Our Interview with White Ghost Shivers: "Free Boner Showing Backstage After the Show."

We dig bands that are inspired by "old-timey" music and we dig bands that engage in theatrical hijinks and we dig bands whose songs are full of goofy sexual innuendoes.  Therefore, we dig White Ghost Shivers.

You should catch them at the Granada this Saturday alongside Clyde and Clem's Whiskey Business and (the always delightfully silly) KC Bear Fighters.

We spoke with White Ghost Shivers' front man Shorty Stump about their influences, their penchant for short-haired girls, and (to Chip's delight) boners!

Visit White Ghost Shivers' official website here , get the scoop from the Granada's website here, and visit the Facebook event page here.

Enjoy the interview!


Richard:  We just learned from your website that you won an Austin Music Award in the “Best None of the Above” category.  So how DO you describe the band’s sound, and can you do so using one of those pompous “we sound like _________ meets _________ meets _________” comparisons that music critics love so well. 

Shorty:  We sound like Bugs Bunny pissing off that opera singer, meets Tom the Cat slapping a bass and pissing off Jerry the Mouse, meets Betty Boop getting fucked from behind.  

Chip:  I love the song “Short Haired Girl” on your newest album, which opens with the line: “It takes a short haired girl to drive me out of my mind.”   Is this a true story and what is it about short-haired girls that is so erotic?

Shorty:  Yes, it is a bit of a true story.  I've had it for short haired girls in a big way for years, I suppose from my love of the 20's and the flapper look. I wrote that song after meeting my ex-girlfriend of four years. She really knocked my socks off and that song just came oozing out of me. I do have a recent appreciation for women with longer hairs though!

Richard:  Your lyrics and sound are certainly rooted in “old-timey” musical traditions, and the album artwork for Nobody Loves You Like We Do seems to suggest classic images from old Hollywood serials (the woman tied to the railroad tracks).  Are you influenced  a lot by film and/or theater in your songwriting too?

Shorty:  Absolutely! Silent film, early talking pictures, and musicals have a big influence on us, hence the Mabel Normand reference on the cover of our album. Cella also did some theater when she was a lass, and I've been dabbling in theater a bit for the last four years.  Also, classic vaudeville of all kinds has always been big to us.




Chip:  You have a song called “White Trash Fast Food.” What’s your personal favorite white-trash fast food?  Mine is deep-fried Snickers.

Shorty:  So, Hot Thomas wrote that song, which was inspired by a place we like to play in Berlin, Germany called, well, White Trash Fast Food.  So, I guess White Trash Fast Food is our favorite White Trash Fast Food!

Richard:  Is it true the band is going to appear on America’s Got Talent?  Can you give us any teasers about this?  And did you meet Howard Stern?

Shorty:  It is true that we performed one performance for them, which we intended as a joke, and we hope our fans get it, but, other than that, we can't really say anything else by law.  We didn't meet Howard officially, but we did meet all three of them while on stage.  I think Sharon had a crush on Smokebreak. I wish I could say more. Some day!

Chip:  We’ve seen a few White Ghost Shivers shows in the past, and the ribald lyrics often crack me up, such as the goofy incest jokes and references to “going down south” in “My Land.” [watch the video here]. Will there be any boner jokes at the Granada show and what’s your personal favorite raunchy line from one of the songs?

Shorty:  Well, I'm trying to think of any boner jokes that we've sang about in the past, but now that you mention it, I'll personally make sure there will be several references to boners just for you. We will also be having a free boner showing backstage after the show.

Richard:  Tell our readers who may not have experienced a White Ghost Shivers show before what they can expect at the Granada and how they should prepare for the experience.

Shorty:  Boners. You can expect lots of boners. I would say the best way to prepare for this is to bring some lube.

Chip:  Do you believe in ghosts?

Shorty:  Not usually. They tend to be liars.

First They'll Make You Grind, Then They'll Make You Think: An Interview with Antioquia

Larryville has no shortage of see-and-be-seen shows (for scenesters), but occasionally you just want to cut loose and do some dancing!  We recommend Antioquia's June 1 show at the Bottleneck.  They're rolling in from the Bay Area for all your dancing needs this week (bonus:  their lyrics often consist of trenchant political discourse!).

We chatted with Paul and the Antioquia family about dancing, media fear-mongering, and the importance of Kurt Vonnegut and the Beastie Boys.   Also on the bill:  KC's Making Movies and LFK's Tangent Arc (reread our Tangent Arc interview here ).

Stream Antioquia's new album Viejaro (and all the others) on Bandcamp and visit their official website here .

Enjoy the interview and see you on the dance floor Friday night!


Chip:  We know that the band’s name refers to a part of Colombia (because we looked it up on Wikipedia!). But can you tell us more about why you chose the name and perhaps give us some advice on how to remember and pronounce it?

We chose to be called Antioquia because that's where Craig and Adley were when they decided that they would found a band.  The region was a life changing inspiration and, once you can pronounce it, a pretty cool word.  Here's how to pronounce it - [an-tee-OH-kee-ah].  Or, you can think of it in three parts, Anti, O, quia. 

Richard:  Your press material lists some amusing ways that listeners have described your sound:  Dreamspeaker Village Folk Rockadelia, Progressive Human Beatitudes, Evolutionary Love Funk, Post Dunk Tank, Paraprimordial Jazz.  Can you offer up an amusing one of your own?

Psycho-Tropic-ADD-Fantasy

Richard:  We’re pretty excited about your show because it sounds like we’re going to encounter some unfamiliar genres (soukous, cumbia) and all manner of instruments (gaita flute, chekere).  Tell us a little about the Antioquia-sound and what we can expect at the Bottleneck show.

Our sound is as eclectic as our tastes.  We're like a musical all you can eat buffet. 

Chip:  You list one of your band’s interests as Kurt Vonnegut?  What role does Vonnegut play in the band’s mentality and is it necessary for us to reread Slaughterhouse Five and Cat’s Cradle in order to “get” what you’re doing?

It's necessary to reread Vonnegut in order to "get" what the world is doing.

 Richard:  We love the title of your album “My Piano Ate the Front Page of the San Francisco Chronicle” and the artwork is cool too.  What’s the origin of the odd title and artwork?

While on a journey through the depths of our minds one night our piano joined us in frustration at mass media's habitual fear-mongering and false information espousing.  The piano offered an answer.






Chip:  There’s obviously a strong political element to some of your songs, such as “Police Brutality” and “Humans Do,” with its opening refrain of “Fighting, fighting, fighting, that’s all you humans do.”  Is it okay if we just grind on a bunch of sexy chicks at your show, or do we also need to stop and reflect on the lyrics?

Due to our oversaturation of entertainment influences, one must alternate between grinding those of the opposite sex and reflection on philosophies of opposite sects.  Simultaneous grinding and reflecting not recommended.

Chip:  We were just listening to one of your songs called “No Sleep Till Oakland.” Is that a Beastie Boys reference and are you major fans of their work?

Yes, yes.  RIP Adam Yauch.  It has been said that Oakland is the Brooklyn of the West Coast.

Richard:  What else is on the horizon for the band in 2012 as far as new music, touring, and other projects?

Antioquia will be touring for most of the year and aims to release another music video this winter.  Check out our video for the tune Idaho here

Here's the band and the new album cover:

 :

Final Friday and Art Tougeau Photo Blog / Saturday Scenester Pick: Cloud Dog Album Release at the Bottleneck

Readers, we saw a lot of great art at May's Final Friday.

Amber Hansen may be forever associated with chickens in this town after her recent controversial project, but we totally enjoyed her pieces at the Arts Center's "Body of Work" exhibit, particularly this video piece of her rolling down a hill. 

Chip:  "It's a really jubilant celebration of the fluidity and grace of the human form and of humanity's constant forward movement.  Also, I could totally see her panties."




Resident feminist expert Bananasuit was quite taken with another piece by Hansen.  But $3200 bucks was a little out of all of our price ranges.   We could buy 1,422 PBRs at the Replay for that price.

There were also plenty of tasteful nudes on display by all of the artists in the exhibit.  It was really hard to get Chip to leave the Arts Center.  (yes, "hard" was deliberately chosen in that sentence).

 



 Eventually we retired to the Pig, where Bananasuit was less pleased with the "second wave" feminism on display.  Indeed, "second wave" is our least favorite wave of feminism. 

 

But sometimes we get bored of art that just sits politely on the wall, and we get a craving for art that rolls along the street looking weird as fuck!  Today's Art Tougeau parade more than satisfied our needs.

Some old favorites were on hand, such as the Shark Bike:











And there were giant mermaid boobies:







And then there was some crazy apocalyptic Mad Max/Planet of the Apes-style business. The sign on the vehicle says "Man is Evil / Capable Only of Destruction.  This was Richard's personal favorite, but Chip was annoyed by a social agenda getting in the way of his enjoyment of hilarious rolling art.

---

Tonight's best bet appears to be Cloud Dog's "epic" album release party at the Bottleneck (with Spirit is the Spirit and Glass Masks).  We predict a hot and sweaty drumming extravaganza performed by dudes who look like this:







Check out this site for more info on Cloud Dog and visit the FB event page for tonight's show here .

Here's the album cover:

Friday Scenester Picks: The Devil, CS Luxem, and Simone du Garfunk / Our (New) Most Anticipated Film of the Year: Holy Motors

We always get excited when The Devil makes an appearance on the scene.  Catch her at the Replay tonight with The Sluts (who seem to have taken over for Mouthbreathers as the band that plays at least one show per week) and Going to Hell in a Leather Jacket.

 Here's The Devil on New Year's Eve (a photo we like to use whenever the opportunity arises):





















Larryville Artists is touting a late-announcement on the Final Fridays art scene:  an opening at Love Garden featuring  tunes from CS Luxem and ceramic art involving LP's and kitties.   According to the FB event page, Luxem will be "singing your favorite Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin songs." Certainly you'll need to witness this.  Read the recent Heart Local Music piece on Luxem here .  You can also pick up some free screen-printed tape inserts for your summer mix CD's at the opening.

And don't forget to check out our buddies in Simone du Garfunk at the Bottleneck.  (Re)read our interview here .  And look at this badass photo from (we're guessing) Winfield.  





---

Readers, if you're like us you are spending the weekend bitching that you can't see Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom in KC for at least another month and that the best Hollywood can offer up on a summer holiday weekend at the multiplex is a third Men in Black sequel, ten years after the last shitty sequel. 

So we're contenting ourselves with reading reviews out of Cannes this week, such as the AV-Club's take on the long awaited new film from Leos Carax called Holy Motors.  We dare you to read these excerpts and not want to see this thing ASAP:

"a sequence involving motion-capture sex, while visually spectacular in its own right, gets pointedly contrasted with 19^th-century cinematograph footage depicting athletic movements..."

" musical number sung by Kylie Minogue."

"Eva Mendes as an model in a burqa singing a lullaby to a naked dude sporting a full-on boner ((after he munches on her hair).

Here's a terrifying image from the film:

Our Final Friday Picks: Nudes, Ukuleles, and Politics / Thursday Scenester Pick: Schwervon! at the Replay

Final Friday is almost upon us, so let's see what the scene has in store for us this month.

Chip has always been fascinated by nude modeling (what happens if one gets a boner?), so he's curious to see what kind of tasteful (or tasteless) nudes may be on display at the Body of Work exhibition at the Arts Center.  The street outside the Arts Center also promises to be intriguing with a pre-party for Saturday's Art Tougeau parade featuring The Ukesters (a 15 piece ukulele band) and local legend Arthur Dodge.

Chip: "That's at least 14 ukuleles too many!"

The Pig's opening is called "Turning Back the C(l)ock."  We're certainly curious what that clock/cock thing is all about.  The press material says:

"What year is it? Judging from the work of the Kansas Legislature, in regards to the rights of women, it could be 1960. This body of work was motivated (in part) by the ridiculous and absurd but deathly serious attempts of our elected officials to turn back the clock."

We're hoping for some hilarious Brownback portraits at this opening (remember that great one from our buddy Leo where the baby gov is sucking at the breast of Sarah Palin? we'll post it below just in case you've forgotten its power!).

And our friend Karen over at Larryville Artists highly recommends the "aluminum mesh sculptures" at Invisible Hand's "I Don't Feel Like It" opening. They look delightfully creepy!

See you at the galleries.

 

















---

For those of you wanting to kick off your weekend early, head to the Replay tonight and catch Schwervon!

They're a two piece NY duo who just moved to KC, and they've recently been recording in Memphis with the producer Doug Easley, who's worked with Pavement, Sonic Youth, and Cat Power.  Go to Bandcamp and listen to "Cougar Pride" right now.  This shit is irresistible.  As if we weren't already sold by that tune and the exclamation point in their title, they also have a song called "What We Talk About When We Don't Talk About Love."  That's a Raymond Carver reference, folks!  Still not convinced:  LFK's The Ants are opening and they always kick ass.


 

Best Coast vs Beach House: An Epic Scenester Battle / A New Doll For Dennis

With new albums from Beach House and Best Coast just released, summer is off to a fine start for lazy, PBR-sipping scenesters.  You can see Best Coast at the Granada this Sunday (remember when they played the Garage Fest and Bethany brought that kid on stage and we all said "Awwww?  here's a reminder ).

But today we aim to figure out which of the new records is truly the best.  To accomplish this, we will turn to Pitchfork, to Kip's "boner-scale," and to the album covers.

If Pitchfork really loves something (like the most recent Real Estate record), you can bet there's a Terence Malick reference on the way.  Beach House's Bloom gets a 9.1 and this blurb:


"Filmmakers call the part of the day right before the sun goes down "the magic hour." It's that brief moment when the waning daylight causes everything to take on a holy, hazy glow. It took Terrence Malick about a year to shoot his 1978 movie Days of Heaven because he insisted on filming only during this time of day, but the results perfectly capture and distend that dizzy, overripe feeling of right before something very good ends. Bloom does that, too." 

Full review here

Best Coast's The Only Place fares considerable worse, with a 6.2 and some pretty pointed critiques:

"[the title track] has no specificity and comes off like a tourism jingle. "We got the ocean/ Got the babes/ Got the sun/ We got the waves" is a couplet Mike Love would dismiss as shallow."

Full review here

What's our verdict?  Richard gives Beach House the edge because their lyrics sound less like a tweenager's diary, while Chip goes for Best Coast because Betthany Cosentino ranks higher on his "boner-scale" than Victoria Legrand. 

 







What about in terms of album covers?   Obviously, we prefer Best Coast's cute bear to Beach House's...lights?







---


But what's happening in Larryville today, you may be asking? The biggest news, certainly, is Dennis's new doll.  The LJ-World captured this terrific photo of a boy who appears more than a little puzzled by the mannequin.  Does this mark some new stage in the evolution of Dennis, arguably downtown LFK's most famous denizen?  Let's wait and see.

 

Our Interview With These United States' Jesse Elliott: "Rock. Beauty. Life. Death. Love. Heat. Combustion. Redemption."

It's a good time for These United States (the band, not the country).  They've got an ambitious new self-titled album, out on June 12th, featuring collaborations with members of Deer Tick, Phosphorescent, and Langhorne Slim (watch a cool little trailer for the album here ).  They've received high praise in the New York Times.  And they're on a major summer tour with Heartless Bastards.

The band hits the Granada next Tuesday, May 29th, for what's sure to be an absolute barn burner with Heartless Bastards.  Check out These United States' page over at Big Hassle here for a lot of info and all the links you need to familiarize yourself with the band prior to next week.

We chatted with front man Jesse Elliott about his Whitmanesque vision of America,  Tupelo vs. Wilco, concept albums, and those disagreeable music critics over at Pitchfork.  To paraphrase Mr. Whitman, we can't wait to hear him "sound [his] barbaric yawp over the roofs of [LFK]" next week!



Richard:  We like the following New York Times description of These United States : “a rambunctious alt-country band with story-songs that are both tangled and aphoristic.”  How would you describe your own sound, ideally using some highfalutin’ terminology like ‘aphoristic?’

Jesse:  Well, I'll admit, I had to look that one up in the dictionary - a sign of good writing, if you ask me - something that stretches your brain in some new direction.  And that particular word shares a history with "horizon," another one of my favorites, so we'll take it.  I'd slip in just a little something extra to that formulation - maybe "exuberant bordering on mystified balderdashery"?  You know, like the good kind of bullshit - like uncles telling stories around the bonfire.

Chip:  Your press material describes your upcoming self-titled album as “a concept album that acts as a panoramic snapshot of numerous American musical styles over the past century, but still looks forward to the weird new world at the completion of the Mayan calendar.”  We’re simultaneously thinking:  “awesome” and “what the hell?”  Can you tell us more specifically about the “concept” of the album?

Jesse:  It's not so much the different American styles we were going for as it is the people and places beaded out all along this big strange beautiful new world necklace.  Again, just stories around bonfires, facts, fiction, dreams.  I was down in southern Mexico when our press person called, so maybe something got blurred on the phone.  It's a good year for that, according to my sources outside Palenque.

Chip:  So you’re collaborating with folks from Deer Tick and Phosphorescent for this album.  We’ve seen both of those bands in action, and their shows were gloriously raucous and drunken.  Can you share any tales of debauchery from the recording sessions?

Jesse:  Can I or should I?  It's like science, and morals, and thinking about what's best for future generations. Just because you can, you know?...

Richard:  Like a lot of scenesters our age, we’ve personally been huge alt-country fans since Uncle Tupelo, but it seemed for awhile like the genre might be fizzling out, at least in terms of popularity.   Do you feel like it’s undergoing a resurgence lately with bands like Deer Tick et al?  And which other new twangy bands should we keep an eye on?

Jesse: I'll be brutally honest with you here - I'm more of a Wilco than an Uncle Tupelo guy, same way [Deer Tick's] McCauley's got just as much or more of the Cobain spirit passed down through him.  But that doesn't really matter.  People focus a lot on how to parse out this or that moment or movement, trying to put a conceptual limit down, very natural, make the universe that's just too wide for any one mind just a hair more understandable. It all sounds like garages and yawps to me.  


Chip:  Those dicks over at Pitchfork have given you guys the business in the past with critiques such as this:  “Elliott gets carried away with his grand vision of America, packing his songs with look-at-me allusions to Mark Twain, Cain and Abel, Dionysius, and Babe the Blue Ox (the blue ox, not the band).”     Personally, we love ‘look-at-me allusions.’  And what’s wrong with a “grand vision of America’ anyway?  Pitchfork would probably give Whitman’s Song of Myself a 3.2.    Anyway, what’s your reaction when you get scathing critiques of your work?  

Jesse: The one you're referring to, I actually thought that was not an unfair assessment.  Deusner's a smart guy.  I rarely agree with his takes on music, and I'm not sure he's the first person I'd call up to take me on a tour of the bayou or the badlands, as they say - but there's no harm, and occasionally even great beauty, in people dancing about architecture.  It's not his fault or Pitchfork's that we all forget he and we and they are each just one more desperate human voice trying to make sense of the infinite swirl.

Richard:  We’re pretty hyped for your show at the Granada with Heartless Bastards?  Tell our readers what they can expect from the evening?

Jesse:  Rock. Beauty. Life. Death. Love. Heat. Combustion. Redemption. Probably a free souvenir wristband or a stamp, too, I imagine.

Here's the new album cover and a photo of the band: