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Post by chapeuzinho on Feb 20, 2012 7:44:15 GMT -5
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Post by smasher on Feb 20, 2012 9:47:36 GMT -5
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Post by rmichael on Feb 20, 2012 14:18:52 GMT -5
Sweet! He loves Isobel to death...sigh...
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Post by LostCause on Feb 20, 2012 21:14:54 GMT -5
That is a cool interview. He seems to have opened up quite a bit. It makes me wonder how much planning he does in his professional life.
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Post by obi on Feb 21, 2012 2:14:00 GMT -5
Mark Lanegan and John Cale? Oh man.
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Post by chapeuzinho on Feb 21, 2012 4:20:01 GMT -5
Mark Lanegan and John Cale? Oh man. I know. Would be amazing.
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Post by rmichael on Mar 5, 2012 9:22:43 GMT -5
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Post by rmichael on Mar 5, 2012 16:20:18 GMT -5
google did a not too bad job here:
Mark Lanegan has become a familiar face in the rock world. Whether it's from his old band Screaming Trees, his tenure with Queens Of The Stone Age or one of his numerous projects with well known musicians. Yet, the gruff and mysterious Lanegan not like the limelight. "I do not like to talk about myself, but it should now at once eh?" To promote his new album Funeral Blues he is currently touring through Europe.
Text: Teun van Rooij
Lanegan sits slumped in his chair. The notoriously grumpy looks tired from his busy touring schedule. Yet he looks back at the first performances met with his Belgian friends Creature With The Atom Brain. "They are fantastic guys. It's fun to hang with them and they are great musicians. I can not ask for more. "Now he has almost all corners of Europe have already seen, but the tour will take him anyway along new cities. "We played in Finland and there was thick snow. You do not see often if you live in Los Angeles, "he says with a laugh.
For more than twenty five years Lanegan plays in several bands and he tours all over the world. Where does he come to the drive is still to maintain? "The same as when I started. Just the love of music. No more, no less. "Even after
Ad
all these years it remains for Lanegan more a passion than work. "Although, it's hard work though. Make no mistake. But I prefer to do nothing. I see friends with jobs that they do not like. In that respect, I hit it. " After the release of Bubblegum has lasted eight years before a new Lanegan solo album came up. "It's never the intention that such a long time between albums would sit, but I have in recent years simply been too busy with tours and albums for my different projects. After the last tour with Isobel Campbell (Belle & Sebastian) I finally had time and I started Funeral Blues. There was no pressure behind it, so I could enjoy my course. "
A strange duck in the bite on the new album is the song Ode To Sad Disco. The song contains a lot of electronic influences and with some imagination it seems from the repertoires of a band like New Order. The song was inspired by the soundtrack of the movie Pusher of the Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn. "The Pusher Trilogy in my eyes much like the earlier work of Martin Scorsese. A beautiful triptych about a greedy and bloody drug scene. The soundtrack to the film, Sad Disco, I found fantastic. Hence the title of my song. It's really a tribute to that soundtrack. "
Drive Winding Refn has also recently released a film set in Los Angeles, home of Lanegan. "I drive a few times. Wonderful film. And the LA Clippers, my favorite basketball team is in it for. Then I find it good. They also do well this season, the Clippers. They are first in their league. That's the last twenty years never happened. So nothing to complain about in Clipper Land, "he says with a laugh.
It is clear that Lanegan especially living in the present when asked what the future will bring. "I'm too busy with what I'm doing and where I am today. This is where I want to be. About the future I do not think after. There are no plans for new projects. "
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Post by obi on Mar 5, 2012 20:56:39 GMT -5
A strange duck in the bite!
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Post by chapeuzinho on Mar 6, 2012 3:19:40 GMT -5
.... A strange duck in the bite .... ah Google was doing so well then the dutchy got it...
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Post by rmichael on Mar 6, 2012 7:14:04 GMT -5
.... A strange duck in the bite .... ah Google was doing so well then the dutchy got it... a strange duck in the bite comes really close to with my hole in the butter case ;D ;D ;D
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Post by elanor on Mar 29, 2012 4:10:27 GMT -5
www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/seattle-sage-resurrects-glory-days/story-fn6ci0vj-1226312715406Seattle sage resurrects glory days * by: Mikey Cahill * From: National Features * March 28, 2012 6:30PM SOUNDING like a man who has just crawled out of the swamp, 47-year-old Seattle sage Mark Lanegan is a bruised boxer who somehow keeps getting back in the ring. And winning. On his current tour, Lanegan is playing bigger venues than ever before with his first touring band in seven years - aptly named the Mark Lanegan Band and consisting of some Belgians and some old buddies. It's putting him back in halls he played in his glory days with Screaming Trees and as a member of Queens of the Stone Age. The tour is behind Lanegan's seventh studio album Blues Funeral, a considered record of baritone rock'n'roll that Lanegan punched into shape with producer Alain Johannes. "I always knew when I made another album it would be with him. We played together in Queens of the Stone Age. More than anybody else I've ever worked with, he can make it happen and he brings so much enthusiasm, proficiency and creativity," Lanegan says. "God willing, I'll be able to make many more records with him. "I write the song, I show it to him and describe the elements I'd like it to have and he will inevitably bring a whole bunch more to the table. This record is 50-50 him and I." The song Bleeding Muddy Water has a foreboding intensity that can only come from a Lanegan joint. "I tried to achieve the same thing with Bleeding Muddy Water as I do to any song - I make a piece of music, then I try to add to that piece of music once I know what I'm doing with the words and one that fits with the record," Lanegan says. "Above all I try and write a song I think I'd listen to and enjoy if I was listening to music and one that I enjoy playing live. I'd like to write with Brian Eno - it probably won't happen, but anything's possible. He's a zen genius." It's doubtful Eno could capture what Johannes does on the crackling, caustic Bleeding Muddy Water, though. Lanegan shows off an ethereal, spiritual side, spinning religious motifs such as "Lord now the rain done come" and "Heaven's son, you are the bullet, you are the gun" together. "I'm not really a religious person, but I grew up listening to gospel and blues. My extended family were religious fanatics, so it's become a part of what I do," Lanegan says. Then there is Blues Funeral, the sound of a man on a rocking chair reading Shakespeare while nursing a shotgun across his knee. Lanegan finally breaks into something close to a chuckle. "I read not as much as I used to, probably because my eyesight is getting so poor in my old age," he says. "But I like reading books like The Fatal Shore, the Australian story; it's a great book by Robert Hughes." Another track, The Gravedigger's Song, centres on the afterlife and shuffling off this mortal coil. Does this survivor fear death? "When I was younger and I first realised what dying was, it scared me. But now the thought of going to sleep ain't so bad," Lanegan says, with a guilty laugh. SEE Mark Lanegan VIC Forum, April 26, $75.05, Ticketmaster NSW The Hi-Fi, April 20, $71.50, thehifi.com.au QLD The Tivoli, April 21, $73.30, Ticketek
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Post by obi on Mar 29, 2012 6:58:17 GMT -5
Lanegan and Eno.
This is all.
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Post by capricorn on Apr 8, 2012 3:29:52 GMT -5
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Post by doomed on Apr 8, 2012 8:54:43 GMT -5
Good to hear Mark's voice, but she seems a bit of a twit, no? Thanks for the link - love hearing Quiver Syndrome and Harborview Hospital any time -
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Post by Aki on Apr 9, 2012 1:26:51 GMT -5
Good to hear Mark's voice, but she seems a bit of a twit, no? You mean "twat", not "twit", right? ;D
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Post by doomed on Apr 9, 2012 9:22:09 GMT -5
I think either would apply equally as well - however, "bit of a twit" just has a more alliterative ring to it!
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Post by rmichael on Apr 15, 2012 3:41:38 GMT -5
Mark Lanegan: The voice of experience Who: Mark Lanegan Where and when: The Powerstation, Wednesday, April 18 Latest album: Blues Funeral, out now Mark Lanegan is not in a particularly chatty mood. The Seattle singer, whose grizzled looks match his beautifully wrecked baritone voice, mumbles his way through our conversation. He can't even be jollied by praise for his latest solo album, Blues Funeral, which was released earlier this year. "Thank you. Thank you," he murmurs. It's not that he's being rude, because glimpses of his wry wit come through. "Maybe if I had a bass drum on my back and cymbals between my knees, I could," he chuckles about trying to play the songs off Blues Funeral as a one-man band. And there are flashes of openness, like his observation about lyrics like "when death's metal broom, comes sweeping through the evening" from the song Riot in My House. "It's a song about my life, you know," he offers. Maybe his remoteness is because he's distracted by his two boisterous dogs who can be heard in the background. Then again, maybe that's just Lanegan, who returns to New Zealand to play the Powerstation on Wednesday. He was last here in 2010 performing with long-time guitarist, Dave Rosser, as "a bit of fun". But this time he's bringing a full band. You'd think Lanegan would have a little more enthusiasm considering Blues Funeral is one of his best collections of songs to date. And that's saying something given his vast canon of work, which started in the mid-80s with grunge originals Screaming Trees, and continued on with seven solo albums, and numerous collaborations with everyone from Queens of the Stone Age and the Gutter Twins (with Afghan Whigs' Greg Dulli) through to rock gospel outift Soulsavers and his stunningly spare albums with former Belle and Sebastian singer Isobel Campbell. It's his first solo album in eight years, following a constant stream of collaborative album, and "it felt good to do it". "But I didn't really miss it because I was really enjoying working with other people. But once I started making it I realised I had all these songs." Not that it's a purely solo effort, with Queens of the Stone Age leader Josh Homme letting rip on Riot in My House ("that's pretty much his signature sound") and the album is produced by long-time friend and Queens' guitarist Alain Johannes. "He's the best. And, God willing, we will make several more together." This time the album has a more lively sonic texture and electronic hum to it rather than the acoustic approach of his previous solo albums. "Usually I write songs with my guitar but with this record I started a few of them on keyboard, and with the drum machine, and synthesiser. And I think that indicated the direction that part of the record was going to go." Songs such as opener and lead single The Gravedigger's Song churn and groove along ominously, the haunting Phantasmagoria Blues is mesmerising (and includes the looming line, "thought I'd rule like Charlemagne, but I've become corrupt"), and then there's the mournful majesty of St Louis Elegy ("these tears are liquor and I've drunk myself sick"). But it's not all sombre and slow with Quiver Syndrome starting off like a Foo Fighters' anthem and brimming with soulful woo-hoos, and Ode to Sad Disco a spooky six-minute-long dancefloor swoon. The thing that's perhaps most noticeable about Blues Funeral is its nod to many of Lanegan's diverse musical influences. It's all in there, from the caustic nastiness of Scratch Acid (check out 1991 compilation The Greatest Gift) and Roxy Music's Country Life, through to the Bee Gees (before they went disco) and Los Angeles punks the Flesh Eaters, whose 1981 album, A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die, he rates as possibly his favourite album of all time. Though, in typical Lanegan style, on this particular day he has no idea why. "It's just an album I definitely love," he says. Still, there is no doubt this guy knows his music, so it might just be worth checking out. By Scott Kara | Email Scott www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10798779
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Post by doomed on Apr 15, 2012 13:01:45 GMT -5
What a great interview/review, rmichael - thanks for posting it!!! (love the boisterous dogs in the background!) and - "It's a song about my life, you know"
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Post by capricorn on Apr 16, 2012 13:56:33 GMT -5
although it's from last year already I don't think I've seen this around here before...sorry, if it's been already posted... gaffa.dk has a short feature including a mini interview on the Aarhus gig from 2011 online: gaffa.dk/tv/clip/925
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Post by doomed on Apr 16, 2012 17:02:26 GMT -5
although it's from last year already I don't think I've seen this around here before...sorry, if it's been already posted... gaffa.dk has a short feature including a mini interview on the Aarhus gig from 2011 online: gaffa.dk/tv/clip/925I had never seen that! Thanks, capricorn - it was wonderful - I love the comments from the audience, too - but of course, Mark himself was the very best part
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Post by angela on Apr 16, 2012 22:50:11 GMT -5
Thanks, capricorn. Short, but lovely.
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Post by analuisa on Apr 20, 2012 17:58:26 GMT -5
www.tonedeaf.com.au/features/interviews/154612/mark-lanegan.htmAn Interview With Mark Lanegan Written by Ciaran Wilcox on 20 April 2012 Chatting with the brooding force of nature that is Mark Lanegan from his hotel in Barcelona ahead of landing down under, Tone Deaf took a deep breath to pry into the world of the man that Josh Homme owes so much of his career to. Touring and recording under different guises in recent years with The Gutter Twins (with Afghan Wigs frontman Greg Duli) as well as his acclaimed collaboration with Isobel Campbell, Lanegan has proved to be a beast of his own kind. His vast body of work spanning over two decades with Seattle band The Screaming Trees, intermittent membership of Queens Of The Stoneage entwined with numerous solo and collaborative guises has garnered praise from all and sundry. Now in 2012 he returns to our shores on the back of his much heralded new release Blues Funeral. Having been a regular visitor, we pried a few glints of reflection from the dark one. Breaking away politely (for a change) from his recent outputs spawned out of writing with other people, things have settled back to the base mode of control for Lanegan as he explains, “When I sit down to make a record I just try to enjoy myself and make something that speaks to me start to finish. When I think about songs I think about how they go on a whole as a record. At the same time I’ve trying to do different things that might be new for me from time to time just to keep up the interest. Where that ends up…I’m not too concerned with that. I just try to enjoy myself.” “Nuts and bolts: I’m usually writing on the guitar. With this record I wrote just a few of the songs like that. Here I was starting with keyboards and drum machines. Mixing things up to keep it interesting for me. When you’re writing and recording a record I try to rely on instinct and the chips fall where they may. If I don’t like the result or it doesn’t turn out the way I envisaged it then I might move on from that.” Find that bin. There will be sullen, unloved, baritone gold in there. Putting together yet another touring band of trusted heads, old and new, the coming together of ideas of others or his own, the mix of it all continues to drive the man. “I enjoy all the collaborations. My solo records are not really so different. They’re all collaborations in another form. They aren’t really strictly my own vision. When I’m with The Gutter Twins I’m there to add to a vision whereas with Isobel Campbell I’m there to support her.” Seemingly driving forward with all the gruff, understated hunger for writing and producing he held in his formative years with The Screaming Trees, where does the finished product sit with such an artist? Has there ever been a battle plan drawn for world domination? To date, it would hardly seem so and as Lanegan groans further, there’s little to draw him out of his world. “I don’t ever pay attention to anything about my records beyond making them. The business side of things or whatever happens to be ‘big’ in the world, no. Outside influences? I’ve never been influenced by that. I can only do things the way I do them. They only involvement that I might have outside the studio is talking to guys like you.” Feeling oddly special in whichever way you wish to interpret, the impending possibility of another collaboration being added to the bow is looming again. Australian rock luminary Ron S. Peno will be joining several legs of Mark’s Australian tour along with his band The Superstitions and Lanegan perks up at the thought of working together. “I love [Ron’s former band] Died Pretty. I’ve always loved Ron’s singing. I think that the new record [Future Universe, 2011] he did is just fantastic. It’s my favourite record of the last year. I wanted to have him on all the dates but sadly he couldn’t do them all. He’s a fantastic talent. That would be a dream come true but we’ll see how it goes.” Under a cover of darkness, watch this space.
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Post by analuisa on Apr 22, 2012 21:11:37 GMT -5
www.fasterlouder.com.au/features/32302/Mark_Lanegan_I_have_my_plans_and_God_has_his#Mark Lanegan: "I have my plansand God has his" Fri 20th Apr, 2012 in Features Mark Lanegan is a man of few words, but then his career that more than speaks for itself. With a voice as deep as the depths of the Atlantic and an attitude James Dean would be proud of, Lanegan is one of the lucky few to have broken up a successful band – ‘90s grunge pioneers The Screaming Trees – to forge a solo career that has been equally successful. Lanegan is touring Australia off the back of the superb Blues Funeral, his seventh solo record. The album, released in February, marked a rare change in sound, venturing into a world of electronic sounds and computerized drum beats amongst Lanegan’s trademark dirty blues aesthetic. “I’ve made a lot of records and I’ve been doing it for a long time. In small ways every now and again I try and change stuff up to enjoy myself. Basically, it was for me,” he explains. “I wrote some of this record with a keyboard and drum machine, synthesizer, but for the most part I wrote it with a guitar which is what I normally do. The recording process was the same also.” The album, like Lanegan’s other work, is mysterious and obtuse, using subtle lyrical metaphors and not giving anything away. Lanegan similarly refused to delve into the meanings of the songs, noting it’s very much a deliberate stance he takes. “It defeats the purpose of making them,” he says shrewdly. “Whoever makes connections with this music can draw their own conclusions, because that’s always what I’ve always done with music I enjoy. I never really wanted to know what Bob Dylan meant by one of his songs. I choose to interpret it in my own way, and that’s the beauty of music for me.” The man has a history of ill temper and surliness, infamously almost throwing the tapes to Whiskey for the Holy Ghost in a river out of mad frustration. But it was this attitude and gruff demeanour that went a long way to making the collaborations with British songstress Isobel Campbell, with whom Lanegan made three albums, so damn special. Lanegan revealed that a large part of what made the project important for him was the ability to sing someone else’s work, songs that he wouldn’t normally write. But while noticeably proud of the efforts, he virtually ruled out taking it further. “We did a lot of records in a short period of time, I love working with her. I’ll never say never… But I think it’s done for now.” When pressed about whether the Screaming Trees would consider re-forming, given the recent spate of ‘90s reunion tours (Blur, Faith No More, Stone Roses, etc.) Lanegan made it crystal clear that it’s not on the cards. Although he said he was in “semi-regular contact” with a couple of his old bandmates, he followed it up by saying the band is “nothing I wanna revisit.” Lanegan was also coy about whether he would appear on the next Queens of the Stone Age record, saying it had yet to be made and he hadn’t been approached. He’s somewhat part of a desert rock clique, along with Queens of the Stone Ages’ Josh Homme, and Alain Johannes who produced Blues Funeral, and describes the music he makes with them as a “result of the friendship” and he “hangs out with them all the time when we’re not making music.” Perhaps the clique he will best be remembered for, however, was the Seattle grunge scene, which spawned bands like his own Screaming Trees, Pearl Jam, and of course Nirvana. Although having the benefit of hindsight now, the impact that grunge would end up having on the ‘90s and rock more broadly did not seem to be apparent to Langean and the rest of his band at the time. “I was making records for several years before that phenomenon happened, it was a little strange that so many bands from such a small city became so wildly popular on the international stage, but really for me personally, we were just touring most of the time and I was doing the same thing I do now… Looking back on it, which I never really do unless I’m asked to, it seems like just another step in the same direction I’m going now.” And, at 47, Lanegan is reaching elder statesman status but still may have many years left in him yet. “Ideally I’d like to do this until I’m old, but I have my plans and God has his… So we’ll see which one makes it.”
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Post by SheBangsTheTrums on Apr 23, 2012 7:39:55 GMT -5
I read the Tone Deaf interview on Fri - he likes us Aussies!!! Ron Peno was a stalwart on the Brisbane music scene from the late 70's in some great bands The 31st, Screaming Tribesman and Died Pretty - Brisbane spawned some great talent back then and still does!!! Also great to read something a little diff from the norm too
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