October 2003

So where's Mini-Aerosmith?

Filed under: Imported

                            photo by Frank Mullen, thanks to Jim Froehlich

Mini-KISS, the band.

I wanna rock and roll all night, and write every day

Here's a cool piece on Killing Joke in the Minneapolis Star Tribune by Christina Schmitt, guitarist of the Bleeding Hickeys. And here's a cool AAN News profile of Brad Nelson, drummer of the Black-Eyed Snakes, who also publishes the Ripsaw News in Duluth, my favorite newspaper. These two musician-journalists have more in common than the fact that I'm a fan of both of them as writers, musicians, and human beings. They share a certain fearlessness that comes across in everything they do, each with a very rocknroll personality that couldn't more anti-rock-star...

Looking forward to seeing the Hickeys play with the wonderful Detroit Cobras at the Rathskeller in Madison, Wisconsin, on November 15. And looking forward to seeing Duluthians of all kinds next Thursday, November 6 (Brad, you busy?), at the Oak Street Cinema's world premiere of Superior Elegy, a half-hour documentary that screens with the Low-scored An Injury to One to kick off Get Real: The City Pages Documentary Film Festival (come to the opening-night party afterward at the Kitty Cat Klub in Dinkytown). The film is about the historic 25-hour free-for-all/open-mic/improvisational drone fest that was planned as a chance for Duluthians to mourn one of their own and ended up, thanks to history's sense of timing, being a way for locals to mourn the national trauma of 9/11. (Many wept as the music gave way to a long silence at the end. Personally, I knew I just couldn't handle it, which is why I chose not to drive up and attend in the first place.)

Superior Elegy also doubles as an elegy of another kind: It provides a final glimpse of the now-shuttered NorShor Theatre, one of the greatest music clubs anywhere, which closed two weeks ago due to financial difficulties. (I can't help wonder if it wasn't helped along by Duluth's smoking ban, or the city's slowness in adopting the 2:00 a.m. bar time.)

Coincidentally, on the same night that the NorShor closed its doors permanently, Duluth music scene trailblazer and general fire-under-people's-ass-lighter Scott Starfire (read about him and Brad here) was punched in the face for no reason by some knob outside First Avenue. He ended up with a broken jaw (and blogged about it here). To help him pay his medical bills, Low is playing a hastily-organized benefit for Starfire next Friday, November 7, with Haley Bonar, at the Sacred Heart Music Center:

Posted by Peter S. Scholtes at October 31, 2003 8:43 AM

Walsh, quit holding the door!

Filed under: Imported

Posted by Peter S. Scholtes at October 29, 2003 5:26 PM

Fred "Rerun" Berry R.I.P.

Filed under: Imported

Posted by Peter S. Scholtes at October 23, 2003 5:36 PM

Hip hop: just one big goofy-ass school

Filed under: Imported

Fans of old-school hip hop should read closely: Starting Tuesday (tomorrow, October 21), the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis will feature a three-day series of classic hip-hop films (print that out now) as part of its October Hip-Hop Moves Festival (October 21-November 1), a unique celebration that climaxes with huge shows Friday and Saturday at the Southern Theater, and is previewed in Wednesday's City Pages by dance critic Caroline Palmer. (After admitting to her own wanna-b-girl origins, Palmer gets a few choice words out of seminal Philly breakdancer Rennie Harris, who will bring his hip-hop multimedia show Facing Mekka to Northrop Auditorium on Saturday, November 1, in collaboration with beat boxer Kenny Muhammed and a bunch of percussionists and turntablists...)

But first, see Charlie Ahearn's 1982 feature Wild Style (here's James Diers's review) on Tuesday. On Thursday go see Tony Silver's even more-classic Style Wars (here's my review). But between these two screenings, don't miss an even rarer event on Wednesday: a talk by West Coast-based breakdancer Don Campbell, the widely acknowledged creator of "locking" (as in popping and locking), who will introduce clips of his early work as well as a rare screening of the 1984 (?) TV pilot for Graffiti Rock (a sort of hip-hop American Bandstand that never got picked up--big surprise: Black rappers didn't even reach MTV until 1986). The now-legendary 23-minute segment was hosted by "host with the most" Michael Holman and featured rare footage of the New York City Breakers, whom Holman managed. There were also early performances by Run-DMC, Kool Moe Dee, Special K, Doug E. Fresh, Fab 5 Freddy, DJ Jazzy J, and Shannon.

Cambell had his own brush with televised hip-hop history, albeit indirectly. Fred "Rerun" Berry, from TV's What's Happening, was a one-time member of the Campbell's Campbellock Dancers. (His hip-hop name? Penguin.) So when Rerun brought the dance to the masses, you know where it came from.

 (That's Rerun in the beret, kids.)

Of course all three films at the Walker are available on DVD (click the titles for more info), but these screenings are worth it for the speakers alone, and you really should see Style Wars on the big screen, anyway--it's one of the greatest documentaries ever. In the latest La Prensa de Minnesota, you can also read an interesting interview with Fabel, the b-boy sage and Afrika Bambaataa buddy who introduces Style Wars on Thursday. (Also, for those who don't know, the handiest guide for all local hip-hop events remains the indispensible D.U.Nation "scene" page. Yes, this is one giant link.)

I wrote about Fabel myself in 2000 (incidentally, in an article that received honorable mention in De Capo Best Music Writing 2001--hey, it's very hip-hop to self-promote, suckas). I bring this article up only because Cannibal Ox, who appear in it, have (contrary to recent rumors) not split up. According to the Definitive Jux web site, the rappers are merely on hiatus as a duo. Whatever, just so long as Vast Aire doesn't get swallowed into a black hole somewhere...

And speaking of old-school events...

Grandmaster Flash and Frankie Bones perform at the Hyatt Hotel Convention Center next month, on November 15, at a gig hosted by Toki Wright and backed by local rave godfather Woody McBride. I wondered why Flash's old pal Freddie Fresh, consumate Minneapolis old-school DJ and all-around dance-music crossover cat, was not involved, but Freddie says he's too busy in Europe these days. I'll have more on Freddie's new book and compilation here soon. (You can find out more about the show at The C.O.R.E.'s message board.) By the way, don't be scared off this event by the venue: If Woody's in charge, you know everyone will show up and the sound will be incredible.

And speaking of parties...

I'm having a little get-together after the Atmosphere show on Saturday, October 25, an afterparty to celebrate Halloween and Wellstone World Music Day in one late, relaxed night of music, drink, and conversation. There are plenty of other great events that day (here's a full schedule), but come over when you're done. For details, email me at pscholtes@citypages.com. You're crazy if you think I'll post the address here. Bring your own top-shelf, moneybags. And to quote P. Diddy: Do not disturb the sexy.

Posted by Peter S. Scholtes at October 20, 2003 7:40 PM

Kill Slug

Filed under: Imported

Kill Bill imagines a commercial airliner that allows passengers to carry samurai swords onboard, and that's only Quentin Tarantino's most obvious way of saying, "Look, this is escapism, don't expect a nod to the real world. That was my nod to the real world. I'm helping you forget all that. This is my long-promised Singin' In the Rain of violence. Anything resembling actual violence is purely coincidental." Kill Bill even has a Texas lawman comparing a crime scene to the work of "Nicaraguan death squads," a phrase so anti-history (El Salvador and Guatemala, not Nicaragua, had death squads) that I imagine Tarantino really wrote it that way because it sounds better.

Somebody said to me recently that autumn is the pop-culture summer. You can feel it rushing in while the carnage in the Middle East becomes a background drone, the news. Movies and music get cool about now. (Lost in Translation is a parable of lonely, superior cool. The only time I loved it was when the two poor snobs actually went out and had some fun with actual Japanese people--what's so funny about peace, love, and understanding?)

Now Tarantino and Atmosphere return (and return big) just by being themselves more aggressively than ever, and by ignoring the world outside. The lyricist in Atmosphere is by now so self-referential that I wonder if the new album can be appreciated if you haven't talked to Slug/Sean Daley in person. (Like many fools, I think one of these songs is about me.) For pop-cult connoisseurs, these guys are our Cubs, win or lose. I just worry that I'm as ridiculous as they are, but without being remotely as self-conscious and artful about it. I also worry that I might have nothing more to say about the world than these two voices of my generation, and that they might have nothing more to say than Paul Westerberg, another great voice of what-have-you, who comes out of his shell this week in City Pages, the Onion, and a new documentary (screening  in Minneapolis at the Riverview Theatre on Monday, October 20, at 7:00 p.m.).

Who knows. Maybe Quentin Tarantino will make his threatened World War II movie and give us something more than Sgt. Rock plus gore (see the thoroughly fascist Saving Private Ryan--now there's a movie-movie!). Maybe Angel will be recognized for the subversive art it is. Maybe The Daily Show and The West Wing will do something more than comfort liberals. Probably not. All the above are great entertainment, but for radical art to register, you need a radical social movement, and right now the only radicals I know are effectively saying we should leave Iraq to the Iraqis. How inspiring! I'm sad and feel like shit to be writing only about pop right now. Maybe partying will help (Wellstone World Music Day here I come). Maybe prayer is appropriate, though I don't pray, and don't really care about what's appropriate (go see Gordon Gano on Sunday at the Turf Club, and here's more about the House of Mercy band's drummer and his great new book).

Either way I'll keep watching and listening and writing, the damaged tone in my ear ringing louder and louder...

NorShor Theatre R.I.P.

(photo by Bradley Johnston)

I was just talking with a musician in San Diego's Casbah about how great the NorShor Theatre in Duluth is, and now I get this email:

A Sad Day for Artists, Musicians, Fans, and Duluth.

Due to insurmountable financial difficulties, the historic NorShor Theatre will be closing indefinitely. We are deeply saddened at the loss of our exceptional, inspiring music venue--our nontraditional theatrical venue; really independent movie venue; artistic "incubator;" geek haven; art fag refuge; "hipster" hangout; political asylum and the dispersement of our overwhelmingly wonderful, wonderful community.

In closing its doors, the NorShor ceases to be an integral part of what it literally helped shape and form--the current, astounding state of independent music and arts in Duluth, MN. For that, we should all be proud.

Thank you. Thank you to those of you who helped to foster and embody this modern day Duluth artistic revival. Thank you to all of you who donated in time, effort, materials and work to make the NorShor Theatre better than it had been. Thank you to all of the talented musicians and artists who performed and produced--seeing out of town artists reveling, mouth agape, upon their first time inside made the rest of us appreciate even more what we had. And most of all, thank you to all of the patrons, the moviegoers, the rabble-rousers and supporters. Without all of you, the NorShor Theatre would never, ever have been what it was for the past six years. And what it was was astounding.

We hope to see you on the street, and out and about, from time to time.

Best regards,

the NorShor Theatre

That's it. No fundraiser. No plea for help. (No answer at the NorShor's phone.) Just this farewell and thanks. To give you some idea of how important and beautiful the venue was, here's what I wrote about the place in City Pages. Otherwise, look for more news on this blog soon. Read comments from locals and links to news stories at http://www.perfectduluthday.com/

Posted by Peter S. Scholtes at October 15, 2003 8:09 PM

A rap by any other name

Filed under: Imported

So far as I can tell, the idea of labeling Slug "emo" originated with a semi-sarcastic remark he made to me three years ago. So let me say right now, as my friends in the media prepare to afix this label to him forever, that the great new Atmosphere album is not emo--a genre tag that has come to suggest a boring chordal range as well as a melodramatic emotional one (specifically, an overreliance on major sevenths and ninths). Seven's Travels is soul, and I hope its producer gets the credit he deserves for this. I used to think Ant might be deficient with the R in R&B, but he's really just been slowly honing his own very weird, very minimalist B. (Funny, but I could say the same thing about Grandpa Boy--cough! Paul Westerberg cough!--and the Black-Eyed Snakes.) Anyway, hip hop, prepare yourself.

Farewell, see you later.

Edward Said was right about the 1993 Oslo accords and peace in the Middle East (support the Palestinian National Initiative). Donald O'Conner was right about the world--it wants to laugh (read The Onion). Johnny Cash was right about June. And John Ritter was right about Chrissy and Janet. Love is something you do, not something you fall into. So do it, and I'll see you in a couple weeks. Pete

Posted by Peter S. Scholtes at October 1, 2003 2:22 PM

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