BERLIN / SAN FRANCISCO / MUSIC
March 1, 2010
Hello!
I just got back from a frosty few weeks in Berlin, Germany. If you haven’t had the pleasure of visiting that fine city, I strongly suggest you bump it up on that ever-growing list of places to visit. It’s a truly wonderful city, and I am thankful to get to spend lots of time there. It’s like a second home now!
I’m off to San Francisco today to begin work on TK LP2 @ Tiny Telephone with Chris Walla. We’re road tripping it down there in my giant white Chevy Express, and I couldn’t be more excited to do a jet lagged Californian road trip with anyone but Walla. I’m sure that we will listen to RUSH at some point during our many hours of the open road. I’m also sure that we will marvel at the memories of seeing Lake Shasta so many times, and what it signifies in a tour. Road trips are fun!
I’m excited to get into the studio again, and will try to take lots of pictures whilst there!
In the ‘music is fun to listen to’ category, here are a few of my favourite things:
King Tuff – Sun Medallion
Dukes Of Stratosphere – Have You Seen Jackie?
American Analog Set – Cool Kids Keep
Bell Plaines – Where Are You Going?
Bill Fox – Let’s Be Buried Together
Hooray!
Take care of yourselves,
M/B/L/
LAURA VEIRS
February 10, 2010
Dear friends:
Hello from Berlin! It’s cold, and snowy, and absolutey dreamy here. This city continues to be my total favorite.
Laura Veirs also continues to be my favorite. She just put out a new record (on her own label, I believe?), called “July Flame”. It is such an amazing record. I strongly encourage everyone to go purchase it. She (and Tucker and co.) continue to put out challenging, beautiful records. I’m a believer.
Go find it!
Stay warm!
MBL
100% SPELT
January 10, 2010
Hello, internet!
I’ve recently been enjoying these immensely, and encourage you all to check them out:
Kings Of Convenience – Declaration of Independence
I first heard this record when we were on tour in Europe a few months ago. Listening to it for the first time in a van, going 100 miles per hour down the German autobahn was a pretty terrible idea. I absolutely thought this record was garbage after that. And, being a fan of everything KOC have put out so far, I was kind of let down.
I got home from that tour, and felt compelled to actually buy this record. I am so utterly grateful that I did. I feel as thought this might now, actually be my favorite record of theirs. Maybe it’s my current mood, but this record fits me like a glove for the time being. It’s happy and bubbly when it needs to be, and it’s sparse and gorgeous and lush at just the right time. The last track on side B of the record (buy it on vinyl, serious!) absolutely kills me every time.
Bell Plaines – Strange Season / Hand In The Wind
Bell Plaines is a friend of mine from Portland, Oregon named Spencer Gentz. Really, he’s a brilliant filmmaker. He made a video for my song, Awkward Kisser. He’s a real wizard in that department too. But, he also makes the most gorgeous music you’ve ever heard. It’s incredibly cinematic, and sort of makes sense as he sort of thinks about life in a film makers way, seeing beauty in everything. Changing seasons, the outdoors.
He’s got two records out now, and both are pretty outrageously good. You can put them on, and instantly the longest, most mundane car trip turns into the most serene beautiful one you’ve ever taken. You can put this record on, and your life can instantly feel like the most beautiful movie. It is just such a companion, and I’m happy to have met it. Please introduce yourselves!
Much love xoxoxo
Michael Benjamin Lerner
GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS
December 28, 2009
Okay, maybe my Motley Crue obsession hasn’t ended, thanks to friends for giving the gift of the Crue for Christmas. I got the most amazing Dr. Feelgood poster from my sister. It’s kind of genius.
But yes, this song is actually really, really good. (If you take the cheesy lyrics, and Vince Neils incomprehensibly bad vocals out of here). And the production is pretty top notch!
Motley Crue – Girls, Girls, Girls
Motley Crue – Girls, Girls, Girls
And in other news, the Beatles Mono box set is out of this world. How did they do it?!
Love to you all, have a safe and happy New Year.
Michael Benjamin Lerner
KEITH MOON
December 22, 2009
Hello, and happy Holidaze!
I think my Motley Crue obsession has waned over the past couple weeks, which is quite a good thing. But, my obsession with Rock and Roll excess is still pretty large.
A friend showed me this youtube video not too long ago. It’s of The Who playing a show where Keith Moon had eatin Gorilla tranquilizers before taking the stage. He collapses (twice!) while playing. Gorilla tranquilizers? Yikes! If that was on their rider….Jeesh!
So, rather then canceling the show, Pete Townshend asks the audience if there are any ‘good’ drummers in the audience, and low and behold, there is. They pluck this kid from the audience, and he plays a song or two with the Who. Pretty amazing. Here’s the rather grainy out of focus youtube video. I think it’s quite incredible to see. This actually happened!
Love from Seattle,
Michael Benjamin Lerner
2009 WAS A GOOD YEAR.
December 17, 2009
HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT MADE ME HAPPY IN 2009:
Phoenix: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
This record is insanely catchy, and sounds so good in a rock club, played really loud. Like, so good!
Cass McCombs: Catacombs
He continues to put out mega brilliant records. It scares me. PREfection is sloppy and enchanting, Dropping the Writ is unstoppable, but this new record is absolutely amazing. I am completely smitten with it.
Wild Beasts: Two Dancers
Friends of mine from the beautiful town that is the Lake District, England. I thought their last record was tops. Little did I know. This record is completely gorgeous. I really, truly hope they can break here in the U.S.
David Bazan: Curse Your Branches
A pretty daring record. The last song kills me every single time.
The Clientele: Bonfires on the Heath
This was my soundtrack to our October/November European tour. It’s a record all about fall, my favorite season. The title track is ridiculously good.
The Wooden Birds: Magnolia
Amazing whisper of a record.
Favorite Discoveries of 2009:
Scott Walker
I had no idea. I randomly downloaded the documentary about Scott Walker and the Walker Brothers, and watched it on a flight from North Carolina back to Seattle. When I got home, I immediately went to the record store and bought every Scott Walker record I could find. Scott 4 is pretty much pure genius. I’m absolutely in love with his records.
The Vaselines
I think I was a little young for the Vaselines. They were always one of those bands my older friends would talk about, and I would fake that I knew just to be cool, even though I had never heard them. Well, Sub Pop just put out this great retrospective, and I bought it, and had my mind completely blown up. I am in love with this band so very much.
Warsaw
Pre-Joy Division, but basically a punky-er Joy Division. Totally bratty and rad.
John Phillips
Papa John, from the Mamas and the Papas. He put out a solo record called John, the Wolfking of L.A., which is pretty scary good. You must try to find it at your local record store. You must!
Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra
Hadn’t ever heard their records, but “Sundown, Sundown” is a pretty incredibly genius song. I’ve listened to it endlessly for two months.
Jacques Dutronc
He sounds like he doesn’t give a shit. And that’s oh so very French. It’s like the French Rolling Stones. I love it.
SUPERCHUNK IN TOKYO / TK IN SPAIN / MOTLEY CRUE
December 14, 2009
Hello internet!
I hope that this finds you are all swell and fine.
Lots of really exciting things have happened since we last spoke, and one of those most exciting was Superchunk covering the song ‘Tokyo’ in Tokyo. Kind of bonkers! Yes, I know it’s confusing, but Superchunk is currently on tour in Japan, and for their first show in Tokyo, they played our song called Tokyo. Pretty absolutely amazing, and if I can find video evidence anywhere, I’ll be sure to post it!
UPDATE: VIDEO HERE:
Also, we recently played a full set of music live on Radio3 in Madrid. It was super fun, and I was super nervous. You can view it here:
http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/la2/recomendados/index.html#645408
In other news, I’m still obsessed with Motley Crue.
It’s kind of amazing. Well, everything but the music is amazing. Which is what’s amazing. Or something.
Until next time,
Big love,
Michael Benjamin Lerner
I LOVE ROCK AND ROLL!
December 12, 2009
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