Guitarist Kawabata Makoto of ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE & THE MELTING PARAISO U.F.O.
The following is the first installment of how self-titled spends a typical night in New York …
Andrew Parks: sooooo….scottish rock?
Andrew Parks: the first thing im wondering is the turnout for frightened rabbit
Aaron Richter: i think the scottish can sing just about anything and it’ll sound epic
Andrew Parks: i heard this was a last minute added show
Aaron Richter: capacity at Union Pool is 74 (as per the sign)
Andrew Parks: because the other one exceeded expectations
Aaron Richter: it was full, though far from packed
Andrew Parks: makes me wish id seen that tvotr show there a while back
Andrew Parks: anyway, who opened?
Aaron Richter: all truth.
Andrew Parks: that a band name or some sort of lingo?
Aaron Richter: i like that they have stage lights there like the ones Led Zeppelin used to kick in during their shows
Aaron Richter: though none of them are on the lip of the stage
Aaron Richter: lingo
FRIGHTENED RABBIT: Caught in the fuzz
Aaron Richter: i dunno what the opener was
Aaron Richter: but they were kinda indie-fratty
Andrew Parks: explain
Aaron Richter: in the way Tapes N’ Tapes is indie fratty, though not really the same type of music at all
Aaron Richter: Google tells me their name is Right on Dynamite
Andrew Parks: i see
Aaron Richter: I do have to say that Frightened Rabbit had some goodlookin’ groupie (wife?) action going on
Andrew Parks: so theyre not playing heartbroken, quasi-fucked up scottish music, ala twilight sad?
Aaron Richter: and the drummer was like getting way emotional in all the songs
Aaron Richter: much less mogwaish than twilight sad
Andrew Parks: i still consider them the most overlooked act of 2007 by the way
Andrew Parks: twilight sad that is
Aaron Richter: there’s one photo i just deleted of the drummer where it looks like he’s dropping the most serious load of his life
Aaron Richter: your’e lucky i won’t send it to you
Andrew Parks: ruh oh; emo drummers
Andrew Parks: getting ‘into it’
Andrew Parks: the only person getting ‘into it’ in acid mothers temple was their guitarist
Andrew Parks: he was nuts
Aaron Richter: holy crap. so the twilight zone is on and it’s the episode where the killer doll wants to kill this horrible father
Andrew Parks: the other three dudes looked like japanese bonnarroo fans
Aaron Richter: he’s got the dolls head in a vice grip
Andrew Parks: hot
Andrew Parks: that would have made a perfect backdrop for acid mothers temple
Andrew Parks: although dude blew his amp halfway through the second 10-15 minute song
Aaron Richter: i have this one acid mothers temple album from a few years ago that I just loved to play real fuckin’ loud when I got it
Andrew Parks: danava had to come up and save them
Aaron Richter: don’t think I’ve listened to it since
Andrew Parks: speaking of, danava was tight
Aaron Richter: is their new record good?
Aaron Richter: someone gave it a good review
Andrew Parks: as silly as they may look in their photos, theyre AMAZING live and on the new record
Andrew Parks: genuine hard rock revivalism
Andrew Parks: not metal per say
Andrew Parks: only bummer was they kept away from the synth heavy tracks on the new record
Andrew Parks: which are my favorite
Aaron Richter: shout out to Sabra hummus
Andrew Parks: because they sound like sabbath as covered by zombi
Aaron Richter: in other words, they sound like a Kemado band
Andrew Parks: yeah, but a REALLY GOOD kemado band
Andrew Parks: like i think theyre way better than the sword
Andrew Parks: but the sword will actually sell records
Aaron Richter: did you know that Conor from Trail of Dead did that one Sword album cover?
Andrew Parks: yes
Andrew Parks: in one of his d&d inspired hazes
Andrew Parks: i worry about that man
Aaron Richter: they all looked puffy at SXSW (as per yr photos)
Andrew Parks: i swear i see him wandering the streets of brooklyn more than i see him onstage or in the press anymore
Andrew Parks: and, yes, he is “puffy”
Andrew Parks: but he always was
Aaron Richter: interscope broke him
Andrew Parks: drummer has gotten REALLY puffy
Andrew Parks: i.e. fat
Andrew Parks: but he could still break me
Andrew Parks: easily
Aaron Richter: where was yr show?
Andrew Parks: mercury lounge
Andrew Parks: was sold out earlier today too
Andrew Parks: apparently the freakniks were out in droves
Andrew Parks: i officially consider acid mothers temple the uncool band to like from japan now
Andrew Parks: like its not cool like boris or the boredoms
Andrew Parks: because they look like hippies
Andrew Parks: and the one dude (the bassist maybe?) kept making bad jokes in broken english
Aaron Richter: Lock and Loll!
Andrew Parks: i was also expecting like 12 member
Andrew Parks: s
Andrew Parks: but there were only four
Aaron Richter: yeah, i always assumed they were a huge collective
Andrew Parks: damn weak dollar
Andrew Parks: they are
Andrew Parks: but i guess the others stayed home
Aaron Richter: oh fuck! the doll just pushed the dad down teh steps!!!!
Andrew Parks: allmusic has nine members listed
Andrew Parks: ha
Andrew Parks: i refuse to watch
Aaron Richter: take that deadbeat dad
Andrew Parks: itll make me freak the fuck out
Aaron Richter: “my name talking tina, and you better be nice to me.”
Andrew Parks: wow, danava has only gotten 4,672 plays on imeem
Andrew Parks: thats sad
Andrew Parks: come on kids
Andrew Parks: support your local rockers
Aaron Richter: does Frightened Rabbit have numbers like that?
Andrew Parks: i dont seem to have the f.r. album here
Andrew Parks: any conclusion about their set compared to the album?
Andrew Parks: they “the next big thing” from scotland
Andrew Parks: ?
Aaron Richter: i think I was struck harder by the record.
Andrew Parks: any reason?
Aaron Richter: the live set was good and tight, and it was a nice relief to be in a new york venue where I could comfortably stand in the front and hump a monitor
Andrew Parks: literally?
Andrew Parks: did you keep it in your pants?
Aaron Richter: but maybe it has to do with the fact that they don’t really look like rock stars
Aaron Richter: like the guys are all kinda dumpy
Aaron Richter: which sorta works to the singers advantage
Andrew Parks: why? is he not dumpy looking?
Aaron Richter: he has a hugableness
Aaron Richter: like I wanted to hug him I guess
Andrew Parks: thats so not a real word
Aaron Richter: “thanks for the tunes dude” hug
Andrew Parks: but you held back?
Aaron Richter: a scottish adam duritz
Aaron Richter: so maybe that held me back
Andrew Parks: you know, i was always struck by how many ‘indie types’ love the counting crows
Andrew Parks: got a new album of theirs in the mail today
Aaron Richter: I heard it a few times live, but i think it’s the whole “sincere” thing that makes it sound like counting crows
Andrew Parks: any other comments about frightened rabbit for the kids?
Andrew Parks: should they pick up their counting crows record?
Aaron Richter: i dig the album a lot. lets more of the textures come out.
Aaron Richter: seemed like there was a lot of stuff they were doing onstage that really didn’t come through the speakers all to well
Aaron Richter: so it’s more interesting when you can hear the keyboard elements better
Andrew Parks: i see
Andrew Parks: so the keyboardist was standing and doing nothing basically?
Aaron Richter: one of the guitarists takes care of keyboards too
Andrew Parks: danava’s one had the same problem
Andrew Parks: he should have just left
Aaron Richter: so he was busy
Andrew Parks: interesting enough, danavas singer told me their keyboardist doesnt know how to play
Aaron Richter: ha
Andrew Parks: so most of the stuff you hear on their record is the guitarist/singer/frontman
Andrew Parks: because hes talented like that
Andrew Parks: AHHAHAHAHAHAH
Andrew Parks: yeah
Aaron Richter: dude would just stand around in a top hat
Aaron Richter: and no one would bother introducing him
Andrew Parks: i miss seeing ian curtis around town all incognito like
Aaron Richter: shout out to brooklyn vegan for posting my Holy Fuck photo
Andrew Parks: last time i saw him he had a baseball cap on, looking like he was trying to be down with the kids
Andrew Parks: no suit
Andrew Parks: just cazual
Andrew Parks: thanks brooklyn vegan
Andrew Parks: our photos are your photos anytime
Aaron Richter: thanks for being squeezably soft, Frightened Rabbit
Aaron Richter: you brought cute women, so kudos to that
Andrew Parks: right on
Aaron Richter: alright, i stink like sex, time for a shower
Frightened Rabbit’s FatCat debut, Sing the Greys, is out now. Find out more at http://www.myspace.com/frightenedrabbit. Acid Mothers Temple has a catalog that changes by the day. Keep up to date at http://www.acidmothers.com/.
