Summer Camp

Some photos I took summer at sleepaway camp-

Motherhood means mental freeze

Most 90's rock fans know Kim Deal as the back-up singer and bassist of the Pixies. While on their hiatus post-Doolittle, Deal was assembling her own rock band, the Breeders, whom I actually prefer more than the Pixies.
1993's Last Splash, the Breeders' second album, consists of hypnotic melodies and droning guitar. "Cannonball"'s distinctive bassline can be recognized and head banged to instantly. "No Aloha" and "Mad Lucas" are not quite as pop-y, but are still extremely pleasant to listen to.  Deal's wonderfully elusive lyrics are complemented with her smooth yet raspy voice. The combination is mesmerizing.
The Breeders encountered several obstacles along their path. Some members developed drug problems, while others began family and preferred their suburban life over the unsettled, rock n' roll lifestyle. They released a few albums after Last Splash, but they were not as successful. 
Twenty years later, they began practicing to perform all of Last Splash again on a Europe and United States reunion tour. They will be releasing a double edition of Last Splash, titled LSXX. 

I pray I pray I will see one of these shows!

Read the 4AD announcement here.

Won't you play me today?

Ty Segall was born and raised in Southern California, in a sunny, laid-back hippie town until Ty reached high school. He heard some mumblings of some classmates who were casted in a reality show, titled with the name of their hometown, Laguna Beach. After the show aired, his guitarist, Charlie Moothart said, who also grew up in the area, “Everybody wanted drama.” The romance of the tight-knit community had fled.​

The theme of nostalgia appears frequently in Ty Segall’s dreamy rock music. He sings of saying goodbye to the past in “Goodbye Bread”. His music is heavily influenced by 70’s rock ‘n’ roll and punk such as T. Rex and Iggy Pop. This year’s Hair, a collaboration with San Francisco’s White Fence, was also a recent product of the sounds of the past. The album is a delicious hazy 60’s inspired work, with lucid musical references to many psychedelic bands such as Magical Mystery Tour-era Beatles and grittier, quicker garage rock.

Ty Segall’s reminiscence may seem out of place in the electronic popular music of today. But Segall is well aware of this- “There are all these kids who are growing up on Skrillex and all this digital music. What are they gonna think when they hear rock ‘n’ roll?”

Read the Pitchfork cover story here.

Don't run, don't rush, just flow

Francesca Woodman, 1958-1981.

Photos from here, here, here, here, here, and here.

She likes to wear green underwear

Kim Gordon, Kat Bjelland of Babes in Toyland, and Courtney Love of Hole.

Forgive me for being over thirty years late, but I recently discovered Sonic Youth.
I'm in love.
They're from good ol' NYC, and they formed in 1981. They were associated with the "No Wave" music and art scene, a satirical response to the "New Wave" genre when they started out.
There are a few reasons I really admire them, besides their music (which of course is the glue of the whole operation). To begin with, I think it's totally adorable Thurston Moore (singer, songwriter, and guitarist) and Kim Gordon (bassist and guitarist) have been married since 1984, and have worked so well together for so long. They even have a child, Coco, who was born in 1994. I also am just a big fan of Kim Gordon because I really respect that only-chick-in-the-band situation, like Tina Weymouth from Talking Heads, or Kim Deal from Pixies. I also like that she grew to be successful a little later than some other musicians; she was 28 when Sonic Youth was formed, and one of their most-praised albums, Daydream Nation, was released in 1988, when she was 35.
As for their music, it consists of intense dark, quick riffs, unconventional tunings, with clever, humorous lyrics, but incredibly honest and frank as well. They have developed a wide variety of style in their work, and some songs sound like they're by completely different artists, but Kim Gordon's deep, breathy whisper is recognized instantly.



Photos: here and here.

Come As You Are

Fourty-four years ago today in the state of Washington, Kurt Cobain was brought into this world.

Happy Birthday and rest in peace, Kurt.

And I Could Love You Like a Colored TV

I hope everyone's Valentine's Days were lovely, and if you don't believe in Valentine's Day, I hope your regular day was lovely, too.

Photo from here.