Welcome to the 2011 Winter issue of Ghettoblaster Magazine! This time around we’ve got all sorts of goodness, including our cover piece on Ghettoblaster faves Guided by Voices, interviews with DJ Shadow, RJD2, Mastodon, Russian Circles, Wolves in the Throne Room and many more. And, of course, all the requisite album, book and movie reviews.

As usual, you can order Ghettoblaster #30 it by sending us an email. Or you can subscribe to our quarterly issues for a whole year to keep the good times rolling.

Readers of Ghetto Blaster Magazine will know that Creature is not a new comer to the hustle. The grind is Creatures’ ethos and it is no surprise that he summons the name of Chester Himes for his EP title. Chester Himes was a man who amidst an extreme amount of adversity and prejudice never gave in to his grind. Listening to this project in the last few days has been hitting me like bricks from the temple of hip hop. Creature takes command of the pulpit to give us his sermon of hip hop gospel! Don’t be fooled though he’s not here to be a savior – he’s here to make it clear…people we need to get off of that bullshit!!! His latest offering an EP alongside beat smith, Prefuse 73, is a testament that we can still Embrace the Day. The duo, complement each other impressively. Prefuse’s malleable production sets an ominous aura that Creature regulates throughout the 5 track mini opus. Creature’s subject matter is raw – no chaser. While 85% of hip hop today consists of materialistic, disingenuous jargon Creature bridges the gap with the truths of a seasoned lyricist. If you’re looking for shortcuts in hip hop keep it moving, cause’ Creature takes no shorts in crafting and showcasing his skills as an MC.

The idea that I would be traveling to Governor’s Island, located off the tip of lower Manhattan, kind of had me feeling like I was traveling onto the island in Bruce Lee’s, Enter of the Dragon.  What awaited me after this boat ride? MC battles? Wordsmiths ready to rock the microphone the best way they could? What Ruben (our photographer of the day) and I docked in to were four stages with artists doing their best in attaining crowd control. The thing about RTB was that the line-up was filled with acts that I (and many others) as a hip-hop junkie were able to relate to. Most of the performers were part of what is considered the golden age of hip-hop. Black Moon, Cyrpess Hill, Mobb Deep, GZA, Raekwon, Ghostface, Souls of Mischief, Nas, Black Starr even Queen of the era Lauryn Hill was present to rekindle that old hip-hop essence. I’d be remiss to not mention the new generation trailblazers like Slaughterhouse, Roc Marciano, Evidence, Immortal Technique and Fashawn+Blue+Exile. Yeah it was nothing short of an all out hip-hop festival…(jump in for more)

I couldn’t help to think that the majority of the young crowd there, were most likely in elementary school when most of the albums being performed were released. Like this young bird I was talking to waiting for Mobb Deep to come on – she was telling me that she was mainly here to see Mobb do their Infamous album. Word? Shorty was only 19 years old! That pretty much has her at 3 years old when that album dropped! That just confirmed in me that the music of that era will maintain longevity for a long time. Why? Because it was real! I’m not talking about “real” as an adjective to add some sort of validity to a delusional act or lifestyle. I’m talking about the real energy and spirit that was the norm in that era. Just to be clear there are still purveyors but obviously not in the abundance that we were used to. But I digress let me not get into a rant here – back to RTB!

There were old and there were young fans of hip-hop that gathered to see their favorite artist that day. Black Moon’s live band set was probably one of the livest hip-hop instrumentation performances I’ve seen since The Roots in the mid 90′s. Cypress Hills rocked it!  Lauryn  was a little wild-eyed but she still managed to hold it down and give the crowd a long over due performance. RZA, the host of the 36 Chambers Stage brought out the Wu-Tang patriarch Papa Wu! Even Young Dirty (ODB’s son) was present. Rae & Ghost still managed to keep the heads open even with the terrible technical issues they were getting from the lights and the sound engineers. The only problem I really had, was that there were 4 stages. It makes it difficult to catch all the acts you want to catch because you end up trekking to stage after stage trying to cover the performances. All in all it was good weather and hip-hop was in the air amongst other things…

Hope you enjoyed your summer…

Self-described Pop/Punk/Religious band Iceage has been busy touring Europe, trekking through Sweden and England.  Now, the foursome is visiting the States and promoting its new album, New Brigade.  Soon, they will return to Copenhagen, the place they call home.  Read on as the band talks about the bodegas, record stores and Mayhem of K-Town.

1. What’s your town’s nickname?

Some people call it K Town.

 2. What’s your nickname for your town?

 We just call it Copenhagen.

 3. Why do you live there?

 We were all born there.

 4. What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you there?

 I don’t think I can answer that.

 5. What is your favorite local attraction (monument, park, etc)?

 The big glass house in the botanical gardens and glyptoteket.

 6. What is the best time of year to be there?

 All year, both sides of the year have their advantages.

 7. Who is your favorite local celebrity?

 Morten Bræum.

8. Where is the best place to drink and what’s their specialty or happy hour?

 It’s best to go to smaller bodegas cause if you go to bigger bars it’s very, very expensive.

 9. Who has the best jukebox (and what’s in it)?

 The bodegas have stuff like Bruce Springsteen and old Danish singers.

 10. Do you play music there? If so, where is your favorite place to play?

 We can recommend a place called Mayhem and yes we have played in Copenhagen.

 11. Does where you live influence your music?

 Yeah, a lot.

 12. What is your favorite place to see live music and what was your favorite show there?

Mayhem. We have played some really good shows there but I can’t pick all the shows I’ve seen there, there’s too many good ones.

13. What is your favorite local band?

 Sexdrome.

 14. What is your favorite diner or restaurant and what is their best dish? 

There’s a place called Istedgrill at Istedgade serving really nice pork sandwiches.

 15. What is your favorite record store and what was your best find there?

 Insulamusic and Repo Man Records. I don’t know about my best find but I have found out about a lot of music through these stores.

 16. What is your favorite local publication (alternative weekly, zine, website or blog)?

 That might be something we’re missing here.

 17. What is your favorite local shop?

 The record stores I mentioned before.

18. If you could live anywhere else, where would that be?

 Cambodia.

We all love a good jangly, noisy indie pop song, and Hospital Ships is here, fresh from Lawrence, Kansas, to offer up a few of theirs. Actually, if you want to hear their music, go to their website. Right here is where we talk about their hometown. We were lucky in that the whole band decided to contribute, so this is some quality advice on where to have a nice casual encounter with a kind acid victim and who’s got the best truffle fries.

What’s your town’s nickname?
Larryville.

What’s your nickname for your town?
Jordan: Starston, USA.

Why do you live there?
Mitch: The thriving casual encounters section on our Craigslist.
Jordan: The cheap beer.

Did you grow up there? If not, what brought you there?
No. Music and/or college brought us all here.

What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you there?
Mitch: This random crazy guy walked up to a girl I was with, put headphones on her ears and said, “Have you heard this before?” and played Dave Matthews for her.
Jordan: The occasional accidental/awkward visit to an orgy/sex house.

What is your favorite local attraction (monument, park, etc.)?
The river trail, the overlook, downtown, the pumpkin patch, all the Civil War sites.

What is your favorite local event or festival?
Spring Into Summer! (A local music festival put on by the Replay Lounge and Jackpot Music Hall.)

What is the best time of year to be there?
The fall!

Who is your favorite local celebrity?
Dennis, a man who dresses in childrens clothes and pushes dolls around in his stroller, Peace Rob, acid casualty who gives everyone the peace sign, Stan Herd and Michael Kruege, two local artists who are not crazy, just really awesome.

Where is the best place to drink and what’s their specialty or happy hour?
The Replay Lounge anytime, or Harbour Lites for Thursday: Giant Beer Night.

Who has the best jukebox (and what’s in it)?
Harbour Lites: local bands and sweet mix tapes made by the employees.

Do you play music there? If so, where is your favorite place to play?
No, the Replay Lounge is our favorite place to play. And house shows!

Does where you live influence your music?
Absolutely. If where you live doesn’t influence your art, you should probably move.

What is your favorite place to see live music and what was your favorite show there?
The Bottleneck: King Khan and the Shrines, Sunny Day Real Estate, The Flaming Lips Boombox Experiment, The Jesus Lizard, The Appleseed Cast.

What is your favorite local band?
Drakkar Sauna and Cowboy Indian Bear.

What is your favorite diner or restaurant and what is their best dish?
Esquina/Burger Stand: Everything. Mainly truffle fries and tacos.

What is your favorite record store and what was your best find there?
Love Garden Sounds. Every record I’ve bought for the last 7 years, basically!

What is your favorite local publication (alternative weekly, zine, website or blog)?
I Heart Local Music!

What is your favorite local shop?
Richard’s Music, best small music store in the country as far as I’m concerned!

If you could live anywhere else, where would that be?
North Lawrence.

Dead Rider founder and frontman Todd Rittman is tough.  He actually likes Chicago winters, and recommends that you visit sometime, December through March.  While you probably won’t take his advice, living in what he calls “the Big Onion” helps him produce the unique rock and funk sound that the band is known for.  Read on to find out what else he likes about his hometown (as long as you promise not to steal his secret hangout).

What’s your town’s nickname?

Chicago has so many great nicknames: “the Windy City,” “City of Broad Shoulders,” “Hog Butcher to the World,” “Chi-town,” and “the Second City” to name a few.

What’s your nickname for your town?

My favorite is “the Big Onion,” which comes from the Native American name for the area, which meant “onion”.

Why do you live there?

I live here because I can get shit done.  The wonderfully brutal winters are beautiful and keep the riff-raff in their holes. The snow also covers up the filth.  It is centrally located in the continent, so touring the country doesn’t have to be all in one shot.  There is no better city in the world for music.  Great venues, studios and talent here. Really though, I love the bad winters; makes me feel alive. My friends all hate me when I say that, but there has to be someone else out there who loves a four-month long disaster every single year. Anybody…?

Did you grow up there? If not, what brought you there?

I grew up in the suburbs and have lived in the city for the last 23 years. Shit I’m old.

What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you there?

This winter was the worst in ages. There was one blizzard that shut down the city for days.  The storm was so bad there was thunder and lightning all night. Really rare for a snowstorm.

What is your favorite local attraction (monument, park, etc)?

The lake is the best attraction. It really makes all the man-made stuff seem truly small.

What is your favorite local event or festival?

I really can’t believe how many festivals there are here.  Seems like more every year.  I stay away, though; I’m not good in crowds.

What is the best time of year to be there?

December through March are the sweetest months of the year here if you can survive it.  Wear more clothes and stop complaining is my advice.

Who is your favorite local celebrity?

Emo Philips.

Where is the best place to drink and what’s their specialty or happy hour?

There’s a Polish bar called Zakopane on Division with pool tables that are always open and cheap, strong Polish beer. Their specialty is grumpy Polish dudes who won’t like you.  This has always been my secret hangout to avoid the crowds on the weekend, so don’t go there.

Who has the best jukebox (and what’s in it)?

John’s Pizzeria on Western (great thin crust) has the world’s most dilapidated jukebox that randomly plays b sides from one-hit wonders from the ’60s and ’70s.  Ever wonder if Sugarloaf has a song as good as “Green-Eyed Lady?” They don’t, but the two blown speakers make every dreary jam sound like it’s the hardest soft-rock ever. Hilarious every time.

Do you play music there? If so, where is your favorite place to play?

I play in a rock and roll band called Dead Rider. The best place to play is The Hideout.  Great little room, great sound, plenty of parking, and they don’t rip off the bands.

Does where you live influence your music?

I like to think I’d make the same music anywhere I was. I’m sure I’d make less of it, though, if I lived in a warm climate.

What is your favorite place to see live music and what was your favorite show there?

Again, The Hideout is a great place to see a show. They have a free jazz showcase every Wednesday. 

What is your favorite local band?

Cheer-Accident is the best band in Chicago period.

What is your favorite diner or restaurant and what is their best dish?

Murphy’s Red Hots on Belmont specializes in Chicago’s contribution to American cuisine.  Forget the hype and the lines. This is the best hot dog and fries you are gonna get anywhere on planet Earth.  

What is your favorite record store and what was your best find there?

Logan Hardware is a record store and vintage arcade on Western and Fullerton. My best find there was free pinball.

What is your favorite local publication (alternative weekly, zine, website or blog)?

The Chicago Reader.

What is your favorite local shop?

Andy’s Music has musical instruments from all over the world.  Even though I’m not really into the whole world music trip, this place is cool to poke around in, even if you’re not a musician.

If you could live anywhere else, where would that be?

I hear they have some pretty interesting winters in Canada.

Actually, we hate to break this to you, but Fucked Up couldn’t make it to this interview. There are plenty of amazing things going on in Toronto, but the band has been really busy promoting their new album, David Comes to Life, and couldn’t take the time to talk about their hometown.

Lucky for us, however, David, the subject of the album, did have a spare moment between shifts at his factory job to tell us about his hometown of Thatcherite, England. Read on and find some new hot spots and bands from the other side of the pond!

What’s your town’s nickname?
“Brunt”.

What’s your nickname for your town?
“Old Well”.

Why do you live there?
Born and raised and just can’t find the effort to leave. It’s kind of somewhere between the comforts of home and the comforts of madness you know.

Did you grow up there? If not, what brought you there?
Well I started here but my folks came here when the Well was still happening. Was supposed to be like another Bath or Leamington, somethin’ like that, and, you know, it all kind of went tits up dinnit? Was lovely for spell, though, I reck’n.

What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you there?
As a lad, every time I switch the shower on the stove lights up, every time I light the stove the porch light turns on, when I turn the porch light on the toilet flushes, and when the toilet flushes the shower starts, but it runs brown and black for a few minutes before you can get under and get a wash.

What is your favorite local attraction (monument, park, etc)?
Byrdesdale Common. It’s the only green left ’round and something in the air feels a bit nicer there.

What is your favorite local event or festival?
Sunday Up Market at the Common, yeah. Just a good gathering. Music playing, wares exchanged, rain or shine, that sort of thing. Mostly rain anyway. Hard to find a unifying moment sometimes so that sort of sums it up for a few hours a week, donnit?

What is the best time of year to be there?
Any time when you’re about to leave for a spell haha.

Who is your favorite local celebrity?
Animal Man, without a doubt. Just a nutter. Iron Mouth, iron brawlies, crackin’ tunes, voice like an angel… a real pillar in the community anyway.

Where is the best place to drink and what’s their specialty or happy hour?
Strut and Banner, the best boozer in Byrdesdale. Their drink is the Sting Ray. Get it? It’s Bitter with a torpedo of lemon liqueur. When you first drop it in there’s something about the chemistry of it all that creates a bright ray of liquor’s light in the middle of your glass. If you finish before it fades you’re supposed to live forever.

Who has the best jukebox (and what’s in it)?
As above as it is below, fella. Mostly bits and bobs from the past… the best thing in there is an acetate, though. It’s a “field recording” of the entire boozer singing the BFC song in the pub the night they played their first game. Chilling, that.

Do you play music there? If so, where is your favorite place to play?
Can do, yeah, but mostly it happens in hallways and homes. Best place to play is the old rendering plant. There’s a slant in the ceiling that goes lower to higher from the stage out so it’s got an inverse amplified effect. If you’re at the front you’re perfect cause everyone on stage has to play a low volume. If you’re at the back, it’s screamin’ at just the right temperature. You’ll be clacking your feet to “Wonderer” at full volume, smiles and all. Nice, that.

Does where you live influence your music?
Surely it does. Not much else to do here, save working and sleeping. The man who learned to count to four in time is a saint in my books.

What is your favorite place to see live music and what was your favorite show there?
Strut and Banner, Grain, yer alright.

What is your favorite local band?
Animal Man.

What is your favorite diner or restaurant and what is their best dish?
Debby’s Dish and the best thing on the menu is “Debby’s Dish.” Stew with cockles in a Yorkshire Pud.

What is your favorite record store and what was your best find there?
The Record Exchange. You don’t find much. Mostly local stuff, but occasionally there will be something. Found a Dr. Feelgood record there, and that lovely “England’s Glory” 45.
What is your favorite local publication (alternative weekly, zine, website or blog)?
Company News is the only source of info really for local affairs. You can get it ’round but it ain’t much but news about what’s happening down in Bulb land. I did read about them boys in France over at Rhodia. Feels like ancient history now though.

What is your favorite local shop?
Woolworths.

If you could live anywhere else, where would that be?
Maybe Wigan or Blackpool. Seems like they might have life in ‘em yet. Just like us ha.

My friends. It is time. Ghettoblaster Magazine print issue #28 has arrived. The Man has tried to keep us down for years, but we keep on pushing forward with the best talk about the best music, books, movies and games we can find.

Issue 28 is jam packed with goodness. Everything from Seun Kuti to Times New Viking and so many good things in between. We talk about the new Kode9/Spaceape collaboration. We talk with Del tha Funkee Homosapien. Raekwon’s in there. And so much more.

You can order it by clicking here or subscribe to our quarterly for a whole year so the good shit keeps on rolling.

David Bazan, former frontman of Pedro the Lion, came back in the fall of 2009 with a debut solo LP, Curse Your Branches, that blew away fans and new listeners alike. That album was step one in the reintroduction of Bazan as one of the savior songwriters of indie rock. Now he’s back, releasing his second full length, Strange Negotiations, a journey through his thoughts on politics, American culture and life as a touring musician. We had Bazan, a proud Seattleite, answer a few questions about where to find the best beer, his favorite pork sandwich and things not to do on a date with your future spouse.

Pick up Strange Negotiations in your favorite local record shop tomorrow, May 24.

What’s your town’s nickname?

Jet City, Emerald City, Rat City.

What’s your nickname for your town? 

Seattle.

Why do you live there?

I moved to Seattle with my folks in ’91, and fell in love with a local girl. I also kind of fell in love with Seattle, too. I really, really like it.

What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you there? 

I shit my pants in the Marie Callender’s parking lot on I5 on a date with my now-wife. That was pretty weird.

What is your favorite local attraction (monument, park, etc)?

I like how visible the water and the mountains are at all times. It’s such a gorgeous town, it’s crazy.

What is the best time of year to be there?

Spring and Fall.

Who is your favorite local celebrity?

John Roderick.

Where is the best place to drink and what’s their specialty or happy hour?

The Leary Traveler, in Frelard. They have four rotating taps. They just have the best beer all the time.

Where is your favorite place to play?

Showbox at the Market is one of my favorite clubs in the United States.

Does where you live influence your music?

It must. I think that there is a culture of innovative dedication to rock & roll in Seattle that is contagious.

What is your favorite place to see live music and what was your favorite show there?

Again, Showbox Market is just amazing. There are many, many shows, but there is a Built to Spill show from 2004, or somewhere around there, that was, and is still, memorable. Second answer is the Tractor Tavern—Low on the first tour in support of Secret Name.

What is your favorite local band? 

The now-defunct Crystal Skulls.

What is your favorite diner or restaurant and what is their best dish?

That’s tough. Paseo. Oh my God. That place is crazy. It’s just world-class sandwiches. I’ve been through everything, but I end up at the pork slab. I’m torn between that and the pork shoulder. I think I like the pork slab the best.

What is your favorite record store and what was your best find there?

I love Sonic Boom, and I love Easy Street too. They’re both such phenomenal records stores. I can’t pick.

What is your favorite local shop?

Emerald City Guitars is a guitar geek’s dream come true.

If you could live anywhere else, where would that be?

Portland?

In Portland, Oregon, when it rains, it pours.  However, the weather is no big deal for rocker Kasey Anderson; it gives him a reason to stay in and work on his music.  Below, Kasey shares some of his hometown highlights, including the Burnside Bridge, a funeral home-turned-music venue and a pimp named “Diamonds.”

What’s your town’s nickname?

Besides the “Rose City?” I think I heard people call it “P-Town,” but I hate that. Let’s not recognize that.

What’s your nickname for your town?

I’ll occasionally call it PDX which is asinine since I don’t refer to other towns by their airport codes.

Why do you live there?

It’s the only place I’ve ever felt at home. I’ve lived all around the world and I’ve never felt this comfortable anywhere else. I was born and raised here, so there’s probably something ingrained in me that makes me believe it’s perfectly acceptable to live in a place where it rains more than half the year.

Did you grow up there? If not, what brought you there?

Yeah, I did. I spent some of what I guess you’d call my formative years in Bellingham, Washington, but Portland’s home.

What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you there?

I spent New Year’s Eve 1999 in the back of an SUV with a man who went by the name “Diamonds,” and claimed to be “Portland’s most accomplished pimp.” I don’t know how we wound up in that car, and I don’t remember much else about the night, but I remember “Diamonds.”

What is your favorite local attraction (monument, park, etc)?

It’s not really an attraction, but if you stand at a certain point on the Burnside Bridge and look north, that’s the way Portland looks to me whenever I’m away and I think about home.

What is your favorite local event or festival?

Pickathon out at Pendarvis Farm. It’s my favorite music festival in the country to play, and my favorite to watch.

What is the best time of year to be there?

My favorite time to be anywhere is fall. I’m not prone to reminiscence, but fall seems to bring about these really melancholy pangs of remembrance in me, and I’ve never been one to shove that back down when it comes up. I don’t wallow, but I think people oughta embrace that sadness sometimes and ride it out.

Who is your favorite local celebrity?

There was this guy, Ramblin’ Rod, who had a kids show on every morning for a long time around here. He had this sweater that was just covered with pins and buttons of all kinds; every show, some kid gave him a dozen new buttons. From what I recall, all he really did was introduce cartoons and play the occasional game with kids but, man, he was magical to me growing up.

Where is the best place to drink and what’s their specialty or happy hour?

Pabst seems to be the drink of choice no matter where I go around here anymore, which is odd because I assume it tastes the same as it did when I used to drink it: like tepid piss.

Who has the best jukebox (and what’s in it)?

There’s a place called Lucky’s that has a great jukebox – old James Brown records, Meters stuff, Stax and Motown – and if you’re lucky, you’ll be there on a night when Willie Butler takes over the jukebox. He’s tuned in to that thing, man; he makes it his own, and he’s real theatrical about it. You can’t help but get into it.

Do you play music there? If so, where is your favorite place to play?

Mississippi Studios and Doug Fir are both great-sounding rooms. There’s this place called The Woods, which is a converted funeral home—that’s one of my favorite places in town to play.

Does where you live influence your music?

It can. The weather gives me an excuse to stay in and write when people in other parts of the country are out enjoying spring, which I’m told is a very beautiful season in certain places. Here in Portland, we just get slightly warmer rain than we had in January and February.

What is your favorite place to see live music and what was your favorite show there?

There used to be this club called La Luna; it’s not around anymore and hasn’t been for a while. La Luna was one of a handful of all-ages clubs in Portland at that time. I don’t think any of those clubs are left. I saw The Wallflowers there in 1996, I think, just as that record – Bringing Down the Horse - was about to break. I remember loving that show. Saw Quasi there, Mudhoney, Guttermouth, Pete Droge. I ran into Mark Arm in the crowd before Mudhoney went on – I think I was 14 or 15 – and I looked up at him and just started freaking out. “Oh man! I love every fucking thing you’ve ever done! I love you!” I thought he was gonna have security haul me off. I’d probably do the exact same thing if I ran into him today.

What is your favorite local band?

Black Prairie and Blue Giant both put out great records in 2010.

What is your favorite diner or restaurant and what is their best dish?

It’s not the best dish in Portland, but the Ham and Cheddar Mac at the Montage has served me well since I was 14-years-old.

What is your favorite record store and what was your best find there?

Music Millennium. When I was in high school, I’d leave my last class everyday and go directly to Music Millennium, buy records, and then walk down the block to Escape From New York Pizza and get a slice. I was still discovering music at that point so my “finds” weren’t Beefheart first pressings or anything like that, but they were records I wound up loving and still love. Monk’s Underground, Some Girls, MC5 records, the Pogues—stuff like that.

What is your favorite local publication (alternative weekly, zine, website or blog)?

I think Ryan White of The Oregonian is a great music writer, not just for Portland, but anywhere. People should really seek out his writing, whether they live in Portland or not.

What is your favorite local shop?

There’s a deli called Kenny and Zuke’s that has its hooks in me pretty good. Powell’s Books is the greatest bookstore in the world. Those two places are within walking distance of one another, and both within walking distance of my apartment. That’s one big reason I never think too hard about moving.

If you could live anywhere else, where would that be?

Austin or New York. Maybe there’ll come a time when I need to be somewhere else, but it won’t be anytime soon.