Monday, June 29

Wavves' Nathan Williams Speaks About Barcelona Meltdown, Future Plans

"I can't fuck up once? If people think that I'm not going to fuck up, there's no reason to even come and watch me." Wavves' Nathan Williams Speaks About Barcelona Meltdown, Future Plans

Last month, Nathan Williams, the force behind the San Diego noise-pop entity Wavves, played a self-destructive mess of a set at Barcelona's Primavera Sound Festival. As Pitchfork's Ryan Schreiber described here, he made fun of the crowd, scrapped with his drummer, and dodged bottles, all before soundmen finally shut off his mic. In the process, Williams set off a frenzy fed by posting and then removing an apology on his own blog, wherein he admitted to taking a cocktail of Ecstasy, Valium, and Xanax before coming on stage.

In the aftermath of the meltdown, Williams cancelled his European tour and returned home. Now, he is breaking his silence, talking for the first time about the Barcelona set and its aftermath, working with Hella drummer Zach Hill, and what the future holds for Wavves.

Pitchfork: I hear you have new band. Who's in it?

Nathan Williams: I don't have a new band. It's kind of hard to explain, so at this point, I can't really answer that. I've practiced with a bunch of different people. I'm going to be playing and recording some shows with Zach Hill coming up, but I don't know what the future has in store yet exactly.

Pitchfork: Are you in contact with [drummer] Ryan Ulsh at all?

NW: Yeah, I am. I actually just talked to him.

Pitchfork: There's no beef there?

NW: No, he's playing shows with me at Pitchfork and at the next couple of shows I'm playing.

Pitchfork: Are you playing it with just him?

NW: Yeah, at this point I think so.

Pitchfork: Do you want to talk about what happened in Barcelona?

NW: I don't really know what went on. It started the same as any other day. We were just hanging out. The set wasn't until like 2:30, 2:45. We had gotten there late, so we didn't get to soundcheck. So when we actually got up to start playing, we had to just kind of sound check for the first ten minutes. I don't really honestly remember playing the set. I actually talked to my mom the next morning, and she asked me how it went. I said, "Good, I think." But yeah, I don't know, I guess I just got way too fucked up. That was basically the story. It was never anything except just a couple of bad decisions, and I don't know. It is what it is.

Pitchfork: Why did you cancel the European tour after that?

NW: The tour was canceled after that because a number of things. Me and Ryan were really not getting along, and that was mainly it, but that sort of stuff is kind of something I'd prefer not to get into. We just weren't getting along at the time. That was the main reason that it all went down. But it wasn't really Ryan's fault; it was kind of my fault.

Pitchfork: But you're cool with each other now?

NW: Yeah, it's just weird. I feel like people forget sometimes that I've only been doing Wavves live for four months, and it's picked up to this point so quickly. I never expected to have this type of exposure, and I never expected to be doing these things. I think maybe it all hit me, and it's just kind of a lot to process so quickly. I don't know.

Pitchfork: Would you say you're still enjoying doing it?

NW: Yeah. In the end, the whole reason I left, I guess, was because it got to a point where it became so stressful and there were so many people whispering in my ear. It just got so big so quickly. I think maybe I realized it, and it freaked me out a little bit. Obviously, I handled it in the worst way possible, but it was just... I don't know. It's weird because it's kind of like a personal thing, and then these business-y things are all kind of tangled in it. It's weird to say when it is fun and when it isn't fun. And if it isn't fun, I guess I shouldn't really be doing it anymore. But I do love doing it, and it is fun. But with every good, there is a bad part of it.

Pitchfork: If you had your way, would you prefer to be playing warehouse parties instead of big festivals?

NW: Yeah! But then again, it's not that I don't want to play festivals or do stuff like that. It's just, I think, the realization of how big it is maybe overwhelmed me, and I needed to take a step back and see what was in front of me and try and figure it out. Also, I was extremely fucked up and made a series of really bad decisions.

Pitchfork: What have you been doing since Barcelona?

NW: I've been playing with a couple of different people. Me and Zach have been practicing because we're going to do a record together. I was in L.A. for a while with him playing. Other than that, I just did the same thing I always did: sitting in my room, hanging out. I recorded a little bit by myself. That's basically it.

Pitchfork: When you said you are doing a record with Zach Hill, do you mean a full-length?

NW: Yeah, well, I don't know exactly yet. We were just at first kind of fucking around and having fun. I don't know we are going to record a record. I don't know if it's going to be Wavves or if it's going to be something else, but we're going to get together and do something.

Pitchfork: Are you surprised at all at the reaction that the Barcelona set has gotten?

NW: Yeah, I am, actually. I honestly do think it was just... I don't know. It's weird because I can't defend myself because I don't really remember the night. I obviously fucked up. But I can't fuck up once? If people think that I'm not going to fuck up, there's no reason to even come and watch me.

Even before Barcelona, there were shows just like that, where it was just a mess and it fucking sucked. But it was to like 25 people in Little Rock, Arkansas or something. I don't really know what to say, but the fact of the matter is that I'm not really that good. I wouldn't say that I'm really like a guitar guy or anything like that. I can get by on the stuff that I play. I like writing and playing the songs. If people think that I'm not going to fuck up, then they're wrong. And if they think this is like the last time I'm going to fuck up, they're wrong too. Because I'm young. I'm kinda stupid. I'm human.

Pitchfork: It's kind of a Lindsay Lohan thing where you get more famous for going out drunk than for making Mean Girls.

NW: Well, yeah. It's like the fucking indie TMZ or something. It's like all that I've done now up to this point is condensed into YouTube video that shows me soundchecking. I thought it was blown out of proportion.

Pitchfork: Do you feel like you've been depicted unfairly?

NW: I watched the video, and all I can talk about is what I've watched from the video because I don't really remember playing. So I can't really defend myself. I'm sure it was a disaster show, but I don't know. I don't really care. In the end, that sort of stuff is out of control. I did what I did, and people kind of love to watch you fall. I feel like that is part of it as well. But in the end, it's not so upsetting as it is crazy to me that it turned into such a huge deal. [In] this day and age where information and video can be transferred so quickly on the internet, people can write about it right away, and it all just happens so fast. People have instant access to it, so there's not escaping it.

Pitchfork: Did you ever consider doing Wavves as something where you just recorded and didn't play live?

NW: In the beginning, that's all it was. And everything happened so fast. Ryan came out to play drums a month before I started touring, or a month before we started touring. And then until the day of Barcelona, we were just touring nonstop. So we practiced for three weeks, me and Ryan, and then we went on tour nonstop, so there was never really any time for me to like transfer the songs from recordings to how they would pan out live. And I still haven't had the chance to do that. It was just kind of: "OK, this is how the songs go. Let's just go play them and have fun." And that's when it was the most fun. It just got kind of... I don't know what it got.

Pitchfork: Are you looking forward to getting back onstage?

NW: Yeah, actually, I am. It's such a big deal because people have made it such a big deal and because of this whole media thing. It's what I wanted to do in the first place. It's what I like doing, so as long as I'm having fun and I remember the reason that I'm doing this, then that's kind of it.

Pitchfork: You are playing our festival next month. How are you feeling going into that?

NW: I don't know. I feel OK. I feel good.

Pitchfork: What else are you working on right now?

NW: I'm recording a couple of new songs. I don't know exactly what I'm going to do with them yet. But time will tell. I have to play these shows, and then I have like a seven-week U.S. tour shortly after then. Hopefully shortly after that, I can go back to Europe and do those dates that I was supposed to do. At this point, this little break has been cool because I did get to record, which in the first place is what I really love to do. But yeah, I'm excited to get back out.

Posted by Tom Breihan on June 29, 2009 at 10 a.m.

Tags: Interview, Wavves

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Video: Jay-Z: "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)"

The would-be Auto-Tune killer keeps his hair long for this slick clip courtesy of cinematic video auteur Anthony Mandler (the Killers, Beyoncé). Jay sets up shop in an abandoned building, jams with his band, and chops it up with Harvey Keitel and LeBron James while making this song look a bit better than it sounds.

Posted by Ryan Dombal on June 29, 2009 at 9:35 a.m.

Tags: Jay-Z, video

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New Release: Megafaun: Gather, Form & Fly

New Release: Megafaun: <i>Gather, Form & Fly</i>

Artist: Megafaun
Album: Gather, Form & Fly
Release Date: July 21
Label: Hometapes

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Michael Jackson Live CD/DVD, Jackson Family Tribute Tour Possible

Plus, the Jackson family speaks out. Michael Jackson Live CD/DVD, Jackson Family Tribute Tour Possible

Following the death of Michael Jackson on Thursday, speculation runs rampant as to what the Jackson family's next commercial move might be. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a memorial tour featuring the surviving Jackson brothers as well as Janet Jackson may be in the works. The New York Daily News reports that Jackson's last rehearsal for his planned 50-night stand at the O2 Arena in London may be headed to DVD and CD. The night before his death on June 25, Jackson's rehearsal at L.A.'s Staples Center was recorded on high-definition audio and video by AEG Live, the company promoting the London concerts. Reuters reports that AEG Live plans to refund all tickets for the O2 Arena shows, which were scheduled to start July 13.

Over the weekend, there were many more developments in the Jackson saga:

-- MTV reports that on Saturday, the Jackson family issued a statement to the public. It read:

"In one of the darkest moments of our lives we find it hard to find the words appropriate to this sudden tragedy we all had to encounter. Our beloved son, brother and father of three children has gone so unexpectedly, in such a tragic way and much too soon. It leaves us, his family, speechless and devastated to a point, where communication with the outside world seems almost impossible at times.

"We miss Michael endlessly, our pain cannot be described in words. But Michael would not want us to give up now. So we want to thank all of his faithful supporters and loyal fans worldwide, you-- who Michael loved so much. Please do not despair, because Michael will continue to live on in each and every one of you. Continue to spread his message, because that is what he would want you to do. Carry on, so his legacy will live forever.

"In addition, Joseph Jackson wishes to personally convey: 'My grandchildren are deeply moved by all the love and support you have shown for them and their father, Michael Jackson.'

Joseph Jackson & Family"

At the BET Awards on Sunday night, Janet Jackson made her first public appearance since her brother's death. She said, "To you, Michael is an icon. To us, Michael is family. He will forever live in all of hearts."

-- Artistic tributes continue to pour in. As Gorilla Vs. Bear points out, the Roots joined forced with Erykah Badu to cover Jackson's "I Wanna Be Where You Are", which ?uestlove shared on Twitter. On the BET Awards, New Edition, Jamie Foxx, Ciara, Ne-Yo, and others performed Jackson songs. At the Glastonbury Festival in England, the Streets, Little Boots, Soulwax, and Dizzee Rascal all did Jackson did tunes. The Stones Throw website posted a video tribute mix by Peanut Butter Wolf. 50 Cent released two Jackson tribute songs, while the Game rallied Diddy, Chris Brown, Usher, Polow Da Don, Mario Winans, Usher, and Boyz II Men for a tribute called "Better on the Other Side".

-- Sales of Michael Jackson's music continue to shoot through the roof. In the UK, the hits collection Number Ones has topped the album charts. Billboard reports that many Jackson titles will zoom to the top of its catalog album sales chart this week, and that many record stores have completely sold out of Jackson product. His music continues to dominate the iTunes and Amazon download charts as well.

-- MTV also reports that President Obama has written a condolence letter to the Jackson family. David Axelrod, Obama's senior advisor, announced this on the TV show "Meet the Press" on NBC on Sunday.

Posted by Amy Phillips on June 29, 2009 at 2 a.m.

Tags: Michael Jackson

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Friday, June 26

Jackson's Cause of Death Not Determined

Test results expected in four to six weeks. Jackson's Cause of Death Not Determined

CNN reports that Los Angeles County Coroners performed an autopsy on Michael Jackson earlier today. But in a press conference this afternoon, operations chief Craig Harvey declined to give Jackson's cause of death. "The cause of death has been deferred," Harvey told reporters.

Harvey said that the coroners had requested additional testing, which are expected to take four to six weeks. He also said that Jackson's body showed "no sign of external trauma or indication of foul play," according to CNN.

Harvey did say that Jackson had been taking prescription medications, but he couldn't comment on whether those medications played a role in Jackson's sudden death yesterday.

Posted by Tom Breihan on June 26, 2009 at 6:05 p.m.

Tags: Michael Jackson

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Video: Wilco and Feist Perform "You and I" Live for the First Time

Last night in Los Angeles, Wilco and Feist performed their duet "You and I" live for the first time outside of the studio. And thanks to the magic of YouTube, we can all watch it. (Via Stereogum)

"You and I" appears on Wilco (The Album), out June 30 on Nonesuch. For more live Wilco action, stay tuned to http://wilcoworld.net and Wilco (the iPhone app) this Saturday night 10 p.m. CDT for a webcast of the band's show at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, California.

Posted by Amy Phillips on June 26, 2009 at 5:45 p.m.

Tags: Feist, video, Wilco

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Echo Chamber: Colin Meloy

"Just watched a documentary about GG Allin and my day has been officially ruined."

-- If that's not a ringing endorsement of Pitchfork.tv's current One Week Only feature-- Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies-- from the Decemberists' Colin Meloy, we don't know what is. (via @colinmeloy)

Posted by Ryan Dombal on June 26, 2009 at 4:55 p.m.

Tags: Colin Meloy, Echo Chamber

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Reznor Reveals Rejected Timbaland Remix

Calls Tim's "Hand That Feeds" mix "laughably terrible" Reznor Reveals Rejected Timbaland Remix

Trent Reznor hasn't been shy about declaring his disdain for Chris Cornell's recent Timbaland-produced dance-pop experiment Scream. But in a new interview with Sound Opinions, the radio show/podcast from Chicago-based rock writers Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot, Reznor went a little deeper.

Reznor spent most of his career on Interscope, the same label that released Scream. And, as he revealed in the interview, Interscope commissioned a Timbaland remix of the 2005 Nine Inch Nails single "The Hand That Feeds", a remix that Reznor called "laughably terrible."

It was part of what Reznor saw as a misguided attempt to give Nine Inch Nails some street cred. He mimicked a faceless Interscope exec: "Well, this urban thing is really taking off. You'll get it in the club. You know, what if we had Dre or somebody…"

So it looks like this is never going to happen. Unfortunately.

A couple of things to consider here. First, Timbaland is one of the few producers who can plausibly claim more influence over the last decade-plus of recorded music than Reznor can. Second, Reznor actually has worked with rap beatmakers before-- including Dr. Dre. Dre helped mix "Even Deeper", a deep cut from The Fragile, and Reznor remixed Puff Daddy's 1998 single "Victory". Is Timbaland really that much worse than those guys?

Still, this interview is pretty hilarious. The full text of Reznor's comments are below. (via TwentyFourBit)

In the case of Cornell, I don’t know Chris. I do know what label he’s on now, and I do know who’s whispering in his ear. And heavily on the With Teeth album, I turned that record in and I would get back, "Hey you know, you might wanna… maybe we need to put some beats on this record."

I’m not making this up. "What do you mean, beats?"

"Well, this urban thing is really taking off. You’ll get it in the club. You know, what if we had Dre or somebody…"

And the part of me that wants to be the open-minded artist says, "I’ll consider that." I even went so far as Timbaland doing a-- trying to do a-- remix at Interscope’s dime of "Hand That Feeds", which was laughably terrible. And when I turned in Year Zero, which I thought had the coolest beats I’ve ever come up with, I hear "Yeah, we need some cool beats." It’s like, "You know what? Suck me."

And I’m sure there was someone whispering in Cornell’s [ear] and he can put that off as some kind of socio-cultural experiment, but what it was was a money grab. And when you do that, you’re saying to other people that look up to you [that] it’s okay to do that. And it’s not okay to do that. It isn’t.

Posted by Tom Breihan on June 26, 2009 at 3:55 p.m.

Tags: Beef, Chris Cornell, Nine Inch Nails, Timbaland, Trent Reznor

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Stars' Amy Millan Preps Second Solo LP

Features Feist guest appearance, Death Cab cover Stars' Amy Millan Preps Second Solo LP

Back in 2006, Stars singer Amy Millan released Honey From the Tombs, an album of statuesque Emmylou Harris-like alt-country that felt a million miles removed from the epic new wave of her other band.

On September 8, Arts & Crafts will release Masters of the Burial, Millan's second solo album. Millan recorded the album in rural Ontario with Broken Social Scene producer/sound engineer Martin Davis Kinack and features guest appearances from Feist, Evan Cranley of Stars, and others.

The tracklist contains a cover of Death Cab for Cutie's "I Will Follow You Into the Dark". Millan previously covered "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" on a 2007 KCRW EP; however, it has been re-recorded for the album.

We've got the tracklist and album cover below.

On July 25, Millan will play a free show at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre, and she'll tour this fall.

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Blur Reunion Live Album on the Way

The Blur reunion tour is set to bring all the hits to London's Hyde Park July 2 and 3. And now you'll have a little more than some YouTube video to remember those shows.

The band is set to professionally record both gigs and sell the results via limited edition double CD and MP3. (Everyone who orders the CD will also get the download.) So if you scream really loudly during, say, "Tender", you could be immortalized in Blur history for eternity. The CDs will also come with photos from the show.

The release will only be available online, and you can pre-order it now.

Posted by Ryan Dombal on June 26, 2009 at 2:15 p.m.

Tags: Album, Blur

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