Last Friday, I made the journey from my flat in Nopa to the outskirts of North Beach. The reason for this 4 mile trip was not to partake in the drinking of beer or to see to visit one of North Beach’s infamous places of the night (fancy way of saying strip clubs) , but to sit down with laugh guru Hasan Minhaj on the first night of his Purple Onion Cd recording.
PM- So, last time last time I saw you it was at the SF Comedy College since then you been doing a lot of travels, touring and had an anticlimactic meeting with Jay Z…
HM- So yeah [on the] NBC college tour. I signed a touring deal with NBC last year so I got to go to 52 different colleges in 3 months, travel- like a real real college tour. I coincidentally end up to stopping in NY. I was driving around New York, yeah know driving around being a tourist or whatever and just happened to see Alicia Keys and I the middle of time square playing the piano, and I ‘m like holy crap that’s Alica Keys, so I stop the car in the middle of the intersection-and I am like that Alicia Keys and I want post that on Twitter.
I park and then I am like, I am going back and in my mind I’m thinking why is she sing the hook for “Empire State of Mind” over and over again. And was like wait they’re shooting a video ,so I went back over and like Jay Z pulls up in a Jeep , and he’s there. They start rapping and shooting a video and for some reason it’s like 3:30 in the morning on a random wed. night in NY, and I somehow finagle my way beyond the barricade and for whatever reason I ‘m standing behind the directors chiar and Jay Z plops down, I have my moment and I don’t know what to do so I just start rapping at him . And so he just like looks at me and says nothing and they escort me out, and that was my Jay Z moment.
PM- Hahahaha…..I never met Jay Z .
HM- Well don’t rap at him.
PM-Well now you’re here and recording your live CD.
HM-Yeah I live in LA but I wanted to come back to where I started, and record a CD at The Purple Onion. It’s a historic venue Smothers Brothers, Richard Prior, Robin Williams-Zach Galifianakis recorded a CD here. Even though it’s a smaller venue versus a club, big venue, theater- I wanted to do it here because I feel like it has a lot of history and sort-of pay homage to where I started. SF is where I found my voice.
PM- You mention a few comics. Do you have any particular influence or did you study anyone in particular to prepare?
HM- A lot of comics not only started in SF but come through here. Arj Barker, Patton Oswald, a lot of those comics started in SF and I really look up to them. I got to see a lot of them when I lived in The City.
PM- So after your performance tonight, what’s next?
HM- The CD comes out early 2010 and after that I’ll be appearing on Chelsea Lately in January.
PM- Do you have a name for the CD yet?
HM- No, not yet but you guys will be the first to know
Post Justice, Indie-electro star, Neon Indian, is bringing his warped beats and lofty summer synths to SF’s Rickshaw Stop tonight. If you want a pair of free tickets leave a comment on any post (other than this one). The winner will be selected at random and notified by e-mail, it’s just that easy.
(Comment by clicking on the bubble in the upper right hand corner)
On the eve of Social Studies leaving for Chicago to kick off their upcoming tour, I spoke with Natalia Rogovin, lead singer for the SF-based indie darlings. I caught the smooth-voiced songstress on the phone whilst in the middle of packing her personal effects and bundling her beloved keyboards in loads of bubble wrap; hoping they’d traverse the distance safely. She shared with me about the history of her shape-shifting band, they’re forthcoming album Wind-Up Wooden Heart, her ingrown love for classical music, and her penchant for coming up with song titles. The conversation felt a bit brief for as much as Natalia had to share, but she was nonetheless able to illuminate much on the source of her band’s interesting brand of “avant-pop.” -Patric Fallon
Plastic Milk: So tell us a bit about yourself, your band Social Studies, and what you do for the band.
Natalia Rogovin: Okay. I’m Natalia Rogovin. I’m the singer and keyboardist in Social Studies. I also do most of the songwriting. We kind of have a rotating cast of characters, and then me and the drummer, Mike Jirkovsky, who have been in Social Studies from the beginning. We’ve had a lot of different people on the project.
PM: How many years have the two of you had the band?
NR: We started in 2006, so going on about four. We actually started out with four of us. Basically, we were all involved in the San Francisco music scene and wanted to do something different from the other bands we were in. Different stylistically. We started playing and weren’t really sure where it was gonna go. We spent a really long time working on songs and had different people helping us out with the music. We had a solid line-up of four members for a while. Then, because of various… We were all people who’d been in a lot of different bands, so there was kind of the idea of a rotating element to it. We’ve had different temporary members that have been with us for a while and then moved on and then [we've] brought someone else in.
PM: What are some of the other bands you guys have been in?
NR: I was in a band called Rion Rinker, which was mostly based in Santa Cruz. We’ve had two members that are in Maus Haus, and then Tyler McCauley who’s in Tempo No Tempo. Aaron Weiss and Mike were both in a band called… Oh Lord, what’s the name of that band… Oh yeah, Capital. They’re kind of a rock and roll band.
PM: That’s a lot of different projects.
NR: Yeah. It’s actually a really cool thing because we get to work with so many friends that are really talented musicians and we get to have their creative ideas and input.
PM: Do your schedules ever end up conflicting? Cause I know Tyler’s band just had an album come out, and I think they’re touring or just finished touring. You guys are just about to start your tour. Does that create problems for Social Studies?
NR: Actually, Tyler was playing guitar with us for a while and helped us a lot on our upcoming album. He played a lot on that, but he’s actually not a permanent member of the band.
PM: Oh, okay.
NR: On this upcoming tour we’re actually playing with Tom Smith, who’s in Office, on guitar. That’s another band, though they’re not a SF band. They’re based in Chicago.
PM: Tell me how would you describe Social Studies’ sound to someone that’s completely unfamiliar with indie or pop or any of the basic elements that you take your music from?
NR: My friend actually uses this term that I really like, ‘avant-pop.’ I think that actually describes our music very well. It’s very melodic [with] melodies that I think people can relate to, but at the same time it’s structurally adventurous. We kind of tell stories in our songs. They’re more like an old symphony where you start some place and then you’re taken on a journey throughout the song.
PM: That’s a great explanation. I got a chance to listen to the new single you have out. Well, I guess I don’t know what you’d call it. Like a single or a teaser or something?
NR: We’re calling it a double.
PM: (laughs) That makes sense. Well, the digital double is called The Hourglass, but neither of the songs on there have that name. The album they’re taken from doesn’t have that name either. So where did that come from?
NR: The concept behind the release was that we wanted to put something out there that gave people a sense of what the new album is about. In trying to figure out what we wanted to release as a single, both of those songs, well, we basically couldn’t decide. The sound of our band has a lot of light and dark elements in it. We do things that are really uplifting and happy, but we also do things that are a little more dark and serious. Every time we tried to settle on a song we felt that it didn’t really represent the range of what we do. The idea of releasing this double is that it shows how we play with emotion and go back and forth between light and dark. That’s where the concept of the hourglass came from. These two sides. Emtpy, full. Dark, light. This kind of oppositional force.
PM: That makes total sense. Entirely enlightening. Good job! (laughs)
NR: It’s funny. We’re a band that does a lot of thinking. We spend a lot of time thinking about how the music works and where it goes. Coming up with ideas. With all of these things we spend a really long time planning them out and making sure they have an idea behind them.
PM: Okay. So you have a new album coming out, which you kind of talked about, called Wind-Up Wooden Heart. Can you tell me more about the record? When it’s coming out and what not?
NR: Well, the plan is to release it in spring of 2010. As of yet, it will be self-released, although we’re not entirely sure about that. It’s a little bit up in the air.
PM: I feel like self-released is the way to go these days. Sometimes working with labels is almost too much of a hassle when you can do it yourself just fine.
NR: I totally agree. I think that a lot of what labels can offer you… Well, it really depends. A lot of what bands really need is someone else to show that they are a fan and support them. It’s almost like people don’t believe that you’re legitimate until you have someone backing you. I think that’s really a big thing that labels can offer, but with our music, it kind of just speaks for itself. People relate to it, so if we can just get it out to as many people as possible, why do we really need a label?
PM: What was your favorite part about making Wind-Up Wooden Heart?
NR: Hmm… Well, I love songwriting. I’m kind of a nerd when it comes to songwriting. I really like details and working a song to death. When we’re working on writing songs we’re incredibly methodical. We’ve had songs that we’ve basically workshopped for six months before being finally satisfied with them. I think writing the songs is the most rewarding part of it. Of course, recording is really fun, but it’s also incredibly stressful. Especially when you’re doing it with a limited amount of time and you have to make sure to get everything done.
PM: Right.
NR: So yeah, I’d say songwriting. (laughs) And then maybe coming up with song titles. (laughs)
PM: Totally. I love song titles. I’ve always said that I have more song titles than I do songs.
NR: Exactly! I get really into it. A lot of the content of the songs is about history or historical events, so it’s really fun to do research and find out about a lot of different things and delve into them while I’m writing lyrics and coming up with song titles.
PM: In the music I’ve noticed a lot of similarities with, say, The Fiery Furnaces and a little bit of Rilo Kiley. That sort of Saddle Creek indie-pop stuff. What are some of your influences that are maybe less apparent to the listener?
NR: I actually studied classical piano while growing up. I have always been influenced by classical music, especially the Romantic period. I love Vagner and Beethoven and Mozart. I love symphonies and classical pieces. I think of modern day pop music as more like classical music, just updated. If you listen to the melody and structure there’s a ton of similarities. Melodically it’s been a huge influence on me. A lot of the melodies I write are very classically based.
PM: I can definitely hear that. The way your songs go through their changes. Like little vignettes that change from one feeling to another that rise and fall. It definitely has a classical feel to it.
NR: Absolutely. That definitely comes from my background of growing up with that style. It’s an influence that isn’t obvious at first, but once you realize it it displays itself more. Of course, I listen to a ton of modern bands as well. I’m kind of obsessed with the band Broadcast. Vocally she’s [singer Trish Keenan] a huge influence on me.
PM: They’re a great band. They just did a collaborative mini release and I think they have a full new record coming soon.
NR: That’s exciting.
PM: Yeah, it is. So I know you have your new record coming out, and I guess your tour starts really soon. What else do you see in the future for Social Studies?
NR: We’re really excited about this tour. We’re working on another album as we get ready to release this next one. Oh, and we’ll be touring nationally in the spring as well.
PM: Are you touring in support of anyone or will it be just your band?
NR: It will be in support of a band. Um… Details TBA.
PM: Okay.
NR: Yeah. I’m just really excited to get back into the studio and start work on the next record.
PM: Awesome! That’s great. That’s all I have. Is there anything else you’d like to say?
NR: I guess, just… Um… (laughs) Go check out the double! (laughs)
PM: Right! Free download. You can’t beat that. And both those songs will be on the new record, yeah?
NR: Yes, they will.
PM: Awesome. Well, thanks so much for talking with me Natalia. Have a safe trip to Chicago!
NR: Thanks. I’m praying my keyboards will be okay.
Links and Listen:
Download-”Time Bandit”-Social Studies, The Hourglass
Whatever was in the air Friday night, people must have been breathing in something good. With smoke machines puffing, a packed crowd drew close to the stage of The Independent in anticipation of Liam Finn + Eliza Jane. As the duo entered the stage, the venue erupted in rousing applause before deadening as the muted electronic beat of “Plane Crash” opened the set. EJ prowled the stage, drum sticks clenched in her fists, as Liam switched out the guitar for the drum set and EJ began brewing up a batch of psychedelic wails.
“You’re always the best crowd, but today you’re beautiful!” smiled Liam, queuing up a knockout performance of “Better To Be”, which quickly shifted from sugary sweet pop rock to an uninhibited jam session of dirty distortion, delighted chuckles from Eliza Jane and a drum solo that could only be described as ballistic.
Transitioning into “I’ll Be Lightning”, with the reverb on full blast, this was no regurgitated title track. Riffing against the looped chord progression of the song, Liam abused his guitar to the point of wild static, jumping on the drums for the climax as lights flashed and EJ raged alongside him.
“I don’t know who’s doing the lights, but you’re fucking on it!” cried Liam, totally inebriated in the moment, “I’m gonna throw some curveballs and you try to keep up!” With that, Liam began strumming a fast-paced version of “Second Chance”, practicing restraint as Eliza Jane added quick harmonies before they both dissolved back into chaos.
With the crowd screaming approval, Liam jumped back on the drum set, transitioning into a mind-bending performance of Lead Balloon. The drums looped as Liam switched back to his guitar, melting to his knees. Eliza Jane followed his lead, crouching on the ground and releasing ghoulish wails as Liam began experimenting with the nobs at the foot of the stage, turning the massive wall of sound they’d created into a low, deep buzz. Adding falsetto “oohs” to bring the song back to its original state, both lost control again, grabbing at instruments and experimenting with sounds in a massive psychedelic freak-out. Totally wild, Liam threw his guitar, grabbing his two drumsticks and bashing on the side of the drum set, bounding around the stage and screaming into the microphone.
Then the sound cut off, Liam standing center stage basking in the sudden silence. The crowd stared right back, stunned with their minds thoroughly blown. Breaking the spell, Liam grabbed the mic one more time, “So long, San Francisco! Have a good night!” – Kelsey Bryant
After a long Hiatus The Reverend Horton Heat is back with rockabilly beats and dirty guitar riffs on Laughin’ and Cryin’. To commemorate the occasion RHH has released a deluxe collectors edition (only 1,000 copies) through Yep Roc Records. It comes with a cool case, shot glass, and bonus disc of RHH covers by Hank III, John Doe & Dave Alvin, Los Straitjackets, and Peg Leg Mango Johnson (Take a look!).
PlasticMilk SF has partnered with Yep Roc records to give 1 copy away for free!!! For your chance to win The Reverend Horton Heat Laughin’ and Cryin’: Deluxe Collectors Edition, send in a picture of yourself laughin’ and cryin’ to Contact@PlasticMilkSF.com. It’s almost Halloween so we expect your creative juices are already flowing. The most creative and/or interesting picture wins! Contest ends this Saturday (Oct. 31st).
Providence folk rock trio, The Low Anthem, played an impressive set last Wednesday night at The Great American Music Hall (check out our recap). Before the show, Plastic Milk SF sat down backstage with frontman Ben Knox Miller and bassist Jeff Prystowsky to flesh out the band’s many influences, experiences and experimentations.
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Plastic Milk: Before you formed The Low Anthem, you both experimented with a lot of different genres. What about Americana really drew you in?
Ben Knox Miller: It happened totally unconsciously. There was no definitive moment. We didn’t sit down and come up with a band sound and then realize it. We just always played music and it slowly evolved.
Jeff Prystowsky: I mean, you know how it happens. You hear a song on the radio and you’re like, “Wow, that’s great. Let’s try to play that.” And then you’re like, “Hey, who does that guy listen to?” And suddenly you’ve got a new record and month later you hear something in that record and it’s just organic and it naturally evolves.
Plastic Milk: Are there any specific bands that really influenced you and your sound?
BKM: Yeah. There’s lots of bands and there’s lots of writers from Leonard Cohen to Tom Waits.John Steinbeck was a big part of the last record. Charles Darwin influenced the last record. I don’t know what genre he is [both laugh].
But you trace all those songs back and they kind of lead you back to the same place, which is Woody Guthrie and Hank Williams. Everything sort of diverged out from those two voices. The folk tradition and then the country tradition and blues kind of crept into that, with Elvis Presley segueing it into pop music. But yeah, I think everything comes back to Hank Williams and Woody Guthrie.
Plastic Milk: You formed the Low Anthem back at Brown University. How has your music evolved since then?
JP: Well, when we first started we were playing some very naïve and foolish and, in retrospect, very embarrassing electronic pop music. We had a drummer who was on his computer coming up with beats and we were called Hi, This Is Otis and then we were The Asthmatics for a little while. We used to play frat parties and did this great cover of “Hey Ya” that would then segue into “Hava Nagila” with everyone hopping around. We went through so many different versions of ourselves before we ever decided that we would try doing music professionally and get gigs around the Northeast.
Plastic Milk: You’re very creative with your instruments. I love in the Lake Fever Sessions version of “This God Damn House” where you whistle into two cell phones. The sound is incredible. What do you consider the most interesting or outrageous instrument that you’ve ever created?
JP: Well, there was the filing cabinet that we used for one gig.
BKM: Yeah, we put a speaker in a filing cabinet and dropped all these nails and pieces of old scraps into the filing cabinet and the speaker would play tones and it never worked all that well, but the idea was to create resonance in the cabinet and would get the thing sizzling. So it would become this gigantic percussive, tonal sizzler. It sounds much cooler than it ever turned out to be. We tried that for one gig and it went very poorly. But the filing cabinet’s on the record, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin.
There’s all kinds of stuff. I think pump organs are our big thing. Our sound. There’s a lot of organs and old wind-powered reed instruments, which we collect and patch up the insides of. There’s all these organs that are pretty bulky and no one knows what to do with them, so they put them up on eBay and we’re buying them up all over the country.
Plastic Milk: Now you mentioned that your sound is very organic, but when you are creating music is there a way that you try to stay true to the tradition of Americana or are you deviating from it. Do you keep that in mind when you’re composing?
BKM: I think that we have a great love for it and that sort of writes us in a natural way. We have a very deep respect for it, but we don’t consider ourselves to have a revivalist sound.
JP: Justin Townes Earl. His father is Steve Earl and he’s named after Townes Van Zandt. He has to carry on the tradition.
BKM: Or Rosanne Cash who’s put out a record of twelve songs that her father recommended and said these are classic iconic American songs.
JP: Yeah, so there’s people that really make a point of trying to carry on the tradition and want to embody that. We just love those songs and they crop up in our music in a natural way.
Plastic Milk: You’ve played some incredible festivals this summer (Newport Folk Festival, Glastonbury, Bonnaroo, SXSW). Was there a particularly memorable one – be it the location, the people or the fellow musicians?
BKM: Well, we got rained out at Bonnaroo. We had some really good festivals too, though. I think the best festivals we played this year were at England’s End Of The Road festival, which was beautiful – great booking, really good bands, really good vibe. And the Newport Folk Festival was the other great one. We had a great gig there because it was a hometown gig for us and it was an overwhelming amount of enthusiasm. Glastonbury was great too.
Plastic Milk: With this national tour and amazing critical praise, is there another album in the works or are you just living in the moment?
BKM: We’re living in the future [laughs]. We’ve been touring this record for so long, but the new record – we’ve been writing songs for it this whole time. We self-released Charlie Darwin last September, but recorded it eight months before that, so we’ve got two years since we last recorded. We’ve just been collecting songs and scheming for the next record. So, we’re sort of thinking ahead – not that this tour isn’t important
But you know what you should check out? Check out Stereogum. They’re previewing our new music video “Charlie Darwin” which is this cool stop-time animation. Really beautiful.
Oh, and we’re gonna do a headline tour next Spring. We’ve never done a proper US headline tour.
JP: And London.
BKM: And our biggest gig yet is coming up in London. For some reason, London was immediately responsive to our record. We’re playing a 2,000 capacity venue, which is so much bigger than anywhere we’ve ever headlined. So we’re excited about that too. It’s like a great experiment, because our sound is not a massive sound that can necessarily fill a space like that. We’re a little trepidatious and curious to see what will happen, but it’s exciting to have a chance.
We couldn’t make it to CMJ in NY this year, but our compadres at Sonicbids sent us some footage of Still Flyin’s Wed. CMJ performance. It’s 30-seconds of the show followed by a 30-second interview with the band talking about their time in NYC and sharing a few words for their fans back home in San Francisco.
“Formed in 2004, by Sean Rawls of Athens, GA, the band has grown into a behemoth and an SF institution. Known for raucous, sweaty live shows, the band has always been about inclusion, whether they are dragging audience members onstage to rage alongside them as they jam on vibraphones, trombones, tambourines and joints.There’s no pretense, there’s no statement, there’s just fun.”
