Unnatural Helpers + Tyvek = Awesome. Noise Pop = a total ripoff.
Noise Pop is a bunch of bullshit. The company behind this stupid festival, Noise Pop Industries, makes a big event of having a few good shows, which should be happening all the time anyway. No, wait, what am I saying? It already does. A lot of these bands play the San Francisco Bay Area already, and pretty frequently — the show I went to featured two S.F. bands on the bill, one of which, the Oh Sees, was the headliner.
The show was my first Noise Pop show. I had two spots on the guest list because I wrote a preview for what-shall-be-an unnamed publication. I was forwarded an email from the publicist, or more specifically from a co-worker of the publicist (important later on) saying I had a +1 on the list for the show.
Around the same time, Dean, drummer for the Unnatural Helpers, gave me permission to record his band at the show. I’ve acquired more recording equipment over the years and this was a great opportunity to try it out so I planned on bringing my equivalent of a mobile studio to the show. (Thank god I had a +1, though I don’t think Rob, my guest, appreciated having to carry two 10-pound microphone stands around Market St.)
This led to me making my first mistake — actually looking forward to going to Noise Pop.
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Yes, this show happened, and it was pretty good
Who here first saw Times New Viking after hearing “Dig Yourself” and thought “Thank God they delivered!” I bought my wife “Dig” when it first came out for a Christmas present and by God I had to suppress the urge to steal their riffs because they were that good, goddamn it (though I couldn’t help thinking that “Skull Vs. Wizard” was just a new take on songs like “Santa Monica” by Everclear and “My Own Worst Enemy” by Lit.) “Presents the Paisley Reich” took some getting used to, but it was the last thing I listened to before I got married and listening to “Hiding in Machines” really did make everything look like it was going to be alright… (you would need to know the back story for that shit.)
I knew I was traveling to Seattle that week they were touring but I made arrangements with some great friends to go straight to Portland so we could catch their show with the Hunches. Sure, we couldve flown directly to Portland, but adding a road trip to the ordeal made it more exciting.
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‘Killed my father, I wear his head like a crown!’
I’ve always appreciated the idea that punk music was created by people who couldn’t play, which inspired other people to start their own bands. It’s not necessarily true — members of the Ramones, Sex Pistols and the Clash were all in bands before they started punk bands that made them so famous — but I always liked the idea.
Little Claw is a prime example of how basic chords, noisy guitars and the absence of desire to challenge one’s talents can still produce music that sounds new and exciting. Think a combination off-kilter female vocals, mixing UT with Bikini Kill, backed by Pussy Galore’s early desire to destroy rock and roll with rock and roll.
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