I’ve always agreed with many of his views and maybe not musically, but he has inspired me lol in various ways. I think it’s reasonable to say a band is no longer “Punk” if they sign to a major label, but for me that doesn’t mean they instantly become nothing. That Rage record is quality whether there’s a little Epic sign or a little Dischord sign on it.
Chris
These days it’s just annoying when a person is referred to as an “intellectual.” Most are pseudo-smarties with predictable and usually still-born thoughts regurgitated from some other pseudo-smarty. But if we had to name just one guy worthy of the honorific, it would be Noam Chomsky. Ever since he re-invented linguistics and moved onto bigger social-justice concerns, he’s been a political agitator nonpareil—an itchy thorn in the hoof of all things imperial. Chomsky’s the kind of guy who blows your mind when you’re in high school, and then does it all over again when you’re in your mid-forties—and looking back you wonder what else you’d been reading all that time and who else you’d been listening to. VBS’s Kate Albright-Hannah tracked him down in Belfast, Ireland, and this is what came of it.
Chris
Talking about album leaks:
When Lotus Plaza came out I was like a mom or something. Keeping up. The way that it went from anticipation anticipation anticipation anticipation…it’s such a sexual thing. You know what I mean it’s like they really wanted to see him with his clothes off. The album leaks like a fucking homemade sex video or something. Once the real album comes out it’s almost like yeah, I fucked her. I fucked him. I fucked that person already. When they first start getting it on they’re like “oh my God Atlas Sound is shit compared to this! Deerhunter is shit! Lotus Plaza is Deerhunter! Lotus Plaza is the essential essence of good music! Lotus Plaza is the transcendental…” The first two weeks it’s always the same. Then a week later they’re is a backlash. I’m tired of hearing about how good this is. The album isn’t even out yet! Think about In Utero: it took a year of 92/93/94 for that cycle to fully happen. There was an important day like Election Day. There’s not that anymore. People have destroyed a format of art. I have too. I’m not being Mr. Highhorse. I’m sorry for the tirade.”
… For a big fan of his work. Here is part one of a six part interview with Woody Harrelson on Zinn’s most famous incendiary material, A People’s History of the United States. RIP Howard Zinn.
Chris
– There’s a new album in the works.
– The band has been writing it for the past year.
– 60 to 75 percent done according to Randy Randall.
– Two confirmed songs are “Fever Dreaming” and “New Two”
– It may or may not come out this summer.
– The band is also working on a documentary about all-ages venues.
Yeah, he sold out, but what a life he led. Would have loved to chill with him and overthrow the government haha.
Chris
His liking of Galaxie 500 surprised me. I can hear subtle influence on a few of his slower tracks.
Old King Cole Younger told folks at LAist.com that Black Lips aren’t going to put out the new record unless it’s amazing.
Have you started recording your next album?
Yeah, we’ve started recording it. We’re doing it with Lockett (Pundt) from Deerhunter in his studio in Atlanta. The game plan is that we’re not gonna have a deadline. We’re not going to put it out unless it’s amazing. We’re really a live band. I don’t really care if we ever put out a record again. If it sucks, we’re just going to tour. I’m not too worried about our marketing plan. I mean our last records have some great moments, but they all could be better. We’re not putting out another record until it’s all great.
What one of the things that you disliked on the last album that you want to change?
We didn’t let enough people hear it before it came out. I guess we were too worried that it was going to leak, so we hid it from our friends, and you need friends to tell you things. They’ll let you know if it’s bad. This time we’re not going to be so scared to show it to people.
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 