1. “My Propeller”
2. “Crying Lightning”
3. “Dangerous Animals”
4. “Secret Door”
5. “Potion Approaching”
6. “Fire and the Thud”
7. “Cornerstone”
8. “Dance Little Liar”
9. “Pretty Visitors”
10. “The Jeweller’s Hands”

We here at Cannibal Cheerleader have been Arctic Monkeys fans since the beginning, ever since they let loose with their punkish snarls and street-wise rhymes on their debut LP. When Favourite Worst Nightmare dropped we were stunned at the art-rock direction the band had chosen for their sophomore release, which featured the fearsome foursome flowering into rock monstrosities, artful tunesters whose lyrical chops and wicked instrumentation were forces to be reckoned with. And now, all signs point to an even more ‘Cannibal Cheerleader’ approach to their third album – stoner jams, Black Sabbath influences, hell even Josh Homme is aboard. Sludge city.
Check out this recent press photo featuring all the boys with classic slacker hair. Note the ‘molest-aches’ and Sabbath shirt. Now squirm on over to the news that Josh Homme of stoner-metal gods Queens of the Stone Age helped co-produce Humbug. Even track titles like “Fire and Thud” absolutely seethe with sludge-jam mentality. And frankly, that’s quite alright with us. Not only are we big stoner-jam fans to begin with, and Arctic Monkeys aficionados to boot, but we have an affinity for bands trying new things, broadening their horizons, and venturing outside their comfort zone. Here’s to Humbug coming through in spades.

Arctic Monkeys – “Take It Or Leave It (Strokes Cover)”
********************************************************************
JENNY LEWIS LIVE REVIEW
Sweltering heat accompanies any Austin, Texas summer night, and June 22nd was no different just because the cooling breeze that is the voice of Miss Jenny Lewis was in town. Still, as the sun set on the Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheatre here in downtown Austin, any audience member there could have told you there was no other place worth being than bathed in the glow of the sonorous tunes by the fiery redhead.
The evening started with Ohio-to-Austin transplants the Heartless Bastards churning away at their soulful rock-renditions, leaning heavily on the formidable strength of lead crooner Erika Wennerstrom’s inimitable voice.
Burning through tracks from their newest LP The Mountain as well as old crowd favorites, the band felt tight and pulverizing, Wennerstrom’s rhythm section choreographing their movements in tune with the songs like consummate rock professionals. The sound was mixed at a very bass-high level, allowing for a bombastic volume level that rumbled out over the enthusiastic crowd. After an all-too-short set the band wrapped up to make way for the main course.
Then, just as the sun set off in the distance Jenny Lewis trailed by boyfriend and co-writer of Acid Tongue Jonathan Rice and the rest of her ragtag traveling troupe took to the stage with force, leaping immediately into crowd favorite “See Fernando” before assaulting a bevy of old classics from her already formidable solo library. Whipping their way through track after track of instantaneously infectious indie-rock nuggets with equal parts country and rock twang, Jenny Lewis and company sounded wholly loose and carefree. While a Rilo Kiley performance, as awe-inspiring as they might be, come with at times an overabundance of gravitas, it became clear to the audience at Stubb’s that a Lewis solo performance was the exact opposite – an opportunity for the singer to delight in rock classicism and groove effortlessly without self-referencing.
Still, perhaps the most achingly gorgeous performance of the night was the solo-acoustic rendition of Rilo Kiley classic “Silver Lining” that saw Lewis alone on the stage, strumming away through the basic chords of the love-lorn tune, made all the more powerful by the absence of Blake Sennett. The band wrapped up the night with a cavalier and ramshackle take on “The Next Messiah” followed by an encore that featured a brand new song (”Big Wave”, one of two new songs of the night, the other being “Just Like Zeus”, both being infectious and sounding more Rilo Kiley-esque than most of Lewis’ current repertoire), “Acid Tongue”, and the hot-and-sweaty closer “Born Secular”. Overall a fantastic display of confident musicianship that once again reasserts Miss Lewis reign as the queen of indie-rock. Check out this wonderful video below found on YouTube – recorded maybe with a digital camera but the vertical lines make me think I’m watching an old home movie and the sound quality is pretty spot-on. Enjoy!

Jenny Lewis – “Acid Tongue”
Heartless Bastards – “Out At Sea”
********************************************************************
CRYSTAL CASTLES TUSSLE WITH SECURITY
Word on the street is Cannibal Cheerleader favorite Crystal Castles are some troublesome youngsters. Always gallivanting about, canceling shows (to great dismay), and generally acting like good ol’ fashioned rockstars. Now it seems they’ve gotten into yet another scrape, this time with security at the Sonar Festival in Barcelona. Sources say that after an entire set of battling with agonizing sound issues, Alice Glass decided to trash the band’s drum kit after the set was finished. Apparently, festival security didn’t enjoy her rowdy behavior and in the video below one can see a security guard scooping her up and away from the drums. However, in the last few seconds of the vid one can see E. Kath dashing to his singer’s aid and just as it looks like he’s about to throw a haymaker the video cuts out. Reports are a small tussle took place but the only punches thrown were by the tiny fists of Glass to undoubtedly little damage. Check it out below.

We here at Cannibal Cheerleader, Crystal Castles historians we are, have long since known about Glass’ penchant for causing a ruckus. Check out some of the videos our friends from the Lymbyc Systym sent us (their drummer pulls double duties in both bands) showcasing some onstage destruction. Obviously skip to the last part of both the videos for the real action.


Yep, seems as if Glass and Kath are quite the rapscallions. We’re not one to pass judgment on such things really – we’re just huge fans of the music. Still, all the ruckus and holier-than-thou arguments about how dastardly the Crystal Castles duo behave remind us of how the Brits hemmed and hawed over the Sex Pistols’ Bill Grundy interview – and how twenty years later they all realized how silly they all were for caring so much. And hell, we appreciate it when rock stars act as such. Here’s to a few destroyed hotel rooms at the Crystal Castles suite.

Crystal Castles – “Death (White Lies Remix)”
********************************************************************
SPINNERETTE RELEASE SELF-TITLED DEBUT
Coming off the heated anticipation following their Ghetto Love EP, Brody Dalle’s self-titled Spinnerette LP emerges, rising like some Garbage-influenced phoenix from the ashes of the Distillers. Never one to people please and not follow her own ambitions, Dalle here experiments with churning electronic loops and danceable rhythms recalling a solo-era Courtney Love with bigger chops and a greater sense of genuineness. And while the songs may at times seem cookie-cutter and over-produced, Dalle is nothing if not self-referential, taking an inherently shallow music medium and infusing it with hot sweat and malice, her trademark drawl and impassioned wails adding an air of desperation to the forlorn tracks and creating an undertone of experimentalism and depth that begs for multiple spins. The album has been receiving some flack from all sides, but the ultimate criticism that anyone can come up with is that Dalle is not delivering on the promise of Coral Fang Pt. 2. I’m sure she would say the album is her big middle finger to an industry that wishes to pigeonhole female artists into easily definable roles. This is Dalle’s Eagles of Death Metal and it kills.

Spinnerette – “All Babes Are Wolves”
Spinnerette – “The Walking Dead”
********************************************************************
JIM JAMES IS EVERYWHERE
The fact that My Morning Jacket has no release planned for this year hasn’t stopped lead crooner Jim James from remaining as prolific as ever. On top of releasing the excellent Celebración de la Ciudad Natal Record Store Day release featuring the Jacket performing live, James has also revealed that he will be releasing an EP of George Harrison covers under the pseudonym ‘Yim Yames‘ in tribute to the late Beatles guitarist. The release features recordings from Harrison’s days with the Beatles and his storied solo career.

In other Jim James related news, the Monsters of Folk album has been officially confirmed, and it combines the MMJ frontman with none other than M. Ward and Conor Oberst. The self-titled debut album is due out on Sept. 22nd and will feature fifteen barn-burning country-rockers. Tracklist below:

1. “Dear God (sincerely M.O.F.)”
2. “Say Please”
3. “Whole Lotta Losin’”
4. “Temazcal”
5. “The Right Place”
6. “Baby Boomer”
7. “Man Named Truth”
8. “Goodway”
9. “Ahead of the Curve”
10. “Slow Down Jo”
11. “Losin Yo Head”
12. “Magic Marker”
13. “Map of the World”
14. “The Sandman, the Brakeman and Me”
15. “His Master’s Voice”

Yim Yames – “Behind That Locked Door”
********************************************************************
NEW BAND CHEER: COMPLETE COLLAPSE
Sometimes record store crawling can pay off in spades, as was the case when the Cannibal Cheerleader crew wandered into Trailer Space Records in East Austin to find female-fronted Atx hardcore group Complete Collapse spreading ruiniation between the indie and classic rock aisles. Despite having only been around since January the band is already gaining steam locally, and will be playing club shows and recording demos as the summer drags on. For our money however, the band, with their rip-snarl guitar attack and the guttural howl of lead singer Carrie, is one of the best hardcore punk groups representing Austin right now. Be sure and check their July 14th show at Red 7 and head over to their Myspace. Hail to the hardcore.
********************************************************************
JOIN JOY FORMIDABLE MAILING LIST
Seems as if our pals in The Joy Formidable have been busy – crafting a stunning debut LP, releasing three singles and three respective videos already from said 9-song album, and all the while keeping up with their fans on a very intimate level. It seems the band would like everyone to know they should sign up for their email list at their new official website so we here at Cannibal Cheerleader are definitely obliging. Won’t you? Be sure and keep track of this trio over at their Myspace – word on the street is they’ll soon be huge.

Joy Formidable – “The Greatest Light Is the Greatest Shade”
********************************************************************
NEW BAND CHEER: LA ROUX
Riding an electric storm across the Atlantic, fueled by infectious synth-beats and danceable harmonies, UK act La Roux are poised to storm the US and turn the Little Boots hysteria into ‘LaRoux-lite’. Sounding decidedly icy and unconcerned while maintaining enough crystalline tenderness and depth to really illuminate the fact that a great dance record when made well is also a great indie-rock record, the duo’s (producer Ben Langmaid and singer Emmy Jackson) self-titled debut swaggers with the confidence of a record deep into an artist’s career. With a tidal wave of British press behind the band and a Flock of Seagulls haircut that’s sure to be the focus of a million other articles on the highly coifed singer, La Roux are nonetheless the kind of understated dance act that’s sure to make a huge splash.

La Roux – “In For the Kill”
La Roux – “Colourless Colour”
********************************************************************
VOTE ROLO TOMASSI
One of our favorite acts of all time Rolo Tomassi is apparently in the running for the Kerrang! Magazine award for Best British Newcomer. To help the group claim this hefty title and wrestle it from those other poser bands you have to go to this website and vote immediately! Just put ‘ROLO TOMASSI’ in the text box and you’re all set. Let’s get Rolo Tomassi to the top where they belong!

As a quick aside it seems in all our Rolo Tomassi excitement we’ve somehow forgotten to introduce their excellent video for rawkus album opener “Oh, Hello Ghost”. Allow us to remedy that immediately and treat you to a string of hardcore infused Xmas lights and tiny wooden mannequin in a disturbing love triangle:

In other news it seems that Rolo Tomassi and one of our other favorite Holy Roar groups Throats will be releasing a special split 7″, with each band covering the other’s respective songs. Throats will be giving their own rendition of “I Love Turbulence” while the Spence’s and company will be delivering the goods on “Headclouds” and “Reign of Low”. Limited edition here folks, pre-order while you can. Here’s to these two awesome UK imports!

Rolo Tomassi – “Scabs”
Throats – “Deathnaps”
********************************************************************
NEW TINY VIPERS ALBUM
If any young artist this year were to deliver on the promise of their past work in the same way that Jesy Fortino of Tiny Vipers has done with her new incredible outing Life On Earth, a stunning achievement in minimalist acoustic-folk and a mind-altering journey that begs to explore deep, philosophical facets of one’s mind, then they can be said to have pull off the impossible. Tiny Vipers, perhaps best known for her silence-inducing, eye-opening live performances has crafted a stormy, flickering dark wave of an album, with a sound like a dark journey down the river Styx, casting away at a slow pitch towards a dark underworld of introspective thought where return is not guaranteed. Casting aside all traditional singer-songwriter structures and Cat Power-aping, Fortino here sounds completely unique and natural, alone in a cave with only her questions on life to comfort her. A truly masterful effort, Life On Earth may well have claimed the crown of the best acoustic record of the year only halfway through.

Tiny Vipers – “Life On Earth”
Tiny Vipers – “Tiger Mountain”
********************************************************************
NEW BLOC PARTY SINGLE
Never ones to rest on their laurels, Bloc Party are racing off again, this time with a new one-off single called “One More Chance”, released on BBC Radio last week. Featuring Kele Okereke’s trademark pained-croons about lost love and strained relationships, the single introduces a dancier rhythm and a disco-inflections that were only briefly explored on Intimacy. The song careens through several minutes of guitar-pedals and electronic washes before barreling to hushed close, altogether leaving us wanting more. Is this the new direction for another Bloc Party LP? Retro synths and lost love? Here’s hoping so! Enjoy at the Bloc Party site here!

Bloc Party – “Ion Square (Banjo Or Freakout Remix)”
********************************************************************
HALFWAY THERE: MID-YEAR BEST OF LIST
We here at Cannibal Cheerleader don’t count ourselves as big fans of ‘rock lists’, the male-oriented activity of putting quantitative values to qualitative artistic endeavors. We’ve always made a point to try and not even review bands we dislike – art is subjective and to create is inherently a valued activity. That said, while we like a lot of things, we, like most, tend to like some things more than others, and that’s what our mid-year best of list is all about. We figured since this is a halfway-point in the year list we wouldn’t go into too much detail; instead we numbered our favorite singles and albums thus far, creating a comprehensive list of what has impressed us thus far. Check it:

BEST SONGS OF ‘09 THUS FAR

10. “Oblivion” – Mastodon
9. “Come Monday Night” – God Help the Girl
8. “The Mountain” – Heartless Bastards
7. “All Babes Are Wolves” – Spinnerette
6. “Boy Boy” – Lissy Trullie
5. “Cotopaxi” – The Mars Volta
4. “Dull Life” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3. “Planes” – Pull In Emergency
2. “Whirring” – The Joy Formidable

1. “Black Eyes” – Gallows
One listen to the terrifying wail that is Gallows‘ Frank Carter screaming “I know where you live!” instantly rockets this searing single up the list, and kudos to the crunching instrumentation and experimental aesthetic that pulls it out of the hardcore sameness muck and into first place. Perhaps the best thing Gallows have ever done – looking forward to checking them out on July 4th here in Austin!

BEST ALBUMS OF ‘09 THUS FAR

10. The Horrors – Primary Colours
9. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
8. Peter Doherty – Grace/Wastelands
7. Tiny Vipers – Life On Earth
6. The Joy Formidable – A Balloon Called Moaning
5. Bat For Lashes – Two Suns
4. Fever Ray – Fever Ray
3. Kylesa – Static Tensions
2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!

1. Lissy Trullie – Self-Taught Learner
What can we say that we haven’t already about this blistering release? Lissy Trullie wraps up everything that’s cool about rock and roll into one six-song EP then dares us to find flaw. We here at Cannibal Cheerleader really can’t. Looking forward to some recording news in the near future and maybe another LT release by the end of the year.
********************************************************************
CANNIBAL CHEERLEADER LIVES
So where have we been for the past few weeks? Whatever happened to ‘never gonna let you down now’? Well Cannibal Cheerleader faithful, we’ve been saving up the good stuff for one big release of course. As opposed to aping the other blogs who release every worthless tidbit they can scrape together or copy/pasting from PitchGum, we plan on releasing a massive weekly post that really showcases what music we find really worthwhile. The blog has been repeated ad infinitum. We didn’t devise Cannibal Cheerleader to get the most hits, to join the blogosphere proper. From now on CC is an online zine, appearing once a week featuring all the outsider writing you’ve come to know and love.

So what do we have in store for you? Well as the year progresses the site layout will be updated, showing off a little bit more of our videowork. Check out the video below to see a reel of our Cannibal Cheerleader work over the years – seems like we’ve been around the block more than once! That said we encourage anyone who wants the CC crew to make a video for their band to please contact us at cannibalcheerleader@gmail.com. We’d be happy to do it and frankly we’re not bad at what we do. Check it:

Lastly stay tuned for the fall edition of the Cannibal Cheerleader zine – that’s right volume 4 people! What’s that? You don’t have issues 1-3? Well they’re going fast so email us quick and we’ll shoot you a copy in exchange for something cool (be creative and music related!). And just to plant the demon seed in all you faithful’s brains, this Halloween be prepared for the Cannibal Cheerleader Horrowshow, a showcase of metal acts from around the world right here in Austin, Texas on Oct. 31st. You’ve been warned. Hail to the horror.

Comments?

Glass Candy & The Shattered Theater – “Nite Nurses”
Glass Candy & The Shattered Theater – “Back in NYC”
********************************************************************
NEW BAND CHEER: PULL IN EMERGENCY.
Perusing the music forums over the weekend as we here at Cannibal Cheerleader are apt to do between watching schlock horror flicks, we came across an act that we were instantly excited about: London’s Pull In Emergency, a quintet of high-schoolers from the UK who combine indie-pop sensibilities with a lo-fi garage rock edge, sounding a bit like the Strokes fronted by a bored Corin Tucker. With these guys and Lissy Trullie making black leather cool again one can only hope we’ll start seeing a trend soon. Get in on these guys now before “Planes” becomes this year’s summer jam (sorry for the low quality radio rip!). Also check out the video for fantastic single “Silence” below.

Pull In Emergency – “Follow”
Pull In Emergency – “Planes”
********************************************************************
SPINNERETTE ON TWITTER.

Everybody else is doing it, so why doesn’t Spinnerette’s inimtiable frontwoman Brody Dalle do the same? Turns out the ex-Distiller has her own Twitter account now and will be tweeting about the progress on her group’s upcoming self-titled debut throughout the summer. Here’s hoping we get an mp3 of new single “Baptized By Fire” soon!

PS. That’s the cover for the new album. Sexy but dangerous.

Spinnerette – “Ghetto Love”

Comments?

********************************************************************

Spinnerette – “Sex Bomb (Adam Freeland Remix)”
********************************************************************
NEW BAND CHEER: THE JOY FORMIDABLE
Shrieking out of London care of Wales, the Joy Formidable have garnered acclaim from UK rags like NME for their Yeah Yeah Yeahs meets Pixies style sound, though in our opinion the band is a fantastic amalgamation of Asobi Seksu and Austin’s own Ume. With haunting vocals, squalling guitars, and genuine pop sensibilites, the Joy Formidable stand poised to fire up the UK scene, which seems mired in Britpop aping these days. But don’t take our word for it, check out the official video for “Austere”, some live footage, and some of our favorite mp3s below. Fast becoming a CC favorite.

The Joy Formidable – “The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade”
The Joy Formidable – “Whirring”
********************************************************************
NEW ROLO TOMASSI VIDEO

A string of Cannibal Cheerleader faves today as Rolo Tomassi posts a new video to their Myspace page. Check it out below, can’t wait to see these kids at SXSW 09!

Brody Dalle’s newest incarnation Spinnerette have quietly released a new EP containing a remix of a track called “Sex Bomb”, the real version of which will undoubtedly show up on their upcoming debut full-length. Chock full of the patented Brody-snarl and swimming in early-90s electro beats, the Adam Freeland remix swirls around growled lyrics that reek of raw sexuality. As usual with the ex-Distillers frontwoman, a dancey electro song quickly becomes an entirely different creature with her at the helm – can’t wait to hear the real version! Also, buy the damn thing people, Spinnerette’s hella-independent and it’d be nice if you could throw a few bucks their way!

Sad news here at Cannibal Cheerleader, as we’ve recently heard that one of our favorite local acts Southern Drama will be going on an indefinite hiatus. However, from the ashes of a great group comes a new act which violinist Naomi Cherie has recently joined called Agent Ribbons, a stunning duo (now trio!) out of Sacramento. The group combines the Victorian punk leanings of Southern Drama with an additional flair for theatrics and a churning guitar and drum musical combo that reminds of a lilting female version of Death From Above 1979, but replacing slamdancing antics with bizarre vaudevillian ballroom manners. Check out these videos below and see for yourself. Can’t wait to catch this act at SXSW 09!

A1 The Thermals: “When I Died” (demo)
A2 The Thermals: “You Dissolve” (demo)
B1 Thao with the Get Down Stay Down: “Cool Yourself You Are Flush Red” (previously unreleased)
B2 Thao with the Get Down Stay Down: “Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind” (Lovin’ Spoonful cover)

In other TM news, recently we here at Cannibal Cheerleader got a chance to conduct an email interview with the madcap experimental artist and here’s a sample for your reading pleasure:

“Describe the Treasure Mammal experience to the uninitiated. What is
your music all about? How would you describe it?

The TM experience for the uninitiated is communal experience conveyed through performance/music about trying to live in the moment, dancing, enjoying the ones around you (even if they are strangers) and enjoying music. My music is all about embracing musical mistakes and trying to make a world to escape in for a short time. My music is like surfing on a dream catcher that eventually got lifted up by a pegacorn (unicorn/ pegasus) and you were taken in to space and shown all the possibilities/ beauty of life.“

This completely awe-inspiring answer is of course just a sampling, read more at the bottom of this post and of course read the full interview in the September edition of the Cannibal Cheerleader zine.

Speaking of which, copies of issue #1 are going fast so if you’d like a copy delivered to you, email me at cannibalcheerleader@gmail.com. Of course, you’re going to have to do something for me too, such as recommend a few cool bands or take some rad pictures of CC favorites!

Here’s a quick T. Mammal video to jump-start your work week:

********************************************************************
SPINNERETTE REVEAL “VALIUM KNIGHTS”
We here at Cannibal Cheerleader have long since been betrothed to Brody Dalle. She doesn’t really know this yet, but we’ve been together for a long time. Growing up in Smalltown, East Texas left plenty of room for romance in our nerdy lives and the raucous rampage of the Distillers was just the kind of girl we were looking for. Seriously though, Brody remains one of the greatest vocalists in rock music ever, and her seering punk poetry still manages to make our ears bleed to this day.

Now, having placed the Distillers on hold after their magnum opus Coral Fang, Brody Dalle has formed a new band called Spinnerette, supposedly offering a more experimental and electronic edge to the Rancid-ready sound of old. This weekend on the band’s Myspace it was revealed that the first single off the album “Valium Knights” would be sent to members of their email list, and what a doozy of a track it is. Taking the Brody croon to new heights of musicianship and combining a grimy bassline with light, spidery guitarwork, all behind a cascading din of drums, the track is painfully short but packed with enough sweet grooves to suffice until the whole album is revealed. Definitely a far-cry from anything Distillers but incredibly satisfying nonetheless, here is Valium Knights:
Spinnerette – “Valium Knights”

I strongly encourage everyone to join the band’s email list, and not just to honor the memory of the late-great Distillers, but to become involved in what’s promising to be an excellent and engaging band. Looking forward to hearing more from these guys!
********************************************************************
NEW BAND CHEER: FOLLOW THAT BIRD!
Straight off a recommendation from the gals in Southern Drama comes Austin’s own Follow That Bird!, an all-girl punk trio with a penchant for snaky guitarwork, fierce and passionate drumming, and the unhinged and unmistakable vocals of one Lauren Green, whose voice comes across as a mix of the Corin Tucker operatic-yelp and post-punk songstress Siouxsie Sioux’s husky growl. The demos on the band’s Myspace speak to a collection of whip-smart punk begging to be committed to tape, so much so that the group’s earlier tracks seem pale in comparison. Follow That Bird! are clearly on the verge of dropping a bomb on the Austin punk and indie scene, just feel lucky that you’re getting to hear them they explode. The girls in FTB are playing this Wednesday at Beauty Bar and you know Cannibal Cheerleader will be there snapping pictures for your enjoyment!

I haven’t been able to find any mp3s online but here’s a quirky little YouTube video of one of our favorites, “Run With Knives”:

********************************************************************
TREASURE MAMMAL INTERVIEW (CONT’D)
Here are a few more questions from our special Treasure Mammal interview – enjoy!

Talk about the T. Mammal live show. Do audiences need to see your performances live to get the full effect? What goes through your mind when you’re performing?

I do think that the TM experience isn’t fully expressed until the live show has been seen. When I am performing I usually think about the environment that I am in, what is my part in this environment, and how can I change this environment.

Your music is a really unique blend of genres. What are your influences? Do you listen to much modern music? Who are some of your favorite artists? Do you take influence from anything other art forms like film or literature?

During my first couple of records I wanted to make songs like Robert Rauschenberg made art. So I was really into the cutting/ pasting element of music. He made me want to make sound collages. John Cage has also been a huge influence on me … I do kind of group him with Rauschenberg from the sound collage aspect of things. The only modern stuff I like lately is on the hip hop station. Some of my favorite artists right now are Add N to X, Kanye West, R. Kelly, Babies, Whitman, Abe Vigoda, and Brian Crabtree. I try to take things from everything that I come in contact with in my environment. We are a product of our environment. My favorite people/artists are the ones that make their own environment no matter the situation.

classically trained or self-taught?

I began by doing alot of improvisations, experimenting with effects pedals, putting contact mics on vacuum cleaners. Also, that around a time when I was experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs. The only reason I bring up hallucinogenics is because they put me in a mind frame of putting genres together that wouldn’t neccessarily work together. In short, it made me care alot less about having these music rules make sense. After doing quite a bit of experimentation I started song writing, and over some time I tried to put those ideas together.

I do think of music sometimes as an equation that needs to be solved. For example, if you try to make a song from a country music loop and a hip hop loop where do you place them in relation to each other. Once you try to figure out the composition variables will start presenting themselves and I am self taught.

I remember seeing you perform in East Texas when I was in high
school – you’ve been at this for quite a long time. Is Treasure Mammal
a permanent career choice for you? What is your career trajectory and

what tips can you give for independent artist just starting out?

This November the entity of Treasure Mammal turns 5 years old. This is a permanent career choice for me. I have decided to dedicate my life to music and being the enitity of Treasure Mammal. I do like the idea of getting old and still doing a version of the project. We do live in an ever changing world and it will be great to just ride it out. I do plan on touring in Canada and in Europe sometime in the near future. For anyone starting out, I would say they should figure out the purpose of the music they are making first, constantly make goals for yourself, put out your own records and tour all the time.

What future releases do you have planned? How do you plan on
expanding the Treasure Mammal universe? Has your fanbase grown over

the years?

I have a new split 7 inch coming out with the Numerators from Lubbock, Texas coming out in the late fall. I have a new record coming out early next year called “If You Love Me You Will Get a Vagina”. A mixtape will also be coming out with remixes, different version of songs and freestyles things of that sort. A dvd is also in the works. With my fan base I have planted the seeds, watered them and they grown more than I ever thought they would. I plan on expanding the TM universe by eventually doing some art installations and trying to do some more work on the visual aspect of things

your artistic expression?

I sell stuff on ebay, and sometimes I substitute teach. Lately, I have liked ebay better than any job because it takes the least out of my creativity and I don’t get bummed out on my job. Because there are those days where I wish I could do TM all the time but I have not figured out how to make a solid income doing that. yet.

Does your music have a message? What are you trying to convey?

If there was a message to my music. It would be to realize that you are great, to not be afraid of who you are, that one small thing can change your whole world, if you want to make a change (change it), and to do what you are really meant to do in this life. I guess in summation the message would be to be more self reliant. I write these songs for other people, the people I love, and I also write them for myself.

Stay tuned for bonus questions in next month’s Cannibal Cheerleader zine! Any comments?