A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed

With Or Without You: Leaving The Philippines

2012-01-27T02:22:00.010-05:00

I spent this morning listening to a bossa nova version of U2's "With Or Without You" on a taxi's stereo as I was heading to the airport in Davao City to fly home to Hong Kong.

(How weird does it feel to be writing that!?!)

The song was by Sitti, a Filipino singer, and the CD also included versions of "My Ever Changing Moods" by The Style Council and "2 Become 1" by the Spice Girls.

Needless to say, it was the perfect soundtrack on this bittersweet morning.

And, thanks to our cab driver this week, who's now a friend, I have the CD in my bag to take home with me.

I'm not going to get all serious but this has been a magical two weeks:

I met the woman who is now my girlfriend, I had 2 back-to-back interviews at a great company which lead to my accepting a job at the same company, and then I spent 5 days in the Philippines with my girlfriend.

These 10 days have been so great that I felt a bit like George Costanza:

"God would never let me be successful; he'd kill me first. He'd never let me be happy."

But, this last week has almost made me believe in God again.

If not quite a sense of a faith, at least one of thankfulness.

I am a very lucky/fortunate/blessed guy.

Having seen the poverty in the Philippines, I think that's an obvious thing to feel.

But it's not just that. It's the sense that I need to be grateful to The Universe for where my life is at right now.

I don't want to screw this up.

I quit my job, moved to Hong Kong, and got a job and a girlfriend.

Now am I up to the responsibilities of each?

This is where things get difficult.

Time to step up to the plate and make the best effort I've ever made in my previously lazy-and-carefree life.

I'm not talking about financial success but, rather, the personal kind.

If I could be that happy last week, then surely I can be that happy in the future, right?

Back From Paradise Island, A Trip To A Crocodile Farm, And A Ride In A Jeepney

2012-01-26T07:27:00.005-05:00

After a boat ride back from Paradise Island Resort, we hit a mall in Davao City. Sort of upscale, the mall had these cool stuffed animal vehicles for the kids to ride...

Then it was on to Greenwich Pizza. Greenwich Pizza is a chain restaurant here and I think it's owned by the same people who run Jollibee....

And a bit later, we hit Davao Crocodile Park which has a lot more than just crocodiles!

I especially liked this monkey who seemed to be having second thoughts about this sign. I think he was hungry...

Then it was a ride in this tricycle-thing. The driver didn't want me to ride in the back as my weight would have caused an involuntary wheelie, I'm sure. So I had to ride with one cheek hanging out the side of the thing. I don't think these are meant for 3 people...

Then, we rode in the back of this jeepney. It was cramped. And somewhere in Davao City tonight there's a poor old lady telling her family about the fat ass American who stumbled on his way out of this thing and grabbed her arm. Forgive me, kind old lady, I thought it was a handrail!

Finally, some snacks while overlooking Davao City from Jack's Ridge...

The Last Full Day In Paradise

2012-01-25T11:30:00.001-05:00

The morning started with a splitting headache.

I took some Tylenol and went back to sleep for another hour and then we got up and had breakfast on the porch while looking at palm trees. It was very soothing to have toast and eggs out there like that.

Then I watched my girlfriend and her friends go jet ski-ing. There's no way I'm ever going to go on a jet ski.

I'm too fat and, more importantly, I don't swim!

And while the life-jacket is a nice thing to have, the "instructor" today flipped the damn thing over when he went too fast.

Seems like when the tourist is driving it, he only lets it get up to about 35 km/hr but when he drives it and the tourists ride along, all bets are off and it's like a scene from a "Miami Vice" episode.

Then we chilled, had a nice dinner where my friends had many San Miguel Lights -- not a fan so I abstained -- and back to the cottage to sit on the porch for a spell.

it's like being in Mayberry if Mayberry was in The Philippines, a few hundred meters from the beach.

If you're prone to "stadium stop" you might not want to look up on the bathroom walls here as you're liable to see a lizard or two at night. With the open spaces in the walls in the beach-front buildings, the lizards do a good job of eating up the bugs...

I took this picture tonight and all I could hear was that "Light on the waves" refrain from Echo and the Bunnymen's "A Promise"...

Another Dispatch From Paradise (Island Resort, Samal Island, The Philippines)

2012-01-24T08:53:00.000-05:00

What the hell has happened to me?

I just ate dinner in shorts. With my toes in the sand. Who have I become?

That cynical bastard that I was back in the D.C. area would have ridiculed this silly bastard thoroughly.

I'm trying not to question my happiness too much.

Let me just enjoy it while it lasts.

It might be a long time in HK before I get a nice vacation.

Of course, there was halo-halo for dessert. Way better than Jollibee!

A Blast From The Past And A Trip To Paradise

2012-01-24T03:08:00.001-05:00

We are in paradise, Paradise Island Resort on Samal Island, to be exact.

And for a fraction of the costs of what such a thing would cost us in the US, or the Caribbean, we got two deluxe rooms near the beach. The free Wi-Fi is unsecure but it's working at the moment...at least when I'm sitting out on the terrace.

But first, a trip to Shakey's Pizza! I spent most of my birthday parties when I was a kid at Shakey's and Farrell's so I was thrilled to see that Shakey's is a franchise that is thriving here in the Philippines.

We got too much food but there were 5 of us so we made a pretty good dent in this spread. And we took the rest home with us.

And, of course, Jollibee is everywhere too!

Home for the next 2 days is going to be Paradise Island Resort on Samal Island.

And Jet Li on the TV! Could life get any better? I could die tomorrow -- and I just might in that sun on the beach! -- but things are nice now!

A Trip To Eden Nature Park. And Mount Apo. And We Had Some Lechon.

2012-01-23T05:52:00.002-05:00

This is going to be a photo essay because I'm still tired and the internet connection is a bit...awful.

(Hopefully, I can load the bulk of these photos.)

The goal today was to get a power adapter, some food, and see something exciting so we went to Mount Apo and Eden Nature Park.

It was a nice relaxing day.

And it's a day that ended with some delicious lechon thanks to our cab driver Alan.

Of course, the day ended with some lechon and other goodies back in town. Poor piggy. You were friggin' delicious buddy!

Welcome To Davao

2012-01-22T21:55:00.004-05:00

Can't say I've been able to see much so far.

Even though the two flights were barely 2 hours each, I'm exhausted.

I guess it's the fact that we left HK at dinner-time and were in the process of getting here for another 13 hours.

Our first hotel choice proved to be a bad idea -- pics on the web didn't look like the grim reality -- and we got lucky as the airport-sanctioned taxi driver knew a nice place.

So we ended up at The Royal Mandaya. It's old, with the kind of architecture that you don't see much anymore, but it's kind of quaint for a day.

And the staff have been very helpful.

Unbelievably, I only packed 2 pair of pants! Good thing the hotel laundry is cheap.

The view. There's a pack of dogs that barks almost continuously from across the way there. I hesitate to look to see what they're barking at, or why. I almost don't want to know.

Armed troops at the airport...

Jollibee At Midnight: I'm In The Philippines For Chinese New Year

2012-01-22T12:35:00.001-05:00

Make no mistake: I love Hong Kong and Chinese culture.

And, now that I've got a job lined up, I'm even more thankful that I'm based in such a vibrant and exciting city.

But, I've got to be honest and say that the crowds -- at least in the Times Square and Causeway Bay areas -- are getting to me a bit.

It seems as if -- naturally, I guess -- the restaurants and stores have just been teeming with people for the last few days.

It is Lunar New Year, after all, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.

But even if I got used to the crowds, I'd still have to navigate them.

And the temperature here is dropping to near, or below, 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Frankly, the last week has felt like Christmas in America and that's not necessarily a good thing for me to deal with.

So when I was offered a chance to go to the Philippines -- for the first time -- with someone special for 5 days, I jumped.

Trouble is, the last minute tickets involved an odd itinerary: No direct flights to Davao -- our destination -- so, instead, we have to stop in Manila.

At midnight.

And wait for a 4:30 AM flight into Davao.

It's hot.

It's hot like an August afternoon in New Orleans.

Luckily, Jollibee is 24 hours here! Nothing like 2 cheese-covered hot dogs, Coke Lights, Chicken Joy, and a sundae at 1 AM!

And now we're waiting in a largely deserted terminal for a flight out of here in 3 hours while the family in front of us cranks Bon Jovi tunes on an iPhone (presumably).

For the next 4 days I'll be relaxing in the warm climes of the Philippines.

I plan on going to the beach, seeing a monkey or two, and eating like a pig as I eat suckling pig!

Neal Morgan Releases In The Yard: A Review

2012-01-20T23:13:00.063-05:00

I love melodic pop music. I also love out there stuff, stuff that takes risks.

Luckily for me, Neal Morgan has covered both bases by releasing the drum-and-sample-based In The Yard.

The Joanna Newsom and Bill Callahan collaborator has produced this unique record that veers between moments of quiet introspection ("Kicking The Ball") and clanging-and-clattering workouts ("Thinking Big").

In The Yard is a tough record to describe; roughly similar to Todd Rundgren's A Cappella (1985), the record is entirely Neal's. He played the drums, sang, and did all the vocal bits that you hear sampled and looped in the background.

But where Rundgren was interested in studio trickery, Neal is interested in something else.

It's an odd, but lovely, mix here of bold, audacious, and loud moves. Drums and cymbals crash and clatter while Neal practically croons the vocals.

In what could have easily been a record-length drum off, the sort of thing that only Neal Peart could enjoy, In The Yard is, instead, a rather melodic record.

Neal uses the drum riffs and patterns to find the melodies and then his vocals, or lyrical improvisations, come in over the track.

Neal's vocals here remind me of Paul Simon's, for some reason. And, sometimes there's this nice feeling that you're hearing some new genre of rock music as those lovely vocal moments float in over a racket of drums-and-cymbals. On the title cut, there's even a sense of peace as the backing vocal samples chirp and Neal sings/speaks the lyrics, the drums sort of punctuating the ideas in the lyrics.

It's an interesting combination of forces at work on In The Yard. Fans of US indie rock will find the vocals warm and inviting, while musicians will dig the drumming which covers a gamut of styles beyond rock-'n'-roll.

What remains here is a record that has no peer. In The Yard will most likely turn out to be one of the boldest releases of 2012 and I can only imagine the thrill of seeing Neal Morgan perform these tracks live.

There's a new genre somewhere in here, something futuristic but not keyboard-heavy, something that relies on a very human use of samples.

Loud-and-pretty. Maybe that should be the name of that new genre that Neal Morgan is creating on In The Yard?

Accessible and wildly inventive, this is a thoroughly bold and interesting record.

I think my difficulties in writing about it should illustrate how different this release is.

Get it now on Drag City.

Follow Neal Morgan on Facebook here.

Jack Kirby's Kamandi: A Link To Check Out

2012-01-20T17:09:00.001-05:00

I'm a big Jack Kirby fan and I recently read the reprints of Kamandi from the King and DC Comics. The first few issues were still very exciting and Kirby's inventiveness remained something to marvel at.

Diversions Of The Groovy Kind has a whole bunch of scans of the first pages of these Kirby issues up for your perusal.

Any Kirby fan should go check this out for a quick fix of that Kirby magic.

Where Are All These Shaw Brothers DVDs Coming From?

2012-01-19T03:49:00.003-05:00

"You don't go out looking for a job dressed like that? On a weekday?"

Let's be clear about one thing: there is no way I'm about to rebuy my entire Shaw Brothers DVD collection now that I'm here.

Frankly, I've got little interest in rebuying most of the DVDs I sold back in America, SB titles or otherwise.

(Though I needed that Manics 2CD/DVD combination and the title you see rocking out on the TV here!)

That said, I sometimes scan a few shops here to see what's up and I was greeted with a very pleasant surprise today when I strolled into that HMV on Park Lane in Causeway Bay.

In a store that usually has less than 20 Shaw Brothers titles in stock, there were suddenly dozens -- is it something special for Lunar New Year? -- on the shelves.

I had to get back Hong Kong Nocturne (1967) as it's incredibly rare and a great film in many ways. And I also grabbed Hong Kong Hong Kong (1983) as it's a film that I really enjoyed and one that I'd like to rewatch in the context of being here in Hong Kong.

And, in case any of you SB junkies are wondering, there were a lot of formerly rare titles on the shelves at this HMV. I can only imagine the stock at the other HMVs.

Maybe I could make a living by buying these up and reselling them on eBay and Amazon?

Shipping would be enormous, I'm sure.

And, yes, there were about 6 copies of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (1983) on the shelf too!

The Ignominy Of Eating At Burger King In Hong Kong

2012-01-19T01:57:00.002-05:00

It's not that I'm homesick or anything but every since they screwed up my order last week, I've wanted a Mushroom-n-Swiss burger at BK.

That journey comes with a price: Shame.

Invariably, there's always some other -- thinner! -- Westerner in there and he's usually got the same look your boss would have if you saw him coming out of a strip-club as you were going in.

It's a look that says, "Hey, I'm only human. Cut me some slack."

It's good to know that the new Burger King french fries have not reached these shores as the ones here are the familiarly awful BK kind that we've all been suffering with for decades.

There's not a huge budget menu but you can get some chicken tenders for $1.50USD more on top of your meal.

Oddly, and I could be wrong about this, but it seems like there's only one dipping sauce available for those bad boys. In this city of nearly unlimited dining options, why would Barbecue be the only sauce available for your chicken tenders?

A few pork sausage sandwiches on the non-breakfast menu aroused my curiosity, as did the mango parfait, but I held back.

The taste of good/bad American fast food was what I wanted on this day of errands.

And that overcooked burger gave me the strength to lug my laundry home down Hennessy Road.

Out Of Sight, Out Of Town: A Review Of The New Album From Standard Fare

2012-01-18T22:00:00.013-05:00

Man, I haven't liked something this much since that debut album from Pull In Emergency.

(Though it's worth noting here that this trio from Sheffield has already smoothed their rough edges in ways that that London group hadn't back in 2010.)

Out Of Sight, Out Of Town, out now on Melodic, features 12 carefully crafted indie rockers that veer between youthful exuberance and more mature moments of introspection (see the lovely "Darth Vader").

There's so much energy here that one can't help but be happy when playing this record. I mean, it's the sort of thing that reassures even the most jaded rock snob -- ahem! -- that there's still life in the old beast yet.

The slow-burner "Look For Lust" opens the album in fine fashion.

(I found myself replaying this collection sometimes out of sequence so my review follows that pattern.)

The rush of "05 11 07" charms with Danny How's vocal harmonies matching Emma Cooper's lead ones. There's a trumpet here too that adds something else to this cut. For some weird reason, the song reminded me of fellow Sheffield band Pulp.

Mind you, it sounds nothing like that band; with guitar and drums (Andy Beswick is ferocious at times) roaring up and slowing down, the lyrical concerns here and the way they were expressed reminded me of Jarvis in some way. He can sing with an air of above-it-all detachment or outright emotion and Emma does that too on this record. It's a unique talent.

Familiar single "Suitcase" -- an earlier fave of mine -- is here too and things only get better as the album goes along.

It's the ghost of C86 on "Dead Future" with those "ba ba ba ba" vocal bits. The guitar slows down for some Vini Reilly-esque lines and then things rev up again. Danny and Emma share lead vocal duties on this cut that recalls The Primitives (that early stuff).

The shared vocals and ending thrash-and-bang of "Call Me Up" recall bands as varied as Yatsura and Shop Assistants but the sound here is so assured, so forceful, that one stops trying to pin references on the track as it races by you.

"Darth Vader" is really stunning. Where single "Suitcase" was strumming catchiness about a serious subject, "Darth Vader" uses a silly pop culture figure for the title of what is a touching relationship song. The track unfurls with Johnny Marr-like figures on the guitar. Emma's vocals are gentle and imploring and the drumming from Andy grounds things.

It's the sort of push-and-pull dynamic that I liked about The Delgados. It's not quite as dark as their best stuff was, but that's okay. It's shimmering and bright even if a bit forlorn.

The child of The Sundays and The Delgados: how could I not love this band?

Play "Suitcase" and "Darth Vader" back-to-back and you'll see why I'm so excited about Standard Fare.

"Kicking Puddles" reveals the influence of The Wedding Present even if the track features a few moments of shoegaze-ready guitar roar. The call-and-response vocals work here and the song revs up and slows down to achieve its effect.

"Bad Temper" shoves a lot of guitar noise into a tightly constructed gem that sounds like the first generation of bands who picked up guitars after hearing those early Buzzcocks records.

The marvelous "Older Women" highlights the wit of Standard Fare. Slightly cynical, the lead vocals from Sarah alternate between sarcasm and a certain kind of poignancy. Really, there are very few people who can sing like this -- maybe Chrissie Hynde -- and Emma Cooper may be one of them too.

The cut hurries along like an early Arctic Monkeys track but those vocals are just sublime. There's the sound of youthful optimism being crushed by mature awareness here that adds something touching to the tune. It's a lovely track and it highlights the things I already love about Standard Fare.

"Older Women" is the track that shows how the guys and gal in Standard Fare are moving things forward. There are loads of bands with similar influences, but on a song like this you can hear something new being done with that C86 template.

"Half Sister" charms with Emma's yearning and heartfelt vocals, while "Early That Night" is languid and warm, the sound of The Sundays without all those guitar effects to get in the way of the emotions on display. It's another shining moment on Out Of Sight, Out Of Town. With the instruments betraying a hint of "Reel Around The Fountain" from The Smiths, Emma sings the direct lyrics. Vulnerable and heartfelt, "Early That Night" is another example of this band's strengths in creating memorable and touching indie rock.

"Crystal Palatial" has a touch of Britpop to it but Emma's vocals make it so much more.

It's not just catchy Brit-made guitar-based jangle-pop on this album!

Standard Fare deserve to be as big as the Arctic Monkeys.

And not just because they are also from Sheffield.

(Do they have a special lab for guitar bands hidden away there?)

No, it's that mix of youthful exuberance and the beginnings of mature self-awareness that so charms.

There's something here that I've not heard before.

And, just like with those Monkeys, it's the mix of familiar influences into something fresh that I so much enjoy here.

Out Of Sight, Out Of Town (2012) is out now on Melodic.

Follow the band on their official website:
StandardFare.co.uk

Or on their Bandcamp page:
http://standardfare.bandcamp.com/

Or on their Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/standardfare

A Two-Word Review Of The Viral Factor (2012): Stay Away

2012-01-18T10:41:00.003-05:00

Why do I feel such a need to warn potential viewers about how awful Dante Lam's The Viral Factor (2012) is?

Is it a sense of disappointment that the guy who made The Beast Stalker (2008) is now slipping in his game?

No.

It's because 10 years ago, I got into Hong Kong cinema because directors here were creative and they managed to get a lot of action onto the screen for a small amount of money.

Sure, the plot machinations and action scenes were frequently over-the-top but those moments remained ones of audacious film-making.

Whether from a sense of economy, or a new director's desire to take a risk, the stuff that so defined the cinema of this city was always fun and exciting.

The Viral Factor (2012) is neither fun nor exciting.

Dante Lam has achieved the dubious distinction of having made a shitty Hollywood film in Hong Kong.

To add further insult, except for a shoehorned sentimental epilogue, the entire film takes place in Malaysia and Jordan and elsewhere. Sure, as The Golden Rock pointed out, there are practical plot-driven reasons for this.

Still, it's an odd feeling to be in Hong Kong because Hong Kong action cinema originally inspired me to visit, and then move to, this place and be watching what amounts to a very amateurish spin on a Hollywood blockbuster with the obligatory Middle Eastern villains and muezzin-soundtracked desert action scenes.

To what end? I mean, what's the point?

Sure, I reckon that the fanboys in America who buy their Asian cinema on DVDs from the shelves at Best Buy and Walmart will eventually gravitate to this film; it's marketable to them, clearly.

And, admittedly, I'd probably buy this DVD from YesAsia and watch it in America as some sort of example of the skills of the Hong Kong film-making community.

I don't want to have multiple standards, or have to watch something from that perspective. I want a good film.

By any standard, The Viral Factor (2012) is a pretty bad film despite having expertly constructed and staged action set-pieces.

But let's not embrace this thing simply 'cause it's from Hong Kong and, thus, different.

It ain't.

It's crap.

And crap is crap no matter where it's produced.

A Night At The Wanch

2012-01-17T15:00:00.005-05:00

It was acoustic night at The Wanch. Three acts and no cover.

I love the decorations at The Wanch, especially the decidedly inappropriate Christopher Lee as the Asian villain in Hammer's 1961 schlock classic Terror Of The Tongs...

First up was Cougar Bait. The band did a set of rousing covers including "Just Like Heaven" by The Cure, "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers, and "Bad" by U2 (see the video below).

"Bad" by U2 as covered by Cougar Bait...

I liked the sound of Cougar Bait. They managed to do covers with traces of their own personality. Rather than render note-for-note covers like most of the bands in Wan Chai clubs, they did a little something different.

And their taste in tunes was quite good; their rollicking take on Crowded House's "Weather With You" was a bit like Hothouse Flowers. They managed to add a lot of energy to the classic tune. Respectful of the original, but more energetic somehow.

Good stuff!

Follow the band on their website here:

http://www.mycougarbait.com/Cougar_Bait/Home.html

Next up was Yanyan Pang and her brand of folk rock.

Then Aileen Alonzo closed out the evening with a set of original tunes (plus one cover). "Car Crash" was particularly bracing.

Aileen Alonzo managed to prove how much can be done with just a set of strong tunes and an acoustic guitar. Not really folkie, her style is somewhere closer to indie that just so happens to lend itself to an acoustic performance. A song like "Alice" recalled late period Siouxsie and the Banshees in a very general way; think something off the Peepshow album only with more of an immediate pop sense.

My 1000th Post: An Earned Look Back

2012-01-17T05:03:00.001-05:00

Here I am in Hong Kong, doing my 1,000th blog post.

(Well, that's not entirely true as I deleted a few posts this year. One or two early political posts bit the dust. Additionally, I deleted all those posts from last spring where I was attempting to sell off my Shaw Brothers DVD collection. And, just last week I deleted all of my old Anthony Bourdain posts, the ones that were simply regurgitations of marketing copy from The Travel Channel's PR firm. So, technically, I've already done more than 1,000 posts!)

Admittedly, it took me a while to find my blogging voice and move beyond simply copying the bloggers that inspired me in the first place.

I'm not a great writer but I know my voice and I feel comfortable blogging about certain things.

For example...

MUSIC

Yes, I've being doing a lot of music posts lately.

This all started when I asked for, and received, some album I wanted to hear but couldn't find in America. I just wanted a copy and figured that reviewing it would give me a chance to get it. It certainly proved easier than ordering the CD from Amazon.co.uk (it wasn't on US iTunes, and I don't do illegal downloads for various reasons, namely because I want to know I've got the real thing when I load it to my iTunes).

My whole little hobby of reviewing albums started that way.

Then, through some weird chain of events I can't even recall now, I got some MP3s to give away from Gwenno of The Pipettes.

That post helped me to get my hands on the marvelous debut album from ex-Pipette Rose Elinor Dougall. Not only did I get it for free, without having to order it from England, I got it early. My review of the record convinced me that I could begin to write about music on my formerly film-centric blog.

(It's also worth mentioning that I'm happy to have an album as a download. Having sold off my CD collection in 2008 -- after spending 2 weeks loading the stuff to iTunes and a portable hard drive -- I am now comfortable having an enormous digital collection with no more CDs to schlep around.)

In 2010 - 2011, I managed to get for free nearly all the big releases I wanted to hear including Sophie Ellis Bextor's Make A Scene, as well as the Beady Eye record, and the Noel Gallagher album.

In case anyone was wondering, I decided more than a year ago to only write about music that I enjoy.

I now get stuff sent to me via e-mail and there are plenty of things that I don't bother to listen to, and certainly don't want to write about.

I just feel like my limited talents can be better utilized by championing the things I enjoy. That's something I can do pretty easily.

Me being critical about all the hipster bands that I hate is something best left to conversations with my friends offline.

MOVIES

Yeah, despite being in Hong Kong now as a result of my love of Chinese cinema, I'm sort of sick of modern Chinese stuff now.

This city is so exciting and fun that it seems even more of a tragedy that local cinema is so awful now.

The rare gems -- see below -- are outweighed by dozens and dozens of truly atrocious, inept, and amateurish productions.

I really admire the stamina of The Gang of Film because -- let's be honest here -- the glory days of local cinema are over.

It's work sitting through some of this crap.

Too many films are co-productions with the Mainland and, thus, targeted at Mainland audiences, and not local Hong Kong ones.

There are still some interesting titles but they seem more of a rarity now.

Luckily, I'm now here near Lunar New Year which means that some (hopefully) fun and silly titles will be coming out in the next few weeks.

Additionally, these movies might feel more local than some of the other titles I've seen here lately.

It's a sad era indeed when the presence of the perky Charlene Choi is something to look forward. But even she can't save some of this recent crap. Case in point...

So I've been watching more old stuff -- Chinese and Western -- lately. And I feel like I provided some sort of public service by reviewing more than 125 Shaw Brothers DVDs -- check out those links at the top of the home page.

And, thanks to some prodding by friends, I began to branch out and review other stuff.

By doing this, I sort of reminded myself of how much I used to enjoy stuff like the horror films of England's Hammer studios.

And I went back to some of the old Godzilla titles that I watched in horrible dubbed and edited versions when I was a kid.

Those films gave me just as much pleasure as an adult as they did when I was a kid and I used my nostalgia for my monster movie-infused youth to try to capture in words the joy of watching something fun.

Hopefully, my enthusiasm has come through in those posts.

I've barely scratched the surface of the non-Chinese stuff I love. I grew up on movies and there are so many titles that I'd love to write about in the future.

COMIC BOOKS

I can't afford to keep up with comics the way I did in the past. Besides, where would I get those trade paperbacks over here?

No, now there are a few things I can read online and all the comic book-inspired films to keep up with.

Still, don't be surprised if you find me posting about Jack Kirby or George Perez again.

TRAVELS (AND PERSONAL STUFF)

I haven't traveled much in my life but, prior to 2012, I had been to Hong Kong 5 times for a total of 77 days.

Now I live here.

As I look for a job here, I've been doing some justified and necessary soul-searching.

I'm going to keep the navel-gazing to a minimum here, but I just want to say that it's now apparent that so much of who I was was wrapped up in my reactions to things I hated at home that it's odd to be free of those things now.

I'm glad that I'm not that guy anymore. I don't miss being that guy who was always complaining about his commute, or griping about the annoyances of his job and the people he worked with.

I escaped. That was a start.

Now it's time to plot my future.

And while I have been a bit too honest in some posts in the past, I don't regret it; it's liberating to write about yourself and not care if anyone will ever read the posts, or care what they will think when/if they do.

Believe me, I've got loads of stories that I'd never post on this blog.

But it's all about the future now.

Despite feeling a bit dejected at the moment, on the whole I'm optimistic.

I shed the things that were depressing me back in the States and, hopefully, with a little luck, I'll be able to have a new life here.

A life closer to the one I've wanted for such a long time.

Here's looking forward to the next thousand posts.

The first sign of a blue sky here in almost 6 days...

More Good News About The Avengers (2012)

2012-01-16T19:02:00.005-05:00

I'm excited about the upcoming Avengers film but, at the same time, I don't want to get too amped up only to get disappointed.

That said, 2008's Iron Man ended up being a near-masterpiece as far as comic book films go (apart from that final and somewhat clumsy action set-piece), and last year's Captain America: The First Avenger (2012) was surprisingly good, heartfelt even.

Joss Whedon is a talented man -- I used to watch "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" religiously -- but does he have the ability to write about the odd plight of Steve Rogers in modern America?

His comments in Entertainment Weekly last week gave me a bit of hope.

I'm not sure if the general public will dig it, but I'm thrilled to hear that the story in The Avengers (2012) will be told through Steve Rogers' unique perspective.

Even though I've been an Avengers fan for nearly 40 years, I don't care much about who is the leader of the team in the film; sure, there's drama in the jockeying to be the boss, but it was never my favorite part of the book.

So I guess what I'm saying is that I don't care who they make the leader of the team in the film but I do care, and am very happy to read, that they seem to have grasped that an essential part of the drama be the poignant plight of the unfrozen World War II hero named Steve Rogers.

I look forward to the character moments between Chris Evans' Steve Rogers and Robert Downey's Tony Stark almost as much as I look forward to the big action scenes.

Luckily, I think Joss Whedon is the sort of guy who knows that the fanboys dig those little moments almost as much as they dig the CGI-stuff, and the big explosions.

New Music From The Dirty Three - Free MP3!

2012-01-16T17:43:00.002-05:00

The Dirty Three have not released an album in 7 years. They are back with Toward The Low Sun on Drag City on 28 February.

Frequent collaborators with Nick Cave and his cronies (among many others), the 3 in The Dirty Three have become masters at making their own brand of music too. Like The Durutti Column (in approach only) this is instrumental music that defies easy categorization.

The lines are being moved. Is this jazz, or rock, or some take on classical? Not quite sure but it's a shambling and scorching affair.

Download "Rising Below" here

On 28 February Drag City will be releasing Toward The Low Sun from The Dirty Three.

Great Sushi One Door Over: A Sort Of Photo Essay

2012-01-16T06:03:00.001-05:00

I left the apartment very late this afternoon as something related to my search for employment came up.

So I grabbed a quick snack at Okonomi next door.

Everything I got was barely $9.00USD. The roe was great and the sea urchin very good without being overpowering.

Of course, I got hungry again a few hours later, after my trip to the tailor shop, so I had to go to Pizza Hut.

Pizza Hut is a bit upscale here and -- a miracle! -- it's the first place I've been to in Hong Kong, Western or otherwise, where drink refills were included!

Nice view too.

Black Bananas: A Review Of The Debut Album From Jennifer Herrema (ex-RTX) And Crew

2012-01-16T00:00:00.039-05:00

This record, like most stuff from Jennifer Herrema's earlier Royal Trux, makes me want to run shirtless through the streets like Ronnie Dobbs.

As that's a frightening prospect, it's better if i just sit down and try to wrap my head around this mindfuck and write something coherent about Rad Times Xpress IV, the debut record from Black Bananas, out 31 January 2012 on Drag City.

Forward thinking and backwards looking, Rad Times Xpress IV is a sick stew of influences, techniques, and styles. It's a record to rock out to, a record to soak up with headphones, and a record to party with in a room of your hipper friends.

Like some unholy mix of Eighties-era Zappa and Dokken -- no kidding -- "TV Trouble" rides in on a wave of noise, studio effects, and snarled vocals from Herrema. Funky, wacky, and oddly catchy, it's like "Sleeping Bag" by ZZ Top as mangled by the Reid Brothers up in Scotland.

(I should add now that I'm sure this review is going to make Rad Times Xpress IV sound a bit fucked up. And it is. But it's also very accessible -- melodic, even! -- and it's a fun listen. For all the menace here, the record is a blast!)

"Acid Song" is closer to older Royal Trux stuff, sort of a blues-y spin through familiar turf.

"Hot Stupid" is a funky and malevolent thing, like early Prince covered by one of those C86 bands. Fuzzy and crunchy, sleazy and catchy, this is one of the many highlights of the record. As Jennifer sings what sounds like some mutant take on 1970s soul, the feedback screeches and burns through the speakers, and the guitar wails like "Brother Louie" by Seventies stalwarts Stories.

For a real trip, try "RTX Go Go" which is a warp of Jennifer's vocals, loads of studio tricks, and guitar squall. Put your ear-buds in and freak out to this.

Back to the immediate with the George Clinton-styled "Do It" which sounds sinister and sexy. Punchy and direct, "Do It" has the effect of a less haphazard Royal Trux. There'a precision here where Jennifer Herrema's earlier band favored a casual, offhandeded approach.

After the trippy title cut, there's the AC/DC vs. Aerosmith stomp of "My House" -- think "Back In Black" being sampled while "Back In The Saddle" plays in another room. The keyboard figures here add a bit of nuance to proceedings -- it's not all stomping and rocking -- and Jennifer's vocals have never sounded so forceful and assured.

"Earthquake" adds a touch of Sabbath to the record. Not quite metal, the cut reminds me of that music that plays on the soundtrack during some Kenneth Anger films: hypnotic, violent, and sexy.

Scorpio Rising redone as a pop song, signifiers of leather-clad menace couched in an indie tune, Sonic Youth's "Purr" ripped apart and stepped on by Lydia Lunch in heels.

"Nightwalker" is nearly a ballad, a sort of electronic gloss on Joan Jett in some weird way. It's heavy but gentle. Herrema's vocals are buried in the mix, the lyrics somewhat unintelligible, but the song works. It's melodic in a way that the rest of the record isn't.

Almost catchy, it's Suzi Quatro in hell, strumming a guitar as the flames race up around her leather pants.

"Killer Weed" closes things like Slayer trying their hand at some funky Seventies jam. The electronic bits wash over the cut making it less metal and more...something else.

Like most of Rad Times Xpress IV, this is music of a 'hole new genre.

Sure, you can tell it's somehow associated with that gal from Royal Trux, and RTX, but it's a new, rough beast here.

There's something about Royal Trux, and Jennifer Herrema in particular, that always makes me think of Primal Scream and Bobby Gillespie.

Gillespie seems to have a fondness for the same eras in rock history and he manages to ape The Stones convincingly when he wants to.

But, in my estimation, his risk-taking is less adventurous than what's on this record.

If we're going to judge Jennifer Herrema on risk-taking, she buries Bobby Gillespie on Rad Times Xpress IV.

There's more than a passing similarity in approach but, frankly, Herrema seems more invested in what she's doing. Gillespie, though a master in his own way of this sort of thing, seems to always be a tiny bit detached from whatever genre he's hopping into.

Herrema here is really creating something all her own. It's music of its own genre, touches of the past mixed with a sort of retro-futurism.

It sometimes sounds casually tossed off but, if you listen carefully, you'll notice so many pieces and layers here in the 13 cuts on Rad Times Xpress IV that you'll be a bit surprised.

Here, on Rad Times Xpress IV, the former half of Royal Trux seems more at home than ever before. Jennifer Herrema pummels her doubters with this record that manages to be both wildly out there and willfully catchy in spots.

To further that Gillespie comparison for a moment: it's like when XTRMNTR (2000) dropped and it suddenly felt like you were hearing the perfect Primal Scream record.

Well, in many ways, Rad Times Xpress IV is the perfect Jennifer Herrema record. Less blues-y -- thankfully -- than Royal Trux, it's a masterpiece in its own fucked up way.

Black Bananas are monsters.

Crank this up now. Crank it up often. Spread the word.

Follow Black Bananas on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/blackbananasband

Or on their label Drag City:
http://www.dragcity.com/artists/black-bananas

"It Really Tied The Room Together." I Bought A Rug.

2012-01-14T06:08:00.003-05:00

After a nice lunch -- sweet potato beef curry at Pho Saigon, along with fresh summer rolls (they were out of the crispy spring rolls today) -- I went shopping and wandering again.

Yeah, there is not much space here but I still needed more stuff.

I made a miraculous discovery today: there is a Wellcome supermarket on Hennessy Road, near the corner of Queen's Road West (which is where I live).

So the lesson is that I didn't need to schlep all that crap home from the Wellcome in Causeway Bay last night and waste time in a taxi when I could have gone to this closer store.

That said, the closer Wellcome is a good deal smaller and older than the big 24-hour one in Causeway Bay near Fashion Walk (I think that's the name of that area).

Today, I got food and then visited the building in Wanchai where I got a lot of good DVDs before.

I am not buying DVDs again but I did notice a few good things. I saw two copies of He's A Woman, She's A Man (1994) today which proves that it's not entirely Out-Of-Print (OOP). I didn't see the price on the one copy but the other one was about $35USD.

I noticed quite a few other titles that were rare once, all fairly reasonably priced. Even the priciest store in that building is still usually cheaper on the rare stuff than Amazon.com and the sellers on there.

I only got 3 things: A copy of Boogie Nights (1997) on DVD for about $3USD. Haven't watched the film in a few years so I'll try that out on the in-room DVD player.

And I got a recent Fall CD for about $6USD -- cheaper than buying it from iTunes -- and a 5-CD Francoise Hardy boxset that was only $11USD since the box is damaged. I figure I'll load that to my iTunes then mail it to a friend back home.

"That rug really tied the room together, did it not?" Hey, it's something...

That is one tiny bathmat. Well, it was rolled up so I just grabbed a colorful one. It will help me not fall on my ass in that shower stall...

A video of a walk in my hood...my hood for at least another month...

Ghost's Masaki Batoh Set To Release Brain Pulse Music In February

2012-01-13T19:46:00.004-05:00

Masaki Batoh, frontman of Japanese pioneers Ghost, is set to release Brain Pulse Music on 28 February on Drag City.

It's a little hard to describe the project, meant to honor the victims of last year's tsunami/earthquake in Japan, so I'm going to repost this little bit of information:

BPM is an acronym for Brain Pulse Music.

The BPM machine created for this project [has] been developed and built by MKC Inc., upon Batoh's request, and consists of headgear and a motherboard. In order to see the immediate effects on the level of brain waves, a special set of goggles that project indicator lamps (synchronized with the motherboard) are worn during the performance of the recording session. The headgear is worn by the performer, which picks up brain waves from the parietal and frontal lobes and sends them, via radio waves, to the motherboard. The motherboard then converts the radio waves via a generator into wave pulses, which are then output as sound. Due to the concurrency of the action, the second-by-second reflection of our mental state renders itself as sound and we hear it instantaneously.

By controlling one’s mental condition, one can manipulate sound without having to hold a musical instrument, though this requires training to a certain extent. Not everyone will be able to control the sound to their satisfaction on their first attempt. Through a state of total relaxation, or by reaching a state of "anatta" (not-self), the machine captures the microscopic fluctuation of brain waves. The "awakening" that emerges from a relaxed mental state becomes an important key to this program.

Watch the video below to get an idea of this new project tom Masaki Batoh.

First Night In My HK Apartment

2012-01-13T08:16:00.006-05:00

I unpacked and went out wandering around in the rain.

I had a lot of second thoughts today and most of those were the result of the small space I'm in now.

Then I realized that I am still living at a higher standard of living -- even temporarily unemployed -- than the majority of people here.

And I reminded myself that I could always move to a bigger place farther away from Hong Kong Island next month.

Not only would the place be bigger but it might be cheaper too.

So, I came back thinking I probably shouldn't have left my window cracked but no rain or insects seemed to have gotten in here and -- dammit -- it's still hot and humid to me (despite most people outside wearing winter coats).

I need air in this place!

I'm still surprised at how much traffic noise there is considering that I am 12 floors up.

Then again, I'm probably about parallel with the overpass for the highway near Times Square.

I spent nearly $70USD on groceries and, luckily, my cabbie knew where I lived based on my very rough description of the area.

The doorman was very funny tonight as he made some joke about the amount of groceries I bought today. And somebody's domestic helper in line for the next elevator over smiled at me.

I feel better now.

My only splurge was a 4-pack of Tetley's Bitter.

And I got a $5USD bathmat-thing so I don't fall on my butt when I try to stumble out of that bathroom/shower stall area in the middle of the night.

Gonna kick back, have one of those Tetley's, and watch some junk TV on the in-room DVD player.

"The King Of Queens" season 3, disc 1...

I Have A Serviced Apartment In Hong Kong. Does That Mean I'm No Longer A Tourist?

2012-01-12T23:33:00.000-05:00

So I moved in today.

I'm so close to Times Square that I can see the Lane Crawford ad on the side of Times Square from my window.

It's small but I think I'll feel a whole lot better once I unload these monster suitcases and find a place to store them.

I think I could fit one behind the desk if I pulled the desk out a bit. They are most likely too big to go anywhere else in here.

Before I name the place I'm staying at, let's see how things go this month.

So far, the agent has been very helpful and honest, and the place is more modern and clean than the other units I looked at at other places.

Okay, now to unpack to the sound of traffic noise 12 floors up.

Hey, I'm in an apartment in Hong Kong.

That's enough of an accomplishment for now.

I just need a job now.

The Grand Tour Of The New Digs in Hong Kong, near Times Square and Causeway Bay...

Best Thing I've Heard All Week: A Free EP From Rose Elinor Dougall!

2012-01-12T10:43:00.002-05:00

This is almost too good to be free. What's the catch?

Rose Elinor Dougall has graced us with a free 3-song EP called The Distractions EP and you can download it via her Bandcamp page.

"The Night" crackles with ferocious drums and a Robin Guthrie-esque guitar line that tries to keep up with Rose's vocals.

"I've Always Known" shimmers like "Love" from The Sundays as covered by Sandy Denny.

And "Hanging Around" -- I think performed live by Rose on occasion -- is hard with a choppy guitar that recalls early cuts by The Pretenders.

Follow Rose Elinor Dougall, and get The Distractions EP, on her Bandcamp page:
http://roseelinordougall.bandcamp.com/album/the-distractions-ep

And be sure to visit her Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/roseelinordougall

In Which An Empty Stomach Leads Me To Victory: The Curry House, Wan Chai (A Lot Of Video In This Post)

2012-01-12T02:57:00.001-05:00

You know, I think I hit the culinary jackpot today.

("Why are all of this fat-ass's posts about food?" Well, it's 'cause I'm going out to the movies later and today was a chill-out day before I move into the apartment tomorrow.)

I kept walking and walking after dropping off my laundry and I finally ended up at the Curry House in Wanchai.

I'll probably never be able to find it again -- sort of snuck up on the place from a side-street -- but I'll try.

When I came out, I ended up on Queen's Road East, about one block over from Johnston Road before that met Wan Chai Road.

Okay, the video tells the story better than my words can so watch these segments in sequence.

My fat claw holding the picture menu...

I ordered the Ceylon White Curry with Chicken; Not too spicy and a hundred different kinds of delicious!

This is where I ended up when I exited the place...

One of the very nice things about Hong Kong is how little defacement and graffiti you see. Make no mistake: it exists here but not like in NYC or somewhere like that. So I took a shot of this defacement because it was funny. I thought everyone loved Aaron Kwok? Apparently not...

Walking to the laundry on Wan Chai Road...

Glenn's Quest For Lunch, Part 1...

Glenn's Quest For Lunch, Part 2...

Glenn's Quest For Lunch, Part 3...

Glenn's Quest For Lunch, Part 4...

Glenn's Quest For Lunch, Part 5...

Staggering Into 7-11 For An After-Lunch Soda...

Bonus Bakery Video...

Menudo: And I Ain't Talking About The Old Boy Band

2012-01-11T03:56:00.002-05:00

It seems some days that I'm just killing time.

That's not to say that I haven't done a lot in my 12 days here: I got an apartment -- I move in on Friday -- and I got a phone and I had the measurements taken for a suit.

I hate suits. I really hate them. I don't mind wearing khakis, a tie, and a blazer but a suit-suit is just something I really do not enjoy wearing. Who does?

So my job search is a bit unorthodox at the moment but I think that's okay. I'm making contacts, learning more about Hong Kong, and settling in.

It would have been foolish to have thought I'd have a job lined up in 12 days.

I think I'm just getting antsy because the Lunar New Year is coming and I'm not sure what things will be like then. Might lose a few days while everyone is off work but -- who knows? -- maybe I'll meet some fellow expats during the holidays and get a lead on a job?

So today, I wandered around looking for a place to have a late breakfast/lunch and I strolled through Wanchai. Every place -- even 7-11 -- had a big line inside or outside the door.

I always wondered why people in this city of fantastic food options would ever eat at 7-11 but I think I know the answer: sometimes that's the least crowded place where one can grab a quick lunch during the working day.

Not only that but some 7-11 shops here have pretty good looking food bars -- sort of like Wawa stores back home -- with staff members making noodle dishes, and maybe some dumplings, for the queuing customers.

Mang Ambo was so crowded today that I had to eat outside. I think I was oddly some kind of good advertisement for the place as I noticed a lot of people stopping to read the signs on the wall for the lunch specials.

The sight of a fat gweilo outside could have been an indication of good eats inside, eh?

Lining up the big lunch...

Awesomeness as usual. There's the beef steak with onions, some pork with shrimp paste, rice, a hint of beef with tomato sauce on top of that, and the menudo in the lower left.

Really, that menudo was so good that I could eat just that and the beef steak and be happy.

The problem with Mang Ambo's is that I always want to try a few dishes.

I had one of those McDonald's Slurpee knock-offs later. It hit the spot...

Then it was back to the tailor's to pick out a new fabric as my first choice was out of stock. I go back for a second fitting on Monday.

And I got my laundry back today too. I'm going to try to time my laundry runs to coincide with my move down closer to Times Square.

I'm sure I'll need to pick a more convenient laundry in that area, despite the fact that my usual laundry on Wan Chai Road is a good bargain and staffed by a very cheery family.

See how exciting my life is in Hong Kong?

Play New B-Side From The War On Drugs Here!

2012-01-10T20:40:00.000-05:00

The War On Drugs are due to release "Come To The City" on vinyl on 24 January 2012 via Secretly Canadian and for those of you who, like me, might be away from a turntable at the moment, here's the B-side for you to enjoy.

Don't forget to pick up Slave Ambient if you haven't already.

The band will be performing on Soundcheck on 11 January as well.

"Don't Fear The Ghost" is trippy and there's a touch of "Hare Krsna" from Husker Du here!

Follow The War On Drugs on their official website:
TheWarOnDrugs.net.

The War on Drugs - Don't Fear the Ghost by DOJAGSC

Try Colour: The Jezabels Rock Hong Kong!

2012-01-10T13:49:00.006-05:00

There were 4 bands on the bill tonight but I really only braved the rush hour crowds on the MTR to see The Jezabels.

The Australian four-piece played a nearly 30-minute set at the KITEC Centre out in Kowloon Bay.

The concert was part of the People's Party series put on by Untitled Asia.

Also on the bill were 9 Maps, The Naked and Famous, and Metronomy.

But first, The Jezabels.

Lead singer Hayley Mary stalked the stage like a new wave Pat Benatar, or a female Jarvis Cocker. A commanding vocalist who's already (rightly) earned comparisons to Chrissie Hynde -- and not just due to a fondness for leather trousers -- Hayley Mary has the pipes to deliver the big tunes laid down by the other three members of The Jezabels. It's like Kate Bush fronting U2: focused force and epic songs that make personal drama into the stuff of windswept rock.

Like Doves but more emotional, The Jezabels can turn on a dime; listen to "Hurt Me" and "Try Colour" in those videos below and you'll see and hear what I mean. There are moments of gentleness and fury there, equal parts shoegaze and hard postpunk, that seem to contrast nicely.

Nik Kaloper on drums pounded an almost tribal beat -- think Paul Ferguson on mid-period Killing Joke stuff -- that kept things grounded.

On guitars -- and numerous effects pedals -- was Samuel Lockwood who hovered on the side of the stage working his magic. The Jezabels are the rarest of bands where the lead guitarist is not out front, hogging the spotlight.

And acting as backing vocalist and anchor was keyboardist Heather Shannon. Ms. Shannon introduced things and seemed to be the one to kick things off.

There's a great contrast in the music of The Jezabels: on one hand you've got the very human, almost untamed drumming of Kaloper and the passionate vocals of Mary, and on the other you've got the pleasantly wonky guitar and keyboard effects from Lockwood and Shannon.

It's a cool mix, somewhere between the shoegaze of early Lush and the Britpop stompers of Sleeper.

I really enjoyed new band 9 Maps. Clearly a young band, they were refreshingly human compared to the overwhelming light-shows of both The Naked and Famous and Metronomy. Intimate indie that had melody and heart, the tunes from 9 Maps were charming and tuneful.

I bought a copy of their CD from the merchandise table on my way out.

The Naked and Famous certainly spent money on their stage-show. After a rousing opening, I got a bit bored with what they were doing on stage. Forceful but not melodic, The Naked and Famous have their strong points but they weren't quite my thing.

England's Metronomy were peppy and energetic -- like a punky take on Air, or a less electronic Phoenix, I guess -- but they seemed sort of lackluster after the barnstorming run by The Jezabels.

Follow The Jezabels on their official website:
http://www.thejezabels.com/

Or on their Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/TheJezabels

The Jezabels - "Endless Summer" live in Hong Kong, 10 January 2012...

The Jezabels - "Hurt Me" live in Hong Kong, 10 January 2012...

The Jezabels - "Try Colour" live in Hong Kong, 10 January 2012...

Free MP3 From Sheffield's Standard Fare

2012-01-09T19:24:00.006-05:00

It's Andy on drums, Dan on guitar and vocals, and Emma on bass and lead vocals.

And Emma's mother was in Poison Girls.

That's all you need to know right now about the background of Sheffield's Standard Fare.

The other bit of important information I can share with you is that I love this track!

Somehow combining a touch of earlier influences -- the usual C86 stuff, a more robust take on Shop Assistants, plus the guitar crash of Slanted and Enchanted-era Pavement -- into something new, this cut is like The Young Knives with Kate Jackson (she of The Long Blondes) on vocals.

It's a rollicking, thumping song that is oddly uplifting. There's something about Emma's yearning vocals and that plucked guitar that really charms.

If you could imagine a female-fronted version of The Jam -- think "When You're Young" specifically -- you'd get an idea of the postpunk joy in this track.

But hey, enough writing: go listen to this now! Download it and play it many times.

Then, on 24 January, get the Out Of Sight, Out Of Town album on Melodic.

Details here.

Follow the band on their Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/standardfare/

On their official website:
StandardFare.co.uk

Or on their Bandcamp page:
standardfare.bandcamp.com

Standard Fare - Suitcase by Melodic Records

Perfect Weather For Dim Sum In Tai Po

2012-01-09T06:23:00.004-05:00

I'll let you in on a secret from the blogging world: Phil from the Hong Kong (and Macau) Stuff blog is a helluva nice guy.

I hope I didn't just ruin his street cred!

Anyway, rather than ride the MTR and switch lines and then hop on a train to get to the New Territories, I decided to ride the Number 307 bus from near Victoria Park.

It's worth noting that my only jacket is in the cleaners so it was a bit brisk out there at 10 AM but not too bad.

I got there right on time only to see the first bus of the day pass me by; I was standing in the wrong spot near the park and couldn't run fast enough to get around the corner to where the bus had stopped.

No worries. Plenty of time to get to Tai Po as the bus comes from the Central Ferry Pier every 20 minutes or so.

And it only takes about 30 minutes to get out to Tai Po -- not much traffic after 10 AM.

Waiting for the bus...

Bus ride out to Tai Po with some cooking show on the TV...

Entering Tai Po...

I alight near the Tai Po Civic Centre. I missed my stop. Sorry Phil! Dig that Bob Marley pic on the ad on the side of the bus...

Highrises in Tai Po...

Let the eating begin!

The one to the right is the shrimp in oyster sauce that I like so much, while the one in the foreground is a similar idea but one that uses roast pork...

I have no idea what this was called but it was delicious. Sort of a sticky rice, with peanuts, and pork inside...

Too much food...

Roast pork bun. Delicious!

Didn't try this one. Sort of barbecue pork on the bone...

Shrimp shumai...

Xiaolongbao...I think...

This was a sort of dessert-variation on bird's nest. Probably overkill with all that other food but it hit the spot...

I had to have the last dumpling of the morning. Even cooled off, it was still delicious and certainly better than anything I've had in the D.C. area, that's for sure...

Tai Po is lovely -- I'm not going to use the word quaint -- and it reminded me in a way of a small town outside of London. Tai Po is small enough to feel comfortable in, and big enough to have everything you'd need if you lived out here away from the neon-lit rush of Hong Kong Island...

Phil hipped me to the fact that Anthony Bourdain came to this place for roast goose. The place looked good and it's certainly on my list of places to try. I might have to come on an empty stomach, try the goose, and get the roast pork as well...

A Little Hong Kong Video...For The Folks Back Home

2012-01-08T18:05:00.005-05:00

[There's more lens flare in this video than in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek (2009)...]

I decided to shoot some video last night. There's nothing too exciting in these clips, but I realize that the ordinary stuff is what some people at home might want to see.

I know to some people it sounds so exotic to be living in Hong Kong and, in some ways, it is.

But these two little pieces of video illustrate the ordinary, more than the exotic.

Walking to dinner last night. Surprise at the end...

Since my buddy had a kitchen fire at his restaurant -- hopefully, he'll re-open in a few days -- I went to McDonald's but I made a stop at the supermarket first...

English Breakfast In A Former English Colony

2012-01-08T01:46:00.004-05:00

I needed food this morning and Mang Ambo's was too crowded -- it is Sunday, after all, so it shouldn't come as a surprise to find the place packed by nannies and domestic helpers on their one day off anxious for a taste of the food from their home country.

Second choice: The Old China Hand's very tempting English Breakfast.

Yeah, it was far too much food and I couldn't finish it all. Three (!) eggs, sausages, blood pudding, beans, mushrooms, chips (fries), bacon, and toast.

I need a small nap now before I go out later tonight.

The weather is getting nice again after a few days of overcast skies and cool temps that seemed to coincide with my slight cold.

A touch of Oasis in my oasis: The English breakfast at The Old China Hand...

Free MP3 From Choir Of Young Believers - "Patricia's Thirst"

2012-01-07T16:57:00.004-05:00

This Danish collective is starting to get attention and it's easy to see why.

This track is an uplifting anthem. Sounding like early O.M.D. and Ultravox mixed with the kind of heroic guitar one might have heard from U2 in 1980, "Patricia's Thirst" recalls another era. It's an infectious and moving song even if I'm not quite sure what it's all about.

Follow the Choir Of Young Believers on Facebook for now.

Their label is Ghostly International.

Choir of Young Believers - Patricia's Thirst by PurplePR

"And Wendy's Stealing Clothes From Marks And Sparks..."

2012-01-07T00:40:00.006-05:00

[If you don't understand this post's title, shame on ya!]

I got to live out an Anglophile's fantasy today -- one I didn't indulge in when I was in England some years ago -- as I went shopping at Marks and Spencer.

I took The Golden Rock's advice and checked out the nearest Marks and Spencer in the hopes that they would indeed have odd -- read: big-ass -- sizes. Nope.

Before going, I forgot that sizes here would most likely be displayed following the European ones since this was a British colony only 14 years ago.

I had no trouble finding big sizes -- I tried on 46 Long and 48 Medium -- and they almost did the trick but not quite.

My gut was still a problem.

Oh well. I can always find one of those famously quick tailors around here and get a suit made. But I refuse to go back to East Tsim Sha Tsui and one of those shady suit brokers -- the kind that was pestering me on the street over there.

Prior to this adventure, I finally found my way back to the Indonesian market duriandave and I visited back in 2009 on my first visit here.

New Indonesian Restaurant is a market with tables in the back. The food is good, fresh, and cheap.

I had nasi campur which is a sort of platter. The spicy shredded chicken in this was fantastic! And we had tempeh on the side....

I didn't even try my friend's spicy pigeon. And no, you don't eat the head. At least she didn't...

I am just fascinated by the McDonald's Prosperity Burger here. It's a tie-in with Lunar New Year and it tastes like the McRib back home but much more pepper-y and covered with a sauce and onions. It comes with Arby's-style curly fries too!

Free MP3 From La Sera (Vivian Girls) - "Please Be My Third Eye"

2012-01-06T19:51:00.000-05:00

Sounding like Pam Berry from Black Tambourine revving up a Shirelles cut with the Reid Brothers behind her, La Sera brings us "Please Be My Third Eye", a slab of summery pop from her forthcoming album Sees The Light. The LP is due out on 24 March 2012 on Hardly Art.

Download "Please Be My Third Eye" from La Sera here...

Follow La Sera on her Facebook page.

Sometimes A Job Search Starts With A Pint

2012-01-06T13:05:00.000-05:00

Well, I did meet some nice blokes tonight. Might lead to a job.

So you can't really say I was totally goofing off.

Play New Track From The Babies Here

2012-01-05T19:43:00.002-05:00

Hailing from NYC, The Babies bring us a new collection of demos and outtakes called Cry Along With The Babies on New Images.

This is decidedly lo-fi stuff -- naturally -- but even a demo like the lovely "Trouble" has a sense of melody and gentle momentum. A lilting tune like this recalls predecessors like Young Marble Giants, Unrest, Yo La Tengo, and The Feelies.

The band is currently on a U.S. tour with Real Estate.

Check out the band's Facebook page:
The Babies on Facebook

Play "Trouble" from The Babies here...

The Babies - Trouble by New Images

Speed Angels At Olympian City 2: My Love For Cecilia Cheung Can Only Last So Long

2012-01-05T11:17:00.007-05:00

Let's not be kind, or mince words in any way: Speed Angels (2011) is awful on almost every level.

Ineptly filmed, amateurishly scripted, and haphazardly staged, the flick tortures a viewer for nearly 2 hours.

I can sit through some pretty bad exposition if there's the promise of a few car crashes ahead. And, you'd think that a film like Speed Angels could at least deliver those cheap thrills.

Nope.

Sub-SyFy Channel effects remove any trace of possible excitement in the racing scenes and, to make things more pathetic, there are not that many scenes of actual racing beyond the opening car chase.

Just a dreadful mess made somehow more awful by the sight of a hammy Cheng Pei-Pei mugging it up as Tang Wei's mom in a series of horrid headbands -- Tang Wei rocks them too.

Cheng Pei-Pei deserves the right to simply act in junk like this for money, but what's Tang Wei's excuse?

She's the only vaguely human performer in this trainwreck and, to paraphrase what someone said tonight, it's almost as if she didn't know that she could just show up and collect her paycheck. She actually tries to act in some of these scenes.

My dear, the script just doesn't deserve your skills.

Rene Liu is a cartoon in here. The less said about her or her role, the better.

Now, as for Cecilia Cheung:

Time to put the fanboy hat on for a moment.

In 2002, I was watching HK films in a veritable vacuum. My best friend knew Jackie Chan and Jet Li and John Woo titles but that was it. For stuff like Para Para Sakura (2001), I was on my own.

"Rightly so," some smart-ass might say!

Then LoveHKFilm.com came along and I had a source for reviews of current Hong Kong cinema offerings.

Kozo's enthusiasm was infectious and when I was unemployed for 6 months (!) in 2004, I would watch 3 or 4 HK DVDs out of my collection every day and then go read Kozo's -- or The Golden Rock's -- reviews to gain a better understanding of what I had just seen.

Just 'cause they are sometimes harsh (honest) critics doesn't mean that they are not enthusiastic.

The worse the film, chances are the more fun it will be when viewed with the Gang of Film.

So, yeah, it was a heady moment to finally see a current Cecilia Cheung film on the big screen in Hong Kong with the very same guy whose reviews helped me keep at my hobby in the first place.

Not only that, but I guess now I'm sort of a member of The Gang of Film.

What that means is that I have to suffer through stuff like Speed Angels (2011) on a regular basis since I live here now.

The film is just awful but it was fun to see it with the cool kids and, honestly, Tang Wei is decent in the picture but the picture ain't decent to her.

This is the sort of post I do not to brag but to sort of highlight the fact that I stuck with my odd hobby -- even if my interest in current HK fare has lagged a bit lately, as has current HK fare! -- and to illustrate that the cool kids in life can turn out to be pretty nice people too.

Dinner at the food court. I picked Pepper Lunch and it was interesting...

Pretty soon and it will be time for horrendous Lunar New Year comedies including this one with Louis Koo and Kelly Chen...

Waiting for the ride home at the Olympic MTR stop...

The Big Pink Return: A Review Of Future This

2012-01-04T18:30:00.007-05:00

There's nothing original in the rock world anymore.

No more methods left to use to create shock-and-awe in a listener.

When I see the sort of band who in 1996 would have been savaged by the snarkmeisters at the NME now feted as saviors of guitar rock, I just want to stop listening to new bands altogether.

There's a lot of genuine enthusiasm shown for some musical acts on this blog but, believe me, I have to weed through a lot of crap I never intend to write about to get to the gems.

Future This by The Big Pink is a gem.

Out 16 January in Europe, 17 January in the U.S., the second album from The Big Pink is easily one of the most listenable records I've heard in months.

I'm a curmudgeon, shouting at those Interpol kids to get off my lawn while I spin my old Joy Division records -- that sort of guy -- but for all my comments about what's derivative here, the end result is a real thing of wonder, something to marvel at.

Sure, if you take this record apart like a 10th biology class frog, you'll find pieces of other bands, other sounds, you already loved.

No, the divine genius of The Big Pink is that they know how to make all those parts into a new animal.

Their only contemporaries in this fashion are those guys in The Drums, or those nerds in MGMT.

A friend criticized me 'cause I used the word derivative to describe a few new bands.

I don't mean that as an insult all the time.

I'm sure that Milo Cordell and Robbie Furze of The Big Pink would be happy to tell you what records they bought this week, what bands they followed in high school, and who rocked their boats as musical infants.

What's not derivative is the way those influences are pieced together here.

They've taken a few obvious inspirations and created something decidedly new and fresh.

Future This sounds like a dozen other bands and, remarkably, wholly distinct and vibrant.

The whole package is what is original.

If it were so easy to piece together influences in such a fashion, there'd be a dozen Big Pinks.

There ain't.

The Big Pink sound has now been defined, largely by Future This, and it's only a matter of time before some upsetters come along to try their hand at this.

Good luck.

Somehow bridging the sometimes insular world of indie rock with the broadminded needs of the pop world, The Big Pink are wizards.

Recorded and mixed by Paul Epworth and Alan Moulder, Future This sounds like the past and the future all at once.

Insanely catchy -- every tune could be a single, frankly -- the record coasts, soars, crackles, and roars with Big Tunes and Big Sounds.

Like a pre-Live Aid U2 taking over the O.M.D. songbook, Future This is soul music played by guys on machines.

It's what pop music -- I use that tag as one of praise, not shame -- should be.

One listen to the life-affirming opener "Stay Gold" should be enough to get doubters into the fold. This is great stuff.

Spiritual music for a godless world, "Stay Gold" is gospel rock for a present that feels like the End of the World sometimes.

"Hit The Ground (Superman)" sizzles like some sort of weird positive spin on early Nine Inch Nails, while "1313" reimagines Depeche Mode --- think "Everything Counts" as an anthem.

Somehow, the sound is bigger here than on the first Big Pink record. The guys have created something larger now without sacrificing anything.

"Jump Music" recalls those New Order records from the last decade but with more guitars in the mix.

"Lose Your Mind" is Fad Gadget covering Gaga. Supremely catchy, instantly memorable, gladly lodged into your brain.

Quite simply, if you enjoyed the first Big Pink record, you'll most likely love Future This. If you are unfamiliar with the band, start here.

Future This is out soon on 4AD.

Check your favorite online or real world retailer on 16 January 2012.

Follow for now here:

The Big Pink's website

The Big Pink on Tumblr

The Big Pink on Facebook

The Big Pink on 4AD

Cheap Lunch In Hong Kong: Ajisen Ramen

2012-01-04T03:05:00.002-05:00

Don't worry if you wonder around in Hong Kong. Pretty soon you'll find something good to eat.

I still have a bit of hesitancy in entering places that may not have an English menu. I don't mind doing that when I'm with others. But when alone, I get nervous.

So when I'm out by myself, I rely on the familiar.

But it doesn't matter because even fast food here is great and cheap.

I'm not an expert on ramen, and I've only had it maybe a dozen times in my life, but I'm positive that the ramen at Ajisen Ramen is not the best in the world.

Still, for a chain restaurant, it's decent. For a grand total of $8USD, I got that enormous bowl of pork and corn ramen, a Pepsi Lite -- the closest thing to Diet Pepsi I'm likely to find here in HK! -- and a side of gyoza.

It cost more than that to get a foot-long sub at Subway back in America.

Of course, I did make an unholy mess out of the meal, even flipping my chopsticks onto the ground as I reached for the soda.

I Have A Phone (And An Apartment)

2012-01-03T19:14:00.003-05:00

I hate cell phones.

I hate talking on them, and I especially hate hearing other people talking on them.

There's nothing more annoying than hearing some guy on his cell phone as he ambles through a store.

Cell phones are a necessary evil, I suppose, and now I've got one here in Hong Kong.

Gettting the phone was a small, though significant, early hurdle for me and now that's done. My friend needed one and there was some buy-one-get-one-free sale so I got the cheaper one of the deal.

It's good enough for me. It works.

I already topped off the minutes via PCCW Mobile online. I felt a certain satisfaction at hearing my phone chirp on the desk with a text message saying my payment had been received and my minutes bumped up.

I feel connected.

Now if I could only find out how to use all the functions on the thing.

As for the apartment:

Since my hotel is paid for up until 13 January, I am not moving in until then but I have it lined up and will be paying the deposit today.

I don't want to name names but I chose the less well-known agency's place as it was more modern and I've read some good things about the spaces and agents online.

There was a larger space for a bit more money available in the building next to my hotel but I just had too many doubts about the building, the agency, the agent, the price, and so on.

I also looked at one on Lockhart Road. It feels weird complaining about the location of that one but, really, it's on an odd, semi-inconvenient stretch of that road.

Too many steps too.

The place I chose is probably less than a 1-minute walk to Toast Box, Times Square, and the MTR station.

Location, location, location.

Free Download From Smith and Burrows - "This Ain't New Jersey"

2012-01-03T16:37:00.003-05:00

If you read my review back in December, you'll recall that I really enjoyed Funny Looking Angels from Smith and Burrows despite the fact that it's sort of a Christmas album.

If you still haven't heard or purchased the album yet, you can get another taste of the record by playing and downloading "This Ain't New Jersey" below.

The song still works despite the fact Christmas is over.

Smith & Burrows - This Ain't New Jersey by PIAS Entertainment

For now, follow the duo on their official website:
SmithandBurrows.com

Or on their Facebook page:
http://facebook.com/smithandburrows

Get Funny Looking Angels from Smith and Burrows on Amazon.co.uk or HMV.co.uk.

In Which Tsui Hark Confuses The Hell Out Of Me. In 3D.

2012-01-02T06:07:00.004-05:00

I'll happily admit that I lost track a tiny bit of who-was-who in Tsui Hark's Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate (2011) but that didn't diminish the pleasures of the film, which are many.

Sometimes it's enough to see Jet Li flying out of the screen at you in 3D. I had to mentally pinch myself to remember that I was actually in Hong Kong watching a current Tsui Hark film with Jet Li.

Sure, I'd rather have been here watching The Chinese Feast in 1995 but I don't have a time machine, so...

As I've been suffering from Hong Kong cinema burnout a tiny bit, that moment early on in this film did a lot to jolt my inner fanboy back into life.

A sprawling picture, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011) is not so much a remake of, or sequel to, the director's earlier Dragon Inn (1992) as it is a thematic cousin. A tale of intrigue in the Ming Dynasty, the picture details the exploits of Jet Li's band of warriors who fight the corrupt forces of the eunuchs of the court.

Zhou Xun was great in this. Frankly, this could be her best performance to date. Modulating her style a bit, she's a trifle ruthless here but still human. Just a stunning turn from the actress that recalls earlier, similar roles by Brigitte Lin and Cheng Pei-Pei, the difference being Zhou Xun's swordswoman's mix of arrogance and vulnerability.

Pop singer Mavis Fan turns in a good performance as well, and Shaw Brothers legend Gordon Liu is in this too.

Jet Li is, oddly, a bit underused despite that electrifying opening sequence.

I started the day with breakfast at another Hokkaido milk place...

Not bad but a tiny bit more pricey than Toast Box; Still reasonable, though...

Not every MTR stop is packed with people...

New Dante Lam-directed thriller with Nic Tse opens in time for Lunar New Year...

This historical drama from director Derek Yee stars Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Zhou Xun, and Lau Ching-Wan. Not buying the mustache, though...

Can I just pay to see the pod race and Darth Maul bits in 3D? I don't want Jar Jar in 2D or 3D...

Steve Rogers looks to the future. The Avengers (2012) opens here in April!

New Video From Oh My! - Bad Date!

2012-01-01T11:11:00.001-05:00

Alex and Jade have done it again.

As a special New Year's Day gift, the gals of Oh My! have given us a new song and new video called "Bad Date" and it's a percolating and soaring -- dig that escalating keyboard riff -- sing-a-long about the sort of cheapo who is sure to not win the hands and hearts of Alex and Jade.

The video is made up entirely of snaps of the gals shot on the recent tour with The Saturdays. It's a clever way to promote the song and a big round of applause to whoever had to edit this.

Oh My! - "Bad Date"

Follow Oh My! here:
http://ohmyofficial.tumblr.com/
http://www.facebook.com/ohmyofficial

So What Will My 2012 Be Like?

2012-01-01T09:00:00.015-05:00

All day, it's been that "was this a great idea or an awful idea?" dialogue in my head.

I met up with a friend but later, when I was alone and wandering around, the doubt crept back in. It's a little too early to panic, especially since I'm seeing at least one serviced apartment tomorrow, but I guess I'm now feeling the pressure of starting the job search.

Someone last night said that my options might be better in Singapore, or even The Philippines, and that, of course, gave me a bit of panic.

Still, I'm here, time to enjoy this place and make a go of it.

The glitz of Hong Kong seems to revolve around shopping...

Shu Qi promotes something...

Comfort food to assuage my doubt: dinner at Pho Saigon...

2012 Arrives With A Bang In Hong Kong

2011-12-31T14:36:00.003-05:00

You can judge me if you want, but I'll admit that the last two times I was in Hong Kong on New Year's Eve I was in a bar (the same bar both times, actually).

The thing you can chastise me for, however, is not seeing the fireworks over the HK skyline.

This year, I hit the bars and then we hoofed it over to near the expo centre to watch the fireworks explode over the harbour.

I had been having some doubts about my move -- I know it's only been 2 days but I'm The King of Worry, really -- but at that moment, I felt like I had made the right decision.

This is where I need to be.

We hoofed it over to the harbour area near the expo centre...

Crowd gets ready...

That's on the TST side of the harbour...

Christmas goes up in a hail of fireworks...

Video of the countdown...

Fireworks on the Island side...

Fireworks!

Mang Ambo's (Or, Why I'll Never Be A Vegetarian)

2011-12-31T02:19:00.004-05:00

This morning's goal was simple: have real food.

After nearly two days of airport and airline food -- with a late night McDonald's stop here in HK -- I needed a real meal.

So I went back to Mang Ambo's in Wanchai.

There have been times in my life when I've toyed with the idea of going vegetarian. I actually ordered the veggie meal on the flight this time around since the "meat" in those Cathay Pacific meals has a strange smell and consistency to me. Just thinking about that chicken gives me the shivers.

And I love the vegetarian Indian restaurants -- most of my favorite dishes are southern Indian ones.

But, I would take a ball peen hammer to Porky Pig himself if it ensured that that Looney Tunes icon could be turned into lechon as delicious as what I had today!

"That's all folks!" The piggy is in the middle, to paraphrase The Rutles...

I call this picture "Glenn's First Heart Attack (Waiting To Happen...)" Seriously, I ate almost everything on that plate but, hey, that's my breakfast and lunch today and probably my dinner as I don't think I'll be hungry anytime soon...

Tang Wei, Rene Liu, and Cecilia Cheung promote Speed Angels (2011). It's going to be very cool to see this in a Hong Kong cinema. Glad I made it back while Ceci's comeback was still underway. Cheng Pei-Pei is in this too!

Eason Chan promotes something...

Twins get ready for New Year...

It Does Have A Window

2011-12-30T22:01:00.002-05:00

I really need to travel more if I'm so perplexed by a hotel room window.

Okay, in the interest of comedy here's what happened: I woke up after sleeping the sleep of the dead -- a row to myself or not, flying for 16 hours from NYC is a rough ride -- and opened my eyes on my first morning in Hong Kong to see the skyline.

Yes, I briefly thought I was hallucinating.

Turns out there is a window in this room. It's covered by two panels, one see-through and one solid that looks just like the wallpaper. I now see the cords for them but I have no idea how the one went up by itself overnight. Maybe it was light-senstive.

The door was double-bolted and I was alone so it seemed like magic to me.

Like I said, I really need to travel more.

(Yes, I'm watching "The King of Queens" while I get dressed for a late breakfast/lunch...)

Back In Hong Kong: Now What?

2011-12-30T08:45:00.003-05:00

I quit my job, sold my car, and liquidated my possessions down to those that would fit into 2 suitcases, and I flew to Hong Kong.

Now what?

The flight was pretty good; I picked the back aisle seat and, unlike in June when I was next to a supermodel, this time I was next to a woman who could only be described as Bethany Frankel's lovechild.

I strolled back there and saw this fake tan-sporting lady already spread out on both seats -- it's a 2-seat row -- with the blanket over her legs. She blanched when I approached. I'm sure I looked like a sweating Grimace as I hoofed it back there.

She raised hell, not with me but with the air crew. Apparently, she had bought her ticket on the assumption that my seat had been "blocked off" -- whatever that means.

A few seconds of her in the back of the plane yelling -- and nearly crying -- to the staff had me shuffled forward. The very gracious Cathay Pacific stewardess said I could have seat A, B, or C in an empty forward row and -- you guessed it -- I took all three!

Well, I started in the aisle one but quickly kicked off my shoes and stretched out under a blanket while leaning up against the window. I'm sure it looked like the aftermath of a keg party in that row.

I toyed with the idea of cranking Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) simultaneously on all 3 screens in that row but thought better of it.

I watched the film -- my 4th viewing of it -- as we neared Hong Kong.

If it's possible to feel both patriotic and relieved to be outside of America for the time being, I felt that way.

This is the first flight in my life where I can say that I slept quite a bit, thanks to having that room to stretch out.

It was never a restful sleep, however, so I'm still exhausted; more than 26 hours since I left home yesterday, and I'm getting fuzzy.

I'm not going to name my hotel but it's my usual one -- at least until 13 January -- and while they upgraded me to a nicer "executive" room, it's without a window!

After the wait at the check-in here, I was too tired to say anything.

And the room, for once, bears no trace of a previous smoking occupant as do some rooms here.

Okay, more later...

No Matter What Band I'm In, It's A Punk Band: An Interview With Danny Ingram (Youth Brigade, The Untouchables, Iron Cross, radioblue, Swervedriver, Dot Dash)

2011-12-28T09:20:00.034-05:00

Until I put this interview together, I didn't realize that I had walked past Danny Ingram's picture for a year on an old job.

When I worked at The Record and Tape Exchange in College Park, Maryland, from 1987 to 1988, I didn't pay too much attention to vinyl anymore as I'd already made the switch to cassettes and CDs, but it was hard to miss all the Dischord vinyl we had for sale in the shop.

There was a series of Dischord records on a rack that circled the store near the top of the walls in the front room. We had the stuff in there on consignment and those Dischord kids would roll in every few weeks to drop off more vinyl and talk with the owner.

When I started to compile this piece, I found some images online and immediately recognized this compilation's cover as one I had looked at almost everyday on the job back then.

I might not have warmed to the Dischord stuff right away but just seeing that cover does make me nostalgic for my first record store job in an era when I was more eager about finding new bands to get into.

Danny's current band, Dot Dash, is playing D.C.'s Black Cat soon -- details here -- and they'll be opening for Baltimore's Grey March, and History Repeated featuring Government Issue's John Stabb.

I started out with the intentions of doing an interview with Dot Dash's drummer in the style of my interview with frontman Terry Banks, but this interview is really about more than Danny Ingram's impressive musical resume.

No, this is really a sort of abbreviated overview of D.C. rock history. Danny's stories provide reminders of the different genres that dominated the nation's capital in the past. But his comments also illustrate the surprising blurring of the lines between that Dischord scene and the punks' poppier rivals from the suburbs.

Even if, like me, you might not be familiar with every one of these bands, this should be a pleasure to read for any fan of D.C. rock.

So let's count it off and dive in...

KENIXFAN: How did you meet Joe Strummer in 1979? Please tell us that whole story.

DANNY INGRAM: At the time, The Clash were my favorite band –- so I went down to the Ontario Theatre around 3:00 PM to see if could meet them during load in. They were fairly busy at the time and couldn't talk, but invited me to come backstage after the show (which was incredible, by the way).

The "dressing room" was this long, narrow corridor with a bench on either side. People were packed in pretty tightly. I was crammed in a seat on the bench between Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon. Mick Jones was sitting across from me. It was pretty comical at first –- because I was having a tough time sorting out Paul's thick accent and Mick and Joe kept having to translate for me. My confusion was compounded by the noise and beer, and spliffs that were getting passed back and forth throughout the dressing room. Eventually I gave up trying to talk with Paul and turned my attention to Joe and Mick. We talked about music –- I'd been to London a few months before and had seen quite a few bands -– we talked a bit about the “scene” in Washington...which was just beginning to explode thanks to a handful of bands like the Bad Brains, Teen Idles and Untouchables. Joe asked me if I played in a band. I told him my best friend (Nathan Strejcek of the Teen Idles) was in a band –- but that I was not. He acted shocked.

"You've got to get in a band, mate!" he admonished. "Get off the sidelines and do something, create something."

Needless to say, when one of your heroes encourages you to do something, it carries quite a bit of weight. I think by the end of the night I'd promised him (and myself) that I would. He didn't care that I didn't know an instrument –- at that time, it was more about energy and commitment and passion anyway. Instruments could be learned; the rest had to come from inside.

Shortly thereafter, I volunteered my drumming services to The Untouchables when their drummer (Richard Moore) left for college. They didn't seem bothered that I couldn't play either. I think we played our first show in Norfolk a few weeks after I picked up my first pair of drum sticks...and I haven't looked back (much) since.

Oddly enough –- I've run into Mick Jones a few times in London (usually as he was trading in records at the Notting Hill Record and Tape exchange) –- he always acted as if he remembered me from that show in D.C., though I doubt he did. But the few times we talked after that he was really quite friendly. Never met Joe Strummer again, but he looms large for me as an example of the power of words –- particularly encouraging words.

KENIXFAN: You started out in an era when D.C. hardcore was defining a certain sound and attitude in this city. Did you feel part of something larger or were you just a D.C. area kid playing in bands? Was there a sense of the impact D.C. hardcore was having outside of D.C.?

DANNY INGRAM: That's an interesting question and something that I think about a lot. At the time, I think I took the D.C. hardcore scene for granted. The "something larger" that I felt a part of was the whole punk scene –- not necessarily the bourgeoning harDCore crowd that was coming to define the area.

Nathan and I were among the first kids around here to chop off our long hair, ditch our old vines and rush headlong into punk rock. It was an amazing time -– something that has stuck with me forever. But it wasn't until I was much older that I really came to appreciate what happened here, in my own backyard, with the rise of Dischord and the impact of the bands from D.C. For the longest time, I was just enjoying myself...like a surfer on a long wave: I was caught up in the thrill of it all...and it wasn't 'til much later that I could look back with some pride about what had happened here. Though to be honest, my contributions were quite meager in comparison to others. People like Ian [Mackaye] and Jeff [Nelson] really grasped what was happening at the time and helped to build it into something memorable.

At the end of the day –- the "something larger" that sticks with me, that impresses me most about the D.C. scene isn't the music we all created but the friendships that we made, and that have lasted throughout the decades. I can't stress this enough –- because there was a lot that divided people throughout the years –- but there were also these incredible bonds that withstood the nihilistic ravages of time...so that when you run into your old mates after many years…there is still (for me) this great affection…and (for me) a greater appreciation of what we've all been through. Many of us are parents now, have demanding jobs, but at the end of the day...we are still very much those same kids whose eyes, ears and minds were so widely opened by being a part of the D.C. punk scene.

KENIXFAN: After playing in those punk bands, you branched out quite a bit. Did you ever feel a backlash for not sticking to one genre (punk)?

DANNY INGRAM: I've always said this: no matter what band I'm in, it's a punk band. Just because the tempo or the themes of the music changed over the years, it didn't change who I was. To this day, I still feel every bit as identified with the punk scene as I did 34 years ago.

Yeah, there was a backlash -– the scene had become quite large, but most of the backlash came from people in the scene who had a myopic view of punk rock. It's easy to say now that I wasn't really bothered by it, but it was a challenge. My heart was always in the punk scene...but as it got larger, it did get a bit uglier. I had developed a bit of a reputation (on many fronts) and one was that I had a bit of a temper. So most of the nonsense I heard about was second hand. When it did cross the line –- I usually acted upon it. An example would be the Circle Jerks show at Wilson Center -– some "skins" were taunting Monica while we were on stage...and I jumped down into the crowd (mid-song) and challenged them to fight. Needless to say, they were all talk and no trousers. My wife, Sally, accuses me of having a Lancelot complex. I'm assuming she is referring to the knight in shining armor, not the chimp. But I took the insults quite personally. It's tough to be attacked from within. As great as the scene was from a 20,000 foot view, when you are in the middle of it you know that it was just as likely to be rife with high school drama at times. It did get quite petty at times...and it was that element that made it quite easy to branch out and do my own thing.

KENIXFAN: And, on that note, as a musician how much do you have to alter your style when you play in so many different bands? I guess what I'm getting at is what is our preferred style to play? Where do you feel most at home as a drummer?

DANNY INGRAM: Oddly enough, where I feel most at home would probably be playing either Al Green-like soul music or the sort of early 90's indie stuff I did (Ultracherry Violet or Swervedriver). In the case of the former, I've never really had the opportunity to do it but it's something that really resonates with me musically. As for the latter, I think that is what comes most easily to me. I've mostly enjoyed the bands and styles I've been in...but some have been a challenge.

Nathan tried to convince Bert and I do to a Youth Brigade reunion recently. The prospect of that was downright frightening. I don't think I could possible play at that pace any more. It would likely land me in a hospital if I tried. The biggest adjustments for me, as a drummer, were going from punk/hardcore into the Madhouse/Strange Boutique thing. And also doing the straighter pop stuff like radioblue or some of the early Dot Dash songs. I tend to be a bit of a thumper on the drums; it takes quite a bit of self control for me to reign in my natural instincts to punish my drum heads.

KENIXFAN: What's next for Dot Dash?

DANNY INGRAM: If all goes well, we will start working on a new album in April. We have about ten new songs and the band's identity is really solidifying. We have a show coming up January 5th at Black Cat with my old band mate John Stabb (History Repeated) and the recently reformed Grey March.

We will also be doing a live performance on WMUC radio in February.

KENIXFAN: So here are Danny's thoughts on most of the bands in his impressive CV as a musician...

The Untouchables

DANNY INGRAM: My first band! This started what was to be a recurring trend throughout my drumming life: jumping into a band to rescue them when their previous drummer pulled a Spinal Tap. The story for this was short and sweet: we were all hanging out at Roy Rogers on Wisconsin Ave. in Georgetown (across from the old Record and Tape Ltd.). Alec and Bert were lamenting the fact that Richard had chosen college over punk rock (fucked up priorities…I know). I immediately offered my services. They said “Great!!” -– which caused me to immediately back-pedal. I explained that I didn't know how to play, didn't have a kit, etc.

They didn't care. They seemed genuinely enthusiastic to have me join…and that helped give me the confidence to give it a go. We only played a handful of shows, but some were quite memorable. Like all the bands at that time, we did our version of "(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone" but we also did [Sham 69's] "If The kids Are United” which was a lot fun.

Youth Brigade

DANNY INGRAM: The Teen Idles had recently broken up...and as Nathan was/is my best friend...it was impossible to say “No” when he asked me to start a band with him. I've always regarded YB somewhat bemusedly. Naturally, you think you are great at the time...but it was at this point that I realized the limitations of my musical ability…and the emerging gap in talent between some of the bands that were starting up.

It was fun...but other bands, like Government Issue, Minor Threat, the Bad Brains were so musically superior that I started to feel a bit self-conscious about my drumming...and had realized that YB had gone about as far as it could go. I'm grateful that Ian [Mackaye] and Jeff [Nelson] decided to release the single and put us on Flex Your Head. It helped establish the band as one of the progenitors of the nascent Dischord scene...but our musical contributions were quite modest.

Peer Pressure

DANNY INGRAM: Peer Pressure was the first band to challenge me musically. Dave Beyers (R.I.P.) and Tony Young (R.I.P.) were both quite accomplished musicians. I had a great deal of fun playing with them –- and with Tom Berard who sang in the band for a short time.

The band was short lived -– as were many of the bands then –- but we did manage to go up to NY and record some rough demos at Studio 1-A (I think that is what it was called) with the Bad Brains (who had invited us up). I met the Beastie Boys there –- they gave me a copy of Polly Wog Stew. I remember listening to it and thinking “What crap! They will never go anywhere!” I've always had an oracle-like eye for predicting the future!

Ultimately, the band imploded because Tony wouldn't cave in to Dave's demands to be a bit more...er...intimate.

Social Suicide

DANNY INGRAM: Over the years, one thing that emerges is the friendships you build through being in bands…and as is the case with almost all the bands I've been in...I'm proud that I'm still friends with these guys. Social Suicide were most definitely a punk band...but not cut from the Dischord cloth. I think Brian, Joe and Ben knew each other from American University, which was where Monica was going at the time, and how I hooked up with them. They, too, lost a drummer and I happily volunteered to hop on board. The only recorded output for this band was the Mixed Nuts Don't Crack compilation. While the band never really developed a following…we played some great shows, including with Minor Threat and other seminal bands from that time.

Madhouse

DANNY INGRAM: Peer Pressure had given me the (perhaps mistaken) notion that I could branch out and do something more than straight hardcore drumming. I'd always loved the whole spectrum of punk music, but at that time was really into the wave of bands that included Magazine, Siouxsie and The Banshees, The Cure, Punilux, Killing Joke, etc.

Monica and I had been dating for a while and it just seemed natural to try and start a band together. Madhouse were doomed from the outset: we wanted to create music that was somewhat antithetical to the scene of which we were a part. It made us outsiders. There were some who supported us –- HR in particular was very helpful. But at the end of the day we were a band with mixed identities and the song writing reflected that. We were getting shows with bands that I still loved, like the UK Subs, Circle Jerks, Bad Brains, etc., but we weren't getting any traction.

Toward the end, as we released the "Mecca" single, we were just starting to develop an identity. It was a mix of punk and goth that predated what would later become a fairly big goth sub-genre. But like all kids who dream of being in truly "popular bands" we knew we had limitations. We decided to blow up Madhouse and start over as Strange Boutique.

Prince's Madhouse...

Oddly enough, Prince -- the purple one -- formed a band of poncy mock jazz by the same name and we were able to successfully sue him for copyright infringement. We didn't get much out of it (that's what you get for working with a pro-bono lawyer) but it was enough to buy a van and some gear!

At the end of the day, Madhouse did one 8-song LP/EP and a 45. I don't think I've listened to either in 25 years. Perhaps one day.

Strange Boutique

DANNY INGRAM: After Madhouse, Monica and I enlisted the services of Fred Smith on guitar to start our new band. He had worked with Monica and I at a store in Georgetown.

He was the most gregarious person I'd ever met. He was also an incredibly talented guitarist. He'd been playing a sort of funk/punk hybrid in the Dischord band, Beefeater. Even though this was a huge departure for him musically, he embraced it immediately and really helped create a unique sound for that band.

After we secured Steve Willet on bass, we set off to try and carve out our own niche in D.C. It wasn't easy, but over time the band developed a small, loyal following. We played some great shows at DC Space, 9:30, in NYC, and at SXSW. We also developed a friendship with Killing Joke and supported them for a few shows in the U.S. and U.K. We played with loads of great bands: P.i.L., Billy Bragg, The Fall, etc. Those were some amazing times but I really think I took it all for granted. I never really appreciated then that we had this great opportunity. For various reasons, I became complacent as a drummer. I wasn't doing anything to get any better and didn't realize the importance of always trying to grow.

At this point in time, the Dischord scene was huge. Dominant, in fact. And we were very much on the outside of that. But the scene itself was finally becoming big enough and open minded enough to embrace a variety of bands...so SB managed to sustain what was, at the time, a pretty lengthy run. I hadn't listened to the band in nearly 20 years…but my oldest son, Sam, became quite curious about the bands I'd been in. He immediately liked SB...and played them quite a bit in the house (much to his mother's consternation). Looking back...there were some nice songs in there, though I think the band actually got better after I left!! After a while, though, I grew a bit weary of the goth thing and started getting antsy to branch out.

Iron Cross

DANNY INGRAM: I don't know if Sab actually considers me an official member of Iron Cross...but it wasn't from lack of trying!! I helped them out for a while after they lost their drummer (again with a recurring theme). We did some really fun shows. I remember Mike Dolfi was in that line-up...I have fond memories of it...but when I started I made it clear that it was just to help out temporarily. I was doing Strange Boutique at the time and didn't have the temporal freedom to pursue both.

radioblue

[KENIXFAN: Readers, be sure to check out my lengthy interview with Danny and the other 3 members of radioblue for more on these D.C. legends.]

DANNY INGRAM: As I mentioned, I'd been getting a bit antsy with the goth thing. I enjoyed being in Strange Boutique but wanted to try something new. We had played a few times with radioblue -– who were more of a Buzzcocks-inspired Britpop band (before there was such a thing as a Britpop scene). They wanted to go out to L.A. to seek fame and fortune...but their drummer wasn't "all in." When they asked if I would hop on board...I asked Monica's permission and started rehearsing with them. I'd now gone from punk/hardcore/goth...to pop punk. This was a pretty easy transition because the previous drummer had created some nice easy patterns that worked well with James' and Mark's songs. Oddly enough, I found myself, once again, in a band that was firmly on the outside looking in as far as the D.C. punk scene goes. I think they were also viewed as being somewhat traitorous for trying to "make it big" elsewhere. But I wasn't bothered. Radioblue had a pretty loyal following...but it was mostly the college kids from American University, Georgetown, etc. L.A. was an eye-opener. We had some great shows out there…played at many of the great L.A. clubs (Coconut Teaser, The Whisky, etc.)...but the labels weren't interested. They liked the music…but I don't think we had a marketable "image" –- something that we never really cared about.

By the time I left, we had recorded an EP -– one that I'm quite fond of -- but the band had pretty much run its course. We'd come back to DC and were back doing shows at 9:30 but I got the sense that it was as far as things would go.

Swervedriver

DANNY INGRAM: One Sunday night in 1992, I was at my Rockville home watching "The Simpsons" with Monica and two friends (Dan and Kate Marx) when I got a phone call. It was Phil Ames, the tour manager for Swervedriver. I had met Phil in the 80s when Strange Boutique opened for The Fall at 9:30. We became friends…and we later called on him to help us when we went to Manchester to play with Killing Joke. Phil was in a bind because the Swervies had just started into their first lengthy tour of the U.S. -– and their drummer had gone AWOL at the Canadian border. He asked if I could be in Vancouver within 24 hours for a show that Tuesday night. I quickly talked it over with Monica…and we both agreed this was too much of an opportunity to pass up. The only record I had by Swervedriver was the Son of Mustang Ford EP. But I loved it. At the time, it was my absolute favorite song. I rushed over to Yesterday and Today (where I was working at the time) and picked up the Raise LP and put it on tape so that I could listen to it on the plane ride out West.

That first night in Vancouver was an absolute nightmare! We had no rehearsal and no sound check to speak of. The mix in my monitors was so loud that I couldn't discern what Adi was playing on bass, making it impossible to follow the songs. It was so bad that I got completely lost in "Rave Down" and had to stop mid-song. A cardinal sin. I was sure that was going to be my one-and-only performance with them. The next day, they booked a rehearsal studio.

Drummers from all over Vancouver were popping out of the woodwork, as word traveled "Swervedriver were auditioning drummers."

Happily, they decided to stick with me.Our next show was in Seattle. Rumor had it that guys from Mudhoney and other great bands from that area were going to be in attendance. When we arrived, after sound check, I took my cassette of Raise and wandered the streets around the area of the club. I found a diner and went in to grab a bite and focus on the songs. That night's show went really well (all things considered). Afterwards, the guys from Mudhoney said that they couldn't believe this was just my second night with the band. That helped give me the confidence to carry on.

After about two months on the road in the U.S., we did a couple of weeks in Japan. I have some AMAZING memories of those shows...but too much to enumerate here. At the end of the Japanese tour, it was understood that I would go back to D.C. and they would return to London to set about finding a permanent replacement for Graham.

Shortly thereafter, however, I got another call from the Swervies. They had another tour of the U.S. set up (with Soundgarden), as well as a tour of the U.K. and Europe. I think they were comfortable with me and I'd built a friendship with them all so they asked me to move to London for the duration. The only recorded thing that I am on with the Swervies was a video for "Never Lose That Feeling." That was a blast, and something that my kids are quite proud of. OK. So am I! Still –- at the time -- I was taking it all for granted. It was this amazing rollercoaster ride and I didn't think it would end. But after a year, it did.

Swervedriver - "Never Lose That Feeling"

While it was definitely the highlight of my musical life (so far) and the only thing that really comes close to being my 15 minutes, I wish I'd documented every minute of it. There were some really great moments and funny stories. I have to add this: Adam [Franklin] is, without a doubt, the greatest songwriter and musician with which I've ever worked. To this day, I think everything he touches is gold.

Emma Peel

DANNY INGRAM: After returning from the U.K., Monica and I split up. I poured all of my energy and emotion into my next band, Emma Peel. I love this band. It was getting me back to my punk roots. It featured Steve Hansgen on bass (ex-Minor Threat) and John Stabb on vocals (ex-Government Issue) as well as Rob Frankle, a crazy-good guitarist. We only released one single "Avenging Punk Rock Godfather" on Tragic Life Records, but it was a lot of fun.

Ultimately, many in the band, including me, were coping with demons and pressures that wound up making us implode. I've always wondered what could have become of that band if we had stuck together. I've never had a better musical relationship with a bass player than the one I had with Steve. He is an amazingly talented musician and one of the truly underappreciated gems of the D.C. scene. At the end of the day, I made some great long-lasting friendships from this band. And to me, that's what it's all about.

Ultracherry Violet

DANNY INGRAM: I started playing in Ultracherry Violet with my friends Dan Marx and Dugan Broadhurst shortly after the demise of Emma Peel. I loved this band. It was very much an extension of the sort of shoegaze thing that I'd been doing in Swervedriver and it was very much in my musical wheelhouse. I really thought that we had some great, original songs. But I quickly became really frustrated that the band was gaining no traction. It was either late '93 or early '94 and we were playing a show at The Black Cat. I think there were maybe 30 or so people in attendance. My frustration reached critical mass and I pulled a Keith Moon on stage. Throwing my drums at Nick P., the sound man, and threatening bodily harm to anyone who came near me. I'd had it with drumming. I made up my mind that night that I was done with it. And to make sure I would have no second thoughts, I did my best to demolish my poor, beautiful Gretsch drum kit. I was convinced that was it. I was in a new relationship, my life was starting to turn around in different ways, and I wanted to make a break with the past.

That lasted about a year. I didn't touch my drums from that night until about 11 months later. Steve Willet called -– he had taken over Bedazzled records (the label that Monica and I started to release Strange Boutique music). He decided he wanted to release a CD of Ultracherry Violet. I'd mellowed out quite a bit in the intervening time, thanks to my new partner and future wife, Sally. Dan, Dugan, and I talked it over and decided to do it. We lugged our gear up to a dilapidated warehouse in a run-down part of Baltimore to record our CD. It had been so long since I'd played that my hands quickly blistered and started bleeding. I polished off nearly 3/4ths a bottle of Jack Daniels to try and steady my nerves and dull the pain of holding the sticks. We recorded all the songs in one day, but by the time we got to the last two -- "Mexico Song" in particular -- I could barely grip the sticks. My blisters kept bleeding and they kept slipping out of my hands. Still, we did all the songs in one take. There are 3 or 4 songs on that CD of which I'm really, really proud. The production is all over the place, but you can really tell that Dugan wrote some great songs...and Dan was really imaginative on the bass.

Super 8

DANNY INGRAM: Mark Helm quit radioblue and decided to start a band as the primary singer and songwriter. Mark is really quite talented and I've always had a soft spot for his pop sensibilities. I also feel like my style fit well with him. Our personalities often clashed, but at the end of the day, he's still my brother.

While Super 8 never released anything, the songs ultimately wound up on his solo album and I played on 3 or 4 of those tracks.

Mark Helm

DANNY INGRAM: As noted above, this was an offshoot of Super 8. I'm quite pleased with the tracks I put down on this CD. After 25 years, I think I was finally starting to improve as a drummer!

King Mixer

DANNY INGRAM: After recording with Mark Helm, I made good on my earlier threat/promise to take some time off. I stopped playing for about two years and took up hockey as my primary hobby. One night, Sally and I were hosting a cocktail party and my old radioblue bandmates, James and Steve, were there. After a few drinks we talked about possibly getting back together strictly as a basement/hobby-type thing. They had been playing in a band but lost their drummer (sound familiar?).

We moved our gear into the basement of my Silver Spring home and started rehearsing. After a while, we "became" a band –- King Mixer –- and actually started playing a few shows here and there. Around that time, a friend of ours (my old Ultracherry Violet band mate Dan Marx) was going through a divorce. I know how upsetting that can be and how much my earlier bands had helped me get through that stretch. We invited Dan into the fold and started playing off-and-on for several years. We still get together to rehearse a few times a month, but it is more of a social situation than anything. They are good friends and I enjoy spending time with them.

These days, we are lucky if we play out as much as once a year. We recorded a CD's worth of music at my old Madhouse mate Norman's bedroom studio a few years ago and we have quite a lot of good songs aching to be recorded so hopefully we will get those down for posterity at some point.

Modest Proposal

About a year and a half ago, Neal Augenstein (D.C. mod god and the singer/songwriting icon of Modest Proposal) asked if I'd be willing to drum in a 25th anniversary reunion show for the band at Comet Ping Pong. I'd always had a soft spot for MP –- particularly because my old friend Steve Hansgen had played with them.

Initially, I'm not sure if Steve had been in Bill Crandall (the band's primary guitarist) and Neal's plans, but I pushed for it...and ultimately it all came together quite nicely. There are some really nice demos that Steve recorded at his place floating around somewhere.

Anyway, we did the show, it was a blast, and it helped to reestablish some old friendships.

Dot Dash

About two years ago, I had gone to see Adam Franklin's band, Magnetic Morning, at the Rock and Roll Hotel. Julie Ocean were supposed to be the supporting act for that show and for a handful of shows on the East Coast. As it happened, their drummer bailed. That night, Terry and Hunter asked if I'd be willing to step in. Not for the tour, mind you, but to take over the drums in a new project.

I told them I'd love to but that I wasn't able to start for a few months. Work obligations had me traveling to China, Korea, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, Brazil, and Europe and I couldn't commit to anything until I'd had these projects wrapped up. I think Terry was impatient to get rolling and so he said that they were going to proceed without me.

I figured that was the end of it. But then they contacted me in early 2010 and said they were ready to start over. I'd been a big fan of Julie Ocean so I jumped at a chance to work with Terry. He is a great writer who is singularly driven to crafting perfect punk/pop songs. From the outset, Terry was intent on getting Bill Crandall to come out of retirement on guitar. It took a wee bit of coaxing but it all came together pretty quickly.

Oddly enough, of all the local bands I've ever played in, this is the first one that seems to be gaining some traction from the outset. Reviews and critical praise have been plentiful and enthusiastic.

Ironically, it comes at a time when music has finally taken a back seat to other priorities: my two sons, Sam (9) and Noah (5), the two great loves of my life.

But it is because of them that I carry on playing and why I finally no longer take what I'm doing for granted. For a change, I'm really locked in the moment and committed to being the best I can be and getting the most out of it, recognizing that this will be the last project I do. After this, it will be up to Sam and Noah to carry on. And I'll be glad for it when it happens...as long as they don't follow too closely in their father's footsteps!!

Follow Danny Ingram's current band, Dot Dash, via the links below:

Dot Dash's Facebook page.

Dot Dash are playing D.C.'s Black Cat on January 5, 2012, along with ex-Government Issue John Stabb's History Repeated, and Grey March.

Details here.

You can buy the album, Spark>Flame>Ember>Ash, from Dot Dash, as a download via Amazon.com.

You can also get Spark>Flame>Ember>Ash, from Dot Dash, via iTunes in the US here.

And the physical CD is available from TheBeautifulMusic.com.

Packing Can Wait; Time For Comics!

2011-12-26T22:12:00.000-05:00

Needless to say, I've got more important things on my mind than the exploits of the Fantastic Four but I had to dip my toes back into those multi-colored waters today thanks to the bargain bin at the awesome Capital Comics in downtown Annapolis.

This was after a lovely lunch at Carpaccio where I had risotto for the first time.

I got it with clams, mussels, and all sorts of creatures of the sea -- and my asthma didn't even kick in!

In case anyone was wondering, I controlled myself at the comics shop and only grabbed a few recent back issues from the bargain bin.

Maybe I'll read these on the plane?

Razika Cover Swedish Pop Hit Jag Kommer - New Live Video!

2011-12-25T09:46:00.001-05:00

Without a doubt, the album that gave me the most pleasure this year -- and the one I certainly played the most -- was Program 91 from Norway's Razika.

The 4 gals have now covered "Jag Kommer" by Swedish popstar Veronica Maggio.

The live cut is great and the sound of Razika is augmented by a few additional onstage players. The familiar Razika vibe is still there but there's the hint of a slightly different direction in the way the song bounces forward with a tiny bit of restraint.

You can watch the video here.

Here's a live acoustic version I found on YouTube -- audio only:

Hong Kong Looms...Or Should I Say Beckons?

2011-12-19T07:41:00.005-05:00

With The Great Escape less than two weeks away, the few of you who read this blog may well be asking why I haven't been blogging about it too much.

I don't know. Maybe the enormity of the move is too much to consider right now, even as I put together things here in preparation for departure.

There's been a deliberate reticence on my part lately as I was determined not to pester the same people I pestered back in June and July; I figure I asked those folks for enough advice about moving to Hong Kong that I better save up whatever good will I've still got left for when I need advice in Hong Kong.

Similarly, I don't want to annoy readers by recounting my fear and excitement about moving overseas. I need to wrap up loose ends at work this week. I've got no time for worry right now.

After my sneak preview of it last week, I want to remind you that the Hong Kong episode of Anthony Bourdain's "The Layover" premieres tonight at 9:00 PM EST on The Travel Channel. Check your local listings.

As for my upcoming adventure in that city, you can follow along here.

My Favorite Christmas Song Ever Covered By Oh My!

2011-12-16T08:30:00.005-05:00

When I was a teenager getting into new wave -- that's what us old folks called it back then! -- it never felt quite like Christmas until I heard "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses on the late, lamented WHFS radio station here in the D.C. area.

I am not feeling too Christmas-y at the moment but I am now as my favorite new duo of Alex and Jade -- better known as Oh My! -- have just released a cover of that song today!

The gals are in the midst of their tour of the UK where they are opening up for The Saturdays at some big venues!

To get the song as a free download, simply head over to their official Facebook page here, and sign-up for the mailing list, confirm your e-mail address, and the MP3 will be sent to your inbox!

Thank you to Alex and Jade!

I feel a tiny bit more in the holiday spirit thanks to Oh My!

Follow Oh My! on their official Tumblr page:
http://ohmyofficial.tumblr.com/

More Free Music From Pulco: Bear Bones EP!

2011-12-16T07:00:00.008-05:00

I don't know how he does it, frankly.

Ash Cooke, one-time leader of Derrero, now records from his home as Pulco, and he manages to find tunes seemingly with ease at a fairly rapid pace.

He makes this look effortless, really.

And in a year where's he's given listeners a great album in Small Thoughts, and another delightful EP in Sketchbook Season, Ash has now gifted us with yet another batch of free tunes in Bear Bones.

These 4 songs, recorded on the Dictaphone(!), are pretty strong. They're a touch more folky than some bits on those other releases and they work despite the limitations of the recording method.

To get your copy of the free Bear Bones EP from Pulco, head over to the spiffy new Pulco website:

www.pulcomusic.com

And be sure to follow Ash and Pulco on Folkwit Records here.

The Layover: Anthony Bourdain Returns To Hong Kong

2011-12-13T06:00:00.013-05:00

Thanks to some very nice people at The Travel Channel, I was able to see the Hong Kong episode of Anthony Bourdain's new show "The Layover" in advance.

I've actually had this episode on DVD for more than a month but I wanted to wait to post about it closer to the actual air date. This episode of Anthony Bourdain's "The Layover" premieres at 9:00 PM EST, Monday, December 19, 2011.

That's only a week away so let's dive in.

I'm happy to say that the Hong Kong episode of "The Layover" is much better than the "No Reservations" episode set in the same city. I just think that this episode gives a viewer a better idea of what Hong Kong is like than that episode of his other series did.

As I'm about to move to the city after 5 visits there since 2009, the episode worked -- for me, at least -- as a sort of reminder of some of the things I like about the place.

The gimmick of the show -- Bourdain has just 48 hours in each city he visits during the series -- is a good one as it forces him to focus as he ambles around. Frankly, there seemed to be more information on Hong Kong food in this episode than in the "No Reservations" Hong Kong one.

Rather than dissect every scene, I'm just going to highlight the bits I particularly enjoyed. To see the full episode, be sure to tune in at 9:00 PM EST on Monday, December 19, 2011 for "The Layover: Hong Kong" on The Travel Channel.

A visit to Tim Ho Wan managed to highlight a must eat when in Hong Kong item -- dim sum -- as well as illustrate a larger point: Hong Kong has some of the best food in the world and it's easy to find it at a reasonable price.

I'm glad that Tony found his way to Hui Lau Shan as I make sure to hit this place on each trip. I should add that the shops are small and never as empty -- certainly not in summer! -- as it looked when Bourdain visited.

A few sessions with Matt Walsh are quite good. This is the sort of stuff Bourdain should have included on the Hong Kong episode of "No Reservations" back in 2007. Tony seems a bit more subdued in these scenes and Matt provides some needed background on Hong Kong and Chinese culture.

I think these bits provide a nice contrast to the usual hustle-and-bustle shots we see of Hong Kong. Yes, it's an incredibly crowded city in some spots but there are places where one can unwind and appreciate the spectacular vista of the city skyline.

There's also a too quick visit to Mido Cafe on Temple Street. Bourdain doesn't mention any of the history of the place. If you want to learn that stuff, check out these links on Phil's site. I made a brief visit to Mido Cafe back in June and the place has certainly got the kind of ambiance that a lot of tourists would enjoy. And the food was good and cheap too.

An obligatory visit to Lan Kwai Fong at night -- I guess Wan Chai after dark was too much for Tony? -- is made a bit more palatable by a stop at Racks M.D.B. and some games of pool with owner Simon Yin. The sequence is laid-back and enjoyable and it manages to highlight an obvious draw for the young and beautiful (Lan Kwai Fong), but also show a less glitzy side of Hong Kong nightlife.

I met Simon Yin briefly back in June during my first visit to the Happy Valley Race Track. And while he might not remember me, I do recall that he was more or less like the guy you see in this episode. Frankly, I think The Travel Channel should consider hooking up Simon with a show; the Hong Kong adventures of an Asian-American dude who grew up in Georgia sounds like a winner to me!

Here's a picture I took back in June. Left to right in the front: That's photographer extraordinaire Derrick Fong, Simon Yin, musician Ryan Hui, and Scott Hui (brother of Ryan; their dad is Sam Hui and one of their uncles is Michael Hui and another was the late, great Ricky Hui). The tall guy in the back is esteemed film scholar, professor, and Jason and the Scorchers associate, Sean Tierney...

I was thrilled that Bourdain ended this episode of "The Layover" with a visit to Lamma Island -- complete with the obligatory nap on the ferry. Sometimes it seems as if people only highlight the hectic, neon-lit side of HK, but it's nice to remember that a quick, 30-minute ferry ride can take you to this car-less, dog-overrun little place.

And the food's great there too!

I've been there a few times, and I've blogged about it in the past, so it was pretty cool to see Bourdain, Simon Yin, and the rest of their crew sitting at a restaurant table I had actually sat at before. They ordered all the good stuff too: razor clams, prawns, and so on.

This sequence is one of the best in the episode. It provides the obligatory final wrap-up section of an episode where Tony has a family meal, or the equivalent of one, and it highlights a less obvious part of Hong Kong.

I think with this episode of "The Layover" that Anthony Bourdain has really given viewers a feel of the place. It seems like I've mentioned a lot about this one, but I've barely covered the pleasures of this episode of "The Layover" with Anthony Bourdain.

For those of you who like my blog posts from Hong Kong, and for those of you who want to know why I love the place so much that I'm willing to quit my job here and move there, please watch the Hong Kong episode of "The Layover" on Monday, December 19, 2011 at 9:00 PM EST on The Travel Channel.

Check your local TV or cable listings!

Barry Adamson Sets Us Free: A Review Of The New 2012 Album From This Pioneer

2011-12-11T07:30:00.005-05:00

I've always felt that Barry Adamson was one of the most criminally underrated musicians in rock.

From his time in Magazine, to his work in Nick Cave's Bad Seeds on their first string of classic records, to his solo albums, to his soundtrack work, Mr. Adamson has demonstrated his talents in multiple genres for more than 30 years now.

I suppose there's a chance that fans simply take for granted the great work of Mr. Adamson as he dabbles, and then thrives, in multiple styles?

Which brings us to his newest solo album, I Will Set You Free, due to be released on 30 January 2012.

I am the sort of guy who's prone to hyperbole but I've got to say: this is, perhaps, Barry Adamson's best, most consistent solo album so far. While tracks here take considerable chances, there are also enough other bits that recall his earlier albums so as to please long-time fans.

Ten cuts here on I Will Set You Free (2012) so let's dive in.

Like some lost collaboration from The Stooges and The Family Stone, "Get Your Mind Right" kicks things off. There's a sexy bit of menace here as Barry purrs the lyrics like Sly Stone covering one of those Bowie-produced Iggy Pop cuts recorded in Berlin. Funky, punky, and the perfect song for crankin' as you scour a highway at 3:00 AM.

"Black Holes In My Brain" is a jazzy stomper with prominent piano and horn runs, and then Barry reveals "Turnaround" -- who knew he could update Scott Walker so successfully for the 21st century?

Not as arch as when Neil Hannon does this sort of thing, and with some retro-futuristic bits thrown in -- echoes of Stereolab -- Adamson provides a warm, vulnerable vocal over one of his best melodies in ages. There's a hint of American AM rock from the 1970s, but the cut is such an original and fresh mix of disparate influences that I had to play it a few times before I made it to the rest of the record.

And it's catchy as hell!

"The Power Of Suggestion" mixes the influence of Adamson's old band-mate Nick Cave with the style of Jarvis Cocker. Like an upbeat outtake from Pulp's This Is Hardcore (1998), the track is another winner, wildly melodic and jazzy.

A few weeks ago I gave you news on "Destination" and, in context, the song sounds even better. The Iggy Pop-inspired riff-rocker still inspires, think Evil Heat-era Primal Scream too.

"The Trigger City Clues" should please fans of Barry Adamson songs like "The Man With The Golden Arm" and "The Big Bamboozle" or other, older soundtrack-inspired tracks. There's something here that reminded me of Material's somewhat forgotten masterpiece Seven Souls (1990). Adamson's spoken-and-sung vocals are fantastic, full of menace, yearning, and bite, and the instrumentation mixes John Barry-esque moments with a squall of Sixties-inspired guitar.

One of the best, most typically Barry Adamson-like, tracks on I Will Set You Free.

"Looking To Love Somebody" updates Gainsbourg, and "The Sun And The Sea" rocks with that Iggy/Cave vibe again, but it's the Scott Walker bits in "If You Love Her" that anchor the second half of this wonderful album.

It wouldn't be a stretch to say that I Will Set You Free is a summation of Barry Adamson's entire career. There are tracks here that move his art forward, and tracks here that recall his past glories.

It wouldn't entirely be a lie to hand this record to someone, saying it was Barry Adamson's Greatest Hits as I Will Set You Free so perfectly and succinctly summarizes the talents of the musician under discussion.

I Will Set Your Free will be released on 30 January 2012 and you can keep up to date with Barry Adamson on his official website:

http://www.barryadamson.com/

The Jet Age And Deathfix Rocked The House At Comet Ping Pong

2011-12-10T04:20:00.009-05:00

Yes, there were 3 bands on the bill tonight at Comet Ping Pong but I missed most of The Mean Ideas' set due to various factors.

And let me say this: while the venue is cool and the staff friendly, I was a bit perplexed to find that the kitchen closed at 10:30, even on a bustling Friday night.

Silly me! I didn't eat dinner before the gig. Nothing worse that watching pizzas you can't have shuffle past you on platters to diners who got their orders in under the wire.

Anyway, on to the awesomeness!

Deathfix is a local supergroup, as others have noted, featuring Devin Ocampo from Faraquet on drums, Richard Morel on keyboard and vocals, and ex-Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty on vocals and guitar. There was another guy in the band and I'm sorry that I didn't get his name. Tonight's gig was only the 2nd live gig from Deathfix and the tunes were tight in spots and then spacious and jazzy in others. The players were all exceptional, as you can imagine, and the band will soon be a major draw in D.C. in the near future.

They are headlining The Black Cat next Wednesday, 14 December.

My pictures didn't turn out too good but for you Fugazi fans, that's Brendan Canty with the blonde hair in my blurry pic.

The Jet Age's Eric Tischler: A boy and his effects pedals...

"Getting in tune to the straight and narrow..."

Performing most of Domestic Disturbances, The Jet Age delivered a tight set that left plenty of room for sound-and-fury.

Drummer Pete Nuwayser was a madman on the skins, combining the loose and unpredictable edge of Keith Moon with the force of John Bonham, while bassist Greg Bennett held things together with jazzy runs that recalled Geezer Butler.

As Eric unleashed sheets of noise punctuated by blues-y solos, my friend leaned over and whispered/shouted: "Blue Cheer!" into my ear. He might be onto something there.

Some new cuts tonight sounded more like The Who than they do on the record. And while I wasn't hearing the shoegazer element before when I cranked the CD, I did appreciate that reference while watching these guys play live.

A corrosive and exhilarating "Left For Dead" -- dedicated to yours truly from the mic! Eric, you are too, too kind! -- soared and roared with more Who-like fury than the version on the record. And "Change I Can Believe In" sounded a bit more like the Gang of Four in this live version than the album cut.

My friend and I kind of liked the fact that The Jet Age expanded on what's committed to tape. While Domestic Disturbances has a nice live feel -- like the Dot Dash debut produced by Tischler -- it was cool to hear bits expanded, more riffage in spots, and a sense that one was hearing more than just a live version of a record.

Some rockstars have cool wives. Eric plays and the very charming Mrs. Tischler captures the moment for posterity...

More pics of Eric Tischler, Pete Nuwayser, and Greg Bennett -- The Jet Age!

Domestic Disturbances from The Jet Age is out 12 January 2012 from Sonic Boomerang Records. More details on the band's official web page.

"I'm An Agent" (excerpt) from The Jet Age

"Sometimes" (excerpt) from The Jet Age

Mystic Aura: New Tunes Up On YouTube

2011-12-09T19:19:00.012-05:00

Mystic Aura is two people: Malcolm Argyle and Ashleigh Fleur Malin. Between the two of them, they do the lot: guitars, bass, drums, keyboards, vocals.

There's a lot of love for the glory days of goth rock here but Malcolm's vocals are human and direct. Any band that tries to do this sort of music where the lead singer is not aping either Robert Smith or Peter Murphy is a good thing.

The guitars recall tracks on Garlands by Cocteau Twins. And, like that first album from the 4AD pioneers, the tunes here have one foot in the goth world and one foot in another.

There's a touch of Red Lorry Yellow Lorry here too, but without as much heaviness.

This is a relatively new band and they are trying out new material even as we speak. Check out their YouTube page and follow them on their Facebook page.

"Beauty" from Mystic Aura

Free MP3 From D.C.'s Mittenfields: My Mind Is An Avalanche

2011-12-09T07:35:00.006-05:00

This is one of the best things I've heard in weeks!

D.C.'s Mittenfields have self-released an EP -- details on their Facebook page -- and today I'm going to share with you the mighty "My Mind Is An Avalanche" -- you can play it below or download the MP3 via that link.

Sounding like that guy in The Arcade Fire trying to wrap his head around "Levitate Me" from The Pixies, "My Mind Is An Avalanche" surges forward on a wall of noise -- someone please hook these guys up with Steve Albini! -- and the big tune roars and coasts and roars again:

"On the road with Kerouac..."

Dave Mann's voice sounds a bit like David Byrne's here, recalling those latter Talking Heads cuts when Byrne was less detached and more direct and engaged, while the riffs -- 3 guitars? -- pummel like Dinosaur Jr. if those dudes had had a sense of urgency on Bug (1988).

The musicianship here is top notch. Out of the shadows of D.C.'s noble hardcore past, Mittenfields are creating something new from a worthy set of influences. "My Mind Is An Avalanche" really excites me. I can hear what these guys have been listening to but I can also hear a band puling those disparate pieces together and pushing them forward into a new thing, the whirl of the cut making new shapes out of the old rock fabric.

Dig it!

They've got a string of shows in D.C. and elsewhere coming up in the new year so do yourself a favor and keep track of them now via their Facebook page.

My Mind Is An Avalanche by Mittenfields

Download "My Mind Is An Avalanche" by Mittenfields

The Jet Age: A Review Of Domestic Disturbances (Record Release Show Is Friday!)

2011-12-07T07:20:00.002-05:00

When he's not basking in the glory of having produced that awesome debut from D.C.'s own Dot Dash, Eric Tischler leads the 3-piece The Jet Age.

The band's fourth album, Domestic Disturbances, is due to be released in January but there's a record release party at D.C.'s Comet Ping Pong on Friday so I'm sure there will be copies for sale then.

This record is a scorcher! Like some weird mix of Guided by Voices and The Wedding Present, this concept album -- yes, another one! -- hits a nerve in any listener who's paying attention to things these days. The zeitgeist is fucked or, rather, we're all scratching our heads and going: "What the hell is going on around here?"

Combine that unease with songs somewhere between D.C. hardcore and classic rock and you've got a winner, an existential journey through suburbia, Quadrophenia (1973) for the American Beauty (1999) set.

The Jet Age remind me quite a bit of another 3-piece: Husker Du. There was fury there, and yet the songs were somehow cerebral. They were about something and not just odes to "cars and girls," to paraphrase Prefab Sprout.

This band is doing the same thing. The Jet Age craft tunes of passion and intellect and let's thank them for that.

I guess for the uninitiated I'd say imagine The Who of 1965 bashing their way through one of their own later concept albums.

Domestic Disturbances works song-by-song but also as a larger project.

Eric Tischler, bassist Greg Bennett, and drummer Pete Nuwayser create an unholy racket here but the tunes are sharply focused and the playing tight.

"I'm An Agent" has a blues-y feel and that segues into "I Want To Touch You Again" which echoes twitchy postpunk acts like Talking Heads and The Embarrassment. Catchy and with a touch of Greg Kihn (!) on the vocals -- hey, he was a power-pop pioneer at one time! -- Eric Tischler sings/implores the title line. Bennett's bass is prominent here and the drums pop like firecrackers around the melody.

"You Can't Turn Around" is like The Velvet Underground's "Foggy Notion" being covered by the Minutemen. Eric's vocals are a bit loose here and the song sounds -- impressively -- like 3 guys throwing down the riffs in one live take.

Eric's notes describe "Hey, Captain" as "an existential plea to God" but the song reminded me -- oddly -- of Marshall Crenshaw. Of course, the music is more ferocious than anything Marshall every put to tape. Still, it's postpunk pop that tackles a serious idea in an almost lighthearted, spry manner.

When I listen to something like this, it feels as energetic as any D.C. punk pioneer and yet it's more focused and accessible.

"Left For Dead" is easily my favorite cut on the record. Like a manic take on "Something I Learned Today" from Husker Du, with Eric's admitted nod to My Bloody Valentine in the use of the tremolo, the song kicks and surges with a sense of desperation. The guitar lines are fast and furious, the bass swells and thumps, the drums pound, and the cymbals crash, as the cut storms by. There's a lull and then the song slowly fades away.

Swiping an Obama ad-line, "Change I Can Believe In" blurs the lines between the political and the personal as the hero of the album struggles with his life and rails against the current president. A sense of disappointment in both is apparent. The sound of another liberal let down by the current regime...

"Some Nights" and the following "I Want You" and "Sometimes I Can Make You Laugh" find the hero attempting to put his personal life together. As the lyrics turn inwards again, the drums still rocket in fury, the guitar still chops like the Wedding Present's Gedge -- The Jet Age toured with those guys -- and the bass holds thing down.

As the pop single on the record, "Sometimes" sounds a tiny bit like Ben Folds Five (!) but this is guitar-led rock and not piano-based quirkiness. Still, like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, this is funky, upbeat, fun stuff and a good deal lighter than the rest of the record.

Things are looking up for the hero!

"I Won't Forget" is like Swervedriver covering Unknown Pleasures. Furious stuff! The 3 players rock with near-abandon here, the guitar chords slashing, the drums rattling, the bass popping. It's another emotional ride but this time there's a sense that things are going to work out. With a Hoodoo Gurus-esque guitar solo near the end, the cut bounces ahead.

"Home" with those delightful, almost warm, harmonies wraps things up. The guitar -- is there a mandolin here too? -- is more forward in the mix and it's a sense of the furious being soothed that greets a listener here. The drama of the rest of the record resolved.

For a moment.

Domestic Disturbances from The Jet Age is out 12 January 2012 from Sonic Boomerang Records.

REMINDER:

The Jet Age are playing an all ages record release show at Comet Ping Pong in D.C. on Friday, December 9, 2011. Details on the link or click on the official web page for The Jet Age.

The Good Natured Debut Video Voyeur And Free Download

2011-12-06T06:45:00.002-05:00

Following on from the release of their debut US release -- which I reviewed back in October -- The Good Natured are releasing their new video and single "Video Voyeur" which was produced by Robyn impresario Patrik Berger.

The single is from the album they are planning on releasing next year and the cut is infectious, combining a bis-like chorus with a more supple take on the kind of new wave Missing Persons were cranking out on these shores 30 years ago.

And I'm digging frontwoman Sarah McIntosh's look here: it's kind of like a cross between Sophie Ellis-Bextor in her theaudience days and a film character from the mind of Tim Burton in his prime.

"Video Voyeur" - The Good Natured

To get the free MP3, head over to the Facebook page of The Good Natured and follow the instructions to get the track.

More Than Me: An Oral History Of D.C. Rock Legends radioblue

2011-12-04T09:30:00.016-05:00

This little project started because I was a music snob.

The more nostalgic I became for the years 1987 to 1990 when I worked for three College Park, Maryland record stores (The Record and Tape Exchange, 11/1987 to 08/1988; The University of Maryland Record Co-Op, 09/1988 to 06/1990, and Kemp Mill Records, 06/1990 to 07/1990), the more I realized how closed-minded I had been in those days.

Preferring UK acts like Stone Roses, The Sundays, and Cocteau Twins, I could count on one hand the US bands I held in similar high regard: R.E.M., The Replacements, The Pixies, Throwing Muses, and the recently broken-up Husker Du, roughly.

Local D.C. acts were beneath me, mainly 'cause I got sick of working at The Record and Tape Exchange where the non-hardcore loving owner would kiss the asses of those guys when they brought their vinyl in for sale on consignment.

And the D.C. press seemed to be covering Dischord acts at the expense of other acts, never mind that bands like radioblue and The Now and Frontier Theory were getting more popular.

Luckily, I worked with Rich from The Now during that final year at the Co-Op. This was after Gene Hawkins was out of the band but before Lucy Brown signed to Atlantic, and a few years before Gene's tragic death.

Rich practically forced me to listen to Fugazi's 13 Songs, and "The Waiting Room" convinced me I was too narrow in my focus. There was great music being produced in D.C. and I was missing it.

Case in point: the nearly huge radioblue.

(Yes, it's a lower-case r!)

Looking back, I saw these guys a few times at the old 9:30 Club -- I can even remember standing in the audience at the old 9:30 Club and begrudgingly admitting to a friend that "Yeah, these guys are pretty good." -- and I vaguely remember the band playing at a party at the apartment of Jenny, the local RCA/BMG college representative.

And even now when I play their CD, Just Like Jane, I am surprised at how tuneful and polished these guys were. In a pre-Nirvana era, way before Jawbox signed to Atlantic Records, before Slumberland Records made the D.C. area a fertile home for C86-inspired jangle-pop bands, radioblue were writing big tunes and creating a sound somewhere between The Mighty Lemon Drops and US power-pop like early Matthew Sweet and D.C.'s own Tommy Keene.

There are so many styles on Just Like Jane that the album, probably intentionally, sounds like an audio resume for any prospective big label who might have wanted to sign the guys.

Oddly, Pennsylvania's The Ocean Blue -- once opening act for D.C.'s The Now -- achieved some success around this time with a slightly similar sound but where they were fey and forced, radioblue were confident and wildly melodic. There are traces of The Smiths and The Cure here, sure, but it's really a great record that captures the positive mood in the alt. rock world before everything became grunge-y and depressing.

So, in the words of Marty DiBergi: "Enough of my yakkin! Let's boogie!"

Here's the story of radioblue from the guys who lived it: [left to right] Mark Helm (vocals/guitar), Danny Ingram (drums), Steve Engel (bass), and James Lee (vocals/guitar)!

KENIXFAN: An important question for anyone, especially a musician: What are some of your earliest musical memories? What inspired you before you joined radioblue?

DANNY INGRAM: When I was about seven, I was madly infatuated with my babysitter Irene. She was a gorgeous blonde teenager whose family had recently emigrated from Poland who was very into The Beatles and the music of the day. Her older brother had a Gold Sparkle Ludwig drum kit (my feet couldn't reach the kick pedal) and, desperate to impress her, I tried to play along with her records on the kit. Around that time, a neighbor and dear family friend bought me my first kit: a champagne-finished jazz cocktail kit. Our neighbor, Richard Spencer, had played sax for Otis Redding and was the front man of the D.C. R&B band The Winstons. My parents never got me proper lessons, and I soon gave up playing because I simply wasn't getting any better on my own.

It wasn't until much later (1979) when I was encouraged to join a band. I'd been to see The Clash at the Ontario Theater; after the show I was backstage talking with the band. Joe Strummer admonished me to get off the sidelines and get in a band. Shortly thereafter, I volunteered to sit in on drums for the D.C. hardcore band The Untouchables, when their drummer left for college. I haven't looked back since.

JAMES LEE: First, wearing out The Beatles' Red and Blue vinyl albums in 6th grade, then getting blown away by The Buzzcocks and The Sex Pistols on a tape my friend lent me.

STEVE ENGEL:: For sure, lots and lots of Beatles. The Who came a little later.

MARK HELM: I started playing and singing at 14. In the Winter of '77, I won a talent contest at a popular local bar (I played guitar/harmonica and sang Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young's "Helpless" with the crack house band...the guitarist was my instructor). By that summer, I'd joined a gigging band (all guys a few years older than me) and was off to the races. I gigged professionally with the band and as a solo [artist] for years before radioblue. Stagedoor was an unconventional cover band: we did stuff by Little Feat, The Grateful Dead, Steeley Dan, Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, Allman Brothers, etc....at one point we had 2 drummers and a horn section!

Way pre-radioblue, my high school/college band, Stagedoor, was active from 1975-1985. My first paying bar gig was when I was 15. I played several nights a week all through HS and college.

KENIXFAN: How did you radioblue form?

JAMES: Steve Engel (bass), Paul Stark (drums), and I formed radioblue in 1987. Mark Helm joined early 1988. Danny Ingram replaced Paul in 1991.

STEVE: James and I had played together in high school and through college with Ricky Greenspan on drums (also from high school who I played with since junior high). Ricky decided to move on so we placed an ad in the City Paper for a drummer. Paul [Stark] answered. He had a style that was quite different from what we were used to and was a great drummer. When Paul left in 1991, we asked Danny Ingram to join in.

MARK: It all started with radioblue making posters. We discovered a way to make them for next to nothing by using a process normally used to make architectural plans -- they smaled awful of ammonia, but looked great. Before we did this and loaded up the van with posters and buckets of wheat paste and went out in the dead of night, there weren't any real band posters all over D.C.. and the art of those posters made by James Lee, was amazing! James still has most of them and they should be in a book! Anyway, if not for our guerilla marketing, we never would have had the success we did.

A pre-Danny Ingram shot of radioblue...

KENIXFAN: I have been instructed to ask about Mark's audition for the band. Do tell.

STEVE: Well James, Paul, and I had played for about a year together and decided we needed another player. When Mark came in he played lead guitar-type stuff but with what I thought was a great unique edge. It didn't exactly fit though. Maybe a little forced. Paul and James, I think, were looking for someone who played with a more ethereal texture. I felt James already played that style and Mark's leads would complement what he was playing. It took some convincing and a second audition. Mark nailed it.

MARK: The story of me auditioning for the band and James and Steve getting me to ditch my Beach Boy-cum-grad student-cum hippie look for ALL BLACK is pretty funny.

JAMES: Mark came in an audition playing surf and blues-type leads. Paul and I weren't convinced, but Steve persuaded us to give Mark a second audition which went really well.

KENIXFAN: You guys played EVERYWHERE in the D.C. area. What are some of your most vivid memories -- good or bad -- of the various D.C. venues from those days?

STEVE: The shows at 9:30 were always the best. The staff was awesome, the crowds were tons of fun, and they all made us feel welcome and at home.

DANNY: I joined the band in the latter half of its existence, but for me, the most memorable radioblue shows in D.C. were at the 9:30 Club. The most memorable shows over all (for me) were in L.A..

JAMES: Memories:

9:30 Club: cat-sized rats;

The Bayou: the sound guy for The Tom Tom Club yelling at me, "Do you want good sound? Do you want good sound?" after I shifted a monitor during our sound check;

America University Bender Arena: watching Mark play Glen Tilbrook's leads back to him, note-for-note, backstage when we opened up for Squeeze;

The University of Maryland: opening up for and meeting [The Byrds'] Roger McGuinn;

DC Space: showing up for our first gig and not realizing we needed to bring our own PA.

MARK: It kinda bothers me sometimes that radioblue is treated like a footnote when we were arguably the biggest draw in D.C. for many years and were definitely [some] of the most interesting songwriters.

I probably played at The 9:30 Club (with radioblue, solo, and with my other band, Super 8 [Tom Kane, Danny Ingram, Mike Harvey]) 50+ times. Not to mention selling out The Bayou, doing some really cool Birchmere shows, playing the Black Cat with Jeff Buckley...

A blurry shot of the pre-Danny Ingram lineup of radioblue...

KENIXFAN: Let's hear some stories about your peers. You guys hit your stride somewhere between the first burst of Dischord glory and the later success of Slumberland Records (formed in College Park) and Velocity Girl (who signed to Sub Pop). In that era, you pretty much ruled the D.C. music scene apart from the Dischord guys and successful local acts like The Now and Strange Boutique.

STEVE: I think Mark and James and Danny are probably better equipped for this one. They are the ones who really made friends with the other guys and gals and hung out with them much more than me. I will say this though, Marginal Man and Mother May I rocked the hardest and were my favorites.

Their shows were super energetic, they put on great shows and wrote the best tunes.

DANNY: I had run the gamut of D.C. bands by the time I'd started drumming for radioblue, including some of the first Dischord bands. As one of the earliest fixtures on the D.C. punk scene, I'd always felt intrinsically linked to the bands and people...but radioblue were firmly planted on the outside of that scene. And it was, at times, an uncomfortable separation. Many of the Dischord bands were gaining nationwide attention -– and I think some of us felt like we were treading water in D.C.. We did, however, play with Strange Boutique once or twice after I'd left them. That was a bit odd, given that my wife at the time was the singer for Strange Boutique. But there was no animus -– they were as affable and goofy as ever (outward appearances of goth-y seriousness to the contrary notwithstanding).

JAMES: Loved the music scene back then -- everyone supported each other. I remember hanging out with a lot of bands -- Strange Boutique, Big Bang Theory, Mother May I, Shudder To Think, Marginal Man, The Neighbors -- I'm sure I'm forgetting a few.

MARK: By the way, radioblue had a strong relationship with [Rhode Island's] Throwing Muses. We played together a lot -- one very big show in Philadelphia. Later, when I was working on the Jamie Blake album for A&M, I ended up in [producer] Gary Smith's studio in Boston, working with [Sean] Slade and [Paul Q.] Kolderie and saw Kristen Hersh and Evan Dando [of The Lemonheads], and even Juliana Hatfield, who I first met when we traded our vinyl records (The Blake Babies and radioblue's Warehouse) and smooched on the back steps, there among the rats!!!

KENIXFAN: Tell me about recording your CD and why it took so long -- I can vaguely recall people wanting a CD from you guys in the record shops I worked at maybe two years before it existed.

STEVE: I didn't realize it was so long. I'm not sure but I think we put out a cassette before Mark came in around 1988. After he joined, we recorded an album but only released it on vinyl, I think, in 1989. Then we did the CD which came out in 1991. I guess we were more concerned with playing live. I enjoy recording but it's very stressful and tempers can fly so, for me, playing live shows was more fun.

JAMES: Our first release was on vinyl but was only an EP. We were so busy playing out live after that, it was another year and a half before we started recording again.

MARK: I do like Just Like Jane...just wish we'd done a studio recording of the actual song I wrote "Just Like Jane" -- it was our "Rain" [from The Beatles]. James probably has a good 8-track demo...

KENIXFAN: Back to influences: your sound was clearly influenced by British acts of the era. Where those your biggest influences at the time?

DANNY: Probably not applicable to a lowly drummer, but at the time, my drumming influences were Dave Ruffy [The Ruts], Martin Atkins [P.I.L., Pigface, Killing Joke, Ministry] and John Maher [The Buzzcocks].

STEVE: Since James and Mark were writing most of the music, I would say by osmosis I was influenced by those British Manchester bands. My preference, though, was probably more straight ahead rock stuff. I get a lot of grief for this, but, for sure, The Smithereens were my favorite.

JAMES: Yes, definitely. I was really into the whole Manchester scene.

MARK: We were doing noisy, obviously Beatles-esque tunes 5 years before Oasis!

KENIXFAN: Why did the band breakup? What happened?

STEVE: We went to Los Angeles in late 1991 and tried to showcase for some major labels. It never panned out. It was a lot of fun out there though. When we got back to D.C. in early 1992, Danny got the offer to play with Swervedriver. That's an opportunity that he just couldn't pass up.

We played with some "guest" drummers for a while (for a couple of years) -- most notably Rob LeBourdais from Mother May I. Around that time (it's been so long, I believe somewhere between 1993/1994), I think Mark was feeling he wanted to be more of a front man so he started Super 8, radioblue had run its course and that was that.

JAMES: We mostly lost our energy after we got back from L.A.. Danny joined Swervedriver, and Mark formed Super 8.

DANNY: I think it imploded. It was probably the three Ds: drugs, divorce, and disillusionment. I left, and I think the band carried on for a bit after that…but, really, how could they have lasted for too long without me?

KENIXFAN: What did you do after radioblue?

DANNY: I went on to fill in on drums for Swervedriver for a year (1992); then, in 1993 I played in Emma Peel with Steve Hansgen (ex-Minor Threat) and John Stabb (ex-Government Issue) –- releasing a single on John Lisa's record label; after that, [in] 1994, I drummed in Ultracherry Violet (who released a CD on Bedazzled [KENIXFAN: D.C.'s answer to 4AD and Projekt]). I gave up drumming for a few years –- only coming off the bench, as it were, to play on Mark's solo LP on Not Lame records (and playing in his band Super 8). After a few years rest, I hooked up with James and Steve at a party. We talked about doing something together…and then formed King Mixer, who are still going today. I've also played drums for Modest Proposal (their 25th anniversary show) and am now also playing in Dot Dash (with ex-members of Julie Ocean and Modest Proposal). We have a CD that just came out on the Canadian record label The Beautiful Music.

Most importantly, I re-married and now have 2 beautiful boys (Sam, 8, and Noah, 5). Now I can just live vicariously through them as they grow into budding musicians.

STEVE: James and I continued to play with another drummer in a band [called] Isabella's Bed for a while until we hooked back up with Danny (again I can't remember the time frame so I'll say 1999) and formed King Mixer. Dan Marx is a guitarist who we're all friends with and he joined a few years later (2001?) and we still write songs, record a bit, and play out live sparingly.

JAMES: We're still practicing and playing out occasionally.

MARK: I made the record that would become Everything's OK on Not Lame...I also did a record on A&M with a D.C. artist named Jamie Blake that tanked because A&M went under just before the record came out, signed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell and failed to land a major label deal several times -- spectacularly!

And then there's the week I spent hanging out with Paul McCartney, but that's a whole other story!!!

KENIXFAN: Any chance of a reunion? Maybe a benefit gig or two?

DANNY: I am loathe to do reunion shows. I wasn't in Modest Proposal originally, so I didn't really have a problem with that. But I didn't play in the Strange Boutique reunion, and have turned down requests to do a Youth Brigade reunion, among others. That said -– I'd never say never. But D.C. seems to be getting swept up in reunion mania –- and I'm not inclined to simply try and cash in on that; I'd only consider it if there were real demand to do so.

Otherwise it has the potential to be very embarrassing.

STEVE: You know, we had a great run and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. Hopefully, a lot of others enjoyed it as well. I think my preference is to look forward to new things so I don't think a reunion is in the works. A benefit is a different story though. If for some weird reason, our presence could help out an organization or some people I wouldn't dismiss the idea.

JAMES: I'd have to re-learn all the songs!

KENIXFAN: Even though radioblue was formed by James, I'm gonna let Mark have the last word on why radioblue were such a great D.C. pop band in that brief window between Dischord's rise and before Nirvana defined alternative rock, when there was room for melody, hooks, and positive energy:

MARK: I actually listened to Just Like Jane today on the way to work for the first time in years... I gotta say, in all modesty, I was kinda amazed -- not that it holds up -- it's just a unique record.

Last week I got an email from The Mighty Lemon Drops' main guy/writer, and old pal, Dave Newton, here's what he said about the same:

"This song is fucking ace, matey! In fact, I listened to the album again a few months ago and I still hear four or five bonafide hit singles on the album... I tell you man ... We (me & my band) fought for you...we thought you lot were so good and we would listen to this album on the tour bus all the time and told everyone that we thought mattered about you guys... what a great band! It blew me away when I listened to it again recently! Time for a re-issue!?!"

KENIXFAN: An enormous Thank You to Mark Helm, Danny Ingram, James Lee, and Steve Engel!

You can find out about King Mixer here:
http://www.kingmixer.com/

James Lee runs a design company: JML Design.

You can learn about Dot Dash on this blog and on their Facebook page.

Follow Mark Helm on his MySpace page:
http://www.myspace.com/markwhelm

And on his Soundcloud page (there are 2 radioblue cuts up there):
http://soundcloud.com/mhelm

Busy: The Rise of radioblue In Context

I was sans car during these two months so I didn't go to any of these shows but there are plenty listed here that I would have loved to have attended...

Look at the bands playing the old 9:30 Club in late 1988! I went to that In Tua Nua show and spent most of my time backstage chatting with Tom Terrell - R.I.P. -- and opening act Luka Bloom. Tom used to sell his promos at The Record and Tape Exchange when I worked there.

radioblue was playing here with Frontier Theory, another great local D.C. band. Mike Kelley from Frontier Theory was also the college rep. for A&M Records and he was a great guy. He took me and a few record company-types to dinner with The Blue Nile in Adams Morgan somewhere, and he got me backstage to meet Robyn Hitchcock even though Hitchcock was a bit intimidating.

May 1990. I was at that Chills show but have no idea why I missed some of those other ones. Since I was working with Rich, I probably went to that Now show and I forgot -- until now! -- that I saw that Something Happens! gig with Miracle Legion -- one of the many times an opening act was better than the headliner.

Free MP3 From Plants And Animals!

2011-12-03T09:17:00.005-05:00

On the run-up to their 3rd album, Canada's Plants and Animals have dropped a free MP3 to enjoy. "Lightshow" has echoes of Arcade Fire and Radiohead but the guitar freakout near the end sounds like The War On Drugs, a tiny bit.

For now, follow the band on their website:
www.plantsandanimals.ca

And get ready for the release of The End Of That on Secret City Records on February 28, 2012.

Plants and Animals - Lightshow by SecretCityRecords

New Oh My! Video And The Saturdays Tour Starts Today

2011-12-02T05:01:00.001-05:00

With cameos from Example, Marina of Marina and the Diamonds, and -- somewhere in there -- Little Boots, Oh My! bring us the new lyric video for current single "Dirty Dancer" and it's a delight.

I like this version even more than the real one and I think the bubbly pop perkiness of Alex and Jade is more apparent in this video.

(In case you were clueless: Alex is the blonde one, Jade is the brunette one!)

The song remains as catchy as the first time I heard it and I can't wait for more music from Oh My! Hopefully a full-length album in 2012 -- I hope!

For details on their current tour with The Saturdays, click here.

Follow Oh My! here:
http://ohmyofficial.tumblr.com/
http://www.facebook.com/ohmyofficial

Oh My! - "Dirty Dancer" (Lyric Version)