Federation X interview Here's an interview I did with Ben from Federation X. The interview also spawned a concert preview that I wrote for phillyBurbs.com which you can read
here.
How did you get turned on to punk rock?Growing up in Olympia, watching Karp, Unwound, Fitz of Depression, Irving Klaw Trio and Godheadsilo in basements and the likes. Amazing, totally original music, not necessarily "punk" punk like Rancid boots and straps, but pure early 90's punk rock optimistic ideology.
What was the best concert you ever saw?Oh shit, some of those basement shows in Olympia when we were in high school were off the hook. The Champs (before they were "fucking") at the Lucky Seven house blew my little mind.
When you're not touring do you still do a lot of music stuff? Or do you read, write or do other art stuff?I play a plethora of instruments, practice daily, and play around town two or three times a week. I play lap steel, piano, and accordion with a shit-ton of honky-tonk, bluegrass and art-country bands. Some of those bluegrass shows are becoming bigger than most FedX shows. But it's really just for fun, practice and a musical challenge.
Any members in the band Howard Stern fans?Um, sure. I don't really get up that early, I don't have Sirius, and I don't watch his cable porn show, but hell, he's bearable and pretty funny I guess.
What kind of stuff (if any) do you listen to in the van while touring? Audio books? Satellite radio? zines? comics? Music?We listen to nothing on tour right now. We only have radio, so sometimes it's the Phil Henry show at night or Art Bell. Our roadie just got an iPod, so I guess things are going to change. I read a bunch of books.
Is there a reason that the band didn't go back to Albini to record "Rally Day?"Always change the formula to stay on top of your originality. We wanted to record somewhere really comfortable with someone we know as bros. We kicked ass on recording the last two records in lightening fast efficiency, so we decided to try something a little less efficient - a little bit of "studio fucking-around-ery".
How was the experience working with Albini?Steve was THE lesson in efficiency. Those nerds at Electrical Audio are total scientists. He was also amazingly funny, sincere, and totally entertaining.
He did a great job and helped us immensely.
How did you come to choose Ryan Anderson to record the new album?He had the best weed. Really he's a good friend, a great engineer, and a comfortable guy to work with.
Do you remember the first record(s) you bought?I bought three 7-inches; Black Flag, Gas Huffer, and Long Hind Legs. I remember buying Stones shit when I was a kid, and some Kenny Rogers.
What kind of music was played in your house (if any) when you were growing up?Hooked on Classics, Shaft, Simon and Garfunkel, ABBA. All those staples of middle America. The most important however was that my father is a huge Willie Nelson fanatic. Nobody has affected me more than Willie.
Do you read any zines? If so, any comments on the quality of writing in them? Or any constructive criticism on how they could be better?I kind of gave up on music and political zines sometime in the 90's. The only "music mag" I read now is Chunklet. And that's because it's nothing but humor - grated, directed at indie band record collector nerds. Nothing is as progressive as good humor.
Best live bands out there right now?400 Blows, Last of the Juanitas, Big Business, Narrows, Fleshies, Toys That Kill, Drunk Horse.
I've never been to Total Fest - what's it all about?A shit ton of amazing art-rock semi-metal bands. Josh Vanek of Wantage USA has accrued one of the best rosters for any label I've ever heard.
Ever toured overseas? If so, how is the response?We did a short UK/Belgium/Spain tour a couple years ago. We had a blast and the Euros geeked out. We're returning this fall.
Favorite place to play?Flagstaff Arizona has been one of those small towns where everybody there has become family. We play some shit storms in Oakland too. Our last house party we played in the kitchen when the basement flooded. I stood on the stove, Beau almost prematurely exited through the window with his drum kit and Bill surfed.
Favorite movie?Oh hell, Chinatown? I love Todd Haynes right now.
Vinyl or CDs? Why?I choose vinyl because I loose, break, disrespect and scratch CDs. LPs look, feel and sound better. It's a lot more concrete as well. It takes some balls
to drop duckets on vinyl where CDRs are plaguing everybody's CD collection. Albini had some good words about longevity on this topic. Then again I don't
have an iPod yet. That might change my tune.
Any opinion on "illegal" music downloading? For example, how would you feel about someone downloading a copy of "Rally Day" or other bands on Estrus?Buy the record if you really like the album. But whatever, do what you gotta do. It's good to know people want to hear you. If a band wants to sell records they better make the artwork fucking perfect and the songs amazing.
Do you have any good tour stories? Yes.
If you could hang out with any musician for a day (dead or alive) who would it be and why?Willie Nelson.
Dave McG's 2005 Greyhounds Reach the Beach photo gallery
Holy crap! Germany's Dean Dirg kicks out some badass hyper punk on "26 Kicks to Make the Whole World Pay." The CD, released domestically by Dead Beat Records, compiles the band's 2004 LP "The Last Kid on the Block" and 2002's "Dean Dirg" LP.
Out of all the recent punk videos that I’ve seen recently (Government Issue Live 1985, X Live in Los Angeles and Punk: Attitude), I was surprised when I concluded that The Circle Jerks Live at the House of Blues is the best. 
I write my review of Kevin Booth's "Agent of Evolution" from a unique perspective. In 2000 through 2001, I worked with Kevin to put together this biography of late comedian Bill Hicks. I recorded well over 50 hours of interviews with Kevin, spent time in Austin and Houston hanging out as well as visiting all of Bill's old haunts including El Azteca. 
Brian Jonestown Massacre has had an impressive string of above average albums, with "Give it Back" and "Strung Out In Heaven" among their best. And while they've never had a bona fide breakthrough hit, on record they've repeatedly proved their worth.
1976’s "Sprial Scratch,” the group’s very first release, finally gets its premiere official CD release (after appearing in bootlegged form throughout the years.) The record, a short, four-song blast of energy, unbridled enthusiasm and snotty vocals accurately represents the angst and excitement of the mid-‘70s punk scene in England. Taking cues from Johnny Rotten, vocalist Howard Devoto sounds like a tensed up schizo on “Breakdown.” Musically though, the Buzzcocks surpassed the Sex Pistols in sheer velocity and such tracks as “Boredom” blitz through initial sketches of what would become the group’s catchy verse/chorus framework.
By the time of their first album, “Time’s Up,” the Buzzcocks had already written many of the songs they would become famous for including “Orgasm Addict” and “Love Battery.” However the group had yet to fully mature musically. Drummer John Maher’s clumsy time keeping is preserved on tape as is the group’s failure to gel as a whole. Still the charm of three chords, a distortion pedal and a ferocious singer is evident on “Friends of Mine,” which has all the anti-social trappings of a punk with a foot-high mohawk in the deep South.
I finally got around to listening to Julie Delpy's self-titled CD.
I finally got a chance to watch Teenage Kicks: The Story of The Undertones.
Here's a track from "Listening In: Radio Sessions 1978-1982." 
One gets the impression from listening to The Fireballs of Freedom that they're the type of band whose best efforts come across in a live setting. And while little can replace the live experience, "Greasy Retrospective," on the esteemed Wantage USA label, does an admirable job. 