Category: Features

Features

Features: David J of Bauhaus/Love and Rockets

As NewBeats turned 11 this month, here is an interview from the archives: David J of Bahaus and Love and Rockets, circa 2003.

The Estranged World of David J
by David Chiu

Any fan of modern rock, especially Goth, for the last 25 years will certainly know who David J is. The artist first made a name for himself as the founding member of the legendary, influential band Bauhaus of the early ’80s, and then later as one third of Love and Rockets. The former band achieved cult status while the latter netted a huge commercial pop hit (1989’s “So Alive”).

The British bassist and vocalist has also forged his own solo career throughout the ’80s and ’90s (Songs from Another Season, On Glass, Etiquette of Violence). Now David J has returned with his latest solo record called Estranged. Inspired by the breakup with his partner, Estranged might sound somewhat surprising to those expecting something abrasive or Goth emblematic of his past. Estranged is an atmospheric, intimate spare album with David J singing in a deadpan manner. Combining both elements of folk and country (reflected on tracks like “Mess Up,” Time in the Sun”), J’s album evokes a sense of beauty even during moments of melancholy and darkness (some things never change). J even covers an old ’70s standby Bread’s “The Guitar Man” with some soaring guitar lines by Dave Navarro and American Music Club’s Bruce Kaphin.

Born David J. Haskins, the artist made his mark in music back in 1978 when he, drummer Kevin Haskins, guitarist Daniel Ash, and vocalist Peter Murphy formed Bahaus. Their sound inaugurated the Goth post-punk movement, which would prove influential and imitated for years to come. Their most famous single was “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” followed by a hit remake of David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust. After the group broke up, David J, Kevin Haskins, and Daniel Ash formed Love and Rockets. Streamlining their sound without the doomy trappings, Love and Rockets scored a huge hit “So Alive” in the late ’80s and recorded several subsequent albums.

Things recently have come full circle for David J. In 1998, Bauhaus reformed and toured to much acclaim, proving their legend is still alive. J was also making his own music-Estranged was recorded three years ago but was temporarily shelved for release due to the usual label and legal matters. To finance the record, J sold his old Bauhaus memoribillia on eBay. It eventually turned out to be a good deal for both J and the fans.

Now with this latest solo album, David J is taking his act on the road. Here, he talks about the new album, his past, and future plans. Continue reading “Features: David J of Bauhaus/Love and Rockets”

Features

Features: An interview with Steve Wynn

(photo from http://www.stevewynn.net)

NewBeats turns 11 this month. So from our archives, here is an interview with former Dream Syndicate singer circa 2003:

Steve Wynn: Music for Troubled Souls
By David Chiu

“I wanted to have written a novel more than I want to write a novel,” said veteran singer/songwriter Steve Wynn. “I think I will someday. It’s a whole different discipline.” Given his knack for writing introspective moody songs in a journalistic fashion, it would only make sense that he would write a book. If he ever decides to do that, Wynn certainly would have enough material given his 20-plus years of experiences in music career.

In fact, any survey of alternative music in the last two decades would be incomplete without mentioning Steve Wynn. He had established his name in modern rock as the founder of the Dream Syndicate, the Los Angeles band that was synonymous with the Paisley Underground movement of the early ’80s. The band that was heavily influenced by the Velvet Underground in time would inspire another generation of garage rockers in the ’90s. While the Dream Syndicate has been somewhat of a distant memory since its break up in 1990, Wynn continued to plug away, first with the super group Gutterball, and later as a solo artist. Continue reading “Features: An interview with Steve Wynn”

Features

Feature: An interview with singer Clare Burson

photo by Ted Barron (from clareburson.com)

New York-based musician Clare Burson is set to release her new album, Silver and Ash, on Rounder Records later this year. As part of NewBeats’ 10th anniversary, here is an interview that the magazine did with Burson a couple of years ago; since her debut EP Undone, she has put out three more releases: In -Between, Idaho and Thieves

Clare Burson: Troubadour with a Twang

by David Chiu

Sometimes when you enter a bar or a club to listen to live music from a new artist, it can be hit or miss. When it misses, at least you could go back to the bar, order a tall cool one, and flirt with the person next to you. But when it the music hits, it makes the evening more interesting than you expected. And if that person goes on to superstardom, you can be proud to say you were one of the first to witness how it all happened.

That is what happened to this reviewer when he saw Clare Burson perform at the Luna Lounge on a hot August Saturday night. Despite the lack of name power, this young artist managed to play strong and convincingly to a small but very appreciative audience in the Lounge’s performing space. Somewhere down the road Burson has the potential to ascend to the stratosphere of recognition. Continue reading “Feature: An interview with singer Clare Burson”

Features

Feature: An interview with Galaxie 500 co-founder Damon Krukowski

from left to right: Dean Wareham, Naomi Yang and Damon Krukowski

An interview with Galaxie 500 co-founder Damon Krukowski
by David Chiu

Like all the great alternative rock bands that came before them, like the Velvet Underground, the late Galaxie 500 are probably more appreciated today compared to when they were together over 20 years ago. At a time in the late ’80s when pop music was at its most bombastic, with its preoccupation of style over substance (which hasn’t changed much today), or when indie rock was literally underground, Galaxie 500 was the antithesis of videogenic marketing or categorization. Their sound certainly owed much to VU, ’70s punk and avant garde musical stylings thanks to the band’s introspective, yearning lyrics; slow tempos; and jarring yet ethereal drone.

The history of the based-band dates back about 30 years ago when the three founders–guitarist/singer Dean Wareham, drummer Damon Krukowski and bassist Naomi Yang–were high school friends in New York. It was when they were at students Harvard in Cambridge, Mass. that they formed the band (they named themselves Galaxie 500 after the Ford model car from the ’60s).With producer Kramer (who can arguably be described as the fourth member of the band), Galaxie 500 recorded three extraordinary albums: Today (1988, an album that Sonic Youth); On Fire (1989) and This Is Our Music (1990). During that period, the group played in the U.S. and Europe (including an appearance at the Glastonbury Festival in 1990) while earning critical acclaim.

Galaxie 500 broke up in 1991, but over the time, their music has grown in stature–even Liz Phair cited the band in her song “Stratford on Guy” from her legendary debut Exille On Guyville. As if not to tarnish the memory of their former group, the members went on to other musical projects whose sound veered into different directions: Krukowski and Yang became the folk duo Damon and Naomi, while Wareham formed the group Luna.

But the legacy of Galaxie 500 lives on for both old and new fans to celebrate: On March 30, the band’s three studio albums were reissued after having been out of print since their last release on Rykodisc Records. They are now available domestically through 20/20/20, the label headed by Krukowski and Yang. What makes these new reissues unique than their predecessors is that each Galaxie 500 studio album is now paired with a previously released live or rarities compilation. Here are the following new configurations:

Today + Uncollected
On Fire + Peel Sessions
This Is Our Music + Copenhagen

NewBeats had an opportunity to speak with former Galaxie 500 co-founder Damon Krukowski about the reissues as well as the band’s music and aftermath. Continue reading “Feature: An interview with Galaxie 500 co-founder Damon Krukowski”