Posts

Blame It On…..: An Interview with Jer Herring (Dink)

Image
D ink were an alternative/industrial band from Kent, Ohio. Industrial sounding bands were springing up in all sort of obscure locations like Missouri (Gravity Kills) and Arizona (Machines of Loving Grace) but Dink were different. They had two singers and had more of a punk vibe in their approach and their sound. Listen to songs like “Never Go to Sleep Again,” “3 Big Bags” and their modest hit single “Green Mind.” The band were notable for about a year before internal struggles and label problems pulled the band apart circa 1997 but singer/guitarist Jer Herring sat down for an interview about the band’s history including the D.I.Y. documentary that was made about the band several years ago. Do yourself a favor and go on YouTube and listen to some Dink, because none of their catalogue is available digitally. Pete Crigler: How did you become interested in music? Jer Herring: The Beatles.  I had twin aunts who were teenagers in the late 60’s when I was like 6 years old and I would spen
Post a Comment
Read more

Vapor Trails to the Libido Speedway: An Interview with Jeff Robbins (Orbit)

Image
Orbit were a three piece out of Boston that burst onto the modern rock scene in 1997 with their instantly infectious song “Medicine.” The relative success of the song and its album, Libido Speedway allowed the band the chance to tour Lollapalooza ’97, among other opportunities. A second album was shelved when A&M Records was sold and chopped up but the band kept recording, with the help of their own Lunch Records. Subsequent to the band’s hiatus around the early 2000’s, Robbins began a new career as a web developer, something he still does successfully today. Orbit have just released a new-ish album, Vapor Trails , brought together with unearthed tracks from the sessions for their third album. Definitely a band worth checking out. Pete Crigler: How did you get interested in playing music? Jeff Robbins: I've always been kind of obsessed with music – more with the sonics and technology than with virtuosity. I started playing the piano when I was young. Then I took up guitar
Post a Comment
Read more

Can I Stay?: An Interview with Kurt Elzner (Pretty Mary Sunshine/Mazzy Star)

Image
Back in 2013, I published my second book, essentially a long essay entitled Majorlabelland and Assorted Oddities . It was about alternative rock bands who got the shaft from major labels and saw their music and ultimately their careers ended prematurely by the boardroom of a record label. One of the most interesting bands I came across was Pretty Mary Sunshine, out of Seattle. Led by Mazzy Star guitarist Kurt Elzner and vocalist Patrice Tullai, the band were an eclectic combination of shoegaze and indie rock while coming from the grunge capital of the world. Some people might be familiar with them if they love the 1994 indie satire S.F.W. starring Stephen Dorff and a baby Reese Witherspoon. They had one track “Can I Stay?” on the soundtrack alongside Paw, Marilyn Manson, Hole and others. The band’s career was stalled by the powers that be at A&M as you will see as Kurt delighted in telling the band’s story. Pete Crigler: How did you become interested in music? Kurt Elzner: I’ve
Post a Comment
Read more

Bomb Pop: A Conversation with Mike Savage of Fudge

Image
For a brief period in the ‘90s, the Richmond, VA music scene underwent a bit of a psychedelic shift. Indie bands such as The Technical Jed and others began experimenting with their sounds and blended together their influences. One such band, Fudge, made two records of blissed out psych indie rock. Though the band didn’t last very long, their legacy is still strong. I had the privilege of speaking with drummer Mike Savage about the band’s career. Pete Crigler: How did you get interested in music? Mike Savage: I've loved music for as long as I can remember. My parents played music around the house when I was just a toddler and I can remember listening to Elvis and Johnny Mathis and several other records that were played often. I have a pretty clear memory of two that I felt strongly about, one that I loved and one that I really didn't care for. That was Engelbert Humperdinck and Carole King. I imagine it's obvious which was which. As I got older my older brother got reall
Post a Comment
Read more