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

By Mia Palau

It’s 5:30 in the afternoon and an unusual bustle is rattling up the otherwise sleepy, stylized crimson foundations of Barcelona’s cult favorite club, the Apolo ― one of the hippest, yet oldest venues in town. About a dozen technicians and roadies are tenaciously carrying guitars and heavy-looking armored boxes, untangling multicolored cables, setting up safety barriers in front of the stage. It’s been several weeks since tonight’s concert was sold out, and even with the show still hours away, one can already start sensing the latent urgency and excitement floating up in the air.

[INTERVIEW] RIVERBOAT GAMBLERS: HEARTBREAK AT A BREAKNECK SPEED

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 lightning speed. Well, that and climbing up speakers, hanging from light racks, and breaking bones and teeth during their high-energy live shows. The Riverboat Gamblers visited Barcelona, Spain last November, brought by the Eastpak Antidote Tour to debut 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 we chatted over some cervezas about their new album, touring with MC5 and Pennywise, Dragon Ball and the dang hard 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 leader of Australian punk legends, the Hard-Ons, talks about their new record, the release of his first solo album, Keish, Ray and their adventures on their international tours. With a prolific career spanning almost 30 years —and a sole, short split that resulted in the departure of one of the most beloved drummer/singers in the punk scene, Keish De Silva—, Hard-Ons have always stayed true to their rebellious spirit, which has rendered them one of the most famous and (truly) independent, self-managed punk bands in the world, with a rather large, hard and sweaty cult following. Their new album, “Alfalfa Males Once Summer Is Done Conform Or Die” has just dropped and they are about 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.