Chimpomatic: Articles

Feature: Dead Record Shops

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:37:07 +0100

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]]>Perhaps this will come as a surprise to absolutely no-one, but we are fast approaching the death-throes of record retailing in the UK. Of course, we've all been predicting it for years - how online purchasing would lead to the demise of retail - but rather like the possibility of a death in the family we've tended to put it out of our thoughts until it actually happens. Sadly it's about that time - I think I can well and truly declare that the grieving process needs to start, as all around us our loved ones become only memories.

Interview: White Denim

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:55:31 +0000

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]]>Last year saw many bands introduce themselves with impressive debuts, but few were as infectious and exciting as Workout Holiday, the first LP by Austin's White Denim. It was a total shambles of a record darting from one idea to the next and threatened to collapse under it's own weight all the time, but it was electrifying. Chimpomatic managed to have a quick word with bassist Steve Terebecki to uncover the master-plan behind this chaos. Turns out it was just "regular rock n roll."

Interview: No Age

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:01:16 +0000

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]]>I'd have to say that No Age's LP Nouns has really been the stand out record of this year for me and in more ways than one. Its infectious energy has made it hard to resist but has also encouraged me to delve deeper into the context in which it was created and as a result a whole new scene has opened up to me and introduced me to a wealth of new talent. It's a scene loosely centered around certain clubs in LA but by no means exclusive. It's a scene that revolves around creativity and encompasses all forms from punk to skateboarding to art to film making. Bands like Sic Alps, Abe Vigoda and Japanther have all come to my attention this year, but it's been No Age that seem to embody the very essence of this creativity. Taking their lead from similar collections of bands like those of the SST label Randy Randall and Dean Spunt are keen to promote the DIY element of their work and profoundly see themselves as just another link in the chain of creative inspiration that got them started. Joining me on the phone at the tail-end of a year long tour Randy discussed, with refreshing humility and honesty, the scene with which he is proudly affiliated and the influences that have paved the way to where he is now.

Photo: Jeremy Hogan

Interview: Sub Pop

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:49:29 +0100

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]]>When Nirvana went global and 'Grunge' became a household word, Jonathan Poneman and Bruce Pavitt's fledgling record label hit the big time. Geffen Records bought out their contract with Nirvana in a tidy deal that gave the Seattle label percentage points on future Nirvana releases - as well as reviving sales of Bleach to make it the label's biggest seller to this day.

With interest in Seattle bands spiking wildly, the label invested in it's own - pushing Mudhoney, Tad, L7 and Soundgarden into the limelight and paving the way for a long, rich history. After a troubled mid 90's period, the label has seen a recent resurgence and the self-professed goal of "World Domination" is back on the agenda. Hits from The Shins (thanks to a name-drop in Zach Braff's movie Garden State) and Death Cab For Cutie side-project The Postal Service (11.5 million downloads and counting) have seen the label funneling money back into music from the Seattle area and beyond - successfully nudging bands like Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses and Flight of the Conchords into the limelight.

Chimpomatic has a long history of favoritism with Sub Pop, so it was our pleasure to catch up with VP Megan Jasper, to talk about Starbucks' music policy, the flippety flop and everything in between.

Interview: My Morning Jacket

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:26:39 +0100

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]]>With fifth studio album Evil Urges arriving in stores this week, Louisville rockers My Morning Jacket were in town to promote the album, record a Black Cab Session and put on an acoustic show at St. James Church. It's no secret that Chimpomatic are big fans of the band, so we had plenty of questions about British Bobbies, Butch and Sundance, Nashville and Kentucky.

Interview: Silver Jews

Fri, 30 May 2008 15:26:39 +0100

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]]>I've been a Silver Jews fan long enough to have developed my own set of ill-informed stereotypes about it’s creator David Berman. I’m sure they dovetail perfectly with everyone else’s opinions of the man and involve a hermetic and reclusive artist, deeply troubled by personal struggles of the past and a guy so dedicated to his craft that the tedium of touring and interviews force him deeper into his shell. So the prospect of a face–to-face interview with him evoked feelings of great excitement but also a fair dose of trepidation. These are clearly the opinions of those yet to meet Mr. Berman as I found not a trace of any during our chat in the warmth of the sunshine outside a hotel in Kensington.

From the outset it’s clear that Berman is not one to share the belief that time is a luxury reserved for the lucky few who can afford it. Every sentence is meticulously crafted and pondered over and few words stray into the margins of unnecessary waffle. In today’s music business, of which he had much to say, he is a man who possesses more than his fair share of rare qualities, a few of them being: opinions all his own, respect and concern for yours, a deep knowledge of his craft, and a genuine desire to change people. Together we thrashed out the numerous problems facing the music industry and the world at large - from the ‘date-rape’ of the modern festival, to born-again Christians who wish for your timely destruction. It seems Radiohead don’t have all the answers these days as Berman explained how they gave their music “free to your ears” but with his new record Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea he gives each song “free all the way to your finger-tips” by supplying each guitar chord to play the entire album. He’s old-school but with a hungry eye trained on the present and with donut in hand he walked us through a few things that light him up, piss him off, drag him down and turn him on.

Interview: Spoon

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 15:26:39 +0100

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]]>With a new album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga just released, Chimpomatic favourites Spoon continue to evolve. BC caught up with drummer and producer Jim Eno to talk about recording the new album, out of date Wikipedia entries and his lack of tight jeans.

Interview: Brakes

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 15:26:39 +0000

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]]>With a second album, The Beatific Visions, in stores on Monday, Brighton's favourite country-punkers Brakes are back with a vengence, including a recent show at Kilburn's The Luminaire. Chimpomatic caught up with front man Eamon Hamilton to talk about recording in Nashville, South By South West and David Niven... amongst other things.

Interview: M. Ward

Fri, 15 Sep 2006 15:26:39 +0100

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]]>Following the release of his new album Post-War and a short UK tour, Chimpomatic caught up with M.Ward for a very brief Q&A.

Interview: Tapes 'n' Tapes

Thu, 03 Aug 2006 15:24:30 +0100

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]]>After storming this year's SXSW festival, and signing to major label XL, Minneapolis' Tapes 'n Tapes' debut album The Loon has finally been released in the UK. As the band prepare for another UK tour, Chimpomatic talked to Matt Kretzmann about their new-found success - as well as Minneapolis's most famous miniature rock-star.

Interview: The National

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 15:16:06 +0100

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]]>Following a UK tour in support of Editors and a headline gig at Koko in May, Chimpomatic's BC caught up with Matt Berninger of The National to talk about Alligator, Shakespeare and more.

Interview: Mike Watt

Fri, 01 Jun 2001 18:04:29 +0100

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]]>Back in the early days of Chimpomatic, we had big ambitions for the site and got off to a great start by securing this 2001 interview with the bass king, Mike Watt. It's taken 3 1/2 years to get the interview together and online, but surprisingly little has changed. Bush has just been voted in (again) and Watt has just released his long planned third album - "The Secondman's Middle Stand". That's not available in the UK (again), but track it down on import. However, some better news comes in the shape of two upcoming Minutemen gigs in the UK. Watt + George Hurley will be playing Minutemen songs as support for Shellac at the Scala on December 2nd. The Minutemen will also be playing at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival this Christmas, curated by Jake & Dinos Chapman....

After an earlier brush with death, Watt had been recuperating by touring with J Mascis & The Fog - who also brought along Ron Asheton of The Stooges. The previous night's gig had also featured a bloody cameo from Bobby Gillespie, making it action packed...

Mike called me on the phone finally, doing his own press and arranging his own interviews. We decide not to do the spiel after the gig, as they'd be "Doin' Stooges" with Ron Asheton at the gig, and Watt anticipated being drained. He tells me he'll be doing laundry the next morning, so we agree to meet there at 8.30.

"Got to get up early, else the place is stuffed full of Americans who bogart all the machines," says Watt. "It's two blocks up from the ho', but it's the only Laundromat". After looking in 3 laundrette's we find him and get down to business.