S t ? te 0 A Au 0 30 Ile t AMP GUIDED BY VOICES CM Bee Thousand •Scat-Matador 111 WORLD SAXOPHONE QUARTET neel tcath Of Life •Elektra Nonesuch °II. VELOCITY GIRL i,S11111)(1IiCO! • Still 1)011 WARREN G Regulate... G Funk Era • Violator/ RAL-PG VOL. 39 NO. 1 • ISSUE #384 VNIJ! report .; FRANK BLACK eJESUS LIZARD SURE THING ! $ JESUS LIZARD INSIDE I Bad Livers On Page 3 I Guest Dialogue From Hammerhead the new album: featuring "hypocrite" Produced by Mike Hedges and Lush Management: Howard Gough ,:.)1994 4•A•O Page 3• .• V; BAD LIVERS DOING THEIR OWN THING: MAKING BAD LIVER MUSIC They ore particularly pleased with the outcome of their latest record, Horses In The Mines. Banjo player Danny Barnes describes it as "a slice of life," to which Rubins adds, "it's just a picture of what we were doing that week, like a Although Austin, Texas' Bad Livers are often pigeonholed after the first pluck of grainy snapshot." The record was recorded in a shed, using on-site analog the banjo, the band's inspirations go beyond the obvious influence of bluegrass. "What inspired me to be a musician in the first place is what is historically recording techniques, and incorporated impromptu bits (such as Judy the won- referred to as the hardcore/punk rock scene of the early '80s," says stand-up der dog barking (singing?) on "New Bad Liver Singer"). This record best cap- tures what the band does live. "The idea was to make a more organic record," bassist Mark Rubins. "Bands like Hüsker Dü, Black Flag or the Minutemen had a reveals Rubin. Despite the need to be musically independent, the band can real grassroots network. It was hard to find the records [in Norman, Oklahoma] never escape its influences. There is one cover on Horses..., "Blue Ridge and the bands toured on shoestring budgets, but it seemed really real to me." Express." The tune was originally written by Ed Shelton, "a nice old gentleman Along with the initial inspiration of punk, the drive of individuality was burning from Temple, Texas," explains Mark. "He could burn on the banjo. When a fire beneath Rubins' feet. Also the bass player for Santiago Jiminez, Jr., he cites Jiminez as fueling that fire. "When you're around an older cat like that, it Danny was young, he learned this tune and won a lot of bluegrass contests playing it." rubs off. Even though he does this other musical thing, it is very enlightening to The Bad Livers have no doubt benefited from the recent surge of interest in be around someone who's been in this business doing their own thing for such a long time." country and bluegrass music, though the band tries to keep itself from being The Bad Livers incorporate the freedom they've learned from their musical locked in one genre. "There seems to be a reappreciation of a lot of source music," notes Mark. The band will be playing at the Telluride Bluegrass festival heroes into their own dogma. It all started in 1991, when Danny Barnes, Mark this year, adistinguished honor, though the band is careful not to describe its Rubins and Ralph White rented a four-track and borrowed aguitar to record music as bluegrass. "I'm a bluegrass fan; I'm inspired by bluegrass music, but some favorite "stained glass bluegrass" tunes in the living room. Dust On The Bible was the result, and it was originally intended only for friends and fans. In that's not what we do. We do this other thing. We do Bad Liver music. That's '93, after the release of its first record, the band and its label, 1/4 Stick-Touch how the old-timers around here call it. Hopefully, that's what everyone will call it after awhile." —Dawn Sutter And Go, decided to re-release the tape. "It doesn't get more non-commercial than gospel music," claims Rubins, "but we're on this record label and they give us ¡ust enough rope to hang ourselves." Artistic freedom is extremely important Discography: Horses In The Mines (1/4 Stick-Touch And Go) 1994, Dust On The Bible (1/4 Stick-Touch And Go) 1993; Delusions Of Banjer (1/4 to the band, and for two records now, the Bad Livers have been doing whatever they want. Stick-Touch And Go) 1992. JUNE 13, 1994 ON THE COVER JACKPOT! Essential New Music GUIDED BY VOICES Bee Thousand (Scat, c/o Matador, WORLD SAXOPHONE QUARTET Breath Of Life (Elektra 676 Broadway, 4th Fl., New York, NY 10012/212- Nonesuch, 590 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10036/212- 995-5882)—In less than ayear's time, Guided By Voices has 575-6720)—The WSQ could be considered along-time "side- gone from small town obscurity to the pages of Interview and proiect" for four of today's most accomplished and adventurous Entertainment Weekly. And while the excitement of uncovering a jazzleaders (David Murray, Oliver Lake, Arthur Blythe, Harniet dirty, buried treasure has worn off, we remain fascinated with the Bluiett) but its innovative structure and inspired arrangements diamond-in-the-rough, lo-fi beauty of GBV Bee Thousand is have made it arguably the preeminent ¡azz group of the past two more bits and pieces culled from the strange minds of Robert decades. Usually distinctive for its lack of a rhythm section, the Pollard and pals, the same pieces that made Vampire On Titus foursome played with African drummers on its last album, 1991's and Propeller such fabulous discoveries. Unlike those previous Metamorphosis, and on Breath Of Life not only add piano/ two, however, Bee bass/drums, but on Thousand is more of three tracks feature a amosaic, each piece rare vocal appearance asmall fragment con- by soul singer Fontella tributing to alarger Bass, best known for part of avery clear, her 1966 Chess hit concise picture—the "Rescue Me," and her songs, which individu- sporadic but wonderful ally could be seen as work with Lester Bowie incomplete, together and the Art Ensemble form acomplete Of Chicago. Of the record. Of course, three songs, the stand- each is agem in its out's amournful gospel- own right, sparkling tinged reading of with enigmatic lyrics "Suffering With The and GBV's brand of Blues." If you're new to crafty pop songwriting, the WSQ, don't fail to the epitome of which check-out "Picasso," is the memorable and seemingly never-ending "Kicker Of Elves" characteristic of the unaccompanied group interplay that the band (lasting but aminute in reality), or the instant classic, "I Am A is revered for; the three higher pitched horns intertwine abstract Scientist." It is the band's melodic wizardry that works the miracles melody lines anchored by Bluiett's burly baritone accompaniment. on its crude, cut 'n' paste songs, making Bee Thousand amas- It's difficult to tell what's improvised and what's composed. The terpiece made from scraps. Beyond the thousand mark on the rhythm-accompanied tunes are less distinctively WSQ, but it's scale: "Tractor Rape Chain," "Hot Freaks" and "Smothered In all solid material. Also recommended: the sumptuous "Song For Hugs." —Dawn Sutter Camille," featuring the lyrical side of Bluiett and Amino Claudine Meyers' resplendent Hammond organ. —David Newgarden WARREN G Regulate... G Funk Era (Violator/RAL-PG, 825 Eighth Ave., New York, NY 10019)—Warren G has been working hard to step out of the shadow of big brother Dr. VELOCITY GIRL ¡Simpatico! (Sub Pop, P.O. Box 20645, Dre, building areputation as aproducer with tracks on The Seattle, WA 98102/206-441-8441 )—Calling Velocity Girl's Chronic and Doggystyle and cuts like Mista Grimm's "Indo second release fresher, clearer and more poppy than its debut is Smoke." With Regulate..., all the work has paid off, making for a an understatement: ¡Simpaticol is simply one of the best exam- solo bow that's aseamless combination of old-school beats (808 ples of pop to come out this year, full of sparkling melodies, kick drum and handclaps), mid-'70s funk basslines and mellow, catchy tunes and vibrant music. The whole record sings with the blunted (in both senses, actually) sing-along melodies. In other band's dizzy excitement in capturing such an elusive sound, from words, the definition of the gangsta funk sound. The best example is the honestly apologetic the current top-10 single "Sorry Again" to the and de facto title track swirling pep of "There's "Reg-u-late," which Only One Thing Left To distills the "Gin And Say" to the ragged gui- Juice"/"Today Was A tars backing Sarah Good Day" vibe into Shannon's self-assured the most radio-friendly vocals on "Tripping chunk of street culture Wires." And that's only since "Double Dutch the first three songs. Bus." As sometimes hap What makes the differ- pens when producers ence here is confidence turn into solo artists, and clear production; the record is almost what was muddied and eerie in its Phil Spector- unsure on the debut is like perfection, so that cleaned up and Regulate... feels more defined, without retreat- like amovie about ing from the basic for- gangsta life than a mula which made the band's early singles so special. Where a product of it. Where most hardcore rappers proffer their version mole voice takes the lead, as on "I Can't Stop Smiling," Shannon's of reality, Warren G offers verisimilitude. The Chronic may have back-up harmonies provide aglossiness that makes it different put you (and every other car stopped at ared light last summer) in from other indie-rock tunes, lending it acommerciality usually not the mind of rolling in alow rider down some L.A.