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Blind Melon, Grant-Lee Phillips, Mayo Thompson interviews; Shane MacGowan tribute
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Jason Gross
Jan 31, 2024, 9:52:49 PMJan 31
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Greetings,
In the latest issue of Perfect Sound Forever <https://www.furious.com/perfect/index0224.html>, you'll find (among other things):
BLIND MELON
Interview- a mouthful of cavities, by Peter Crigler
"Blind Melon were one of the most successful bands of the ‘90’s post-Nirvana alternative boom. “No Rain” became one of the most recognizable songs of the entire decade but they were so much more than just that one song. Frontman Shannon Hoon, full of charisma and wit became so dynamic on stage that he fell victim to a rapidly exceeding drug habit. Dying in 1995, two months after the release of their brilliant sophomore record doomed the band to seemingly live forever in his shadow. The band’s album, Soup, was a catalyst for my friends and I in middle and high school and is still one of the most underrated alt rock records ever."
PAT IRWIN
Interview- Raybeats, no wave & cartoon music, by John Wisniewski
"After studying with John Cage in Paris, Irwin came to NYC and dived into the no wave scene of the late '70's, becoming a member of 8-Eyed Spy with Lydia Lunch and later working with her on her solo debut. Around then, he also formed 'neo-surf' band the Raybeats with Spy bassist George Scott. After a few albums, the band broke up in '84 and Irwin would then record and tour with the B-52's, whom he had met back when he first came to New York. In the late '80's, Irwin also began his long-standing work as a film, TV composer, working on documentaries, dramas and cartoons."
SHANE MACGOWAN
Tribute- Irish nationalist as balladeer, by Brian Cousins
"Shane in his final years was lauded as a great songwriter by no lesser talents than Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Bruce Springsteen, none of whom are prone to faint praise or insincerity and each of whom would visit him in his final years in Ireland. Tom Waits also broke his silence to pay his respects. And Shane's huge talent is there for all to see and hear. His songwriting will certainly endure and remain the force that invigorated and dragged the Irish diaspora firmly into the 1980's with its welding of traditional folk themes with the energy and attitude of punk."
GRANT-LEE PHILLIPS
Interview- Torn Boys, Shiva Burlesque, Grant Lee Buffalo, by John Wisniewski
"Phillips took along Shiva Burlesque's rhythm section, bassist Paul Kimble and drummer Joey Peters, to transform the combo into Grant Lee Buffalo, who put out four well-regarded albums of Americana music in the 1990's. In the new millennium, Phillips has gone solo pursuing his folk-Americana muse infused with a melodic sensibility and his passionate voice and even made several appearances on the iconic TV show Gilmore Girls. Here, Phillips talks about his early days, his music influences and his evolution as an artist and his plans for archival releases."
MAYO THOMPSON
Interview- surrealist soloist & Krayola years, by Jason Gross
"Someone like guitarist/singer/songwriter Mayo Thompson could have easily rested on his laurels as co-founder of Texas psychedelic art band Red Crayola, later as Red Krayola when the crayon people protested. But after the band broke up, he created the remarkably unique 1970 solo album Corky's Debt to His Father, which about 50 years later was revived by a series of L.A. and New York shows in the last few years."
VELVET UNDERGROUND
Oral history book excerpt- the band meets Warhol's Factory, by Dylan Jones
"According to Reed, Warhol presented Nico as an ultimatum: he would manage them, give them a place to rehearse (the Factory), finance their equipment, support them, find them a record deal, produce them, and make them famous. . . as long as they gave him 25 percent of their earnings, did what they were told, and put Nico in the band. Warhol didn't think Reed was a good enough frontman (he didn't think he was especially attractive, either). And so Reed and the band went along with it. He didn't really feel the group needed a chanteuse, but as long as they were able to use her sporadically, he reckoned it would be fine."
We also have a Spotify playlist with most of the artists above here:
<https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6bMj9a1n2tOVaulLFR3XY1?si=3a65b26944994b55>
We're always looking for good writers and/or ideas so let us know if you have anything to share.
See you online,
Jason
In the latest issue of Perfect Sound Forever <https://www.furious.com/perfect/index0224.html>, you'll find (among other things):
BLIND MELON
Interview- a mouthful of cavities, by Peter Crigler
"Blind Melon were one of the most successful bands of the ‘90’s post-Nirvana alternative boom. “No Rain” became one of the most recognizable songs of the entire decade but they were so much more than just that one song. Frontman Shannon Hoon, full of charisma and wit became so dynamic on stage that he fell victim to a rapidly exceeding drug habit. Dying in 1995, two months after the release of their brilliant sophomore record doomed the band to seemingly live forever in his shadow. The band’s album, Soup, was a catalyst for my friends and I in middle and high school and is still one of the most underrated alt rock records ever."
PAT IRWIN
Interview- Raybeats, no wave & cartoon music, by John Wisniewski
"After studying with John Cage in Paris, Irwin came to NYC and dived into the no wave scene of the late '70's, becoming a member of 8-Eyed Spy with Lydia Lunch and later working with her on her solo debut. Around then, he also formed 'neo-surf' band the Raybeats with Spy bassist George Scott. After a few albums, the band broke up in '84 and Irwin would then record and tour with the B-52's, whom he had met back when he first came to New York. In the late '80's, Irwin also began his long-standing work as a film, TV composer, working on documentaries, dramas and cartoons."
SHANE MACGOWAN
Tribute- Irish nationalist as balladeer, by Brian Cousins
"Shane in his final years was lauded as a great songwriter by no lesser talents than Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Bruce Springsteen, none of whom are prone to faint praise or insincerity and each of whom would visit him in his final years in Ireland. Tom Waits also broke his silence to pay his respects. And Shane's huge talent is there for all to see and hear. His songwriting will certainly endure and remain the force that invigorated and dragged the Irish diaspora firmly into the 1980's with its welding of traditional folk themes with the energy and attitude of punk."
GRANT-LEE PHILLIPS
Interview- Torn Boys, Shiva Burlesque, Grant Lee Buffalo, by John Wisniewski
"Phillips took along Shiva Burlesque's rhythm section, bassist Paul Kimble and drummer Joey Peters, to transform the combo into Grant Lee Buffalo, who put out four well-regarded albums of Americana music in the 1990's. In the new millennium, Phillips has gone solo pursuing his folk-Americana muse infused with a melodic sensibility and his passionate voice and even made several appearances on the iconic TV show Gilmore Girls. Here, Phillips talks about his early days, his music influences and his evolution as an artist and his plans for archival releases."
MAYO THOMPSON
Interview- surrealist soloist & Krayola years, by Jason Gross
"Someone like guitarist/singer/songwriter Mayo Thompson could have easily rested on his laurels as co-founder of Texas psychedelic art band Red Crayola, later as Red Krayola when the crayon people protested. But after the band broke up, he created the remarkably unique 1970 solo album Corky's Debt to His Father, which about 50 years later was revived by a series of L.A. and New York shows in the last few years."
VELVET UNDERGROUND
Oral history book excerpt- the band meets Warhol's Factory, by Dylan Jones
"According to Reed, Warhol presented Nico as an ultimatum: he would manage them, give them a place to rehearse (the Factory), finance their equipment, support them, find them a record deal, produce them, and make them famous. . . as long as they gave him 25 percent of their earnings, did what they were told, and put Nico in the band. Warhol didn't think Reed was a good enough frontman (he didn't think he was especially attractive, either). And so Reed and the band went along with it. He didn't really feel the group needed a chanteuse, but as long as they were able to use her sporadically, he reckoned it would be fine."
We also have a Spotify playlist with most of the artists above here:
<https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6bMj9a1n2tOVaulLFR3XY1?si=3a65b26944994b55>
We're always looking for good writers and/or ideas so let us know if you have anything to share.
See you online,
Jason
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