Fidotrust Records - press

‘YES. PLEASE. THANK YOU.’ Ellen Griley - The District Weekly Take The Soft Hands home to Ma ILLUSTRATION by LUKE MCGARRY The Soft Hands are a consistently solid bet live—radiating palpable post-punk(ish) palsy off the stage and down to your toes—and equally dependable on your laptop, where you can soon play their Fidotrust debut full length Hours Pass By. I asked singer/guitarist Matt, bassist/singer Elizabeth (tops this side of Flin Flon’s Nattles) and drummer Casey to fill out our Musicians’ Questionnaire and—because Soft Hands are nothing if not three likeable, hardworking and polite musicians—they obliged. My favorite answer comes from Matt, when asked to define sadness: “It exists. I can feel it. I usually aim to feel it less than happiness and when I do, I feel pretty okay about it.” What is your definition of success? Casey: Finding personal happiness. Elizabeth: Loving everything in your life. Who, musicians or otherwise, do you look to for inspiration? C: Mother nature. E: My mom set the bar impossibly high. Matt: Little kids. They’re friendly, open minded and always creative. When do you feel most creative? E: Whenever I set out to be. M: In dreams. I’ve just got to work on remembering them all. What is your biggest fear as a musician? E: Breaking fingers, skin coming off my hands, losing my hands in general. M: Fear itself. What is your biggest fear as a human? E: Governing bodies and the general public. M: Karaoke. Dogs hungry for human flesh. I see a lot of those around town lately. Who is your favorite songwriter? C: Ray Davies. E: Brian Wilson. M: Bowie. Lennon. Matt Johnson from The The. What is the quality you most admire in a band? C: Tenacity. E: Synchronicity and sincere energy. M: Separate personalities melding into a unified sound. What is the quality you most admire in a singer? E: The ability to play an instrument. M: Having some—even if it’s minor—personal sound or inflection that lets you know who it is even if you’d never heard the song before. What is your favorite way to relax? C: Sleep. E: Reading at the beach or in a beautiful garden . . . or on top of a skyscraper. M: Hot bath in an old fashioned bathtub with claw feet. What is your favorite way to spend time? C: Outdoors. E: Surfing. M: Sleeping and eating. What album will you never tire of? C: The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. E: Downside Up by Siouxsie and the Banshees. M: The Twin Peaks soundtrack. Angelo Badalamenti, Julee Cruise. So good! What album would you hope your children someday love? C: All ’60s reggae albums/45s. E: Any album I make. What do you hope to be doing in five years? C: Living peacefully. E: Breathing. M: On a yacht somewhere exotic with my new wife, Sade! That’d be pretty sweet. She could sing me “Sweetest Taboo” and “Your Love is King” all day, and I’d pretty much be her servant and do whatever she asks, like cook her breakfast or fetch the newspaper. What do you feel defines your band? E: Equality. M: We enjoy the process of making music together and seeing where our individual musical ideas take us collectively in songs. What do you feel is your greatest weakness? E: Lack of confidence. M: I’ve been told I think things over a bit much. It’s hell to go grocery shopping with me. How do you define happiness? C: Being at peace with myself and the world around me. E: A constant state of appreciation. M: A roomful of Reese’s cups is a pretty good start. The other stuff might not be fit for print. What is your favorite chord? C: The endangered concord. E: E and all its derivatives. M: C# minor. What qualities do you look for from your audience? C: I like it when they stand there, when nobody moves, looking at us like we’re complete shit. E: Unabashed merriment. M: Just to have an audience stay in a room and watch you is pretty amazing, so they can bring whatever they want to the table as far as I’m concerned. What is your favorite book? C: The Wanting Seed by Anthony Burgess. E: The dictionary. M: Candide. What is your favorite movie? C: Patton. E: Enchanted (blush). M: Watership Down. How do you define sadness? E: being ripped inside out and unable to put back into place. Who are your favorite historical figures? C: Oscar Wilde and M.L.K. E: Walt Disney. Who are your least favorite historical figures? E: Donald Duck. What natural power would you most like to have? E: The willpower to break all Olympic records. M: Flying. What super power would you most like to have? E: The ability to replicate any action or thing I wanted. M: Organization. What is it you most dislike? E: Inaccuracies, greed and the smell of poop. M: People who enjoy pointing out and broadcasting what they perceive as weaknesses in other people. What is your greatest indulgence? C: Indian food. E: Fine dining. M: Talking the ears off of those who know me best. What words do you live by? E: Only fools rush in. M: Yes. Please. Thank you. Be here now (trying to live by that one). What is your favorite song lyric? E: “Low middle high high low high, low middle high high.” M: From “In Dreams” by Roy Orbison: “A candy-colored clown they call the sandman/Tiptoes to my room every night/Just to sprinkle stardust and to whisper/Go to sleep. everything is all right./I close my eyes, then I drift away/Into the magic night. I softly say/A silent prayerlike dreamers do./Then I fall asleep to dream my dreams of you.” THE SOFT HANDS “HOURS PASS BY” CD RELEASE PARTY WITH THE HAPPY HOLLOWS AND THE FLING ALEX’S BAR \| 2913 E ANAHEIM ST \| LONG BEACH 90804 \| 562.434.8292 \| ALEXSBAR.COM \| FRI OCT 17 9PM \| $5 \| FULL INTERVIEW ON THEDISTRICTWEEKLY.COM
ALBUM REVIEW: TRUST US…A LONG BEACH COMP. When Long Beach’s Alex’s Bar opened, it filled a void left by the closure of the city’s only venues where touring bands could play. The re-establishment of a music scene began to flourish and has culminated with this compilation, the first to deal exclusively with the city’s currently burgeoning music scene. Put together by Long Beach locals, this comp features the hardworking, up-and-coming and best Long Beach bands.Trust Us captures a shared mindset of musicians who live in a place that is equal parts city, college town, suburbia, ghetto and beach oasis. The effects come through song after song ranging from loud and raucous (Tijuana Knife Fight) to dance-y (Slippers) to beautiful (The Year Zero). It’s a time capsule for this definitive time in Long Beach’s music scene. Overall, there are only a few noticeable omissions, but with 23 tracks, from Crystal Antlers to The Valley Arena, you can’t really complain. A compilation like this was way past due, and fortunately when somebody decided to take on the task, it was done right. — Alex Roman 05/06/08 TRUST US: A LONG BEACH COMPILATION Text: Nik Mercer Fidotrust Records' most recent release, a twenty-three-track compilation entitled Trust Us: A Long Beach Comp is an impressive and diligent celebration of Long Beach's music scene. Most folks think of Long Beach as a south-of-L.A. harbor city that probably should drop the "beach" part of its name, but such thinking is―at least in part―nearsighted and oversimplified. The compilation's liner notes begin with a sobering point that sets the tone for the entire selection of songs: There is a beach in Long Beach, but it's not tame yet―last time I was there a gull flew by with a cigar in its beach―and if that's what helps keep the rents cheap and the record stores good and the bars fearless about how many and what kind of amps and pedals the bands drag in, then I'll go sprinkle the sand with (more) cigarettes just to do my part. Who would've thought that Long Beach's disenchanting ambiance and smog-crusted skyline would breed such creativity and "fearlessness"? We apparently didn't quite grasp the greatness that is Long Beach even when our offices were still based in the modest town. That being said, somepeople must be finding the place appealing as Trust Us features nearly two dozen bands hailing from the community. Gotta give 'em props for that! While most of the tune are punk- and rock-oriented and nothing too, too special, there're certainly a few gems in there... and the heartwarming sincerity and authenticity that seeps through the cracks makes us want to pick up and go back down to the booming metropolis (not really). Dios (Malos)―quite possibly Long Beach's biggest band ever―recorded a song specially for the compilation. Check it out in the media player to the right... it's mediocre, so don't get your hopes up too high. Buy the thing!	[AURAL REPORTS] JACKIE OJEDA OF FIDOTRUST RECORDS IS LONG BEACH'S BUSIEST MUSICAL BOOSTER BY REX REASON Published on April 10, 2008 Multitasking Madwoman Meet Jackie Ojeda, Long Beach's busiest musical booster As part of Fidotrust Records, a member of two bands (Knives of the Official Disappointment and Bella Novela), a rock & roll summer camp counselor, and talent buyer for Alex's Bar, Jackie Ojeda takes multitasking to the next level. What's Fidotrust Records? It's Oscar Rey and myself. Oscar had the label going for about seven years to release music by bands he was in. Then it lay dormant. Last summer, Oscar and I were working at a rock & roll band camp, like a kids' summer camp. We were driving home from it, and we're both in bands, so we figured why not start our own label and use it as a vehicle to launch not only our own bands, but also some of the up-and-coming bands around Long Beach? We want to start off with a compilation and expose the cool things that are going on in Long Beach. Is there a specific idea or vision for the label? Both Oscar and I have toured all over the country, and there's something in Long Beach that isn't going on in other towns. I think a lot of that is because there's this camaraderie here that's not found in other places. Bands are really looking out for one another instead of just saying, "I want to get big. Screw everybody else." There's a real brotherhood here. That's what we've been trying to focus on with the label—to give this brotherhood a place to show off what it's doing. And Long Beach has some really strong local venues that people believe in. I think this is a true musician's playground. People are allowed to experiment and focus on being a musician as opposed to selling tickets to play the Key Club or that kind of thing. What are the details on the compilation you're releasing? It has 23 bands hand-picked by Oscar and me, really an eclectic mix. It's got everything from Los Mysteriosos, which is almost a rock en español band; Slippers, a funk band; Tijuana Knife Fight, a punk band. We weren't necessarily trying to find so much diversity, but that's what's here. You're also doing something called Fidotrust Fest this month? The release of the comp will be April 15. Following that, from April 17 to 20 will be four different shows. It's kind like an "F you" to Coachella. Coachella is the following weekend. You could go spend more than $100 to go and sit in the desert, or you could come to Long Beach and see some amazing music right up close for $5 a pop. It's something we're hoping to do once a year. I do a lot of talent buying at Alex's Bar, so I have my hand firmly in promotion and booking. You're also in two bands, Knives of the Official Disappointment and Bella Novela. Yes. They're pretty different. Knives of the Official Disappointment—three of us used to be in a band called Sexytime Explosion. Bella Novela, we were all actually in band camp last summer together. When the kids would go to bed, we'd jam together. I play keyboard and sing in both of them, but they're different kinds of music. Bella Novela, we say, is Journey meets Ennio Morricone. Knives of the Official Disappointment is more noise rock, more experimental. And you also do talent buying at Alex's Bar? Alex [Hernandez] and I do all the booking there. It's nice to have someone to back you up and that other brain to bounce ideas off. What was the rock & roll band camp? It's called Power Chord Academy. You're working from 7:30 in the morning to 11 at night talking music. You live, eat, sleep music for a month. With our downtime, we'd be so amped up with the stuff we were telling the kids, we'd be like, "Why aren't we doing this for ourselves?" So as soon as we got home, we [said], "Let's go. Let's make it happen." It was inspiring. Fidotrust Records' Trust Us: A Long Beach Comp drops April 15 and will be distributed at local independent-record stores. Fidotrust Fest happens at the Prospector, 2400 E. Seventh St., Long Beach, and at Alex's Bar, 2913 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach. April 17-20. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/fidotrustrecords andwww.fidotrust.com.
TRUST AND LOVE The District WeeklyWed. April 16 Fidotrust’s new compilation surveys self-sufficient music in a self-sufficient city CRYSTAL ANTLERS by JENNIE WARREN When The District started, I felt lucky because we fell into one of the strongest local music scenes in Southern California——underdocumented by Silverlake-scene media and underrepresented in the LA record stores, but still packed about to bursting within a little loop of bars and studios and independent shops that left everyone within easy reach of everyone else. And when Jackie Ojeda and Oscar Rey announced they’d be releasing the set-to-be-historicTrust Us: A Long Beach Comp—23 unreleased tracks that make a majority swipe through those local musicians on first-name basis with the staff at Prospector and Alex’s—it seemed they felt the same way. (Confirmed when they asked me to write the liner notes!) Trust Us definitely doesn’t include every single important musician in the city but it speaks to this healthy local moment, when elder bands are coming into new bests (like Greater California—remixed here by {open}’s shea M gauer—or Forcefield ON or Free Moral Agents) and new bands (like Crystal Antlers, Fast Dragon and Soft Hands) are getting ready to best their elders. To coincide with this weekend’s local anti-Coachella four-night fest, we ran what turned out to be an informal survey of every included band—asking where they’ve come from, what they miss, who they listen to and what they hope for in the future, as well as what kind of heap they get to drive. Projects like this make a portrait of something important—self-sufficient music in a self-sufficient city—and better yet is that there’s certainly much more where this came from. // CHRIS ZIEGLER BLOW UP BLOW Where in Long Beach is your band most likely to be found when you aren’t playing a show and why? Dennis Owens (bass): Fresh and Easy. We love that place. What was the last album you purchased in Long Beach? The last album I purchased in Long Beach was at Fingerprints last night. It was a 12-inch single of Elvira singing “3-D T.V.” It’s for a friend of mine who entered a contest to find the next Elvira. She won second place. What Long Beach band’s songs would you best be able to cover? Why? How would you redo them? I would love to cover “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” by War. BlowUpBlow doesn’t have any “nice-guy” songs in our repertoire and I feel we could do a very wholesome version of it. We would add lots of flowers and incense to our version. Unicorns and mythology, too. What is your favorite thing in Long Beach that isn’t here anymore? Why? Two things: The Foothill because it was a great place to play and see live acts and Ken “Allnightrocker” Ramsey because he was a good friend. What do you drive now and how well would it do in the Long Beach Grand Prix? I drive a 2007 Geo Metro and it would definitely finish in the lower 10th percent of the Grand Prix finishers. What one thing do all Long Beach bands have in common besides living in Long Beach? A sense of shared community. There are lots of different scenes co-mingling in Long Beach because of the close proximity of everything arts-related here. It makes for a healthy musical climate. // CHESNEY HIGGINS THE SOFT HANDS What was the last album you purchased in Long Beach? Where did you get it and what do you like most about it? Matt Fry (guitar / vocals): I bought the newest Camper van Beethoven from Fingerprints. I got it because there’s this one song that I had to have—someone had put it on a mix tape for me—so I was at Fingerprints and saw it and and bought it. What was the first show you ever saw in Long Beach? How old were you and what did you think? The first show I saw was the Sexy Apes and Thinking Aloud about three years ago. There was a whole bunch of bands—10 or 15—but I only remember those two. It’s funny because the singer from the Sexy Apes—Jackie—is now putting together this compilation. What do you drive now and how well would it do in the Long Beach Grand Prix? Casey’s got a Ford Ranger that’s pretty aerodynamic, so it might do well. It’s definitely the honorary vehicle of the band right now. What do all Long Beach bands have in common besides living in Long Beach? One thing that Long beach bands have in common is friendliness and most have been very helpful to us. Long Beach is not competitive, but in a good way. Where did this song come from? What’s it about? We wrote this song when we were practicing at Koo’s in San Pedro—we were in a small room with a view of the harbor. It’s about how people react to things when there’s a perception of competition for limited resources. // APRIL EHRLICH VISIT THE SOFT HANDS AT MYSPACE.COM/THESOFTHANDS. THE SOFT HANDS PLAY THURSDAY AT THE PROSPECTOR. THE VALLEY ARENA Where in Long Beach is your band most likely to be found when you aren’t playing a show and why? Warren Woodward (guitar/vocals): Admittedly, probably hanging out at one of the same bars we play shows out. What was the first show you ever saw in Long Beach? How old were you and what did you think? The first thing I remember seeing was Frank Black playing at a Mexican restaurant-slash-bar that’s not around anymore. Moving here from a very small town, I was like, ‘This city rules! Does stuff like this happen here all the time?’ I stole the glass he was drinking whiskey out of that night. I was very proud of myself. What Long Beach band’s songs would you best be able to cover? How would you redo them? We’ve been really into the Fast Dragon CD. They make me wanna play air guitar. We’d probably wouldn’t change a thing about them because they’re pretty awesome. What is your favorite thing in Long Beach that isn’t here anymore? Why? Zed Records was pretty awesome. I also miss when Koo’s actually did shows. We’re really lacking a legitimate all ages spot right now, which is embarrassing for a city our size. // ASHLEY JEX KNIVES OF THE OFFICIAL DISAPPOINTMENT Where was your favorite place you ever lived in Long Beach? Jackie Ojeda (vocals, keys): I live in the Rose Park area right now. I like living here because we can rehearse in our garage, and it’s just a walk down the street to the Prospector and a DVD store where we buy our water. It’s like the best tasting water in the whole world, and I don’t know why. It’s just so awesome that it’s at a DVD store. What is your favorite thing in Long Beach that isn’t here anymore? The Foothill ─ I get sad when I drive by and see all the condos that have replaced it. Oh no, even worse—I miss the old bowling alley. Now we don’t have a single bowling alley in Long Beach, and that is very sad. What do you drive now and how well would it do in the Long Beach Grand Prix? I drive a VW station wagon. It probably wouldn’t do very well, even though it’s turbo charged. What one thing do all Long Beach bands have in common besides living in Long Beach? From my experience, it’s just the fact that they all stick out for each other. There are no egos in Long Beach. You might have a night where there are five different kinds of music in one show, but it’ll work out because they are all there together. It’s like a brotherhood, or a sisterhood.// APRIL EHRLICH FAST DRAGON Where in Long Beach is your band most likely to be found when you aren’t playing a show and why? Mike Garcia (guitar/vocals): Jail. What was the last album you purchased in Long Beach? Where did you get it and what do you like most about it? Enya. Found it in the street. When you play it, it smokes. What was the first show you ever saw in Long Beach? Evel Knievel. How old were you and what did you think? Nine. Ouch! What Long Beach band’s songs would you best be able to cover? Anything by Warren G. How would you redo them? Electric flute. Where was your favorite place you ever lived in Long Beach? The Pier. Third pillar to the left. Why did you leave if you don’t live there any more? High tide. What is your favorite thing in Long Beach that isn’t here anymore? Snoop. Why? Really?!! What do you drive now and how well would it do in the Long Beach Grand Prix? Not applicable due to the lack of sleeveless Raiders jersey and flip flops. What one thing do all Long Beach bands have in common besides living in Long Beach? They’ve all dated the same girl. Why? Ask her. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Itchy. Where did this song come from? The Lord. What’s it about? Teen pregnancy. When was it written and why did you choose it for this compilation? Written in the future. Because our “When Doves Cry” was not accepted. What is your most recent release so people can listen to your other music? We got a box set of Stryper covers coming our on the next full moon. See you on the streets.// CHESNEY HIGGINS HORNS Why did you decide to make this compilation? Oscar Rey (guitar/vocals): Me and Jackie were coming back from this trip and were talking about how we have our own bands and we put out our own music—I’ve been doing music for almost 20 years—so we thought, ‘Shoot, why don’t we just put our resources together and promote everybody plus our bands? Do something with what’s going on right now?’ Where in Long Beach is your band most likely to be found when you aren’t playing a show and why? The bars because that’s where the alcohol is at. Prospector and Alex’s, basically. Every bar I go to is walking distance to a friend’s house that I can crash at. What was the last album you purchased in Long Beach? Where did you get it and what do you like most about it? Last item I purchased I didn’t purchase. It was given to me. Fast Dragon. I looove Fast Dragon because Mike Garcia, the sexiest man alive, sings for them. What was the first show you ever saw in Long Beach? Who played and where was it? How old were you and what did you think? At Fender’s Ballroom in ‘87. I think it was an S.N.F.U. show. I was 16 and it was scary, but fun scary, you know? You always had to worry whether you were gonna get your ass kicked by the skinheads or the Suicidals. There was a lot of violence at Fender’s so I’m not really sad it’s gone. Now the Foothill—that’s depressing. It was a club on Cherry that they tore down to build these shitty condos. It was amazing. This giant western bar, but they threw shows there too. Alex [from Alex’s Bar] used to book there so he had all the shit coming through. The Foothill was a really good place in the mid-’90s and the only thing left of it is the Johnny Cash portrait at Alex’s Bar. Where did this song come from? What’s it about? The song is called “Elder Shirley” because while we were writing it some Mormons came to the door and we told one of the guys we played music and he was telling us that before he got saved, he ‘used to be into metal and stuff’ then he found the Lord. I saw his nametag and it said ‘Elder Shirley.’ Dude, that just sounds weird. The lyrics are the sappiest love lyrics I could ever write. Even though the song sounds crazy, the lyrics are the antithesis of the music. // SARAH BENNETT LOS MYSTERIOSOS What was the first show you ever saw in Long Beach? Alex Hernandez (bass): I saw Run DMC and the Beastie Boys at Long Beach Arena in 7th or 8th grade. But I think the first show I saw was probably the Long Beach Philharmonic at the Convention Center during a field trip from school. I thought it was great. I mean we did get a day out of school, after all. What one thing do all Long Beach bands have in common besides living in Long Beach? Alcoholism? I don’t know. It’s not necessarily a good thing, but it’s good for my wallet. What Long Beach band’s songs would you best be able to cover? Why? Probably the best would be Bella Novella’s song on the comp—‘La Noche.’ It’s their sort-of Iron Maiden-ish song. We could totally flamenco that song up easily. What is your favorite thing in Long Beach that isn’t here anymore? I’d have to say the Pike. I was just a kid when it went under, but I have fond memories of the ladybug ride. What do you drive now and how well would it do in the Long Beach Grand Prix? I drive a Dodge Magnum RT, which has a Hemi in it, so, you know, I think it’d do pretty well. // MILES CLEMENTS CRYSTAL ANTLERS Where did this song come from? Jonny Bell (bass/vocals): “Arcturus” was recorded in San Francisco and was written about six months ago. It’s a quick burst of Crystal Antlers and it was short enough to meet the requirements for the comp. What do you drive now and how well would it do in the Long Beach Grand Prix? We drive a 1998 V6 Ford Econoline with 114,000 miles that recently re-appeared after being stolen with all our gear in it. We would win the race—it’s the Magic Van! Where in Long Beach is your band most likely to be found when you aren’t playing a show and why? We’re usually sweeping someone’s chimney or stuck in traffic on our way to practice in Anaheim. Our only interests are music and chimneys. Where was your favorite place you ever lived in Long Beach? Why? A tiny one-bedroom apartment on Broadway and Falcon. It was cool because the landlord sometimes wouldn’t collect rent until halfway through the month, and there was an old Vietnam Vet named Rudy that I used to drink with who lived downstairs. // ASHLEY JEX THINKING ALOUD What was the first show you ever saw in Long Beach? Who played and where was it? Mark Lira (vocals / guitar): It was the Riverboat Gamblers. I was about 22 and I had just moved here from the Inland Empire and I didn’t know anybody. It was really cool because I just rolled out there by myself. It was at Java Lanes, this big bowling alley with a stage and lounge. Weezer played there—they managed to get such good bands for that time. It’s gone now and I think they put a condominium there or something. Where was your favorite place you ever lived in Long Beach? Why did you leave? That would definitely be the Space—it was a warehouse in the industrial part of Long Beach. This small community of artists and musicians would throw these big, cool parties at the warehouse. I must have been to like four shows there and met the people who lived there and I eventually got offered a room. Every day I woke up to music and people rehearsing. There was everything to do with music. There were no windows so it was this dark venue all day. You would just get locked up in that warehouse and never even know what time it was. We were surrounded by the greatest energy. It was a really fun time. Everyone put their love into it and it was run really, really well. So many good bands came through there from Rocco Deluca to the Bronx and Jay Buchanan. I lived there for about two or three years until the place got shut down. What one thing do all Long Beach bands have in common besides living in Long Beach? I think it’s the individuality among bands in Long Beach. There are so many bands with so many different styles here. I think that’s one thing Long Beach bands have in common and without even trying. It’s a really good thing. // CAMELLA LOBO BELLA NOVELA Where in Long Beach is your band most likely to be found when you aren’t playing a show and why? Jackie Ojeda (singer): Los Compadres. It’s a restaurant and we all eat there religiously. They have the best Mexican food in the world! After practice we’ll always try and get over there; it’s kind of a band thing to eat there. Where did this song come from? What’s it about? One of our main inspirations for the band is that we like to make things really sad and melodramatic. The band name is based off of those Mexican soap operas because telenovelas are really dramatic. With ‘La Noche,’ we wanted to make it was dramatic as we could so it’s got a huge guitar solo in the middle that is almost to the point of ridiculous. The song is written from the point of view of a woman who is in a Spanish soap opera—like what’s going on in her life at the time. What is your most recent release so people can listen to your other music? We’re going into the studio at the beginning of fall so there’s no release right now, but you can download all of our songs on Myspace. As soon as we record it, we put it up there. The bigger, the sadder and the more overdramatic the better is what we’re thinking. // SARAH BENNETT	FREE MORAL AGENTS Where in Long Beach is your band most likely to be found when you aren’t playing a show and why? Reid Kinnett (keys/effects): When we’re not playing or practicing, we generally don’t spend a lot of time together. Ikey’s so busy, you know—when we’re not playing he’s almost always on tour with Mars Volta and stuff. I’m usually working at the Prospector and Dennis has Good Foot and everything. But I suppose the Prospector is the place. Ikey frequents it quite a bit—we owe him some favors. Jesse lives right around the corner, too. Also, I’m usually anywhere there’s good wine. What was the last album you purchased in Long Beach? Where did you get it and what do you like most about it? Ah, it’s tough to keep track of these things. I think it was Suicide’s self-titled album. I like the sparseness of it, the lo-fi sound. It has a dark feel but it’s still kinda dancey. What Long Beach band’s songs would you best be able to cover? Why? How would you redo them? I almost want to say Crystal Antlers. It wouldn’t be Blow Up Blow—that would just be weird. I think I’d have to say Crystal Antlers even though it’d be tough because they’re a pretty guitar-driven band. I think we’d make a Crystal Antlers song a little sparser with less of that constant barrage of noise that they’re so good at. What is your favorite thing in Long Beach that isn’t here anymore? Why? Some people in the band would probably say the Foothill. For me, I don’t know. The Spruce Goose would be a pretty damn funny answer! But I miss Day’s End—I miss the way Mike and Rob worked together. What do you drive now and how well would it do in the Long Beach Grand Prix? I’m driving a white 1979 Jaguar. Considering that none of my windows and turn signals work, I don’t think it’s ready to go. But maybe a little maintenance beforehand and it’d do alright. // MILES CLEMENTS SLIPPERS Where in Long Beach is your band most likely to be found when you aren’t playing a show and why? Brandon Laws (drums): We’re usually just hanging out at the bass player’s house. It’s more of the club house. Everyone’s so busy—it’s the one place every week we can all meet and rehearse. Where was your favorite place you ever lived in Long Beach? I used to live at this loft space on 7th and Pine Avenue, about a decade back. I’d put on shows there. And I had a couple of gallery shows—just local friend artists—and we’d show their art. I recorded a few albums in there. There was a lot of musical and artistic traffic, so it was a nice creative space. Why’d you leave? I moved to northern California for a short spell and then came back to Long Beach. It was a lot different then. All the businesses didn’t go that far up Pine. It was kind of like a no-mans land. What is your favorite thing in Long Beach that isn’t here anymore? I’d say the Foothill Club. I used to play a lot of shows there. And I’d see a lot of touring acts come through town. It was just a nice big room where you could see a headliner in Long Beach, and there aren’t a lot of those around. What do you drive now and how well would it do in the Long Beach Grand Prix? Right now I’m driving a Corolla, and I think I might do fairly well in the Grand Prix. I have good hand eye coordination. And I might be a little bit addicted to speeding. How many speeding tickets do you have? Oh, I just picked one up. What one thing do all Long Beach bands have in common besides living in Long Beach? Well, there’s a pretty good communal sprit because we’re not L.A. and we’re not Orange County—we’re something in the middle. But everybody is different, and there are always a lot of different things going on. It’s a good history of music too, because different players have played in other bands with each other. Everybody has worked with everybody else—everyone is open to collaborating with other artists. // MEGAN BRESCINI TELOMERE REPAIR Where in Long Beach is your band most likely to be found when you aren’t playing a show and why? Chris Clawson (drums): Probably in our houses—we’re all kind of hermits. What was the last album you purchased in Long Beach? Where did you get it and what do you like most about it? It was at Fingerprints, I bought a used record. I think it was Trans Am. I’m a big fan of the drums and bass thing they got going on. Somebody played me a track a long time ago, I think it was my friend Jesse. It just hit me real hard—sounded great. Made me tap my feet! What was the first show you ever saw in Long Beach? How old were you and what did you think? Years and years ago, I saw John Wilkes Kissing Booth. Man, that was a long-ass time ago. I guess I was just old enough to go out drinking. I remember going because the girl I was dating at the time wanted me to. What Long Beach band’s songs would Telomere best cover? Maybe something by the Soft Hands—I’m such a big fan of theirs. I’d try to do it just as well! What do you drive now and how well would it do in the Long Beach Grand Prix? I have a 2003 Toyota pickup, and I’d say… piss poor at best! We used to tour in that truck, actually. It still goes—no crazy noises. What one thing do all Long Beach bands have in common besides living in Long Beach? Alcoholism! I think it’s a pretty well known fact that a lot of drinking gets done in Long Beach. I guess if you can still play a show and hold it down after a few cocktails—no harm no foul! // KEVIN FERGUSON ARROW DOWN Where in Long Beach is your band most likely to be found when you aren’t playing a show and why? Jorge Gutierrez (drums): I can’t disclose that answer because then people might try to find us—we don’t want to be located. Do you have warrants or are you just shy? We’re wanted by the law, man. Or by people we pissed off in the past. What was the last album you purchased in Long Beach? I don’t buy records in Long Beach. I just buy them online so I don’t have to go anywhere. That goes back to not wanting to be located, too! What was the first show you ever saw in Long Beach? I don’t remember so it must not have been that important! Where was your favorite place you ever lived in Long Beach? I’m not a resident of Long Beach—I only go there to get drunk. What do you drive now and how well would it do in the Long Beach Grand Prix? I drive a little Honda Accord. It’d probably come in like … twentieth place. Out of like twenty cars. What one thing do all Long Beach bands have in common besides living in Long Beach? They’re all twats. Including our band as well. We’re all twats. // CHRIS ZIEGLER FORCEFIELD ON Where in Long Beach is your band most likely to be found when you aren’t playing a show and why? Jesse Wilder (guitar/vocals): Usually all in different directions—being a band when you get older, everybody’s got stuff to do. Couple of our people are always in school. A few of us just hang out together. I work at Alex’s, or the Prospector which is where our drummer works at. Maybe Hole Mole. What was the last album you purchased in Long Beach? Like an actual CD? I usually buy all my crap online. You know. I think the last thing I bought at Fingerprints was a used version of The Surveillance by Trans-Am. Man, that album for me was like ‘Yes!’ They reached a new level. And then their next release was a complete disappointment. That was kind of where it ended for me as far as being a kick-ass band. What Long Beach band’s songs would you best be able to cover? Why? How would you redo them? That’s a good question, because there’s a lot of Long Beach bands that we’re friends with and we love to play with. I personally like to cover songs not quite the same way. It’d be fun to do a Soft Hands song down tempo with a horn arrangement. Where was your favorite place you ever lived in Long Beach? Why? I really like where I’m living right now. I have a pretty cool deal. I’m living in the house where my wife grew up in, because her parents still own it. It’s in a nice area. It’s a nice spacious house near the city college. But I do really miss the town—I miss living on 3rd and temple. That was a really cool place for me. What do you drive now and how well would it do in the Long Beach Grand Prix? I drive a crappy ‘97 Ford Escort, and I think I’d have to sit it out. There’s just no way I’d even get it there to pull in. What one thing do all Long Beach bands have in common besides living in Long Beach? I’d have to say one of the things we all have in common is trying to branch outside of Long Beach. You have all this talent and great bands and nobody wants to book anybody in L.A. and nobody’s heard of you, and people’s old connections are done. It’s all up to the booking agents nowadays. It’s hard to for Long Beach bands to progress further out of Long Beach. // KEVIN FERGUSON MARITIME ACADEMY Where was your favorite place you ever lived in Long Beach? Eric Golding (bass): My favorite place I’ve lived in Long Beach is Belmont Shore, on Roycroft right up the street from Fingerprints. It was a cozy little studio on the third floor of a building from the ‘30s and I had the best view of downtown and the beach. I would walk to Fingerprints and other places on 2nd St., and it was only a five minute drive to the Prospector, which is where I play and DJ more than anywhere else in Long Beach. I left because the building got bought and the new landlord wanted to renovate the building and every unit, thus raising everyone’s rent by $400. My entire building moved out in a matter of two months. What is your favorite thing in Long Beach that isn’t here anymore? Why? By far my favorite thing in Long Beach that isn’t there anymore was Java Lanes, the old bowling alley that was on PCH by the traffic circle. My friends and I had this thing called ‘Bowling Club’—we would go there once a week and bowl two games, and whoever had the highest score of both games combined got to take home this makeshift trophy that someone bought at a thrift store. It was about three feet tall. We had a Polaroid fun cam and would take a picture of the winner and the trophy and tape it somewhere on the trophy. I must have won that trophy about twenty times in a year—it was a lot of fun and helped my bowling average triple. We were all sad to see it go, and that pretty much ended bowling club. What do you drive now and how well would it do in the Long Beach Grand Prix? I drive a ‘08 Mazda mini van because it gets decent gas mileage and has room for all my music equipment and DJ gear. I don’t think it would do that well in the Long Beach Grand Prix, but it has sport rims and handles turns really well—not to mention that it’s a really smooth ride. I find myself going over 90 all the time without even realizing it. What was the last album you purchased in Long Beach? Where did you get it and what do you like most about it? I guess I didn’t really purchase this album, but the last album I got in Long Beach was Forcefield ON’s long awaited full length, Llipspill, which the drummer Brandon gave me when we worked together at the Prospector last week. Even though I have known these guys for years, I can say—completely unbiased!—that it is truly amazing and worth picking up. The chord progressions of both guitars are very catchy, the drumming is fucking tight, the bass lines would make the Ox rise from his grave, the horn section is so amazing and well orchestrated and the lyrics and vocal harmonies are sweet and will make all the ladies swoon and require a panty change! They have it for sale at Fingerprints and it’s in one of the listening stations there as well. I highly recommend picking this album up, or—at the very least—going to Fingerprints and listening to it. What was the first show you ever saw in Long Beach? I don’t know if I can remember the first show I went to in Long Beach, but one of the most memorable ones I can remember was the Woods and Mazarin show at the Prospector about two years ago. I had band practice that night, and afterwards my singer was like, ‘Hey, wanna go to the Prospector and see this great band from Philly called Mazarin?’ We got there and the place was packed from wall to wall—this old Long Beach band the Woods was just starting and played a great set. After they played, there was no Mazarin in sight. I asked Wade who works there where they were, and he said that they were on their way down from SF—they called at 6 PM saying they were just leaving and would do their best to make it on time. It was 12:30am when they showed up—all these kids went outside and started helping them set up. They were on stage and playing in fifteen minutes, and they played til 1:30 AM and fucking blew my mind away! I’ve been a huge fan ever since. // C.P. MASTERS
Fidotrust Fest in Long Beach Words by Ice Cream Man Photos by David Thornton, Nicolas Bates The Long Beach music scene doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. I’m prolly not the only one here who’s more than fed up with Snoop Dogg and Sublime references over and over. Especially when there’s just as good a crop of bands here now than any time I can remember. Maybe what we need to get bet all the best bands together to get people to check them out. That’s exactly what Fidotrust has done. Not only did they release a compilation featuring over a dozen Long Beach bands but they organized Fido Trust Fest which featured all the bands over four days at Alex’s Bar and The Prospector. As soon as Gooch heard about it he got in touch and worked out cream slinging arrangements. Technically we’ve given away ice cream at both bars before but this was the first time we were set to be there for most of the night with Bessie. Thursday and Saturday night were going to be at The Prospector and Friday and Sunday would be at Alex’s. Due to the lack of decent parking spots around The Prospector, Gooch had the foresight to pull up the Dinosaur Jr. Yaris we’ve been taking care of to hold the a spot to swap out with Bessie once we got their around 10. The lineup that night included The Year Zero, Greater California, The Deadly Finnsand The Soft Hands. I got to catch a lil of Year Zero and they sounded a lot more full and upbeat than I remembered. Right as their set was ending I asked for the DJ/Soundman to mention we had free cream outside then ended up staying outside the rest of the night. Part of the reason I was cool with it was that I could still hear the bands fine, having only fifteen feet from the stage and having one wall between us. Greater California has been around for a while and they recently finished their as yet untitled new album which further explores the sundrenched sound of a band happy to be from Golden State. Gooch took care of business on Friday night and as far as I can remember he ended up outside the whole night and wasn’t able to catch the Spanish named bands of the night Los Mysteriosos, Dios Malos, Bella Novela and Pantuflas (aka Slippers). Saturday was back to The Prospector for the ROCK portion of the fest. Crystal Antlers, Fast Dragon (with crew member Mike “Brown Town” Garcia), Horns, and Telomere Repair. Once parked I headed in for a bit to catch some tunes before slinging the night away. I thought I was walking in as Horns was starting up but it was Crystal Antlers. The place was packed and I made my way to the back near the soundboard where I could rock most of the set then kindly ask Brandon to mention the free cream once their set was over. The best part about doing Fidotrust was seeing all my friends. Generally when we sling at a show in LA (which we haven’t been doing too much lately) we’ll see a couple familiar faces but I was born and raised in Long Beach and it’s always nice to catch up with old friends. Side note – I used to buy comic books across the street from The Prospector when I was around 12 years old. If you would’ve told me then, that twenty years later I’d be parked in from of the Prospector giving away ice cream, I wonder what I would’ve thought. If you liked to check out tunes from any of the bands, click their names above or head down to Fingerprints and pick up the Fido Trust compilation and hear some of the best stuff Long Beach has to offer. 'Nother side note – We weren’t able to make it out on Sunday to Alex’s but if you’re checking out LB bands you should also listen to Forcefield On, Tijuana Knife Fight, Thinking Aloud,Knives of the Official Disappointment, Arrow Down andBlowUpBlow who played that night.