1MM: Berlin, In (Graf) Writing
[Photos by Andrew Parks] If you ever stumble upon self-titled‘s archive, you’ll notice an apparent lack of posts from early February. The reason was not laziness; truth be told, we were on vacation. But not just any vacation–we were over in Europe, trying to uncover just why Berlin’s been considered the world’s up-and-coming art/music epicenter […]
THE S/T INTERVIEW: Elbow
By Arye Dworken Since their 2001 debut, Asleep In The Back, the mellow/melancholy Brit band Elbow has been unjustly dismissed here in the U.S. The problem, ultimately, is they never quite achieved the pretentious cred of, say, Radiohead, or gone the completely opposite route of reducing themselves to the cloying, formulaic sap of a troupe […]
PLAYED OUT: James Pants
Some words of advice for the beaten/broken-down interns out there–grin and bear it, bitches. James Pants certainly did, as he went from stuffing envelopes to turning heads as a prized signing of Stones Throw. And who can blame Peanut Butter Wolf for passing on the promotion? After all, J.P.’s really onto something with Welcome, his […]
S/T VIDEO OF THE DAY: We Want Our MTV
Next month marks the long-awaited debut of self-titled‘s first digital issue. Of course, that means we’re knee-deep in deadlines right now–caught in a cycle of caffeinated editing that’s best expressed by the following classic MTV clip … [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDpzbmHMcEQ]
320’s & 12’s: The Latest Singles From the Juan MacLean, Booka Shade and Kate Simko
THE HOUSE THAT JUAN BUILT: Nancy Whang, Juan Maclean Presenting self-titled‘s weekly roundup of vinyl/digital singles … MUST SPIN OF THE WEEK: The Juan MacLean, “Happy House” (DFA) Everyone knows pacifiers and parachute pants should only be worn by the most hopeless of E-tards. That goes without saying. So why did this throwback dance track […]
THE SELF-TITLED INTERVIEW: Earth
By J. Bennett It only took him a decade, but it seems that Earth mastermind Dylan Carlson has finally managed to shake off his reputation as The Dude Who Bought Cobain The Shotgun. And it’s about fucking time. When he appeared in Nick Broomfield‘s 1998 documentary Kurt & Courtney–pasty, bedraggled, and practically nodding off mid-interview–Carlson […]
1MM: The Verve @ WaMu Theater/Madison Square Garden
RICHARD ASHCROFT: How does that sonnet go again? Photos/Text by Andrew Parks There were very little surprises during the first half of the Verve‘s tw0-night stand at New York’s WaMu Theater. That is if you don’t count the band’s anti-climatic opener: a no-name DJ (literally; he wasn’t credited on the bill or even thanked onstage) […]
1MM: Fuck Buttons @ Mercury Lounge, 5.6.08
Okay, it’s official: “Sweet Love For Planet Earth” is one hell of a candidate for song of the year. A whirlpool of drone-on distortion and cutting, cathartic vocals (the line “will we evolve?”–at least we think that’s what Benjamin John Power’s screaming–is a frightening call to arms), it’s easily the best thing Fuck Button‘s done […]
THE S/T INTERVIEW: John Reis of The Night Marchers/Hot Snakes/Drive Like Jehu
By Matt Siblo Few figures within the punk rock spectrum provoke more intense fandom than John Reis, one of the key string-pullers behind Rocket from the Crypt, Drive like Jehu, Hot Snakes and Swami Records. While each of his bands have a distinct sound, they all sport an age-old swagger–a hybrid of greaser machismo and […]