[INTERVIEW] BAND OF HORSES: REACHING OUT WITH INFINITE ARMS

By Mia Palau

It’s five thirty p.m. and a rare bustle has already started shaking the stylized crimson foundations of Barcelona’s cult favorite, the Apolo ― one of the hippest yet oldest night clubs in town. About a dozen technicians and roadies are working tenaciously unwinding multicolored cables, carrying guitars, pushing mysterious armored boxes, placing security fences in front of the stage. It’s been weeks since the last ticket for the show tonight was sold out and even at these early hours you can already start feeling a latent urgency and expectation floating the air.

[INTERVIEW] RIVERBOAT GAMBLERS: BREAKNECK HEARTBREAK

Photos & Text by Mia Palau

If there’s anything these five Texan dudes are really, really good at is playing sweaty,  ultra-catchy punk rock anthems at breakneck speed. Well, that and climbing onto speakers, hanging from light racks, and breaking bones and teeth during their highly energetic live shows. The Riverboat Gamblers visited Barcelona, Spain last November brought by the Eastpak Antidote Tour to present their fourth LP, “Underneath the Owl”, a whirlpool of visceral punk rawness and beer-soaked heartbreak.

We sat with Mike Wiebe (vocals), Fadi El-Assad (lead guitar), Rob Marchant (bass), Ian McDougall (guitar) and Sam Keir (drums) and they told us over some cervezas about their new alum, touring with MC5 and Pennywise, Dragon Ball and the arduous task of becoming a full-time punk rock band.

INTERVIEW: JESSE MALIN

FROM GLAMOROUS PUNK TO PROLETARIAN FOLK

By Mia Palau

Jesse Malin. Photo: Desi Estévez.

Welcome back! How’s Spain treating you?

Jesse Malin: Thank you! I always have a good time here. All Spain’s been pretty great. I think today we’ve got here like at five o’clock… so you drop your bag, you’re on and off, and come down sound check. So maybe later tonight, it’s a Sunday, I’ll try to see some stuff. Everybody went out last night and got crazy, but tonight… I have five shows to do and

INTERVIEW: HARD-ONS

HORNY WITHOUT A CAUSE

By Mia Palau

 

Peter “Blackie” Black, the charismatic guitarist and frontman of the legendary Australian punk band the Hard-Ons talks about the band’s new record, the release of his solo album, Keish, Ray and their adventures on their international tours. With a prolific career spanning almost 30 years —and a sole, short break-up that resulted in the departure of one of the most fascinating drummer/vocalists in the punk scene, Keish De Silva—, Hard-Ons have always stayed true to their punk spirit, which has rendered them one of the most famous (truly) independent, self-managed bands in the world, with a large, hard and sweaty cult following. Their new album, “Alfalfa Males Once Summer Is Done Conform Or Die” has just been released and they soon are going to take the road for their upcoming European tour.

INTERVIEW: ELECTRIC SIX

By Mia Palau

2001 saw them scoring mega-stardom with the cheeky, ultra-sexuated hits “Gay Bar” and “Danger! High Voltage!”, and in 2005 their notorious cover of “Radio Gaga” polarized fans, critics and even Queen themselves. Despite their short-lived fling with mainstream, front man Dick Valentine (a.k.a. Tyler Spencer) and the ever-changing line-up of his Electric Six have continued to release pretty much an album a year ever since, carving their niche as an edgier, more underground formation.

Their sense of humor has been a double-edged sword for kaleidoscopic Electric Six, who have never had a problem going from dance-punk to new wave, mixing electro with falsettos—not to forget throwing in some disco, garage and ska—without batting a lash. Their seventh studio album, the eclectic “Zodiac”, is filled to the brim with infectious beats, raising the bar set in their acclaimed “Kill” (2009) and it constitutes the perfect summary of their playful and subversive spirit.

VAN DYKE PARKS

INTERVIEW WITH THE ULTIMATE DREAMER

 

By Mia Palau

One of the visits to the 10^th edition of the Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona brought one truly especial guest: the American composer, musician, actor and overall cult favorite Van Dyke Parks. Mr. Parks is not only the heart and soul of an exuberant collection of beautifully orchestrated songs —both by himself as well as in collaboration with other great artists—, but also he’s also the genius behind the album “SMiLE”, for which he worked alongside legendary Beach Boy Brian Wilson. At 67, Van Dyke Parks has decided to go on tour and he offered a very intimate piano concert at the Forum’s Auditorium in his last visit to Barcelona.