Dennis Proctor. Photo taken from Dennis Proctor’s Facebook page.
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on the Ann Arbor District Library’s Pulp blog.
One Track Mind features a Washtenaw County-associated artist or band discussing a single song.
Standout Track: No. 2, “Blue Streak Blues,” from Dennis Proctor, who lives “on the border of South Canton and Ypsi, a few hundred feet from the Washtenaw county line.” The latest solo album, Deuce, from the Haviland frontman and honorary Washtenawtonian explores themes ranging from living in the current landscape to getting second chances to dealing with change.
On “Blue Streak Blues,” Proctor recalls an awkward encounter at Cedar Point and pays tribute to the longtime wooden roller coaster that bears the song’s name. At the start of the song, he sings about running into a naked man screaming in a restroom outside of the amusement park gates. “The opening lines are literally about that event: trying to understand what that man was going through and how I could’ve helped,” writes Proctor in an email interview. “The idea of someone in that much pain and not being able to properly express it got me thinking about writing from that perspective more.”
From left: Ruby Howard, Steve Poeschel, Laura Topf, and Evan Beane of Sleep Tight Tiger. Photo taken from Sleep Tight Tiger’s website.
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on the Ann Arbor District Library’s Pulp blog.
One Track Mind” features a Washtenaw County-associated artist or band discussing a single song.
Standout Track: No. 1, “Skate” from Ypsilanti’s Sleep Tight Tiger. The indie-pop band’s debut EP, Plum Something, explores being vulnerable and sharing that emotional experience with others.
On “Skate,” the band sings about feeling carefree and spending time with friends. The members of Sleep Tight Tiger—Ruby Howard, Steve Poeschel, Laura Topf, and Evan Beane—pooled a bunch of their memories together while writing the song. “Those times with friends that arise spontaneously—running into a friend on the street and deciding to walk to the river, or both being homesick at the same time and lying out in a backyard together under the sun—feel easy and fleeting in a way that I hold dear,” writes Topf in an email interview. “There were a couple of roller skaters among the WCBN students that I have fond memories with, who inspired the hook of the song.” (Sleep Tight Tiger members were all involved with the University of Michigan student radio station.)
Initially, the Detroit vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist wanted to take a fun and intuitive approach to writing and recording The Idiot Kids’ latest album.
“As I was working on this record, I was running with the initial ideas for the music and the riffs,” said Bartee, who fronts the punk/garage-rock band.
“I thought, ‘Just keep going. Take the demo and run with it,’ but the songwriting ended up being just as introspective and autobiographical as anything else I’ve written. I was trying to have fun with [the album], and then all of a sudden, I was writing more songs about addiction, suicide, and super heavy topics.”
What resulted is a cathartic album that explores acceptance, authenticity, and recovery. The nine tracks on Instants serve as a finite point in time for Bartee to process and heal from past trauma.
“These songs are about … what’s happening with me, or it’s me addressing old feelings, but from the perspective of [last] year. I can look back at it as a time capsule,” he said.
“It was all written here, and everything was finished in [that] year. Almost all of it was recorded in my apartment, and then it was mixed and mastered by me [there as well]. It’s an unintentional, very personal album.”
Outside of his home studio, Bartee brings the songs from Instants to life on stage with Andrew Maslowsky (drums, backing vocals), Jarrett Koral (bass, backing vocals), and Carmel Liburdi (bass, backing vocals). Together, they make up the live edition of The Idiot Kids.
“The Idiot Kids is still a band and not just a solo project,” he said. “Andrew Maslowsky has been with the band since 2017, and the other members rotate live, including Jarrett Koral, Carmel Liburdi, and other guests.”
I recently spoke with Bartee about the album and its creative process.
The Detroit band features turbocharged instrumentation and explosive vocals on its latest EP.
“We just left it at that,” said Matt Gawne, a vocalist-guitarist for Absentees.
“We did it live. We recorded a second guitar, and then we recorded the vocals. [Engineer-producer] Jon-Mikal [Bartee] came over to my place with a bunch of microphones, and he just set up where we were. It was awesome for him and awesome for us.”
All the Hertz: Volume 1 is an awesome experience for listeners as well. While it’s only 16 minutes long, the punk EP’s scorching electric guitars, thumping bass, and thunderous drums energize fans across seven tracks.
“It all came out great, thanks to Jon-Mikal [Bartee], too,” said John Quillen, the band’s drummer. “He put a nice touch on it, and he knew what we wanted to go with. He gave us a sound with a more modern recording.”
In addition to its edgy sound, All the Hertz: Volume 1 covers a variety of themes, ranging from trauma to toxic jobs to new relationships.
“The most emotional song I’ve ever written is ‘Sensational,’ said Tony Dunn, a vocalist-guitarist for Absentees.
“It’s about somebody close to me who tried taking their own life, and fortunately, is still here. I’ve never written anything that personal … and I think it really shows on that song. Usually, I make up stories, but every now and then, I give a little piece of [me].
Now, Absentees continue to evolve their punk sound with Brandon Manoyian, the band’s new bassist.
“I play on a five-string bass, and I come from another band that plays in a lower tuning,” he said. “Playing with John and playing with everybody else, it’s been a different, but phenomenal experience, and everything flows and goes together.”
I recently spoke with Absentees about their latest EP ahead of a December 6 show at The Rex Theater in Morenci, Michigan.
The Metro Detroit vocalist-guitarist is ditching the winter blues after being indoors all season.
“I find, for whatever reason, it feels like it gets worse every year,” said Jones, who performs in The 3148s. “When I was younger, I’d look at snowbirds and think, “That seems like a lot of travel and a lot of hassle.”
While he’s not headed south this time, Jones channels that pent-up frustration, misery, and restlessness on “Cabin Fever,” the energetic, hardcore-inspired single from The 3148s.
Along with bandmates Ian Coote (guitar, keys, mandocello, vocals), Jason Seifert (bass), and brother Tom Jones (drums), he sings: “Sunlight deprived and locked inside / All alone in a crowded house / Grinding my teeth, grinning in agony / Self-loathing in sheep’s clothing / As all the walls keep closing / In on me and my sweet sanity.”
“And now I say, ‘Let’s get these kids to graduate so that I can buy a house in Florida and live there for six months out of the year,’” Jones said. “You feel trapped, and it’s like the walls are closing in by the time you get to this time of year. I just wanna be outside, and I wanna be warm and comfortable. I haven’t seen the sun, and yeah, it drags.”
The adrenalized alt-rock-meets-punk instrumentation on “Cabin Fever” does anything but drag. The band’s fearless electric guitar, thumping bass, and charging drums pulsate alongside Jones’ angry vocals.
To learn more, I spoke with The 3148s about its latest releases and background ahead of an April 5 show at New Dodge Lounge in Hamtramck, Michigan.
Rob Zinck & The Collaborators embark on an introspective journey that runs from childhood in Alaska to fatherhood in Michigan to thirtysomething life in the future on “Swim or Sink.” Photo courtesy of Rob Zinck
That refreshing mindset flows through the Detroit power trio’s new album, which features 11 tracks that aim to wipe the slate clean and search for internal peace in an iron-fisted world.
“The first nine songs loosely tell the story of finding myself in a particular place, examining how I got here and then fixing my eyes on the path I want to take in the future,” said Zinck, the band’s vocalist, guitarist and songwriter.
“It travels through different times and places in my life trying to figure out how I can be the best version of myself possible and a positive force in the lives of people I care about. The last two tracks deal with the fact that finding yourself doesn’t change the world, which is uncertain and oppressive and doesn’t afford all people the same privileges.”
Alongside bandmates Dan Radlick (bass) and Phil Giannotta (drums), Zinck embarks on an introspective journey that runs from childhood in Alaska to fatherhood in Michigan to thirtysomething life in the future.
“I think most of us experience a similar sense of uncertainty when our 20s start to wane and our 30s approach. We start to feel like we’re supposed to be whatever our vision of an adult is, but we’re afraid we’ll lose the passion that defines our youth,” said Zinck, who shares those thoughts against a backdrop of punk, alt-rock and indie-rock instrumentation.
“Reconciling that feeling is definitely a theme of this record. We’re all searching for ourselves in an uncertain world, and I don’t think that searching should ever fully end. By the time track nine [‘You Then Me’] fades out, I’ve found enough of the person I want to be that can move on with a life that feels meaningful rather than stagnant.”
I recently spoke with Zinck about growing up in Alaska, moving to Michigan, meeting his bandmates, dissecting songs fromSwim or Sink, using field recordings, writing and recording the album, preparing for a Nov. 18 album release show and winding down this winter.
The Detroit rock trio of Jeremy Porter (guitar, vocals), Gabriel Doman (drums, vocals) and Bob Moulton (bass, vocals) seamlessly fuse energetic live performance footage with colorful animation to illustrate “Put You on Hold’s” storyline about a girl becoming captivated with city life.
“I wanted to go for a bit of a throwback to the Aerosmith videos with Alicia Silverstone – sort of a very loose plot about a party girl that maybe worked with the song, but didn’t necessarily follow the song’s lyrics to a tee,” said Porter, who worked with director-photographer David Kellogg on the video.
“There are nods to the lyrics here and there, and in general, like the song, it’s about a crazy night out for a not-so-crazy girl, but the concept and its tie-in to the lyrics aren’t overthought. We glammed the look of the band up a bit for shits ‘n giggles to do something different, get out of our comfort zone and have some fun.”
Porter and The Tucos demonstrate that glamorous fun while dressing head-to-toe in white or black and adorning sunglasses and scarves, thanks to stylist Alessandra Lipman. They proudly sport those hip stage fashions in a darkened gym located at the Plymouth Arts & Recreation Complex (PARC).
“PARC is an old high school here in Plymouth that’s been converted into an art space with studios that local artists can rent and stuff like that. I wanted something big like a high school gym, and it just seemed perfect,” said Porter, who’s partnering with Ghettoblaster Magazine to premiere the video today.
“I also like to keep my money in my community when possible and support the arts when I can. David and I met the manager there, and she showed us around, and we agreed it was our spot. The gym has the feel of the ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ video a bit, which I liked.”
In tandem with the band’s live performance footage, the “Put You on Hold” video includes compelling animated characters and background scenery by Jones William. It explores the main character’s social outings with friends as well as her dating life and city adventures.
“(Jones) answered a Craigslist ad and was honestly one of the very few worth following up with. We never talked, just through email, a language barrier was an issue, and I wasn’t sure what I was gonna get. In the end, he delivered, and I was pleased with the work he did,” Porter said.
The band’s “Put You on Hold” video ultimately came together with Kellogg, who brought a “youthful, enthusiastic energy” to the camera.
“I met David through Instagram when we were recording. His work caught my eye, and he ended up doing all of the photography, including the cover, for the record. And even though he’s younger, he still gets the ‘70s/‘80s references we were throwing out – he’s well-traveled, so to speak,” Porter said.
“He didn’t have much to do with the concept or animation part, but he was very involved in scouting and choosing the location and everything that went into the performance part – lighting, setup, direction and all that. He and I also edited it together.”
With November’s upcoming arrival, some soulful sonic nourishment is needed to weather and withstand the remainder of 2020.
Fortifying morsels of lo-fi folk, shiny indie pop, fiery classic rock, breezy dance, garage-filled indie rock, heartfelt acoustic ballads and groovy, emotive hip-hop strengthen the mind and spirit for the unknown road ahead.
Blank Tape Tax reinterprets Minor Threat’s “Filler” as a timeless, feverish tribute to modal jazz.
Blank Tape Tax eloquently unearths the jazzy side of hardcore punk.
The Detroit experimental sextet of Ben Yost (drums, vocals), Emily Parrish (vocals), Michael King (upright bass), William Marshall Bennett (piano), Mark Royzenblat (guitar) and Issac Burgess (guitar) beautifully reinterprets Minor Threat’s “Filler” as a timeless, feverish tribute to modal jazz.
“I was practicing a lot of up-tempo swing and double-time swing, and I was listening to a lot of John Coltrane. The way I was going about practicing involved listening to a song in my mind. I’d hum along to the song, ‘Impressions,’ by Coltrane, and I would play and imagine the song, and every now and then, I would hum ‘Filler’ by Minor Threat. That’s how it started,” Yost said.
That coincidental fusion sparked the melodic, glistening frenzy of Blank Tape Tax’s refreshing rendition of “Filler,” out today via all streaming platforms. Frantic upright bass, thunderous drums, crashing cymbals, sleek piano and swirling electric guitars seamlessly blend two divergent genres into a magnetic, holistic sound.
Backed by lush, intelligent instrumentation throughout “Filler,” Parrish soulfully sings, “Your brain is clay/What’s going on? You picked up a bible/And now you’re gone/You call it religion/You’re full of shit/Filler.”
“I think there are similarities between certain types of hardcore, like 7 Seconds, Minor Threat and Better Than a Thousand, and modal jazz, like Coltrane and Wayne Shorter, especially in up-tempo stuff. The pulse is really similar between the D-beat and up-tempo swing,” Yost said.
“I had written a piano score for it, and I gave it to William, and he read it down. If I write a song, then I’ll bring it to the band, and I’ll just say, ‘This is kind of how it goes.’ And then they’ll kind of just do their own thing, and whatever they come up with is awesome. I’m totally happy with it, and there’s not a whole lot of talking back and forth, like ‘Oh, you should do this,’ or ‘No, you should change that.’ Everyone already knows what to do, and it just falls into place. I’ve never had that in other bands.”
Along with his bandmates, Yost recorded “Filler,” originally a 1984 track written and recorded by Minor Threat, during a live performance for the Hazel Park-based podcast, “Broadcast from Cow Haus,” in March. While the podcast episode’s release has been pushed back, Tom Skill and Joshua Young, co-hosts of “Broadcast from Cow Haus” and members of Detroit ska band CbJ, encouraged Blank Tape Tax to put out the track.
“We did four songs, and there’s a video of all of it. They do their show in season blocks, and they are two episodes short of a season right now. They need to wait to get those two new episodes filmed before they can put everything out,” said Yost, whose band name comes from a levy that was placed on purchasing blank tapes.
While the world turns to chaos outside, it’s time to search for solace inside.
Throw work, school and virtual commitments aside for some long overdue relaxation. With headphones in hand, adjust the volume and press play to start a new musical journey into uncharted local and regional waters.
The latest edition of The Stratton Playlist serves as a refreshing sonic escape from politics, pandemics and people. Visit country-filled skies, fuzzy lo-fi jams, jazzy hip-hop points, psych rock bangers, vibrant piano pop anthems and other new terrain.
The Stratton Setlist 