Flood Ritual

I absolutely believe in fate.

story by Melanie Falina

Named for the Vedic story that tells of music having been created within the “flood rituals”‚ the vocation of this four-piece Chicago band has seemingly been just as mystical. While prepping for their debut album release party, and with a heady list of accomplishments already under their belts in a relatively short period of time, Flood Ritual almost makes it look easy – perhaps even fated.

“I absolutely believe in fate,” says vocalist Jim Mullin, as he and drummer Charlie Costa spoke in earnest with Chicago Innerview. “I’ve always felt the need to do this and I’ve never taken it to this level before, but it just seems like everything keeps falling into place for us. It’s like things just keep falling in front of us.”

But it’s not just things like the licensing deal with MTV that’s rendered Flood Ritual’s music on “The Real World” and “Road Rules”, or having been named “Best Rock Band of 2004″ at the New York Music Festival that has created this air of destiny. The coming together of Flood Ritual was just as prophetic.

“I met [bassist] Tony Bock and we started a band called Hammerlane with another guitarist/singer and began looking for another guitarist to fill the sound a bit. That guitarist ended up being Ken Weiss,” explains Costa. “Several months after that, our two guitarists were not getting along very well and our original lead singer/guitarist either wanted Ken out or he threatened to quit. One thing I really loved about Ken was that he was a great songwriter and performer. I told Tony that I wanted to destroy Hammerlane and start a fresh new band with Ken.”

Costa continues: “The events that occurred after that started with trying out ten singers after [we] had written a dozen or so songs together and made our own home recording to give to the best singers. Well, none of these singers made the cut and Ken began to lose interest in the project. I ended up persuading him to stick around, and told him we were almost there. I knew I had to find someone soon or all this hard work would have [gone] down the drain.”

Mullin was also a little lost musically at the time: “My whole life I’d always been a musician and a singer but I wasn’t working on it as hard as I should have been, and I hadn’t played in a band for awhile. I went to a Creed show and was just blown away when I saw those guys play. I left there and was just like, ‘I’ve got to get in a band again,’ and I went to Guitar Center and put up a flier that I was looking for a band.”

“I walked into Guitar Center, didn’t even buy anything, wasn’t even looking for anything in particular either as I normally would be,” says Costa. “As I was leaving the store, there were many post-it ads on the wall. The only one that stuck out was this huge professional-looking flier that read ‘male vocalist’‚ and he listed bands like Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, et cetera, and I was like, ‘Shit, there he is.’” Thirty minutes later, Mullin got a call from Costa.

The firstborn of this musical marriage is Flood Ritual’s debut release, Set Yourself Free. It’s comprised of an all-star production team from Chris Bellman of Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood with Web design and album art by Daniel Tremonti, brother of Mark Tremonti (yet another, almost fatalistic link to Creed), and produced by Detroit’s Chuck Alkazian.

From day one these Chicago natives have aimed to be bigger and better than any of their competition, but not without the aggravation of dealing with manufactured bands that are easy moneymakers for club owners. “You just can’t be afraid of anyone in this business and have to learn from being kicked to the curb,” adds Costa. “As one of our song’s chorus says, ‘I won’t rest until I fly.’ Jim meant that in a way that it is related to this very album. We will not rest until our goals are accomplished as a band.”

Flood Ritual :: Navy Pier’s Skyline Stage :: May 28.

Gang of Four

The FBI sticker on an album signifies where rock ‘n’ roll has gone. You’d never see that in the ’60s or ’70s or on an Iggy Pop album.

story by Garin Pirnia

When the Sex Pistols arrived on the scene in the late 1970s, their music caused a stir with their anti-establishment rants which aided the quick birth and death of punk music. Soon after the demise of punk, the era of post-punk began with another British band, Gang of Four, speaking out against the social injustices of the world. The quartet, who named themselves after a Chinese Communist group, never had any major hits in their career and remained under the radar. But since the early 1980s, they have gone on to inspire a plethora of bands including U2, Mission of Burma, Franz Ferdinand, The Rapture and Bloc Party.

The band formed in 1977 in Leeds, England, with Jon King, Andy Gill, Hugo Burnham and Dave Allen. Their energetic music fused Clash-esque funk, rock and dance into rhythmically strong politically charged songs like “To Hell with Poverty” and “Damaged Goods” that tapped into the affectations of rock ‘n’ roll. They released their revered first album Entertainment! in 1979 and followed it with another equally respected album, 1981′s Solid Gold. Bassist Dave Allen departed the group after their second album to pursue other creative endeavors, such as forming the band Shriekback, while the rest of the group stayed together long enough to record a few more albums into the mid-1990s.

For the first time in 23 years, the original lineup rejoins to spread the word again and to support the reissue of Entertainment! for a new generation. Chicago Innerview spoke with bassist Dave Allen on the marvel that was and still is Gang of Four. On why the band is still relevant, Allen states: “Because we’ve been working in opposition forever. We take a stance. Rock music is weak…Rock ‘n’ roll is supposed to be about kicking down doors.”

Since reviews of emerging new bands kept mentioning the Gang of Four influence, Gang of Four used it as an impetus to regroup. Allen doesn’t think any of the bands the critics say sound like them actually do. He thinks the lyrics have nothing to do with them, as they aren’t as socially aware. Years later, Allen reflects on his two albums with the band: “They sound as if they had been recorded last week. They sound relevant. It’s a testament to our ability. On recording, there are not many bands that don’t sound dated. It sounds modern, so I’m pleased.”

The ’80s revival has come full circle, but Gang of Four will always be the seminal post-punk ’80s act. From Allen’s experience, he feels the music industry hasn’t progressed much. “The industry has turned into a massive dinosaur. It’s still the same. It’s broken and no one will fix it.” He thinks bands don’t need record labels and are better off without them.

“The FBI sticker on an album signifies where rock ‘n’ roll has gone. You’d never see that in the ’60s or ’70s or on an Iggy Pop album.” Gang of Four feels relevant because of the politics in the world right now. Things have gotten worse and keep veering into the conservative direction, which greatly affects the freedom of musical expression. “Bands don’t rock the boat because they might not sell their stuff. Students are less radical than they were in the ’60s. We’re turning into the ‘Me’ generation and step on the backs of others…America has to take responsibility,” warns Allen.

Even though they haven’t recorded an album together in a decade and don’t have any immediate plans to do so, Gang of Four continue to imprint themselves on the zeitgeist with their subtle influences and essential worldview.

Gang of Four :: with Radio 4 :: Metro :: May 11 and 12.

Kasabian

…everyone says that a rock and roll lifestyle is bad and you can’t live it. I enjoy living like this, staying out three days on the bounce and having orgies. I just enjoy doing it. It’s not that I am trying to live up to anyone’s expectations.

story by Charley Rogulewski

This has happened to you. You’re driving in your buddy’s car and a song comes on over the radio. “What’s this, man? Turn it up!,” you say. It’s that initial excitement of hearing a great new song. The only problem is radio eats it and breaks to commercial. No title. No band name. Just another ad for some local plastic surgeon that’s probably coming out of a malpractice lawsuit. “Who was that?,” you ask again. Your buddy shrugs cluelessly. It starts to drive you crazy. You flip through some stations. No luck. And thus the awakening of the, “Hey do you know that one song that goes…” question.

Welcome to my introduction of Kasabian, the latest hipster rant to come off the British scene. Comprised of four blokes from Leicester, England, their electronic rock and roll channels the eclecticism of Primal Scream and the wailing of the brothers Gallagher. Their first single “Club Foot” is a war chant that proves new age psychedelia is making a comeback in the abruptly infested garage-punk mainstream. Kasabian is a sound explosion on your radio that will have you calling the station to find the answer to your musical inquisition. At least that’s what it did for me…

“That’s wicked, man. And that’s what it’s all about!,” songwriter/lead guitarist Sergio Pizzorno tells Chicago Innerview in a phone conversation interrupting band practice that’s preparing the band for eight months of touring this spring and summer. He and the rest of Kasabian – Tom Meighan (vocals), Chris Edwards (bass) and Christopher Karloff (guitar, keyboards) – are on a mission to make a hit in the U.S. Their self-titled debut has gone double platinum at home. In the U.S. their music has showed substance, entering the Billboard charts at number 94 and selling over 10,000 copies in its first week. They were the talk of this year’s SXSW festival, which can lead to becoming an instantaneous it-factor in what’s next for music. Case and point: shows have already sold out for Stateside dates.

“I think we’ve exceeded all expectations and we’re doing really well,” Sergio says of the U.S. response. “When you want it, you Americans have impeccable taste. You took to the stage for Zeppelin, The Beatles, and Floyd, and they are all my favorite bands, so I can see where you are coming from. It’d be nice if we can do the same sort of thing in our generation.”

Where old-time rockers held a place in the music scene not only for their music but also for their Spinal Tap shenanigans, Kasabian has also been on point – flamboyantly reminiscing about parties they’d hold where people wound up running around naked on hallucinogenics. “I don’t think that we are trying. I think that is just who we are. We do enjoy going out, but everyone says that a rock and roll lifestyle is bad and you can’t live it. I enjoy living like this, staying out three days on the bounce and having orgies. I just enjoy doing it. It’s not that I am trying to live up to anyone’s expectations.”

But the expectations that they place upon on themselves include comments like, “We’re a wake up call to British music, big time,” and my personal favorite, “I looked him in the eye and told him that we were going to be the biggest band in the world.” Kasabian isn’t cocky, exactly. They are passionate and heated about changing the face of music. “I don’t think there are enough characters left,” Sergio philosophizes about the current music scene. “It’s gotten clumped up with a bunch of boring people and maybe a lot of fucking ska people. They’re not even fucking ska. They just like to pretend that what they do is far superior to what the average man does everyday. It lost its realness.”

And as far as the self-professed “greatest band in the world” manifestos? Sergio puts it into perspective: “We started saying this shit so we might as well carry it on. You know what I mean?” Dude, me and the guy at the radio station who answered my heated “who sings that song?” question know exactly what you mean.

Kasabian :: with Mad Action :: Double Door :: May 24.

LCD Soundsystem

As far as playing the show, we just try as hard as we can to play the best show possible. There’s not that much interest from us to be perfect, and that’s more interesting to me than a band that has hilarious cool poses. We’re a real band, and sometimes we kind of suck, and sometimes we’re the best band in the world for like 45 minutes. I like that. That’s the goal.

story by Josh Zanger
photo by Tim Soter

James Murphy is a busy man. For one, he produces and engineers records for the likes of the Rapture, Radio 4, and David Holmes. He also co-operates ultra-hip New York post-punk label DFA Records (home of The Rapture, Black Dice, The Juan MacLean, and Delia Gonzalez & Gavin Russom.) He also fronts the equally hip electro-punk band LCD Soundsystem and does some DJing on the side. Not to mention he’s funny and sarcastic as hell. And he’s married.

LCD Soundsystem is a project that logically seems as though it should have been stumbled upon before. Murphy and a cast of contributors fuse together elements of a disco/dance mentality, punk-filtered instrumentation and electronic ambiance. What separates this buzz band from any other of the same dance-rock breed is that Murphy knows what he is doing.

Fueled by a sense of scene history, LCD Soundsystem is Murphy’s half tongue-in-cheek, half house party-starting outlet for expression. Single standout “Losing My Edge” was one of the first to show the main creator behind LCD’s full range of defining aspects. He mockingly boasts, “I was there in 1968/ I was there at the first Can show/ In Cologne,” as an electronic four-on-the-floor beat pounds away in front of an acoustic drum kit and a whirling repetitive digi-bass sound. The signature LCD tune, originally released in 2002, found its way onto LCD Soundsystem’s long-awaited self-titled debut LP on a bonus disc compiling the singles that made LCD a critical and underground hit. The 2-disc offering was released earlier this year along with newer tunes like “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House” and “Movement,” and Murphy has been spending a lot of time away from his New York burg discussing the record and all the attention it’s receiving.

Recently Chicago Innerview caught up with Murphy while overseas to figure out just how he got started in the music “business,” what he thinks of the hipster scene surrounding the current dance rock craze and how he makes time to balance all his life activities and still remain sane.

Chicago Innerview: How did you get involved in music in the first place?
James Murphy: I have always made music in one way or another. I tried to not make it my ‘job’ so many times, but I kept falling back into it. It’s very natural to me. I love sound. I feel confident that I can do a good job working with sound. People? I can’t work with them for shit, but sound? My friend. I used to lie on the floor of my kitchen and hum along to the refrigerator, or lie in the deep snow and listen to that particular sound. I like the way sound plays with your head and space. I like the way sound affects your body. So making music was always kind of second nature.

Chicago Innerview: Do you have a deep background in music at all? Are you from a family or community of musicians?
James Murphy: I’m not from a family of musicians. I’m from a shit town called Princeton Junction [New Jersey] whose only saving grace is the fact that it has an amazing record store that essentially saved my life.

CI: What prompts someone from a shit town to found a label like DFA?
JM: Everything I’ve done or started has always been based on the fact that I had really high hopes for music ever since I was a kid, and I was continually disappointed. I built a studio, threw parties, and started the label all for the same reason: It was so frustrating to watch really obvious and predictable mistakes being made. It didn’t seem that hard to do something interesting rather than just complain about it, so when I met Tim [Goldsworthy, fellow founder of DFA] and we started working together, it seemed obvious.

CI: I also read that you were going to be a writer on “Seinfeld”. What happened in this experience?
JM: It was really just a vague offer that I slept on completely. I never got back to them. It was all very funny and not very serious. A friend knew the agent, and we’d had lunch. That year, I was in college, and had just won some bullshit college writing awards, so they asked me. I got a pile of scripts and ignored them, choosing instead to form an absolutely terrible band and work on my college stuff. Now I’m broke.

CI: Show-goers have said that when they see you live, you give off the impression of being a broke 30-year-old slacker – ragged t-shirt, jeans, 3-day old scruff – but your performance blows them away. Is your appearance an intentional psyche out to your musical style? How do you look at live performances?
JM: Well, my appearance is what it is. It’s a little boring I guess, but I like that. I mean I feel bad, being a big David Bowie fan, you know. I sometimes feel like I should work harder but it’s just not me really. As far as playing the show, we just try as hard as we can to play the best show possible. There’s not that much interest from us to be perfect, and that’s more interesting to me than a band that has hilarious cool poses. We’re a real band, and sometimes we kind of suck, and sometimes we’re the best band in the world for like 45 minutes. I like that. That’s the goal.

CI: How did making music with obvious overtones towards dance and rock elements come about for you?
JM: It really came from dancing and DJing. I never listened to dance music until 1999 when essentially, I went out, did a bunch of ecstasy, and started dancing. Then I started DJing and playing a lot of stuff from the late ’70s and early ’80s – a lot of Can, etc. – and it seemed like a pretty natural thing for Tim and I to make music for us to DJ, as all the music that we liked was in pretty limited supply. It seemed logical, I guess, especially after meeting the Rapture, who had so many songs that worked so well as dance songs.

CI: Do you think the dance-punk thing is at all overdone with so many of these disco-rhythm bands coming out? Franz Ferdinand, Futureheads, Rapture, the Killers, !!!, etc.?
JM: I do think it’s a bit boring. I think it’d be great if the music was better. I mean, some of the bands you mentioned like Franz, the Rapture, !!!…I like things that they do a lot. I’m interested to see what they’re going to get up to. But some of it, it’s not fucking dance music, and it’s pretty shit as rock, so what is it? There really are very few bands from any ‘genre’ that are any good at all, so why would this be any different?

CI: Do you feel like you’re grappling for reputation as alluded to in ‘Losing My Edge’? Are there times that you feel weighed down by all the inside who-knows-what/has-what-records politics of the scene?
JM: …Reputation is meaningless. What has some meaning to me is the idea that a band should try and be respectful of the people who listen to them, and that’s hard to keep on top of all the time when you have labels and others making decisions on your behalf all the time. That matters to me, but not the cred[ibility] really. They are similar and overlap a bit, but one is retarded and one is honorable.

CI: Seriously, what is with you and Daft Punk? Two references in 16 songs? Was ‘Daft Punk is Playing at My House’ at all based in reality?
JM: …The song itself is just about how I used to play these great shows in houses when I was in punk bands. They were the best shows ever, and I got to thinking about how great it would be to have some kid save up his money and fly Daft Punk to play in his basement for like 60 kids. It seemed like such a good idea. So I wrote a song about it. I had wanted them to come and do the video with me – actually do the show in a house in Ohio – but they couldn’t. That made me a little sad.

LCD Soundsystem :: with M.I.A. :: Metro :: May 19.