Spinner http://www.spinner.com Spinner http://www.spinner.com/media/feedlogo.gif Spinner http://www.spinner.com en-us Copyright 2013 Blogsmith, LLC. The contents of this headlines and excerpts feed are available for limited commercial distribution. You may repost this feed to your site provided you link back to the original story, do not edit the material, and do not remove this copyright notice. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ Andy Partridge Interview: Former XTC Singer 'Can Fart Out Pop Songs' Now http://www.spinner.com/2013/04/24/andy-partridge-gonwards/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/04/24/andy-partridge-gonwards/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/04/24/andy-partridge-gonwards/#comments Filed under: ,


Andy Partridge of XTCBrassneck PR

Andy Partridge's career has to be one of the more circuitous and often ill fated in the history of pop music.

At the height of his former band XTC's commercial powers in the early '80s, the singer-songwriter suffered debilitating stage fright, forcing the band to stop touring altogether. The British trio almost missed its chance at a huge step forward in the college radio/alternative markets here in the U.S. when it initially left "Dear God" off of the 1986 album Skylarking.

When the band finally started to earn back some critical respect with 1999's pastoral and beautiful Apple Venus Vol. 1, longtime guitarist Dave Gregory left the group. The remaining members Partridge and Colin Moulding limped forward with a half-hearted companion album of rock tunes, Wasp Star, with the band fizzling out in the early '00s. ]]> Andy PartridgeAndyPartridgeXTC Robert Ham 2013-04-24T15:00:00 00:00 Brooke Waggoner: From Jack White's Peacocks to New LP 'Originator' http://www.spinner.com/2012/12/19/brooke-waggoner-originator/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/12/19/brooke-waggoner-originator/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/12/19/brooke-waggoner-originator/#comments Filed under: , ,


SKH Music

Brooke Waggoner has had little time to catch her breath over the past 12 months. The 28-year-old musician spent most of 2012 crisscrossing the globe, playing keyboards in the Peacocks, the all-female backing band Jack White used on his extensive Blunderbuss tour.

"It's been a crazy year," Waggoner says, speaking to Spinner a day after appearing with White on "Conan." "It was a heightened level of touring and live playing that I haven't ever had to experience." ]]> Brooke Waggonerbrooke waggoner interviewbrooke waggoner jack whitebrooke waggoner new albumbrooke waggoner originatorBrookeWaggonerBrookeWaggonerInterviewBrookeWaggonerJackWhiteBrookeWaggonerNewAlbumBrookeWaggonerOriginatorJack WhiteJackWhite Robert Ham 2012-12-19T11:15:00 00:00 Belle & Sebastian's Stevie Jackson Stumbles Into Youthful Joy on Solo Debut http://www.spinner.com/2012/08/31/stevie-jackson-i-cant-get-no/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/08/31/stevie-jackson-i-cant-get-no/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/08/31/stevie-jackson-i-cant-get-no/#comments Filed under: ,


Courtesy of Banchory Recordings

The news of a solo album by Belle and Sebastian member Stevie Jackson was greeted in the blogosphere with a sense of inevitability. Jackson has, after all, written some fantastic songs for his band already ("Seymour Stein" and "To Be Myself Completely," among them). So, surely he had a backlog of material ready to be recorded, right?

"Not really," the 43-year-old Scot tells Spinner. "I kind of stumbled into it. It's not like I've had this burning thing to take solo flight. I consider myself a natural sideman." ]]> belle and sebastianBelleAndSebastianI Cant Get No Stevie JacksonStevie JacksonStevie Jackson Belle and SebastianStevieJackson Robert Ham 2012-08-31T16:00:00 00:00 Laetitia Sadier Finds 'Almost Orgasmic' Beauty in Pure Silence http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/31/laetitia-sadier-finds-almost-orgasmic-beauty-in-pure-silence/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/31/laetitia-sadier-finds-almost-orgasmic-beauty-in-pure-silence/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/31/laetitia-sadier-finds-almost-orgasmic-beauty-in-pure-silence/#comments Filed under: , ,


Laetitia SadierDavid Thayer

An album of artful and political pop songs that urge listeners to speak up loudly against the powers that be, but is entitled Silencio, provides a delicious bite of irony to the proceedings.

But the woman behind the album, Laetitia Sadier, is quite serious about the implications and spiritual growth that can come with finding what she calls "pure silence."

"The first time it happened to me was in a church in a small Spanish town," the 44-year-old songwriter told Spinner recently. "This moment where no one made a noise and no noise could be heard from outside. I got to connect very deeply with myself. It felt so good! Almost orgasmic. I have yet to find a true moment of silence like that again." ]]> Laetitia SadierLaetitia Sadier silenciolaetitiasadierStereolab Robert Ham 2012-07-31T16:15:00 00:00 Heart's Nancy Wilson Q&A: Cocaine, '80s Hair and Not Being an 'Old Codger' http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/25/nancy-wilson-heart-interview/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/25/nancy-wilson-heart-interview/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/25/nancy-wilson-heart-interview/#comments Filed under: , ,


Sony Legacy

Few bands have been able to survive as long or as successfully as Heart. Credit for much of that goes to the band's ability to rise and fall with the sounds of the time. The group -- led by singer Ann Wilson and her sister, guitarist Nancy Wilson -- came to life nearly 40 years ago, enjoying immediate success with raw rock anthems "Crazy on You" and "Barracuda." The band's biggest hits though came a decade later when it morphed into a radio-friendly pop act, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard charts with "These Dreams" and "Alone." Bolstered by the successes of other bands from their hometown of Seattle, the Wilsons and co. returned to a more rock and folk sound through the '90s.

Now, Ann and Nancy Wilson are celebrating their long legacy via Strange Euphoria, a three-CD set of songs chosen by the sisters that highlights not only their successes and deep album cuts, but also sprinkles in demo versions, live tracks and solo material.

Spinner was able to catch up with Nancy Wilson at her California home to talk about this new box set, the influence that Heart has had on other female artists and how the band is faring in the Spotify age.

How hard or easy was it to choose the tracks to include in this collection?

It was a lot to choose from. It was easy to select a lot of cool and unusual things but hard to pare it down. It was really fun to do though! There are still some additional things out there that we'd like to get out at some point. This is what our fans deserve because they've been super loyal to us for an awfully long time. ]]> ann wilsonannwilsonheartheart bandheart box setheart interviewheart nancy wilsonheart nancy wilson interviewheart songsheart strange euphorianancy wilsonnancywilson Robert Ham 2012-07-25T15:00:00 00:00 Lianne La Havas: Breakout Singer Makes Fans of Stevie Wonder, Justin Vernon http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/18/lianne-la-havas-interview/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/18/lianne-la-havas-interview/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/18/lianne-la-havas-interview/#comments Filed under: , ,


Alex Lake

Fourteen hours have passed since her last performance and Lianne La Havas is still audibly glowing. The early promotional dates in the U.S. to drum up some buzz for the forthcoming release of her debut album Is Your Love Big Enough? have been going incredibly well for the 22-year-old singer-songwriter and her band. Especially after an already well-received series of dates this year in her native U.K.

But that's not the real reason she sounds breathless and giddy.

"I played a show last night, and all my dreams came true: Stevie Wonder came to the show," she told Spinner as she sat poolside at her hotel. "I can't believe I can say that sentence. It was amazing. I was very emotional, and I cried! He said he liked the show. That's all I wanted." ]]> Lianne La HavasLianne La Havas albumLianne La Havas bon iverLianne La Havas is your love big enoughLianne La Havas justin vernonLianne La Havas songsliannelahavasStevie Wonder Robert Ham 2012-07-18T16:00:00 00:00 Shout Out Out Out Out Reflect on Growth of EDM, Remorse and 'Spanish Moss' http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/17/shout-out-out-out-out-spanish-moss/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/17/shout-out-out-out-out-spanish-moss/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/17/shout-out-out-out-out-spanish-moss/#comments Filed under: , , ,


Shout Out Out Out OutTerrorbird

For all the fuss being stirred up by major press outlets about the rise of electronic dance music, one factor that's often glossed over is how the pump was primed by acts like LCD Soundsystem, the Rapture and Out Hud. Groups like those drew from many of the same dance, disco and club influences that are now driving the new school of EDM icons like Deadmau5 and Swedish House Mafia.

"All of the sudden, it was okay for people listening to punk and rock to also be going out to clubs and dancing," says Nik Kozub, leader of the dance-pop outfit Shout Out Out Out Out. "There [isn't] much distinction between crowds anymore. That's continued and gotten bigger and bigger."

Shout Out Out Out Out is a huge part of this growth. The electro groove sextet has, since 2004, been wowing crowds in their hometown of Edmonton and beyond with a sound that brings live instrumentation and a punk ethos into the world of dance-floor bangers. ]]> Shout Out Out Out OutShout Out Out Out Out Spanish Moss and Total LossSpanish Moss and Total Loss Robert Ham 2012-07-17T16:30:00 00:00 English Beat Q&A: Rupert Murdoch's Sadism and Box-Set 'Cringing Moments' http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/10/english-beat-box-set-dave-wakeling/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/10/english-beat-box-set-dave-wakeling/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/10/english-beat-box-set-dave-wakeling/#comments Filed under: , ,


Adrian Boot

One of the most successful groups to emerge from the '70s melding of the U.K. punk and ska worlds was the English Beat (known only as the Beat in their home country). Led by vocalist Dave Wakeling and reggae toaster Ranking Roger, the group burst right out of the gate in 1979 with a joyous cover of Smokey Robinson's "Tears of a Clown" that was an immediate top 10 success in the U.K. From there, the Beat recorded three still-vibrant albums of buoyant pop, all of which hit the charts in England while also finding some crossover love on this side of the pond. They even have such famous fans as Pete Townshend and Eddie Vedder.

Though the original lineup of the group split in 1983, the members recently reconvened to put a collective stamp of approval on The Complete Beat, a five-CD set that brings together everything -- official releases, rarities and live tracks -- they committed to tape. Spinner caught up with Wakeling to talk about this new box set, Rupert Murdoch's vile ways and the beginnings of the group.

Is it exciting to have all of the Beat's material available in one set like this?

What's nicest about it all the band members faced the piles of tapes and stuff with a little trepidation, as sometimes things can sometimes sound and feel better in their memory than it did at the time. Everyone was pleasantly surprised that no one had any cringing moments. As the years have rolled by since the original lineup played together, the continued good legacy of the material that we made has made for a warm feeling amongst us, at least on the surface. Then we go back to the same behavior that made us split up in the first place! ]]> English Beatenglish beat box setenglish beat complete beatenglish beat dave wakelingenglish beat rupert murdochenglishbeatthe complete beatthe english beat Robert Ham 2012-07-10T16:00:00 00:00 LP Ready for 'Wild' Ride Thanks to Citi Commercial, Major-Label Debut http://www.spinner.com/2012/05/09/lp-somebody-left-the-gate-open/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/05/09/lp-somebody-left-the-gate-open/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/05/09/lp-somebody-left-the-gate-open/#comments Filed under: , ,


Tamzin Brown

In a world where even your great-aunt has an iPod filled with 20GB of music, a new artist has to try any means necessary to get his/her music heard by the masses. And in these days that means finding the right movie, TV show or advertisement to place a song into.

For the singer-songwriter known as LP (that's Laura Pergolizzi to her mom) it was getting her soaring pop epic "Into the Wild" used in a Citibank ad.

"I don't think people see as many commercials as they used to," she tells Spinner, taking a break from recording session in Los Angeles. "But that was one that people really found. CNN did a story about it. So when I played SXSW, each time I got to that part of the song, people started turning around. 'Oh s---, that's who that is!'" ]]> citi commercial into the wildL.P. into the wildLaura PergolizziLPLP citi commercialLP Into the Wildsomebody left the gate opensomebody left the gate open commericial Robert Ham 2012-05-09T16:00:00 00:00 Lisa Marie Presley Weathers 'Storm' of Bullying Critics, With Help From T. Bone Burnett and Pulp's Richard Hawley http://www.spinner.com/2012/04/23/lisa-marie-presley-storm-grace/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/04/23/lisa-marie-presley-storm-grace/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/04/23/lisa-marie-presley-storm-grace/#comments Filed under: , , ,


Big Hassle

Lisa Marie Presley has a bit of an edge to her voice, a steeliness that puts a distance between herself and whoever she's speaking with -- especially a journalist. It's an understandable remove considering how much the media has been poring over her every move for, well, the entirety of her life. The last two decades have been especially brutal in that regard for the 44-year-old musician, with her marriages to Michael Jackson and Nicolas Cage coming under all manner of scrutiny.

Yet, Elvis' daughter has managed to fly below the radar for the past two years after she and her family (husband Michael Lockwood and their twin daughters) moved to England, and it was there that Presley started to edge herself back into the world of music. Encouraged by her husband and her manager, she started working with a wide range of songwriters, including Pulp member Richard Hawley, singer-songwriter Ed Harcourt and Travis leader Fran Healy.

The next step was coaxing her into the studio, which didn't take long considering the person that was most eager to get her recording was Grammy-winning producer T. Bone Burnett. With his guidance, Presley has made the strongest album of her career in the upcoming Storm & Grace. It's a moody masterpiece, exploring the demons and angels of her life to the tune of country-spiced downbeat pop. Presley spoke to Spinner about the new album, its long gestation period and the pain and pleasure of creating art in a headline-hungry world.

It has been a while since you have released any new music. When did you know it was time to start writing and recording again?

I think that it's been seven years. I was a little bit tapped out from previous situations and people from doing the first two albums. I just took a bit of a breather, had babies and went to England. I needed to go far away collect myself. I basically went away and was provided with many different scenarios to write in. I wrote with people from all different walks of life. There was no agenda. I was given the freedom and space to find myself again, to start again and get a fresh perspective. I didn't know what was going to come of it. I was half expecting nothing was going to happen. But music is just how I process my life and demons. Honestly, I was about to move to England for good when I got the call that T. Bone Burnett had heard some of the songs. Simon, my manager, sent them to T. Bone without telling me because he knew I would have been a nervous wreck if I had known. But he really liked them and we met at his house in L.A. and he said, "I don't want to do this big song and dance. I like the songs and the direction you're going in and I really want to work with you." ]]> Ed HarcourtElvisFran HealyLisa Marie Presleylisa marie presley criticslisa marie presley ed harcourtlisa marie presley fran healylisa marie presley interviewlisa marie presley new albumlisa marie presley QAlisa marie presley richard hawleylisa marie presley storm and gracelisa marie presley storm gracelisa marie presley t bone burnettMichael JacksonT. Bone BurnettT.BoneBurnettTBoneBurnettTravisTupac Robert Ham 2012-04-23T15:45:00 00:00 Lee Ranaldo on Sonic Youth's Future: Nothing Final but We're Not Making Plans http://www.spinner.com/2012/04/18/lee-ranaldo-sonic-youth-future/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/04/18/lee-ranaldo-sonic-youth-future/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/04/18/lee-ranaldo-sonic-youth-future/#comments Filed under: , , ,


Samuel Dietz, Redferns

At any other point in the group's history, the arrival of a solo project by a member of Sonic Youth would be nothing to bat an eyelash about. The band's 30-year history is littered with side projects, collaborations with other artists and one-off appearances on compilations by its four mainstays.

But there's something about the release of guitarist Lee Ranaldo's Between the Times and the Tides that seems to signal a sea change within the Sonic Youth ranks, mostly due to the album coming on the heels of founding members Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon's recent divorce. ]]> kim gordonkim gordon thurston moore divorceLee Ranaldolee ranaldo between the time and tideslee ranaldo interviewlee ranaldo sonic youthLeeRanaldoSonic Youthsonic youth divorcesonic youth lee ranaldoSonicYouthThurston Moorethurston moore kim gordon divorce Robert Ham 2012-04-18T14:30:00 00:00 Chrome Cranks: Scuzz-Rock Kings Return With 'Ain't No Lies in Blood' http://www.spinner.com/2012/03/29/chrome-cranks-interview-aint-no-lies-in-blood/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/03/29/chrome-cranks-interview-aint-no-lies-in-blood/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/03/29/chrome-cranks-interview-aint-no-lies-in-blood/#comments Filed under: , ,


Keith Marlowe

The four gents that make up the scuzz-rock dynamos Chrome Cranks are no strangers to the music world, having racked up a dizzyingly diverse collective work history.

Drummer Bob Bert logged time as a member of indie icons Sonic Youth and Pussy Galore. Singer/guitarist Peter Aaron created the punk fanzine Suburban Muckraker, played in several local groups and supported the Cincinnati scene by booking shows for a series of underground venues before starting the band in 1998.

But it's guitarist William Weber who can claim the most colorful resume. At the same time as he was churning out tortured blues riffs with the Cranks, he was logging time as a member of the Murder Junkies, the final backing band for G.G. Allin, the punk legend known primarily for his scatological onstage antics. ]]> chrome crankschromecranksgg allinGgAllinmurdermurder junkiespussy galorepussygaloresonic youthsonicyouth Robert Ham 2012-03-29T16:30:00 00:00 Mishka Shubaly Sobers Up, Gets Career Back on Track With Adrian Grenier's Help http://www.spinner.com/2012/03/22/mishka-shubaly-adrian-grenier-i-cant-drink/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/03/22/mishka-shubaly-adrian-grenier-i-cant-drink/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/03/22/mishka-shubaly-adrian-grenier-i-cant-drink/#comments Filed under: , ,


In Music We Trust

Every former drug addict or ex-alcoholic has his or her story of hitting rock bottom. For New York-based singer-songwriter and author Mishka Shubaly, his lowest ebb came while on the road performing as the handpicked opening act for in-your-face comic Doug Stanhope.

"I woke up in a hotel room in Tacoma, Washington, and the shameful events of the night before were finally coming back to me," Shubaly tells Spinner. "I was listening to voicemails saying, 'The manager at the bar said you broke this table and Doug's going to have to pay for it.'" ]]> doug stanhopemishka shubalymishka shubaly a death in greenpointmishka shubaly adrian greniermishka shubaly amazonmishka shubaly doug stanhopemishka shubaly i cant drinkmishka shubaly shipwreckedmishka shubaly wreck room Robert Ham 2012-03-22T14:30:00 00:00 Larkin Grimm Turns Religious Abuse Into Beautiful 'Soul Retrieval' Album http://www.spinner.com/2012/02/01/larkin-grimm-soul-retrieval/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/02/01/larkin-grimm-soul-retrieval/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/02/01/larkin-grimm-soul-retrieval/#comments Filed under: , ,


Knomia

Usually, it takes something pretty severe to force a performer to stop their set cold and disappear from the stage for a few minutes. But in the case of Larkin Grimm, who had to press the pause button on a recent performance in Portland, Ore., it was something a little more personal: Her five-month-old son needed to be nursed.

"That was unusual," Grimm says later, sitting backstage. "By this time of the night, he's usually asleep."

The challenges of touring with an infant are lessened thanks to Grimm's mother joining them on the road. But, impressively, Grimm seems to have adapted quickly to caring for a child and her still-young musical career at the same time. ]]> larkin grimmlarkin grimm communelarkin grimm fairy talelarkin grimm soul retrievalLarkinGrimm Robert Ham 2012-02-01T16:00:00 00:00 Drew Grow and the Pastors Wives Turn Studio Setbacks Into Positives http://www.spinner.com/2011/12/29/drew-grow-pastors-wives-interview/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/12/29/drew-grow-pastors-wives-interview/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/12/29/drew-grow-pastors-wives-interview/#comments Filed under: , , ,


Dylan Priest

Whenever Drew Grow and the Pastors Wives get into the studio, something strange happens.

"The last few times we've set out to record something, we get about four days of work done and then something goes wrong," Grow tells Spinner. "Then we end up having to leave and go finish it at our house."

It happened just recently when the band settled in to Seattle's Columbia City Theater to lay down tracks for a new album and the studio/club's owners pulled the plug on the project. And it happened with Grow's debut, self-titled album, released last year on the band's label, Amigo/Amiga Recordings.

But, says Pastors Wives drummer Jeremiah Hayden, in every case, those hiccups have helped the band rather than hurt them. ]]> Drew Grow and the Pastors Wivesdrewgrowandthepastorswives Robert Ham 2011-12-29T16:00:00 00:00 The Make Aim High, With Help From Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers http://www.spinner.com/2011/12/22/the-make-aaron-rodgers/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/12/22/the-make-aaron-rodgers/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/12/22/the-make-aaron-rodgers/#comments Filed under: , ,


Suspended Sunrise

For most young bands, finding someone -- anyone -- to give their music a chance is often half the journey on the road to success. For the Chico, Calif.-based trio the Make, they thankfully didn't have to go too far to find some welcoming ears. But, to some outside observers, their benefactor, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, might appear to be an unusual one. Not so, says keyboard player and vocalist Sarah Ann.

"Aaron and Jeff [Schneeweis, guitarist/vocalist] and Trevor [Sellers, bassist] all grew up together," she tells Spinner. "They're longtime friends."

The Super Bowl champion was a fan of Schneeweis and Sellers' previous band, Number One Gun, so it was a logical move for Rodgers to sign their new project to his label, Suspended Sunrise Recordings. ]]> aaron rodgersaaron rodgers record labelthe makethe make band Robert Ham 2011-12-22T13:30:00 00:00 Bluebrain Ponder Future Location-Aware App Albums After 'The National Mall' http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/07/bluebrain-the-national-mall/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/07/bluebrain-the-national-mall/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/07/07/bluebrain-the-national-mall/#comments Filed under: , ,


bluebrainmusic.blogspot.com

Listening to the D.C.-based duo Bluebrain, it should come as no surprise that the band is big on high-concept presentations for their art. The brothers behind the music, Ryan and Hays Holladay, combine their efforts to craft intricate pop woven with dense electronic backdrops, rippling drums and sharp contrasts of electric and acoustic guitar. It is a sound that practically demands a similarly lofty presentation to bring it to the public attention.

Well, you can't get much more high concept than what the brothers Holladay have come up with for their most recent album. Dubbed 'The National Mall,' their new work is what they call a "location-aware album." Only available as an app for your smartphone, the listener gets to hear the different songs on it by moving through the National Mall in Washington D.C., the expanse of land that runs from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol Building and flanked on either side by museums, memorials and other historic landmarks. ]]> Bluebrain Robert Ham 2011-07-07T15:00:00 00:00 OMD Prove They Can Still 'Kick Ass' After All These Years http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/25/omd-tour-reunion/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/25/omd-tour-reunion/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/25/omd-tour-reunion/#comments Filed under: , , ,


Gino DePinto, AOL

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark didn't need to get back together, as they did in 2005. Their legacy was already secure after they helped usher in the sound of synth-pop in the early '80s and found incredible chart success with their 1985 single 'If You Leave,' which was written for the John Hughes film 'Pretty in Pink.' Nor did they need to work on a new album, the brilliant throwback disc released late last year, 'History of Modern.' But as they've proven on that new full-length, they still have a great deal of fuel left in the tank.

Spinner had a chance to catch up with OMD's singer Andy McCluskey to talk about the band's reunion of its original lineup, its legacy and how they've avoided the traps that so many of their peers have fallen into. ]]> OMDorchestral manoeuvres in the darkOrchestralManoeuvresInTheDark Robert Ham 2011-05-25T13:00:00 00:00 The Slants Fight Claims of Anti-Asian Racism to Trademark Their Band Name http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/11/the-slants-pageantry/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/11/the-slants-pageantry/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/11/the-slants-pageantry/#comments Filed under: , ,


Ellenote.com

Rather than choose a meaningless band name like Archers of Loaf, Portland's the Slants decided to make it count. The New-Wave-inspired group is comprised solely of Asian-American members who decided to take back the slur that's been used to disparage their ethnicity.

But when the Slants found out they weren't alone in wanting to use that moniker, they followed the advice of their lawyer and started the process of trademarking the band name.

"We wanted to protect the overall branding of the band," Slants' bassist/manager Simon Tam tells Spinner. "Our attorney said some pretty major cases have come up with bands that had to legally change their name because of similar disputes." ]]> slantsThe Slants Robert Ham 2011-05-11T17:00:00 00:00 Ólöf Arnalds Opts for Sing-Along to Silence Crowd Chatter at SXSW http://www.spinner.com/2011/03/17/olof-arnalds-sing-along-sxsw/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/03/17/olof-arnalds-sing-along-sxsw/ http://www.spinner.com/2011/03/17/olof-arnalds-sing-along-sxsw/#comments Filed under: ,


Olof ArnaldsOne Little Indian

"Can you hear me okay? Because I can't hear me."

Ólöf Arnalds had a tough go of things at the Swan Dive Wednesday night in Austin.

The diminutive folk singer from Iceland -- performing at one of the many events that the music blog Brooklyn Vegan has lined up for SXSW this year -- not only had to contend with the sound of another band bleeding in from a performance space behind the building, but had to also strain to be heard, and to hear herself, over the chatter of a restless audience. ]]> Olof ArnaldsOlofArnaldssxswSxsw2011 Robert Ham 2011-03-17T15:25:00 00:00