issue 6.indd - University of Oregon

staff
EDITOR IN CHIEF
+ jennifer l. hill
PUBLISHER
+ scott e. carver
ART DIRECTOR
+ ada l. mayer
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
+ linda hjorth
+ sara brickner
PR MANAGER
+ meredith frengs
COVER ART
+ scott e. carver
CONTRIBUTORS
+ matt bliss
+ tom hubka
+ krista johnson
+ mitch levy
+ haley lovett
+ rebecca mckillip
+ mark mahler
+ keith ten eyck
+ tony perez
+ casey rogan
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
+ ryan bornheimer
+ raechel m. sims
+ brian a. boone
+ sarah aichinger-mangerson
+ robert k. elder
+ autumn madrano
+ sam parks
+ cliff pfenning
publisher’s note
Goddamn I love a good photo. Maybe it is obvious flipping through these
pages that we here at the Oregon Voice aren’t afraid to print them either.
Contrary to most publications, we are riding the wave of digital photography
to its fullest, hopefully in a fashion you can enjoy.
Now we close out the school year with the last of our photos, local robot rock,
People and Machines, a rowdy Tek 9 show, Tim Kasher, the Good Life and
Adult Swim voice-celebrity MC Chris. We even sent two photographers to
the Mountain Goats show just for good measure.
This year’s staff has been incredible in committing themselves to shows and
returning with amazing shots: the Decemberists, Atmosphere, Sage Francis,
Mean Reds, Pinback, the Strangers and locals the Ovulators, and so on.
So special thanks to all of our badass photographers, specifically Aaron
Rogosin, Crispin Young, Keith Ten Eyck, Rhianna Brandon, Erica Sebastian,
Casey Rogan and Sara Brickner. If you missed these shows, check out our
coverage online. Our website, www.oregonvoice.com has pdf versions of all
7 issues from this year. If you are trying to figure out who shot what in this
issue, check out the table of contents to the right.
4..........
5..........
6..........
7..........
8..........
10.........
11.........
12.........
14.........
16.........
17.........
18.........
20.........
22.........
Also a special thanks to art student Matt Bliss for letting us use his politically
subversive art for our center spread in this issue. Don’t be afraid to take the
staples and have yourself a cool poster. You can see more of Matt’s work on
this project at http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~mbliss
All this visual goodness only complements the usual verbal irreverence of
How I Almost interviewed Bob Saget, Vote for Pope, MC Chris at the WOW
Hall, Typhoid Diary, and the interviews featuring Tim Kasher and Andy Friedman.
The Oregon Voice will be on a brief summer hiatus but we will resume our
weekly meetings in the fall. If you like what you see in this issue, drop us an
email at ovoice@darkwing.uoregon.edu to figure out how to get involved. We
accept all majors and all levels of experience. We will still be covering the
Eugene music scene like nobody’s business, but with even more feature stories, interviews, artwork, photography and otherwise cool shit. Until then . . .
oregon voice magazine
volume XVI issue VI
EMAIL THE MAGAZINE!
SEND US STUFF IN THE MAIL!
GO TO THE OV WEBSITE!
ovoice@darkwing.uoregon.edu
Oregon Voice Magazine
1228 Erb Memorial Union, Suite 4,
Eugene OR, 97403-1228
http://www.oregonvoice.com
contents
.... People and Machines + Scott Carver
.... Vote for Pope. + Mark Mahler
.... Tek 9 at the WOW Hall + Photos by Mitch Levy
.... How I almost caught Bob Saget + Meredith Frengs
.... Talking with Tim Kasher + Linda Hjorth
.... Good Life at the WOW Hall + Sara Brickner
.... Reviews + Meredith Frengs + Rebecca McKillip
.... Poster with art by Matt Bliss
.... Mountain Goats + Scott Carver + Keith Ten Eyck
.... Eugene Getaways + Haley Lovett
.... Typhoid Diary + Tom Hubka
.... Moustache Rally + photos by those involved
.... Talking with Andy Friedman + Tony Perez
.... MC Chris at the WOW Hall + Sara Brickner
multiple
cheers
Thanks to all of the folks at Western Oregon Web
Press in Albany, especially Shawn, Vance and
Marty, for being so cool about our unorthodox
printing schedules and helping us troubleshoot our
prepress woes.
Thanks to all of the controllers and otherwise helpful
people in the ASUO office, especially Will and Carie.
Thanks to Clint at Music Video Distributors,
Righteous Babe, Nature Sounds, Lava, and other
random bands/labels for sending us stuff to review.
If you are doing P.R. for a label or band, feel free to
send your stuff for review at
Oregon Voice Magazine
1228 Erb Memorial Union, Suite 4, Eugene
OR, 97403-1228 or send us an email at
ovoice@darkwing.uoregon.edu
Thanks to the Downtown Inititative for the Visual
Arts (divanow.org) and associated DIVA folk for
helping us put on a release party for our minibook.
Thanks to all of the bands who agreed to be interviewed or reviewed and photographed.
corrections
There are a few instances from the year that people were incorrectly credited in the magazine:
Andy Bouwman didn’t contribute to issue 5, although he did write a fine concert review of the
Decemberist’s show • Kelly Seacrest did the illustration for the Alana Voth Interview in Issue 5
• Issue 5, with the black and white bird cover, is the issue that was stolen (along with our computer) when it was 90% completed. We peiced it back together though, even though some thieving bastard got to see the issue weeks before everyone else • Keith Ten Eyck did the photography
for the Ovulators show in issue 5 • Also, the people that were screwed over somehow and didn’t
make this list, it wasn’t intentional and we hope you forgive us.
destinations
Sometimes people graduate. This is what is happening to the OV staffer’s that are done this year:
Ada Mayer has an internship at an ad agency in California. Sara Brickner is going to France on
exchange. Tom Hubka is going to Prague on exchange. Jennifer Hill and Linda Hjorth will graduate in fall and proceed to graduate school for creative writing. Mitch Levy is rolling a fat bleezo.
Krista Johnson is working for a newspaper in Montana and then for the French government in
Martinique. Meredith Frengs is moving to Portland. Becky Kennedy may or may not be moving to
an island in Greece.
Thank you WOW Hall for letting us into so many
shows so we could photography and interview the
artists. Make no mistake, this is the coolest, most
diverse and affordable venue in town.
Most of all thanks to all of the UO students that volunteered their writing, art, photography and time in
exchange for cds, comp tickets, colorfull conversations and seeing yourself in print.
about us
OREGON VOICE is published seven times
per acedemic year, approximately twice per
term. Correspondence and advertising business can be directed to 1228 Erb Memorial
Union, Suite 4, Eugene OR, 97403-1228 or
to ovoice@darkwing.uoregon.edu. Copyright
2004, all rights reserved by OREGON VOICE.
Reproduction without permission is prohibited. OREGON VOICE is a general interest
magazine that expresses issues and ideas that
affect the quality of life at the University and
in the University community. The program,
founded in 1989 and re-established in 2001,
provides an opportunity for students to gain
valuble experience in all phases of magazine
publishing. Administration of the program is
handled entirely by students.
People and Machines at DIVA
Vote for Pope 2006
by Mark Mahler
Publisher’s Note:
When Mark wrote this, the world was feverishly predicting who the next Pope would
be. The day after he turned it in, the Pope
died and in attempt to not look like complete
assholes, we put off printing it for awhile. But
now that has blown over and the Pope has
been replaced, it’s high time for predicting a
replacement for the new, ridiculously old pope!
The following candidates and their
qualifications were divined solely
through the use of several shady
games of drunken Scrabble and
by chaining our office stoolie to a
Ouija board while force-feeding him
uncounted dozens of Lil’ Debbie snack
cakes well past their expiration dates.
The Honda P3 Humanoid Robot
Pros: Can walk by itself—something the
last pope wasn’t able to do since the P3 was
only a little can opener. Also, the Vatican
can scrap the Pope-mobile, as they won’t
have to worry about assassination attempts
anymore; unless it rains, it which case,
they’re screwed.
Cons: It’s not actually a human being, just a
pathetic metallic mockery of God’s children
destined to evolve into an unstoppable killing
machine in a horrible future war, starring
Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Fidel Castro
Pros: Has a lot of pull in Latin America, a
great cigar hookup and a really huge noggin.
Have you seen that thing lately? It’s freakin’
massive, I’m not kidding, and let’s face it,
you need a big head if you’re gonna rock
that pope hat.
Cons: The fact that his only real qualification for the job is his enormous head might
lead to a bunch of snickering and lewd jokes
by Protestants. Also, he has that whole
communist/atheist thing going on, but our
PR department says the boys in Rome can
spin that.
John Kerry
Pros: He’s actually a practicing Catholic,
which might come in handy, and he’s in desperate need of a job after that spectacular
second-place finish in November.
Cons: We’ve heard rumors that the Cardinal
from the Ohio diocese is threatening wait
until the very last minute during the election
to cast his ballot and then vote against Kerry
just to see if he breaks down sobbing on the floor
of the Vatican. We’ve explained to his eminence
that that doesn’t sound like a terribly Christian
thing to do, but he says he already bet Ted Kennedy $50 that he’d see some tears and he can’t
back out now.
A freshly baked Apple Pie
Pros: While there may be some initial skepticism
at the appointment of a popular American dessert
as the Vicar of Christ, we feel that this will almost
certainly be overcome in time. Sure, there may
be a few stodgy old holdouts here and there crying about sacrilege and heresy and all that, but
as long as they remember to replace the pope
with a new pie every other day or so, we don’t
see it being much of a problem.
Cons: They’ll run the constant risk of someone
supplanting the Pontiff with a peach cobbler and
thus making the Catholic Church look ridiculous
in the eyes of the world. It wouldn’t be so bad if
it was maybe a raspberry tart or lemon meringue,
but a peach cobbler? Now that’s just plain silly.
A 1982 He-Man action figure
Pros: As he’s already the Master of the Universe,
with the power of Greyskull, etc., etc., it’s not
really such a big leap to add ‘God’s representative on Earth’ to that list of titles. Naturally, some
people might scoff, but if that big ol’ sword of his
isn’t perfect for smiting nay-sayers and disbelievers, then we don’t know what is.
Cons: There have been some snide remarks
made to the effect that because he’s only 6” tall
and plastic he might not be able to command the
respect inherent to the office of Holy See. This is
just sheer nonsense. I mean, really, the Episcopalians ordained a gay bishop two years ago and
now Catholics can’t have one little plastic action
figure in the clergy? Hypocrites.
Bruce Campbell, in full Evil Dead regalia
Pros: Surprisingly enough, many of the qualifications needed to be a high-profile B-movie actor
are the very same ones needed to be Pope: the
ability to exorcise evil spirits, command legions of
extras and come up with snappy catchphrases on
demand all play their parting making a successful
Pontiff. And if you can do all that with a chainsaw
mounted on one hand and a shotgun in the other,
who are we to say no?
Cons: Though he would no doubt succeed in
scaring the crap out of heathens everywhere, the
first time he tries to place a communion wafer
on some poor old lady’s tongue and accidentally
lops her damn head off with that chainsaw, the
Vatican’s really gonna be in some deep shit.
05
Tek 9 at the WOW hall
by Meredith Frengs
How I almost interviewed Bob Saget
It all started as a distant fantasy. I awoke
that hazy Saturday morning in February
with “BOB SAGET!!” scrawled across my
forearm in Sharpie. To me, permanent
marker on my arm means two things; utter
drunkenness and/or a brilliant idea.
I recalled hanging out with fellow Voice
staff members at Max’s Tavern the night
before, throwing back beers and possible
story topics for our upcoming issues.
Before heading out on the town for the
night, we casually watched some television,
and during reruns of America’s Funniest Home
Videos, I relished in my newfound obsession
with the show and love for the smarmy
comments host Bob Saget continually made.
Although most of the audience, the wholesome
early 90s family set, seemed not to notice his
under the cuff humor, I laughed hysterically and
often gasped, wondering, ‘Did he just say…can
he really get away with that?’ After all, could
producer Vin DiBona really approve of the
sarcasm? The subtle sexual innuendo? I was
utterly fascinated, and although I did enjoy the
ridiculous montage of home movies featured on
the show, I paid most attention to Saget, who
became a sort of adult obsession that night.
Around a bar table littered with peanut shells, I
willfully announced at the end of the night that
I would, without a doubt, be interviewing Bob
Saget this year as my piece in our final issue.
However, such a bold statement led to many
complications. How could I find Saget? Would
he want to talk to me, thus ending my final
school year (and involvement with the Voice)
with an exclusive interview featured within the
pages of our campus rag? I had to find a way
to contact the precious B-lister and proclaim my
intentions. But I truly had nowhere to begin.
Most friends I spoke with wondered why I
held Saget in such high esteem. As most
people knew the actor solely from his role as
meticulous Danny Tanner on Full House, he
seemed an unlikely match for our sarcastic
entertainment publication. However, Bob Saget
is much more than the geeky, all-American dad
he played on the popular sitcom. A raunchy
comedian, writer, producer, director, winner
of a Student Academy Award, Saget even
campaigns for the Scleroderma Research
Foundation, with the hope of earning money
to research the disease that claimed his
sister’s life. Not only does he balance his
role as wholesome family man and gross-out
comedian, but he also plays the role of father
and successful businessman off-screen. In my
opinion, nothing could be more interesting than
speaking with someone who lives a double life
in Hollywood. Plus, he was in Half Baked, man!
I began my journey with a comprehensive
internet search. I scoured every page I found
that might lead to his agency’s website, or a
manager’s phone number, a fan club, anything. As
I was searching, I began to recognize that I wasn’t
the only person fixated on the offbeat celebrity.
A website honorably titled BobSagetIsGod.com
preaches from the “Church of Saget,” and his
Internet Movie Database page is littered with
message board comments detailing sightings of
the elusive star. Although the competition seemed
high, I vowed to get a hold of Saget on my own. I
posted a desperate plea for contact information on
his IMDB message board and began the waiting
game. Weeks passed without a word, and I began
to realize that my faraway dream might never
become a reality. However, just as I was giving up
hope, help arrived.
One day an anonymous stranger emailed a
Saget tip to the Oregon Voice email account. I
immediately responded, and received the main
phone number to the Phillip Morris Agency, who
represents the comedian in many of his national
appearances. After a few transfers and a couple
of names, I finally had what I was looking for... his
manager! I called the Los Angeles-based Michael
Price Agency with butterflies in my stomach.
Shuffled from operator to operator, I eventually
spoke with Alex, who took all my information and
promised to call back once Saget considered my
request. The ball was finally rolling!
Early in the morning about a week later when my
phone rang displaying an unfamiliar L.A. phone
number, I knew just who it was. The message
confirmed my suspicions: Saget was interested!
That evening, I triumphantly burst into our weekly
Voice meeting, and everyone was excited about
the prospect of having such a notable celebrity
gracing the pages of our magazine. I spoke to
Alex again that day, and explained to him what
sort of questions I would be asking. As we closed
the conversation, he asked when I would like to
conduct the interview by phone. I was ecstatic.
“ANYTIME!” I gleefully shouted into the phone,
making sure to be as flexible and cordial as
possible. Within a few days, as he’d promised, Alex
would notify me as to when the interview would
take place. His use of the word when made the
interview seem guaranteed to occur. However, my
phone just didn’t ring—for days. After about a week
of waiting, I called the agency back, but received no
answer to my query. After a few excruciating weeks
and no returned calls, I understood the outcome of
my efforts: Bob Saget would never be mine.
Back in February, I’d promised fellow Voice
contributors something incredible, yet I realize
now that getting as close as I did to interviewing
a celebrity with a cult following is a feat in itself.
After months of struggle, it feels gratifying knowing
that Saget was actually approached with and
considered my request, and although it was
eventually denied, at least I can honestly declare
that I almost interviewed Bob Saget.
tim
OV: Was there a specific moment when you realized
you wanted to be a musician?
Tim Kasher: Yeah. I wanted to be... well my ‘fireman
dream’ was to be a movie director. And as I got older,
I realized, more specifically, I wanted to be a writer. I
thought a movie director was a writer. But playing guitar
is immediately accessible. That’s why so many young
kids end up playing guitar. There was one in the house
and I just started to teach myself how to play it. I got
some accolades at a young age that kind of threw me into
it, allowed me to kinda get a leg up.
kasher
talking with
the lyricist of
the good life
and cursive.
by linda hjorth
photography by
sara brickner
OV: Your lyrics are really central to the songs. What
is your writing process like? Is there a specific time
of day or place you like to write?
TK: I don’t have a lot of time available, and I don’t like
writing in condescended periods [of time]. Not like: Oh, I
have a half-hour open, I’m going to work on something. I
probably only write when my schedule is really open, if I
have an entire day. Like most things, I’ll find a lot to fuck
around and do. Writing is kind of like homework. I really
enjoy doing it, but it’s really easy to put off.
OV: Your songs are also really personal. How
much of your own life and emotions do you put into
the songs? Or are they partially or even entirely
fictional?
TK: I don’t think I’ve written anything entirely fictional.
Although, I’m not opposed to it. I think people who can
do that are damn good fiction writers and pretty clever
people. Most fiction writing is based off of non-fiction. I
tend to think most good fiction is written that way.
OV: Do you have a preference as to what you like
better: writing an album or touring? Or is it equal?
TK: Oh, not at all equal. I don’t even really care for
touring that much. It gets in the way of writing. It’s like
that necessary promotion that you just kind of do. I’ve
done it so much. I got to the point where I really hated
it, and then I came out the other side with a newfound
appreciation for it. I think I needed to. If I didn’t find that,
I probably would have had to stop. So, I enjoy it now-ish.
OV: Would you be a movie director or writer if you
weren’t in a successful band?
TK: I suppose so. I wouldn’t be. I would just want to be.
[Laughs] I would have done writing, something like that.
It’s kind of exciting trying to start over [in a new field],
especially one that I always wanted [to pursue].
OV: Have you ever sent your writing off for anyone
to read?
TK: I keep to just a few people. Close friends.
OV: Do you think you ever will?
TK: Yeah, eventually. It’s a little nerve-racking. I’ve gotten
good feedback. I don’t need to [rush it]. Music has come
so slowly that I’ve become patient with other things.
OV: I have noticed in some of your songs, more so
Cursive songs, you have a love-hate relationship with
the audience.
TK: I think it’s a really peculiar situation to end up in. It’s
really peculiar to even do interviews. It’s weird to be on
08
stage and be a showman. I’m really a showman. I’m a
very obnoxious person. So all that’s kind of fun. I would
be doing that, like I’m a real karaoke star, so I would be
doing that regardless. That’s the type of personality I
am. But doing it and having it be your job and doing it [in
order to] promote yourself, then it becomes something
altogether different. It’s pretty unusual. The term ‘rock
star’ is a really negative term. I hate it. The fact that I
ended up in a field that is at all associated with that is....
[Laughs].
OV: You said you like to Karaoke. I remember two
years ago when I saw you play with Cursive two
years ago at the Meow Meow and you invited anyone
over 21 to come to karaoke with you. Did you
actually go then?
TK: We did go, but it was crowded and they had their
own built-in crowd of karaoke singers, so I couldn’t get
on. I was pissed because I make these really cocky, lofty
promises to people that I can show up to absolutely any
karaoke joint and win over the entire bar. If they would
have just let me on, they would have loved it. I have
a lot of practice, I guess [laughs] being on-stage and
everything.
OV: The Album of the Year is a concept album of
sorts. How did you come up with the concept? And
was it an after-thought or an idea you went into the
album with?
TK: The after-thought is the way a lot of albums are
written. I recognized the specific direction that I was
going with the songs and how they communicated with
whatever was going on in my mind at that period. And
it’s funny, then you kind of fake throw it all together and
it seems like this huge concept album. Even something
like Cursive’s Domestica, which people just thought
was this big concept album was a huge afterthought for
me. But doing those over the years, I’ve gotten better
[at putting a concept album together]. Album of the
Year I was really proud of because it was what I thought
was my first linear, cohesive story that I couldn’t do
[before]. People think The Ugly Organ was much more
confessional than Album of the Year. But that was just
thematic in depth, I think. This one is actually a story.
People didn’t recognize it as such.
For me, it’s something to grow off of. Actually, what I
think I should do is stop writing stories in songs and start
everything. He does it well. [Laughs] But it’s like having
Bright Eyes filters on everything. [Laughs]
OV: I noticed on the album booklet that you did all
the artwork with some assistance from Roger and
others. Is this something new for you or have you
done it before?
TK: I’ve taken a lot of interested in taking advantage, I
guess, of album artwork. It’s become a huge part of what
I think an album should be, especially with the iPod and
the departure [from the materiality of the album]. People
say they like to have [the album] in their hand. I’m a
really big believer in that, so I put a lot of effort into album
artwork now. It started with the photography concepts for
Domestica and then I collaborated on the artwork for The
Good Life’s Novena on Nocturne. Ever since then, I have
done the artwork by myself. Well, my hands aren’t so
good, so I design it all and have someone with a steady
hand do it all. Something like The Ugly Organ I could
do on my own. It’s the only time I really get to do visual
things. I don’t really understand visual static art that well.
OV: You said you’re interested in film, which is a very
visual medium. How do you think about film and the
visual aspect of it then?
TK: Just to clarify a little bit, I said visual static art. I
don’t really understand when people go to Europe, they
think they have to need to go to museums. I have since
gone to museums, like the MOMA (Museum of Modern
Art) in San Francisco. I’m really trying to expand myself
into appreciating static art. The thing about static art is
there is no story and I’m so addicted to story. I can see
[static art] as visually pleasing or challenging, but I don’t
know. You kind of stare at it. I think film is great because
it moves.
OV: Do you have a favorite or most memorable
childhood experience that has really stuck with you
over the years?
writing stories on paper. Not to say I don’t like music. I
think I’m just stuck in the confines of songs at this point.
OV: In the title song, “Album of the Year,” you
mention Fante and Bukowski. What are you other
non-musical influences? What has stayed with you
over the years?
TK: Well, actually as far as the northwest is concerned,
a book I always thought about is One Flew over the
Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey. But, have you ever read
Denis Johnson?
OV: Yeah. What have you read?
TK: I’ve read at least half of his books. You should keep
reading his books. Resuscitation of a Hangman is good.
He’s a great writer. He falls into that same category too.
He really writes about battered people. Not category, my
category, but Fante’s category. Fante’s great. Bukowski
just kind of like... I read him when I was like fifteen and
that’s why I referenced him. He’s juvenile, but in a really
pleasant way.
OV: There are a lot of unusual instruments used on
Album of the Year like a mandolin, glockenspiel, and
conga drums. Why did you decide to use all these
different instruments? And what effect do you think
they had on the album?
TK: All the ethnic percussion was something that Roger
and I got really excited about when we just started the
album. I just really love percussion. And the approach
I was taking to the album, I couldn’t find anywhere to
put drum loops like we usually do. I just shrugged. It
would just be so inappropriate, drum loops, on some
of the more holistic sounding songs. But I really love
percussion so we kind of took a risk with that because
it’s so uncool. But I’ve never really been perceived as
very cool. [Laughs] I have certainly turned people off,
like when Cursive fans came to see The Good Life with
congas, I know they just got up and left.
OV: Do you have the glockenspiel with you tonight?
TK: No. We do have our jambay and our conga. You
know, the glockenspiel, if you’re a saddle creek listener,
that’s just Mike Mogis. He just does that kind of crap on
TK: Well sure, I probably have a thousand. A game that
I have that’s kind of fun to play is, when I’m asked a
question like that, and I think of the absolute first thing
that comes to my mind. The first thing that popped
into my mind was: Matt Maginn [from Cursive] grew up
together on the same block and we built this ramshackle
kind of tree fort in my backyard. I confiscated this one
playboy picture of this naked woman and this little article.
Every now and then, when we were feeling devious,
we’d sneak that out and we’d put it between two slates of
wood. We hid it to make sure nobody would find it. We
were Catholic and it was a really terrible thing to have.
The story was about a guy who was waiting for his lover
to come home and he had a giant erection and he put a
Christmas tree on top of it and he said ‘Your present is
under the tree.’ [Laughs] I will remember that my whole
life. I thought it was really funny. [Laughs]
OV: And finally, if you had a theme song, what would
it be and why?
TK: [Laughs] I don’t know if this is fair, but I will say this:
when I just finished that nap [on the bus this afternoon]
and I woke up and Olivia Newton John‘s Magic was in
my head. I thought it was so strange that that was in
my head. But then I really thought the lyrics were really
fitting. That we have to believe we are magic and nothing
can stand in our way. [Laughs] I think I was still kind of
half asleep. [Laughs] But I was like wow, okay.
09
Good Life at the WOW hall
Reviews
DVD + It Takes a Nation
Artist + Public Enemy
Distributor + Music Video
Distributors.
Album + Live Classics, Vol. 1
Artist + Bobby Conn &
The Glass Gypsies
Label + Thrill Jockey
If anyone could lead a glam rock revival, it would
be Bobby Conn. With backup band, The Glass
Gypsies, their songs sound more like Brian Eno,
David Bowie, and T.REX in their hey-day than
those crafted within the last 10 years. Dressed in
silver jumpsuits and aviator sunglasses, they even
look the part. Often, live albums can be a turn-off
to listeners but Live Classics, Vol. 1 wasn’t merely
bootlegged at an outdoor festival with distant,
obnoxious screams between every song. Instead,
it was recorded last year over two days in a studio
with an intimate crowd, encouraged by Conn to
pretend they just heard the best song ever. By midalbum, you forget they’re even there. Orchestral
variations, back up harmonies, fierce guitar and
bongo solos matched with a psychedelic organ
and Conn’s sputtering falsetto make for engaged
listening. Conn, a Chicago native, gathered
politically charged songs from his previous albums,
Homeland, Rise Up, and The Golden Age for this
volume. Lyrical highlights include “Every year the
class divides pushing out towards genocide but I
can’t help you, baby, when the empire falls,” and
“I don’t need to get a job because I’m living off of
love.” Volume 2, yet to be released, should offer
more of the same; maybe in DVD form to complete
the live experience of Bobby Conn & The Glass
Gypsies.
+ by Rebecca McKillip
Public Enemy is the torchbearer of intelligent hiphop. Their message, aimed at “the preservation
of the young black mind,” is a continual theme in
their blazing and rhythmic lyrics. This DVD follows
the group’s journey to London, where they perform
for a massive audience of hungry fans. Concert
footage is frequently spliced with backstage
interviews with various members of the group,
most notably Chuck D and the ever-flamboyant
Flavor Flav. In watching the film, much of the
act’s powerful message seems to be lost over the
loud beats and Flav’s continual attempts to hype
the crowd. The performance is dry, lacking the
intelligence that is often featured offstage in the
interview segments. Frequent shifts in camera
angle and dull lighting make the concert less
memorable, although it is apparent that Public
Enemy can hold their own onstage, even when it’s
their first time on foreign soil. Despite the lackluster
video quality, Public Enemy is still miles ahead of
most mainstream hip-hop acts. Their quirky stage
performances, passion for equality, and quest
for the spread of knowledge is commendable
when comparing them to today’s “bitches and
40s” mentality. The DVD includes bonus concert
footage, audio commentary from Chuck D, the
ringleader of the group, and an audio CD featuring
rare remixes of some of their most popular
tracks. Although enthusiastic Public Enemy fans
may be disappointed by this DVD, it is definitely
recommended for those wishing to break out of
today’s mainstream scene and discover one of the
most influential hip-hop acts of all time.
+ by Meredith Frengs
DVD + Fuck You Up and Get Live
Artist + Dwarves
Distributor + Music Video Distributors.
Take a look at the cover of “Fuck You up and
Get Live” the Dwarves concert DVD and you will
understand why the Dwarves are not for everyone.
Over the past 2 decades they have promoted
themselves with an aesthetic of naked women,
fake blood, crucified dwarves and shameless punk
rock stage antics. But that doesn’t seem to matter
cause they have maintained a disturbingly loyal following along the way. This DVD, a show from the
Continental in New York and various music video
extras, is entertaining although one wonders if they
ever get tired of playing that deliberately offensive
role. Apparently not. Their music is mediocre but
catchy and you might recognize a couple of songs
from Epitaph’s Punk-o-Rama series of compilations. The show gets crazier as the band roughhouses with crowdsurfers and the naked, masked
guitarist “HeWhoCannotBeNamed” struts around
the stage. The band is abrasive in a traditional
punk fashion although often deliberately cheesy
at the same time. There are not too many bands
doing this well these days and since the Dwarves
built their reputation on it, this DVD is worth checking out. If you aren’t prepared for that, you should
have taken note of the fucking cover. That said, it
is quite possible you will be more entertained by
leaving this DVD on your coffee table and watching
your guests react, than actually viewing the disc.
+ by Scott Carver
Mountain Goats
live at the WOW hall
Eugene Getaways
by haley lovett
The mild craze that develops after a long
winter indoors: Roommates quarrel, the
television remote is groped more often than
is considered healthy, and the constant drip
of rain feels more like water torture than a
refreshing compliment to the lush foliage of
the northwest. Shoes are wet, shorts stuffed
deep in the recesses of our closets, and pale
complexions peak out from behind layers of
waterproof panchos and raincoats. It is June,
and we have yet to see more than a glimpse or two
of that beautiful burning ball of gasses that has been
kind enough to make summers sizzle and plants
photosynthesize for the past few million years. But
don’t lose hope just yet, the sun will come out, and
when it does you’ll want to be prepared to enjoy it
while you can.
Oregon Vortex - This “naturally occurring visual and
perceptual phenomena” has been ranked 6th in the
world on the Travel Channels show “Top Ten Places
of Mystery.” The distortion of height and direction
make this spot chalk full of intrigue, and for those 12
and over only costs $8 for admission, but you might
consider bringing your checkbook because the
Oregon Vortex and House of Mystery are currently
for sale. It is located off of I-5 near exit 43 at 4303
Sardine Creek L Fork Rd, Gold Hill, OR 97525.
www.oregonvortex.com
Hot Springs - There are a number of hot springs
located throughout the state, Cougar (or Terwilliger)
hot springs is probably the most popular in our
area, it is only about 53 miles east of Eugene. Take
Hwy 126 to cougar reservoir, then forest road 19 to
milepost 45, take a right turn and go about 3.5 miles
to the dam, from here you can hike in to the springs.
If you forget your wallet or your swimsuit, don’t
worry, Cougar hot springs, like most of the natural
hot springs in Oregon, is free, and nude friendly. If
you want to wander just a bit farther northeast, you
can visit Foley, Belknap, or Bigelow hot springs.
oregonhotsprings.immunenet.com or
www.traveloregon.com
Ghost Towns - Oregon has almost 20 Ghost
towns (the actual number may be questionable)
and in Lane County we are luck enough to be
home to at least three of them. An exploration of
the abandoned Bohemia City, Mabel, or Wendling
might reveal anything from scarce remnants of
building foundations to an actual structure or two.
Bohemia City, can be reached from Cottage Grove
by following Row River to Sharpes Creek and up
the top of the mountain. This one is really off the
beaten path so take a reliable vehicle. Mable and
Wendling are both located north of Springfield and
Vida. www.ghosttowns.com/states/
or/orlane.html
Crater Lake - A six mile wide expanse of crystal
blue water is what makes Crater Lake one of
Oregon’s most beautiful summer destinations.
16
Formed by the collapse of Mt.Mazama, Crater Lake
is almost 2,000 feet deep at its deepest point. For the
small fee of $10, you can have access to the national
park for seven days. Hike, boat, bike, fish, camp, or
check out one of the visitor’s centers, take I-5 south
to OR 58 and follow the signs to Crater Lake, it is
definitely worth the three hour drive.
http://www.nps.gov/crla/
Darlingtonia Wayside - Near Florence, off of
Highway 101, this state park is home to the only
carnivorous plant in Oregon, the Cobra Lily. The
Cobra Lily is a tube-like plant with purple and yellow
flowers that gets its nutrition from the nitrogen
created by the decomposition of the insects. This
park is a perfect stop on the way to the coast and
it’s free! http://www.splintercat.
org/DarlingtoniaWayside/
DarlingtoniaPages/
DarlingtoniaMainPage.html
Gondola rides - Take a ride to the summit of Eagle
Peak on the Oregon Skyway, the gondola that runs
during the summers at Willamette Pass. The gondola
will let you skip the hike and enjoy the view.
www.willamettepass.com or
www.oregonskyway.com
Row River Trail - This trail runs through the town of
cottage grove and features some of Oregon’s famous
covered bridges along the way. Located very close to
Eugene, Row River Trail makes it very easy to choose
how much of a walk/hike you want, there are 16 miles
total of paved pathway with many stops along the
way for everything from parking to picnicking, water to
bathrooms. It’s open from dawn until dusk and is free.
Sandboard - You can sandboard at Sand Master Park.
This sandboard park in Florence calls itself the world’s
first. It’s open seven days a week from 9am to 7pm.
It’s sort of like a skate or snowboard park... but with
sand. Access to the park is free with a rental from the
park, or $5 a car without a rental.
www.sandmasterpark.com
Yurts - At Jessie M. Honeyman State Park near
Florence, all of your yurt dreams can come true.
Spend a few nights camping in one of the parks 10
yurts or play in the two miles of dunes between the
park and the ocean. Honeyman is a great place to
camp the more traditional way and has a great number
of RV sites and almost 200 tent sites. http://
www.neworegontrail.com/yurts.htm
Other Stuff - visit one of the nine lighthouses along the
oregon coast, even tour a few. Check out any number
of wineries in the willamette valley, try rafting on the
Mckenzie River. Get a great view and experience the
results of old lava flows driving the Mckenzie Pass,
stop by the Dee Wright Observatory to take a look at
the surrounding mountains. Visit beautiful Sahalie
Falls, it’s just 1 1/2 hours from Eugene. Or, explore any
number of the Oregon State Parks, there are about
230 of them in total.
by tom h ubka
Typhoid Diary
5:05 PM: “Ty21a.” Hmm, this stuff doesn’t
sound too bad. I mean, it’s just a pill I
have to take three times in a week to be
completely vaccinated for typhoid fever for
five years. Besides, it was cheaper than
another doctor’s appointment and less
painful than a shot. I guess now is as good
as anytime to begin.
5:07 PM: Ahh, that wasn’t bad at all; a nice,
small pill that goes down easy. Whoa, the box
for this stuff has a lot of writing on it. Maybe I
should have read that first….nah: the last time
I read instructions was for my Gameboy in third
grade and that got me nothing but a dearth
of dates and a nasty case of carpal-tunnel
syndrome. Let’s see here:
This is a live attenuated strain of S. typhi Ty21a
that was developed in the early 1970s by
chemical mutagenesis. Protection is markedly
influenced by the number of doses and their
spacing. When the vaccine is given in three
doses two days apart, protective immunity is
achieved seven days after the last dose.
Side effects are as follows with chance of
occurrence: nausea (13%), headache (8%),
dry-mouth (6%), extreme dizziness (5%), and
hallucinations (2%).
No big deal. I can handle a little puking if it
comes to it, but damn I feel sorry for those
suckers who get all the mind-bending ones. Oh
no! The NBA finals are already on and I’ve got
mone-…um, a personal, vested interest in the
game! To the idiot box we go.
5:15 PM: Ha ha ha! I told everyone that San
Antonio was going to make a comeback,
even when nobody believed me. Until Denver
changes their team name to something that
doesn’t sound like a kid’s kick-and-chase team,
they aren’t going anywhere.
like they’re 30 feet high. My stomach still feels
like it’s about to explode, but now I’m oddly
hungry. I should check the fridge to see what I
have.
5:35 PM: I’m back in the living room because
when I opened the fridge my hand melted into
the handle and then a half empty jug of OJ
started telling me, in English, about how tasty
he was. Needless to say, I don’t need firsthand
opinions of my beverages so I unstuck my hand
and fled to the living room.
My roommate Chris is watching the History
Channel on the other couch. He starts talking to
me, but I realize that I can’t really hear him. Wait,
I can hear him, but I can’t understand him. He’s
looking at me like he’s waiting for an answer. He
must have asked me a question. Shit.
“Umm...yeah...that sounds great.” Chris’ face
drops and I make out his first sentence, “Are you
sure?” Feeling unable to respond, I walk out the
room and go outside to the porch. I’ll explain all
this to him later, if I can.
5:40 PM: Nature has never been brighter. It’s
like the dawning of Aquarius except without the
hippies and more abstract. Oh wait, there are the
hippies. I stumble down to a crouching position
and simply watch the world turn.
5:51 PM: I realize my legs are killing me from
crouching so I stand up and take a seat on
the steps. I hear a soft meow from behind me
and see my cat, but she doesn’t look like her
normally bored, passive self. She is bearing her
teeth and seems to be at least three times bigger
than she used to be. I take off down the street.
WESTERN OREGON
WEB PRESS, INC.
• Newsletters
• Magazines
• Tabloids
• Newspapers
• Inserts
• Graphics
• Bulk Mailing
5:59 PM: Five blocks later, I’m out of breath and
realize I haven’t sprinted like that in years. Now
that I’m free from the saber-tooth, I lie down on
some guy’s lawn and look at the clouds roll by.
Huh, that’s weird. My stomach feels like it’s
getting really full; like I’m eating. But I haven’t
even had dinner. Oh well, probably just one of
those side effects from the meds.
6:03 PM: It turns out that people don’t like you
laying on their property when you don’t have
their permission. I walk back home, feeling a little
better.
5:20 PM: Why does my TV look like it’s taking
steps towards me? It’s getting bigger and bigger
and I’m pushing my back hard against my wall
because its shoving me into the corner of my
room. This is crazy; I need to get out of here
before it mugs me or something.
6:13 PM: Arriving home, I can tell the medication
has run its course. I can hardly recall what
happened during the last hour. Chris still wants
to know why I think reduced sentences on rapists
“sounds great.” I lie on my bed, smiling at the
little white pill box on my desk. Well, only two
more times to go.
5:22 PM: I never realized how enormous my
kitchen was until this moment. The walls seem
Printers of Oregon Voice
WESTERN OREGON WEB PRESS, INC.
263 29th Ave SW • Albany, OR 97322
Ph: 541-926-3000 • Fx 541-926-1515
www.oregonwebpress.com
Talking with Andy Friedman
It’s a typical night at Sam Bond’s Garage; a scruffy
looking guy in his late twenties is tuning up a beatup acoustic guitar on a stage lined with empty
bottles of PBR. The show starts with a baseline,
rhythm guitar, a mandolin solo…and a slide
projector? Suddenly that five-dollar cover you paid
at the door doesn’t seem so typical.
BY TONY PEREZ
Three years ago Andy Friedman picked up and
left Brooklyn, and an editing position at The New
Yorker, to pursue his own brand of art. “So what
the hell is he doing?” you may, like many tavern
patrons before you, ask. Friedman positions
himself at a small table— a la Charles Bukowski—
reciting monologues and free verse poetry. With
the hand that he’s not using to raise glasses and
bottles to his mouth—also a la Bukowski— he
operates a slide projector that displays his
sketches, photography, and oil paintings. His aim
is to combine the images and poetry to produce a
cohesive piece of artistic expression.
After his latest Eugene performance, Friedman
took time out for the Voice to explain the perils
of narrow-minded critics, art for art’s sake, and
defecating as a means of getting recognized.
OV: When I was explaining
this interview to a Journalism
professor, I had a hard time
voicing exactly what it is
that you do. I’m sure you
get this a lot, but how do you
describe your performance and
your art?
AF:I start by saying what I said during the show:
I’m a painter with lyrics. People don’t seem
to have much trouble understanding what a
poet, warbling melodies with string-box, catgut
accompaniment is. You know, it’s commonplace
for a singer to sing poetry accompanied with
music; those things go together. I’m just trying
to do that with the visual element. So I’ve got
my songs, just like anybody else, and there’s
music and the visuals. But it’s not just wallpaper.
The images actually activate the lyrics like an
instrument; they’re not just decorations. So you
get a painter with lyrics. Really, I’m just an artist.
When you download a Bruce Springsteen song on
I-tunes, what does it say: just artist.
OV: Last time you were here,
there was a different group of
musicians playing with you.
AF: Yes, there was. I didn’t have my actual band
20
yet. I was flying by the seat of my pants, just
meeting people in the street and asking them if
they could rehearse for a few minutes in the hotel
room before the show. It was kind of hit or miss,
really. I personally felt the Eugene show was
a miss. Apparently so did the college booking
committee, because they won’t have me at your
school. I guess they didn’t like the show.
OV: I just came from a
University sponsored reading
in the business school; a
canonized, octogenarian
poet reading at the front
of a lecture hall. Why is
somewhere like Sam Bond’s
Garage a more appropriate
place for you, or is it?
AF: I guess it depends what you’re looking for. I
like to have a few drinks, be with people who are
having a good time. I’ve had a good time in quite
halls, but somewhere like Sam Bonds is perfect.
You got people talking, drinking, people hanging
out, having fun. College lecture halls? They don’t
serve alcohol, you can’t talk, you can’t move, you
can’t do anything. I’m just not as interested in
that type of environment. I want the audience to
have room to breathe. Plus, they don’t give free
meals…they don’t have as good of pizza.
OV: If you call up a bar
owner or a promoter, do you
find they have a hard time
understanding what it is you
will be doing? Is it a tough
sell, or is PR just another
one of your talents?
AF: I’ve kind of learned PR as a means of
survival. It was difficult to start it all off. At this
point, I have relationships at all the places I need
to have relationships at. When I book a new
show, yeah, it’s hard. They don’t understand
what I’m trying to do. I just have to say my piece;
sometimes they’ll go for, other times...
OV: You’re a classically
trained oil painter; you’ve
worked as an editor at The
New Yorker; you’ve been on
the road for several years
now, what is it about this
particular form of art that
has pushed you to go on the
road and take the kind of
risks that you’ve taken?
AF: It’s just a desire to say my piece. Growing
up, all of my favorite artists happened to be
musicians. They put out records, they traveled
around; I got to see them face-to-face on stage.
I’d buy the album, go home and listen to the
music. But the songs become more than just
songs when you see the cover of the album, and
the titles…all that good stuff. I don’t see that
same kind of connection or accessibility when
it comes to visual artists. With music you’re not
expected to go and already know what it’s all
about, and all that shit, like in painting; where if
it doesn’t spark you, you’re an idiot. So really,
what I do comes from just wanting to continue on
what was handed to me. Yes, people have their
problems, and that’s what these songs are about:
me struggling through my problems. They’re not
about painting, or about music. They’re about
real live stuff that anyone can relate to. That’s
what this is for me, an unconventional way of
displaying those feelings.
OV: Working in a variety of
mediums, I imagine you have a
variety of influences. I’ve
heard you’re the ‘Johnny Cash
of painting,’ and I can just
as easily see Woody Guthrie as
Bukowski or Velasquez.
AF: Yeah…I’m a stew, a jambalaya. You can also
see my dad, or my dog; you could probably see a
skateboard ride that I fell down on. I’m a product
of everything I’ve ever felt, or touched, you know?
So obviously all those influences would be pouring
out of me. The important thing is to take all of
your influences and turn them into something that
is your own. I’m not some kind of cover band; all
these different artists taught me different things.
OV: You’ve talked about your
oil-painting opus; it’s called
“Pilot Light?”
AF: It was.
OV: You worked on it for
three and a half years until
you thought it was perfect
(and then ruined it in the
preservation process). You
said your perception of
perfect has changed. Where
do you see slideshow poetry?
Is it something that you
will ever perfect, or is
it something that is ever
changing?
AF: It’s ever changing; it’s changing every night. I
stopped believing in the perfect product, I believe
in a perfect pursuit. And I don’t call this slideshow
poetry, they do. So I don’t know what to say about
slideshow poetry as an art form, if painters want
to be doing this; great, there are some that tell me
they do. I just hope people are encouraged to
share whatever they have to say in whatever way
they want.
OV: You seem to have a
different idea about art, more
integrated into real life.
AF: Yeah, but in a way I’m making an argument
about art…(pointing to his stage set-up), this
whole thing is paining. People don’t see it this way,
and no artist will ever see it that way, they’ll refuse
to. No art critic will ever consider it; they’re too
narrow-minded, and people won’t tell them to think
that way. I know that’s the reality of it. But what
you are looking at—essentially— is a paining, a
moving, acting, living, real-time, paining. They’ll
never see it that way because it comes off as
too deadpan and normal. If I was up there in a
yellow chicken suit, and I peed on the audience,
then they might consider it something to put in
the art section or in a gallery. Or if I shit in a can
and threw it on the screen and then sold it as a
canvas, then they’d see it as painting. No one will
see this as painting until long after your i-pod is of
no use to anybody…at least I think.
OV: So I take it you don’t see
yourself moving to venues much
bigger than Sam Bond’s any
time soon.
AF: No, I don’t think so. I mean, whom do I have
to rely on for that? I’m just gonna keep playing
my songs. Is it important to me that I play bigger
venues? No, but it would just mean that more
people are into it. And if more people aren’t into it
in my lifetime, I can’t drive myself crazy over that,
I don’t expect them to be. I know this is different,
and most people don’t think different. They like
to jam, and bop their heads, and do things by the
books. I have a lot of people leave right off the
bat, because they see the screen. It’s a tough
battle, but it’s OK…maybe I’ll never get play wow
hall.
OV: A lot of your art seem to
be about journeying and being
on the road, is that always
been relevant to you or is it
only since you’ve been touring
so extensively?
AF: I kind of roll with the punches and let my life
dictate my art. I’m not the kind of painter who
locks myself away and says, ‘hmm…what can
I paint about today?’ If I wake up and stub my
toe and it hurts bad enough, I’ll get a painting,
a song, or a poem about it. I paint about my
experience. It so happens that a lot of my stuff is
about traveling, taking risks, and putting myself
on the line because that’s what I’ve been doing.
I’m gonna have a baby in July; so I imagine when
I come back here next year I’m going to have a
few new songs. If you are just making paintings
about paintings, you’re really limiting your palette.
You miss out on all the times you stub your toe
because you don’t think they’re going to do
it for your paintings. Maybe they won’t, but I
don’t want to become some theoretical scientist
instead of an artist. I mean, how many ways do
we need to know about how to paint the color
red. What I propose is take all the intellectual,
and theoretical, and conceptual lessons we’ve
learned about painting and visual art and now use
it for something emotional; use it for something
real that people can use. Now we have all the
tools we need; I propose in the twenty-first
century, bringing it back to the people…like a
new baroque. Talk about our emotions. Turn the
lens inward, not upward in the cerebral. Painting
needs country music.
OV: Do you ever see yourself
becoming adept in Power Point,
or is the old school AV room
projector part of your charm?
AF: Nah, it’s not really a choice. Maybe people
find it charming, but if I do Power Point, people
will find that charming too. Really it’s a matter of
me not having the means to get a three thousand
dollar projector. I’d be kind of nervous setting up
my laptop in a bar. I don’t know; it might not look
good. Maybe when I have a tech crew.
21
MC Chris at the WOW hall
BY SARA BRICKNER + PHOTOS BY CASEY ROGAN
Chris is not your average rapper. He’s short. He’s a
self-professed nerd. He’s white. Instead of writing
about bitches, money and gangsta life, he’s rapping
about Bobafett, unrequited love and being short, fat
and nerdy. No other rapper would buy out an entire
theater after his May 18 show in Eugene so that his
audience could buy tickets to see the first midnight
showing of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith with him.
And to top it all off, he showed up to his Eugene
performance wearing a Morrissey shirt and a trucker
hat. Once he opens his mouth, though, it doesn’t
matter. Suddenly the whole crowd is bobbing heads
and waving hands in the air like pros.
The best part about MC Chris shows, though, is
that the crowd is actually excited to be there. MC
Chris’ conversational banter with the audience
would make any amateur stand-up comic cry,
and the audience appreciates even the abuse he
dishes out heartily. It’s a refreshing change from
shows at which hipsters slouch in corners, hoping
to validate their presence by feigning a complete
lack of enthusiasm. If Tupac had been raised from
the dead for one last show, the crowd couldn’t have
been more enthusiastic. But you’re not likely to see
MC Chris fans grinding with their light sabers and
Darth Vader helmets.
“Nerds don’t dance, really,” MC Chris said. “It’s
more of just like, do you know the words, fucking
shake your hands and do whatever you want to do.
I like a sedate show as long as there’s energy from
the audience, instead of drunk and beating the crap
out of each other, which I hate.” But Eugenians are
less likely to beat the crap out of each other than
toke up behind the building. And even though MC
Chris ribbed the audience about their dearth of Star
Wars costumes, the laid-back atmosphere seemed
to match MC Chris’ criteria of a high-energy show.
“Last night was our biggest night ever, not in terms
of numbers, but [in] how the night went, I think
it was the most successful night ever,” he said.
“Everybody said really nice things to me after the
show.” Not to mention handing him a few tokens of
appreciation.
“I left the venue wearing a fat suit made of drugs, people were handing me so much weed,” MC Chris said.
But just as he’s not your average rapper, MC Chris isn’t a stereotypical lazy stoner, either. He’s got a screenwriting degree from NYU, and he’s made a career out
of charisma, smarts and a few Horatio Alger-esque lucky breaks. Before he became MC Chris, MC was in the Lee Majors, made up of several members of NYC
pop punk band Dirt Bike Annie. Back then, his rap performances were mainly limited to interludes at Dirt Bike Annie shows. But it was at these and other pop punk
shows where MC kept seeing John Fewell, who now collaborates with MC Chris on the music side of things and can most aptly be described as MC Chris’ DJ. It
seems logical, then, that just like nerd culture, pop punk is an integral part of MC Chris’ music and lyrics. And according to MC Chris, pop punk and nerd-dom are
entwined.
“A lot of pop punkers are geeks,” he said. Which explains why landing a sweet job at [adult swim] may have been so beneficial to MC Chris’ career. So far, MC
Chris has done the voice of Hesh on Sealab 2021, as well as MC Pee Pants, Sir Loin and Little Brittle on Aqua Teen Hunger Force. If pop punk kids are nerds,
23
than [adult swim] exponentially increased MC’s
geeky fan base to a degree in which MC Chris was
able to temporarily leave [adult swim] to pursue
music full-time.
“I quit at Cartoon Network last Thanksgiving, and I
did it with their blessing,” he said. “They told me I
could come back if I wanted to. I went up to New
York and thought I was going to make a new album,
focus on that and then go on tour after I made the
album. After I go to New York, all of a sudden I
have a record label [DC Flag]. I didn’t really have
time to make an album.” And even though MC has
taken some time off from [adult swim] to pursue
his rap career, he informed his screaming crowd
of fans that he would be returning to ATHF when
the new season arrives. Like so many other geeks
who rose up from the degrading world of swirlies
and wedgies, MC Chris took a high-pitched voice
and turned it into cash money. White kids— even
nerdy ones— really do love hip-hop, and MC Chris
knows it.
But while certain personalities seem to gravitate
toward MC Chris, his talent does not guarantee
him a good reception everywhere. At a show in a
country western bar in Texas, MC Chris almost got
booed off the stage.
“It was dollar fifty pitcher night, and it was ladies’
night,” he said. “We got in there and we started
doing a show, and everyone was just like, ‘Get
him off the stage!’ Thankfully, there were about
fifty kids there who were MC Chris fans. They
created this forcefield of BO that kept the jocks out,
and eventually the jocks left. They were all drunk
enough to pub crawl at some other place. There
was a right crowd for us, we just played at the
wrong venue.”
Indeed, MC Chris is an acquired taste. At first listen,
his high-pitched voice is grating, but his audience
of nerdy musico-philes appreciate the ass shakin’
beats and intelligent lyrics, not to mention MC’s
obvious ability with a mic. Pop punk will always be
part of MC Chris’ work, though.
“I think there will be references to it in everything
I do,” MC Chris said. “If you know pop punk, you’ll
get some inside jokes [in the music]. We don’t
sample as much as we did on the first album. We
sampled some Misfits last round.” And don’t get too
used to MC Chris, the rapper— he plans on getting
involved in more mediums and maybe eventually
getting around to using his NYU degree and writing
a screenplay.
“Yeah, that’s what I want to do,” MC Chris said. “I
think I’m going to do a bunch of other things before
I do that, though. Making a picture is a really big
thing. I kind of want to establish myself in a couple
different venues [and mediums] first.”