Three Imaginary Girls - BOAT

Monday morning check-in: John Roderick and the warmest day of the year

imaginary liz — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:12:34 +0000

Happy Monday morning!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and was able to make the most of what the experts have claimed to be the warmest day of the year. My weekend was packed with some mundane blah stuff which was thankfully overshadowed by one hellava Saturday night in Columbia City. After an amazing dinner at my new favorite restaurant (Island Soul, do not leave without trying one of their coconut corn muffins!), my friends and I headed over to the Fishboy / BOAT / Aqueduct show at the Columbia City Theater.

All the bands went above and beyond, but the highlight of the night was a surprise super special guest appearance. Mr. John Roderick joined BOAT on stage to chime in on "Landlocked," and then stayed on stage for a super-rock rendition of the Long Winters classic, "New Girl." {!!!} To say it was jaw-dropping would be an understatement. It's been a while since I've heard the Long Winters rock-style, and boy oh boy, I hope this is a sign for things to come (next album, more shows).

My favorite part of the story? The part in which I found out that BOAT and John hadn't actually ever practiced "New Girl" together. The band just sprung it on John when he arrived to the show that night {sprung = asked really nicely}. This just furthers my claim that BOAT (with J. Rod on lead vocals now and again) would make a great house band for the next late night talk show. Watch out Roots!

How was your weekend? What were your highlights?

Huge thanks to Button Dave for capturing the magic and posting to youtube:

(videos after the jump)

There's still time to get to Portland for MusicFest Northwest this weekend!

imaginary victoria — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:42:48 +0000

There's still time-a-plenty to get your Friday donewith and head on down to Portland for this year's installment of what's quickly becoming our favorite regional city-wide music festival, MusicFest Northwest. For four sweet nights (well, five technically, if you count the goings-on around town that started Wednesday) some of the best local and national-worthy acts sweep in and take over our hip sister city. There's a little something for everyone, and we can state from direct experience that you will have a hell of a weekend should you make the venture down south! The price is reasonable (although we can't recommend the line-skipping VIP wristband privileges enough), the city is bikeable, driveable and parkable, and there's plenty to do in your late-late off-hours around town to keep things... well, let's just say 'entertaining.'

Sleep in, fill your sunny days with KEXP in-studios at the Doug Fir {full lineup available here}, and get your nightlife on at our recommended {** = MEGA recommended} shows below -- scheduling conflicts included:

Recommended Saturday show: Fishboy, BOAT, Aqueduct at Columbia City Theater {9/10/11}

imaginary liz — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:38:03 +0000

This Saturday, the Columbia City Theater will burst with niceboy poplicks! Starting off the night, Fishboy is in town for the first time since the release of Classic Creeps, their foray into anthemic pop with an emphasis on the letter A. Each song is a detailed character survey that swings from Apples in Stereo to They Might Be Giants with their own distinct DIY Denton, TX spin. Sidenote: If you'd rather kick it Vashon Island style, you can see Fishboy with Red Pony Clock, iji, and Terrordactyls on Sunday, September 11.

Hometown heroes, BOAT always bring on the fun with their comfy-pop songs. Lucky for us, they keep up a near GBV pace of song-writing. It seems like every other month there's at least one new song added to their live sets and talk of an upcoming album or special edition tape. Who knows what we'll find at this Saturday's merch table.

Headlining the night is Seattle's own Aqueduct, perhaps most beloved for their ability to add a special blend of quirk and coy with a keyboard line and a nod to the finest classic rock rifts.

I've seen all three bands on separate bills and have had a fine time with each outing. Together, Saturday's grouping will be a spectacular showing and well worth the trip (not so far) south.

A mixtape of Imaginary Liz's Best of 2011 {so far)

imaginary liz — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 02:49:41 +0000

Rather than thinking of it as 2011 being halfway over, I prefer to see it as we're all halfway to my birthday {December 24th if it's not on your calendar already}. To celebrate, and take stock of this year's releases thus far, I've put together a mix of my favorite songs of 2011 {so far}.

This year has brought some predictably great albums from friends such as Mountain Goats, Okkervil River, BOAT, Matt & Kim, Telekinesis, Bright Eyes. I feel like I've been waiting for a fresh batch of songs from Brown Recluse for years. I love every note they play and having a two hearty releases in one year {Panoptic Mirror Maze and Evening Tapestry} makes me overjoyed.

Other bands, like When I Was 12 and Dangerous Ponies, I am thankful for crossing paths with for the first time this year.

And then there are the folks that have left me wanting more more more (I'm looking at you Oregon Bike Trails and Forbidden Friends)! Huge thanks to You Aint No Picasso for bringing Oregon Bike Trails to my attention. OBT fellow, singer/songwriter Zach Yudin, from Santa Monica, Ca., is quite the mysterious dude - only having a cassette tape release earlier this year (hand painted, limited to 50!) and a couple other MP3s swirling around the web.

Forbidden Friends, a side project by Thermals frontman Hutch Harris (with Michael Lerner of Telekinesis on drums and fellow Thermals Kathy Foster and Westin Glass backing him up), is still in the 7" only phase, and needless to say I'm counting down to a full album of FF stuff.

In short, I can't recommend the below songs and full releases enough. To help convince you of their brilliance, I made a virtual mix cd!

The tracklisting of my {hopefully very convincing} mix cd is:

Come celebrate the grand opening of 112 PrintWorks! {Friday, 5/13}

imaginary victoria — Wed, 11 May 2011 18:47:25 +0000

The fine, fine folks over at 112 PrintWorks are throwing a party on Friday, and guess what? We're all invited!

112 PrintWorks, the brick-and-mortar shop from the same troup of geniuses at Seattle Show Posters (you remember this old thing, don't you?) and Broken Press would simply heart for you to join them to celebrate their grand opening this Friday -- yep, Friday the 13th -- at 112 N 36th Street in Fremont, starting around 5p. The party will feature a live set by BOAT (!!), a showcase of works by Sup Pop / Wonder Thunder designer Sasha Barr, and we even heard a little somethin' about some free screenprinted gifts.

Recommended show + free tickets: TMTS and BOAT at the Comet! {4/30}

imaginary victoria — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:43:54 +0000

Come one, come all! Throw Me The Statue and BOAT are playing at the Comet this Saturday, and you're not going to want to miss it -- it's like two great bands that taste great together. This is BOAT's first show back in town since they returned from their East Coast domination tour (hitting all points Brooklyn, NY, Milford, CT and Rock Island, IL) and very special guest (and original member) Z. Duffy will be joining them (Z. moved to Chicago a long time ago) for this one show. Z. was integral in BOAT's sloppy pop early days, and we know Saturday will be a reunited-and-it-feels-so-good lovefest.

And PS, longtime love of the imaginaries Throw Me The Statue will headline the night -- and we've been having dreams that they might debut a new song. Not sure if this is true, but we hope so!

With Boy Eats Drum Machine and Wonderful on the lineup, there's only one thing missing: and that's you! Which is why we have a hot pair of tickets to give away to one lucky reader (and their +1). Just send a note to tig {at} threeimaginarygirls {dot} com with the subject line, "YouReallyShouldBeSmiling" sometime before 3p on Friday, April 29th. We'll pick a winner at random and get your name on the guest list for Saturday night's show. Easy breezy!

Pre-order the new BOAT album and be a part of the ltd. edition cassette revival

imaginary liz — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:58:53 +0000

We have been lucky enough to get a sneak listen to the new BOAT album, Dress Like Your Idols, releasing March 22, 2011 on Magic Marker Records and it rocks our sloppy pop socks off. If the album's cover art didn't give it away, the album is an aural thumbing through their personal record (and cassette tape) bins, paying homage to their influences with blatant Pixies references ("When Frank Black Says (No. 14 Baby)") and sly Pavement croons (as in "Kinda Scared of Love Affairs"). The collection of pop songs prove they are ready for prime time. They are still experts in the friendly quirk pop genre, but this time the expertly recorded songs burst with a swagger confidence (confi-pop?). And one Long Winters' inspired track, "Landlocked" even features guest vocals by John Roderick.

In true to analog BOAT cardbaord cutout form, the band has put together a special limited edition cassette gift for the first 100 pre-orders of this, their fourth studio album. The cassette features demos from Dress Like Your Idols and covers (click through to see track listing and video). Plus the b side will feature a D. Crane mix-tape.

I can't wait to see what tricks and treats the band has up their sleeve when at their album release show at the Tractor Tavern on Friday, March 25 (with Pickwick and Concours d'Elegance).

Win tickets to see Apples in Stereo at the Croc plus a signed copy of their new album on vinyl

imaginary keenan — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 19:35:42 +0000

It's been over three years since Apples In Stereo were last in town, touring their fabulous 2006 masterpiece New Magnetic Wonder. Now they're back with a new fantastic album Travelers In Space and Time.

You want to Go! see Apples In Stereo at the Crocodile October 26th (with crush band Fol Chen and local heroes BOAT!)? Plus win a signed copy of their new record Travelers In Space and Time on vinyl? You're screaming "Please! Tell me what to do!" Just e-mail tig@threeimaginarygirls.com by 9am on Friday October 22nd with the subject line "IWantToTravelInSpaceandTime", and please make sure to include your full name, especially if your e-mail address is something like ruby@elephant6.com.

Check out the unbelievably charming video for "Dance Floor" (which we featured on our latest Imaginary Mixtape, and is definitely one of my favorite jams of the year) featuring the ever adorable Elijah Wood and start prepping for the instant dance party on October 26th.

Bumbershoot 2010: Photo highlights

Steve Louie — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 16:06:23 +0000

4 Sep 2010

Weezer at the Bumbershoot Main Stage.The band sounded great and played what we needed to hear from the Blue album, but what kept everyone in the stadium excited was the "where is Rivers" game as he danced and ran through the crowd, climbing on top of portable buildings andup and down the stadium bleachers, with security and a bright spotlight trying to keep with him.

Boat at the EMP Sky Church. Boat's first appearance at Bumbershoot featured a plaque by the drummer that read "A Journey Of A Thousand Miles Starts With The First Step, Gang."

Scott Porad, CTO of the I Can Has Cheezburger Network speaks on why our society is fascinated with cats and failure at the Why Cuteness, Why Failure, Why Now? panel hosted by the Vis-Vis Society. We love our our LOL cats.

Delorean (Spain) on Sunday delivered one the happiest, liveliest dance sets on the at the Broad Street Stage.

Jackie from Ice Cream Man handing out cool treats while waiting in line to see Hole performing an informal acoustic set presented by 107.7 FM The End as part of End Sessions.

Flatstock 27 poster exhibit. The daily thought of the day at the Seattle Show Posters booth. This day's message: "I love you because you tell me every single day." A walk through the Fisher Pavilion in each row treated you with a indulgent display of rock postering and design.

More photos on flickr.

Bumbershoot 2010: Bumber-highlights

imaginary keenan — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 21:28:01 +0000

{Her Majesty herself, Rachel Flotard, by Steve Louie}

We may be almost a week out from the crazy weekend known as Bumbershoot, but that doesn't mean we can't gush about our favorites and relive the magic as we head into a dreary fall weekend. All photos by Steve Louie.

1. A double shot of Visqueen with a hint of Neko Case

What a lucky day to get to see one of Seattle's best bands twice! For those lucky enough to get tickets, Visqueen played a KEXP lounge set early Saturday afternoon, and ended with an almost a capella version of "So Long", all harmonies and cello which had me in tears. Here's a video of "Summer Snow" (complete with typical jokes cracked at drummer Ben Hooker's expense) from the same set, which will give you an idea as to how emotional and amazing Visqueen can be turned down. KEXP is still streaming the whole set on their two week streaming archive, so I highly recommend taking a listen.

Athens Popfest 2010 lineup announced

imaginary keenan — Fri, 21 May 2010 09:42:08 +0000

Today is like Christmas morning for indie pop nerds. Today, I am giddy as hell because THE ATHENS POPFEST LINEUP HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED! I've compared Athens Popfest before to indie pop summer camp, but basically, it's the best week out of the year for anyone who loves indie pop. And this year, I think they've really done it with the lineup:

The Wedding Present, Mission of Burma, Apples In Stereo, Go Sailor, Circulatory System, Oh-OK (early Athens greatness), Joe Jack Talcum (Dead Milkmen), Nana Grizol, BOAT, Cars Can Be Blue, Poison Control Center, Gold-Bears, Dream Diary, Eux Autres, Afternoon Naps, World Atlas, Your Heart Breaks and more. Complete lineup after the jump. Commence freaking out and immediately buying plane tickets now. Check out complete band bios here.

Record Store Day cometh with LTD goodness at Jigsaw Records on April 17

imaginary liz — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 18:50:56 +0000

There have been rumblings all over the internet of the special Record Store Day-only releases that will hit the shelves on this most holy day. Personally, I've mapped out my route from Jigsaw Records (Ballard) to Sonic Boom (Ballard) to Damaged Records (Belltown) to Easy Street (Queen Anne) to make sure my canvas bag is full with the celebratory bingeing and I catch all the special instore performances and swag they have planned for the big day.

I've had a hard time finding a list of everything that will be available on RSD, but thanks to an indie shop in Michigan (Sound It Out) who kindly listed a bunch of really special RSD releases, I have the start of a skeleton wishlist of things I want to pick up:
1. R.E.M. Chronic Town 12″ EP (Previously out of print debut; limited edition blue vinyl, individually numbered)
2. The Thermals/The Cribs Split 7″ single
3. Superchunk “Misfits and Mistakes”/”Misfits and Mistakes” 7″ (Meatwad version, picture disc release; autographed by the band)
4. Ted Leo & the Pharmacists “The Oldest House”/”North Coast” 7″
5. Telekenisis “Dirty Thing”/”Non-Toxic, The Drawback” 7″ (2 songs exclusive to this RSD release)

One stop I'm most excited about is the newest of independent stores around town, Jigsaw Records (remember their cute opening party?). Jigsaw has arranged to have some ultra-limited-edition floppy records cut featuring songs by some of my favorite indie-pop bands: Math & Physics Club, BOAT, and Mill Kids. When I say limited, I mean like only 25 of each release will be in circulation.

Win tickets to see The Morning Benders at the Crocodile on Friday 4/2

three imaginary girls — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 15:53:09 +0000

This Morning Benders have been getting all kinds of buzz for their brand-new album Big Echo, including being awarded a prestigious "Best New Music" honor from Pitchfork. On Friday night, they'll be bringing those songs to the cozy confines of the Crocodile.

Even better: a) two of our favorite bands around here, Miniature Tigers and BOAT are opening and b) we have a pair of tickets to give to a lucky TIG reader.

If you want to go see The Morning Benders, BOAT and Miniature Tigers (and you surely do), but would prefer spending the money that would have gotten you in the door on drinks and/or t-shirts, send an e-mail to tig@threeimaginarygirls.com before 9am on Thursday, April 1 with "morningbenders" in the subject line. Oh and be over 21 before Friday.

Portrait of an Artist: Fred Schneider part 2!

D. Crane — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:10:07 +0000

This is the second part of the first installment of Portrait of an Artist. D. Crane will interview musicians and artists who blow his mind. Read along and see him sharpen his interview skills to that of a slightly sharp pencil. Fred Schneider was the inspiration for the song “(do the) Magic Centipede,” off of BOAT’s Setting the Paces LP. His new band is called the Superions. They make the most ridiculous surreal/silly dance music around. Read part 1 here.

Fred, here is my attempt to ask you some clever/wacky/personal questions. The level of cleverness/wackiness/personal-ness seems more minute now that I know that you appeared on Howard Stern, last week! But here I go anyway!

Assuming you go to Totally Nude Island, what piece of clothing would you miss the most?

My wallet! To buy all the fabulous things at the gift shop!

Are you vegetarian? How long?

Since ’72. A friend talked me into it after I dropped out of college. I never liked fish anyway!

Where should I eat when I visit Athens for the Popfest?

In Athens there is a great vegetarian restaurant called the Grit, and a lot of other places that are really vegetarian friendly.

What happened with the ham in the video?

We bought the ham and were gonna donate it, but it fell on the floor during the video.

Do you like the song "Monster Mash"? It’s maybe my favorite song of all time.

Yes! I love everything Halloween. I love old school Halloween.

What is Sprechstimme?

Talk singing. When I started I am just singing as I go along. If you listen closely there is hesitancy. It is not for dramatic effect. I’m trying to think of what to say next.

Jigsaw Records: A grand opening with Math and Physics Club and D. Crane of BOAT

imaginary liz — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:56:16 +0000

13 Mar 2010

This Saturday Jigsaw Records opened it's indie-pop doors to the public. The shop, located on the second floor of Resolution Audio in Ballard is a wee place full of indie-pop rarities that make my heart beat triple-time. No matter what your favorite indie-pop format, I am fairly certain you can find whatever is on your ebay seach list here (or owner guy Chris could connect with the record label to find a copy). There are scads of new and used cds (even 3-inch cds), delectable vinyl selections, cassette tapes (yep!), and even badges and zines to round out your packed indie canvas bag.

For the meek among us, the store might seem a bit intimidating to find. It is set in the far northeast corner of the antique-mall style second floor of the fancy audio shop. Once you make it through the downstairs shop to the carpeted stairs in the far back, pass the heavy metal / death metal record store, head straight back to Jigsaw where Chris will most likely greet you with open arms full of sweet jangly pop.

The best and most dangerous part? All of that rare and out of print stuff isn't priced as such. As our coolest Finest Kiss friend put it, the stuff is set at "90's prices."

Saturday night's show spotlighted the Seattle talent that fits right into Jigsaw's mission statement of featuring "indiepop, power pop, indie rock, lo-fi pop, twee, and pretty much any other kind of fun pop music that we fancy" with performances by Math & Physics Club and D. Crane of BOAT. It was MAPC's first appearance in two years and a very rare solo set by D. Crane of BOAT.

Math & Physics Club took the mic at the stroke of 7p and ran through a 25 minute set of songs from their first album and previewed a couple selections from their new album, set for release in late May / early June. The new songs were a next step from the older ones, with more pronounced vocals and percussion while keeping their signature sweet and coy lyrical stance. With a 7p all ages show, came the cute gaggle of wee ones running about, which perfectly synced up with the lo-fi indie-softness of the carpeted venue.

D. Crane took the stage and promptly handed out face masks for audience members to don during set. As a fellow who prefers to play in a band with friends, he dressed up audience members to stand in as band members in the likes of characters from Law & Order. My favorite was Ice-T.

He went through a set of a few songs from the recent Setting the Paces album and one made up on the spot from audience member suggestions (full set list on the BOAT website). The audience-inspired song, "Ten Tons of Tomato Paste," was a delightful off the cuff tribute to home cooking. Dave even whipped out the ukulele for us (video) for a couple songs.

The wonderful topper to the evening of cheap indie-pop? I came home with an import comp of indie-pop bands doing Sound of Music covers (BMX Bandits doing "Eidelweiss"!), an ultra rare out of print Suburban Kids with Biblical Names 7", and a 12" record recommended to me by both Keenan and Chris Mac by the band Good Luck. Score!

An added note to those who want to clean out their indie-pop records before stocking back up? Jigsaw is currently acquiring stock for the store and mailorder. Per shopowner Chris:

If you're interested in having us carry your records, cds, cassettes, handmade cd-rs or whatever, please send us a note! We'll take music from any label or band, big or small, but we are still pretty selective about what we accept. To get a feel for what we're about music-wise, check out our other site, IndiePages.

The best and most dangerous part? All of that rare and out of print stuff isn't priced as such. As our coolest Finest Kiss friend put it, the stuff is set at "90's prices."

Portrait of an Artist with Fred Schneider: How many guys would rhyme bodices with goddesses?

D. Crane — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:14:12 +0000

Or: How I Got to Interview Fred Schneider for 25 Minutes---SPONTANEOUS—BASIL LOVER—HERO OF THE SILLY AND ABSURD

This is the first part of the first installment of Portrait of an Artist. D. Crane will interview musicians and artists who blow his mind. Read along and see him sharpen his interview skills to that of a slightly sharp pencil. Fred Schneider was the inspiration for the song “(do the) Magic Centipede,” off of BOAT’s Setting the Paces LP. His new band is called the Superions, and they have a brand new self-titled EP/LP on Athens, GA's Happy Happy Birthday to Me Records. They make the most ridiculous surreal/silly dance music around. Stay tuned for the second part later this week.

How did you get in touch with Mike from Happy Happy Birthday to Me Records (HHBTM)?

I am a record nut and he runs a record store, so naturally we hit it off. I heard that he runs a label with two of my favorite acts, Cars Can Be Blue and the Lolligags. I knew he was an honest guy and a hard worker, so I suggested to the Superions, “Hey, let’s put this out on a small label.” Originally, it was going to be a single, but there were some remixes that I thought turned out great, and I couldn’t be happier.

How long ago did the Superions start?

We started about 5 years ago as the Del Morons. The first song we did was a song called “Totally Nude Island.” Dan and Noah came up with the music and I just went in the bathroom and came up with the words off the top of my head. We thought it was fun. People said they liked it and told us to put it on Itunes, and that they’d buy it. Most of the HHBTM recordings were recorded soon after.

Recommended for this weekend: Jigsaw Records Grand Opening!

imaginary keenan — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:16:57 +0000

You know how some records are just impossible to find in stores, due to small distribution and tiny awesome labels? Well, Chris Mac does too. And that's why he decided to open Jigsaw Records (5459 Leary Ave NW, 2nd floor, right above Resolution Audio). "We deal directly with bands and labels around the world (many of which have little or no distribution) to help them get more exposure", says Mac, also the creator of the wonderful indie pop haven Indiepages.

Mac's got the tiny store (14x14) stuffed to the gills with only the highest quality indie pop and rock records, cds, and tapes, and with his encyclopedic knowledge of indie pop is the type of guy who loves making suggestions, even to the point of putting descriptor stickers on every new release he carries (you know, so if you're looking for twee pop, you don't accidentally buy a pop punk album).

Not only is he supporting DIY music, but the shop itself follows a strict DIY aesthetic, with wonderful hand-built shelves, made with love, carrying your new favorite records.

The shop opens this Saturday, March 13th with the greatest possible opening party imaginable, featuring the first Math and Physics Club show in 2 years! Also appearing will be the fabulous D. Crane of BOAT. The show starts at 7 and is all ages and free! Come browse records and walk away with a new favorite band or five.

Athens Popfest 2010 first lineup announcement!

imaginary keenan — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:23:22 +0000

{Robert Schneider from the Apples In Stereo from Athens Popfest 2008}

We here at TIG have been crushing out over Athens Popfest for years. I've been every year since 2006 and Liz went in 2005 and 2007. It's pretty much always the best week of the year, fusing together amazing indie pop, delicious food (seriously, Athens has the best!), and wonderful community. I look forward to the lineup announcement all year long, and the wonderful popfest folks have given us just a taste of what's to come, featuring some of my current favorite bands and lots of TIG favorites (and as always, some newbies I'm so excited to hear)!

Grudge Rock: Head Like A Kite Vs. BOAT (Part 3 of 3)

Chris Estey — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 16:51:58 +0000

Here we are with Round Three of our interviews with all the main players (or at least their spokesmen) for this Saturday night's GRUDGE ROCK, which commences this at 10 PM, January 16 2010, at The Crocodile! For a little more background, check out Parts One and Two of this series. We've chatted with MC Jake Stratton and D. Crane of BOAT. Below is a Q&A with Dave Einmo of Head Like A Kite.

What grudges will you be rocking at this event? In other words, WHAT ARE YOU BRINGING TO IT?!

We’ll be bringing a fog machine, a box full of Styrofoam heads for audience members to chuck around like beach balls, a Panda, balloons and confetti, and a boat load of high-energy beat-fueled songs to blast off into the evening. Hopefully, we’ll also have some correct answers for the Grudge Rock match, too.

Why do you think you can stomp BOAT's ass?

Muhammad Ali used to always talk trash about his opponents. It gave him an edge and a confidence that was both charismatic and frightening. Last month, I was talking trash and getting all “ fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee.” I was saying, “BOAT cannot match the mental prowess of Head Like a Kite. We’ve got a Panda Bear that recites The Merry Wives of Windsor and Trent can spin seat cushions with one finger. Prepare yourselves for the consolation prize and fill our fog machine with your tears.” But then today in my microbiology class I spilled a test tube full of E.coli inside the incubator and contaminated all my classmates’ projects. What kind of fool does that? All this thinking is messing with my game.

What kind of training have you been doing for this?

I’ve been studying for three weeks and checking my answers with a Magic 8 Ball. “Outlook not so good.” But I’m still confident we’ll prevail as the titans of Grudge Rock. We’re like Godzilla. We can’t be stopped. Godzilla with E.coli!

That's gross! What do you think of GRUDGE ROCK?

Grudge Rock is great. I love the idea of combining diverse elements to create something more interesting than just another rock show. Jake Stratton (BloodHag vocalist and The Rat City RollerGirls announcer) has done a great job with that. He’s merged a Family Feud style game-show format with rock bands, and it created this crazy night of mayhem full of unexpected surprises because the bands, the audience, and the host are all interacting. It’s going to be really fun. We’ll be working that buzzer hard. Hitting it like an MPC.

What's up with HLAK otherwise? New album any time soon? Current downloads?

We have a new full-length Head Like a Kite album coming out this Spring, which I’m really excited about. Tons of guests: Boom Bip, Her Space Holiday, a few of the Long Winters, Adam Franklin of Swervedriver, Asy of Smoosh, Graig Markel of Animals at Night, and several more guests on the new album. I think it is Head Like a Kite’s biggest party record yet.

We’re also working on a bunch of videos, too. The first one just came out for a new song called “Director’s Cut,” which features Tilson of the Saturday Knights, and was directed by photography stud Chase Jarvis. We’re really happy with how it. Check it out:

We recorded “Director’s Cut” for the GIVE Seattle compilation, which also features tracks by Ben Gibbard, Fleet Foxes, Long Winters, Mad Rad, Cave Singers, Fresh Espresso, Visqueen, and lots of other great Seattle bands. All the the proceeds go directly to Arts Corps and Seattle neighborhood Food Banks. People can get the compilation at http://giveseattle.org.

I’m excited about the future!

{Photo by Dan Tyler.}

Grudge Rock: Head Like A Kite Vs. BOAT (Part 2 of 3)

Chris Estey — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:55:00 +0000

This Saturday night, January 16, 2010, the Series Two, Episode One of live Family Feud style trivia and music blow-out GRUDGE ROCK commences! This time with indie rock romance Gorgeous Georges BOAT taking on the more Rowdy Roddy Piperish tech-soul rockers Head Like A Kite! Girls will scream! Boys will faint! The winner gets the Door Money and there are plenty of Consolation Prizes! And two sets by two great Seattle bands live on stage at the Crocodile. (Be there before 10 PM, because it goes on on time!)

I interviewed MC Jake Stratton in the first part of this three-chunk series covering The Event, and now comes a little chat with D. Crane of the pretty boys with the big batch of fans, the ever-loving BOAT.

What grudges will you be rocking at this event? In other words: WHAT ARE YOU BRINGING TO IT?!

We are relatively grudge free at the moment...and there is a bit of fear that this may hurt us in the event. Ah, wait! I do have a grudge! I am upset at my neighbors for their lack of attention to their dog, who gets left all day in the backyard. Even in the rain and cold! I will channel this anger/disappointment into our battle with HLAK.

Why do you think you can beat the guys in Head Like A Kite specifically?

They have two guys....we have five. We should have more combined brain power. We also have band practice space rent due soon, so brain power coupled with desperation for money. I am a little fearful because I bet they have more testosterone. They have already bragged that they will bring nudity to the event. So, I think "shirts off" BOAT is totally possible. We will not be reduced to a "pants off" situation of any kind.

Since HLAK is a more trippy, "experimental band," we may have more brain cells than them. But actually, I have read some Trent Moorman stuff, and he seems like he knows how to turn a phrase. We may have to somehow "spike" his beer with tranquilizers.

What kind of training have you been doing for this?

Mostly strength training, some light video games. I personally have a Rock and Roll Encyclopedia in my bathroom at home.

What do you think of GRUDGE ROCK? Will it make you proud to stomp ass there?

I am a big fan of anything that tries to recreate game shows. It is a dream to be on Family Feud with BOAT, so this is pretty close to the dream. Pretty close. The new Crocodile is as nice as a sound studio in LA.

I am not a big user of "ass stomping" as a verb. But if we win I will try to use it more frequently.

Have you ever been to one before?

An ass stomping? I am a longtime fan.

What's up with BOAT otherwise? New album any time soon? Current downloads/videos/doodads?

We are working on a new EP. The songs are super loud love songs. I guarantee they will be more fuzzy and distorted than ever before! We are also putting the finishing touches on a stop motion video for "100 Calorie Man" off of our last LP. I am trying to arrange an ass stomp (tour for the Spring/early summer) as well. We will attempt to play some popfests.