On Selling Out
All over the beer blogosphere Monday morning was the story that Anheuser Busch-InBev purchased Chicago’s Goose Island, a fairly popular craft brewery. The words “sell” and “out” were thrown around more than once. Such conversations reminded me of the early nineties when selling out was a bad thing for musicians. Of course, most of them did it anyway. I even wrote a pretty terrible paper on the subject for an English course I was taking[1]. Every indie band who jumped ship for a major label (and there were a lot of them back then) was scrutinized for their decision. Were they sell-outs? Why did it matter?
It was a pretty big deal to an idealistic and naive me. Of course, I had little idea of what it selling-out actually meant. I vehemently defended bands I liked as not selling-out despite huge contracts with corporate recording companies. I felt at the time that subverting the mainstream from the inside was a way to counteract taking a huge payout from corporate overlords. Then, I started to see how some indie bands were doing the same thing without compromising indie-ness by refusing to sign to major labels and sticking with the indies that gave them their first shot[2].
As I grew older, I came to realize that idealism is cool, but we’ve got to get paid eventually. For example, I wanted to make a difference in the world by working with kids, but getting paid to do that surely didn’t hurt[3]. I saw the same opportunities for bands. Some were signing major label deals, careful not no run up huge amounts of debt the way their predecessors had[4]. Other bands sold songs to movies and advertisers. At first, this turned me off, but I soon realized that between the additional exposure and guaranteed paycheck, these bands were able to extend careers, making the music I love[5].
Still, it’s not as simple as saying selling-out is bad or getting paid is good. There’s a ton of gray. Getting a huge paycheck from a faceless corporation can be good, bad, or somewhere in between. It all depends on how one handles it.
To demonstrate what I mean, the following examples show how selling out ruins or even imporves an indie band or musician[6]:
- Sonic Youth’s reputation took a huge hit when they signed to a major in 1990. After years of indie bands mostly floundering either on their own or because they had foolishly signed with a major, Sonic Youth gambled with an offer from Geffen. This moment marked the beginning of the 90’s bum-rush of the underground for the next big thing[7]. Luckily, Sonic Youth never compromised their sound and used their new platform to expose better music to more people. Even though SY had signed with a major label, they somehow maintained their indie spirit through the bands they with which chose to tour and by making some rather non-mainstream music. Today, they release records on their own label and/or indie Matador Records.
- Speaking of Matador, they, like their brothers in Seattle (Sub Pop), signed distribution deals with some majors[8]. One of those deals was with Capitol Records. One musician on Matador’s roster, Liz Phair, had built a pretty promising run of two nineties, lo-fi classics in Exile in Guyville and Whipsmart. Phair’s somewhat mediocre Whitechocolatespaceegg was co-released by the two labels[9]. Eventually, Phair made the leap to that very major…and promptly released the shittiest material of her career, pointing out that her new goal was to make some cheddar while she could[10]. Phair compromising her art to write pop tunes was certainly a bad long-term decision.
- Built to Spill developed a pretty solid following during the mid-nineties with their catchy ditties about adolescent disillusionment. Warner Bros. saw an opportunity to grab hold of a hit machine a la Weezer or Green Day or whatever one-hit wonder was topping the charts at the time[11]. Because of the band’s growing popularity and potential, the label agreed to sign them while allowing a lot of creative control. What resulted is a pretty uncompromising album in Perfect From Now On, filled with anything but three-minute insta-hits[12]. The band has continued to make music the way they want to and WB lets them.
- The story of Modest Mouse is somewhat mixed. I wouldn’t say that they’ve compromised their music for mainstream success, but their breakout hit “Float On” suggests otherwise. Still, even with their Billboard success, they found a way to make it work.
- Nirvana was basically talked into signing with Geffen because Sonic Youth sold them on the idea. Yes, Nirvana sold a shit-ton o’ records, but at what cost? Although Kurt Cobain was destined to go out the way he did, I sometimes wonder if his discomfort with the industry contributed to his ultimate demise. If you listen to Bleach and Nevermind back-to-back, it’s easy to tell that it’s the same band, but a lot of oomph was lost in the production of that second album. They got some of it back with In Utero, but the damage was done. It would have been interesting to see what Nirvana could have done had they not signed with
the devila major label.
There are plenty more examples than these, but the point still remains that selling-out has mixed results. The Goose Island deal does not have to be a bad one. We’ll have to wait and see.
Another related topic that I’ve been mulling over for while is the fact that many indie bands and craft brewers don’t need corporate money, promotion, or distribution to be successful. So, selling-out might be unnecessary, but that’s another topic for another post[13].
The key to this deal is that Goose Island was plenty successful before they sold out to ABI. They enjoyed more success when ABI took over their distribution, adding a ton of Belgian-inspired beers and expanding the Bourbon County Stout line. My suspicion is that Goose Island will be more like Sonic Youth than Liz Phair, but we’ll see.
As with bands who sign with majors, this move for GI can go well or bomb. Either way, craft beer drinkers should judge GI on their beer and not the company who purchased them. If the beer’s good, continue to drink it. If ABI wants to cut costs and the quality drops, don’t drink it. I still listen to bands who make the leap to the majors if the music is good. Interpol tried it and failed. The result is that I don’t buy Interpol records anymore. Conversely, I think the Flaming Lips’ best work (which is now most of their catalog) is on a major. Selling-out doesn’t necessarily equate failure or success. It all depends on the individual entities involved.
I for one will give Goose Island the benefit of the doubt and wait to see whether their beer stays the same, deteriorates, or even improves before I make my final assessment. However, knowing the company who bought them out, I will watch this developing situation closely.
Notes:
1Upon discovering and rereading the paper again, I found that my real thesis was more along the lines of “you’re a sell-out if you suck.” I ripped lame hair metal bands for appealing to the lowest common denominator and called them sell-outs. Meanwhile, a band like Pearl Jam was not a sell-out because…well…I liked them a lot at the time. I have no idea how I got an ‘A’ on that paper. I even think I ripped on a few of the instructor’s favorite bands along the way.
2Favorites like Pavement and Archers of Loaf come to mind. I don’t actually think Pavement received that much attention (especially after Wowee Zowee), but it’s well-documented that AoL turned down offers.
3To be honest, I was always paid to work with kids. However, at some point, I had to make the choice of public school teacher over YMCA camp staff. The pay and benefits for the former were much better than the latter.
4There are way more stories of bands who signed with majors, were forced to rent studio space and tour buses, and were left with thousands in debt that was left unpaid when the hits stopped coming. The smart bands refused using expensive studios, producers, and tour busses. Major labels are really just good for distribution and maybe promotion, but that’s it.
5It’s pretty easy to see the lasting effect of this practice. Indie bands of the eighties often fizzled out due to an inability to make a living playing tiny clubs and selling a couple hundred 7″ singles. Conversely, a lot of my heroes from the nineties have extended their careers well into the next century. I envision a day when all the bands of my college years are doing huge world tours like the Rolling Stones. It will either be amazing or totally suck.
6At this point, you might be wondering what this has to do with beer. The examples of craft brewers being bought out by corporate beer makers/promoters is a short list of mostly failures. One doesn’t have to look far to find the examples of Leinenkugel, Rolling Rock, or Red Hook to show that selling-out to corporate beer producers is a bad idea. However, I think this Goose Island deal might be different. That and I like to connect craft beer to indie rock whenever possible.
7Some like to point to Nirvana’s signing as this moment, but Nirvana was signed as a result of Sonic Youth signing. Sonic Youth was the gateway band. Nirvana blew the whole thing wide-open, but Sonic Youth’s signing was the beginning.
8In reality, indie labels signing deals with major labels better correlates with the Goose Island deal, but I didn’t have the time to research all the labels who signed deals with major labels. Basically, the ones that I know of, put out the same kind of music they always had. Some survived, but most were dropped when profits tanked. Matador and Sub Pop were able to sign deals that allowed them to continue to do what they were doing long after the majors faltered. They made it work by simply using corporate resources without adopting the corporate homogeneity.
9As was Pavement’s Brighten the Corners, easily the closest the band ever came to a cross-over album. The difference is that Pavement’s newfound willingness to appeal came off as a coincidence. The reason I say this is because the album they jointly released with Matador and Warner Bros. was Wowee Zowee, a decidedly un-mainstream-appealing record. The band never made overtures to go mainstream the way Liz Phair has.
10I don’t blame Liz Phair for selling out. She had a kid to take care of. Ironically, she had better career options as an indie rocker than she did as a pop songstress. Check Pavement’s reissue and reunion tour sales figures. Indie rock worked out for them.
11Writing a lot of catchy, three-minute punk/pop songs is usually a sure way to get signed. The only part that wouldn’t have worked out for BtS is that they have never looked the part of angst-y adolescent heartthrobs. No thirteen-year-old was going to fall for that.
12To put this into perspective, the band’s previous release contained thirteen tracks clocking in at around 46 minutes with only two over the five minute mark and the rest in the 2-4 minute range – ideal for major label releases. Perfect From Now On was 54 minutes long spread over eight tracks. The shortest tracks were 4:52 and 5:33, respectively. The other six tracks were all over six minutes.
13I am considering proposing craft beer and indie rock as models of business success that could be copied in helping our economy recover. There has to be a reason these sectors are doing well despite the failures of their respective industries. Craft beer continues to grow while overall beer sales shrink. Indie labels and bands flourish (or at least make a living) despite all the major labels crumbling around them. There’s something about small, independent businesses that are sustainable and productive for communities in ways that corporations just can’t match. This topic has legs.
Injured
My wrist is killing me from typing too much. I’m taking at least today off from posting so that I can do my real job. I’ll post on Wednesday.
Nonreturner
I wrote this for The CoMO Collective, a collaborative local blog on which I’m working. We haven’t officially launched yet, but it’s coming. Right now, we’re just trying to build some content. In the meantime, you can read my recent post on a show I saw last weekend. It does no favors for the band or the gig, but it’s content, right? Still, when you’re done reading this piece of crap, go download their music. Eventually, I’ll do a proper recap of Nonreturner, maybe an actual interview or some shit like that.
Also, this is actually my 100th post. This took much longer than the last blog, but I’m happier with where this one is going. Stay tuned for more fun in my next 100.
Nonreturner
Nonreturner
March 19, 2011
Eastside Tavern
Sloppy can be good.
Nonreturner has not always been sloppy. They were good, not sloppy, the last time I saw them. The kind of music Nonreturner plays is not the kind one usually associates with sloppiness. This band creates soundscapes with layer upon layer, recalling early Broken Social Scene and later Radiohead in nearly every song. There’s intricacy in what they do. Nonreturner makes music that is exact and carefully planned. No one half-assing it can do that as well as Nonreturner does it.
That said, there’s a new vibe to a Nonreturner show. I’ve always believed in the Calvin Johnson school of thought where emotion is more important than skill. Nonreturner had the skill part figured out already, but in what appeared to be a potentially disastrous drunken stupor, turned out to be a show that reverberated through the night, causing any band to follow to be forgotten. Yeah, it was that good and that much fun.
Such well crafted music deserves an audience. Eastside Tavern featured a nice turnout, but Nonreturner should have a greater number of ears hearing their art. They should tour, but that would only take them away from Columbia. Still, for this Nonreturner thing to work, they will inevitably have to tour.
Maybe you missed their set at Eastside last weekend or can’t normally make it out to see them live, but there is no excuse not to listen to this band. Their music is out there for free. Yards & Gods, their record label/cooperative, makes the music its roster creates free for pillaging. Go there now and get to stealing some music like it’s 1999.
Nonreturner are unknown quantity in the CoMusic scene, but not for long.
Cpt. (my) Captain
I remember back in my college days going to see this particular band who happened to have a 7″ for sale, which I bought. In the Xeroxed liner notes, there was an address where one could send a blank cassette tape and a self-addressed, stamped envelope for more music. So, the music was basically free aside from the shipping and cost of the tapes[1].
I misread the offer and sent two tapes. The guy filled them both anyway with some of the most masterfully produced bedroom recordings I’ve ever heard[2]. I wore those tapes out, literally. To this day, I’ve not found an experience that quite meets those days when I played the hell out of two dubbed cassettes in my beat-up Toyota Corolla.
The new Cpt. Captain release on Yards & Gods comes pretty close, though. When We Were Captains actually cost me less than those mailed cassette tapes. See, Yards & Gods gives their material for merely exchanging your email[3]. So, there’s no excuse for not going directly to their site and downloading everything they have to offer ASAP.
The nostalgia doesn’t end with the free music. The beloved aesthetic of music recorded over shitty tapes in cramped space is here too. And that’s appealing to me in so many ways. I mean, I’m from Ohio. We grow up on football, corn, and lo-fi[4]. That said, don’t confuse a somewhat amateurish aesthetic for amateurish production. Lo-fi is an art, especially when it’s as rewarding as When We Were Captains. Although the format for this release is actually digital, it features a sharpness not found in my tape deck, but the recording process certainly maintains that warm, lo-fi character.
What is also present is an ambition to sound bigger than a bedroom recording can/will allow[5]. Sonically, these songs hover among the lo-fi trees planted so long ago by Lou Barlow, Eric Gaffney, and Jason Lowenstein[6]. The guitars show gumption and the vocals thrive in friendly confines. Had these boys recorded these songs 20 years ago, they would be on a reunion tour right now and not releasing posthumous mp3’s.
This collection spans the group’s short run from 2007-09, also playing under the moniker Nascar Diarrhea. Lazy, hazy ditties about life in a college town are reminiscent of Columbus, Ohio’s Moviola, sans the twang. There’s a lot of mid-tempo material, but the pop nods are all over the place…in a good way. Pleasing grooves are as much a part of a Cpt. Captain song as boozy guitar theatrics. Really, this collection’s ability to attract and maintain your attention through variety is a definite strength.
Sadly, I missed the band’s live shows as I was too busy with my own problems to pay attention to what was happening under my own nose[7], but this collection has allowed me to learn a thing or two about the local scene, helping to fulfill a promise I once made myself. This look into a band’s life allows for my appreciation to be personal. I can get to know these ten tracks closely and either keep them to myself or share with friends. Such is the purpose of the bedroom recording. It’s this personal thing, created in the most intimate of spaces, but its ultimate purpose is to be shared with the world. Whether that sharing be through vinyl, cassette tape, or mp3 doesn’t really matter. What matters is that the music found its way into my collection and I get a chance to hear it.
Notes:
1Both of which were easy for me to obtain. In those days, I kept a healthy supply of blank tapes around and I worked in my college’s mail room.
2In particular was a cover of Pavement’s “Greenlander” and some random Beatles covers as well. He had two 90 minute tapes to fill.
3Who knows what they actually do with those emails? Do they sell them to spammers or Nigerian kings? I honestly don’t know.
4Ever hear of Guided By Voices?
5I’m not talking arena rock like The Who here. By an ambition to sound bigger, I mean that Cpt. Captain have some depth and heft to their sound not typically heard in a lo-fi recording.
6John Davis could be thrown in there as well.
7It’s a lot harder to get into local bands when you move someplace already in your thirties. When I was in Columbus, I had been following the local scene since college. Starting over at 30 was a difficult task, but I’m getting there.
Beer & Music Pairings
This was once a central focus of this blog, but I struggled to make it work. Now, I have the methodology. It’s time to pair some beer with indie rock.
(via Hot Knives)
The Neglected Music Blog
On Monday…well…I posted nothing. But on Wednesday, I posted something about beer. Today, I’ll tell you about some music. Again, there’s no time for footnotes. You’ll have to make due with my lack of detail or explanation.
1993 called and they want their buzz band back. That’s all I can think when I listen to Yuck. These kids can play a 90’s indie rock tune like few others. Distortion, self-doubt, feedback, mumbling, quiet-loud-quiet dynamics…It’s all there and it’s quite good. Their label, Fat Possum, typically specializes in retro bands and I suppose 15-20 years ago counts as retro. They sound like Dinosaur Jr, Versus, and Velocity Girl, so, it works.
The following video roped me into the band. Sure, it’s the most erotic dog grooming video you’ll ever see, but the song, “Rubber,” is mesmerizing and induces head bobbing upon the first listen. Beware, it’s NSFW, but it’s worth watching for the editing and cinematography that somehow matches the track perfectly while mashing together images of a dog getting scrubbed down with video of said groomer bathing. Trust me. It works.
Mogwai is another throwback doing a throwback thing in their latest, Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. The band came up in the mid-90’s, bridging the gap between 80’s hardcore and the shoegazers of the early nineties. With this record, the Scots make that bridge rather obvious, destroying your eardrums and breaking your heart along the way. This is a headphone album of the highest order as layer upon layer crushes you again and again. Friends had been telling me for months to be on the lookout for this record and they weren’t kidding.
Interestingly, the Mogwai video for “Rano Pano” is more narrative than character study unlike the one above, but the aesthetic of the track is strikingly similar. I hadn’t noticed it before, but listening to these tracks back-to-back reveal the overlap. You can hear for yourself. This one is SFW.
And for something completely different…The typically difficult Danielson comes through with maybe his most approachable album yet. It’s almost classic rock-esque it’s so conventional. However, don’t read that assessment as though Best of Gloucester County is boring. It’s anything but and it might not only be Dan’s most approachable album, it could also be his best. Of course, I say this with only one listen, but I think it will stick.
The only video for the Danielson album wasn’t embedable. You’ll have to visit P4kTV to get that kind of action.
The Neglected Beer Blog
A beer blog this is not, but I do post about beer all the time. That is, when I post. After the True/False onslaught and a weekend of strep and pink eye in the house, I have fallen behind. This blog is supposed to be about beer and music. Here’s the beer post for the week with a music post to follow. There’s no time for footnotes. Just bear with me.
Folks have been all over the black IPA trend. No one is obsessed with it the way folks drive all over the globe for sours or barrel-aged beers, but they’re into the Cascadian dark ale enough to send the message to every craft brewer that they need a black IPA. It’s easy to taste why. The black IPA/Cascadian dark ale has the best of both worlds. There’s the sweet maltiness of stouts and bocks mixed with the floral bitterness of your favorite IPA. It’s a rather versatile beer for pairings and is naturally balanced.
I brewed one of these beers and named it after the seminal indie/math rock band Big Black. IPA’s of all colors are bitter, so I tend to call the style “black bitter.” All this adds up to the name of my beer: Big Black Bitter.
Originally, I had planned to design a label to print at Kinkos, but I wanted to save money while labeling my beers over the long haul and went with a rubber stamp and labels. You can see the results below.
Look at the head on that mother.
How is the beer? Well, it has a pretty incredible head. There’s no need for an aggressive pour. The lacing is wet and almost foamy, not sticky. The sent is a cacophony of citrus and grassy hops with a touch of the roasted malty goodness. However, there’s something not quite right. I’m chalking it up to the Amarillo hops as the same aroma is in another beer I did with loads of Amarillo. I thought I liked this hop, but I’m beginning to discover that it’s not my favorite.
Anyway, I tasted the bugger. Bitter roastiness dominates with a touch of citrus to finish it off. As it ages (which is days and weeks in an IPA’s lifespan), the bitterness grows, making this a beer true to its name. Luckily, the sweetness provided by the malt balances the beer out. There isn’t much in the way of mouthfeel, which is typical for an extract homebrew. It’s something I can live with. There’s a little heat, but not too much.
Overall, the beer is a success. It’s not as mind-blowing as I had hoped, but this style rarely is. What it does do, once again, is live up to its name. It’s black and bitter. It looks good in a glass and feels good going down. In the end, that’s all that matters.
—-
Soon, my favorite brewery will makes its way to Missouri. Stone has hinted before that they’re coming to the Show-Me state, but has backed out on that promise. Apparently, it’s hard to get a foot in the door in this state. It’s as if some conglomerate, industrialized rice-adjunct beer maker owns property here (hint: ANHEUSER BUSCH). Whatever. Stone is finally coming to Missouri.
Of course, I’ve had a pipeline to Stone’s product for some time. My family all live in Ohio where Stone is readily available. My brother recently grabbed me the 2011 Old Guardian Barley Wine as well as the new Belgo version. Plus, he grabbed me the beer Stone collaborated with Green Flash and Pizza Port Carlsbad breweries, Highway 78 Scotch Ale.
Good, not great scotch ale.
Typically, the Stone collabs are pretty amazing. This one was really good, but somewhat ordinary. I don’t know whether the style has limitations or the breweries just tried to make a really good scotch ale. The ABV isn’t high, which suggests they didn’t press the limits with this brew. Plus, there’s nothing extra going on here. It’s just a really solid scotch ale. I have no complaints, but I was hoping for something more. At least I won’t have to wait for my mother to deliver me Stone anymore.
Speaking of new beer arrivals in MO…
Half a flight and plate of fries to go.
Favorite beer nerd local Sycamore celebrated the arrival of another Southern Cal brewery, Firestoen Walker, with a tasting event. They didn’t get the free glasses promised, but the beer arrived. A flight of 5 oz. samples of FW beers cost $14. That and a plate of fries for my daughter and I made a nice pre-dinner session. The beers in the flight were consumed in the following order.
- Double Jack IPA – Grapefruity and balanced, this IPA might have ruined my taste buds for the rest of the evening and I was thankful. Seriously, though, this is as good an IPA as you’ll find. We now get several of the great IPA’s from the west coast. If we could only get all of them…
- Reserve Porter – I don’t know whether it was the fact that I drank the IPA first or this is just your typical, run of the mill porter, but I was not impressed. Sure, it was smooth, clean even, but I like my porters to taste like…well…imperial stouts. So, that might be a me problem and not a Firestone Walker problem.
- Abacus – Ah, barley wine brewed in bourbon barrels. You really can’t beat that. All kinds of dark fruits and booze runneth wild over my tongue. I wanted to make sweet love to that beer, but my daughter was present and there was only 5 ounces in the glass.
- Anniversary 14 – Of course, then I met Anni. Man, what a mouthful this beer was. More bourbon barrel goodness only in the form of a strong dark ale. Tons of molasses, fig, vanilla…It was maybe the only beer that could follow Abacus, yet it was so smooth and tasty.
I’m really looking forward to more from Firestone Walker and Stone in the coming months. For now, I’ll have to settle for the Double Jack I purchased at the Hy-Vee yesterday and my Old Guardians. Oh, and I still have loads of that homebrew.
Cheers.
A True/False Diary, part 2
Saturday is typically the big day to attend. Starting at 9:30 or 10:00, you can fit in a 5k run, 4-5 films, a rock show, and an after-party in the wee-hours of Sunday. I did all of those except for the run. Next year[1].
Hula & Natan; Sat, Mar 5 10:30AM; Windsor Cinema
Hula & Natan was supposed to be a laugh-out-loud riot. It was at times, but how funny can you be when you live just outside the Gaza Strip? Still, the two mechanics demonstrate an odd-couple affinity for one another, much like the tape-recorded drunks in Shut Up Little Man! and that created a lot of funny material. Interestingly, one of the most poignant scenes of the film occurred when the protagonists went out to a hill overlooking Gaza. Several Israelis were camped out there watching the territory get bombed and even cheering[2]. Hula was disgusted as he regularly did business with the Palestinians and could see them in a humane way.
Habana Muda; Sat, Mar 5 12:30PM; Little Ragtag
I’ll admit it. I didn’t want to see this film. However, it was easily one of my top-3. The filmmaker beautifully told this story of a Cuban family looking to make their life better through a Mexican man’s generosity[3]. The catch is that the patriarch of the Cuban family was preparing to marry the Mexican, go with him to Mexico, and work to support his family back in Cuba. It is easily one of the more complex love triangles[4] I’ve witnessed. Luckily, in the hands of filmmaker in full control of his craft, Habana Muda captured the humanity, love, and desperation of the situation like few films can.
The Burger and the King; Sat, Mar 5 3:30PM; Blue Note
From True Vision recipient James Marsh came this interesting biography of the King of rock ‘n roll and fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches[5]. Although not the film we wanted at that moment, The Burger and the King demonstrated just what kind of influence Marsh has had over documentary film over the last couple of decades.
The Redemption of General Butt Naked; Sat, Mar 5 5:30PM; The Hive
Terrifying penises. Lots of terrifying penises. I’m not even kidding. Still, this was not what I thought it would be. If it is possible to believe that a man has changed after being directly or indirectly involved in the killing of 20,000 people (mostly while naked[6]), then this is the film that can do it. A top-3 pick for sure.
The Arbor; Sat, Mar 5 8:00PM; Little Ragtag
This was a really interesting method of telling a story. The filmmaker used actors who lip-synched audio from interviews with the subjects, intertwined with scenes from the play The Arbor. The issue was that the filmmaker should have chosen to tell either Andrea Dunbar’s story or her daughters, not both. I left before it ended because I was tired of hearing how Dunbar’s biracial daughter continued to use drugs, prostitute herself, and have babies. Like mother, like daughter, I guess.
Mojo’s A-Go-Go; Sat, Mar 5 10:00PM; Mojo’s
The Arbor made me antsy. I needed some rock ‘n roll, and that’s what I got. I already wrote about this show in my music post, but you should know that the lineup was excellent. Haii Usagi filled the space expertly with keyboards, MacBook, and drums. Netherfriends are developing into a solid rock band that just make you wan to dance. Kings Go Forth are leading the way in this soul revivalist time we’re living. I had to laugh at all the people who scoffed at the $10 cover[7]. They missed out.
Super Secret Party; Sun, Mar 6 1:30AM; ???
I’m really not supposed to tell you anything about this party. It’s not open to everyone[8], but I was invited to see the band Believers play their debut set. I’ve written elsewhere that this was maybe the most enjoyable set of music I witnessed, buskers or otherwise. Seriously, the band was just great. Sure, to the lazy ear, it sounds like Vampire Weekend or whatever, but there’s not all that shitty-ass pretension or Graceland schtick. Despite the connotations they conjure, Believers are original, engaging, and sure to be among my favorite local bands in the coming years, but you didn’t read it here. The party was pretty great, too.
Sunday was a bit slower, as can be expected. Two consecutive nights of after-parties did me in. So, I took it easy as I somehow fit in films 12, 13, and 14 of the fest.
Secret Screening Black; Sun, Mar 6 10:00AM; Little Ragtag
Again, there’s nothing I can really tell you about this one. Just know that our government cannot be trusted. This might be the one film to sneak out and win the Oscar a year from now. Watch[9].
The Black Power Mix Tape 1967-1975; Sun, Mar 6 12:30PM; Forrest Theater
Since I already saw this on Friday, I decided to take a well-deserved break and pick up some lunch and actually take it easy for change.
Here Comes Everybody: Journalism in 2011; Sunday, Mar 6 2:00PM; Columbia Art League
I was so ready to get in a fight with all the journos on the panel, but I ran out of time and had to run. To summarize, journalists are scared as shit they won’t have any jobs in the future. Join the club.
The Pruitt-Igoe Myth; Sun, Mar 6 3:00PM; Forrest Theater
Pruitt-Igoe was a famous housing project in St Louis. It failed miserably for several reasons (white flight to the suburbs, lack of care, detrimental welfare laws, etc.). But what has been missed over the decades since its demise are the stories of the people who lived there. A pretty conventional doc utilizing archived footage, The Pruitt-Igoe Myth was a nice companion piece with films such as The Black Power Mix Tape 1967-1975 and The Barber of Birmingham (a short on a civil rights era barber who also happened to be a foot soldier in the movement).
Moving Windmills: The William Kamkwamba Story; Sun, Mar 6 5:30PM; Little Ragtag
I had no interest in this film, but gave my ticket up to a friend. Instead, I decided to hang out with “Team Booze” or the group of guys in charge of delivering beer and spirits all weekend. I sipped on some DIPA’s[10] as the films moved along. After noticing several people exiting the theater, I used my press pass to get inside for the Q & A. The poor filmmaker was taking a beating as this was a work-in-progress and the audience didn’t necessarily understand which suggestions would be beneficial.
Life in a Day; Sun, Mar 6 8:00PM; Missouri Theatre
We finished the night with an experiment in crowd-sourcing. Thousands of filmmakers (amateur and professional) filmed their day on July 24, 2010. The producers and directors sorted out 4500 hours of footage from all over the globe to piece together a surprisingly coherent narrative of the human experience. It was a bit cheesy for my taste, but an appropriate ending for the fest.
All I can say is that I can’t wait for next year’s fest. Even if we were to somehow move[11], I think we’d return for the True/False Film Festival every year. I believe this so much that I’ve collected nearly every blog post I’ve written about the festival over the last five years on a page in this blog. Expect the content on that page to grow. Now, I have to wait another year for T/F to shake me out of my winter doldrums.
Notes:
1Probably not.
2I don’t care which side you align yourself in the Israeli/Palestinian cluster-fuck. People are being bombed. You don’t laugh and cheer. It’s pretty sick to think people get off on dying and suffering.
3It’s so interesting to think of a Mexican as the rich guy someone from another country goes to financial assistance. I recognize that Mexico, like any country, has wealthy people. However, I’m not sure many Americans would admit to knowing this. They have a very warped sense of the world, particularly of our neighbors to the south.
4Aren’t they all complex?
5There’s a lot of butter used to fry up one of these mothers. It’s a wonder the man lived as long as he did.
6General Butt Naked and his “men” (read: “boys”) would often fight in the buff. From the video footage and images of these fighters, one can imagine just how terrifying that could be. I mean, it’s crazy to fight naked and there’s nothing scarier than crazy.
7Give people a laminated piece of card stock to wear around their neck and they think they can go anywhere. The issue might have been that there was another T/F-sponsored show around the corner that was free to pass holders. I’ll have suggestions to fix this in my last T/F post, if I ever get to it.
8Although they call the party “Super Secret,” plenty of folks seem to know where and when it was. Still, not everyone got in. I felt pretty special getting waved into a party two nights in a row. That’s never happened to me. Thanks, Mary.
9Although I’ve revealed nothing about the film for you to confirm my prediction, you’ll just have to trust me. Maybe I can say something after its official premier happens.
10Founder’s Double Trouble. Good stuff, that.
11Always a possibility when married to an academic.
True/False Bands
Besides being the premier documentary film festival in the country[1], True/False features a somewhat eclectic bunch of bands to not only serve as buskers, serenading audiences waiting for films to begin, but they often rock out at after-parties and showcases throughout the weekend, all over town. I was asked to blog some of these bands. I didn’t see every band, nor did I attend every show, but what I saw was overall pretty enjoyable. Here’s the rundown…
Buskers
Busking is when musicians practice and/or perform in a public place, often for tips. One of the unique aspects of T/F is the presence of buskers all around town and particularly in theaters. I saw 14 films over four days. Before every one of those films some busking occured. And I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for busking. So, my reviews are all pretty positive, but for various reasons. Here’s what I saw/heard:
- Bramble might be the quintessential busking band of this year’s fest[2]. Lovely harmonizing, acoustic layers, and ancient percussive methods carry a Bramble song to the heavens. Not jarring, but certainly not forgettable, Bramble put audiences at ease before learning about bloody mobile phones, the Black Power movement, and troll hunters. Support them on Kickstarter and keep your eyes open for a return to your favorite film festival.
- Columbia’s own Nature Walk take their sound from the Ozarks, rocking a traditional Americana groove and exploring both the darkness and hope in nonfiction film. The band set up much like Bramble, but the aesthetic was very different. Where Bramble was of the sky, Nature Walk tasted of the earth, making the experience feel all the more authentic and taking us all home to the backwoods and hills of southern Missouri.
- I witnessed Jeremy Freeze of Jerusalem & the Starbaskets provide two very different performances. Before To Be Heard, the gruff-looking one-time-Columbian played a somber set of country standards and originals. It was dark, Jeremy mumbled, but it seemed to set a serious mood for a pretty serious film. The old folk behind me complained a bit, but sometimes that’s what a festival likes this needs to keep it strange and abnormal. Of course, those old fogies missed out on the real fun as Jeremy spent most of his set before Shut Up Little Man! tuning his electric guitar and hollering out something about “fucking documentaries” and “fuck yeah, True/False.” He played one or two songs, tried to leave his guitar where the filmmakers typically stand after a screening, and walked off with 15 minutes to kill before the film. A volunteer convinced him to come out. Once Jeremy realized his tiny amp was all the way at the other side the stage area (maybe five feet away), he opted to just sing a couple of covers a cappella[3]. Evidence here.
- Richard the Lionhearted is another Columbian band playing the fest. Their brand of alt.country is the kind where every song just sounds familiar. That’s comforting. They also may have been the largest band (six-piece) in the fest’s smallest theater (Little Ragtag).
- Pearl & the Beard were often cited as the most impressive of the buskers. The Brooklyn three-piece may have also been the most versatile as they could quiet the crowd with soothing harmonies and fill a large venue like the Blue Note with the raw power of their voices. Seriously, this is one of the bands we could see some big things from in the coming years.
- Lizzie Wright was a most unlikely busker for The Redemption of General Butt Naked[4], but she was a welcome change-of-pace, nonetheless. Imagine a chipper Joanna Newsom singing Moldy Peaches songs about robot love and you’d land somewhere near Lizzie’s aesthetic. She’s new to Middle Missouri. I look forward to hearing her play around town.
- Mexi-Americana super-cute trio(?) David Wax Museum pulled a Arcade Fire and worked their way through the crowd at some point during their set[5], but what else should buskers do? Just stand around? The energy in their songs necessitated some movement if we were all just going to sit there. The NPR-darlings came to us from Boston and I hope they make it back next year as well.
- Dubb Nubb were billed as the “only twindie-pop band in America” and they weren’t lying[6]. The twins were the other act that sang like Joanna Newsom, but they harmonized, creating an effect only heard on Newsom’s overdubbed aural masturbations disguised as 30-minute “songs.” I digress. Dubb Nubb were quite good at aping Newsom’s vocal stylings[7] over acoustic guitar. I enjoyed it. My Joanna Newsom-loathing wife did not.
- Robert Sarazin, more of a storyteller than busker, closed the fest as is (becoming) tradition. He brought the house down with accompaniment from Maine’s Tough Cats before Life in a Day. The festival thrives on such personalities placing their own mark on the festivities and Robert has this talent of warming up the crowd for a grand send-off.
There were other events throughout the weekend, but I had my limits. I made some, but had to skip others. Here’s what else I saw/heard:
- Mojo’s A Go-Go featured one of the most diverse lineups you’ll find anywhere[8]. Despite that diversity, the upbeat, danceable nature of the three bands fit perfectly together. Haii Usagi opened the gig with their version of electro-thrash, calling up the ghost of Brainiac, sans vocals and guitar[9]. I once dismissed them as sounding too Animal Collective, but that was lazy on my part. Haii Usagi bring the bleeps and blips that drives and veers as opposed to superficially just addressing your need to dance the night away. I’m happy they’re local as it should afford me more opportunities to see them again.
- Also on the Mojo’s lineup was Chicago and Emergency Umbrella band Netherfriends. I saw them play an EU showcase a summer ago and Pitchfork last summer. Since that time, the band has really worked out the kinks. Danceable indie rock is not an easy thing to pull off without sounding fleeting, but Netherfriends is figuring things out. Netherfriends plays like Animal Collective[10] with soul and seemingly stuck in the seventies. This was truly a fun set. It was nice to see.
- The night’s headliner was Milwaukee’s Kings Go Forth, another in a long line of soul revivalists flooding the indie scene. This band was good at what they do and caused the crowd to dance up a frenzy like few I’ve seen in this town[11]. Honestly, I don’t get this new obsession with soul music and I’m not sure Kings Go Forth really changed my mind, but they certainly were entertaining.
- The other set I witnessed Saturday night (or Sunday morning) was that of Columbia’s Believers at a party I’m not allowed to tell you about[12]. There was certainly a palpable energy in the room created by the band as they ripped through a set that left folks wanting more (always a good sign). They’re like Vampire Weekend with balls, White Rabbits with irony, and The Walkmen if they wanted to sound like they’re from this century and not the last. This was a set that made me smile and that doesn’t happen that often anymore. This really was the best set of the fest. Too bad only a few witnessed it.
For those who think True/False is just about the films, you’re sadly mistaken as the music aspect is slowly growing into a major event of its own. I feel bad for those fest-goers who pay no attention to the buskers or avoid the rock shows and showcases. However, it just means there’s more room for me to attend, a practice I will surely include in future True/False fests.
This post originally appeared in The CoMO Collective, a site I am collaboratively working on with a few other Columbian bloggers. The only difference between that post and this one is that this one has some revisions and footnotes. So, consider yourself lucky.
Notes:
1That’s right. I said it. Name one that’s better. All I know is that every filmmaker who comes through talks about how much they love our fest or they say it’s the best documentary film festival anywhere. They don’t have to say that. I think that because it is primarily focused on documentary film, it gets about as much mainstream attention as docs typically get.
2Before this year, I would have tagged Brody Douglas Hunt as the quintessential T/F busker, but sadly, Brody didn’t make it out this year.
3I suspect he was a bit tipsy, but it was a happy tipsy. Nothing wrong with that.
4I described this film with two words on Twitter: terrifying penises. That’s all you need to know.
5This made it really hard to eat my burrito.
6What I mean to say is that they’re actually twins, possibly identical. I don’t know that they’re the only “twindie” act in America, but they certainly looked alike.
7Who would have guessed that folks would copy Joanna Newsom’s voice? I guess it shows that’s she’s more influential than we may have once expected her to be.
8Typically, “diverse” lineups include a bunch of white dudes and a hip-hop act. This was not the case. It’s possible to have diversity without hip-hop. Now, had they included some women on the bill, that would have made the lineup more diverse.
9This is something I would have assumed was impossible, but Haii Usagi made me think “Brainiac” the whole time. Really, that’s quite a feat.
10Sorry. This time the reference was meant as a compliment and was particularly apt. I recognize compare bands is lazy, but it’s also an effective way to communicate. Besides, I’m barely professional at this.
11We don’t dance here. I’m not sure why.
12It’s not just a secret, it’s a super secret party held at a secret location. You know you’ve been in a town for a long time when the the person running the door takes one look at you and says, “Zac, you’re okay to go in.” (Thanks, Mary!) I was on the list thanks to my role as T/Fweeter and music blogger/guerrilla journalist.
A True/False Diary, part 1
I am still recovering from four days of docs, drinks, and dancing[1] at this year’s True/False Fest. The following is a rundown of all the things I saw and did over that time. Last night, I had trouble just remembering which films I had actually seen, but it’s all coming back to me.
Blood in the Mobile; Thu, Mar 3 5:30PM; Big Ragtag
What a great way to start the fest. Of course, it made me feel a little guilty for using my phone so much[2], but it was a strong start to an excellent weekend. Maybe one of the most powerful moments of the entire fest happened when the filmmakers ventured down a coltan mine in the Eastern Congo[3]. It’s the most claustrophobic I’ve felt watching a film since the director’s cut of Das Boot many years ago. Plus, it was interesting to see the contrast in the mines, the surrounding miners camp and Nokia headquarters in Finland. Two characteristics that seemed to run throughout the fest were Scandinavian filmmakers and a focus on African and African-American subjects.
The Jubilee (w/ Benda Bilili!); Thu, Mar 3 7:30PM; Missouri Theatre
The first film made us a little late to fully enjoy the fest’s newest event, the Jubilee. While my partner searched out some food, I grabbed a Schafly APA and enjoyed mingling with drunk, middle-aged folk. We settled into the beautiful Missouri Theatre. What I witnessed was the maybe the best rockumentary[4] I’ve seen in a while. The film had holes and there was a bit a cheese involved in the happy ending, but second-straight film set in the Congo was a lot of fun. I particularly loved the representation of the disabled as capable[5].
Secret Screening Purple; Thu, Mar 3 9:30PM; Forrest Theater
I can’t really tell you much about this film. The fest has an agreement with a few bigger festivals (Hello, SXSW!) that they won’t reveal the titles or specific details about certain films so that those fests can claim premier status. What’s interesting is that many films have their first screenings at True/False, but for whatever reason, other festivals get the credit. It’s an aspect of the industry I don’t get. However, I feel lucky enough just to get a chance at seeing these films and will respect the arrangement by not telling you too much about these films. That said, SS Purple was a pretty cool film and featured maybe the best soundtrack I’ve heard in a T/F film.
The Black Power Mix Tape 1967-1975; Fri, Mar 4 3:00PM; Big Ragtag
We reserved two screenings for this one as I had work commits that could have caused me to miss out on my first Friday film. I was on the road at 5 AM, drove three hours out, sat for three hours, and drove back. Luckily, I made it in time. Ironically, halfway through the doc, a tornado warning caused the volunteers to stop the film. The audience all wondered why bother to stop as they called their loved ones. We weren’t going anywhere.
The Black Power Mix Tape was another Scandinavian film about African(-Americans) and told me more about the Black Power movement than I’d previously known[6]. It was a rather unbiased and factually-based look at the movement, bringing home the idea that every major social movement needs an extreme presence to push through. Every high school in America should have this film in their media centers.
The Woman With Five Elephants; Fri, Mar 4 5:00PM; Forrest Theater / North From Calabria; Fri, Mar 4 6:30PM; The Chapel
We made the mistake of not eating on Thursday and we wouldn’t make that mistake again. These were “extra” films we chose to fill the time slots[7]. The second of the two films overlapped the next, so we chose to attend a parade and eat.
March March; Fri, Mar 4 5:15PM
Said parade was rained on, but that didn’t dampen the marchers. The best part was that we were able to get our kid out of preschool in time to check out the parade. I’ve never made it out to see the March March, but I’m glad I did this time. It’s a ramshackle affair where anyone can join and those who do dress in the most original costumes.
To Be Heard; Fri, Mar 4 7:30PM; Little Ragtag
I’m a little weary of films about schools. These films (fiction or nonfiction) are often preachy, devoid of reality, and/or circle-jerks over an egotistical teacher. Rarely do these films focus on reality or the lives of the students. To Be Heard actually gets it right. Smart, savvy subjects and some really great poetry dominate this film. It wasn’t all uplifting, but the film’s reality was a welcome addition to the “inner-city-schooling-achievement” film genre.
Shut Up Little Man! An Audio Misadventure; Fri, Mar 4 10:00PM; Little Ragtag
My partner called it a night as she had been traveling all week and I settled into one of the Ragtag’s infamous couches for what promised to be the funniest film of the fest. I don’t know that Shut Up… lived up to that promise, but it did bring up some interesting ethical issues. Basically, two young guys record the drunken arguments between their neighbors and eventually turn those recordings into an underground phenomenon. Questions arise as to who owns content that’s been taken under dubious circumstances. The film was more interesting than hilarious, but it was still good for a few laughs.
@CTION! Party; Friday, Mar 4, 10:00PM
I don’t normally do parties at T/F[8]. I tend to just focus on the films, but this year’s involvement in the fest made me want to check this event out. Basically, it was a lot of free booze and multiple rooms with multiple DJ’s letting folks get their grooves on[9]. One room featured soul and 80’s revivalist soul and the other featured music for young folks and a hipster stench. I thought this would be my last stop of the night, but I ended up at an after-party where chatting up T/F staff and filmmakers was actually possible[10]. Plus, Hellbender provided some beer. That’s always a good reason to show up for a party.
There is a second half of this post-T/F diary. However, I will be posting something about the bands I saw in the meantime[11]. So, be on the lookout for two new posts in the coming 48 hours.
Notes:
1I don’t actually dance anymore, but I saw and heard a shit-ton of great music. I just liked the alliteration.
2I was the unofficial fest Tweeter. While someone on the fest’s core staff was technically in charge of all the social media efforts and did his own share of Tweet, I had access to the Twitter account and was constantly Tweeting the events of the weekend. It was fun, but I will want to prepare much earlier in the game next year if they allow me to participate. Still, it afforded me a lot of access to the fest, which made it the best of the six I’ve attended.
3Coltan is one of the main minerals used in constructing cell phones. The mining of this mineral is being exploited to fund warlords in the Congo.
4I mostly say this because it feels as if the fest has ignored a film genre I happen to love. Maybe there’s a way to highlight new and old rockumentaries in future fests. Keep that in mind as I will post suggestions for next year’s fest later in the week.
5Too often, we are presented with images of the so-called “disabled” as unable to do pretty much anything. While I don’t think the fest has done a ton to dispel this myth, this film and 2005’s Murder Ball suggest otherwise. In Benda Bilili!, the subjects overcome numerous obstacles (in addition to their inability to walk on their own) to support families and become rather successful musicians.
6For one thing, the leaders in the Black Power movement were not nearly as violent as the media and history books would want you to believe.
7This means that there were two extra seats for those waiting in the “Q.” You’re welcome.
8To be honest, I don’t do parties too well. I prefer less-structured get-togethers.
9Despite my unanimous selection has my high school senior class’ best dancer, I don’t really dance much these days, unless it’s with my two-year-old.
10I actually didn’t talk to any filmmakers at this event, but I did talk to To Be Heard‘s Pearl.
11This was the main reason I received a press pass. So, I should probably follow through with that commitment.
Beer and Pavement 
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