DJ Esef, Selector KDK and Ras Matthew Give Sacramento a Weekly Dose of Reggae
By Nicole Martinez | Photo By Dominick Porras
Every week, right here in Midtown, reggae dancehall music gets put into heavy rotation at the Capitol Garage. Any Friday night you can walk into an atmosphere of dark lights and percussive rhythms that emulate the human heartbeat. You can hear DJs and music selectors spinning crates full of 45s that vibrate a mix of dub and dancehall music, as well as new and classic roots reggae into the air. That’s the “sound” at The Get Down to the Champion Sound. Together, host DJ Esef, Selector KDK and vocalist Ras Matthew have been sharing their enjoyment of playing and performing all forms of reggae music for four years. They often feature guest performers and occasionally an entire live band. Here is what they had to say about reggae and their personal stories behind their music.
How did The Get Down to the Champion Sound all start? Give us a little background.
DJ Esef: I got a message from a promoter who knew I spun reggae and asked me if I wanted to DJ a reggae night at the Capitol Garage. So we started from there. I came out here with a friend; we were all ready to DJ, and we ended up being double-booked. They already had some other gig going on that night, and we didn’t even play. Then it happened again the next time and so finally I just talked to the owner, and he gave us the responsibility of Fridays here at the Capitol Garage. Then I called up Kevin [Kinnard (KDK)] two or three weeks after we started and asked him if he wanted to do this with me every week, and he said sure. We printed up flyers and worked to get the word out. Kevin and I just started keeping it consistent until we started attracting more and more of a crowd until finally we were able to pack the place up every week. We started asking people to do it with us and inviting performers from around the West Coast and Nor-cal to come out. We built it up and got it more solid. Our sound system has played with Jah Warrior Shelter, Tribe of Kings Sound, Wokstar, Shortkut, Skatalites, Lutan Fyah, Afrika Bambaataa, Rankin Joe, and just all kinds of guest DJs. It’s funny. At first I wasn’t gonna do it. But I listened to my inner soul and knew that I had to at least try my hardest.
RM: There was Sunday night reggae at the Blue Lamp that was going on with Wokstar but nothing else. Then these guys [Esef and KDK] started it up and I started coming through every week and singing a little bit here and there. We just started building together. We all had similar interests and were telling each other about what music we liked. We got new stuff every week trying to keep people interested. We play the old hits and the new stuff and try to get a good selection.
How did you start DJing?
Esef: I used to play reggae music from CDs at house parties and take over the CD player all night. This was before I had turntables—when I was about 14. Then one time this dude was like, “Why don’t you just get some turntables and DJ the whole party, if you’re gonna do that,” so I was like yeah. I just put my mind to it and went and got some turntables. I remember I traded my Super Nintendo for one wooden pioneer mahogany turntable and my mom found me another one just like it. I got some records and I just made it happen. I started doing house parties with my friends and then got asked to DJ a variety of situations. It’s been over 10 years now since I started.
Selector KDK: I just started buying records. And Steve [Franklin (Esef)] was like, “You got a lot of records, why don’t you DJ and select?” I was like, “Well no, I don’t want to DJ, I just want to have my records.” And he was all, “No you got to fucking DJ if you’re gonna have records.” So I was like, “Alright, I’ll fucking DJ then,” and that’s how I started.
Why do you choose to play reggae?
Esef: The reason that I play reggae music mostly is because it is the music I relate to the most. It’s shown me a lot of positivity. I’ve met a lot of people through it. And, I find reggae to reflect every kind of feeling and memory in my own head. There is a reflection for everything and reggae feels the best to me. It brought me up and showed me the light when I was in the darkest moments as well as the most beautiful ones. Ska, dub and rocksteady reggae were basically the soundtrack to my life from the ages of 12 to 16.
KDK: I always liked punk rock and there was a time when reggae and punk rock kind of mixed for me. Out of all of it, I just love reggae music.
RM: Reggae is good to relax and dance and have a good time. It’s mostly about the unity vibes and a good feeling. I really appreciate it. It crosses over from all the hip-hop I was used to when I was young.
What has been your favorite part or the best thing about The Get Down to the Champion Sound so far?
RM: It’s really nice to meet a lot of people, and it’s a good time.
KDK: I just love being able to play music for people. I like being able to put something new that someone hasn’t heard into their heads, or play
something they have heard and make them dance.
Esef: I remember we invited Afrika Bambaataa, a legend in the music field, out and it was great. Even Sha1 and Borg1 came out; they’re both Elder Northstar Zulus, and there were a lot of people feeling good. Bambaataa was using Serato, and for some reason it wasn’t working. I felt bad because I couldn’t fix it, and I wanted to make sure his stuff was working. I was like, “I don’t know Bam, looks like there is a problem. Let me try and jiggle this wire some more and see what happens.” I was sweating it and he was like, “It will be all right.” [He was] just calm. I’ll never forget: he just looked at it and it’s like he zapped a vibe right into the hard drive with his physical being. He made it work with his mind and energy. It just showed me not to stress out and don’t freak out. You have to maintain your vibe, stay focused and productive then things work out. That’s what I do now.
Imagine intertwining prongs of sleek, cool metal meeting in the middle of desire and decadence. Cutting the tension and fluff of frills and frosting with the blunt edges of reality, striking a hopeful counterbalance of possibility and reality. Sharing dessert with someone can subconsciously be this intense and stimulating. It’s really about what you’re eating, with whom you’re choosing to eat and how much you’re investing in the experience.
As much as any respectable foodie enjoys food, enjoying it with someone you care about makes the experience much more fulfilling. Regardless of the dreaded VD (Valentine’s Day, silly), this is just as good as any other time to share and build relationships with the important people in your life.
Grabbing dessert àdeux could be the starting point for sensual satiation, or just the right light ambiance for cheerful conversation with the right mélange of pals. Either way, Rick’s Dessert Diner is not only a local favorite for traditional desserts, but also a good place to dessert àdeux.
Upon my visit, I was looking for the sexiest and most sumptuous sweets. If I had my way, I would have ventured to this veritable sweet factory with a special someone (wouldn’t you like to know who?) I was sweet on. But, life is life and instead I recruited an amicable volunteer to partake in just desserts. A homie, if you will.
After hours of work, we were looking forward to our sweet treat. Isn’t the idea of Rick’s “more than 285″ homemade delectable desserts absolutely overwhelming? Since the possibility of “too much of a good thing” does exist, Rick’s offers the choice of about 40 different desserts upon any given visit. Keeping the approaching Valentine’s Day in mind, we chose the sexiest and best-partitioned pastries. We chose cakes we thought would leave those who dessert àdeux satisfied, intrigued and in anticipation, but not bloated or afflicted with bad breath.
We decided on a confectionary trifecta for $5.95 each: a slice of the white chocolate champagne cake, the strawberry bagatelle, and a smooth slice of the midnight torte as the topper.
Our sampling began with some disappointment. The white chocolate champagne cake scintillated my senses with four layers of yellow cake separated by raspberry preserves and butter cream. The humongous butter cream topping was like puff drops of cashmere cream-colored clouds dusted with sparkling sugar shavings. But the cake was too dry and frosting too buttery. The “champagne extract,” used to dazzle dessert choosers, had little notable flavor and set false expectations. The concept was creative, but the execution was not exceptional.
The strawberry bagatelle cake was the ultimate winner in my book. I thought it would be the average cake, but it was delightful and great to share. The big strawberries presented the perfect sharing test: splitting the fruit evenly. The 5/8 frosting to 3/8 spongy cake ratio worked well with highly orange-flavored, Grand Marnier-spiked creamy mousse topping.
As my homie excitedly told me about his budding relationship with a young vixen, we turned our attention to the flourless, chocolate-y midnight torte. Basically just chocolate, there was no way that this dessert wasn’t super sexy-time. Be sure to take the complimentary raspberry sauce, because the tartness of the puree is a necessary equalizer for the intense torte.
We managed to finish at least half of each slice of cake. Our eyes were bigger than our tums and I left feeling un-sexy. Moderation and sharing is key. One piece is perfect for two.
Sharing dessert can be as innocent as a sugar binge between buds. But it can be as intimately indulgent as the premise for a romantic romp between longing lovers. Let’s do it and go get some”¦ Dessert àdeux, I mean.
By Josselin Basaldu
Dusty Brown w/ DJ Whores
Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009
The Press Club, Sacramento
Do you ever wonder if the musicians you love really understand how talented they are? Music is a powerful thing that has the ability to move and change us; it can conjure the good or the evil that resides deep within our souls. If these musicians that we wonder about really knew the power they possessed, I’d like to think that they would always choose to use it for good.
Call me naïve, but when I witness a performance like that of Dusty Brown, Sacramento’s shining gene pool of electronica soundscapes, it fills me with feelings of hope and unrestricted love. Their latest Club Pow performance at The Press Club is a testament to their musical abilities.
Dusty Brown are veterans of the Sacramento music scene with a half-dozen Sammies under their belt as well as a Hall of Fame induction after winning the award too many times. I’ve been there for a good portion of that ride, so I’ve seen all the tricks and heard all the songs and own all the CDs. Normally, Jessica Brown’s vocals break my heart into a million tiny pieces that are then reassembled by Dusty’s intricate drum programming and ethereal Moog keyboard lines. I am swooned; and when I think I can sink no deeper into the melody that engulfs me, along comes Zac Brown, who patiently places his affected guitar riffs in all the right cracks and crevices that the song might allow. They have a power over the audience—hypnotizing each and every one of us with our bobbing heads and glazed eyes.
However, tonight will be a little different. Tonight, Jess Gowrie, the drummer from the now-defunct rock group Red Host, will be playing for a few songs and Dusty informs me that he will even hop on the bass for a track. Dusty Brown unplugged? Er”¦kinda.
Across the dance floor, DJ Whores is perched above the crowd, which he is sizing up methodically, waiting to drop the needle and send us all into motion. The Press Club’s stage sucks you in and makes you part of the performance whether you have the courage or not. It’s an intimate setting that feels comfortably snug rather than claustrophobic. DJ Whores’ distinct style of dance floor bangers is the product of hard work—the work of digging for just the right song. His electro selection introduces everyone’s ears to abrasive bass lines that move back and forth along the kick and snare. He prepares us.
Dusty Brown’s set begins with a few crowd favorites that have the girls feeling giddy; the hoodies that have assembled in the front are moving back and forth like Apache rain dancers. I see Jess appear to my left. She gazes at the stage that will soon be hers. Jessica Brown rewards my patience with a fuzzy comment into the microphone, saying something to the effect of, “I think it’s time for Jess.” The song begins without Gowrie as she approaches her low-seated Rocket Shell drum set—readying herself—then yields to her quickly climaxing drum build. She explodes into the chorus of the song and turns an electronica track into a heavy, Moog-flavored rock song. She can’t be denied now. Gowrie powers through two songs with the rest of the band that are crash- and snare-heavy. She finishes the songs and returns to the bar where she paces back and forth, breathing heavily and making no eye contact. I take a deep breath too, exhausted by the powers of good music.
Dillon Skinner, a 17-year-old amateur dirt bike rider from Vacaville, Calif. has been ripping it up since the ripe age of 5. “It all started with an electric quad,” remembers Skinner. “And then we had this old school Honda 80cc that my dad had. I learned to ride and I have been moving up ever since.” Indeed he has, as Skinner currently races a 450cc KTM, which is a heck of a lot of bike, especially for a 17-year-old. He seems to handle it well, although he recently re-injured his collarbone during the Fresno stop of the Amateur Arenacross Series. He isn’t letting that stop him from hitting the Sacramento stop, though. “I’m feeling pretty good this week,” Skinner says of his injury. “So it’s off to Arco Arena to fight for my spot in the U.S. Open.”
Although he technically is still an amateur, Skinner has acquired some noteworthy sponsors to help back his efforts including Mach 1 Motorsports in Vallejo, Calif.; Axo Gear; Dunlop; PPG; Impression Clothing and more. His most important sponsors, though, may just be his parents. And he is quick to acknowledge it, giving many thanks to his extremely supportive mom and dad. Skinner’s short-term goals include staying healthy, training hard for the outdoor season and moving up to the intermediate level. As for long-term goals, he hopes to someday become a professional and make a career out of racing.
Submerge recently caught up with Skinner just before he left for the Sacramento races and chatted about some of his favorite (and least favorite) things in life.
Favorite professional riders:
1. Donnie Cantaloupi
2. Josh Hill
3. Ricky Carmichael
Least favorite professional riders:
1. Chad Reed
2. Bubba Stewart
3. Jason Lawrence
Favorite tracks/cities to race:
1. E-Street, Marysville, Calif.
2. Glen Helen, San Bernadino, Calif.
3. Hangtown, Folsom, Calif.
Least favorite tracks/cities to race:
1. Club Moto, Livermore, Calif.
2. Hanford, Hanford, Calif.
3. Honey Lake, Susanville, Calif.
Favorite conditions to ride in:
1. A little wet and tacky
2. Sand
3. Mud
Least favorite conditions to ride in:
1. Slick
2. Dry hard-packed
3. Smelly mud
Favorite moto-x movies:
1. Nitro Circus
2. Crusty Demons
3. 50 Nuts
Least favorite moto-x movies:
1. SX Exposed
2. MX Exposed
3. Chad Reed training video
Favorite styles of music:
1. Country
2. Reggae
3. Good old rock ‘n’ roll
Favorite bands:
1. Beastie Boys
2. AC/DC
3. Rise Against
Least favorite bands:
1. Staind
2. N’Sync
3. Rush
Favorite bands from this region:
1. Andre Nickatina
2. Papa Roach
3. Living Legends
Favorite movies:
1. Fast Times at
Ridgemont High
2. Happy Gilmore
3. Blue Streak
Least favorite movies:
Not sure, too many to choose from!
Favorite TV show:
1. South Park
Favorite local food spots:
1. Mr. Pickles, especially since “Pickles” is one of my nicknames, along with “Sunshine.”
2. Madfish Sushi
3. Burger City
Favorite things to do in or around Sacramento:
1. Old Sacramento
2. Going to the American River
3. Skateboarding in Downtown Sac.
Four years ago, the world was a different place: electing a black president was still just a fantasy; thought of a serious, wordwide recession was just another thing for alarmists to rant and rave about; and Sacramento’s spaz-rockers Hella was together as a duo.
Now in 2009, no one bats an eye as Barack Obama helms the sinking ship of the U.S. economy toward what most of us hope are greener pastures (Rush Limbaugh), and Hella has began work on their first album as a two-piece band since 2005. Zach Hill (drums) and Spencer Seim (guitars) announced today on their Myspace page that they’re writing a new record.
Details are still few. According to the band, “the album will be recorded and finished this year of 2009.” However, as of now, no label or producer/engineer have been chosen. Uncertain music for uncertain times. What better band than Hella to serve as the soundtrack for the wild year ahead?
The King of Pop will make his return to the stage for the first time since 2001. Michael Jackson announced an open-ended run of performances commencing at London’s O2 Arena on July 9. Jackson will begin with 10 scheduled performances and continue as long as demand dictates. This unique statement of world domination isn’t the first, however, as promoter AEG Live also did a string of 21 sold-out Prince shows at the same London venue, according to Billboard. Bets are already being placed on whether or not the erratic King will actually show up to the first show.
The kids in MGMT have balls. The band sacked up and decided to go after the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, for copyright infringement. The President’s Union for a Popular Movement party used MGMT’s song “Kids” for their national congress in January and in a couple online videos without permission, according to Pitchfork. The band hired a French lawyer to throw their weight around, but the French party isn’t budging. The UMP admitted their wrongdoing and have graciously offered the band one euro (about $1.25) in “symbolic damages for copyright infringement” says the Agence France Presse. As expected, the band and their reps find the response insulting, thus they will be offering only “freedom fries” on their upcoming tour.
The Fray has announced a headlining tour and will bring out Jack’s Mannequin as support for their summer (mostly) amphitheater tour. The Fray’s latest, self-titled effort managed to actually top Taylor Swift on the Billboard charts in its February debut, selling 179,000 copies. The tour, beginning in June, will also feature female-fronted Vedera on its Sacramento stop, July 31 at Sleep Train Amphitheatre.
The Virgin Megastore franchise continues to close shop around the country. Sacramento was home to one of the 11 Virgin record shops that were open throughout the U.S. in 2007; however, only three will remain after the San Francisco and Times and Union Square stores in New York close by this May. The Sacramento location closed in 2007, managing to outlast Tower Records, which finally closed its doors at the end of 2006. It’s no news CD sales continue to dwindle as record stores become extinct. This leaves me a perfect opportunity to plug the current R5 Records in the old Tower building on Broadway and 16th. Buying CDs is cool.
The orgasmic Icelanders, Sigur Ros, have signed on to contribute music to a new film, Ondine starring Colin Ferrell. NME reports that Sigur Ros keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson will score the film directed by Neil Jordan. The band will also contribute a number of tracks to the movie. Ondine tells the tale of an Irish fisherman who discovers a woman in his fishing net who he believes to be a mermaid. I’m hoping for an Irish-indie version of The Life Aquatic meets Little Mermaid.
And in other news”¦ comedian Steve Martin will release The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo, joining David Hasselhoff, Lindsay Lohan, and most recently Joaquin Phoenix on the list of actors pretending to be musicians.
Bring It on Home!
For over 10 years Tyler Coppin, a Sacramento native turned Australian actor and writer, has traveled the world with his one-man show Lyrebird, Tales of Helpmann, receiving nothing but positive reviews along the way.
Lyrebird”¦ is an incredibly entertaining and hilarious 90-minute production about the life and career of an aging theatrical star, Sir Robert Helpmann. Helpmann was one of Australia’s first true stars and went on to have great success internationally in dance, theater and film. You might recognize him from his role as the “Child Catcher” in the classic 1968 film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but whether you are familiar with Helpman’s work or not, Lyrebird”¦ is sure to entertain theatre junkies and rookies alike. Time Magazine has called it “Spellbinding,” and Variety has dubbed it, “An inspiring, virtuoso performance.”
The United States premier is set for Feb. 5-22 right here in Sacramento at the 24th Street Theatre, and Coppin could not be more excited to be bringing his production home. Submerge recently caught up with the thickly accented Aussie to chat about the play.
What compelled you to write and perform this play about Sir Robert Helpmann in the first place?
You don’t have much power as an actor, and that’s what I am. It’s very creative, but you’re powerless. You’re left to the whim of a producer liking you or a director liking you, or you’re auditioning to get the role. You really don’t make your own decisions until you get onstage and then you’re told by a director what to do. The most empowering thing that you can do, that I’ve found, is to write your own play, write your own show. I like dressing up and making people laugh. I wanted to make a one-man show that I could travel the world with.
Photo: Tracy Schramm
Sum up Helpmann for those of us who aren’t familiar with the man and his work.
He was the ultimate in British theater fairies. The old-style theatrical type of guy that sits in an enormous gold throne telling fabulous stories. Just from another time and place. Facelifts for days, you know that ’70s style, just dripping with jewelry. I just thought, “I can paint this guy’s face on myself like a Halloween mask and it could be a vehicle for me to tell his story.”
It’s a really interesting story about this little guy who was born in South Australia last century and he wanted to be a ballet dancer. Now, that was unheard-of, because he grew up on a farm and his father just said, “You’re not fucking going to do that, over my dead body!” [Laughs] And then eventually he said, “Yeah go for it.”
Helpmann was always told he was bad, he was always told he overacted. He was told he was a fairy and feminine. But he ended up doing everything he ever wanted to do and more. He eventually moved to London and turned himself into this star.
Is there a famous American actor or performer you would compare him to?
I have thought about this so much. John Malkovich has different shades, you know? He’s like the actor’s actor. Theater is his life and his life is in theater. Helpmann was so dramatic, and that’s what I find funny. It’s comedic but it’s also beautiful. He’d say, “I have no life other than theater.”
So he sort of openly admitted his addiction to theater?
Exactly! And, see, my thing was punk music. When the Sex Pistols exploded, that’s when I was sort of like just fresh out of home. I followed the whole punk explosion and was really into it. So the idea of Robert Helpmann, as a young actor—which I was—kind of really repulsed me. He was the older actor that kind of said, “You can never aspire to what I’ve achieved.”
And so I kind of did this originally to slap him in the face [laughs]. Then I realized he was really great; so it started from kind of an annoyed disdain for the man and I totally ended up loving the guy and his amazing achievements.
It’s been quite a run now. You’ve been performing this play for 10 years; did you ever think it would last this long or become this successful?
No, I didn’t. I had no idea. It was originally a party piece that I wrote with some friends, it was called Bobby’s Fluffy Trip. Then I just extracted that characterization and made a one-person show out of it.
Tyler Coppin (L) and brother Mitch (R) prior to a performance in Australia | Photo: Virginia Wong
You grew up in Sacramento. How does it feel to be bringing Lyrebird”¦ home for the first time?
It’s amazing. I’ve never worked with my brother Mitch, and he’s never worked in theater. He came to New Zealand and saw the show and loved it, and he said, “I think you should do it in Sacramento.”
Then he called me again about it a couple years ago, and I said, “Well, no offense, but why? It’s a lot of work, you know.” Then I thought, “It will be great to work with Mitch. He wants to do something creative.”
So it’s more of a family effort than it’s ever been.
[Laughs] Well yeah, completely. At first when I thought about it, I realized it’s nice being away overseas, because it’s kind of an icky show in a way—a lot of makeup, and a lot of hair spray and I smoke herbal cigarettes [laughs]. I’ve got all these people I haven’t seen in a long time that are related to me and they’re coming, and I’m playing this character. Not that I care, but this is the first time they’re going to see me as this character and they’re going to think, “What happened to Tyler?” But it’s good, the whole point is to hide behind a character and make people laugh.
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
I love Valentine’s Day because my grandparents send me funny little cards with cartoons on them, and there’s always five bucks inside! I’m glad that some things never change.
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
I would say that I’m motivated across the board by love. However, I enjoy writing songs from the perspective of the sad or vengeful lover since it’s easier to be funny or creative with that kind of premise. Most of my songs are dark and kind of twisted, and I find that more entertaining than writing about how in love I am!
Do you have a funny V-Day story?
In high school, I had a boyfriend that made me a silver Green Lantern ring for V-Day. Also, when I was in elementary school, my dad dropped off a bouquet of roses for the school secretary—Ms. Johnson—to deliver to my classroom. She had to interrupt our lesson in order to put it on my desk, and everyone teased me long after. They said that Ms. Johnson and I were in love.
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
Love it, it’s pretty much a for sure night that you’ll get laid. Or at least eat a bomb dinner somewhere and get drunk!
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
For me it’s hard to write a bunch of love songs about the same girl. So, I think it’s easier to write hate-type songs. I try hard to not write songs about girls, though”¦ Everyone does that. The new album only has about three out of 12 songs about the ladies on it.
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
I hate it, because it is a holiday that was made up for corporate BS, to make money. Capitalism sucks.
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
Neither, there are way more things in the whole wide world that have way more substance and meaning then love or hate, like trees, flowers, oil and war. And outer space. And war in outer space. Galactic War.
Do you have a funny V-Day story?
Box of chocolates, blah blah blah. Who cares?
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
I guess I like it, wouldn’t say I love it though. I like it ’cause it’s just a cool day to kick it with your girl and any problems or whatever you go through, you forget about them that day and your focus is on the one you’re with.
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
Definitely hate. Without hate all you would have is people just happy with the way things are, and that’s not me. I’m not happy with the way some things are, and I’d rather fight for what I believe in.
Do you have a funny V-Day story?
This one time, at band camp”¦
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
I wouldn’t say that I love it, but I definitely don’t hate it. It’s just a good excuse to throw a tie on and act like a baller. Well that is if you have a date of course.
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
I’m not a big fan of hate, so I would have to say love. But I probably have written a few songs while I was pissed off so you can call it what you want. Love makes everything better and music is no exception.
Do you have a funny V-Day story?
A few years back neither my friend nor myself had a date for V-Day so we thought we would just hang out. I had the bright idea to go to drive-in movies with him on the most romantic night of the year. So there we where surrounded by a bunch of cars full of guys and girls all trying to get some action. It wasn’t till our windows were fogged up that we realized maybe two straight dudes in a steamy car wasn’t the best way to pick up on chicks that night. Pretty embarrassing. I think we turned a few heads.
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
We all agree [the whole band] that it depends: If we are dating it is a great night out, lots of fun. If we are committed, V-Day can be a nice reminder of how much you love your honey or a sick reminder of how corporate America has made love a commodity. If you’re single, usually it is depressing!
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
Everything outside the norm! Love can really get some rocking tunes out of us where as depression, hate and fear push for a more relatable song for a fan. More people notice the bad emotions over the good, creating a want to hear that you are not the only one feeling a specific emotion or being in an irregular situation.
Do you have a funny V-Day story?
My senior year, I asked a guy to homecoming and he said yes just to say no two days before the dance. Well, after high school, he and I got together and three years later for V-Day he decorated our garage like our senior homecoming and took me to the dance! We’ve been together for six and a half years now.
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
I love any excuse to appreciate people I adore, eat too much sugar and wear red. Those candy hearts with the writing on them are so tasty, especially the purple and white ones! And flowers, you get flowers! I might add, though, that every day should be treated like a truly special occasion and that love should be expressed consistently, not just when Hallmark, See’s Candy and jewelry stores unite to tell us we should.
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
Well, I think that hate is maybe just another form of love. Perhaps the truest opposite of love is apathy since one has to actually care about someone else to hate him or her. The human experience in general motivates me to write me music, every loving moment of it.
Do you have a funny V-Day story?
Well oddly enough, the only time I’ve ever had a special someone on Valentine’s Day, we parted ways. My valentines have always been the many loves of my life: My family and circle of friends.
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
While I definitely don’t have any strong love for the holiday, I do appreciate the irony of it. The fact that a pagan festival celebrating fertility has slowly morphed into one of the most consumer oriented and materialistic holidays under the guise of proving one’s “love” is endlessly hilarious to me. Luckily all the girlfriends I’ve had have been cool enough not to give a damn about chocolates or teddy bears.
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
I’m probably guilty of writing a couple hate-based songs back when I played metal. These days I find love to be much more of an inspiration lyrically. I can’t write love songs about boys and girls, but I write about loving dirt and furry creatures and the like. I am also fascinated with the many ways love can manifest, how it can be used to hurt as well as heal, and how something as beautiful as love can be twisted to make people do terrible, horrific things.
Do you have a funny V-Day story?
We had an anti-Valentine’s Day party once. It resulted in several fistfights, random hook-ups, naked dancing to Beyonce, and eventually one of our friends being tied to a chair.
I thought it was funny.
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
Love it! But not for the reasons everyone else does, I guess. I think it should be about all sorts of love, so that’s how I look at it. Family, friends, romantic, or even the love we should extend to strangers.
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
Most of my songs definitely center on the love of something, whether it’s a person, a thing or just life in general. I’m definitely not a person who can relate to the feeling of hatred. Love is just something I’m more in touch with, and it’s something I’m much more inclined to share.
Do you have a funny V-Day story?
I used to not celebrate it in high school, because I had such hard feelings about the day. I had not had much luck in the guy department up to that point. It was very Meg Ryan of me. I used to just sit in bed with a bag of Pirate’s Booty, watching old movies instead.
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
I love Valentine’s Day because I’m the type of girl that loves to spoil the person I care most about in this world. Plus it’s another reason to go to Victoria’s Secret!
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
Mostly hate motivates me more when it comes to writing music. It’s a way for me to get any frustrations or bad memories out of my system and the resolution becomes the song itself.
Do you have a funny V-Day story?
Well it didn’t happen on V-Day, but it is a funny story that has to do with love. In the beginning of our relationship, my boyfriend wanted to make the first time we had sex very special. He planned this romantic night and made me wait in the other room while he set up the bedroom. He had rose petals all over his bed, great contrast to the white comforter of course. This was the first time for both of us having sex on a bed with rose petals, well there were hot candles all around and it was some hot sex. The petals sort of melted. Don’t ask me how! But when we were done we got up and his white comforter and sheets had pink and red all over it and the petals were not so pretty anymore.
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
It really takes a lot to inflict such powerful emotions like love and hate for me”¦a lot more than a holiday. But really, hate is a useless emotion anyways, so I try and let go of it as quickly as possible.
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
I believe music tells a story, and it transforms experience. Love and hate usually play a role in all our lives, so it will always be reflected in music. I don’t usually find much inspiration in hate and I’d rather ponder on the beautiful things of life.
Do you have a funny V-Day story?
One time I dressed as a giant heart and walked up and down the mall yelling for people to, “Mind the ways of the olden days,” and, “Don’t take your time and life for granted,” and. “Eat fiber,” and, “Squirrels have feelings too.” I guess everyone found all of this extremely offensive, especially on such a sacred and beloved holiday such as Valentine’s Day. The great Richard Valentine himself was stirring in his grave while I was taken out of the mall in handcuffs. And all I really wanted was a date for the night.
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
I don’t really care about it; I’ve barely ever paid attention to it. At this point I think it’s just a way for Hallmark and florists to make bank. And chicks dig it. I don’t hate it; it’s just corny!
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
Well, they say there’s a thin line between love and hate, and my songs celebrate both with equal enthusiasm. Things I love, things I hate and things I love to hate. Each day is a celebration of life and love it or hate it, you have live it on your own terms. You’ve got to make that hate work for you!
Do you have a funny V-Day story?
I truly have no noteworthy stories! It was cool back in the day though, getting like Smurf and Pac-Man Valentines and eating candy. Good times!
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
Three cheers for Valentine’s Day! How else would we know when to be romantic? Or when to buy flowers or candy? How else would we know when to put on a red dress and go out to dinner? Or when to have sex? Thank God for Valentine’s Day!
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
There’s definitely more hate than love in my songs. It’s easy to get all fired up by the bad stuff. Anger! Yeah! And I guess love is just kind of private to me.
Do you have a funny V-Day story?
Years ago, I decided I’d give my boyfriend at the time some photos of me posing in lingerie. I blew up red balloons and taped them to a wall in the shape of a heart. My sister came over and took the pictures with me standing against the wall, inside the heart. Well, they came out really ridiculous! I had bad hair and couldn’t pose provocatively for the life of me. Plus, that was back in the days before digital cameras—when you had to get your film developed. Yikes!
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
I love it because it’s all about the love, hate it because I have to be all love-y and stuff and spend a lot of money on flowers, dinner, etc. when I’m always broke. And the corporate BS of Valentine’s Day? Really?
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
Love, because music is life. Really without it, what else is there? It’s true expression of what’s inside and no matter what language you sing, speak, yell, scream”¦ you know where the band or artist is coming from.
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
I’m not a hater, but I think I lean more towards disliking V-Day. I’m really not a fan of the whole, “card giving” thing. I have received so many cards from people in the past, but I have never been one to return the favor. You can take your girl out any other time of the year. It’s just another holiday that I feel obligated to spend money I don’t have. This V-Day I am playing a show! But don’t get me wrong; I will be spending some time with my girl on the 14th.
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
Definitely love. Although a lot of my songs are about the harder and more complicated parts of love. I’m more motivated to write when I’m going through a difficult situation regarding love, rather than when I’m extremely happy.
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
Love, because music is life. Really without it, what else is there? It’s true expression of what’s inside and no matter what language you sing, speak, yell, scream”¦ you know where the band or artist is coming from.
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
Hate it when I’m single, hate it even more when I have someone to take out because I’m probably going to be spending hella money to make sure I have a date for next Valentine’s Day just to spend more money. “What you won’t do, do for love”¦”
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
An artist’s best work is made when they’re depressed about love, more specifically about not having love. So love and hate pretty much go hand-in-hand when it comes to inspiration.
Do you have a funny V-Day story? Back in elementary school this girl that I was hella diggin’ gave me a Barbie Valentine card with a tip on how to do your own French manicure at home. I was so confused.
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
I love it. It’s the one day of the year when single ladies are going to want to have more fun due to having no boyfriends. Your chances of sexy time are increased on Valentine’s Day.
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
Hate, hate, hate. When you got that anger brewing inside of you and you start a song, you’re going to want to spit murder at someone or at something and words seem to fall and go together in a form that I like, so hate on.
Do you have a funny V-Day story?
No, but if you want to make a funny story with me, ladies, you can hit me on our Myspace, and we can make some magic. Or not.
Valentine’s Day: Love it or hate it?
Valentine’s Day is one of the many holidays I feel really neutral about, along with Independence Day, Halloween (though at least that’s another excuse to wear a costume) and New Year’s Eve. I don’t think I’m above it, like those people who brag about not owning a TV; I just have never had a valentine on Valentine’s Day so I’ve never known the joys of it.
Valentine’s Day is an aisle of cheap candies and stuffed animals in shades of red at Longs that I walk through on my way to buy a bottle of shampoo. This year I’m playing a Valentine’s show at Vox Gallery in West Sac, it’s a benefit for a local art group—yeah! That’s what love is really about.
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
Love! I may be moody, but I don’t write songs about hate.
Do you have a funny V-Day story?
Ah I wish! Someone promised me a Valentine surprise this year though so maybe.
Valentines Day: Love it or hate it?
I never really thought about it before. I guess I don’t really love it or hate it. It seems to me like it’s just another one of those Hallmark holidays to get you to buy candy and cards for your loved ones. But hey—at least it’s about love.
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
Both of them, love and hate, each one has its positives and negatives and both of them have motivated me to write music. I would say I have written more songs about love, but they aren’t necessarily love songs. Some of my songs are about spreading more love to one another while others are about love gone wrong, which could turn into hate.
Valentines Day: Love it or hate it?
I’ve never felt an attachment to Valentine’s Day. I don’t think I’ve ever had a girlfriend that was too into it either. I just proposed to my girlfriend, so I’m not sure if I need to do something extra special this year or if the proposal covers the next couple holidays. I’m hoping for the latter.
What motivates you more to write music: love or hate?
I couldn’t really say love or hate fuels my writing. Obviously I love music, but I’ve never felt that romantic “inspiration” everyone associates with musicians. I don’t fall in love and go running to the piano. I need a neutral mind to compose properly.
Do you have a funny V-Day story?
When I was 18 or 19 I dressed up in a suit and brought flowers to my girlfriend while she was at work. I wasn’t trying to be funny at the time, but I guess it’s kind of funny now looking back.
Church Underwater
The ocean is home to the world’s largest creatures. One of the most fascinating of these mammoth beasts is the giant squid. Rarely photographed, its elusiveness belies its ponderous size. As a result, the mysterious creature has inspired folklore, myth and art worldwide. It is fitting that such a beast would serve as the moniker for San Francisco-/Sacramento-based metal band Giant Squid. Titanic in sound, Giant Squid is difficult to categorize. Though the band leans heavily on the tenets of doom/stoner metal popularized by groups such as Isis—riffs are heavy, thick, slow and hypnotic and paired with wailing vocals laden with despair—Giant Squid pushes the avant-garde metal envelope even further, tossing in atmospheric keys, horns and strings into the mix. This strange sonic brew made the group’s debut full-length, 2006’s Metridium Fields, a noteworthy release for underground metal fans. On Feb. 3, Giant Squid may extend its reach even further with the unveiling of their latest album, The Ichthyologist.
Weirder, heavier and deeper than the group’s previous efforts, The Ichthyologist is a sort of heavy music kaleidoscope. Considered separately, the songs seem to share little in common with one another: The jazz-y “Sutterville” sways like a drunken zombie lounge singer; while the opener “Panthalassa” starts with a sinewy, serpentine guitar line that snakes into a wall-squalling metal noise. Yet, when listened to as a whole, these disparaging colors form a mesmerizing picture.
A portion of the album’s success should be credited to the man turning the knobs. In-demand heavy music producer Matt Bayles, who has worked with the aforementioned Isis as well as Mastodon in the past, served as producer for The Ichthyologist. According to Giant Squid singer/guitarist Aaron Gregory, the band, without the backing of a label, pooled its resources to pay Bayles’s considerable price tag.
“Everyone in the band chipped in their savings and then some,” Gregory says. “We sold some gear, and we finally got around to putting the rest of our Monsoon EPs online, and made some money off of those real quick. We managed to do it somehow. We put together a really large sum of money and hired him.”
It was money well spent. During our interview, Gregory refers to Bayles as a “taskmaster,” but says he appreciated the producer’s strictness.
“He really whipped us into shape, and made us make sure we play every note to the best of our ability, or he wouldn’t let it go,” Gregory recalls. “It’s one of the first records I’ve walked away from and said, ‘I’m pretty much OK with every single thing I did on that record.'”
The Ichthyologist‘s cohesiveness may also be attributed to its concept. The album coincides with Gregory’s first, yet-to-be-completed graphic novel by the same name. Gregory says that the comic book version of The Ichthyologist is, in part, inspired by The Swamp Thing. “I love the idea of a man becoming something so much more than a man, and yet kind of less than a man, and the spiritual heaviness of Swamp Thing, especially when Alan Moore started writing it,” Gregory says of the classic DC Comics character.
Gregory, a professional SCUBA diver working at San Francisco’s Aquarium of the Bay, discussed the audio, visual and philosophical aspects of The Ichthyologist in a recent interview.
You’re self-releasing The Ichthyologist in a limited run of 1,000 copies. What made you decide to take that route with the album?
We spent an incredible amount of money to work with Matt Bayles, and we’re maybe not the caliber of band yet that could get a label to pay us right upfront enough money to hire Matt Bayles. Honestly, I doubt most labels would be able to give us half of the advance we would need to work with Matt. Because we did it for ourselves, we wanted to make sure that we didn’t give this album away to a label for nothing and we all kind of lose our ass. In all reality, you don’t see hardly any money back from small labels. That’s just part of it. That’s fine too, because they work their ass off and they have bills to pay too. In this way, if we sell a thousand of them at 12 bucks a pop, we get all of our money back. We get to break even. We’re at the level that we can do that on our own, for sure. The pre-sales are already exploding. We sell a shit-ton of them every day. Hopefully when all is said and done, we would have signed a new label deal or two, six months after the release, it’s our goal to find someone to put it out on vinyl and put it out on CD.
I’ve read that The Ichthyologist is based on a graphic novel that you’re working on. Would you like to talk about that?
Yes, the album is based on a graphic novel I’m writing that goes by the same name. The protagonist has lost it all in haphazard ways and takes on the abilities of a sea star to survive it, and thus begins this huge journey, that no matter what happens he ends up healing, because sea stars have this regenerative ability. The album is basically the poetic description of my character’s origin. It’s the poetic downfall from the beginning to the end of his origin. The graphic novel goes much, much more past that.
Did you know that you wanted to tell this story both musically and as a graphic novel, or were you not sure?
I came up with the album title first. I thought that would just be a great album name, The Ichthyologist. It’s perfect for me—perfect for Giant Squid. Then I was talking to someone in the comic book industry, a good friend of mine, about some ideas to pitch for the company he works for, which led me to this concept, under the same name. The songs had already been written, and I worked the general themes of those into the story. There’s a song on there called “Mormon Island,” which is a very old gold mining town in the Sacramento area that’s long since gone and is now actually sitting at the bottom of Folsom Lake. We were writing this very creepy song, and someone said that it sounded like a church underwater, and I was like, “Shit, I know where there’s a church underwater. There’s a church at the bottom of Folsom Lake, a town called Mormon Island. We’ve got to call this song ‘Mormon Island.'” Then I was like, “How can I work Mormon Island into the story?” And by doing so, it opened up all these different angles into my story. So, as I’m writing the graphic novel, writing the album helped inspire a lot of different things, and vice versa. There would be ideas, right from the get-go, like, “I have to write a song about this moment in the dude’s creation, this moment in the guy’s downfall,” and so on.
Looking at the other titles on the album, there’s one that mentions the Donner Party; and Ernst Haeckel, whose image you used on the cover, has a peak named after him in the Sierra Nevadas. There’s also a mention of the La Brea Tar Pits. I don’t know if it was intentional, but the album seems to have a very firm sense of place. It’s very Californian.
Absolutely. I’ve always been obsessed with California history, and have incorporated it in a lot of ways, sometimes more subtle than others, in all our albums. We also had a 7-inch called “Sutter’s Fort,” and there’s a sequel to “Sutter’s Fort” on The Ichthyologist called “Sutterville,” which is more or less about Sacramento refusing to give up its capitol-ship. Sacramento kept flooding in the 1800s, and people kept saying, “You need to move your capitol. This is a pretty shitty fucking place to have a capitol.” And Sacramento refused to give it up, and after huge bouts of cholera and death and that kind of shit, they just raised all the streets 10 feet in the air. The actual story of The Ichthyologist is time-hopping as well.
There’s a mix between the human history of California and the natural history as well. Does working in marine biology allow you to see the scope of both? I would imagine being underwater, you can see how the Earth grew up out of it.
You know, not to get too heady, but when you’re 40 feet down at the bottom of the ocean in Monterey and you’re surrounded by kelp and a rocky reef and tens of thousands of fish swimming around”¦you are basically staring right at the godhead. You’re staring at the spiritual center of it all. As far as our planet goes, it all came from right there. You also never have felt like you belong as much as you do when you’re down there. It’s a very strange and surreal sense. It opens up a lot of spiritual thought and philosophy, and who we are in the grand scheme of things. The album is a little heady in some ways, because it does touch on stuff like that. The grand result of the graphic novel kind of deals with that—God being underwater. People go into the seas to talk with God.
Relentless About the Music
Forget about your one-hit wonders and starry-eyed kids just breaking into the music scene. Despite a lack of local publicity, Another Damn Disappointment has been a staple of the Sacramento music scene for a good 10 years and has a lot to show for it.
“We’ve done rad shit,” says singer and songwriter Josh Thompson. “Our shit was on MTV’s The Real World, in the background. I’ve been driving through other states and heard our stuff on the radio. But in Sacramento, we’ve had zero recognition.”
This lack of love from their hometown is partially responsible for their name, Another Damn Disappointment, a name which was chosen midway through the band’s career. In the early years, the band was known simply as ADD, an apt name considering two of the members of the band actually had Attention Deficit Disorder, and that their musical style was “punk-rock fast,” as bass player Casey Marsullo says.
The name Another Damn Disappointment was added later, when a record label prodded them for a more distinctive name. Considering the band’s dissatisfaction with the Sacramento music scene, this name is equally appropriate. “We have a great fan base here and a big following, but no one really sticks [up] for us. We’re on the radio all the time and KWOD has always been really nice to us, but as far as anything else goes, this city I don’t think supports its bands,” Thompson explains.
But ADD didn’t let this get them down. They started playing in Los Angeles, and found the crowd to be much more receptive to punk rock music. They’ve played all across the United States and Canada, including two summers of playing on Vans Warped Tour, a CD release show with Pennywise on Catalina Island and a show at House of Blues, Anaheim. “We’ve toured our asses off: Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, New York, Kansas, Florida, pretty much every major city you can think of,” says Marsullo.
In Sacramento, their hearts still go out to The Boardwalk, which is where they played their first show. “The first year we played there almost once a month and just packed it in,” Marsullo says. “That’s how we built up a reputation with promoters. [They were] like, God, ADD packs it in there! Where did this band come from?”
In the beginning, ADD was just a bunch of punk kids who wanted to be part of the music scene. “After years of going to punk rock shows and getting beat up in the mosh pit, one day I was thinking that it would be kind of cool to be the guy onstage looking down on that instead of the guy in it,” Marsullo remembers. They got together with some buddies at Folsom High, including current guitarist Ross Standley, and started playing, and it was crap. Thompson says, “We were so into punk and living that lifestyle for so long that it didn’t even matter that we sucked. We had the desire to play punk music so much that it was overwhelming everything else.”
Marsullo adds, “We just kept rocking.”
Luckily, the talent came with time. And just as the music grew and changed, so did the band members. In 2007, they added a second guitarist, Aaron Welch, who had been a fan of the band for quite a while. Thompson remembers that when Welch came to try out for the part of rhythm guitarist, he blew them away with his talent, he knew all of the songs, even the solos. It turned out that Welch had a degree in music, knew how to record and even listened to all of the same music. “It was a perfect fit,” Thomspon says.
ADD has been through their share of drummers before current drummer Carl Chang joined a couple of months ago, and every drummer has been better than the last. “It’s like the missing piece that needed to be there,” Thompson says about Chang. “[He is] the epitome of a bad-ass drummer.”
Thompson writes all the lyrics, usually while drinking a lot of coffee and taking some Adderall, he says. “Usually I will try to do a couple about society or politics, whatever bullshit is going on,” says Thompson. “And then there’s always the woman in my life that’s fucking me up. I’ll probably write a few about that. Standard punk rock.” And of course, a few songs are dedicated to going out and getting drunk.
Their first album, Quarter Life Crisis, was self-produced and came out in 2000. They describe this album as being “pop-y punk.” Next, they released Hooligan through Volcom Entertainment, which was a little more aggressive and dark than their first. Their new album will be released through Felony Records, and they describe it as being more “metal-punk.” It is called Relentless, which pretty much describes the attitude of the band. Thompson says, “Through all the trials and tribulations, whatever bullshit that has gone down, [we are] relentlessly playing.” The cover art illustrates this idea. Thompson describes it as, “an old fifties style bomber plane being shot and going down in smoke but still firing its guns, not stopping until it’s dead.”
Their sound has changed a lot since the band’s formation, continuing to move away from traditional punk music into a darker and more mature sound. Thompson explains, “The band’s talent level kept on getting better, so the music is just adapting. We can do so many more things now, especially with Aaron being on board with the second guitar.”
Although Relentless hasn’t even been officially released, they are already hard at work on their next album, and have four songs written. Thompson and Marsullo agree that this next album will be, overall, just the next step in their musical talents, heavier and more intricate. “[There are] more interesting things going on rather than your standard four-chord punk rock song,” Thompson says.
Goals for the near future? “I’d like to see this record really take off,” Thompson says. “It’s the first CD that we’ve done that I’m actually really proud of and I’m fully backing.”
