If anyone were to ask a person of a certain age and musical taste what the coolest movie soundtrack ever in the history of the world was, I would bet money that they would say The Crow Soundtrack. Mike Lewis wrote one of the most underrated songs on that record, “Slip Slide Melting” as part of one of the most underrated bands of that era in For Love Not Lisa. House Vulture had the pleasure of speaking with Mike in an eye opening interview about that time period, his other project, Puller, and the freedom surrounding his newest project, the superb Tenkiller.
Donita Sparks is music royalty. As a founding member of L7, her and the band punched and clawed through the largely male dominated rock and punk landscape of the late 80s, neutering anyone and everyone in their way. As soon as I first heard L7 in high school, I was hooked, and have been a lifelong fan ever since. House Vulture had the unbelievable chance to talk with Donita Sparks about first moving to LA from Chicago, the beginnings of L7, the founding of Rock For Choice, and the sea change of new music that has become synonomous with the early 90s.
Ages and Ages are a force in the music world. Combining pop rhythms with introspective lyrics and a calming presence, their unique brand has aligned well with the uncertainty of day. Both positive and optimistic, as well as cautious and anxious, House Vulture was able to talk through their Northwest roots, the bands songwriting focus, and having their music co-opted by both the Westboro Baptist Church and the Barack Obama Presdential Campaign.
Bossk is an other worldly musical experience hailing from Ashford, England. Their mix of earth shattering metal and atmospheric instrumentals provide an original wave to ride on, one equal parts hammer and nail. We were honored to have Tom Begley of Bossk answer a few questions for House Vulture on the importance of cover art, American metal, and the Ashford, England music scene.
Jeff Kandefer is the vocalist and multi-instrumentalist for shoegaze giants, The Daysleepers. Jeff also has a relentless work ethic and showcases those sounds with his own label, My Daydream Records. Through his label, Jeff has been able to work within multiple genres with great ease. His projects in Nightcruise, Red Sun 1981, Sinking_Gardens, and Pliocene all move in different directions, but with Jeff’s indelible stamp. We were able to talk through all the above projects, The Daysleepers, musical inspirations, and working with family in a wide-ranging and intriguiing interview.
Fucking Year of No Light hits hard. The Bordeaux-bred 6-piece metal band has a rare brand of originality and depth in their music. Mini-orchestras and music for films, their brand of metal is tanglible, palpable, with an innate ability to set landscapes and tell stories. I had the extreme honor of sitting down with Pierre Anouilh and Johan Sebanne to talk through a wide range of topics, including the French metal scene, their work on Carl Theodor Dreyer’s Vampyr, their upcoming live performance at ArcTanGent, and the possibility of new music.
Familiars are a treasure, mixing heavy stoner and acid rock with blues and even country showcasing an eclectic sound that brings the sauce. Founding members of the band, Kevin Vansteenkiste and Jared McIntyre sat down with House Vulture to discuss their formation, Canadian folklore, and many other points of reference that permeate their sound.
Matt Weed, founding member and main songwriter in Rosetta, and primary songwriter in Ghost Lode talks through Rosetta’s formation, the artifacts the band will leave behind, the art of ambient noise, and his Philly roots in our in depth interview with the artist and musician. See the full interview here….
Dont f*ck With Bruce Hornsby
Oh Bruce Hornsby. Such a mythical creature. Riding a valiant steed across the plains like a King Arthur movie, brandishing a giant viking sword, and that beautiful mullet. Oh that beautiful mullet telling us The Way It Is…. The man with the robust breadth of musical talent behind The Valley Road, Mandolin Rain, Every Little Kiss, silky smooth piano solos, every bit as rock star as anything Slash has wrote. A once touring piano player for the Grateful Dead, and the preferred composer and musician for multiple Spike Lee movies. I could be in the depths of hell and a Bruce Hornsby song will come on and calm the space for all eternity, of course with The Range. What a ballsy name for a band… The fucking Range. And…. he wrote and played piano for Don Henley’s greatest song The End of the Innocence, another that I will take with me to the gates of hell. Don’t fuck with Bruce Hornsby.