8 Questions With: Tally Hall

Following Friday's rousing set at Rehab, the Michigan based quintet dropped by The Rugby Store, where Jen got a chance to chat with Ross F. (percussionist) about a variety of topics.

1. What have you learned from being in the business?

Also, can you offer any advice to bands starting out?

It's really easy to get lost if you're caught up in too much of the "business" of everything. However, it's important to consider that of course, and to do everything you can to be active in promoting yourself and your music. The toughest part seems to be that the nature of the industry is such that things are always changing around, and the right move to make one month may be the wrong one the next. At that point, you need to just trust in the music you're making, and do what you really want to do. And if you succeed in that, the rest should fall into place.

2. How important is it for a band to come & play conferences like CMJ & SXSW?

Any opportunity to join in with your peers and perform, watch shows, converse, etc. it always a good. And there's no denying the fact that there are fun times to be had as well.

3. You were invited to play Lollapalooza this year which must have been amazing.

What is it like playing a festival that large?

It was certainly different than any other festivals we had played before. I was most impressed with how well coordinated everything was, and how well the festival was run in general. And of course it offered the opportunity to play for thousands of people who were all there because they wanted to spend their entire day enjoying music. I personally had a blast, got to talk to some artists that have been huge inspirations!

4. You recently made the move from Ann Arbor to New York. How are you finding it?

So far it has quickly become a very comfortable and exciting place to live and work on music. We found a great practice space that we enjoy spending time in and enjoy writing in, and what more could you ask for while embarking on your next album.

5. I've heard that you're currently writing your 2nd album. How is that going?

So far so good. I am confident that we will have a proud collection of songs to present.

6. Rugby likes to highlight different social action causes.

Do you have any special interest in a certain charity or cause?

It being almost election time, I should say I am always supportive of any organizations, bipartisan or otherwise, that move people to vote. It's tough sometimes when the electoral college system makes your vote seem meaningless, but everyone really should be making their voice heard. Our entire system of government is based on that fundamental principal, and we can't let laziness or apathy towards politics take anything away from that.

7. Tell me about your colors (each member has a different trademark tie which they wear at all gigs and in all press shots), how did that come about? Do you think it is important for a band to have a specific look?

The colors came up as a way to set ourselves apart from all of the other bands playing around campus. The idea of doing a little branding can go a long way in making your presence known. I don't necessarily think it's important that bands have a specific look, but something that people can refer to and say: "oh, it's the band that does this this this, or wears that". It can really help how well they remember you.

8. What was the highlight of CMJ 2008 for you?

For me it's really been the fact that so many of our friends our in town, be it bands or otherwise. It's nice that there was a reason for everyone to come in town the same weekend and play music together.

Visit Tally Hall on MySpace.

MP3: Tally Hall - Good Day

8 Questions With: Andy Rourke

It's not every day that you get to chat with a former Smith. Last night, I had the opportunity to speak with the bassist extraordinaire about past, current & future projects...

1. Welcome back to NYC. Are you excited for CMJ?

Well, I'm very tired. I just got off of a transcontinental flight and I have a busy week. Busy in the good sense. I have 3 or 4 DJ gigs over the next 5 days. However, I'm excited to see Friendly Fires, supposedly they are pretty awesome.

2. Can you tell me a little bit more about Freebass and if an LP will ever see daylight? I'm itching to hear the collaboration between Peter Hook, Mani & you.

Oh god yes! We're making headway. Initially, we couldn't find a vocalist. Now, we have Tim Burgess on one track. We're attempting to pin down Liam Gallagher. That's a work in progress. We're also working with Ian Brown. We've got 8 songs in the bag, so hopefully the album will be out next year. At the very least, a single. I can't believe it's taken 3 or 4 years already. It's almost to the point of embarrassment. I've done interview after interview and we haven't shared anything yet. People actually think that it doesn't exist! It does. It's difficult to match each other's schedules. But, as I said, we're making headway.

3. When watching your recent documentary, Inside The Smiths, it's quite clear that you and former Smiths drummer, Mike Joyce, are still very close. How has your friendship stayed in tact through the last twenty seven years?

Back when we started, I knew Johnny quite well. I knew Morrissey. I didn't know Mike, but as we were on tour, Morrrissey kept to himself & Johnny was with wife. Consequently, Mike & me began sharing hotel rooms together. We got to know each other and became close friends. At the moment, Mike's with a great new band called Autokat comprised of youngsters. By comparison, me & Mike are a couple of oldies!

4. If you were to select your favorite Smiths tracks, what would you choose?

I'm proud of all of them. I guess I'd pick 'Rubber Ring', 'The Headmaster Ritual' & 'How Soon Is Now?'. When I consider the back catalog, I must say that we were quite prolific. We were perfectionists about what we did. Not a single song was banged out lightly.

5. You recently toured with Ian Brown. How'd that go?

It was great. I met him at a friend's 40th birthday party. He was in full Clockwork Orange gear & it scared the shit outta me. Though he quickly turned out to be good buddy.

6. You ended your DJ stint on XFM Manchester a few months back. Why so?

I did it for about a year. I enjoyed playing the music. As for as the talking, when the red light would come on, I would freak out. I needed a few bottles of wine to get through each program. It was a good experience but I prefer doing it live. Mike Joyce has a show called 'Revolution'. He will sit there and talk for ten minutes! Amazing.

7. You've worked alongside a bevy of musical artists. Have any of these collaborators been particularly challenging or demanding? Also, who's been easy?

Chrissie Hynde gets bad press but when I worked with her she was fantastic & passionate. She is a beautiful person. I had great fun working with Morrissey. Sinead O'Connor is often portrayed as a crazy banshee, but she was great, as well.

8. Lastly, do you have any further cancer benefit gigs lined up?

Oh yes, that's an ongoing thing. There's one in Scotland next month. There will be another show in March of next year. I plan on doing these on a regular basis for quite some time.

Visit Andy Rourke on MySpace.

MP3: The Smiths - The Headmaster Ritual [alt link]

8 Questions With: The Secret Machines

In our latest word association session, TSM frontman, Brandon Curtis, shares a myriad of thoughts and inspirations relating to each track on the band's stellar new self titled junior LP. Here's what he had to say:

Atomic Heels: This is the blues I'm singing. Why don't you watch where you're going?

Last Believer, Drop Dead: My one regret is that when she got up from the table where we were both seated, I stayed behind staring out the window.

Have I Run Out?: I have a recurring dream where I am with my friends and family as a great catastrophe occurs: flood, fire, bad stuff.

Underneath The Concrete: After my friend, Susan, moved to New York she got a temp job working in the financial district. One day after leaving work, while going down into the subway, she was pushed down the stairs to the landing. As the fellow was snatching her purse from her, the other people walking into the station just walked around her like she wasn't there.

Now You're Gone: I have a hard time not losing things, so I have to do very repetitive, ritualistic things with my phone, keys and wallet so I can keep track of them. I wish there were something I could do to stop losing friends.

The Walls Are Starting To Crack: I woke up the other day with a cold shooting pain down my left arm. I laid very still for a while and thought maybe I should call somebody. Then I decided I was being paranoid.

I Never Thought To Ask: Maybe it was on purpose. I remember hearing somewhere "what you don't know can't hurt you". Or maybe it was the other way around.

The Fire Is Waiting: I wish I would stop doing things I end up regretting. Or maybe I could figure out how to not regret the things I do.

Visit The Secret Machines on MySpace.

MP3: The Secret Machines - Atomic Heels

8 Questions With: Birdmonster

This afternoon, I had a great chat with Birdmonster's electrifying frontman, Peter Arcuni. Enjoy the full Q&A session below. Photograph courtesy of Greg Crane.

1. Much has been written about the band's San Fran origin but as I recently found out, you actually spent much of your childhood in Connecticut. Which do you prefer, the East coast or the West coast? Also, I have to ask, were you and Martha Stewart bosom buddies?

Me & Martha go way back! I grew up in CT, an hour away from NYC. My family is still there. Their home is about a half hour away from Martha Stewart. Not in Snobsville! It's a small town, 8000 people. I went to school in Rhode Island. After that, I moved to the West coast, it seemed like the romantic thing to do (get the hell out of the Northeast). As far as which I prefer: on paper, the West coast has it. But I also feel like the East coast is truly in my blood.

2. Your new album, From The Mountain To The Sea, features production by Tom Schick (whom has previously worked with Ryan Adams & Rufus Wainwright). How did you two meet & was he someone you were actively seeking to pair with?

When I was writing songs for the record, the songs seemed to be drawn towards a different direction than our last record (No Midnight). Basic simple songwriting. Not about the sound per se, not about the image or the attitude, simply about the songs. We needed to work with somebody who appreciated that. Someone who wasn't going to try to overdo it & make it about the production. Tom was on top of our shortlist. He's worked with some great songwriters. It just made sense. He took a lot of pressure off of us!

3. I consider From The Mountain To The Sea to be a more gentle, perhaps more passionate record than your debut LP, No Midnight. Was this an intentional shift?

We tried not to have any preconceived ideas about how the new songs were going to come out. It just made sense. The songwriting was very intimate. Initially, we used guitars & pianos. Later, it become something else. We didn't want to overdo it. At the end of the day, it's nice to go acoustic & play any one of these songs just like that. They remain in tact. We didn't purposefully try to make this one different than last album, it just felt natural.

4. Speaking of the new album, it's being released through the Fader label. What did Fader have to offer that attracted you to them?

I liked the idea of working with a label for this record. There seems to be a stigma behind working with a label but in essence, we wanted to focus on the creative stuff. We wanted someone to help with the marketing and all the business ideas. This way we have more ability to flex our creative muscles. We met the Fader folks about 3 years ago. We had a similar mindset as to where the band wanted to go and it made sense to go with them.

5. You're about to travel around the country with UK buzzers, The Rumble Strips. Do you care to share any thoughts on the band?

I didn't know much about them before we were offered the tour. Since then, I've familiarized myself with their stuff & I like it a lot. One of my favorite bands of all time is The Kinks & I was immediately drawn to them because of the comparisons. I like where they are coming from. They have some great horn arrangements melded with acoustic threads. I think it's a nice compliment to our live show.

6. I must comment on your official blog. Not only is it updated regularly but it's exciting to read and at times quite hilarious. Do you all take turns writing entries or does one person control the majority of the content?

Justin, our bass player, started it. At first, it served as a way to document our experiences, keep our families & friends in the loop. Then, it caught on. What's nice about it is that it's not just a tour log. The blog references things we talk about, inside jokes, etc. The recording process can be quite serious so it's nice to have another kind of avenue.

7. Can you kindly explain the thought process behind From The Mountain To The Sea's beautiful & intriguing cover art? I'm dying to know.

It's landscape themes. We are using landscape as a metaphor, as the title suggests. The cover has droplets filled with earth, layers of rock & water all sort of falling down. Our designer, Katrina McHugh, did a great job. She truly captured the essence of the record.

8. Lastly, I was wondering what's in store for Birdmonster as we approach the new year. Another US tour? A trip overseas? A new EP? SXSW?

A lot more touring. We're going to try to go to the UK. Nothing has been set for that. We're still in the process of figuring it all out. More songs will be released in one format or another. This time around you won't have to wait another two years for fresh tracks!

Read my review of Birdmonster's recent NYC gig here.

Visit Birdmonster on MySpace.

MP3: Birdmonster - Live On WOXY

8 Questions With: Morningwood

Earlier today we played a word association game with Chantal C.

Here are all of the frontwoman's replies:

1. Sexy - Husband Part 1
2. Ugly - Sunglasses At Night
3. Genius - Husband Part 2
4. Idiotic - M Night Shyamalan
5. Hillary Clinton - I Miss Bill
6. Sarah Palin - Lame Attempt
7. Morningwood Circa '04 - Dead
8. Morningwood Circa '08 - Alive

Watch Morningwood's latest video here.

Visit Morningwood on MySpace.

MP3: Morningwood - Nth Degree

8 Questions With: Yoko Ono

The one.

The only.

Enjoy my full Q&A session with the living legend below.

Visit Yoko Ono at her official site.

Download a classic Yoko track at bottom of post.

1. Over the past few years you've collaborated with many groundbreaking artists including (but not limited to) Antony, Peaches, Spiritualized, Le Tigre & Cat Power.

Whom did you have the best time working with and why?

Also, is Peaches as twisted as we're led to believe?

They are all great people. I didn't know much about indie music before I met them, they opened my eyes. Peaches is crazy. But in rock 'n roll, we're all crazy & proud of it!

2. Switching directions, I'm assuming you've been keeping up to date on the US presidential elections. What are your thoughts on the candidates & their goals?

I believe in the power of grassroots movements. That is the strongest force. We should do whatever we can do instead of watching politicians control things. We're all a big family & the whole world is starting to improve. This is not solely because of politicians' goodwill. We live in a complex society. We need more than good politicians.

3. I'm wondering what your opinion is on the progression of anti-war protests, from the '60s to modern day? How have they changed? Has it been for the better/worse?

While they've been growing, there hasn't been a change in spirit. We're doing our best in so many ways. There's more of a community vibe now than ever before.

4. The Imagine Peace Tower in Reykjavik has been up for just about a year.

How has response been to the landmark?

Very positive. Visit ImaginePeace.com. I love knowing that we can all tune in together.

5. It's been nearly 40 years since 'Give Peace A Chance' changed the world. How do you feel about the song's resurgence as a #1 dance hit in 2008?

It's great, isn't it? I'm really glad I did this. Dance is very important in my life. Dancing through life, we should all do that. I dance through my life, it's easier than marching!

6. There was much global discussion about your full page advertisement that ran earlier this year in The NY Times that simply read 'IMAGINE PEACE'. Why do you feel that peace is such a hard emotion for people to grasp and/or maintain?

I've done many ads in The New York Times. When I place them, I'm talking to a large audience. It's important to express that message to everybody.

7. What are some of your fondest memories of New York City?

I've always loved the city because it's just a very complex society. So many different races, so many different ideas. Look at the clothes we wear! Each person is doing something creative, I love that about NY. It's a city with incredible wisdom & power.

8. Thanks again for your time. It's appreciated more than I can ever possibly communicate. What's on your horizon from now until the new year?

Well, August is the only month that I stay in NY. My kids always question me about that. I need August to unwind. I've traveled to over eighty cities since I turned seventy years old. Mostly this is because of my artwork. I'm going on another art show tour in September which will hit ten cities throughout Europe & Asia.

MP3: Yoko Ono - Every Man Has A Woman That Loves Him [alt link]

8 Questions With: Simian Mobile Disco

Earlier this afternoon I had the distinct pleasure of chatting with James Ford (Klaxons producer, part time Last Shadow Puppets drummer & one half of SMD). Here are the results of our brief word association session.

NYC: Film Like
Jonathan Ross: Sharp
Pete Doherty: Overrated
Russell Brand: Fine & Shticky
LP Of 2008: Portishead's Third
Wildest Fan Base: The Japanese
Sophomore Klaxons Album: Psychedelic
Hercules & Love Affair: Whimsical & Amazing

Visit Simian Mobile Disco on MySpace.

Read my review of SMD @ The Gramercy here.

MP3: SMD - Hustler (AVH Mix)

8 Questions With: Ponytail

Since last week's word association session with The Ting Tings was such a huge success, we decided to do it once again. This time around all four members of Ponytail play along. Answers below. Catch the band TOMORROW at ATJ Fest 2008! Visit Ponytail on MySpace. MP3 at bottom.

MOLLY (VOCALS)
1. baltimore: love
2. philadelphia: not baltimore
3. mogwai: depression
4. the boredoms: sun
5. 'wheel of fortune': dunno
6. 'jeopardy': mom
7. atj fest 2008: bands
8. slutty advice: just do it

KEN (GUITAR)
1. baltimore: irony
2. philadelphia: high school
3. mogwai: mog why not?
4. the boredoms: bulldozer
5. 'wheel of fortune': cookie
6. 'jeopardy': suck it
7. atj fest 2008: the dank
8. slutty advice: suck it

JEREMY (DRUMS)
1. baltimore: club
2. philadelphia: tom hanks
3. mogwai: some kind of frog
4. the boredoms: acid!
5. 'wheel of fortune': click click
6. 'jeopardy': brain
7. atj fest 2008: 5:45-6:15
8. slutty advice: baltimore club

DUSTIN (GUITAR)
1. baltimore: orioles
2. philadelphia: eagles
3. mogwai: young team
4. the boredoms: 123456789
5. 'wheel of fortune': money
6. 'jeopardy': what is
7. atj fest 2008: play it hard
8. slutty advice: ohh ohh ohh

MP3: Ponytail - Celebrate...

8 Questions With: The Ting Tings

Our latest interview is with TTT's Jules De Martino.

We had a fabulous word association session.

Results (plus two bonus answers) below.

Visit The Ting Tings on MySpace.

Cher: Nakedness
Noel Gallagher: Arrogance
Beth Ditto: Amazing
Jools Holland: Uber-cool
London: Crammed
Copenhagen: Classic
Brooklyn: Manchester-esque
Dublin: Buzzing
The Blogosphere: Naturally Expressive
Barack Obama: Absolute

MP3: The Ting Tings - Great DJ (CH Mix)

8 Questions With: Mixel Pixel

Our latest interview session is with Rob Corradetti.

(Otherwise known as the frontman for Mixel Pixel)

Enjoy the full piece and download an MP3 below.

Be sure to catch Mixel Pixel on 6/21 at ATJ Fest 2008.

1. First things first - congratulations on the new album, Let's Be Friends. What can you tell me about your influences behind the latest collection of tunes?

I think we were mostly inspired by each other to write some cute songs. The album does have certain lyrical references to Velvet Underground, Old Dirty Bastard, Pink Mountaintops & Jonathan Richmond. I think that summarizes the variety of our influences pretty well.

2. I simply adore the outfits that Mixel Pixel performs in.

Have you and the gang worn them since the very beginning?

Not really. We used to wear more jeans and sneakers kind of stuff. I think that gets a little boring. We're inspired by cavemen and Ziggy Stardust.

3. If Mixel Pixel were to cover a completely leftfield track, what would be selected?

We have a cover of Dogbowl's "When The Sun Goes Down" that we play sometimes. Dogbowl was in King Missile. His albums are excellent and mostly overlooked. We just did a cover of Nirvana's "Polly" that's gonna be on a 7" with Show Is The Rainbow and Yip Yip. Also "Love Buzz" by Shocking Blue is in the works.

4. You've performed alongside many ATJ 2008 artists - including but not limited to Chairlift & Project Jenny Project Jan. Whom are you most excited to see on 6/21?

Brian Scary & The Shredding Tears.

5. I should point out that you are the fabulous designer of this year's flier.

What was your inspiration behind this particular design?

I can't say exactly. My main inspiration was the music in the festival.

6. I've tried to describe a live Mixel Pixel experience to friends of mine with great failure. What would you consider to be the key components?

We're kinda like half if The Magnetic Fields actually tried played their songs according to the album & half like Velvet Underground for everything else.

7. In ten words, what does the future hold for Mixel Pixel?

The amazing Mixel Pixel DVD that's almost done... almost... done!

8. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us.

Any slutty summer advice for our dear readers?

Try & remain positive, stay true to your dreams. Go to the beach as much as possible.

Visit Mixel Pixel on MySpace.

MP3: Mixel Pixel - You're The Kind Of Girl

8 Questions With: The Antlers

The Antlers are playing ATJ Fest on 6/21.

We've been obsessive fans for the last 18 months.

Here's our interview with frontman, Peter Silberman.

Visit The Antlers on MySpace.

1. Your sound's changed considerably in the past year or so, can you elaborate on the differences & the band's current direction?

It's hard to say how that evolution occurred. I think I could credit some of that to the fact that I've been listening to a ton of different bands and artists in the past year and am inevitably influenced by what I'm listening to or falling asleep to. During the writing and recording of In The Attic Of The Universe, I had really limited my intake of music, but almost immediately after releasing it, I suddenly began a very different life, even though I was only moving from Manhattan into Brooklyn. The change wasn't so much locational though. Everything flipped upside down and as a result I started listening to totally different music that steered me in a bunch of different directions. Getting a band together and starting to make music with other people has definitely changed the sound as well.

2. What can you tell me about the forthcoming LP, Hospice?

Hospice came about as a result of my old life, and is more or less the story of the last two years of it, written after the fact. I've been working on it for about a year now, and what I can say as it comes closer to being done is that it might be surprising. It's darker and, well, louder than one might expect based on hearing everything released so far. The sound might be a bit more in keeping with what our live show has become, so in that way maybe it's a natural evolution. But like Attic, it's narrative, and makes much more sense when listened to from start to finish. There's more information at this blog I started about it.

3. The Antlers have been aligned next to nearly everyone - from Antony to Neutral Milk Hotel to Grizzly Bear to Eluvium - which comparison do you feel is most on point?

I don't think any of the comparisons have come as a shock to me, as those are all bands I listen to and have in some way influenced what I make. It's interesting for me to learn what people are reminded of when they listen, though it's usually accidental and more of a "hey, you're right. it DOES kinda sound like that"! It's really flattering.

4. When listening to your records, I definitely hear elements of Jeff Buckley.

Is Grace a particular influence for you?

Back in high school I definitely listened to Jeff Buckley a lot, especially around this time of year, though I had overdone it by the time I started to actually sing (which wasn't until I was 17). For a long time I've listened to singers with like Jeff Buckley, Thom Yorke, Jonsi (Sigur Ros) & I'm sure they've all become a part of how I end up singing.

5. New Yorkers have been spoiled with myriad live gigs over the last two years, are there any plans to take Hospice on a national tour of the United States?

Touring is definitely on the horizon. My goal with Hospice is to have it reach a much wider audience & an important part of that's going to rely on touring. Loose plans have been made a few times, but now things seem to be in a position to really happen, or at least I hope so. I don't like staying in one place for too long.

6. Are you as excited for My Bloody Valentine's return as we are?

I'm excited to hear whatever they release. Portishead eased my worries about comebacks by creating a really fantastic record, and I think My Bloody Valentine are capable of the same. But it's been a few years since I've been good at getting tickets to popular concerts, so I'm sure I'll end up missing out on seeing them live. Ah well.

7. We can't wait for your set at ATJ Fest. Any surprises?

If I told you, then they wouldn't be surprises! The way we've started playing our set recently has led to some different surprises each time, so you'll be as surprised as we are.

8. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us.

Any parting words and/or slutty advice?

I've been doing research on that horrible saying, "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars" & Google seems to think it was originally coined by a Backstreet Boy. So if anyone could confirm or deny this, please e-mail me.

MP3: The Antlers - Uprooted

8 Questions With: Laura Palmer

During SXSW 2008, I fell in love with Dallas-based musician, Laura Palmer (who opened Day 1 of ATJ's BBQ). Learn all about the innovative and occasionally foul-mouthed artist via our exclusive interview below.

1. When listening to your debut album, Johnny Cashin' In, I can't help but think you'd be a perfect fit in NYC's anti-folk scene. What genre do you think your sound would fit best within (past or present)?

When people ask me what kind of music I play, I usually say "off beat folk music." I'm not anti-folk. I'm totally pro-folk. I'm a big, huge fucking folk music fan. I like Kris Kristofferson, Harry Nilsson, Bob Dylan (duh) and on and on. I like songs that are for the people. We all should be bummed that we're not living in the 60's. That was a good time to be weird.

2. With the success of the Juno soundtrack, it seems as if there's a sudden resurgence of female-fronted quirky acoustic music. What are your thoughts on this? Also, if Kimya D. invited you to tour with her, would you accept?

Am I the only one that hasn't seen Juno? She has the baby and drowns it, right? I guess there is some kind of a resurgence in the quirky lady acoustic music. I hope so. That'd be awesome for me. Judy Tenuda's got to pay her rent, too. And if Kimya Dawson asked me to tour with her, of course I'd accept. This ain't my first rodeo.

3. The vast majority of your songs rest on the fine line between brutal honesty and hilarious sarcasm. Is this an intentional or subconscious writing style?

Totally intentionally subconscious. It's a way of looking at things. I take humor pretty seriously. I think sarcasm's really serious. The only way to write is honestly, but the best way to get honest & still be fun to listen to is sarcasm. That line is an interesting puzzle.

4. Although you currently reside in Dallas, you've received a degree from NYU in 2001 (and consequently spent a good deal of time in New York). Can you tell me some of the things you miss most about living in the city?

Jewish people. They don't have those in Texas. Multiple vegan restaurants. Parades. The sense of history. World class museums and theater. The architecture. The cocaine.

5. If you had to name a handful of musical influences, whom would you select?

Do you mean besides R. Kelly? Violent Femmes, Jonathan Richman, Johnny Cash, Tiny Tim, John Prine, Dr. Hook, Paul Williams (especially the songs he wrote for The Muppets).

6. The lyrics to 'Ain't No Faggot' tell the story of a brainless frat boy (with homosexual tendencies) out to ridicule, tease or even physically hurt a gay classmate. Can you elaborate on the origin behind the tune?

You've actually created a very specific story from it. To me, it was really about 2 different kinds of homophobes: the secretly gay super homophobic rapist frat boy and the honky-tonk, shit-kickin', drag you behind his truck, Texas secretly gay homophobe. I guess y'all don't have those in New York. Anyway, my husband and I wrote it one night together after quite a few beers. We were ridiculing the sort of person the song is about, and the jokes just poured out. Those people always have some homosexual tendencies. Why else would they become so enraged by the idea of homosexuality? Absurd.

7. Your drummer, James, is quite the character. How did you two find each other and does he always wear the (genius) flower headdress?

He's been drumming with me for the better part of a year now. We met through my husband, who is also in a band with James. He doesn't always wear "the flower". Sometimes he wears "the boy scout". I generally wear "the sailor" or "the Hitler".

8. Any slutty advice for our dear readers as we enter spring?

Dear readers: If you choose to be a slut this spring (and it is your choice for now), do protect yourselves. You don't want to end up like Juno, blind with madness as a consequence of postpartum depression, raving about St. Michael The Archangel as you drown your bastard child in the bathtub. And you definitely don't want to get herpes, either. All the dudes in New York have it. Seriously!

Learn more about Laura Palmer at her official MySpace page.

4 Questions With: Spanish Prisoners

Last month we discovered Spanish Prisoners. Today we learn more about the band via a brief yet insightful Q&A with frontman, Leo Maymind.

1. This past weekend you performed at NYC's Highline Ballroom with Daniel Johnston, someone you've been a fan of for quite some time. How did the gig go?

The gig went really well, in my opinion. It was truly exciting to be able to share a stage (both literally and figuratively) with someone like Daniel Johnston. The venue and crowd were both great as well. Definitely one of the best (if not the best) show we've been able to play. It was also really insightful to just sit backstage and chat with him - he's really a unique guy.

2. Who else would be on your shortlist of artists to collaborate with?

I'd love to be able to collaborate with The Band (circa '67) or Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band (circa '67 as well). Since both of those are unrealistic, I'd say in the present day I'd love to play with Wilco, Yo La Tengo, Bright Eyes & Will Oldham. There are countless bands today that we'd be honored to share stages with. A Neutral Milk Hotel reunion?

3. How would you describe your sound to novices of Spanish Prisoners? I know your influences range from Beck to Leonard Cohen. I personally hear a little Brian Eno and Van Morrison in there as well.

Yeah, I have a wide range of influences, and the other fellows in the band listen to all sorts of music as well. For all intensive purposes, I usually describe it as eclectic noisy chamber pop. There's a lot of textures and instruments, bringing out different sorts of moods in each song. It's also recorded in such a way that it's not slicked up at all. I like recordings to have faults and smudges in them.

4. As someone who grew up in Columbus, Ohio and currently resides in Brooklyn, can you tell us one pro and con about each geographical location?

A pro about Columbus would definitely be cheap rent & cheap living. Can't beat that. I would say one bad thing about it is that many bands from there largely get ignored and don't tour that much. This is changing a lot now, especially as Times New Viking is getting so much press and bringing attention to the area. I remember seeing them in a living room a few years ago with twenty college kids. A pro about Brooklyn is just the wide variety of things to do, see, hear, eat, drink. It's a big playground. Con: traffic and parking. I've gotten way too many tickets since moving here!

Learn more about Spanish Prisoners here.

Photo courtesy of Bryan Bruchman.

MP3: Spanish Prisoners - Some Among Them Are Killers

8 Questions With: Peasant

Our latest Q&A session features up & coming vocalist & multi instrumentalist, Peasant. Enjoy the full convo plus an MP3 below:

1. Can you tell us the origin of your moniker in 20 words or less?

I felt upset, oppressed, and generally put down in a lot of ways. John Lennon.

2. Many have likened your sound to Elliott Smith, Nick Drake & Jose Gonzalez amongst others. Do you find those to be fair comparisons?

I do, but those artists have all had a few albums out. If you listen to this record, yeah it's pretty similar to some of the stuff they put out, but I think you'll be surprised by some of the other music I'm working on/have made in the past.

3. How has living in suburban Pennsylvania shaped your musical landscape, if at all?

I used to sort of hate it, but then I realized there are a lot of people who don’t fit into the mold. There are a lot of musicians here, wonderful people, crazy people, artists, rich snobs, high schoolers with eating disorders, organic farms, hardcore kids, emo kids, indie kids, what's not to love? It has inspired my music to be different from all these things though, I must say.

4. Your new record, On The Ground, has a gentle yet ethereal quality to it - was that purposeful or accidental?

Mostly accidental, I just make music that sounds good to me, whenever I try something too specific it turns into something else, or it isn't what I expected or wanted. So I don’t really try to create a sort of sound, it just happens naturally.

5. Have you ever considered collaborating with a female vocalist? Many of your tunes would make for beautiful duets.

Of course! I recorded a song with Hop Along Queen Ansleis, she has a beautiful voice. I love harmonies, and I’ve always wanted to do more of that sort of thing.

6. My favorite track on the album would have to be 'The Wind'; can you tell us a little more about how the song came to be? I know that it's been in your repertoire for some quite time now.

About 2 years ago, I was living on the top floor of this really old building in Doylestown. It was pretty cold and windy one night as you can imagine, sometimes the wind would actually shake the building and make a pretty loud sound. I guess I was going through some turmoil but the feeling of this one night was really weird and kind of dreamy, actually, I wrote 'The Wind' and another song at about the same time; the other one was like "Seeping through the window at night, everyday it finds me, sleeping and awake, saying that I'm never coming home."

7. I'd love to hear you cover a ridiculously guilty pleasure pop song (a la Fergie, Gwen Stefani or Avril Lavigne). Travis did a fantastic job with 'Baby One More Time' back in the late '90s. Has the thought ever crossed your mind?

No thanks. That stuff gets enough airplay anyway!

8. Thanks for your time! Lastly, do you have any slutty advice for Valentine's Day?

Don’t steal someone’s valentine!

Visit Peasant at his MySpace page.

MP3: Peasant - On The Ground [alt link]

8 Questions With: Calvin Harris

Now we love him even more (if that is possible). Our full interview with Mr. Harris can be enjoyed below.

1. First things first, what are your thoughts on Mr. LCD Soundsytem himself, James Murphy, seeing as many critics have incessantly paired the two of you alongside one another in recent months?

I am a huge fan of James Murphy, the only reason lazy music critics compare us is because i have a song that goes 'my house' a lot, and he did it first. Musically we sound nothing like each other. I really want to do a song with him though.

2. You and Jamie T in a boxing match - who comes out on top?

I think Jamie T definitely, any kind of fighting and i'm always gonna lose.

3. Did you catch Britney's VMA performance? What are your thoughts on her potential comeback?

It made for great TV, but it was quite upsetting to see how wasted she was up there, i'm not a huge fan of watching other people's personal trauma, i don't think it should be any different for Britney.

4. Not counting your own, what are some of your fave records of '07?

Kings Of Leon officially became my new favourite and this year, The Clipse album is a masterpiece, and Dizzee Rascal's album got many repeated plays.

5. If you were to choose some of your favorite classic disco tracks, which would you select? Do you have as much love for Donna Summer as we do?

I'm not that into it, i prefer the more soulful disco songs rather than the electronic side. Things like Unlimited Touch - I Hear Music In The Street and T-Connection - Do What You Wanna do. I am a big fan of disco songs with piano in them.

6. Tell us the best and worst thing about present-day Scotland.

Where i live, i like the scenery, but i dislike the seagulls.

7. Oddest fan encounter?

I stopped for some fish & chips after a gig in Bournemouth, and two girls came up to me. While i was chatting to one of them, the other one was quietly stealing my chips and putting them in her handbag.

8. Thanks for your time. Any parting words and/or slutty advice for our readers?

It's nice to be nice.

MP3: Calvin Harris - Acceptable In The 80s

8 Questions With: Spectrum

Earlier this week, I received the distinct pleasure of interviewing the legendary Spectrum frontman and founding member of Spacemen 3, Sonic Boom (aka Pete Kember) - whom will be headlining After The Jump's day stage on August 25th. Without further adieu, here's the full Q&A, from start to finish. Learn even more about Spectrum here at their official MySpace page.

1. How long have you been working on this upcoming Spectrum album. With all the other projects under your belt, why are you focusing on Spectrum this year, in particular?

I've been working on the stuff on & off for about 7 years . I've never stopped writing songs & decided to refresh myself by working on other aspects of my work - namely E.A.R - which is more soundscape than songs . Spectrum is my purely song-based material . Obviously both inform & influence each other tio some extent , but I love the two quite differant aproaches of pure pop based songs & the more left field work in sound design . I've also been doing a lot of remixes for differant bands , which again is refreshing & a way of working without getting stale . my music is based on some apparently simple precepts & it is always a challenge to stay true to my roots without glazing over . I'm not insensitive to the fact that there is a loyal & informed audience perpetually growing for the music I've made & it is as important to me now to convey what i do to each succesive generation . we always knew that we were some sort of rarified standard bearers for certain sections of the hipster populace & i've always considered it a point of honour to uphold that & evolve honestly in relation to my roots . I have always said that my music is based in long standing traditions & is merely a revolved view of what I believe to be the essence of music . I'm only interested in being progressive within certain constraints.

2. Can you discuss the current line-up? I hear that Will Carruthers is
on the new album, will he be touring with you?

For this tour , it is a 2 piece of Randall Nieman who plays on the lp & myself . Will may well be coming out on tour with us next year when we plan to do another large tour , of differant material , with the full band . Riodger Brogan from Los Angeles has also been involved with recording and is again likely to be on percussion duties next year .

3. The last Spectrum release, Forever Alien, was very 'spacey' sounding, is the new record similar or more guitar driven?

the new material is less spacey & more guitar based . Ofcourse as anyone who knows my work will attest , it is still within my usual working parameters . I'm very pleased with the way its been going .

4. Is it true, as you claim on your official site, that the LP will be a mix between 'Highs Lows & Heavenly Blows' and 'Perfect Prescription'? Can you elaborate on that?

the songs are very much of that tonality & style . ofcourse , it will be its own thing , but people like these comparisons to be made .

5. If you had to name one thing you miss most about Spacemen 3, what
would you choose?

that's interesting . and hard.......perhaps the innocence of it & the experience of learning on the go . nothing thats re-creatable .

6. What do you enjoy most about NYC?

my friends . the stores . the night-life .

7. What are your thoughts on the current state of psych-rock? In particular, bands that are seemingly, auditioning to be the next Spacemen 3 or My Bloody Valentine?

hmmm... i'm not sure i'm as knowledgeable as some about this . I like Psychic Ills a lot - if they fit into that . I like the Black Angels but I think there 2nd lp will be better still . i love an Austin band called the strange attractors . It's been nice to see the music we've made as still being part of the fabric of psychedelic & alternative rock .

8. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us! We can't wait to see
you on the 25th. Can we expect any surprises?

we'll have to see.....

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MP3: Spacemen 3 - Feel So Good

8 Questions With: Soulico

Soulico is more than just a four member DJ crew from Tel Aviv, they are the first DJ's in the Middle East to master production, turntables, and dance party skills. They have continuously sold out 3,000 person venues in Israel from the buzz of their underground mixtapes and the last time they were in NYC, filled The Canal Room to capacity and blew the doors off. Soulico has garnered incredible respect and critical acclaim both for their original songs and their unique mash-ups that blend Israeli folk and Jewish melodies with American hip-hop tracks. They were kind enough to answer The Music Slut's 8 Questions.

1. Can you tell me a little bit about what brought you guys together?

First, our parents are to blame. Then it was the music and the famous Tel Aviv wild parties that we DJ at. The rest just happened....

2. Since the mid-90's hip-hop has grown in Israel. In many places where there is conflict, most recently about the riots in the Parisian suburbs, hip-hop has been an outlet for political discussion. How has this been true in Israel?

In a place where taking a breath is considered political, hip hop is also of course political. The main artists using music as an outlet are Hadag Nachash, Mooki, DAM (an Israeli-Arab crew) and Subliminal - they all present their political view in the music. We try to enjoy our life here.

3. Is it important to you to rap in Hebrew and not in English?

We're really just DJ's/producers, not rappers, but we love to collaborate in any language known to man. Hebrew has it's own unique flow though that people everywhere can enjoy.

4. You recently did a remix for Diplo, how did that come about?

On his last visit to Israel he came to see us DJ and asked us to put together a set to share on his blog of the most cutting edge music that been done here. Naturally you'll find in it some unreleased and in-the-making Soulico stuff.

5. I know you already have a big fan base in NYC. How does playing to an Israeli audience differ from an American one?

First of all - the mic thing. In Israel you would get your ass kicked out of the booth if you jump on the mic during a party, but it's different everywhere. Within Israel, there's also a big difference between playing in Tel Aviv versus Jerusalem - in how people react to the music. Basically though, Tel Aviv is more open minded than most places. People there are much more into pure fun rather than show me something that I haven't heard yet or play me something I've heard a million times.

6. Is there a wish list of artists you would like to collaborate with in the future?

Too long to be written here. Do you have Ghostface's number?

7. How do you decide which songs to mix and where do your influences come from?

We can't tell you all of our secrets, but we pull a lot from Israeli folk and traditional Middle Eastern melodies. The main influence though is street life in south Tel Aviv:)

8. Emmet- you are a teacher as well as a musician. Since After the Jump is about supporting local underfunded music programs, can you tell us a little bit about why music education is important for young students?

I know it's the standard answer, but children are the future and music empowers people to do more with themselves and to enjoy life. Simple as that.

_____________________

MP3: Pitom Banu

8 Questions With: Patrick Wolf

This week The Music Slut got the distinct honor to interview one of our favorite troubadours, the incredibly talented, Patrick Wolf. The full transcript from our Q&A with the 'boy who likes to sing, make love and ride on waterslides' is below. Enjoy!

1. Many online forums and message board topics have been dedicated to your choice of hair color/style/cut. For all curious, can you set the record straight on which 'do is your favorite, if you have one, and why?

I guess it would have to be the one I want next, that’s the point, to keep changing with my spirit and desire, with each song and season. I am going Elizabethan next. Being a werewolf, hair is a very metaphorical and emotional issue, when I am hairy, I am closest to nature and my creative, when I am hairless I am just Patrick again, a boy who likes to sing, make love, ride on waterslides and roller coasters.

2. The three contributors on this site are all around the same age as you so we remember quite vividly when electroclash made its first splash in our late teens (as well as its second, third and fourth resurgence). I was wondering if any of that movement affected your earlier work and if it still does today.

It was quite interesting in London but not something I really felt a part of. I had been involved and created within a group of many amazing and progressive electronic musicians up until the point electroclash arrived in my town and the beats were a little bit too 80’s or basic for me. Then the visual aspect I felt wasn’t emotional enough, I would like to challenge the perception that electronic music should be made [by] machines or music for people with robotic hearts.

3. Some of our favorite artists on The Music Slut include Radiohead, Belle & Sebastian, Mew, Morrissey, Sons & Daughters, Queen, and most recently, Klaxons. If you were to collaborate with any of the aforementioned artists, whom would you choose and what cover would the two of you tackle?

I think it would be the Klaxons, I listened to their album on the way over from England to New York on the airplane sound system… and really appreciate their duty to fantasy, the lyrics are probably more my spirit than Morrissey. Although I am fascinated by Morrissey, I’m not sure that taking on one of his songs would be that creative, a bit like taking on Elvis or Madonna.

4. Your last show in Brooklyn at Studio B (which we attended and adored) got a rave review in the NY Times. Your fan base seems to run the gamut from bloggers to journalists to indie kids to underaged Livejournal girls. Does one particular group's praise affect you more than another? In other words, would you rather see a glowing review in Uncut or your name mentioned amongst a teenager's list of favorite artists on their MySpace page?

Of course, it would be a Myspace page. I have never created to be adored or for a five star review anywhere. It’s encouraging to know the media is supportive of your work, but the most exciting and rewarding moments that have happened to me come from realizing my music has touched or changed peoples lives. To inspire someone is my biggest thrill. The good thing about a good review is that it helps people become aware of your creation and the good thing about a bad review is that it normally makes me laugh.

5. What's on your current playlist?

Nights at The Circus – Bishi
Earth Intruders – Bjork
Symphonie Fantastique – Berlioz
In the Sun – Blondie

6. Touring with The Arcade Fire - exhilarating or nerve-racking?

I had played the same sized venues before with Bloc Party and had played Brixton Academy as a 15 year old at a big transvestite festival with a group I was in called Toilet with Lady Bunny and Stella Stein. So the tour felt like a natural progression. I find when I am supporting, I give myself half an hour to put a usual hour and half of stage energy into. So I tend to end up getting over excited and by the final show, I had torn about three stomach muscles and slapped my legs so hard during my darker songs that my legs were black with bruises. It was great fun, I got to see so many of my favourite places in the U.K and ended up in Dublin with my cousins drinking hard Irish liquor and ending up on a random kiss-a-stranger rampage through its nightlife. It’s nice to do shows and spend nights where you wake up with a smile on your face and a headache in the morning.

7. Have you begun to think about the follow-up to 'The Magic Position'? If so, is it leaning towards the dark side or is it on a similar pop-esque wavelength akin to the bulk of 'TMP'?

I think I am going to be going back to my roots as a boy that writes all his beats on Atari ST computers, sampled the most extreme noises he could find and write with out any manners or needs to impress. I’m going to go back to being a dirty boy again.

8. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. Any advice to our slutloyals out there in search of a spring fling?

For boys and girls, wear knee length socks, wear hot pants, don’t be scared of red gingham, please avoid miming to Kelly Clarkson when about to take your new sexy home from the disco. Avoid glowsticks at all costs. Try not to drink 12 White Russians before doing a video interview for online magazines. Be ginger and impolite. Prepare to get your heartbroken. Enjoy the spring!

MP3: Patrick Wolf - A Boy Like Me

The Magic Position gets its US release this Tuesday, May 1st. To check out previous '8 Questions With' features (including The Walkmen, Mew, Joan As Police Woman & Ash), click here.

8 Questions With: The Sons & Heirs

It's not every day that The Music Slut gives praise to a tribute band. In fact, I can't even remember off the top of my head, the last time we featured a strictly cover act, if ever. Well, that's until today.

The Sons & Heirs have been consistently performing around NYC for the past little while to rave reviews, and I figured it was high time to interview the men behind the Smiths cover act. With Ronnissey on voice, Ravi Marr on guitar, Jonny Rourke on bass and Kevin Joyce on drums (I love it!), I was beyond intrigued to learn more.

1. Tell us how this all began - who's idea was it to form a Smiths cover band and was it easy or was it a struggle to find the rest of the bandmates?

Jonny Rourke: Kevin & I have known each other & played music together for years. We met Ravi through craigslist – Kev & Ravi had both answered an ad from a singer who was looking to play some Smiths tunes. We all got together, and things just clicked between Kevin, Ravi & I. We knew that the ingredients were there to form a tribute to The Smiths & Morrissey, but we needed the right singer. We put up our own ad on craigslist, and Ronnissey was the first person to answer. We knew during the first song (Still Ill) at the first audition when he dropped to floor & writhed around like Morrissey that he was perfect!

2. Have you ever been contacted by anyone in Moz's posse? Is that a goal of yours or does that not really matter?

Kevin Joyce: We haven’t been contacted yet by anyone associated with Morrissey...while that would be an amazing thing and would be an honor if it happened, it’s not really a conscious goal of ours, nor do we anticipate that happening.

3. Do you ever/would you ever base your setlists off of Moz's current sets? Can you tell us your favorite tracks to perform, as well as your all-time favorite Smiths tracks, in general.

JR: That’s not out of the question for the future, but at the moment we’re more focused on playing the music of The Smiths, and therefore their original setlists have been a great reference for us in creating our own. As far as favorite songs to perform, we each have our favorites. For me, it’s a hard choice, but I have to say that it’s a close tie between ‘Accept Yourself,’ ‘Barbarism Begins at Home,’ and ‘Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now.’

Ronnissey: ‘I Want The One I Can't Have,’ ‘Still Ill,’ and ‘I Know It's Over’ are my favorite Smiths songs... probably because they sum up my life completely.

Ravi Marr: ‘William’ has been a great sing-along for the crowd and playing ‘Heaven Knows’ is like worshipping in the temple of Johnny Marr.

4. Your on-stage movements are nearly identical to those of Morrissey (it's almost uncanny), be honest with us - did perfecting your technique include endless hours studying his videos and live performances on YouTube?

Ronnissey: Morrissey was, and still is, such an expressive performer. I knew that if I was going to sing these songs, I would need to perform them properly as well. I've seen so many Morrissey videos over the years, that emulating his moves just seems very natural to me.

JR: It goes beyond just Morrissey for us, too - All of us have spent quite a bit of time studying both the musical & visual aesthetic of The Smiths – between the four of us, we have a pretty impressive library of videos & live recordings that, combined with the wealth of archival clips available on YouTube, have been instrumental in helping us recreate the look, feel, and sound of an actual performance by The Smiths.

The Sons & Heirs - William, It Was Really Nothing


5. Can you tell us a little more about your vocal training, also, is your voice naturally similar to Moz's or is there a certain inflection you have to carry out to make it work?

Ronnissey: I've never had vocal lessons or training. And I've never made any type of conscious effort to sound like Morrissey... what you're hearing is my natural singing voice. For as long as I can remember, my voice has been compared to Morrissey's. And that's actually what got me into The Smiths. People would always be calling out for Smiths songs whenever I played out with my original bands. And at first I was a little bothered by it, because I didn't know who The Smiths were... but once I checked them out, I began to take that as huge compliment.

6. Why the decision to only perform Smiths tracks and not any solo Moz material?

RM: I will admit to influencing our direction in this regard. Beyond loving The Smiths as a band and regretting being slightly too young to ever see them live, I have a very intense musical connection to Johnny Marr. I’ve always seen the Morrissey/Marr catalog of songs as being rarified territory, consistently surprising and brilliant. But ever since I got a hold of a few early period bootlegs and listened in astonishment at how Marr acrobatically played rhythm and lead at once, how he extracted every ounce of energy and melodic content from an arpeggiated chord, I became a devoted fan, student and copy-cat. I’ve been playing like him for so long that I feel this is the role I’ve been training for my whole life. So performing The Smiths material authentically has been my first priority for the sheer joy of it. And that’s not meant to take anything away from the great work of Whyte and Boorer, which I look forward to mining as time goes on.

JR: Ultimately, we’re not opposed to playing solo Moz material, and have even worked on a couple of his solo tunes in rehearsals. However, our primary goal with this project from the beginning has been to recreate as closely as possible something that people can’t see anymore – a performance by The Smiths. Morrissey fans can still go see the man himself perform live, but like Ravi said, many of us never had an opportunity to see The Smiths on stage. Since it’s unlikely that Moz, Johnny, Andy & Mike will ever reunite, we look at this as a void that needs to be filled, and we’re doing our best to accomplish that.

7. Tell us a little bit more about your upcoming show on 6/30 at BB King's following Morrissey's MSG appearance? What can we expect?

KJ: We don’t want to reveal too much and spoil the surprise, but we’ve definitely got some tricks up our sleeves for this show. Details will be revealed as we get closer to the date, but rest assured that this will be the ultimate in after-parties for Smiths/Moz fans.

8. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us! What else is on the horizon for The Sons & Heirs. A full-length LP? A national tour? Tailgating Morrissey around the country on his upcoming visit to the States?

JR: We’ll be hitting the road this summer starting in May for some dates outside of NYC – we’re still in the planning stages of these tours, but keep checking our website for details. No plans to follow Moz’s tour as such, but if at all possible we hope to arrange our schedule to coincide with Morrissey’s stops on the east coast.

While recording these songs is a great exercise for us in perfecting the arrangements, we don’t intend to release them in LP form. Beyond the obvious legal barriers to doing that, the reality is that this is a live project. That being said, we’d be happy to contribute tracks to Smiths/Moz related compilations if ever that option presented itself...

MP3: The Sons & Heirs - These Things Take Time

For more info on the band and to hear more tracks, check out The Sons & Heirs MySpace page here!

8 Questions With: Ash

Keeping up with one of our own, and your favorite features here on the site, 8 Questions With, this week we got the opportunity to interview Mark Hamilton, bassist and all around sweet guy for our favorite Irish hitmakers, Ash (he can be found in the center of the accompanying photo). Here's how it went down.

1. The Music Slut: With such a massive group of songs to choose from (13+ years of tunes!), how do you decide which to play on tour? The last few times I've seen you guys, it's been half new stuff and half 1977-era tunes.
Ash: Well on this current University tour we're playing 5 new songs and then a selection of back cat stuff. We usually like to throw a good bunch of singles in there as that's what a lot of people wanna hear and then we also usually play a few fan favorite album tracks that we know work well live. It usually good not to do too many slower songs as people tend to lose interest and fuck off to the bar. We try to keep it intense and full on for 90% of the set. We got this new song called In Hell which people are freaking out about with is cool, it's our current favorite to play. Songs like Burn Baby Burn, Kung Fu. Orpheus and Girl From Mars usually send the crowd into a frenzy which is what it's all about.

2. The Music Slut: Any Irish talent we have yet to hear about but should be in the coming months? We figure you all might be a good authority on that front.
Ash: Check out V//Formation, they're currently on tour with us and are from the same area where we grew up. A few went to the same school and are mates with Tim's younger bro. They're like the Pixies with a fun twist. Really cool band. Hopefully they'll get signed and get a break.

3. The Music Slut: How was it recording the new album in NYC? It seemed like you guys were having a brilliant time at the 'secret' show at the Annex a few months back!
Ash: Yeah that was a fun night. We also did a 'fashion week gig' around the same time which was a blast. We were actually pretty anxious before those shows as psychologically it was a big step reverting back to a trio for live and we weren't sure how it'd go / what people would think, but it was a really positive experience and we came out of it reassured we where fine as a 3-piece. Recording the album was a lot of hard work and crazy hours but it's also been really rewarding. It took from September until the end of January to nail it but it's finished and as it's our first fully self produced album it feels like a real achievement. Tim has become a wizard on pro-tools over the last year and after taking a long time to set up we got a fully functioning studio, which is pretty amazing.

4. The Music Slut: Who's idea was it to create the Ash Hangman game for guessing the album title? It's genius! Oh, and can you help us out? We're stumped!
Ash: That was my idea. It's good to wind up the fans and it keeps them checking back on the website! No help shall be given; the Ash boarders have pretty much got it nailed already with a handful of letters.

5. The Music Slut: Who's currently receiving heavy rotation on your iPod?
Ash: Brand New - I love them to unhealthy levels.

6. The Music Slut: Do you ever get tired of fans shouting out for 'Girl From Mars' incessantly? If so, is that why it is usually played relatively early into the set?
Ash: We're holding it back to near the end of the main set now. We'll never get tired of playing it. The fans go mental and that's what we love!

7. The Music Slut: Arctic Monkeys - Love? Hate? Overhyped? The best thing to happen to music in the last ten years? You can be honest with us!
Ash: I think the album's great and I've seen them 3 times over the past 12 months. They seems better in smaller shows like less than 1000 capacity, I really enjoyed them at Webster Hall. At Reading it seemed like the big stage dwarfed them but when Muse came out it was a different story. That's why they're playing 2 Wembley Stadiums which is unbelievable.

8. The Music Slut: Thanks for taking the time to speak with us! Any words of wisdom/wantonness for The Music Slut?
Ash: God Bless them Sluts! ; ) Oh yeah everyone needs to go add Ash as their myspace friend and sign up to our website. 2007 is gonna be busy for us and the new album's our best yet. Honestly it really is!

*Emoticons and all, how can you not love these guys? If you want to take Mark's advice, you can check out Ash's updated MySpace page HERE!

MP3: Ash - Orpheus (acoustic) (via Adventure Club)