So this week one of New York’s premier guitar bands Chavez did yet another performance except this time on Jimmy Fallon. This is about a week after playing All Tomorrow’s Parties. Now that their songs are at least 16 years old can we help pass the good vibes to hear some new material sometime soon from these gentlemen? I know it’s in their back pocket somewhere. I know I’m not the only one who cares from everybody who showed up to see them play a 6:30 set! They sounded great and Matt Sweeney looks like he rolled right out of CB’s circa 1989 from his Skunk days except with no dread locks but probably the same jeans. Clay was in post-hardcore sound band called Bullet LaVolta before forming the band with Sweeney who were releasing records at the same time and part of the same scene which included Smashing Pumpkins in their circuit. And if you listen carefully you’ll notice Billy Corrigan pretty much ripped off both band’s sounds and mashed them together. In my opinion anyway; if you take that Allmam brother 70’s guitar noodling of Skunk and add some Tarver power chords with the volume formula breakdowns. You can easily look at both of these bands as being influential with one of the three making all the spoils.
The Fist of Tarver & the Men of Chavez - All Tomorrow's Parties 2011
Nailed To The Blank Spot MP3 by Chavez from Gone Glimmering (1995) (There’ll Be Other Girls) Hoss MP3 by Skunk from Last American Virgin(1989) Knobb Off MP3 by Skunk from the album Laid (1991) Twin/Tone X-Fire MP3 by Bullet LaVolta from The Gift (1989) My Protector MP3 by Bullet LaVolta from Swandive (1991) Siva MP3 by Smashing Pumpkins from Gish (1991)
SET 1: The Guest MC is Rick Sanchez and I am right there in the front row drinking beers and peeing in-between the bands, sometimes maybe in a cup. Thankfully the live stream exists so I can check the scene over the weekend. Catching some great performances and then sleeping it off during the day For Matador’s 21st Birthday bash, Liz Phair is sitting next to me drinking fancy drinks next to the pool as Lester Bangs compares the 60’s to 90’s and how Nirvana Fucked it all up for us. We were our inflateed market with so many clubs to choose from we could not even conceive of having to play some place so desolated like Brooklyn, ever!
Here’s my playlist of tracks that rockED beyond recognition: Our Boys Will Shine Tonight by Chavez(Pictured above) originally this track was from Ride The Fader then later appeared on the double CD comp Better Days will Haunt you. The original is an amazing LP recorded by John Agnello at Water Music mostly in Hoboken. If you are guitar geek you own this record. Thankful having seen them live a few times from their days at Brownies and beyond. [Buy] Flavor by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion from Orange. I have memories of listening to this record and opening up the windows in the middle of day and drinking beers with my roommates. This record is another guitar marvel. [Buy Some JSBX] Schizophrenia by Sonic Youth from the epic exorcism record Sister. I first heard these guys in 1987 in highschool and quickly baught up every release pretty much moving forward up until Dirty. Saw them at CBGB’s one summer before Day Dream Nation came out and they played the whole record live from front to back and it was one of the most memorable live experiences that I will never forget. Once this record made it onto playlists it was over. Years later they would sign to DGC and tour with Nirvana making fun of the whole situation in the movie The Year Punk Broke in 1991. No Life Singed Her by Pavement from Slanted & Enchanted. This is the epitome of slacker rock. The apex of drunk and loose. Never would an indie band reach such heights maybe for the exception of on Icky Mettle. The tunes are melodic and mindful of their recklessness neatly sown together by the melodies of Stephan Malkumus. [BUY]
Bonus: The Helicopter Spies by Swell Maps from Jane From Occupied Europe. Totally influential and you will totally get hooked.
LATER POST: See this interview excerpt from GQ on @Stereogum with Steve Albini talks about being tasteful in rocknroll when asked about the Sonic Youth jump to DGC. Did they fuck it all up for the of us? Albini blames the suits.
I’m not sure how you train for this? But I’m going to start now! Tix go on sale July 5th for Matador’s 21st Anniversary birthday bash. I would not even begin to comprehend how you pick a headliner out of this crazy line-up: Belle and Sebastian, Cat Power, Cold Cave, Earles & Jensen, Fucked Up, Guided By Voices, Harlem, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Kurt Vile, Pavement, Shearwater, Sonic Youth, Ted Leo And The Pharmacists, The New Pornographers, Yo La Tengo, chavez…
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