q and also a :: Video Daughters
Prog punx Mike and Ronnie of Video Daughters sent us these answers to our questions in this next installment of q and also a.
q: What is the last song you (really) heard?
MG: “Equator” by Sparks. I listened to their whole album Kimono My House last night, and they’re all earworms, but Equator’s the wormiest.
RG: “Sue (Or a In A Season of Crime)†– from Bowie’s Blackstar album. I didn’t give the record a proper listen in the 3 days that it was out while he was still alive. Of course I listened to it in its entirety the day after he passed, and it meant so much more. While it’s an exceptional record, this song struck me as the darkest and most sinister track from it, maybe even his career. There’s something in its mathy groove that reminds me of Red-era Crimson; blistering bass work and all. I’ve always been a big prog head, so I’m happy when listening to a song that surprises me because it’s more challenging. I wanna say it’s one of his prog-iest songs, ever.
q: What is the first album you remember purchasing?
MG: Nirvana‘s In Utero. I think I bought this at a Wal-Mart– maybe it had “Waif Me” instead of “Rape Me” on it? I played this album daily to plants for an amateur science project in grade school.
RG: “Exit Stage Left†by Rush. It’s a live album. My friend had leant me some of their records when I was growing up, and I was hooked from day 1. Geddy Lee was the reason I ever picked up a bass. When I listened to the live versions of “Red Barchetta†or “YYZ†or “La Villa Strangiato,†his bass tone reeled me in completely, let alone his crazy bass lines that go all over the map- in between low end rhythms and pure catchy melodies. AND, I’m one of those people that always loved his unique voice too! As I write this today, they have officially announced their retirement from touring. I’ve seen them in concert a bunch over the years. I’ll def miss seeing those old fuckers put on their epic 3+ hour live shows of sheer prog brilliance.
q: Is there an album you wished you knew about when you were younger?
MG: Horse Cock Phepner or Torch of the Mystics by Sun City Girls. I’ve liked them for some time, but haven’t dug deep until this past year. I grew up in love with like-minded bands like Ween and Butthole Surfers, and hearing Sun City Girls / Sublime Frequencies back then would have sent me scavenging for deeper, stranger “non-Western” music.
RG: Hmmm… not so sure about any one album in particular. But I’ll admit that it’s only been in the last several years that I’ve gotten into two bands I thought I hated when I was a teen: the Grateful Dead and Steely Dan. Beyond the music that I just wasn’t into when I was younger, I was also adamant about the kind of people that those bands attracted: dirty hippies OR yacht rock yuppies! But you get older and you learn more… Fuck their fans anyway, that’s not even important. But the music of both those bands is a good time!
q: What is the last album you purchased?
MG: “Jesus Freak” by Eric Copeland (of Black Dice). One of his best.
RG: A Captain Beefheart bootleg called Rough, Raw, and Amazing: Don Van Vliet and the Magic Band, Live at Leicester De Montfort Hall 1972. It was released on John Peel’s label Dandelion Records and it comes in a beautiful yellow vinyl 2-record set. It’s awesome, except that the beginning sounds like shit due to the quality of the recording, but it gets a lot better. It’s a great show from the Spotlight Kid era tour- a must-have for any Beefheart collector.
q: What is your favorite artist/band to see live?
MG: Lightning Bolt for the rush, Wolf Eyes for the jams (this would have also applied 15 years ago, haha).
RG: Lightning Bolt! Every time I see them it’s just a pure visceral experience. So loud and enthralling to see live! The two Brians know how to reach in and grab yr stupid punk ass soul and spit it back out to you. The pit is always a sweaty mess of limbs and hair: a fuckn good time. Last time I saw them i got the flu!
q: What piece(s) of culture are you really really excited about right now?
MG: I like the underground noise festivals a lot. Good community, international / diverse group of artists / fans, challenging sounds and a lot of fucking fun. I loved End Tymes, Summer Scum, and Burning Fleshtival last year.
RG: Probably politics and this year’s election… I’ve never seen anything like it! Funny though that I increasingly hate having to listen to other people’s opinions, esp on social media. Any politician’s fervent fans can become increasingly annoying to the rest of us. Just because you made a meme, doesn’t make you right about the discussion.
http://www.democracynow.org/topics/2016_election
q: Anything we should know about your latest project (whatever that might be)?
MG: The latest tape has the sounds of a rock trio– very high energy. Now we are working more with repetition, hypnotic sounds, and no live drummer. TL;DR– Video Daughters changes.
RG: It’s our pretty, gritty New York City rock record, but it didn’t really happen on purpose- it just happened and I think it sounds like the city. From “Chelsea Hotel #3†to one we call ‘Candy’ (like VU), which is about the city’s destruction and despair on the morning of Sept. 11, the entire record is swirling through the sounds of what it’s like to be inspired by and to make music in this city.
The self titled Video Daughters tape was engineered and mixed by Julian Fader and Carlos Hernandez at Gravesend Recordings in the Silent Barn.
You can purchase Video Daughters at videodaughters.bandcamp.com
The band is doing a quick sweep through New England in late April with Painted Faces.
Tour Dates (fb rsvp):
4/21 Hudson with Wicked Rot & Frank Hurricane at 533 Warren St
4/22 Worcester with Ryan Kayhart (Looks Realistic, Three Fourths Tigers, Ryan Kayhart) and Snow Wite (Internet Superstar) at Firehouse
4/23 Belchertown TBA with Time Ghost? most likely!
4/24 NYC at Legion with Mr.Transylvania (“wildest performer in NYC”) and Horselover Fats
Video Daughters are on Bandcamp
Video Daughters are on Facebook
Video Daughters are on Soundcloud
Video Daughters are on Myspace
Video Daughters are on Already Dead Tapes
