rock hour
Originally written 03/19/2002
I’m sitting in my flat and watching the rock hour on viva plus, which is this german music television station. I think this is hands down the best rock hour ever, even better than the one with german rap core band, such a surge. Tonight’s show features And You Will Know Us By The Trail of the Dead. They were being interviewed, and were just talking shit. They were saying how an ex bandmate was the one responsible for their rock and roll image and that they just spent their time on tour in the hotel room writing and “pouring over illuminated manuscripts”. “Canda is the biggest threat to the state.” That’s what they just said. “We can roll through them. Like Poland. … It’s time to take out some Cannucks. With a gat… They’re getting rich off of our imperialism. They have natural resources that need to be co-opted and exploited by the state.” That’s also waht they just said. They were also rambling something about making their next album all orchestral arrangements, or opera because they wanted to ride the next cyclical musical wave. These guys are great. I was watching a video and I could have sworn they were screaming “dark ass bats”, although on second thought they probably didn’t say that. They played a Hives video and an At The Drive In video as well. Super. Mistakes and Regrets is a really good song. “We’re destructive because we don’t give a fuck! We’ve got bad manners. … This is for our dead homies (pours beer on floor and smashed bottle).” This is the best rock interview ever. Oh wow. Not there’s a Who “video” on. This is amazing. This is the best music television I’ve ever seen. Now I’m starting to feel like Ian K., talking on and on about what’s on TV. Now AYWKUBTTOD is reenacting German s&m movies by smacking each other on the bum with a belt. Now they’re making Texas jokes. This is so good. Damn I wish I would have made it to that show when I was in Austin. Same thing with that Murder City Devils show, and that Don Cab show. Drat. I miss Austin. So the interviewer asks them about “Bitches” and they start talking about the “Beaches” of Texas. AYWKUBTTOD have now, in my oppinion, elevated themselves to the most entertaining band in rock. If you’re going to have major-label post-indie hucksterism, I at least want it to be entertaining. These guys, and also the Hives are like the anti-Strokes. The video show just played the new Strokes video, The Modern Age, and it struck me what bothers me so much about the Strokes. It’s not like I dislike their music. It’s just that it’s so un-rock. The Strokes are huge because they make rock music that doesn’t offend anybody. I doubt that they would have had a chance a few years ago, but in a mainstream music scene overflowing with schwill like Puddle of Mud, Drowning Pool, and Nickleback, the twenty-somethings need something that they can safely consume. Now they’re talking about the death penalty. “Austin is the live music capital of the US. And the death penalty capital. … Actually we’re the against the death penalty. We’re trying to put an end to it. Unless it’s by our hands. … Or if it’s a pig.” New favorite band. Easily. So yeah, anyone who can watch viva plus, check out the rock hour or alternative show, I’m not sure which one it is, at 10:00 PM [GMT+0:00] on Tuesdays.