Of Black Lips and Amy Winehouse...A Couple Questions With Aziz Ansari & Paul Scheer of MTV's Human Giant

Next Thursday (April 5) marks the debut of Human Giant, the new comedy series from the gang of the same name, on MTV at 10:30pm EST.

By now you've seen clips all over better websites and blogs featuring the show's creators and stars, Aziz Ansari, Paul Scheer, and Rob Huebel. Video director Jason Woliner is credited as the fourth member of Human Giant, but is not performing on screen because (according to MTV's profile of him) he "peaked at age 7 with the role of "Bratty Kid" in the film Weekend At Bernies.

The clips from the show that we've seen are nuts, and it's hard not to root for these guys to have insane success with this show chock full of insane shorts and cool style and direction.

extrawack! asked Aziz and Paul, two of NYC's hippest funnymen (or is it funniest hipsters?) to answer a handful of questions on the eve of the show's launch:

--You guys are all bi-coastal now...Who's got the best live music scene...NY or LA?

Aziz- NY

Paul- For the most part I think it's a pretty fair split, all the good
bands play in both places. You just have to know where to go.
However, I love NYC's venues more than LA's but I'm still a newbie,
so they might grow on me.


--What concert are you most looking forward to in the near future?

Aziz- LCD Soundsystem at Bowery this weekend! Also the Sasquatch Music Festival and Coachella.

Paul- The one band I really wanted to see at SXSW was "The Pipettes" and I
missed them like 5 times. I was so bummed so I really want to see
them and I also want to see Amy Winehouse before she OD's which
should probably be in the next month or so. So I have to get on that.


--Whats the best music you've downloaded lately?

Aziz- Black Lips, Eccentric Soul: Twinight's Lunar Rotation

Paul- I am listening to "Albert Hammond Jr" and "The Good the Bad and the
Queen" and I'm really into "Girls in Hawaii", I downloaded their
album a few weeks ago and I love it. I think it came out a while ago
though.

--If you could add any one person in the world to the Human Giant troupe, who would it be?

Aziz- Hmm.. I'm happy with how things are now. We got to work with a lot of people we really admired and it was great. Probably the two biggest heroes of mine that I've yet to meet are Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant.

Paul- Easy: Tom Selleck

--If Human Giant takes off and you end up making crazy Chappelle money and Michel Gondry comes calling, who are you gonna hire to play your Block Party?

Aziz- LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture, Radiohead, Girl Talk, Arcade Fire?

Paul- I don't know if anyone would come to my Block Party but here's the
lineup:
Andrew WK, The Cast From Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Musical,
Beck, Ludracris, Foo Fighters, Pixies, Radiohead, Rilo Kiley, and Weezer.

--------------------------

Black Lips - "Stranger" mp3

Girl Talk - "Bounce That" mp3

The Rapture - "Woo Alright, Yeah Uh-Huh" mp3

---------------------------

HUMAN GIANT presents: CAMPING WEEKEND

Land Of Talk Hit The Area Again, Maxwell's Tix & CD Giveaway

You know, Montreal totally fascinates me.

I love the city, the architecture, the people, Laurentide beer, that weird white stuff they put on french fries, and the clubs. I even used to enjoy rooting for the hapless Expos. Amazingly, with the steady stream of music coming from that town, there's not been one single band that has made me say, "That's it! I've had enough music from Montreal!". In fact it's quite the opposite.

At the "M For Montreal" showcase at Maggie Mae's at SXSW, I saw a bunch of great bands from up there, and one of the best sets was from Land Of Talk.

To me they sound a bit like Sonic Youth's poppier moments, and singer Lizzie Powell sails right along with the fuzzy grooves, making for a loud and compelling set of rock tunes that pulls the listener in and locks them up for the duration of the live show.

As the band finishes up their trek home before taking off again for a British tour, they'll play bunch of shows in the NY/NJ/PA area the next week or so.

extrawack! would like to give one lucky reader a pair of tickets for their April 4th headlining show at Maxwell's in Hoboken (w/ Lady Radiator & Butterfly Explosion), along with a copy of their CD, Applause Cheer Boo Hiss. To win, be the 10th email to extrawack@gmail.com with "Land Of Talk" in the subject.

Here are all the dates left on the tour:
Mar 28 2007 8:00P
Bowery Ballroom *SOLD OUT* New York, New York
Mar 29 2007 8:00P
Princeton University *STUDENTS ONLY* Princeton, New Jersey
Mar 30 2007 8:00P
Johnny Brenda's *SOLD OUT* Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mar 31 2007 8:00P
Rock and Roll Hotel Washington, Washington DC
Apr 3 2007 8:00P
Union Hall Brooklyn, New York
Apr 4 2007 8:00P
Maxwells Hoboken, New Jersey
Apr 5 2007 8:00P
Mercury Lounge New York, New York
Apr 6 2007 8:00P
Swarthmore College *STUDENTS ONLY* Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Apr 7 2007 8:00P
Bennington College Bennington, Vermont

Land Of Talk - "Speak to Me Bones" mp3 buy

dvd reviews: Big Audio Dynamite, Einstuerzende Neubauten

Big Audio Dynamite - Live E=MC2

After Mick Jones left the Clash, he hooked up with London film maker/DJ Don Letts to form Big Audio Dynamite, boldly combining rock, hip-hop, movie audio samples, reggae, and beatbox beats to create what he'd hoped to be a kind of universal groove sound. Moderately successful, BAD's songs nearly garnered as much radio airplay than those of The Clash, but a revolving door of band membership and the changing face of what was known as "alternative rock" forced Jones to more or less collapse the band's projects in the late '90's.

This fifty minute DVD, featuring a 1990 show at London's Town & Country Club, is a pretty decent overview of what BAD's sound was all about. Starting with the spaghetti western-meets-dancehall "Medicine Show", through the rock-rave of "The Globe" and "Rush", and culminating in a probably-ironic but respectful cover of Prince's "1999", Live E=MC2 is a great reminder of how much fun this band's melange of genres really was, and a must for Clash and Mick Jones completists.

Here's "Rush", from the DVD:



Einstuerzende Neubauten - Palast Der Republik

Einstuerzende Neubauten is one of those bands that critics love to use as a reference point, especially when talking about industrial music, but aside from possibly having seen interviews with EN's enigmatic leader Blixa Bargeld, most of those same critics have never viewed a proper performance by this crew of noise pioneers.

This DVD documents a full performance filmed at the Palast der Republic in (the former East) Berlin in 2004, which was torn down shortly afterward. The concert showcases The Neubauten's knack for creating beautifully chaotic soundpieces from instruments both traditional and unconventional. Metal pipes are clanked, PVS tubing is bonked, drum kits made of what looks like tip-roofing pieces are banged, and in one of the concerts quieter moments, moving styrofoam packing peanuts are delicately amplified to create a haunting and remarkably organic sounding background for a balladish piece. Even the railings of the building itself are used as percussive instruments.

Bargeld conducts the band, croons eerily throughout, and at one point early in the concert dramatically chases all the photographers out of the photo pit without saying a word.

This set is an excellent document of an important link in the evolution of modern music.

Blixa gives a little history of the Palast here:

SXSW stuff: Buzzcocks

Despite the fact that SXSW is almost exclusively about discovering new bands, there were a few old-school artists down there showing the whipper-snappers how it should be done...case in point were the mighty Buzzcocks. In existence since 1975, these oldsters quite literally showed up at the Snocap Tent Party, plugged in, and ripped through an amazingly high-energy set of classics and newer songs, putting most of the sixty or so bands playing at that same moment within a twenty block radius to shame.

Here's how they looked to me from the pit (which like the stage, was populated by an older than most group for SXSW):







And here's a bit of the performance from my shaky-cam:



Buzzcocks - "What Do I Get?" mp3 buy

extrawack! March Bakers Dozen Downloads

I almost let March slide by without posting our monthly windfall of totally legal and usually super-hip mp3 downloads. Have at 'em:

CocoRosie - "Rainbowarriors" mp3 buy

Celestial - "Dream On" mp3 buy

Dinosaur Jr. - "Almost Ready" mp3 buy

Dappled Cities - "Fire, Fire, Fire (DFA Remix)" mp3 buy

Kaiser Chiefs - "Ruby" mp3 buy

YACHT - "See A Penny (Pick It Up)" mp3 buy

Fair to Midland - "Vice Versa" mp3

Chromeo - "Tenderoni" mp3

The Scourge Of The Sea - "Smitten Kitten" mp3

The Safes - "Bliss This Instance" mp3

The Mother Hips - "Time-Sick Son Of A Grizzly Bear" mp3 buy

Roger Waters - "Hello (I Love You)" (from The Last Mimzy Soundtrack) mp3 buy

Central Services - "4 Letter Word" mp3 buy

As always, thanks much to the labels and music pimps for making these available.

Graham Coxon on iTunes, Double 7" Contest

In celebration of Graham Coxon's new album, Love Travels At Illegal Speeds hitting iTunes recently, extrawack! would like to give one lucky reader a very cool Coxon collectible.

The twentieth reader to send an email to extrawack@gmail.com with the subject "Graham Coxon" will receive a double 7" vinyl featuring "I Can't Look At Your Skin" & "What's He Got". This package alos features "Time For Heroes" and "Outta My League, Dear" as the b-sides. It's in beautiful packaging and, like always, all the art is done by Graham himself.

Find Graham Coxon's new album, Love Travels At Illegal Speeds at iTunes here.

Graham Coxon on MySpace

Graham Coxon - "Standing On My Own" mp3

SXSW stuff: Dirty on Purpose

I have an admission to make...with over 1300+ bands playing during SXSW, I actually saw Dirty on Purpose two times. I've loved their Hallelujah Sirens for months & months, but their live show is something else altogether. I can't get enough of their fuzzy swirly poppy rock noise all loud and raw in a club. They totally didn't dissapoint in Austin.

Here's how they looked at the Beauty Bar:



and at Maggie Maes (note DJ's badass The Big Sleep shirt):



New Yorkers will get a chance to catch them again on home turf, as they cap their current tour with a soon to sell-out date at Bowery Ballroom (Saturday, April 14th) on a bill also featuring Calla and The Sugar Report (tickets here).

Check out DoP's recently released video for "Car No Driver", shot in that crazy rock-n-roll capitol, Boyertown, Pennsylvania, home of Blue's Clues host Steve Burns and Elaine Irwin Cougar Mellencamp:



Dirty on Purpose - "Light Pollution" mp3 buy

Dirty on Purpose - "Girls & Sunshine" mp3 buy

Air Guitar: Not Just For Your Tone-Deaf Dad Anymore

Ah, Springtime. A season for lovers and shirtless rockstars. Or perhaps just those of us who'd love to be shirtless rockstars. And what better way to symbolize the season than with the world's best... air guitarists?

You heard me! Cancel whatever plans you've got tonight and join me at the Angelika for the "Air Guitar Nation" premiere. Docurama's latest rockumentary (c'mon, I had to!) follows the trials and triumphs of the nation's best faux-fretfryers as they vied for the title of first-ever U.S. Air Guitar Champion.


Yep, the U.S. Air Guitar Championship. Started by two absurdly ingenious guys, appalled by the lack of American presence at the annual World Air Guitar Championship in Finland (itself started by absurdly ingenious Finns with fantastic beards and what I'm guessing is a penchant for GnR...and irony). The solution? Host a national heat and see who comes out to play.


And in droves they did. The film showcases ridiculous concert footage from the two U.S. stages (NY & LA), and tracks the *Airness* all the way out to Oulo, Finland (exactly) for the surreal-ly cutthroat World Stage. "Air Guitar Nation" features in detail the travels and memoirs of the top U.S. contenders: David "C-Diddy" Jung and Björn Türoque (aka Dan Crane), with backstage commentary so alternately earnest and pompous your loyalties will be tested.

If watching Austrian smack-talk like "maybe he should change his name to Björn TOULOUSE" isn't enough to get you out of that Shabbos dinner tonight, at LEAST go to check out Björn's 80-yr-young Nana strut her air guitar stuff on his pilgrimage to the LA competition. To say nothing of C-Diddy's legendary application of a Hello Kitty backpack. Seriously, folks. The film is gold. Even won the Audience Award at 2006 SXSW.

I caught a sneak peek earlier this week when the distributors got together for a screening and Aireoke-fest sponsored by Epiphone (read: winner got a sick guitar, hoisted by Türoque himself).

A bold maneuver, bringing out aspiring pseudo-strummers (above) from all walks - like Jefferson Elementary School, the full-time gig of crowd-favorite Aireoke contenders The Tiny Terrors, or Nassau County Trooper Academy (or so Aireoke judge Jay Jay French would have us believe). Click below to see my personal favorite, William Ocean, show us what Airness is all about:



Maybe it's my partiality to movie soundtracks talking, but I think this guy will go all the way.

Fingers itching yet? The 2007 U.S. Air Guitar Championship kicks off in June. Enroll here.

New Patti Smith Covers Album Info, Download

Just got the track listing for newly inducted Rock & Roll Hall Of Famer Patti Smith's album, which is actually her, her band, and some special guests covering tunes the record company calls "classic songs and overlooked treasures". Here's the line-up:

1. Are You Experienced?
2. Everybody Wants To Rule The World
3. Helpless
4. Gimme Shelter
5. Within You Without You
6. White Rabbit
7. Changing Of The Guards
8. The Boy In The Bubble
9. Soul Kitchen
10. Smells Like Teen Spirit
11. Midnight Rider
12. Pastime Paradise

Some pretty heavy hitters there...a couple of those you'd think would be untouchable iconic tracks better left alone, but on closer inspection, it looks like she's turning these songs into something else altogether. Check the credits of the Nirvana cover:

"Smells Like Teen Spirit"-Nirvana
FROM NEVERMIND
band:
Sam Shepard - banjo, tamberine
Walker Shepard - banjo
John Cohen - banjo
Peter Stampfel - fiddle
Duncan Webster - guitar

Yup, a banjo & fiddle version of the definitive grunge artifact. I'm most excited to hear how she works out The Doors' "Soul Kitchen", which seems ideally suited for her. The album's out April 24.

Here's a download of her groovy version of the classic Stones track, featuring Tom Verlaine and Flea:

Patti Smith - "Gimme Shelter mp3 buy

Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players To Play NYC Food Co-op Benefit

From the press release:

4th St. Food Co-op's Renegade Benefit Show: Help Save Community!
Local Food Co-op vs Corporate Behemoths

The 4th St. Food Co-op: Manhattan's ONLY nonprofit, volunteer run, anti-corporate, organic, vegetarian, food/bulk goods storefront, is holding their first annual benefit!

A star studded lineup will join forces to raise awareness and much needed fundage for the 4th St. Food Co-op, an overlooked diamond in the rough. In light of the imminent arrival of the new Whole Foods megaplex around the corner that is scheduled to open on March 29 (exceeding an entire avenue!). After more than thirteen years in the neighborhood, the 4th St. Food Co-op is planning a major "green" in-store renovation, using sustainable methods and renewable materials.
The co-op is already facing fiscal challenges due to mounting debt and needs support to continue to bring organic food to the community. These obstacles combined make this timely event more urgent and pertinent than ever before.

The magic will ensue between 10pm (sharp)-midnight on Friday, April 6th @ the Bowery Poetry Club (308 Bowery, NY, NY). $10 donation at the door.

Performances by co-cop supporters including:

Pioneers of the indie-vaudville-conceptual-art-rock slideshow genre the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players

Reggie Watts the super human with a sampler, operatic beat boxing prodigy, alternative comedian

NYC's premier Antifolk swamp rock duo, Schwervon! "Unplugged"

Former 80's actress turned quirky comedian extraordinare, Sue Ball

...and surprise celebrity guests too huge to mention due to contractual obligations.

These artists share two things in common: alternative lifestyles and unmatched showmanship. All will grace the stage in a valiant attempt to save the 4th St. Co-op!

Donations by vegan dessert sorceress Yoli Cakes (www.yolicakes.com), fair trade supporters Gimme Coffee (www.gimmecoffee.com), organic beauty experts The Beehive Salon (www.thebeehivesalon.com), holistic healer Michelle Kasmir, culinary whizzes Tina and Rachel Trachtenburg and various items from 4th St. Coop suppliers will be raffled/auctioned off.

About the 4th St. Food Co-op: Recently featured in the NY Times and located at 58 E 4th St. (between 2nd Ave and Bowery), the co-op endorses, "food for people, not for profit." The store is open seven days a week and everyone is welcome to shop, member or not. The co-op is committed to supporting local organic farms and grassroots vendors. All work is done on a purely volunteer basis. Utilities are 100% wind powered! For more information visit
www.4thstreetfoodcoop.org

Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players - "What Will The Corporation Do? mp3 buy

Reggie Watts - "Movin' On (Secure Unit remix)" mp3

SXSW Stuff: Nicole Atkins

One of the best sets I saw at SXSW was from Nicole Atkins (whom we reviewed a little while back) at the Industry Of Music/Oxfam America party. Her voice is absolutely amazing live, and her band, The Sea, suit her songs perfectly. She's one of those artists that can totally capture a crowd and keep them hypnotized for the full length of her set.

Here's how she looked there:





She also played an earlier, well-received show with Jersey's The Parlor Mob subbing for The Sea, who were snowbound in Brooklyn and couldn't get to Austin in time for that gig. Gothamist has video of them doing Leadbelly's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night", and a cool short interview video as well.

Her full length album hits the streets on June 26th...it would be great to see this very cool chick breakout and get the national exposure and success she deserves.

Nicole Atkins MySpace.

from the forthcoming Neptune City album:
Nicole Atkins - "The Way It Is" mp3 buy

So me, Perry Farrell, Kele Okereke, and Ghostface Killah are sitting at the bar...

Back from SXSW...sunburned, tired, ears ringing, a bit hungover...it was awesome. Details coming shortly.

Big thanks to our guest bloggers, and all of our friends (both old and new) who took care of us in Austin, hooked us up, bought rounds, introduced us to other like minded peeps, and made the trip so killer.

The Hebrew Hammer fronts a band from Indianapolis

This is Jim, your final extrawack! guest blogger. Before I get to the real substance of this post, I should say Erin Go Bragh. I hope you enjoy a nice cool (not cold) Guinness as you celebrate the snake beater holiday. Here in Indianapolis, we dye the Canal green, drink green beer, and have a parade with lots of guys in kilts playing bagpipes. So I suppose that we celebrate St. Patrick's Day like just about every other large city in the United States.

We also have an often overlooked music scene. It's certainly not Austin or Montreal. Hell, it's not even Omaha. But it is what it is. It is certainly trying to get noticed with events like the Midwest Music Summit, which gets bigger and better each year.

One of the Hoosier State's best musical assets is Secretly Canadian. After allowing the world to hear great artists like Jens Lekman, the Bloomington label continues its run of excellent musicians with David Vandervelde, who recently released his first full-length album, The Moonstation House Band. Vandervelde, who is from Chicago, has been dubbed a latter-day Marc Bolan by critics. I can certainly understand where they're coming from, as the new album's lush sounds evoke shades of T.Rex circa Electric Warrior. Secretly Canadian has kindly offered up the first two tracks on the album for public consumption:

"Nothin' No" mp3
"Jacket" mp3

Stream The Moonstation House Band at David's official website.
Buy the album from Secretly Canadian.

Vandervelde will appear at Luna Lounge on April 21 and at Pianos on April 22.

I really miss the Clash. I still haven't gotten over the fact that Joe Strummer is gone. As a result, I have a huge soft spot for bands that borrow heavily from the Only Band That Mattered. One band falling squarely into that category is Indianapolis' Those Young Lions. The band released a self-titled EP last year on local label Affirmation Records after the members joined forces upon splitting from other Indianapolis bands. Their shows are always packed with kids desperate for noisy, boozy rock after getting their fill of sensitive-guy indie pop. I will be seeing the Lions tonight at my favorite local club.

Sample the wares:

"Showdown" mp3
"Trainwreck Times" mp3

Buy the EP from CD Baby.
Watch the ultra-low-budget video for "Trainwreck Times" and see if you don't think that frontman Tony Beemer bears a strong resemblance to Adam Goldberg.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Musical Family Tree, which is a diamond mine of mp3's from Indiana bands. Recommended listening: Gentleman Caller.

Finally, a thanks to Bob for letting me take over the shop for awhile.

This Is Our Shining Moment

Last summer, when I guest blogged over here, I plugged a Vermont collective called The Hero Cycle. Well, serendipitously, tonight is the CD release party for their debut EP Lakes & Ponds (at Club Metronome in Burlington).

The five-song EP is efficiently packed with a quintet of standout Broken Social Scene-inspired tunes. You can stream the entire album on their website and buy it from emusic.

Bradley's Almanac also has a raving post of them up right now which includes some nice giveaways for folks in Beantown.

The Hero Cycle will also be hitting Williamsburg next week at Trash Bar on Mar 24th.

The Hero Cycle - "Breathin' In" mp3 Buy

Shows, Shows, Shows

If this is Friday then this must be Murf from False 45th.

So, I'm staring down the barrel of sloppy fourths on this guest blogger thing and see a supertanker load of good shows coming up. Therefore, let's run it down.

Unless you have some buddies with connections you probably aren't getting a whiff of either of Fujiya & Miyagi's two sold out shows at Mercury Lounge (Mar 18th and Mar 20th). However, if you have a Columbia student ID, you might have a shot at grabbing an earful of Britain's fab trio of beat masters on Mar 19th.

Fujiya & Miyagi - "Ankle Injuries" mp3 Buy

The other end of the music spectrum, Willie Nelson, will pull his biodiesel buggy up to Radio City Music Hall on Mar 22nd. Come on. That's major hipster cred to hit Fujiya & Miyagi and Willie Nelson in the same week.

Willie Nelson - "Maria (Shut Up and Kiss Me)" mp3 Buy

Somewhere in between Willie and Fujiya & Miyagi lies Dean Wareham and his long-loved wistful guitar melodies. Wareham has a new album out with former Luna bass player Britta Phillips called Back Numbers and will fire up his suite of foot pedals at the Hiro Ballroom on Mar 30th.

Dean & Britta - "Say Goodnight" mp3 Buy

The latest poor soul to be saddled with the career dooming moniker "The Next Dylan" is Elvis Perkins. You can check out his Daytrotter session here and then catch his live hootenanny at Union Hall on Apr 19th.

Elvis Perkins - "While You Were Sleeping" mp3 Buy

Another hot new dog & pony show rides into town the following week. Deerhunter, Atlanta's submission to the world of dream pop and shoegaze, will be playing tunes off their "Pitchfork blessed" new album Cryptograms at Mercury Lounge on Apr 26th and Silent Barn (aka Raven's Den) on Apr 27th.

Deerhunter - "Strange Lights" mp3 Buy

Lastly, and most importantly, the "Canadian Bob Dylan", Gordon Lightfoot comes strolling down the carefree highway into NYC for a show at Town Hall on Apr 26th. Hitting Monsieur Lightfoot one night and Deerhunter the next night would be the triple word score of hipsterdome.

Gordon Lightfoot - "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" mp3 Buy

Stop or I'll Throw My Hi-Hat at You

My name is Rich, and Bob parked extrawack! in my neighborhood for a day while he's away, so I'm taking it for a joyride.


Lots of musicians have second jobs. Part time at the video store between gigs during the early years, or hawking scooters and AmEx cards after the days of meaningful records have passed. (I’m looking at you, Lou Reed.)

And are you ever really surprised to click onto The Smoking Gun and see a glazed-eyed mug shot of some rocker caught packing a pistol?

But how many rock stars can you think of that have been paid to carry a gun at the same time they’ve managed to tour and record with their band? (Ted Nugent doesn’t count…we saw Surviving Nugent and we know he’s loco.)

Quit scratching your head – I’ll save you the trouble…The answer is Too Much Joy drummer and New York City Policeman Tommy Vinton.

You may remember Too Much Joy as the band who fought censorship and got arrested in Florida for performing 2 Live Crew songs. Or maybe you recall the fact that they were one of the first bands to face a lawsuit for including a sample of another record on one of their recordings. (Screw you, Bozo the Clown!)

But you should remember Too Much Joy because of the records they put out in the late-80’s and early 90’s. The band crafted catchy-as-hell pop-punk tunes and packed ‘em into college radio favorite albums like Son of Sam I Am and Cereal Killers. And they built a devoted following thanks to a relentless touring schedule that brought epic live shows to top venues across the United States.

Tommy somehow juggled the lives of musician and cop for 20 years. In order to earn the time off from the NYPD he needed to hit the streets and make more arrests to crank up the overtime hours. Once, when a tour stop landed him home in NYC, he worked a shift and responded to a fatal gunshot call in the afternoon before making it to the Ritz to step behind the drum kit for a sold-out show that night.

Now, after 20 years on the force with New York’s Finest, Vinton is retiring. Retiring from the police department, but not from music. To celebrate his departure from the long blue line (and the 20th anniversary of the release of the band’s first full-length LP Green Eggs and Crack), Too Much Joy are playing their first live show in ten years at The Knitting Factory on May 4.

You might have missed them the last time around, but you don’t want to make that mistake again. Come check out a rare performance by the full band, including Tim Quirk, Jay Blumenfield, Tommy, and both bass players, Sandy Smallens and Bill Wittman. (Twice the bass, twice the fun!) It’s an E-Ticket Ride of Joy, and way better than a night in the Tombs.

Too Much Joy - Crush Story
Too Much Joy - That's a Lie

How Much to Play My Humps?

Don't forget to check out WFMU on Friday at 8:00 for one of the coolest traditions in fundraising: Yo La Tengo's annual visit to the studio to take requests in exchange for donations to benefit the station. Here's the scoop direct from the news department at yolatengo.com:

That's right folks, it's that time of year again. Sorry for the short notice, but we just and I mean just got back from far far away, from the land where your Automatic Replies were going to cripple our in-box. So yes, it's short notice. Friday, March 16, 8 pm in your eastern daylight time, Georgia, James and I, along with our trusty sidekick Bruce Bennett (airlines willing), will take to the airwaves of WFMU and the cyberwaves of wfmu.org to help that most fantastic of radio stations raise money.

For three hours, we will join Pseu Braun and her co-host Gaylord Fields. Anybody who pledges enough money to the station during those three hours gets to make a request, and we will try to play it. If you've heard it before, you know that there's no spectacle in the world of entertainment quite like it. Don't miss it. All the details you need are at wfmu.org

--Ira

why are this man's lips purple?

scatter o' light filling in with a guest post for mr. extrawack.

we are veering out of our usual realm to ask the extraordinary extrawack intelligentsia about a topic that befuddles every member of my household endlessly. the question revolves around the mouth of a certain new york yankee third baseman. and that question is this:

"WHY IN THE HELL ARE A-ROD'S LIPS PURPLE?"

while this question has long intrigued us, it is only today upon hearing that a-rod has thrown down a "love me or i'm leaving" challenge to all of new york that our need to understand how alex rodriguez's lips became so lavender just demanded to be answered.

WHO CAN HELP ME?

this is not a joke! we really need to know: "why are a-rod's lips purple?" is it lip gloss? does he have poor circulation? was he (dear god!) born this way?

whoever leaves the best answer in the comment section wins a prize. (the prize is this).

*if you want the prize, make sure we know your e-mail*

Songs that are witty, witty and pretty

Bob F. should have known if he left me with the keys to extrawack, I'd find a way to go on about the Swedepoppers. And so I will.






I wrote a little something about Pelle Carlberg around the time his first album, Everything, Now! came out. And I'm going to write a little something more now.

Why, you ask?

Because I've been utterly fixated - obsessed, even - for months with the spare loveliness of "Musikbyrån Makes Me Wanna Smoke Crack," off that debut album. Gently morose as it may be, it is also, in my humble opinion, the best song about existential angst and the death of Warren Zevon that I've ever heard. Thanks to Youtube, you can check a live version of it here:



Plus a bonus Youtube pick - A live cover of "Rocket Man", also from his recent Italian tour.

Another reason? Because he wrote a song called "Clever Girls Like Clever Boys Much More Than Clever Boys Like Clever Girls." Too precious a title, you say? You haven't even heard the song yet. I don't know, but I'm hoping this one is on the next disc.

And because, while Carlberg's first solo efforts have taken a while to collect reviews and attention stateside, Carlberg's newest album is coming out at the end of the month. By "coming out," I do mean over in Europe, not here. But maybe you live in Europe. Maybe you're going there or you know someone who knows someone who can get you stuff from there without paying an arm and a leg. I'll probably wait till it gets released here, but in the meantime, here's a spring-tinged little duet off it: I Love You, You Imbecile.


Still no answer to the trivia contest question I put out there earlier today. Lines remain open.

WEDNESDAY EVENING UPDATE:

There's been a couple interesting guesses (is "black grape" really one of the official colors of the University of Maryland Terrapins? That's awesome, if true) but no winner yet in yesterday's sports-music trivia contest. The movie's been correctly guessed though, and I figured I'd give you a subtle hint (I think - maybe I'm off my rocker) via this lovingly arranged, copyright-defying Youtube tribute clip. Enjoy it while you hem and haw over your brackets a little more.

Guest hosting...this is how Leno got his foot in the door, right?

Hi, I'm Michael K. You might remember me from such films as "Today We Kill, Tomorrow We Die, Gladys The Groovy Mule, and my blog, The Parallel Campaign.

Anyway, I'll be guest-blogging for you today, while b.f. does the SXSW thing.

I'll actually have a somewhat fuller post a little later on - the combination of 2007's first 75 degree afternoon, a bit of work still needing to be done, and the patio right outside my door means I'm going to make my excuses and get some spring sun and labor in while I can.

But in the extrawack spirit of knock-down, drag-out competition for valuable prizes, I thought I'd organize a little trivia contest, involving my favorite music/sports tidbit of the moment. Of course, it has to do with the NCAA tourney. I hope you're further along in completing your brackets than I am now, and for god's sake I hope you make it further than I will in the next couple weeks.

Mr.'wack has promised me a package full of the chintziest tchotchkes SXSW has to offer. And I, in turn, am willing to pass on the most gloriously crass object to you, should you win. What a deal.

So here's the question.

Which of the 64 tourney teams has an obscure, but rather clear musical connection to THE prototypical 70s' WWII gold theft behind enemy lines action-comedy-caper movie?

Remember, it's a musical question.


Think totally illogical hippie-dippieness.
Think raging choir-tasticity.
Just to throw you off (or maybe throw you in) think Black Grape.

Answers on an email to theparallelcampaign - at - gmail dot com. First correct answer will take the prize.

Hint: this particular Black Grape tune won't help you.

[colbert]
Won't help you do anything but DANCE!
[/colbert]



Talk to you more after the sun sets.

Pulp Reunion?

No!

Despite rumours flying around about a possible Pulp reunion on the eve of Jarvis Cocker 's solo album release, Jarvis, Jarvo says it ain't gonna happen.

From NME.com:

When asked about it Cocker declared: "Hell would have to freeze over first! No, I don't know. The members of the group are all in touch with each other and all friendly, there have been no deaths that I know of.

"So there is no barrier other than the fact that at the moment I can't really see a point. If it was to seem like the right thing to do then there's no reason why not, but I am certainly not planning it at the moment."

Jarvis is released in the USA on April 3.

Jarvis Cocker - "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time" mp3

Diesel Party @ SXSW...Girl Talk + Tokyo Police Club + Open Bar = Crazy Delicious

I was just looking over schedules for SXSW, and this party jumped out at me as perhaps one of the most fun line-ups down there...

Diesel parties are always known for being a blast (last years' line-up with Editors, The Spinto Band, The Boy Least Likely To, Voxtrot and Film School was nuts...), and this year looks like no exception (click to enlarge):



Girl Talk? Tokyo Police Club? Matt & Kim? Free tequila? Yes, please!

Girl Talk - "Bounce That" mp3

SXSW Party Invites And Downloads

I'm getting ready to leave for Austin for SXSW, or "South By", as my friends who are so busy they must conserve two syllables whenever possible call it...but extrawack! will be in the hands of a bunch of guest bloggers whose tastes in music and pop-culture I trust, so this week oughta be fun here.

Before I split, here are a few more downloads from bands I'm hoping to catch:

Le Meu Le Purr - "Concrete Butterfly" mp3

Dirty Fuzz - "Love's A Gun" mp3

Roommate - "New Steam" mp3

The Hedrons - "Heatseeker" mp3

...and for kicks, here's a gallery of SXSW party invites that have caught my eye...click on each to enlarge:















And if you happen to see me in Austin, please strongly encourage me not to go for seconds at the free BBQ table...thanks.

Albert Hammond Jr. and Robbers On High Street @ SXSW Contest

In honor of one of the cooler showcases at SXSW this year, the New Line Records/Scratchie Records Night at Blender Bar At The Ritz on Thursday, extrawack! would like to give one lucky reader a New Line Records prize pack including cd's from Albert Hammond Jr. and Robbers On High Street, and 7" vinyl from Midnight Movies.



We've been listening to a lot of bad radio here lately, so we'll do this radio style. Instead of the 20th caller, we'll give this sweet pack o'tunes to the 20th email to extrawack(at)gmail.com with "New Line" in the subject line. Offer good in USA only...sorry Togo!

Albert Hammond Jr - "In Transit" mp3

Robbers on High Street - "The Fatalist" mp3

Midnight Movies - "Patient Eye" mp3

Nicole Atkins...Jersey Girl Without The Bad Hair & Camaro

The first time I heard of Nicole Atkins was on the "Blind Date" episode of the always excellent New York Noise, where she was set up on a blind date with J. from The Cloud Room. Together they cruised karaoke clubs and pizza joints while the cameras followed them, and they really looked like they made some sort of connection together. But Nicole in particular seemed to have a really interesting personality...so like I so frequently do after seeing something new and cool on NYN, I went to the Internets to see what I could find.

Not only did I find out that she's a Jersey Girl from down the shore (Neptune, to be precise), but she was previously in Los Parasols, a North Carolina alt-country outfit that friends in Charlotte used to rave about.

Her recently released Bleeding Diamonds EP features 6 songs full of dreamy reflection, optimism, and underlying melancholy throughout. Each song is a compelling story, and her soaring voice is every bit an instrument, fitting perfectly with the almost surreal tracks laid down by her band, The Sea. A lazy comparison would be to compare her to Regina Spektor, but now that I've typed that, it seems pretty apt...they are both very talented singer-songwriters with great stories to tell, but Nicole's got a bit more swing to her songs.

Her major label debut full length Neptune City is scheduled to be released June 26 on Columbia.

Nicole Atkins MySpace

Upcoming Shows:

Mar 14 2007 3:45P
The Mohawk, Gothamist/Gorilla vs. Bear Party for SXSW Austin, Texas
Mar 14 2007 11:00P
PureVolume Indoor Party SXSW, 11pm (acoustic) Austin, Texas
Mar 16 2007 6:00P
Fado's Irish Pub, SXSW 6pm, I.O.S./Oxfam America Party, Austin
Mar 17 2007 1:00A
Copa, SXSW official showcase Austin, Texas
Mar 19 2007 9:00P
Bowery Ballroom NYC, New York
Apr 4 2007 8:00P
Scotland Rocks! @ Bowery Ballroom