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Geek Weekly #10

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What would you recommend as the best course of action for someone who wanted to begin as a creative musician? Play your instrument. Learn as much about your intrument and other instruments as you can. Play. Learn about aesthetics and question then. Play. Learn about yourself and question your values and tastes. Play. Immerse yourself in music. Play. Read Derrick Bailey's book on music improvisation. Play in as many situations an with as many people as you can. Listen to how instruments interact in all types of music. Play. Play as much as you can. Play until you can't play any more, then give up or keep playing. Learn about sound and acoustics, and their physical and spiritual manifestations. Keep playing. Respect other musicians.

What is your typical day like? Since having kids my life has changed a great deal. It seems both more fragmented and more regimented. I wake up around 6:30 and help take the kids to school. I come home, do some e-mail and then practice or rehearse. After lunch, I continue practicing, rehearing or taking care of business or errands until the kids need to be picked up from school. I have a handful of students. I've overcome my overly ambitious desire to play every single gig in the world. I value time with my family and private time for refelction and daydreaming.

What do you see in the future for creative music? There will always be a future for creative music. You can't digitize it. You can't replace or counterfeit a live improvising musician. There will always be people who want to dig a little deeper and express more of the mystery than is commercially accepted. With the internet, there's a lot more knowledge and resources floating around! How would you describe the music you make to someone not familiar with it? I hate describing music to people I don't know. I would encourage them to listen and have their own reactions. For example, When I sing and play into the flute, it may remind some people of Ian Anderson (from Jethro Tull), while it may remind others of Rahsaan Roland Kirk. It may remind others of Bantu pgymy music. These are all personal influences, but I would rather that people listen open-mindedly and use their own imginations. I'm involved in many projects that have various aesthetics, so to ask people to listen for a particular thing would be misleading. I aspire to playing music that people can listen to. By that I mean, listen to on its own terms and not have to have some video or fashion statement tied to it.

What drives you to make the music you make?

Last edit almost 6 years ago by JQuach96
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The unknown drives me forward and inspires me. The quest for the sound of surprise that may be over the next horizion keeps me going. The hope that I can improve myself and give something to someone which could delight them and/or provoke some thoughtfulness. There's a long list of techniques and ideas I would like to explore and cultivate. Playing with and for other musicians is also a major inspiration.

More information can be found at Alex Coke's web site: http://www.xs4all.nl/~alexcoke/ or you can subscribe to his semi-weekly newsletter by sending an e-mail to: alexcoke-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

- Carl Smith

[?]/28/99 DAVID I'm very happt to come to Austin and to meet you. Before I came here, I had not enjoyed traveling in America. I couldn't speak English well, so I couldn't enjoy anything. But thanks for your kindness, I enjoyed my stay. Thank you very much.

[paragraph in japanese]

I wish I could speak English well.

[Tomoyuki Kidimoto?]

Need a place to stay in Austin? Try a lovely neighbourhood bed and breakfast recommended by Geek Weekly!

Best Breakfast Around Tours Available The Summit House Bed & Breakfast 1204 Summit Street Austin, TX 78741 - 1158 http://summit.home.texas.net

Last edit almost 6 years ago by guest_user
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an interview with rock critic JOE GROSS

I am from Falls Church, Virginia, which is a suburb of Washington, DC. There are a couple of places on the net for various bios where it's been described as "The Chocolate City's most vanilla suburb", and I can't think of a better description of it. It's a very strange place because it's an independent city -- it's two square miles. It's got its own school system and everything. You're right next to a metropolis, but my high school graduating class was like 89 people. Many of them I had known since I was five. This is not tremendously conducive to dating. I really couldn't have left high school fast enough. Horrible isn't the word. S: I was going to say, like most rock critics, you seem like you were incredibly popular in high school. It's true, yeah. S: Did your parents work for the government? My father is an attorney with the Department of Justice and has been for about 30 years. My mom is the associate director of a program called Community of Caring, which is a subset of the Kennedy Foundation. S: Do you have brothers and sisters? I do. I have two brothers, one who may be coming here for law school, actually. His name is Will. He lives in New York right now. Both younger. And I have another brother named John who still lives with my folks. J: Because he's young or because he's a loser? No, but because he's retarded. J: Oh, no. Wow. And he's much younger or were y'all close when you were growing up? I'm four and a half years older than Will and about seven years older than John. We got along fine, but I can never interest Will in the same things I'm interested in. I kind of blew it with Will and punk rock, I just shanked it. We're both heavily involved in music, him in a much more mainstream way. Like a capella groups in muisic. S: Really dorky music. He was incredibly good at it when he was like their arranger. He knows funda-mentally -- technically he knows a lot more about music than I do, we just have completely different interests. S: So did you write for your high school newspaper? Absolutely. My folks were literal baby boomers, they were born right after the war. So rock from the 1960s was always in the house, it was always present, and not just in some dumb hippy way, it was just around. I listened to Buddy Holly records when I was young, my father was a huge Creedence fan. My father Spring 2003

Last edit almost 6 years ago by JQuach96

Geek Weekly #3

GW#3 - p19 (17)
Needs Review

GW#3 - p19 (17)

1. AMIC (round the neck) 2. Ама (wom as a bood)

TYPES OF AUGER A, screw auger; B, ship auger; c. lip-ring auger

Ok, Austin. We've got to get the punks to vote. I don't care what anyone says, voting does matter, you've got power, maybe not much, but if we all get on the ball, we can make something happen. If you feel like you are just a drop in the bucket, it's because you are. But here's something you can do about it: Next time you come across a stack of voter registration cards, fill one out, then send it in, then give one to someone else, maybe lots of people, an then go vote, and take a bunch of people with you.

The thing is, most of the kids I know don't want to vote because they don't want to "play their game." Sure you don't want to be part of the System and take part in the fucked up workings of this institutionalized establishment, but the problem with that is that you are doing exactly what They want you to do. See, whether we like it or not we were born into this system. Sure you can change your identity, try to become anonymous, even live in a fucking cave in the mountains, but somebody is going to own that cave, and it ain't gonna be you. Someone will have political control over you no matter where the fuck you go unless you start your own country, which-especially if you don't follow politics- is going to be extremely fucking difficult. But if you vote, maybe we can gain a little power. Remember when Rock the Vote started? clinton won. Sounds like an influx of young voters to me. And the coolest part is that politicians can see that and they've already started courting younger people, not much, granted, but if we keep voting and our numbers keep going up, They' ll gaet scared and start checking us out and maybe even trying to find out what we really want instead of cramming what They think we want down our throats.

Here's an example of how they are keeping potentially powerful people out of the way (I know this is totally paranoid, but it is one of the only conspiracy theories I believe in): So my friend goes to a Dead show in Atlanta and I ask him a bunch of questions when he comes back since I've never gone to one and I nevar plan to and I'm wondering how it all works what with the cops and the drugs and all. So I say, "If the cops know there are all these people camped out with all these highly illegal drugs in their possession, why don't they just do this massive raid and bust a bunch of people and put 'em in jail?" "Well," he says, "they aren't hurting anyone, so I guess the cops just don't want to bother with it." Seems to me there's more to it than that. I know how much cops like to bust kids and people with drugs- they LOVE it. So why wouldn't these cops have a fucking field day here? Because, as long as these potentially revolutionary folks are all high and happy and only interested in seein' this band all the time and stayin' high, They have nothing to fear from them. If there was a real crackdown on drugs (not just a bunch of media hype and publicity busts), then less people would be high and more people would be spending time trying to subvert the Man and the System-and get their drugs back-and they'd all be fuckin' shit up! And voting!! Now They can't have that horrific scenario come to life, can They? So They just let us do our drugs and leave them the fuck alone so that They can take over the world without us even noticing- much less getting in Their way.

So go vote. And take someone with you. If you don't have an address to put on the voter registration card (which you can get at grocery stores, post offices, schools, etc.) put mine on there. I could use some more mail anyway. Write me- lets talk about this. And in the meantime, go out there and fuck shit up!!

AMOEBAS

Last edit over 5 years ago by deleted_147762_katiemonica
GW#3 - p20 (18)
Needs Review

GW#3 - p20 (18)

FEET

ME & MY FREAK FRIEND SHANE W/ HIS FAVE BREW ON THE FRONT OF RUTH MY TRUSTY AUTOMOBILE (SPRING 1994)

-Yep, Shane's foot is the one w/ the fishnets...

NUCLEAR WAR (tm) UPDATE -->

Apparently, the Nuclear War people have decided not to put out a fourth edition of the game, at least for now, but they are relaeasing booster packs of cards. Get 'em! (Here are a couple of the new ones.)

Speaking of geeks - and that is what we're talkin' about here - the Oblivians are the fucking coolest bunch of geeks around! Geeks from Memphis, music to my ears. Garage geeks from Memphis. Nothin' better. Mm, mm, mm.

The Geek List

the Oblivians Chepo and Ryan Peek-a-Fuckin'-Boo Buddy Holly Dave Nickerson Steve Martin (x2)

Last edit almost 5 years ago by guest_user

Geek Weekly #4

Railroad Jerk interview, May 95 Geek Weekly Correspondents: Susan and Margaret Shepard
Needs Review

Railroad Jerk interview, May 95 Geek Weekly Correspondents: Susan and Margaret Shepard

Railroad Jerk interview, May 95 Geek Weekly Correspondents: Susan and Margaret Shepard

We'd like to extend our thanks to them for tolerating this session with our sister team.

M: Is there anything we can do to make this a nice experience for you guys? Marcellus: The interview or being in Austin? M: Either. Tony: The cookies are a great start. That's a pretty loaded question. S: Yeah, Margeret. I thought you just meant the interview. Tony: For the interview, I think we're fine. Ah, oh, no, forget about that. S: The production on the new record received a few barbs from one friend of mine, but it doesn't sound that much different to me. What was? Marcellus: We put the vocals up a little bit louder than usual, no reverb on the drums. Tony: We spent a month on it this time. S: As opposed to? Marcellus: We made sure you could hear the instruments. Tony: we recorded the drums in a small room. We recordedthe whole thing in a smaller atmosphere. We used tube equalizers and tube micro phones. Marcellus: What were thoses barbs, anyway? S: He (Craig) was saying that it didn't have the tension present on previous recordings, that it didn't have the tightly would atmosphere. Marcellus: We get along better now. Tony: We're more friendly towards each other. The last two albums we had members who we didn't get along with. But for the last three years we've had the same members. That's one reason. That's funny, just today I was informed that we were lo-fi. S: By whom? Tony: By the newspaper. The local Village Voice.

Railroad Jerk Interview 41

Last edit about 6 years ago by donpedicinijr
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Marcellus: Yeah. S: [in italic font] And just found out that she was a drummer? Marcellus: Well, yeah. She was asking us if she could drum with us, and we were kind of reluctant,and then we gave her a try and it turned out great. But it's funny, I didn't pick her up - it wasn't legitimate because she was so drunk that she didn't even know who I was or where she was when she woke up. She didn't know where she was, and I told her where she was, and she started calling me Richard. S: [in italic font] Did you pick up Dave in a bar? Marcellus: That didn't happen. He tried to pick me up. S: [in italic font] Why did she leave? Marcellus: Uhh.... Tony: She moved to Germany to start a T-shirt company. She quit the band at that point, and when she didn't like what she did, she came back to New York and we had already found another drummer. M:{S?] [in italic font] How did the rest of you meet? Tony: Me and Marce met at the same time that he picked up Jez in the bar, and then we went through a few miscellaneous drummers and guitar players. Marcellus: Bill Berger recommended Alec to us. Tony: He played on Raise the Plow. And a guy named Tom Greenwood played on that, and they both did like one live show each. At that point we were just in flux. Marcellus: That's when we had tension. S:[in italic font] So what was all this tension stemming from? Marcellus: Uh, the flux Tony: Yeah. Youthful angst. Marcellus: You know how we met Dave? We were searching kind of desperately for adrummer and we asked somebody at Matador - it was Dan (Varenka) - he said, My brother." Tony: He has Walt Records. That was about two and a half years ago, when Dave got into the band. Alec was about three years ago. We were so incredibly lucky. When we were searching for new guitar players before the second guitar player came into the band, we put an ad out and we sifted through all these people. We put in the ad, "Influences: Robert Johnson, the Fall, must not have looks." For Dave, we just had Railroad Jerk Interview 45

Last edit over 4 years ago by jmphillips
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Susan interviewed the combined members of the Teen Titans and the 1,4,5s in April 1995. Teen Titans: Dean Hsieh: guitar Phillip Niemeyer: "vocals" Anna Vinegra: bass El Diablo Robo: drums

1,4,5s: Travis Higdon: leader Dean: guitar Anna: drums "Hey" Gavin Scott: Bass

This is their story.

GW: Travis, I always thought it was a joke when you said you were going to grow up and rule the world, but tell us about being a garage rock mogul -Estrus is distributing your seven-inch. How'd that happen? Gavin: Travis is a genius. Anna: We're damn lucky. Travis: When it first came out I sent one to Estrus and I sent one to Greg Lowery, and I hadn't heard from either one of them until right before the Rip-Offs show. Greg wrote me a real quick note that said he liked it and that it soudned like Supercharger, and it was just a real quick note 'cause he said he didn't want to see me at the show and me say, "Where the fuck is my reply?" I talked to him at Sound Exchange and he said he liked it, and he gave me some names and phone num-

(Picture)

Dean and Travis at the Peek-A-Boo Bicycle Rodeo release party

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Last edit over 4 years ago by alixjohnson7

Geek Weekly #6

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on the drums during a set. I believe it was Mr. Greg Oblivian's time when the machine fot switched on, leading to Mr. Eric Oblivian's departure from the stage. Mr. Jack Oblivian had been performing a song when Mr. Greg Oblivian began an impromptu hymn to the virtues of the drum machine. "Ladies and gennleman, I just wanna tell ya, this drum machine . . . my favorite thing about this drum machine . . . is that . . . as I'm sure you all agree . . . the best thing . . . is that . . . you don't gotta play 'em yourself. Ya just TURN 'EM ON!" Mr. Jack Oblivian said, "Hey, waittaminnit, Greg Oblivian, this is my song!" Mr. Greg Oblivian had, by then, completely derailed the rock'n'roll show and Mr. Jack Oblivian's guitar rapidly became another noisy element of this weird techno-garage stew. He soon fled for the comfort of the dressing room, guitar in hand, to make noise from its confines. Mr. Greg Oblivian continued to harangue the crowd from onstage. "Ladies and gennelmen, I don't blame my parents for the way I turned out, I blame s'ciety!" He eventually followed his bandmates into the dressing room, mike in hand, to finish his "song." It's worth mentioning that at this point some 80% of the crowd had left, leaving only an amazed and baffled minority. Finally, Jack quit hitting random chords on the guitar and somebody must have distracted Greg from the mike, for all that he could be head was the tinny thump of that five-dollar drum machine. Hands down, the Geek Weekly show of the year for 1997.

Grifters 10.30.97 Fitzgerald's (Houston) and 10.31.97 Electric Lounge

Over the years I've emphasized the crappiness of the Grifters' Austin shows compared to those they've played in Houston. Jennifer and I experienced a near perfect pair of shows in Houston a couple of years ago, one at Goat's Head Soup and another at the Urban Art Bar with the Strapping Fieldhands, and on both tours the Austin shows haven't come near to their Houston counterparts. I have no idea what in the hell causes this. The Grifters are much loved in Austin and they even have a groupie home base of sorts here. A ton of people go out to see them when they play. In Houston this past October, there were about fifty warm bodies in the whole damn bar. Margaret and I felt like we had our own personal Grifters show all to ourselves! Hey, maybe that's what I like about those Houstonshows — but really, this one was truly fine. Full Blown Possession is much more to my liking than Ain't My

Last edit almost 5 years ago by guest_user
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were offering ? and the Mysterians t-shirts, bandannas, glossies, and "sunglass". The sunglasses were random design -- all black, all different, by no means a signature style. I saw both the Shakewells and the Sir Finks for the first time and they were both excellent. And when they were done a ? and the Mysterians pitch man took the stage and told the crowd about the most recent rave reviews found in various organs of the mass media. He also pitched the items for sale at the merch table, and finally, he introduced the band. The various middle-aged Latino men, all dressed in orange-and-black ? and the Mysterians shirts and bandannas swung into a snappy sixties garage-psych-rock ditty. It was really good. I was trying to guess which one was Mr. ?, when he came bounding on stage. OH MY GOD! I DID NOT EXPECT THIS. This guy was a spandex-panted-flamenco-shirt-wearin'-cowboy-hat-bandanna-(wig?)-headed animatronic cross between Prince and a Latino Richard Simmons. [see photo] So, long story short, they were fucking great, played "96 Tears" last, did a six-song encore including two new songs (to be released on their upcoming Norton album) and"96 Tears" again, and, as I was finally leaving, some of the band had left the stage to be replaced by Joe King Carrasco who was dueting with Mr. ? on the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction". It was all I could take. But they are coming back this summer, so you gotta go. I'll definitely be there.

Those Bastard Souls 1.17.98 Emo's

Missed the openers, but I had come expressly to see how this band could pull of what the Grifters' Dave Shouse had created in the studio ot come up with the only release under the name Those Bastard Souls: the fantastic Twentieth Century Chemical. The lineup at this show consisted of Dave Shouse on guitar and the late Jeff Buckley's girlfriend on violin and some other guys. (Sorry about the lineup vagaries -- I can't seem to find the letter that Dave sent me, which is where that info resides.) Anyway, the show was incredible. I am really tempted to give up hope for the rest of the year and proclaim it the best show of '98.

George Jones 1.24.98 Billy Bob's Texas

This was not so much a show as it was a weekend-long Texas experience. My friend, the bluegrass superstar Miss Emily, my boyfriend Cooper, and I left Austin on Saturday morning. Miss Emily is from Nashville and is the biggest country

Last edit almost 5 years ago by guest_user
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