Geronimo!

Past podcast guests Geronimo! are releasing a very limited run cassette entitled “Buzz Your Girlfriend: Vol.1″ at their Wednesday August 17th show at Subterranean with Grandfather (NYC) and Predators (Chicago).

Bass Keyboardist Ben Grigg had this to say about the project:

It will be the first of what we hope to be a regular series of 4-track cassette recordings we will release. The first cassette, called “Buzz Your Girlfriend: Volume I”, will be available for free at the August 17th show and will not be available in Chicago at any other time. We will hand out the remaining copies on tour in October. We recorded it live to 4-track in our practice space, so it’s pretty raw. I like it though.

The AV Club also has Ben talking about the project on film at their website.

Ben has also given us permission to post a couple tracks for a Singlelicious FREE DOWNLOAD! A Geronimo! original, “William Shatner”, and a cover of Nirvana’s “Breed”.

Go see them tomorrow night at Subterranean to get your exclusive copy!

Geronimo! – William Shatner

Geronimo! – Breed (Nirvana cover)

Sock Monkey Sound

Geronimo!

Geronimo! is giving away their recent 2010 release Fuzzy Dreams FOR FREE! While you won’t get the snazzy CD design with your download, you will get great tracks by some cool dudes. They’re doing this leading up to their FREE SHOW at the Double Door on Tuesday, March 29th with Kid You’ll Move Mountains, Brontosaurus (featuring Nicholas Papaleo), and The Soil & The Sun. Check out the details here.

Download Fuzzy Dreams for FREE! [Mediafire Link]

[UPDATE] You can now download it for FREE on Geronimo’s brand spanking new Bandcamp page!

Sock Monkey Sound

By SMS Editorial & Contributing Writers:
Chip Copeland (cC)  |  Alex Danger Stewart (aDs)   |  Dave DeCastris (dD)  |  Andrew Whorehall (aW)

We apologize for being a bit late with this, it’s been in the works for 2 months. It’s our rookie attempt to cover the first half of 2010. Below is a brief list of what Sock Monkey Sound has been listening to and recommends at the 2010 halfway point. With so little time and money, we’re sure we’ve missed a bunch so leave your comments at the bottom of this very long, hopefully informative, blog post.

Cheers.
SMS > cC  |  aDs  |  dD  |  aW
08.07.2010

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cC suggests:

NATIONAL RELEASES

Admiral Radley "I Heart California"

Admiral Radley - I Heart California 1/2 Grandaddy + 1/2 Earlimart = Pure Awesomeness!

Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record Always liked Broken Social scene in the past but this record is tighter and more efficient in delivering the goods and the promise of this band. This is the kind of cohesiveness I wish Sonic Youth was still able to muster these days.

Stars – The Five Ghosts: Waaaayyy better than their last record, In Our Bedroom After the War, almost hitting the same knd of highs that were evident on Set Yourself on Fire.

Family Band – Miller Path I’ve really been wrapping myself up in this moody and exquisite album that is spooky and drenched in atmosphere in much the same way as The Nationals latest. Imagine a darker and more haunting version of Mazzy Star and you’re on the right track.

Field Music – Measure Proggy and yet still remaining very song oriented. Reminiscent at times of The Sea and Cake, an evenly enjoyable listen.

Honorable mentions:
Teenage Fanclub - Shadows

REGIONAL / INDIE / LOCAL RELEASES
Because of Sock Monkey Sound I’ve discovered more local indie artists than ever before. So most of what I’ve been listening to is lesser known bands from around here or elsewhere.

The Braves – The Leaves are Black / Quiet Hushed Animals: I make no apologies that I love this band, I know these guys and have been equally amazed at how good they all are at their craft as evidenced by their solo projects and new bands that they have gone onto form. The fucking shame about this record is that unless you know someone in Rockford, IL that knows one of the guys in the band YOU”LL NEVER HEAR THIS RECORD.

I fault the band for not being more proactive in making these songs available via Bandcamp.com or on a website. They don’t have to charge anything if they don’t want to but I think there is an audience that is willing to fork over $5-$8 bucks for an 18 song download.

Until then, folks can buy their last official release Love and Mercy on iTunes for $8.91 or Emusic and after you listen to that email thebravestheband@hotmail.com and demand that they make ALL OF their music available for download online. 30 years from now The Braves will be remembered as one of those great unsung regional acts that never found an audience in their day but influenced a slew of younger acts from Rockford.

Ex Norwegian – Sketch This Florida based band continues to craft tight yet creative power pop that reminds me of Badfinger, Big Star, and that other power pop band from Rockford that everybody talks about excessively. Can’t wait to see them at the first Sock Monkey Sound showcase show September 1st at Kryptonite Bar.

Geronimo! – Fuzzy Dreams Man, is it still 1993 or what. I wish I still owned flannel so I could sport it at the next Geronimo! show. These guys are tight but the intros at the beginning of these songs work better in a live setting than on record. A solid effort by some nice dudes.

The Felix Culpa – Sever Your Roots It’s not often that a band with no money, no label, and a 3 year gap in between albums is able to record a record as intricate as Sever Your Roots. While not a perfect record it is certainly impressive that a regional at is able reach a level of this quality, much like The Braves did on Quiet Hushed Animals. I’m interested in seeing them release something again- hopefully in a timelier manner.

The Projection People – Self Titled Once again here’s another band from the region, Madison , Wisconsin to be precise, that is making very precise and expressive music without major label support. Great arrangements and musicianship abounds on this record and if you get a chance be sure to see them live. Fans of Minus the Bear are sure to enjoy this group. See also: Jane by The Cemetery Improvement Society which features some of the members of TPP.

REWIND
Sun Kil Moon – Ghosts of the Great Highway The first line of Carry Me Ohio says it all:
sorry that
i could never love you back
i could never care enough
in these last days

LETDOWN LISTEN
Prince – 20Ten Once a great artist that has fallen prey to the trap that comes with the seclusion of being a massive star: losing touch with what’s out in the real world. The internet”s dead? F*ck you Prince. F*ck you in your stupid little ass-less pants you short little prima-donna. After you complain about not getting paid and advance for putting your stuff on iTunes how about you consider all the artists that are really struggling to make a name for themselves while making music that still matters. At least you get royalties off all the songs that continue to get played on the radio. Which won’t happen for most other musicians because major corporations like Clear Channel have a monopoly over terrestrial radio; a system that you strive so hard to fight against yet you try to perpetuate the old system of dying record labels. No amount of “genius” or “talent” can change the fact that you’re probably just an A$$hole.

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aDs suggests:

The National "High Violet"

NATIONAL RELEASES
The National-High Violet:  I’ve said it a couple of times but I’ll justifiably say it again.  This album is tearing me apart.  It’s like a soundtrack to social anxiety.  Over thrumming guitars Matt Berninger sings, “Venom radio and venom television.  I’m afraid of everyone, I’m afraid of everyone. They’re the young blue bodies/with the old red bodies.”  Walking through the city on my way to class, I nod along as the whole world collapses around my headphones.  “I’m afraid of everyone,” he continues, “I’m afraid of everyone.  I don’t have the drugs to sort it out.  Sort it out.”  You and I both, dude.  You and I both.  This isn’t an album for feeling alone in a crowded room.  This is an album for feeling alone on a jam packed sidewalk, keeping an eye on the sky; waiting for a hunk of building to crumble off and come crashing down on your skull. It’s sonic self medication.  It rips open old scars and sticks a finger in the wound, just to see you squirm a bit before stitching it back up again.  Yeah, this album sticks with you.

INTERNATIONAL RELEASES
Male Bonding-Nothing Hurts Male Bonding is a band from Bristol. That’s in England, innit? I’m not quite sure what exactly this band promises but it delivers on that promise.  Simply put, this band is loud, fast, and dirty.  The tones are skuzzy and the songs are short.  This band and I share a clear love of 1990 Sub Pop.  I sing along, when I can, and shake my hair when I can’t.

REGIONAL
Geronimo-Fuzzy Dreams: There’s no two ways about it.  Geronimo will make you hurt.  They will squish your brain and punch you in the diaphragm.  Halfway through the opening song, “Thunderbattles,” one thing becomes clear: this is a band that is not afraid to write songs with riffs.  Sometimes this band likes to play fast, and sometimes they like to be atmospheric.  Though they are not always entirely sure footed, they constantly move forward with a jittery energy and another pounding of the snare.  The songs on this album make shit move.  That is, until the last song.  “Judgment Day” comes as a kiss-off disguised as a hug.  It acts as a campfire sing-along and a palette cleanser.  To say it sounds like Dust era Screaming Trees is the greatest praise I can give.

REWIND
Jim O’Rourke- Eureka I’ve always been somewhat of a fan of Mr. O’Rourke.  The albums that he worked on with Wilco and Sonic Youth number among my favorite for each band and his reputation as a Chicago composer and experimental musician is most stellar.  I spun the hell out of his 1997 album “Bad Timing,” last year.  Why then, did it take me so long to pick up more of his albums?  I don’t rightly know but 1999’s “Eureka,” has been pulling me back again and again.   As a work, it stands apart from many of O’Rourke’s albums in that it finds him molding his usual compositional elements into the form of Bacharach-esque pop songs (including covers of songs by Bacharach and Ivor Cutler).  Even within such forms, O’Rourke’s signature style shines through.  Each song beginning with an intricate finger style guitar passage, a minimal percussive rattle, or a slight buzz of synthesizer, and building from there.  There are never random moves.  Each is deliberate and gradual.  Like the cinematography in a Rossellini film, you find yourself so focused on the current image that you barely notice the change until two minutes later when it has molded itself into an entirely different song.  Then you smile.

LETDOWN LISTEN
Sleigh Bells-Treats Everything I read in the ramp up for this album described it as noise pop.  “Perfect,” I thought, imagining way too fuzzy guitars and fun, crooked harmonies to match, “I love noise and pop.”   Pitchfork said it, “…felt like rides at an amusement park, and I’d get a feeling in my stomach when the first notes kicked in: Here we go.” They used words like, “jackhammer riffs,” “beats from hip-hop and electro,” and, “supremely catchy sing-song melodies.”  Yes!  I thought I had found my summer party album.   No.  This duo sounds like all of the things that are wrong with M.I.A.’s new album (which is to say most of it).  When Indie groups use the word pop it’s supposed to mean old pop.  Not that Lil Wayne guitar album that everyone has agreed to forget.  The aesthetic of simulated stereo destruction works sometimes.  Sometimes Not when it’s used for the entirety of every song!  Clearly there is some disconnect between what was described and what exists.  One can hardly blame the band for that.  What I can blame them for is making an album that fails the only requirement of party jams.  It’s not danceable (unless the only dance move in your arsenal is the stutter step).  It doesn’t make me want to get down, or fuck, or chill, or drink.  It makes me want to hide.  This album isn’t fun.  That’s unforgivable.

______________________

dD suggests:

Spoon "Transference"

NATIONAL RELEASES
Spoon-Transference: Minimal, dark, droning, mechanically rhythmic,pop songs that build on each other, exploding into little moments. Perfect imperfections.  A fully realized production that honors their lo-fi past & recent ventures with equal amounts of focus and abandonment.  This record stands at an artistic cross roads for them. On first listen, as the cover photo suggests, “I’m bored, what are we gonna do next?”  A brilliant orange lamp siting next to the bored individual on the cover serves as a metaphor for focus and inspiration, just look at what’s around you in a different light.  “Transference” pushes their artistic ceiling slightly higher.  Their artistic foundation, Daniel & Eno, sound stronger than ever while digging deeper, continuing to search for new sounds, patterns and rhythms together unlike most veteran indie bands and musical partnerships.

ALSO:
The National – High Violet
The Mynabirds –  What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood

INTERNATIONAL
The Radio Dept.- Clinging to a Scheme Sweet, sweet, sweet sugary pop songs from Sweden that recall the finer moments of the Pet Shop Boys with a darker edge.

REGIONAL RELEASES
Joie De Vivre – The North End Young, intelligent, college kids playing off of punk emotion, setting the pace and exploding;  midwestern mood rock a decade later.  Spring love, Summer arguments, Fall heartbreak, Winter recovery,  The midwest for many of our youth growing up here. That is “The North End.”  Joie is completely out of step with today’s youth rock, they’re too smart for any scene anywhere in America right now– and all for the better.  Sit through one listen and you’ll know right away that seeing them live will be no different than putting on their record.  Like Neil and Crazy Horse, this is what ya get live too- no pretending.  “The North End” secretly implies they have no aspirations to entertain you with a light show or fancy new outfits from Hot Topic,  just empty cans of beer.   Honest brooding, rock n’ roll high on emotion and slow, steady delivery.  “The North End” owes as much respect to other regional indie acts that inspired them in their teens, The Braves, as it does to other regional & national acts that has defined the midwest underground, Mike Kinsella inspired projects (Joan of Arc/American Football/Owen).   ‘North End’ serves as a soundtrack for trying to live through your early 20s in Northern Illinois through a recession, limited opportunities, and heartbreak.  It’s a solid declaration from a young band that is only going to get louder, funnier, darker, softer and wiser with each new letdown & recording to follow.  Here’s hoping they keep it together long enough before becoming sick of each other.

Lizard Skynard – Self-Titled Lizard Skynard, despite having a perfect frontman (Lizardman) for the kids are a monstrous rock band.  Imagine Henry Rollins/ Part Deftones meets Kevin Shields and the boys from Kyuss in a train station to make space metal.  The Skynard boys (Chicago/Austin/Vancouver) feed off of lead guitarist, Jason “Mossy” Vaughn’s (Machesney Park/Rockford), wall of guitar nob turning and pedal shifting theatrics.  Vaughn’s playing is mesmerizing, turning speed metal riffs into reverb, delays, morphing into small, well-intended melodies– no different than a classical Dmitri Shostakovich film production, chaos amidst the darkness drifting into melody.  With or without Lizardman reciting monologues on top of the band, it’s a complete sound of life on earth coming to a loud, water washed horrific & beautiful end.  Produced by Greg Norman @ Electrical Audio in Chicago over the course of 1 week this past winter, this self-titled debut by a band that started as a ‘what-if’ idea in the back of a Jägermeister bus (driven around the country for 4 years to festivals and arenas by Mossy & his wife, Dana) is anything but a ‘what-if’ idea.  Every member plays as if their lives, and that of  Planet Earth’s, depends on these 30 minutes put to record for a listener’s lifetime.

REWIND LISTENS
Neil Young – American Stars N’ Bars Released in 1978, it’s often discarded as a hodge podge collection of Uncle Neil’s throwaway gems that bounce between his country rock/folk stylings and manic garage rock epic.  Often cited for featuring the magnificent, “Like a Hurricane,” a song probably more responsible for Wilco’s post Jay Bennet guitar freakouts.  Especially on their Neil inspired, “Spiders (Kidsmoke).”  Before you even get to  ‘Hurricane’ there’s country flavored ear candy in “This Old Country Waltz,” “Hey Babe,” “Hold Back The Tears,” and “Star of Bethlehem.”  After spending most of my life living in “Zuma,”  my personal Uncle Neil desert island pick, “American Stars N’ Bars” has consumed my car CD player with a few more mentioned above for the early half of 2010.

Big Star- Keep Your Eye on The Sky (Box Set) There’s a line from a famous Replacements song on “Pleased to Meet Me” named in honor for the late “Alex Chilton” (who passed away earlier this year) that goes;  “I never travel far without a little Big Star.”  I don’t think I’ve gone one year in existence since my first exposure in college to Big Star’s 1974 classic song, “September Gurls,” by a fellow classmate.  It changed the way I spell and now type, ‘gurls.’ IT inspired many songs in shoeboxes stored away trying to write any song worth having a “Gurl” in it.  It has appeared on every other cassette, cd mix I’ve made for so many people over the years.  The tragedy in sharing that one song to anyone unaware of Big Star’s brief recorded 1970s magic is that every Big Star song is worth sharing.  Every single f*cking song.  This box set, like their 3 formal studio recordings is always within an arms length for playing.

LETDOWN LISTENS
Teenage Fanclub – Shadows I expect too much out of my favorite artists I’ve grown up with.  The Fanclub’s latest is just….  a complacent listen.  They sound older, beaten… maybe that’s natural.  I’m not ready to accept this record yet.  I will return to it one day.

Broken Bells- Self-Titled I love Brian Burton’s production, his playing, everything he does as ‘Danger Mouse.’  I’ve become fond of James Mercer’s writing over the years for The Shins but not always his choice in song production or arrangements after the home made debut.  The best song he’s written is “Good For Good” on “Chutes Too Narrow.”  He’s never come close to that song’s simplicity since, lyrically or musically.   It’s a shame to these ears to want more out of the guy.  The template is there, obviously, for something more within himself.  Hearing about this project in advance had me excited thinking, “Mercer, you’ve befriended Brian Burton, you sneaky bastard.”  This is just a boring sit-through listen by 2 respectable young artists seeking mutual ground and settling for safe, electro-pop.  I can’t help but think ‘Danger Mouse’ had to take a step down to Mercer’s musical shortcomings to make this work.  Which, again, another reason I think Brian Burton is an amazing artist.  I look forward to another release by this combo but this one is the sound of 2 great talents trying to figure each other out still.  Yawn.

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aW suggests:

LCD Soundsystem "This is Happening"

NATIONAL RELEASES
LCD Soundsystem – This is Happening If I were a woman and I had to give birth to a child because someone planted an evil, gifted seed inside me, I’d want James Murphy to provide the juice.  What a brilliant artist, performer, engineer, producer.  This record tops off a 10-year run of 3 very important modern day recordings that focus on punk, disco, classic rock, pop, glam, indie, folk, funk and electronic arrangements set to Murphy’s urban, personal, lyrical observations.  Not a great vocalist at all, but this is a great artist at his peak.  His playful instincts and ability to take his own influences to meld into wonderful, weird American records that calm and explode with ideas is never short of amazing.  See the synth freak out on the Bowie-Heroes inspired “All I Want” for an example that makes every musician, or anyone that can feel, think with goosebumps, ‘sweet Lord, punch me in the face, that’s awesome.”

ALSO:
Peter Wolf-  Midnight Souvenirs
Damien Jurado- Saint Bartlett

INTERNATIONAL RELEASES

Gorillaz - Plastic Beach Blur frontman, Damon Albarn can do no wrong.  Who else could put out a fake cartoon band doing a political record about our planet’s future demise featuring Lou Reed and Snoop D-O-Double G?  Brilliant record, brilliant pop, brilliant social commentary.  If a record could ever win a Pulitzer based on intelligence, craft, spiritual and political messages- this has the best chance.  One of those rare records you can dance to, f*ck to, eat to, work to– plus sit and think about it after it’s ended.  Repeat.

REGIONAL RELEASES
The Pimps - Fuck this shit, we’re outta here Veteran local punks, a joyous love letter of sorts to our despicable city, country, music industry and capitalism.  The Pimps tap into the same great punk, rock n’ roll, hillbilly glam spirit other legendary bands from the Midwest tapped into for shorter amounts of time.  Difference is, The Pimps haven’t changed for anyone 9 records in.  Indifference, contemplation, F words and aging rarely sounds this joyous.  Read More about the record here.

Judah The Lyrical Rev- “Rockford Files” Midwestern hip hop artist I want to here more from based on just one little song passed to me on the internets that I can’t stop listening to this year.  I believe it was written awhile ago but it should be a city anthem, a national cry for federal help.  The power in the song’s lyrics, Judah’s smooth delivery is equal parts proud, educative, angry, sad and desperate.  Like many people, like me, living in Rockford, IL

REWIND LISTENS

The Flaming Groovies- Shake Some Action One of the 70s great critically respected, but commercially unsuccessful, American rock bands.  After spending years emulating a hybrid of The Stones and Velvet Underground on great releases like “Teenage Head” and “Flamingo,”  the Groovies signed with major label, Sire, to release a late 70s power pop rock canon of songs tight on harmonies and classic pop arrangements.  Think Buddy Holly fronting the 1963 Beatles and converging in the late 70s for a record together.

Sparklehorse- Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot I remember the day I bought this at Val Halla’s in Oak Park, IL.  The kid, who shall remain nameless for now, running the counter suggested it.  He also passed me tapes of Golden Smog and Wilco practice sessions in Chicago that previous summer.  He advised me to buy this record based on a secret love for Cracker / David Lowery at that time.  Lowery produced this Sparkle thing I hadn’t heard of and I Wasn’t too happy with major label releases around this time, dipping deeper into the Chicago releases.  However, the kid with strange music connections always passing me tapes and DAT sessions I, nor anyone should have had, sold me.  Those first few Mark Linkous (who is Sparklehorse) compositions destroyed me driving in my green buick, playing it from a portable cd player rigged to a tape deck adapter driving to an awful job in Oak Brook from Oak Park the next morning.  Brittle, angry garage/glam rock balanced out by some of the most fragile cosmic folk songs I’d ever heard at that time.  What would be Side B on any vinyl copy, the amazing run of songs 7-12 plow my soul.  Hammering the Cramps/ The Most Beautiful Widow in Town / Heart of Darkness into Someday I Will Treat You Good ending with Sad & Beautiful World into Gasoline Horseys… Jesus Christ, cmon.  I get goosebumps just thinking about these songs.  Mark Linkous, I doubt you knew you’d be missed by so many strangers sharing the same feelings as you.

LETDOWN LISTENS

WZOK / 97.5 Rockford About 90% of what they play offends my ears and then my brain freaks out and quivers, I get dizzy.

WXRX/ 104.9 Rockford About 91% of what they play causes diarrea at home or epileptic reactions while driving.

Could local radio get any worse than those 2 pay to play garbage dumps?  Yes.  They’re everywhere and they are a sickness.  An awful aural disease infecting millions of Americans with poor music tastes.  It’d be one thing if the music played were just bad, but the commercials and the DJS are as horrendous to listen bable on about pop culture nothings.  Rockford radio is so bad they make the kids from MTV’s Jersey Shore sound brilliant.

Sock Monkey Sound

Geronimo! vs. Patrick

Chicago’s Geronimo! have a lot of things going for them. They make awesome music and are pretty fun guys to be around. They also like to play hard and heavy. Those are two of the better adjectives one might use to describe music. Plus they feel ok about referencing Mudhoney without shame. That’s cool too. I recently sat down on my email account and interviewed Kelly Johnson (Guitar/Singing), Ben Grigg (Keys/Singing), and Matt Schwerin (Drums) about various musical topics.

On your Myspace page you claim that, “Sometimes we play really well. Sometimes we play really sloppy. We always play really loud.” What importance do you think that volume plays to rock and roll music?

Kelly Johnson: If we play really loud, we can still sound sort of cool even if we’re playing real crappy. When I see a live band, I want to be able to feel it in my groin. It’s a personal problem, really.

Ben Grigg: Volume creates a much more visceral experience for a listener in a live setting I think. One can become more readily immersed into music if you can physically feel it. It’s also seems more legitimate if you have to be screaming over the roar of the instruments to make yourself heard. It makes it seem like what you are screaming is pretty damn important or intense. Seeing a rock band set-up and play with noticeable restraint on their volume also makes them seem kind of wimpy too I think.

You recently appeared on our flagship podcast. What was that experience like?

KJ: No one at Sock Monkey prepares you for the experience after appearing on the podcast. I can barely finish a meal at Johnny Pamcakes without some chucklehead coming up and jawing off about “you guys are the greatest” or “i love how great you guys are” or “i like great things, and you guys are my favorite great thing” and the like. I didn’t realize it was going to be so tough to be so well-liked. It’s easy to be adored though. And hailed.

Matt Schwerin: It was fun. We got to talk to some buds and play some music. The end result ended up being pretty chatty

Did they offer you rum? They offered Jim Hanke rum.

KJ: We showed up drunk.

BG: No, in fact, we had to bring our own case of beer, which those greedy bastards readily consumed. I’m pretty sure they were sneaking pulls of rum while we weren’t looking too, just so they wouldn’t have to offer us any.

MS: No rum. Maybe we’ll get some next time if our album gets named best Chicago album of the year.

How much of a penis was Pat?

KJ: I’ve seen Pat in penis-mode, and he had more of a schlong thing going on that day. My favorite Pat though, is boner Pat.

MS: Less than anticipated. He did give us some ridiculous nicknames which he printed up on a sticker machine. Mine is too inappropriate to repeat.

You cited Sonic Youth, Fugazi, Nirvana, Ska, and Stoner Rock, as influences. Was that truth or a lie? Do you have any other influences that you forgot to say?

KJ: I can only speak for myself when I say these answers are true. Except not ska. I have a fascination with groovy fuzz rock and girl power pop. My quest in Geronimo! is to find a happy medium between Robyn and The Melvins. This is not a lie.

BG: The ska thing is my fault. It’s what I started listening to on my own and playing first. I have no regrets about it, but it’s not something I’m into anymore. With Geronimo! I just like to play heavy and aggressive stuff and of course I like Sonic Youth, Fugazi, Nirvana, etc, so maybe that comes through.

MS: I think I’m influenced by just about any band I listen to and enjoy. Radiohead will always be an influence, whether my music sounds like them or not. In Table Legs, there is one specific part where my drum part is directly influenced by DJ Shadow’s “Endtroducing”.

I’ve read a couple of things that call you grungy. Do you feel good about that or insulted?

KJ: We’ve been compared to Silverchair twice. I don’t give a fuck if people call us grungy. I unapologetically listen to all things labeled “grunge” and was raised on grunge bands. When I got into indie™ music, I was embarrassed to be caught listening to a band like Nirvana or Soundgarden, but in my ‘old age’ I’ve embraced it. I think the negative associations people have with ‘grunge’ deal with the mopey or depressed sound people stereotype it with, like some of the stuff on In Utero. I don’t think those representations of that ‘musical style’ hold up as strongly though, and if you look at the meat of that time period like early Nirvana, “Goo,” “Badmotorfinger,” or “Superfuzz Bigmuff” it’s just straight, energetic rock music.

BG: It seemed a little strange at first, kind of like “Why are you comparing us to this genre from when we were kids?” but it makes perfect sense to me now. Those bands are what my brother was playing for me when I was a kid. When I think of cool or heavy music, I’m somehow drawn towards that stuff. I don’t think we sound just like Silverchair or whatever but that really doesn’t bother me. I like that sound.

MS: I’m rather indifferent. I certainly don’t see it as a banner to wave around but its not insulting either. The music we play is the natural result of the collaboration between the three individuals in the band and whatever people want to classify it as doesn’t really matter.

Speaking of Nirvana, the Geronimo! Blog (http://deepwarmth.blogspot.com/) has video of you playing a cover of Breed in Little Rock, AR. What prompted that? Did you ever practice it or just decide to play it?

KJ: We practiced it, maybe, 3 times. It’s one of my favorite songs, and it’s real simple. I love that about it. That’s what floors me about Nirvana. All of the songs are jokingly simple, but there is a power in them that still lasts. Bands try so hard to throw everything but the kitchen sink into a rock song, but here you have Nirvana stripping everything down to two chords and a beefy rhythm, and it blows away what most bands could even conjure up in their best song.

I used to know every instrument part of every song on Nevermind (excluding the drum fills). Cool, huh? Even Endless Nameless??!! That song is like, half feedback.

MS: Um…yeah….

Yeah my band in high school would do an Endless Nameless thing at the end of Sonic Youth’s 100% Pretty awesome…
Have you ever tried to write a song in 7/8 time?

MS: I can’t say that I have.

KJ: Yes, it was only 87.5 percent successful. Then we decided to write one where we were soft for a while, then got loud, then got soft again. Then loud.

What is the album called and when does it come out?

KJ:The album is called ‘Fuzzy Dreams.’ It will be officially ‘released’ or what not on April 30, when we play our release show at Schuba’s (18+) in Chicago with our pals Kid, You’ll Move Mountains, polarOPPOSITEbear and Inspector Owl.

Ben and Kelly both use Big Muffs. Why do you like that pedal? Why use the Russian made muff instead of the American?

KJ: I personally just like the way the Russian model sounds. Besides the VERY first distortion pedal I ever used (the Grunge DOD pedal which I still own, blech), the Big Muff is what I grew up using. That exact pedal is the one I used in my first band in late high school/early college. I’m just comfortable with it, and I haven’t found any other pedal that sounds so close to a Tyrannosaurus Rex tearing through a jungle. I have to take a second to thank my friend Joe Robinson, who previously owned the pedal but passed it on to me. I also use his Fender Deville, which he let me borrow like 2 years ago and has not asked for it back. As you can see, Joe is essentially the reason Geronimo! sounds the way they do and the reason we are able to fulfill live obligations.

BG: I started playing with it just for Geronimo! really. It really sounds great with my keyboard and having Kelly and I play mostly with the same distortion helps to blend our instruments a little better at times. Actually, I’m not sure if it does, but it sounds cool.

Your Myspace page also says that Kelly plays, “Asscut Guitar.” What the hell is that?

KJ: When I was living in DeKalb, one night I left my car parked on the street. When I got up the next morning, someone had sideswiped it. The car is a Cutlass Ciera, and the silver ‘Cutlass’ part of the logo got knocked off. I decided to rearrange it to spell ‘Asscut’ and glue it on my guitar. The guitar cuts significantly more asses these days, and I feel it really comes through in our sound.

Ben often seems to play lines that would traditionally be played on a bass. Why use a keyboard instead?

BG: There are a few reasons, really. First, playing bass-like lines on a keyboard as opposed to a bass allows me to play things that might not be possible on a bass. I can play three or more octaves at once and throw some other stuff on top to make a really thick full sound, a big noise. I like it when a three piece sounds like a larger group so I try to make us sound bigger and more full when I can.

Secondly, I don’t play bass. I learned a few Weezer songs once for a Halloween show and that was fun, but I don’t own a bass and I don’t really know how to play one. When we first started jamming as Geronimo!, I was playing keys, so we just kept that as the formula. There didn’t really seem to be any need to add a bass player. It wasn’t so much a decision to play keyboards as bass as it was a natural move based on what the songs needed.

It’s always fun to defy people’s expectations as well. If I saw a band set up with just a keyboard and a guitar I’d probably think they were some sappy Ben Folds style something-or-other. Nothing against that, but I think I’d be pleasantly surprised if they started playing loud aggressive music instead.

The Nord Electro II is my favorite sampler ever. Would you like to comment on that?

BG: What is this, amateur hour? Total bullshit. The Nord Electro II is not a sampler. Ever heard of Google my friend? Geez Louise.

You’re right. That was a test. Good job… Did you see The Office baby special?

MS: No.

KJ: I did see it. I watched about 2 minutes of it then put it on mute and searched for band videos online. Was there a part about Jim trying to change a diaper? Jesus Christ.

No! Jim had practiced on every baby shaped object in the office so he was good at it. But Pam accidentally breast fed the wrong baby.

Anyways- What is your favorite pizza restaurant?

KJ: There is a place in Chicago called Bacci’s where they have ginormously big pieces of pizza for 5 bucks. It also comes with a small drink. I’m generally a quantity over quality man. Actually, we went to a Pizza Hut on tour this past January, and I have to say, it was really nice in there! It’d been a while since we’d all been to one and sat down, but it was real clean and warm. Like gold banister things and lots of classy green.

BG: In Rockford it’s Primo’s Pizza, followed closely by Lino’s. Paisano’s on Main St. used to be number one, but they’ve been closed since I was in high school. Sam’s and Pino’s are up there too. I have to give a shout out to Villa de Roma too for being open and delivering till like 4am on weekends. They rule. So yeah…

MS: Oh boy. There are so many good ones. In Rockford, I’d have to say Sam’s Pizza. In Chicago, there are too many good places to mention but for sheer value, I’ll say Bacci’s. We’ve had the honor of eating at many fine pizza places on the road as well, including two great ones in Little Rock.

Who is your favorite drummer? I want answers from all three. Matt Schwerin is an acceptable answer.

KJ: I don’t care if it’s obvious, I love Dave Grohl. Also, I first realized how cool it was to watch drummers the first time I saw the band Troubled Hubble play. Nate Lanthrum is a behemoth. Also Brian Chippendale from Lightning Bolt. I will say that none of them rock a Michael Jordan shirt like Matt Schwerin though, so the rest of ‘em can go to hell.

BG: I feel a little silly for completely agreeing with Kelly on this one, but I think Dave Grohl was really the first drummer I admired. A bunch of friends of mine and I played in a “band” in early high school and we had a mean cover of Everlong (I’m sure it was terrible actually), but watching my friend Mike play those fills in the chorus really struck me. Troubled Hubble definitely had a huge influence on me as well. Nate was the first drummer I remember who was really fun to watch. He still is, especially watching him and his brother Andrew play together. It’s a treat.

Of course, I have this video of Matt Schwerin playing in Columbus with his shirt off. I watch it at work constantly, and I mean all the time.

Similar to my answer to the band’s influences, I really think I take something away from every drummer that I hear and like. Not sure I could say I have a total favorite. John Bohnam was amazing, yes. I don’t really listen to much Led Zeppelin. But he had the bombast. John Theodore who played in the Mars Volta I liked, also for his bombast. Glen Kotche from Wilco, I dig. Phil Selway from Radiohead.

Finally, what are your hopes and dreams for the future?

KJ: I’m really hoping to buy an adult bed very soon. Right now I’m sleeping on a flat futon mattress in my room. The rest of the guys might say they hope to keep writing songs we are proud of and recording music together. But I know they mostly just want to see me in that adult bed

MS: I would like to continue creating music that I am passionate about. I would like to continue to travel, both while playing music and otherwise. I’d like to be able to support myself working in the photography industry. I’d like to display some of my artwork in galleries. I’d like to fall in love. I’d like to have a family. I’d like to live a life of moral high-ground and love for all creatures. I’d like to continue to grow and challenge myself until the day I die, which hopefully will be in my 80′s or 90′s.

BG: To get back to the year 1985. Preferably with the help of a crazy-haired scientist. It would also somehow involve a Delorean or something. I’m not sure. It’s kind of a pipe dream at this point.

For more Geronimo! fun go to

www.myspace.com/thegeronimoband

or

http://deepwarmth.blogspot.com

Sock Monkey Sound

Geronimo! vs. Patrick

Geronimo! joins us for an in studio interview and live performance. Topics include the craptastic We Are The World 2010 video, musical influences, band history, An American Tail, blah blah blah. We introduce a new game, The Quote Game.

Find Geronimo Online

www.myspace.com/thegeronimoband

www.deepwarmth.blogspot.com

Sock Monkey Sound

This weeks featured music by:
Violent Femmes
Kid, You’ll Move Mountains
Faithless Town
Geronimo!
Ex Norwegian
Minus Six

Intro by John Sebastian

Sock Monkey Sound