ence. “The wilder I was and the more I jumped around, the bet- {THEN} ter,” she says. “It was never about beauty for me; it was always about art, performance and energy. WHERE ARE Connecting to the audience ... I loved it!” As the band began rehearsals for Wisteria in 1991, the guitars became a greater focus for them. THEY NOW? According to James, he and Mann were working on a song called “Pact,” during which they both Highlights of Indy’s rich began writing intricate guitar parts and pushing the sound as far as they could imagine it. musical past … and future Their final album, The Belle Stomp, should have launched BY MEL DUNCAN, NORA SPITZNOGLE, JEFF NAPIER, MATTHEW SOCEY, them into the national indie-rock P.J. CHRISTIE AND JEB BANNER; EDITED BY LESLIE BENSON mainstream. When recording The PHOTOS BY KRIS ARNOLD, GILES CLEMENT, JEFF BEDEL Belle Stomp, Arson Garden had AND MELONSHE the freedom to explore a less bombastic new sound within the One of the most universally context of the full band. It was the onnuvo.net loved forms of art, music creates a most ambitious album the band sense of community — of family had made, and with the emer- /VIDEO /PHOTO and artistic connection. gence of new independent bands Discovering highlights of Indy’s Music round table discussion at the Music into international superstars, the Mill by Leslie Benson, Tim Barrett, Mitch Reeves and musical past (and future), NUVO world seemed wide open to a cre- Jenna Baker encourages you to claim owner- Radio Radio reunion show of The Pieces, ative group of free thinkers with a ARSON Action Strasse and Those Young Lions March 17 by ship of locally produced music and powerful live show. “Prophetically, Mitch Reeves its ambitious purveyors. Only our record came out the week GARDEN Burn It Down and Ice Nine live video footage through community support does Digital galleries of all the bands Kurt Cobain died,” James says. PHOTO BY DANIEL CORRIGAN our creativity continue to thrive. “Everything just seemed to kind Press photo (circa 1990s) ow do you sum up 30 Beneath the drama and the of stop.” From front left: politics of the music business, Joby Barnett, James Combs, years of Indianapolis’ rich —P.J. Christie April Combs, Clark Starr and musical culture in less you’ll find people devoted to H their art. We will take you Michael Mann than 8,000 words? The undertak- ing became organic, growing of through some of the stories of its own accord, through winding local musicians over the past 30 TINA BARBIERI branches and roots off one years and uncover where their Genre: Indie rock gigantic tree of musical history. roots were planted and where www.nuvo.net/band/uvula If you were ever a 15-year-old their branches have led them. And with nothing better to do on a for those we were unable to men- Tina Barbieri has been around the block a few times, Saturday night than hang out in tion at this time, we still want to musically speaking. Between Bloomington and Indy, the front of the Emerson Theater or honor you. Please share your per- vocalist and bassist is best known for her stints in the Punk Rock Night at the Melody spectives and stories about Indy’s indie-rock cover band Situation Grey and one-time major label hopefuls Mysteries of Life. Interestingly Inn, you’ll revel in this issue. If complex musical past by e-mailing enough, it was neither of those two bands she sites as you know where The Secret [email protected]. You personal favorites. Location is, you’re among the can hear some of the bands’ elite, and if you claim to have music at www.nuvo.net and at “I had the most fun in Uvula,” Barbieri says of the met Rusty from the Birdmen of www.musicalfamilytree.com. Our Sonic Youth-esque band she founded in the late ’90s. Alcatraz, you’ve probably been a second installment of this prod- “Fabric too,” she adds, referring to the tripped-out fan of the local music scene for uct will be published this fall, so electronic band. “Fabric was great because I actually more than a few years. we’re happy to hear from you. had input.” Now, on with the stories! When asked about her involvement in Mysteries of Life, the “lots of free sushi” when they were being wined and dined by RCA records seemed to be a fond ARSON GARDEN along with guitarist Michael Genre: Indie rock Mann, who joined while also play- memory. “Our A&R guy was awesome; there was just www.myspace.com/arsongarden ing in the Opiates. no support from the label. They just really dropped www.myspace.com/jamescombsmusic “People in Bloomington at that the ball, like the single they chose to put out [‘Going www.myspace.com/aprilcombsmusic time were really interested in Through the Motions’]. It’s a good song, but of all the www.myspace.com/theplushinteriors music,” James says. “Our earliest songs on that record ... they could’ve done more.” If the measure of a band is songs received amazing feedback, In the midst of major label chaos with Mysteries of and we had this instant connec- Life, Barbieri had a tough choice to make with her based on artistry, energetic shows {THEN} and steady success, then Arson tion to the crowd.” Arson Garden’s other projects Uvula and Fabric. Ultimately, the latter Garden was the top band in early music (1988’s Arson Garden, two won, and she quit Mysteries. Even though the produced by Paul Mahern, and Central Indiana. James Combs on TINA group continued to tour in support of the albums guitar and Joby Barnett on drums 1990’s Under Towers, recorded at Keep a Secret and Come Clean, it was eventually Paisley Park by Tom Herbers) was BARBIERI started with a sound and a mutual ABOVE SUBMITTED PHOTO dropped from RCA and found a home on the No a unique blend of Midwestern appreciation for intricate rhythms (Clockwise from top): Nostalgia label with the 2001 release Distant Relatives. guitars, poetic lyrics and adven- and breaking new ground. They Chris Kupersmith, Tina Recently, Barbieri has been paying the bills as a built up the band with James’ sis- turous rhythmic arrangements. Barbieri, Scott Ewing Frequent touring, better record massage therapist but is also working on a new pro- ter, April Combs, and bassist Clark PHOTO BY GILES CLEMENT ject entitled Toulouse Toulouse with longtime friend Starr. Their first gig in 1987 was deals, a Peel Session performance, Tina Barbieri (2007) a slot at Lollapalooza and airing a and collaborator Chris Kupersmith (currently playing held at Second Story in guitar for Gentleman Caller) and Jason Cavan (bassist Bloomington, at the event known video on MTV’s 120 Minutes soon for You Will Die). as Er Night, and later that year built the band’s self-confidence they opened up for the and international notoriety. The project is a little more pop rock than some of her Replacements at Alumni Hall. April recalls a Red Hot Chili past ventures, but the demos show promise, and it’s great From then on, the band enjoyed a Peppers performance giving her to know that such a talent is still contributing to our scene. bigger ideas about her stage pres- loyal following and a wild ride {NOW} —Mel Duncan 26 cover story // 03.28.07-04.04.07 // NUVO BIG MF STICK other two vocalists were known as Papa G Genre: Hip-hop/rock and Evergreen the Eye. http://cdbaby.com/cd/madpoets Big MF Stick’s second album, 1997’s Attack of the Peanut Butter and Jelly People, If you own Big MF Stick’s first album, was released to a beyond-capacity Emerson Discombobulator, or the Ate Up compila- Theater crowd. “That might have been the tion, you understand the power of biggest crowd we played to,” Johann says. “Parasite,” an instant classic. How could it After completing a few semi-successful not be with the lyric “lookin for lovin’, but all tours, the band was road-weary, but the I got was the crabs”? excitement of homecoming shows were In the mid to late ’90s bands, like Big MF, enough to push them back into the studio the Birdmen of Alcatraz, $ucka and X-Up for what would have been the third album, played a style of music that wasn’t just rock, A Horse Named Future Glue. Unfortunately, nor was it just hip-hop or funk. The style only three songs were recorded, and that was became known as “rip hop,” an alternative basically it for Big MF Stick. to the alternative. Jazzy grooves and lyrical “We were just bored and the songs flows would give way to distortion and weren’t coming as easy as they used to,” screams. It was a revolution of sorts, and it Johann says. was the first time some people really started Because they just stopped playing, fans to pay attention to what was going on in the outside the loop were left wondering what local music scene. happened. In late 2002, the band played Big MF Stick was conventional in the two more shows, a warm-up gig at Birdy’s sense of having a drummer, bassist and gui- Bar & Grill and its final performance at the tar player, but with three singers, the band Vogue. stood out. Johann, one of the vocalists and Rising from the ashes, Johann, drummer the guy usually seen sporting a Pacers’ jer- A-dub and vocalist Papa G recorded an sey on stage, chatted over a couple glasses album and played shows under the name of Blue Moon about how the band came Mad Poets Society, a straight-up hip-hop together and how it eventually came apart.