A Totally Biased Guide To Pop Montreal!!!!!!

Pop Montreal when me and my fellow Montrealers open our cluttered apartments to dozens of bands (and if you are like me , that means serving brunch to 10 scroungers each morning), dust off our woolens and bike around town furiously making it from show to show.

This year there's a lot to please Thee.Ou. readers but it's gonna mean me plugging my own band and bands of my friends and fellow Thee Outernet contributors cause in Montreal , we keep shit local.

Set times for most of these Shows can be found on the Pop Montreal website.



Wednesday, September 30th :::

JAY REATARD
BOX ELDERS
NOBUNNY
HUNX AND HIS PUNX
USELESS EATERS

@ Sala Rossa (4848 St-Laurent)

----------------------
Thursday , October 1st :::

BUTTHOLE SURFERS
LULLABYE ARKESTRA
NUTSAK

@ Théâtre Olympia (1004 Ste-Catherine Est )

8:30 - 11:30 pm


--------------------


Thursday, October 1st :::



THE INTELLIGENCE
RED MASS
AIDS WOLF
TV GHOST

@ Sala Rossa (4848 St-Laurent)

10:30pm - 1:30am
---------------------------


Friday, October 2nd :::
/// DAYTIME SHOW!!! ///



FNU RONNIES
TYVEK
GARDENS
PINK NOISE
TONSTARTSSBANDHT
WASTED NYMPH
DIRTY BEACHES
INTERRACIAL LOVE TRIANGLE
+++ MORE

NOON - PWYC
@ Friendship Cove (215a Murray St)

-----------------------------
Friday October 2nd :::
/// NIGHT SHOW ///




TEENAGE JESUS AND THE JERKS
DUCHESS SAYS
AIDS WOLF

@ Le National (1220 Ste Catherine Est)

8-11 pm
--------------------------------------

Friday, October 2nd :::
/// NIGHT SHOW ///


HUMAN EYE
TERRIBLE TWOS
FNU RONNIES
TEEN ANGER
GRAND TRINE

@ Casa del Popolo (4873 St-Laurent)


9pm - 2am

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=144238477092&ref=nf#/event.php?eid=159389097118&ref=mf
-----------------------------

Friday October 2nd ::

GLASS CANDY
DESIRE
COSMO VITELLI
+ Guests

@ Studio Juste Pour Rire


10pm - 3am
-----------------------------

Friday, October 2nd :::
/// PANACHE BOOKING SHOWCASE ///



(Homosexuals canceled)

CHAIN & THE GANG
AN ALBATROSS
TYVEK
NY NIGHT TRAIN'S JONATHAN TOUBIN

@ Lambi (4465 St-Laurent)

9pm-12

-----------------------------

Saturday, October 3rd :::
/// DAYTIME SHOW ///


AIDS WOLF#
HOLY COBRAS
MAGIC CHEEZIES#
TEEN ANGER
GRAND TRINE#
HELL SHOVEL (Jeff Clark from Demon's Claws)
ULTRATHIN#
FUTENSIL
+++ MORE

NOON - pwyc
@ Friendship Cove (215a Murray St)

face::: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=144238477092&ref=nf

-----------------------------
Saturday , October 3rd :::

DIAMANDA GALAS
JERUSALEM IN MY HEART (performing w/ 30 piece men's choir)

@Théâtre Outremont (1240 avenue Bernard)

9:30 - 12 pm
-------------------------

Saturday October 3rd :::
FAUST
BLACK FEELINGS
LEOPARD ET MOI

@Fédération Ukrainienne (5213 rue Hutchison )

8-11 pm
-------------------------

Saturday, October 3rd :::
//// NIGHT SHOW ////




THEE OH SEES
GOLDEN TRIANGLE
THE FRESH AND ONLYS
PINK NOISE

@ Sala Rossa (4848 St Laurent)

10:30 pm - 1:30 am
-----------------------------

I'm probably most psyched to see Diamanda Galas , who's been a huge influence and inspiration over the years , if only I can snag a ticket! Opening for Teenage Jesus is pretty exciting too.

Both matinees are a sure bet with cheap cover , BBQ , coffee and many of Montreal's best locals bands as well as some awesome touring bands. Friendship Cove is one of my personal favorite venues. It's a warehouse space , on 2 floors with a rooftop perfect for chilling. HIGHLY RECCOMENDED to outta towners who wanna see what's cool in this part of Canada and meet some friendly peeps.

My boyfriend told me that Human Eye were the best band he saw at SXSW , I missed them 'cause I was watching The Intelligence but am pretty stoked to see them as I've been a longtime fan who's never seen 'em live.

Same for FNU Ronnies , I've been wanting to see them forever.

The Intelligence and Thee Oh Sees are both playing Montreal for the first time this Pop , I wonder if it has anything to do with me insisting to head honcho Dan Seligman that he stick around too see them at the SXSW Panache showcase?

See you in the pit , just don't spill my energy drink.

xo,
chloe

# denotes band of Thee Outernet contributor.

An Interview With TICKLEY FEATHER

The following interview was conducted through various e-mails and text messages...

Jason- Who is Tickley Feather?

Tickley Feather- I come from the land of the long pig! I am edible and delectable.

Jason- So, can I refer to you as Annie in this interview or as Tickley Feather?

Annie- Please do refer to me as Annie, Jason.

Jason- Why the name Tickley Feather?

Annie- Tickley Feather is a name that sounds silly, and I like things that are silly.

Jason- Have you been tickled by feathers?

Annie- I have had the experience of traveling on the interstate behind a truckload of chickens. So not only have I been tickled by feathers, but also, have been blasted by them. The word "blasted" is funny!

Jason- So you recently "blasted" through Richmond, VA to finish your next album, how was the experience and how was it spending time in this city you once lived?

Annie- The experience was very nice, thanks. I loved working with John at The Etching Tin. He's really funny and he offered to cook me something on the grill one night, which is right out the back door, 4 feet from the mixing board. I was treated kindly by many old friends and new friends alike during my visit. I drank much more than usual during my last night out there, as usual. I would like to visit Richmond more now that I am living down south again.

Jason- What is the name of the upcoming record and when can we expect it to be released? Paw Tracks correct?

Annie- My upcoming record is going to be released on October 20th by Paw Tracks. It is my second full length and my first album with a title. The title is Hors D'oeuvres, a word with multiple spellings, that symbolizes hospitality and tiny snacks that do not stuff you.

Jason- So, will this album be edible?

Annie- I wish that were possible. Or at least for it to be made out of cardboard or something out of the ordinary. I heard people have made wooden records in the past. I will say that the album is on vinyl, which is round and at least as sturdy as a disposable plate, and could always be eaten OFF of if one found themselves in a pinch.

Jason- Is that your son Aiden on the new record cover? Is that how you spell his name?

Annie- Yes to both!

Jason- What touring plans do you have following the release of Hors D'oeuvres?

Annie- I will take this album on tour with me to Europe in November and sell it to Europeans! I'm still working on a US tour, for afterwards.

Jason- Were there any collaborators on the new recordings and will there be anyone accompanying you for touring?

Annie- This album just has me on it, not including mixing. BUT I would like to collaborate with someone at least for one project sometime in the future. Or, actually, I'd like to try working with a producer of some sort sometime. That might be neat. It'd be fun to get pushed around a little by someone who has ideas that are better than mine. Someone guided by that deck of cards that Brian Eno invented, maybe?

Touring: For various shows, I'll have AKASHA BLADE and SERPENTS OF WISDOM, both dudes who have incredible solo projects of their own. It feels really great to work with people who have skills and creativity that I trust and admire. You should look them up! Also, If Tim from MY MIND will do some shows again with us, I'd be totally happy. He has a special keyboard sense and also looks neat-o, in general. We did a few shows, the 4 of us, before I moved away from Philly, and I felt like it was really right.

Jason- What instruments are you using on the new album? I hear you play guitar this time!!!!

Annie- Guitar, keyboards, toy piano, a noisy thunder-sounding thing. I think that's it.

Jason- So you've moved from Philadelphia to rural VA, was it a positive move?

Annie- Yes, it's very good. I like it a lot.

Jason- What are the differences between living in (it's Staunton right?), VA and Philadelphia?

Annie- My favorite person I've seen here is an old man who is really hunched over and is always walking around with a garbage bag in one hand and i big old black umbrella, wide open, in the other. My favorite person I used to see in Philly was a big huge lady that wore really small, tight, close curlers in her hair and was always clapping her hands together joyously. Oh, but in Philly there was also this other lady who had electroshocked grey hair and screwed up looking makeup. She had a big crooked ring of red lipstick alllllll around the outside of her mouth. And blue eyeshadow alllllll around her eyebrows.

Jason- What are your releases thus far?

Annie-

Deaderna Doornail (tape, 3 copies) released by Diaper Records

Tickley Feather (random content CD, 10 copies) released by Diaper Records

Serpents Of Wisdom/ Tickley Feather split 7 inch Badmaster Records

Bermuda Triangles/ Tickley Feather split 7 inch C.N.P. Records

Tickley Feather s/t CD and LP Paw Tracks and Badmaster Records

Tickley Feather "Hors D'ouevres LP and CD Paw Tracks

Tickley Feather "B Sides and Bonus Tracks" (9/25) tape released by Diaper Records

a track on "Killer Workout Mix" comp CD C.N.P. Records

Jason- Have you ever had a pet turtle?

Annie- Yes, 2 box turtles for a few days. I fed them too much lettuce in the hot sun and I think they exploded.

Jason- If there were a movie made about TICKLEY FEATHER, who would you envision playing you?

Annie- Shirley Temple.

Jason- So, how tall are you anyway?

Annie- 3 feet 4 inches

Jason- What did you have for dinner last night?

Annie- Well last night it was classy. I made a roast and mashed potatoes and that long fancy broccoli. I tried to drink both of the beers in the fridge before my man got home and wanted one. I only got through 1 and a half. But I don't think he knew there were 2 to start with, so I'm ahead.

Jason- Alright, I think that covers it, thank you very much Annie!!!!

Annie- JASON, YOU EAT WEEEENERS.

MAMMAL: A LIFE REVIEW

Lowell, Massachusetts is a strange place. Notorious for being poverty stricken and home to one of the UMASS campuses, Lowell is more a haven for Asian gangs, crack use and junkies. Nestled in the middle however is RRR Records, run by Ron of Emil Beaulieau fame. Ron has thousands of rock and pop records on the walls and it's not rare to see him in some weird musical debate about the relevancy of (insert known or obscure rock icon here) with random locals. But you almost wonder if these Elvis collectors ever took the time to sift through the thousands of noise cassettes, compact discs and vinyl that Ron possibly makes a living off of via the internet. RRR has always been a trusted retailer and label in it's own right, releasing a plethora of noise releases from bands and artists all over the world. Crude, stripped down packaging has been the norm but not always the rule... whereas most can tell an American Tapes release by John Olson's artwork, Ron's aesthetics are almost like Olson in his childhood sketchbook. Dumbed down, primitive scribble and packing tape as cover art.

So I frequented RRR whenever I had an excuse to do so... Lowell isn't exactly far from where I grew up but it's not really "on the way" to anything besides trips to other run down Massachusetts cities (Worcester, Springfield) or New York. After doing my best to make sure the store was even open, I arrived one day shortly after eating some speed and scooped up several tape and vinyl releases from whoever caught my eye. When I arrived home that night my friend Fife and I jammed the 15 or 20 tapes I bought and I found myself immediately drawn to "Live, Estral Beach, MI" by Mammal, self released on his Animal Disguise imprint. As disgusting and blown out as the rest of the lot, but strangely rhythmic, the gnarl of synth crunch and tape hiss smashed into your brain in the same way a drumbeat would. I became a follower at that very moment, about four years late to my dismay, and began grabbing whatever I could find.

Mammal is a guy named Gary from Michigan who played a pretty big role I'd imagine alongside Wolf Eyes, Hive Mind and other Midwest noise neu-legends who have been at it strong for the past decade plus. Recently relocating to Tacoma, WA, which is in many ways similar to Lowell aesthetically and it's history of gang violence, something seems to have clicked and changed within this man's brain. Channeling the pummeling, soulless monotony of Suicide through distortion and crafting something all his own, a surprisingly melodic and straight forward Mammal emerges from his noisy past. "Lonesome Drifter" is a complete masterpiece. Two LP's of crushing downer vibes... this is either one big joke on society or we truly have here a man who's friends gossip behind his back about rare glimpses of a smile forming on his somber face during times they hung out. We could have a totally pleasant, nice guy here but his music conveys a different image altogether. Indifference overpowers excitement, but don't think the music is in anyway boring. Sifting through the piles of cassettes and CDR's he's unleashed over the years, comparing those to "proper" full lengths and trying to make sense of his progression will never leave you questioning his seriousness or validity. Even the most obscure tapes showed an artist on to something all his own, but what exists in such a rare form is your inability to deny that he's probably happy regardless of who hears it, hence the limited number of copies each release has been granted since his start. I think that's a beautiful thing to find in an artist... with it being almost impossible to ignore the blatant attempts bands make to appeal to audiences no matter how large or small. Here we have a true statement of love or hate from an overlooked yet relevant musician in a time when obscurity is just as much an attempt to appeal as aiming for the current trend.

http://www.myspace.com/doublenature

6 Part Motivational Series on Bands

If you can forgive the mild Francophobia, slightly sexist undertones (unintentional), and the endorsement of an obsolete musical format once called a "compact disk", this could be worth watching if you are contemplating being in a band. This was a response to the many e-mails that come into my mailbox every month asking basic questions about being in a band.
Enjoy!

BOYD RICE: LET US NOT FORGET...

Does anybody else write in this thing anymore? Regardless, I felt it was important to shine some light on Boyd Rice's current rebirth of importance in the modern noise/indie scene. Pulled from the depths of isolated hibernation in Colorado by various NY/Philly minimal noise luminaries, Mr. Rice has once again graced us with his presence and who knows what the future holds for him or his various projects.

One thing is for sure though... I patiently am waiting for him to go back into hiding. NON never impressed me, besides a few live renditions of "Total War" that I dug, and his works with my favorite band DEATH IN JUNE were always kind of bullshit in my eyes. But what really turned me off about Mr. Rice was his appearance on "Race & Reason" with Tom Metzger. Metzger is known for his formation of the White Aryan Resistance, a group that bred various smaller hate organizations across the country throughout the 80's and 90's. Boyd and Tom talk about using music to form an Aryan Youth Movement, writing off his works as propaganda, and I guess I would agree considering how unimportant most of it was to begin with. It's hard to say what were his true beliefs and what was just shock value... god knows Sid Vicious didn't know shit about Hitler when he donned the famous Swastika shirt in his Sex Pistols days. All he knew was it would shock people, and while I don't label myself PC and think shock value is important to some degree, this interview shows a man taking the joke a little too far. In fact, I think it was him openly embracing the hatred he hinted on that ultimately sunk him below the depths of "the pulse"... Boyd was all but forgotten by most, usually mentioned due to his weird fascinations with Tiki Culture or other idiosyncrocies that made him stand apart from the rest of normal society.

I think noise has done equal parts good and bad for music. For me it proved that 4/4 rock n' roll was a limiation, not the rule. It was not until hearing Throbbing Gristle and Whitehouse albums that I knocked down my own musical barriers in my mind and started to embrace the fact that anything is possible with sound. But it also has become a format for people to spout hatred, as well as pair shock value with audio extremity. I find nothing artistic, beautiful or intense about a woman ballgagged and tied up, or screamed lyrics about raping unsuspecting victims. This white, macho, embracing your most disturbed and perverted side is just as prevelant in high school lockerrooms as it is a PRURIENT concert. The same goes for talk of racial purity and seperating whites from the rest of the world via music. The National Front and WAR have used black metal, Oi!, punk rock, Skinhead culture and other methods to pull confused white youths into their circle. Why would you want to contribute to that? I truly feel Boyd Rice knew how limiting a career in noise would be and felt "why not alienate myself further?" but that would be a cop out. In reality I think he just decided to show the world what a piece of shit he truly had become, and it's sad, because I know his contributions to music and art have influenced many projects I hold dear to my heart. Wheras DEATH IN JUNE flirted with imagry, Boyd Rice took on the openly proud image of a neo-fascist Aryan purist. Douglas P sucks uncut dick... Hitler would have thrown him into the camps with the rest of the "undesirables", but Boyd... why do this to yourself or anyone else, and if you truly believe the filth you spit, good for you, just go back into hiding where I don't have to hear any of it.

Shame on the artists who I won't even bother naming for seeing importance in this man and going out of their way to help him resurface. Maybe I don't get the "joke", but from the punchlines I've seen and heard over the years, I'm not laughing.