Archive for the ‘Interviews’ CategoryMETV CEO Kevin Kettler Explains New Direction for Austin’s Music ChannelMay 18th, 2010 by christine Kevin Kettler, CEO METV from AMFM STUDIOS LLC on Vimeo. Kevin Kettler talks to Nuno Vasconcellos Jr, (manager of Nuno’s on 6th) about embracing more of the Austin creative community, including filmmakers. He also gives us a tour of the METV headquarters. Seth WalkerApril 5th, 2010 by rockslide If you have been lucky enough to catch one of Seth Walker’s shows, you know that he brings something special to the blues. His irrepressible energy, wailing guitar, If you are crazy like me, you may have taken all that talent for granted, at least a little. After all, for ten bucks, you can see him at the Continental Club, Saxon Pub, or Momo’s on a regular basis. Although he moved to Nashville recently, he plans to play Austin as often as he did when he lived here. A quick look at his tour dates confirms you will have several chances to see Seth before summer sets in. He will play Saxon Pub in April, Momo’s in May, and Saxon and Gruene Hall in June. He also has gig opening for Willie Nelson at Whitewater Amphitheater down near New Braunfels on April 23. I sat down Seth him a few weeks ago to find out what he plans to do now he’s a Nashvilleite. What brought you to Austin? Probably listening to Stevie Ray Vaughan…I didn’t really start playing guitar until I went to college at East Carolina University. Some cats in my dorm had guitars, and I was like, that’s cool—I want to try that. That’s what they were listening to, electric blues. Stevie Ray, Clapton and Hendrix. About that time, my uncle, Landon Walker, a jazz bassist from Florida, was sending me tapes of a radio show, which had all this Texas blues stuff. The older stuff, T-Bone Walker, Lighting Hopkins, Mance Lipscomb…the whole gamut—Little Son Jackson, B.B. King, Louis Jordan, and on and on, Son House, Muddy… I was just starting—I didn’t know what the hell I was doing at all. But I did know that I needed to go somewhere where music was woven through the city. And Austin was one of the spots I thought of. What takes you to Nashville? I started working about two years ago with Gary Nicholson, who produced my last CD. He’s a world, world-class writer and producer, and we just became fast friends. Going up there…meeting people and doing the record, opened up a lot of new friends. Read the rest of this entry » Jonah Hill: Stop Me if You’ve Heard This One…March 23rd, 2010 by Bree
Jonah Hill along with fellow co-star John C. Reilly spent the week at SXSW making the rounds promoting their new film Cyrus. Such junkets on any given day are awkward, contrived affairs–group speed dating meets arranged marriage with the press playing the role of ugly suitor to the young resistant bride fondly known in professional circles as the “talent”. On this fine morning, after a two hour delay, I began to wonder if any potential talent match was worth it, particularly when there still five more to go after almost five days of well, doing them. And then I hear him–the booming rasp of an excited Jonah Hill, the voice pounding through the open doorway of our adjoining suite at the Four Seasons. “I’m on a plane coming back from Australia…” He tells an audience we can’t see next door. “And who is sitting right in front of me, but Al Gore. No really.” A colleague stairs down at his pen. We hear a few uncommitted chuckles from behind the wall. “And he gets up to go the bathroom and he’s gone for 45 minutes. Seriously.” Nervous laughter travels around the room like a stadium wave. “And now I have to go and I’m thinking, that’s Inconvenient News.” The joke, true or not, is funny. The command for which this young man delivers it, the timing, the control– is hilarious. Jonah Hill has entered the building. Pirate Radio writer/director Richard Curtis dares to be optimisticNovember 16th, 2009 by Bree by Bree Perlman
If writer/director Richard Curtis has anything to say about it, the answer is a bursting, “Yes!” evidenced by his latest film, Pirate Radio. It’s an unapologetically uplifting comedy about a group of 1960s rogue deejays determined to deliver forbidden music to 25 million people. Listen to some of the last broadcasts of the ships for which the story was inspired and you might come to a different conclusion. Early critics of the film accuse it of being a “too sugary” and “too sweet” account of an event that in the words of Robert Daltrey of The Who, people were “a lot more pissed off” about. To say that Curtis delivers a staunchly sunnier version of the events than many remember it is an understatement. But sitting down with Curtis last week in New York I came to understand why it couldn’t possibly have been any other way. Split Lip RayfieldNovember 13th, 2009 by rockslide I am out at Rice Fest in Fischer, TX this week. It’s an annual pilgrimage for me. The event spotlights Americana music with a bent for songwriters and bluegrass–this year’s line up includes Kevin Welch, the Band of Heathens, Darrell Scott, and the Hudsons.. Watched Hays County Burn Band last night. Billy Bright on mandolin, Matt Downing on banjo, Tom Ellis on bass, Elliot Rogers on guitar, and Mike Montgomery on fiddle. Everybody sings. They play into one mike, and it is magic to watch them weave in and out, so someone can come forward to sing or solo. I was glad to be out in Fischer, but I was disappointed I had to miss Split Lip Rayfield’s show at the Continental. To atone for my inability to be in two places at one time, I met up with Jeff Eaton, Eric Mardis and Wayne Gottstine at 8:00 am this morning to talk for a few minutes and get some pics. SLR drove 12 hours yesterday to get to the Continental Club, and were up early to drive 8 hours up to Oklahoma for another gig tonight. They stayed at a hotel at South First and Barton Springs. In the early seventies the property along the south bank of Bouldin Creek was the dirt driveway providing access back to the Armadillo World Headquarters. Seemed appropriate, somehow, to be standing there talking to musicians. Read the rest of this entry » Fun Fun Fun Fest Video Collage – day 1November 9th, 2009 by christine Fun Fun Fun Fest 2009 from AMFM STUDIOS LLC on Vimeo. Hot Time in the Old Town TonightMay 15th, 2009 by rosie
Natasha Minsk is model, burlesque dancer, and vintage clothing entrepreneur. She’ll be dazzling you with her performance Saturday night but first she’ll be answering some of our questions. Lee Leffingwell, Mayoral CandidateMay 9th, 2009 by rosie
“New World Order” Filmmakers Luke Myer and Andrew NeelMarch 27th, 2009 by Bree
Interview by Bree Perlman While media outlets were saturated with AIG backlash and increasingly grim developments both here and abroad we were dancing atop the escapism-happy-place-protective clouds of films like “I love You, Man”, “Adventureland” and “Observe and Report”–guaranteed good natured chuckles in the dark without a care in the world. The same could not be said about the documentaries shown this year. Case in point: “New World Order“, a behind the scenes look at an underground movement of people who want to expose “global elitists”, whom they claim are covertly masterminding a series of destructive events to cause a mass breakdown of the world’s economy and socity.
The Iguanas’ Rene ComanMarch 27th, 2009 by Bree Austin Daze had a chance to steal away Rene Coman from The Iguanas to answer some questions about life after Katrina and their new album.
Interview by Rosie Gomez.
AUSTIN DAZE: Was it good to be back in Austin for SXSW?
RENE COMAN: It was great to get back and see all our Austin friends. People there have always been so nice to us. Nice to see some hills.
AD: Anything you’re particularly looking forward to?
RC: I’m looking forward to eating some good Mexican food and hearing some new music.
AD: You guys have a really unique sound mixing Latin, Rock, and R&B. What inspires this mix in your music?
RC: I think we just have a sense about what works for us. We started out in one place, and we added to it bit by bit, feeling it out as we went. The central thread is the collective personality of the group.
AD: Judging by the message board on your web site it seems like you all have a really personal relationship with your fans. Can you feel the love?
RC: We feel it. And it feels good.
AD: Your latest album “If You Should Ever Fall on Hard Times” has a lot to do with the effect Hurricane Katrina had on your hometown and families. Is this album closer to your heart than previous albums?
RC: You love all your children, just in different ways. This new music is an excellent addition to the Iguanas canon.
AD: Have you all recovered from the storm?
RC: I think we’ve recovered about as much as we are going to any time soon. The easier parts have been done. The rest may take a while.
AD: What’s next for the Iguanas?
RC: If anything, the last few years have proven that you never know what’s around the next corner. One thing I know is we’ll be playing music. Keep an ear out for us.
Margaret Cho and Girl in a Coma collaborationMarch 18th, 2009 by christine Interview by Bree Perlman Margaret Cho and Girl In A Coma collaborate. Now that’s girl power.
Nite Jewel at SXSWMarch 16th, 2009 by Bree Nite Jewel is touted as one of SXSW 2009′s Top Ten Acts to Watch. Austin Daze got to have a little chat with the star that’s making recording on an eight-track cassette recorder cool. Interview by Rosie Gomez. AUSTIN DAZE: What made you pursue this particular sound? NITE JEWEL: As a result of being isolated and broke. Fight Like Apes at SXSWMarch 16th, 2009 by Russ Fight Like Apes is a band from Dublin that you need to acquaint yourself with and fast! Austin Daze chatted with lead singer MayKay before they have the chance to rock your socks off at this year’s SXSW. AUSTIN DAZE: This is your second time playing at SXSW. Anything you want to do this year that you missed out on last year? FLA: We’re actually only here for 3 days this year which isn’t nearly enough to do as much as we’d like to. I think we should definitely get to see more bands this year. We were very laid back about it all last year & missed loads of great bands but there are loads of bands like Devo & Passion Pit that are playing this time round that we’d be gutted to miss. I also need to eat loads more meat this time. There wasn’t nearly enough meat eaten last time. Wallis Bird at SXSWMarch 14th, 2009 by Russ Interview by Rosie Gomez. AUSTIN DAZE: Have you ever attended SXSW before? WALLIS BIRD: Nope, but friends of mine who are seasoned attendees have been getting onto me for the last few years to come over… so my time has come! I’m very excited about it. AD: Any particular artists you’re looking forward to seeing at SXSW? WB: The line up is insane! I’ll be falling in and out of gigs every days, but here’s a few of the artists I want to see: AD: I know you’ve been touring all over Ireland, Germany, and the UK for your album “Spoons” with artists like Billy Bragg and Gabrielle. How’s that been going? WB: It’s cool supporting bands for the things you learn about other productions and standards of professionalism and seeing the backstage to bigger tours, but my heart lies in my own gigs. Be it my solo gigs or with my band. Touring my shows is my purest form of expression. Last year I played over 100 gigs so it seemed like I was existing on the stage only! It’s funny when you play so many gigs, they can all roll into one so It’s important for me to find the time after the touring to reflect on everything that just happened.. Every gig takes a little piece of my life with it because I give so much personally and physically, so I write in my diary, a blog, a song, a poem to remind me. AD: Any crazy stories from the road? WB: Ah Man, too many- you’ll have to wait for the book! AD: You’ve been compared to artists like Ani DeFranco and Janis Joplin. What do you think about that? WB: I’ve so often been lazily compared to other female artists where the only thing we had in common was a pair of tits, so to be compared to Ani Difranco or Janis Joplin is an honor as they are phenomenal women who have changed the face of music and the industry. AD: You did a cover of Depeche Mode’s big hit “Just Can’t Get Enough” for an advertisement for The Sun. Did you think that it would be such a big deal? WB: Not at all, I enjoyed putting my own spin on the song, but to be honest I didn’t expect to get the gig, and all my instruments were in other countries, so the recording was charmingly shabby! The product was, then, a personal compromise for me, but it helped finance the recording of my second album so I find any recognition from it a little hilarious and kept humble on my part! AD: I read that you received your first guitar at 6 months old from your dad and after an accident you switched from left handed playing to right. Was that a difficult switch? WB: Not that I recall, I was only a baby. I just remember being annoyed that I couldn’t play the normal way so had to change it around. Babies are more able to adapt to situations like that, they don’t know any different. Adults are often the same though the older you get the harder it sometimes is to pass easily through an adversity like losing fingers or a limb, but having that accident so young definitely shaped me into the determined and stubborn person I am today! AD: Do you think that it has had a major effect on your sound? WB: Yes, I think so. I’m playing from the top E string to the low E string so that gives it a different range in tones and timbre. I also realized a few years ago that i have a penchant to a little pain, because after my accident I immediately connected pain with being lavished with love and affection, so when I split my finger or the nail in two because I’m bashing the guitar so hard, I enjoy it because I love my guitar so much and I love what it has given me over the years. AD: Any more touring planned for the US? WB: Yeah, I’m definitely hoping to come back to the US as soon as possible AD: When can we expect a new album? WB: I’m going to be releasing the album in Europe around the end of the summer, so hopefully an American release will follow before too long. But either way you should be able to get it on Amazon and those kind of sites. Jonathan Katz…aka, the doctor.March 13th, 2009 by Russ We try and keep our interviewees at a distance. Our identities a secret. However, with Jonathan Katz, famously known as the lovable, squiggly psychotherapist on Comedy Central’s Dr. Katz, there was no avoiding it. Before we could say, “The Dr. will see you now” he had turned the tables on his interviewer, and things got personal. B JONATHAN KATZ: Yit’gadal v’yit’kadash… (Silence) JK: I like to open with a joke. Drew Smith’s Lonely Choir at SXSWMarch 13th, 2009 by Russ Drew Smith’s Lonely Choir will be playing during SXSW. Check out times and days at www.myspace.com/drewsmithmusic. Let’s talk SXSW. Are you excited, nervous, over the hype…what are your thoughts? We have played SXSW before, so I have first hand experience with getting lost in the sea Louis BlackMarch 13th, 2009 by Russ
Nobody ever says to me, “Oh, Louis Black, you’re the editor of the Chronicle.” Never. But what I do get, “Do you know there is a comedian that has your name?” I really hate that. I’m working on this, my comeback, because I’ve gotten nasty a couple of times. Jody DenbergMarch 13th, 2009 by Russ A JODY DENBERG: It’s just brutal. We’ve lost people. People that have worked here for a long time and it has just broken my heart. Advertising is down. People are cutting back on what they are advertising, then they all want ads for much cheaper, than you have to try to run enough ads to cover your budget-from that point of view it’s been brutal. And really, regardless of whether you are a number 1 rated station or a number 12 rated station, it’s just difficult all the way around. Read the rest of this entry » The Gourds at Ruta MayaMarch 1st, 2009 by christine Bree talks to frontman Kevin Russell about band love and the Austin Music Scene. The Gourds at Ruta Maya with Austin Daze from AMFM STUDIOS LLC on Vimeo. |
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“Rock and Roll will live forever-but can it float?”
Are you looking for something sexy AND entertaining? Well you’re in luck! The 2nd Annual Texas Burlesque Festival is being held tonight and the 16th at Emo’s (603 Red River). The festival is described on the website as a “two-day hoedown and showdown celebrating the raucous revival of Texas burlesque and vaudeville”. There are at least 50 different performers from around the nation coming to our dear old Austin to entertain you. Austin Daze was able to sneak a few moments with two stars from Chicago who will be performing at the festival on Saturday. 
Lee Leffingwell is a City Council member dedicated to Austin.
REE PERLMAN: Hi, I’m calling for…
There is a man named Louis Black. Not the comedian…
USTIN DAZE: How has the economy affected your business?
Awesome interview!
