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BOMB, CHRIS D, PRAM, SMASH MOUTH interviews
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Jason Gross
Dec 1, 2023, 9:32:50 PM12/1/23
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Greetings,
In the latest issue of Perfect Sound Forever <http://www.furious.com/perfect/index1223.html>, you'll find (among other things):
BOMB
Interview- Jay Crawford's explosive details, interview by Clinton Orman
"Bomb was an underground "post-punk" rock group that Nirvana's Krist Novoselic called "San Francisco's version of grunge." A certain Kurt Cobain had turned Krist on to them. Bomb was active from '86 to '93. They were loud, heavy and infused with psychedelia, working in stylistic notes of metal, goth/industrial, new wave and who knows what else. Comparisons to Flipper, Black Sabbath, Bauhaus, Echo and the Bunnymen, Pink Floyd and Metallica are all perfectly apt."
BOMB
Michael H. Dean tells tales of the band's major label woes
"Our manager later told us he heard that the CEO saw it on someone's desk and said "Who the fuck are Bomb and why the fuck are they on my label?" CEO of Warner Bros’ father had fled Europe for America when the Nazis started smashing store owners' windows. After that, no major label would touch us. Any opportunity for film soundtrack work was gone. People at labels talk. We got "canceled" in 1991. Tony got us canceled before cancel culture existed. This fuck up was all Tony, but it poisoned me, Jay, and Doug in the industry too. The album came out but to zero promo. Warner Brothers didn't say "You're fired" because at that time the label was making a big deal of being "anti-censorship," because of Jane’s Addiction album covers, also Ice T’s "Cop Killer" song. So WB technically put our album out, but it barely got out."
CHRIS D.
Interview- from Flesh Eaters to Divine Horsemen, by John Wisniewski
"Think that you work hard? Sorry but you got nothing on Chris Desjardins aka Chris D. who started writing for the legendary Slash punk zine in the late '70's before becoming a producer for their label, along with running his own label, Upsetter Records where he put out some of the early L.A. punk bands. He also gathered the cream of Slash's bands (X, Blasters) to form punk/roots band the Flesh Eaters. Restless soul that he was, he also formed Divine Horsemen in the mid '80's for some surprisingly sweet low-key Americana gussied up over some disturbing stories/songwriting. Oh and he still found time to write several fiction books and start a budding acting career (actually appearing in Kevin Coster feature No Way Out)."
PRAM
Interview- mysterious UK post-rock combo by Brett Abrahamsen
"Following 1994's intriguing Helium, English post-rock ensemble Pram were seemingly primed to deliver a masterpiece. Which they did. But a scathing review from the NME derailed not only the album's fortunes but perhaps the band's entire career. Sargasso Sea was one of the most fascinating albums of the modern era. The playing was masterful, and a dark and somehow menacing current of nostalgia was present throughout. "Loose Threads" set the tone - resigned lyrics, cryptic melody, haunting atmosphere. In addition to the quadruple-keyboard attack, Matt Eaton and Samantha Owen's terrific bass playing stood out. "Earthing and Protection" was perhaps even more melodic and creepy."
SMASH MOUTH
Interview- rise & fall of 90s/00s alt-rock gone pop, by Peter Crigler
"Smash Mouth were one of the more popular alt-rock groups of the late '90's, scoring hits with "Walkin' on the Sun" and the ubiquitous "All Star." By the early 2000's, they had pivoted into a more commercial pop direction and after 2001, they dropped off the charts in a supremely quick fashion. Their music always lingered and so did the band, down to two original members, playing state fairs, food and wine festivals and donating songs to Dr. Seuss movies and Hot Wheels video games. In 2021, singer Steve Harwell left the band after a disastrous show, citing mental health and physical maladies including heart issues. In September of 2023, he passed away at the age of 56 because of liver failure. I decided to write about the band's legacy and some of the ways they still resonate even with a lot of crap material in their catalogue."
We also have a Spotify playlist with most of the artists above here:
<https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2siDsjQc1S6Quh58TVWfgb?si=40cfc6db13144718>
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 <http://www.furious.com/perfect/index1223.html>, you'll find (among other things):
BOMB
Interview- Jay Crawford's explosive details, interview by Clinton Orman
"Bomb was an underground "post-punk" rock group that Nirvana's Krist Novoselic called "San Francisco's version of grunge." A certain Kurt Cobain had turned Krist on to them. Bomb was active from '86 to '93. They were loud, heavy and infused with psychedelia, working in stylistic notes of metal, goth/industrial, new wave and who knows what else. Comparisons to Flipper, Black Sabbath, Bauhaus, Echo and the Bunnymen, Pink Floyd and Metallica are all perfectly apt."
BOMB
Michael H. Dean tells tales of the band's major label woes
"Our manager later told us he heard that the CEO saw it on someone's desk and said "Who the fuck are Bomb and why the fuck are they on my label?" CEO of Warner Bros’ father had fled Europe for America when the Nazis started smashing store owners' windows. After that, no major label would touch us. Any opportunity for film soundtrack work was gone. People at labels talk. We got "canceled" in 1991. Tony got us canceled before cancel culture existed. This fuck up was all Tony, but it poisoned me, Jay, and Doug in the industry too. The album came out but to zero promo. Warner Brothers didn't say "You're fired" because at that time the label was making a big deal of being "anti-censorship," because of Jane’s Addiction album covers, also Ice T’s "Cop Killer" song. So WB technically put our album out, but it barely got out."
CHRIS D.
Interview- from Flesh Eaters to Divine Horsemen, by John Wisniewski
"Think that you work hard? Sorry but you got nothing on Chris Desjardins aka Chris D. who started writing for the legendary Slash punk zine in the late '70's before becoming a producer for their label, along with running his own label, Upsetter Records where he put out some of the early L.A. punk bands. He also gathered the cream of Slash's bands (X, Blasters) to form punk/roots band the Flesh Eaters. Restless soul that he was, he also formed Divine Horsemen in the mid '80's for some surprisingly sweet low-key Americana gussied up over some disturbing stories/songwriting. Oh and he still found time to write several fiction books and start a budding acting career (actually appearing in Kevin Coster feature No Way Out)."
PRAM
Interview- mysterious UK post-rock combo by Brett Abrahamsen
"Following 1994's intriguing Helium, English post-rock ensemble Pram were seemingly primed to deliver a masterpiece. Which they did. But a scathing review from the NME derailed not only the album's fortunes but perhaps the band's entire career. Sargasso Sea was one of the most fascinating albums of the modern era. The playing was masterful, and a dark and somehow menacing current of nostalgia was present throughout. "Loose Threads" set the tone - resigned lyrics, cryptic melody, haunting atmosphere. In addition to the quadruple-keyboard attack, Matt Eaton and Samantha Owen's terrific bass playing stood out. "Earthing and Protection" was perhaps even more melodic and creepy."
SMASH MOUTH
Interview- rise & fall of 90s/00s alt-rock gone pop, by Peter Crigler
"Smash Mouth were one of the more popular alt-rock groups of the late '90's, scoring hits with "Walkin' on the Sun" and the ubiquitous "All Star." By the early 2000's, they had pivoted into a more commercial pop direction and after 2001, they dropped off the charts in a supremely quick fashion. Their music always lingered and so did the band, down to two original members, playing state fairs, food and wine festivals and donating songs to Dr. Seuss movies and Hot Wheels video games. In 2021, singer Steve Harwell left the band after a disastrous show, citing mental health and physical maladies including heart issues. In September of 2023, he passed away at the age of 56 because of liver failure. I decided to write about the band's legacy and some of the ways they still resonate even with a lot of crap material in their catalogue."
We also have a Spotify playlist with most of the artists above here:
<https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2siDsjQc1S6Quh58TVWfgb?si=40cfc6db13144718>
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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