic Rasputin bag and says, "NEXT."

7 p.m.-8:30. I drive around Concord backroads in the early evening light, listening to the cd, which is awesome. I also find an Arco station that has unleaded for $3.29 per gallon, .10 cheaper than Costco.

-Peter Crooks

Smashing Pumkins to play 8 Bay Area shows

I'm totally not making this shit up. The Smashing Pumpkins just announced a residency at the Fillmore July 22-August 1. That's right, eight shows to promote the new album "Zeitgeist." Let's be honest though, it's not really the Smashing Pumpkins. It's Billy Corgan and that drummer who they kicked out (Jimmy Chamberlin) because of drug problems. While reunions are all the craze right now, James Iha and Melissa Auf der Maur wanted nothing to do with project. Of course, you'll still get the bald head and the nasally voice.

5/11/07 Grandmaster DJ Qbert holdin' it down for Justin Bua

Daly City Grandmaster DJ Qbert showed up from obscurity in order to show love for one of the founders and proprietors of hip hop art, Justin Bua. Although his name may not ring any bells at the front door, his art does. We have seen his work on everything from sneakers to video games to music videos. And now he's got a book out and a tour to support. I love how Qbert is turning hip hop philanthropist these days, dipping in just about every facet of the art form with authenticity and integrity. Last year it was female dj's, the year before that it was the QFO, the year before was children's books, before that the Wave Twisters movie, and on and on. Even more than that, Qbert brings back the schoolyard back to the club wherever he plays. It ain't nothin' but a jam and he knows it. Some say turnmtablism has fallen off and that's just fine because the only people left holdin' it down are the ones that put it up from the beginning. Much love to the Extra Credit Breakdance Crew holdin' it down. Much love to the dj's holdin it down all night. Much love to all who showed up last night and showed up just to have fun. Much love to Justin Bua who we all showed up for.
- Super Grant Inaba
More info here:
http://www.justinbua.com/newSite/index.php
http://www.djqbert.com/

Nellie Furtado, Stop Making Us Uncomfortable. We See Through You. Thanks.

She doesn’t even seem like an artist. She’s wrapping paper on a present. It’s like someone sat her down, showed her how women wiggle in videos and she’s rigid, trying to be sexy while mimicking. That “I’m like a bird” song was annoying as shit, but at least it seemed natural. I’m not anti ditching creativity for making songs that sell, and I think she’s made the “right” move for her entertainment career, but where’s the heart?

Let me add here, I too enjoyed getting my grind on to “Promiscuous” but that’s all Timbaland; he has magic down. He figured out the perfect hit patent that entertains and hooks mainstream listeners, beezeys, and boring guys who like to dance (I revere Timbaland). The song with Nellie, Justin, and Timbaland? It’s a Brangelina. But really, there’s no art to any of it, except Timbaland’s ability to manipulate anything into money. Now, Fergie and Ciara do it well and it seems right. I consider American Idol turds, actors who have money to make them singers, and strippers more satisfying in there supplemented singer manufactings. Dear Nellie, currently, you are the insecure girl at the club fake laughing at jokes you don’t realize but are about you.

(What is she? Puerto Rican?)

-The Mari

One More Time?

I'm not going to lie.

On Thursday, when I saw that Britney Spears, the once-Mickey Mouse clubkid, was going to grace the stage of San Francisco's Red Devil Lounge in all her crazy be-wigged glory, I got giddy.

Maybe it was the excess of caffeine. More likely it was my AA moment: "Bernadette, you are addicted to celebrity news."

I was poised to purchase my tickets, and had at least five others ready to do the same, so we could all attend, plus hock the leftovers for a tidy profit. But most of all, I was ready to take my music reviewing to new heights for you, the Owl Mag’s faithful readers.

Then things got weird. First there was a show with the M + M's, posted by a trigger-happy Ticketweb on the Red Devil’s website. The next morning, the listing morphed to “Private Event, sold out.” I got word that tickets had all been grasped by some prominent VIPs. Finally, a sign in the club’s window attests that the show is “100% cancelled.”

Just when I had dusted off my limited edition copy of …Baby One More Time…

All kidding aside, maybe the ex-Mrs. Federline was intimidated by the San Francisco crowd. We don’t put up with three hours of waiting for 15 minutes of lip-synching and bad choreography without letting an “artist” know what’s on our minds.

But now what am I going to do with my Monday night?

-Bernadette

Cherish and Obey This List of Righteous Upcoming Shows

The Horrors. May 19. Saturday. Popscene (SF)- a fun spectacle. Super glam, loud, dancey, punk. I saw them at CMJ and Faris (lead singer) grabbed my pal’s head and screamed into it and hit me in the mouth. It ruled.

Black Cobra, Rwake. May 20. Sunday. The Uptown (Oakland) & May 21. Monday. Elbo Room (SF)- scary rock and metal. Ideally, you’d want to see this show in some small, shadey joint where everyone is pushing and sweaty. I bet both bands have badass shirts with crazy art. (I’m going to The Uptown show and hoping for aggressive attendees)

The Sermon. May 25. Friday. Café Du Nord (SF)- first, I dig their name. Solid rock, with a 50’s and punk tone. These local dudes don’t play that often.

Pela. May 31. Thursday. Bottom of the Hill (SF)- refer to my article below. I jock.


Zion I & The Grouch. June 2. Saturday. The Independent (SF)- always fun. Hip hop and flavor. They'll kill it, but at the last SXSW, I saw them play with UGK. The audience was like, "Who are these white dudes?" It was funny (they're not white).

Sleepy Time Gorilla Museum. June 15. Friday. Great American Music Hall (SF)- their shows always sellout. I haven’t seen them, but supposedly it’s an unbelievable show. Dramatic and homemade instruments, their shit is out there (experimental, opera, goth, rock?). It will be an honor to see them.

Buck 65 (Sage Francis, Buddy Wakefield, and Alias). June 19 & 20. Monday & Tuesday. Fillmore (SF)- this is it. While all the dudes rule, Buck… dear god, who is this guy? And what can’t he do (to me)? Rooted in hip hop, storytelling, breathy lyrics, and articulate hands and gestures… so good. I’m going to try and not go both nights (I’m scary).

-The Mari

Squaretape to open this year's Footstock

Congrats to Squaretape for winning this year's Bay to Breakers "Battle of the Bands" contest at the Independent. At 10:30AM, it'll probably be the earliest gig they've ever played. But I'm sure you wouldn't look odd rocking out in your pajamas. They'll be opening for 90s alt-rockers Cracker. Winning the contest is a big step for the SF band, after going through some lineup changes and losing their drummer to Welsh artist Jem, it looks like Squaretape is back on track.

more on them here: Squaretape

I Hella Believe!

I've been a Warriors fan for as long as I can remember. I've got the throwback Mullins jersey. I remember Run TMC. Latrell Sprewell choking out coach Carlesimo. Nellie version 1 letting Webber go. I was a proud fan during the drought (13 years!). And I don't care if the Warriors never win another game, they made the Mavericks look like chumps. Bring on the Rockets or Jazz. I believe.

Shellac and Steve Albini; I’m Trying to be Better

I was over at the Ruby Room enjoying the company of my band mates, chums, and New Zealand visitor, Paul from The Mint Chicks, having an impenetrable good time. And then these guitars punk the shit out me. I’ve heard the sound elsewhere and liked it immediately. There are some formulas to songs that will always get me. So I walk away mid whatever was going on and ask dj another white guy who it is: Shellac. Paul then adds that his drumming was reviewed to be a blend between Shellac and Green Day. Congratulations, hero dick. Anyways, I’m drunk and picture a fucked up spelling to it (an apostrophe in there), so I’m just hoping I will come across the incisiveness again.

The next week, I’m on my second date with art-rapper extraordinaire (I won’t sully his name by mentioning his involvement with me, but seriously, I deserve daps for bagging this one) and he brings up this song he’s digging and how he’s actually excited to see a band, and no shit, it’s Shellac. This whole time I’ve thought I was quarterbackin’ about to spread the good word, but dude (and the other people I’ve spoken about Shellac to) go, “You don’t know Steve Albini?” Turns out I’m a dipshit too late, but happy with a new band (for me) nonetheless.

Steve Albini is the man that everyone else but me knew about. He was in the bands Big Black and Rapeman, now it’s Shellac. Homeboy has engineered huge albums (Nirvana, Pixies, Fugazi, Joanna Newsom, a supposed total of 1500-2000 albums). Therefore if you are doo doo dum as well, there’s a very cool and informative article on him at http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep05/articles/albini.htm.

-The Mari