Rock Torch

Tucker Rountree of Total Slacker carries a torch for Mark Mothersbaugh

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Tucker Rountree of Total Slacker and Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo

Tucker Rountree and Mark Mothersbaugh

Tucker Rountree’s recommendation: “I’ve always been into Mark Mothersbaugh. My unlce Norman (who is an avid guitar/americana collector) has seen Devo many, many times back in the 80’s when they ruled. He has an actual Devo hat, the red one that looks like a flower pot.

What moves me about Mothersbaugh and his music is the intrepid connection he displays between performance art/esthetic/and great song writing…somehow he was able to connect all 3 aspects of a presentation for a totally unique and interesting sound/band.

I also really like the element of mystery involved in his writing and general attitude. He’s not very concerned with critics and just does what he wants sonically.”

New to Mark Mothersbaugh and Devo? Tucker Rountree recommends you start here: “Everybody I know and my family will say Freedom Of Choice …and I love those songs…but my favorite Devo album is the lesser known 1984 release Shout.”

Check a great clip about Mothersbaugh’s music factory at markmothersbaugh.com.

Tucker RountreeAbout the guest author, Tucker Rountree: Tucker handles the lead vocals and guitar work for what very well may be the next big thing out of Brooklyn, Total Slacker. The band specializes in lo-fi, dreamy pop that leans heavily on accentuated bass and backup vocals. It’s Pixie-ish with amped up humor. Interesting side-note: according to Artrocker.com, Tucker was mentored by Grammy award winning guitarist Eric Johnson and bassist Emily Oppenheimer is classically trained in guitar and piano. Check the Total Slacker MySpace page for release and live show info.

MP3: Video Store Rental Guy from Total Slacker’s demo


Andrew Rieger of Elf Power carries a torch for Tonetta

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Andrew Rieger of Elf Power and Tonetta

Andrew Rieger and Tonetta

Andrew Rieger’s recommendation: “Tonetta is a mysterious character, only recently emerging from the shadows after home recording some truly bizarre music since 1983. All that is known of the man is that he is in his fifties and lives in Toronto, and has never played a live show. His music is a blown out lo fi mix of extremely funky basslines and distorted drum machines, accompanied by sometimes sinister, sometimes explicitly sexual vocal delivery and lyrics. In 2008, he began posting videos of himself dancing wonderfully strange dances, sometimes in women’s clothing, or very little clothing at all, while lip syncing to these brilliant songs. There’s hundreds of these videos on Youtube. He was banned by YouTube briefly for explicit lyrics, but now he’s returned.

The thing is, the guy’s a great songwriter, sometimes singing quite beautifully, other time utilizing a husky, deep and very creepy sounding voice. And it’s not a gimmicky delivery, he’s a genuinely strange freak who has labored in obscurity for many years, with no commercial aspirations or any interest of presenting his music to the world at large until very recently.

New to Tonetta? Andrew Rieger recommends you start here: His first album, “777” recently was released on Black Tent Press Records, and it is a masterwork of sleazy genius, and truly unlike any record i’ve ever heard. The recordings span from 1983-2009,yet the album stands as a cohesive whole. I think the U.K. paper the Guardian summed Tonetta up well when they wrote recently, ‘Punk lives, and it’s wearing a thong on YouTube’.”

Andrew RiegerAbout the guest author, Andrew Rieger: Andrew is the leader of Georgia based pop band, Elf Power. You may have been lucky enough to see these guys open for the likes of R.E.M or Wilco in the early 2000s. More recently, they collaborated with the late Vic Chestnut (see video below). Their new self titled album comes out on September 14th (pre-order here) and was initially tracked by Andy LeMaster (REM, Bright Eyes, Drive By Truckers). The songs were then tweaked in a home studio where the band could take the proper care without having to worry about expenses. Tour dates are on the horizon so be sure to check their MySpace page for dates.

Steve Wynn recommends for Tame Impala

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Steve Wynn of Dream Syndicate and Tame Impala

Steve Wynn and Tame Impala

Steve Wynn’s recommendation: “I’m currently listening to Inner Speaker by Tame Impala. It’s a record that sounds both classic and brand new at the same time. Most of all it reminds me of The Nazz, Todd Rundgren’s band from the 60’s. And that’s a comparison you don’t hear everyday. Good, trippy late night music.”

Note: Tame Impala are touring! Check the official Tame Impala web site for tour dates and more info about the band.

Steve WynnAbout the guest author, Steve Wynn: Steve Wynn started off as a sportswriter and has also recorded songs about baseball with Peter Buck (of R.E.M.) and Scott McCaughey, so it is only appropriate to learn about Wynn through few of his major stats. First off, he’s recorded 400 songs. He’s also played over 2,000 shows in 25 countries. But as impressive as these numbers are, Wynn’s music offers tons of quality to go along with the impressive quantity. He trail-blazed indie rock with his band, The Dream Syndicate in the eighties. Their masterwork, Medicine Show has been re-released and was recently named one of the 40 best rock albums of all time by the London Guardian. Since then, Wynn has continued to write and perform and even appeared on the Letterman show with The Baseball Project (video below). There’s plenty of great reading about Steve on the official Steve Wynn site along with tour dates, CD purchasing and more.

MP3 sample: Still Holding On To You by The Dream Syndicate from the album, The Medicine Show

MP3: Phenom by The Baseball Project

Brett Newski of The Nod carries a torch for The Thermals

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Brett Newski pf The Nod and The Thermals

Brett Newski and The Thermals

Brett Newski’s recommendation: “2 years ago, my roommates and I were sipping PBR’s in our college shit-hole, listening to garage rock on the stereo. I plugged in our first EP. My punk-savvy roommate told me I sounded exactly like the dude from ‘The Thermals.’ I said “who is this dude and who are The Thermals?’. Turns out he is Hutch Harris, who has been sounding like me longer than I have been sounding like me.

I immediately became gripped by the raw, stripped-down rock of The Thermals, and so I decided to interview Hutch for a story in Madison’s Badger Herald. Hutch is a truly honest guy with a great sense of humor. When I asked him about their pre-show ritual he replied, ‘we do a huddle, then Kathy (bass) slaps Westin (our drummer) and I in the face pretty hard a few times. Four tequila shots a piece, then we hit the stage.’

These guys have been busting ass on the rock circuit since 2002 and have proven you can make a living in a somewhat niche market of music. They make me want to work harder as a musician.”

Editor’s Note: The new Thermals record, Personal Life comes out on September 7. Listen to the first single from the album below and check out The Thermals’ site for tour dates and more.

MP3: I Don’t Believe You

Brett NewskiAbout the guest author, Brett Newski and The Nod: Browse through The Nod’s fun-loving promotional photos and video diary on their MySpace page and you’ll immediately start to root for this group of guys from Madison, Wisconsin. The fact that they recorded their album, Easy, Maverick underneath a late night liquor store only makes their story more charming. But also realize that these guys are cutting their teeth and they’re sharpening them fast. They’ve opened for Third Eye Blind and OK Go and their brand of catchy, honest alterna-pop is sure to perk up many an ear. Give ’em a listen here:

MP3: Lie In All Honesty by The Nod

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