930 Forums
=> GENERAL DISCUSSION => Topic started by: redsock on March 18, 2004, 11:53:00 am
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Do we have any big stellastarr* fans in the house?
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I don't know stellastarr* -- there's buzz, but they haven't been recommended to me by anyone I know. Alas, the Black Cat is ANOTHER Monday show, so barring some cool VIP tix, I'm skipping it.
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Got their album for 53 cents at CD Game Exchange, and it's pretty mediocre. Sounds like Interpol with half the talent. And Interpol aint that good for starters.
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I like stellastarr* alot. I saw them open for Placebo and liked them right away. I'm not planning on going to the Black Cat show but I'll be at the Richmond show the Friday before, and probably the in-store appearence they're doing too.
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They're supposed to be pretty good live, but I haven't seen them. The album is derivative of a lot of that "80s sound" (with a heavy dose of the Pixies female/male vocal interplay thrown in for good measure) but they have some catchy songs and are a lot more upbeat than Interpol.
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I remmber seeing them at the 9:30 when they opened for Sahara Hotnights and Mooney Suzuki in 2002 (god, was it that long ago?!?) and liking their sound. It was before the album was released...haven't had a chance to see them perform since, unfortunately.
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Originally posted by redsock:
Do we have any big stellastarr* fans in the house?
Yup! Not sure I can make the BC show or not..unfortunately.
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I could probably get into them if it weren't for the lousy vocalist. It sounds like he's making a parody of a lot of bad new wave vocalists but I suspect he may be serious...
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haven't heard much, but enough to go check them out at the end of the month.
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Good observation.
I too thought the music was better than the vocals.
Sounded like he was trying to imitate what it would have sounded like if David Byrne was fronting the Pixies instead of the Talking Heads. Just didn't work for me.
Originally posted by friend of Guy Chadwick:
I could probably get into them if it weren't for the lousy vocalist. It sounds like he's making a parody of a lot of bad new wave vocalists but I suspect he may be serious...
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â?? by Jennifer Vineyard, with additional reporting by Matt Paco
It might be cliché to say that to really get a band â?? any band, really â?? you have to see them live. In the case of New York's Stellastarr*, their rabid fans would testify with hands on holy books of their choosing that yes, if that is the true test of a band, this Brit-pop-flavored act not only passes but sets the curve.
The founding members of Stellastarr* met at New York's Pratt Institute of Art and had unlikely backgrounds to position them as New York's most buzzing band, though they tasted the edge of fame with their various exploits. Drummer Arthur Kremer was an actor who once shared the screen with Rick Schroeder in "The Lost Battalion" on A&E. Singer Shawn Christensen painted portraits of rock stars such as the White Stripes, the Strokes and David Bowie and sold them through his Web site, www.shawnyboy.com. (http://www.shawnyboy.com.) It wasn't until they roped in classically trained cellist Amanda Tannen that the band became more than just another extracurricular activity.
"We basically met through the performing arts program, which was pretty small," Christensen said. "It was only like ten people who cared about acting and anything at Pratt. We needed a bassist, and we knew Amanda had a bass guitar, and we weren't really sure if she knew how to play it or not, but that didn't matter."
"They kind of bombarded me," she said, laughing.
"She didn't really have much choice in the matter," Christensen added.
At that point, the band â?? and its songs â?? got serious. Dark and yet still full of hope, their first release, the Somewhere Across Forever EP, was a time-machine excursion of '80s new wave guitar, balancing the intensity of Joy Division, the pop of the Pixies, the drama of the Cure and the quirk of the Talking Heads while still seeming fresh. The tunes on their self-titled debut on RCA, due out September 23, are just as retro-goes-modern with just as much of a sense of urgency, as if they had to instruct a new generation about the history of rock â?? a worthy substitute to Jack Black's teacher character in "School of Rock."
Upon hearing songs about paranoia, love and longing like "In the Walls," "My Coco," "Jenny" and "No Weather," friends quickly morphed into fans who would pass out stickers, sell merch and even get their songs on the radio in the U.K. But the best friend Stellastarr* ever found was television producer Jason Dolan, who videotaped all of their shows and let the tape instruct the band in one more art: stage presence.
"That was a real eye-opener, watching the tape," Kremer said.
"We'd sit there and want to cringe," guitarist Michael Jurin said. "We'd be like, 'oh my God, we're so stiff, we don't move!' Or, 'That's a ridiculous thing we do right there.'"
Quickly, the band learned to make the most of the stage. Kremer, for one, started performing shirtless, with a black masking-tape star over one nipple. And over time, Stellastarr* got to the point where the lessons didn't matter, because their ever-growing, rabid fanbase was happy enough to take over the duties for them.
"We did this show, and Shawn was losing his voice," Jurin recalled. "So we asked the audience to sing the song with him, and the song wasn't released or anything, and these people knew the words! They just saw enough shows that they could sing the song back at him, without ever owning the song."
"I don't need to be here anymore," Christensen joked. "I'll just go home."
MTV.com/Everything Indie
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Are there any indie bands whose members didn't go to a prep school, a chi-chi art school, or have parents who own modelling agencies? You know, folks who come from a working class background?
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Originally posted by ballsock:
Are there any indie bands whose members didn't go to a prep school, a chi-chi art school, or have parents who own modelling agencies? You know, folks who come from a working class background?
Exit Clov
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Originally posted by ballsock:
Are there any indie bands whose members didn't go to a prep school, a chi-chi art school, or have parents who own modelling agencies? You know, folks who come from a working class background?
GBV
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Originally posted by ballsock:
Are there any indie bands whose members didn't go to a prep school, a chi-chi art school, or have parents who own modelling agencies? You know, folks who come from a working class background?
Nellie McKay??
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Originally posted by ballsock:
Are there any indie bands whose members didn't go to a prep school, a chi-chi art school, or have parents who own modelling agencies? You know, folks who come from a working class background?
I think the notion that unless you come from a working class background your music or beliefs lack credibility is utterly stupid...
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I never claimed that where an artist comes from indicates credibility.
I'm just saying that nearly all indie artists appear to have come from silver spoon backgrounds.
Originally posted by Fico:
Originally posted by ballsock:
Are there any indie bands whose members didn't go to a prep school, a chi-chi art school, or have parents who own modelling agencies? You know, folks who come from a working class background?
I think the notion that unless you come from a working class background your music or beliefs lack credibility is utterly stupid... [/b]
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You make it sound like such a bad thing. To some extent, they have to come from that kind of background in order to afford instruments, the ability to not work a regular full-time job and tour outside of their immediate area.
Originally posted by ballsock:
I never claimed that where an artist comes from indicates credibility.
I'm just saying that nearly all indie artists appear to have come from silver spoon backgrounds.
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So Stellastarr* will be hosting Subterranean on Sunday night?
Does anyone have any questions they would like to ask Stellastarr, like why the stupid fucking* at* the* end*?
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I was talking about that stupid f'ing *, and my friend pointed out that I'm the knob that always types it in when I send out my list of shows! Ooooh, caught.
Hey, how's the album?
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I really like it. I am a sucker for the 80s though.
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What exactly did I say that made it sound like a bad thing?
Originally posted by Random Citizen:
You make it sound like such a bad thing. To some extent, they have to come from that kind of background in order to afford instruments, the ability to not work a regular full-time job and tour outside of their immediate area.
Originally posted by ballsock:
I never claimed that where an artist comes from indicates credibility.
I'm just saying that nearly all indie artists appear to have come from silver spoon backgrounds.
[/b]
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Originally posted by god's ballshine:
What exactly did I say that made it sound like a bad thing?
Just the general ignorance of the statement.
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What was ignorant about it? It HAS been my observation when reading articles about various indie rock bands, that the members do tend to come from more privileged family backgrounds...typically more so than artists in other genres such as metal, country, hip hop, etc.
Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:
Originally posted by god's ballshine:
What exactly did I say that made it sound like a bad thing?
Just the general ignorance of the statement. [/b]
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Originally posted by god's ballshine:
What was ignorant about it? It HAS been my observation when reading articles about various indie rock bands, that the members do tend to come from more privileged family backgrounds...typically more so than artists in other genres such as metal, country, hip hop, etc.
Perhaps you have to be more intelligent to be a succesful "indie" star? I dont buy the correlation you are suggesting. If I did I would suggest that brighter well educated people were obviously drawn to indie to the detriment of country, rap, etc.
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Since when does going to a prep school equate with being more intelligent?
Originally posted by mark e smith:
Originally posted by god's ballshine:
What was ignorant about it? It HAS been my observation when reading articles about various indie rock bands, that the members do tend to come from more privileged family backgrounds...typically more so than artists in other genres such as metal, country, hip hop, etc.
Perhaps you have to be more intelligent to be a succesful "indie" star? I dont buy the correlation you are suggesting. If I did I would suggest that brighter well educated people were obviously drawn to indie to the detriment of country, rap, etc. [/b]
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Originally posted by mark e smith:
I would suggest that brighter well educated people were obviously drawn to indie
Well that's true. :D
So the stellastarr website streams songs....
"Jenny" -- wow, is that XTC with a bit of screaming thrown in? Yes, it *is*. And a wee bit of distorted guitar....
[Speaking of, I have more XTC at home that's not in iTunes yet; I will work on that...]
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Originally posted by god's ballshine:
What was ignorant about it? It HAS been my observation when reading articles about various indie rock bands, that the members do tend to come from more privileged family backgrounds...typically more so than artists in other genres such as metal, country, hip hop, etc.
blah blah blah generalization, blah blah blah ambiguous overstatement; blah blah blah blah yadda yadda yadda.
How 'bout some specifics? Stellastarr*, The Strokes.........who else?
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Originally posted by god's ballshine:
Since when does going to a prep school equate with being more intelligent?
You are more likely to be well educated and therefore intelligent if your parents are wealthy. But you know that, right? The same way you are more likely to live longer and not be given a death sentence if you are wealthy.
Who went to a prep school?
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Originally posted by mark e smith:
Who went to a prep school?
:D
And we all know I'm far more intelligent than that farmer's boy.
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Now I hear Adam Ant....and a little Buggles....
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Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:
Originally posted by mark e smith:
Who went to a prep school?
:D
And we all know I'm far more intelligent than that farmer's boy. [/b]
I meant band members....... But with your superior education and intellect, you knew that, right?
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Originally posted by Bags:
Now I hear Adam Ant....and a little Buggles....
If I were you I would stop listeming to hits of the 80s and listen to the Stellastarr* album instead.... :roll:
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Originally posted by mark e smith:
Originally posted by Bags:
Now I hear Adam Ant....and a little Buggles....
If I were you I would stop listeming to hits of the 80s and listen to the Stellastarr* album instead....
[/b]
Rolling Eyes Dude, I am. You don't hear those bands in their songs? In "Jenny," "In the Walls" and "My Coco" -- it's all there....
And, as always, the NYC show is sold out.
Mar 31, New York, Irving Plaza, SOLD OUT
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The Walkmen (3 stars)
Bows and Arrows
The Walkmen (with three members of former Dreamworks' flame-out Jonathan Fire*Eater) like to take epic moments and spiral them into even more epic moments. Their new record, Bows and Arrow, is atmospheric, almost orchestral art rock made by prep-school grads who wear sweater vests. But these are prep-school grads who are closer to 28 than 18, and who seem willing to take off those sweater vests and clock you in the mouth if you stare at them cross-eyed.
Originally posted by mark e smith:
Originally posted by god's ballshine:
Since when does going to a prep school equate with being more intelligent?
You are more likely to be well educated and therefore intelligent if your parents are wealthy. But you know that, right? The same way you are more likely to live longer and not be given a death sentence if you are wealthy.
Who went to a prep school? [/b]
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Originally posted by god's ballshine:
Jonathan Fire*Eater
all you have proven is that people who went to prep schools or art schools like to use an * in their name
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I wasn't attempting to prove anything. I was only giving an example of an indie band who I've read about recently who went to a prep school.
Though I have read on occasion of indie bands who started at prep schools or chi-chi art schools, I can't remember a one who got their start at a humble public institution of learning.
But there's too much other good music to fucus all of my music loving energies on indie rock, so maybe there are some out there...
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Originally posted by god's ballshine:
I wasn't attempting to prove anything. I was only giving an example of an indie band who I've read about recently who went to a prep school.
Though I have read on occasion of indie bands who started at prep schools or chi-chi art schools, I can't remember a one who got their start at a humble public institution of learning.
But there's too much other good music to fucus all of my music loving energies on indie rock, so maybe there are some out there...
i was joking, perhaps I should use more of these
:) :D
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Yes, I sort of figured that after I typed and sent that post...
I guess it takes awhile for slow public school types like me to figure things like that out. :) :D [/b][/quote]
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Regardless of where the players in Stellastar* went to school, I'd have to give them a thumbs down. If vocals are going to be bad, there's got to be something redeeming...in this case, there's not.
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I like the vocals.
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Originally posted by mark e smith:
I like the vocals.
Hey, did you hear back today...?
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Originally posted by redsock:
Originally posted by mark e smith:
I like the vocals.
Hey, did you hear back today...? [/b]
NOPE.
I didnt even express my concerns about them sounding too derivitive. Or that their * is uselessly pretentious.
I guess I get to keep my powder dry.
I repeat, does anyone have any questions for Stellastarr*?
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What was art school like? And did any of them go to prep school?
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How long is their longest pubic/asscrack hair?
Are they familiar with the term "turd burglar"?
Why would "power pop" be lumped in with "alt-country" and "Americana"?
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Originally posted by mark e smith:
Originally posted by redsock:
Originally posted by mark e smith:
I like the vocals.
Hey, did you hear back today...? [/b]
NOPE.
I didnt even express my concerns about them sounding too derivitive. Or that their * is uselessly pretentious.
I guess I get to keep my powder dry.
I repeat, does anyone have any questions for Stellastarr*? [/b]
That's the spirit..well if you don't hear back by EOD Monday, we'll have to get somebody in trouble. Let me know...
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Originally posted by redsock:
Let me know...
Dont worry, I will do.
Watch subterranean Sunday night though and see if you think of anything to ask.
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Originally posted by mark e smith:
Originally posted by redsock:
Let me know...
Dont worry, I will do.
Watch subterranean Sunday night though and see if you think of anything to ask. [/b]
I thought sub is on Friday nights?
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Check out the My Coco video (http://www.mtv.com/onair/mtv2/subterranean/) in advance....
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Originally posted by redsock:
Originally posted by mark e smith:
Originally posted by redsock:
Let me know...
Dont worry, I will do.
Watch subterranean Sunday night though and see if you think of anything to ask. [/b]
I thought sub is on Friday nights? [/b]
It's now on at midnight at Sundays. I videotape it either way, cuz I'm out Fridays or sleepin' Sundays...
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The Strokes, Stellastarr*, The Walkmen.....
Yep, that's "nearly all indie artists"
:roll:
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Recent picture from SXSW:
<img src="http://www.endochine.com/blog/randy/photos/stuff/stellastarr3.jpg" alt=" - " />
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I like Stellstarr, although I'm not a huge fan. I don't know if I'll go the show at the Black Cat or not; depends how late I have to work.
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how are they live these days?
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Pretty good. I remain a fan, and even enjoy their most recent album "Civilized" more then "Harmonies for the Haunted". Shawn has a lot of energy on stage and moves around a lot...ending up on the floor, in the crowd...good stuff.
I saw them at R+R Hotel, the show was great, very intimate and a lot of fans that knew the material well, but...as per usual for that place...the sound kinda sucked.
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I love them and their live shows are so much fun, but I really wish they'd play a venue other than RnRH. That's the only place (in DC) that they've played for the past couple of years, since their 6th & I gig, I think. It's really annoying.