When you have a voice that sounds like a resurrected Johnny Cash dabbling in the forces of evil with Glenn Danzig, no one really expects songs about girls, cars and endless summers to come rolling off of your tongue. Indeed, Murder By Death’s Adam Turla is well-accustomed to narrating stories through song with heavier themes – sin, guilt, revenge, and (of course) death, just to name a few. However, the band’s most recent full-length release, Red of Tooth and Claw, is much more than an assortment of direction-less tragedy. Murder By Death bring the spirit of centuries old Americana to life with haunting, ragged tinged tales that instantly provoke brutal self-reflection. In anticipation of their Friday show at the Annex, Turla recently took the time to answer several questions about the band’s inspiration, and the art of storytelling. (cross posted at True Endeavors)

Tell me about how you all found each other and created the band.

We were drinking buddies at college in Bloomington, Indiana – thought it would be fun to have a different kind of band.

{photo by Landon Arkens} I was recently invited to sit in on a rehearsal with Jeremiah Nelson's newly formed version of Patchwork which includes Luke Bassuener (drums) of Elden Caulder and This Bright Apocalypse and Josh Tyack (bass) who hosts Rock Chocolate on WSUM from 9:00 to 11:00 on Wednesdays and is a former member of Elden Caulder. Also joining in was Shawn Drake a violin player and sometimes stage companion with Patchwork. The new version of the band performs tonight at Cafe Montmarte along with the Chris Koza band.

Listening in on their rehearsal gave great insight to how a fledgling band works. Though Nelson has been playing around as Patchwork solo for quite some time the assembled group has shared the stage only three times and has practiced five. It is interesting to watch them collectively work out the kinks that comes with this and even more intriguing witnessing their cohesiveness.

When examining the current state of music, it’s a somewhat rare occurrence to encounter a band whose music is synonymous with a well-defined set of ethics and a clear sense of purpose. Unfortunately even more uncommon is encountering one whose members’ actions actually work in direct accord with those admirable ideals, but Black Rebel Motorcycle Club has always been one of those rare breeds. On the Henry Rollins Show last year, for example, guitarist Peter Hayes explained the band’s adverse stance on the modern marriage of art and capitalism and how they protect their music from being corrupted by it. "We haven’t figured out a way to take money and turn it around and do something good besides helping ourselves. We haven’t really figured out a way to do that quite yet, you know? It would be nice to take the 500,000 or 2 million that someone offers you for doing their car commercial and throw it back into whatever that company is destroying. We try to stay away from the beast."

Today is Record Store Day and record stores across the country will "simultaneously link and act as one with the purpose of celebrating the culture and unique place that they occupy both in their local communities and nationally." Locally, Strictly Discs will be taking part in the nationwide event. To help celebrate Dane101 has partnered with the independent shop at 1900 Monroe Street to profile store staff and expand the day into a full week. Next up, Ron Roloff.

1. How long have you been working at Strictly Discs:

Since 10:00 am EST, October 9th, 1988

2. First piece of recorded music you purchased and in what format:

April 19 is Record Store Day and record stores across the country will "simultaneously link and act as one with the purpose of celebrating the culture and unique place that they occupy both in their local communities and nationally." Locally, Strictly Discs will be taking part in the nationwide event. To help celebrate Dane101 has partnered with the independent shop at 1900 Monroe Street to profile store staff and expand the day into a full week. Next up, Matt Schewe.

1. How long have you been working at Strictly Discs:

My first term was about one year and I’m not too sure how long my second term has been. I’d guess around a year as well.

April 19 is Record Store Day and record stores across the country will "simultaneously link and act as one with the purpose of celebrating the culture and unique place that they occupy both in their local communities and nationally." Locally, Strictly Discs will be taking part in the nationwide event. To help celebrate Dane101 has partnered with the independent shop at 1900 Monroe Street to profile store staff and expand the day into a full week. First up, the most recent hire, Ryan Matteson, who you may also know as the man behind popular music blog Muzzle of Bees.

Back at the end of January, Isthmus published a front page story about "How We Sound" – a review of the Madison music scene by John Mendels(s)ohn, a self-described "formerly famous music critic." The article sparked eleven angry pages of discussion on Isthmus’ website, thedailypage.com, and six letters to the editor. Although some people praised Mendels(s)ohn, most lambasted him.

"That article tasted like a shitty omelet that has a little bit of every possible ingredient from the inside door of the fridge," wrote one person. Another blasted, "What the FUCK kind of failed rockstar-cum-critic retard spells his name with a parenthetical letter?"

Well, let’s find out.

Friday night at The Corral Room Madison’s own The Suit, veterans of the local music scene, will be sharing the stage with The Poison Arrows and Qualms; doors open at 9:30pm. Qualms are a relatively new band from Chicago but they are not new to touring consisting of former member of Check Engine and Lynx (who shared members with recent Math Rock darlings Battles) their two guitars and drum assault should fit the bill perfectly. The Poison Arrows are an intriguing band also out of Chicago on File 13 Records. With Ex-members of Don Caballero, 41 Rivers, and Atombombpocketknife The Poison Arrows have the experience and road tested grit to go on to great heights. Having been in and around the city for many years and many bands The Suit’s Matt Quigle (Bass), Jon Terrones (Bass), Jaime Rohrbeck (Bass and Vocals), Brian Blum (Drums) and Sean Pratt (Keyboard) have developed a distinct triple bass threat sound of Noise-Punk that is unique to only themselves. Jon Terrones of The Suit recently took time from recording a new record, fatherly duties, and general jackassery to talk with Dane101.

Dane101: You guys were recording a new album last I spoke with you; How is that going?

Jon Terrones: It's going a bit slow. It's tough when you're almost 60 years old and trying to compete in this young person's game. It's more than half way done though.

This is part of our "2007 Reflections" series looking back at 2007 and ahead to 2008 through the eyes of Madison bands, politicians, business owners, and more. To read them all click "2007 Reflections" above.

Band: Screamin' Cyn Cyn and the Pons
Website: http://cyncyn.com/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/cyncyn

1. So...2007...how was it?

2007 was sweet for Screamin' Cyn Cyn & The Pons. We released our new CD, Screamin' Target Heart Rate, hopped onto local label Crustacean, toured the West Coast, and bought some new shoes. We felt fine and looked even better.

This is part of our "2007 Reflections" series looking back at 2007 and ahead to 2008 through the eyes of Madison bands, politicians, business owners, and more. To read them all click "2007 Reflections" above.

Band: Kyle Motor (and the Motorz, August Teens, the Arkoffs, the God Damns)

The Motorz Website: http://www.themotorz.com/
August Teens Website: http://www.theaugustteens.com/
Motorz on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/themotorz

So...2007...how was it?

2007 was weird.

The Good:
Huge goals were accomplished, namely simultaneously recording and releasing two new Motorz albums. At the same time we finally got a bunch of August Teens songs down on tape.

This is part of dane101's series looking back on 2007 and forward at 2008 through the eyes of local politicians, musicians, organizations, and businesses. To read them all click on "2007 Reflections" above.

Band: The Treats
Website: http://www.thetreats.net/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/thetreats

1. How was 2007 for your band?

We spent the first part of the year finishing up construction on Standing Water Studio... After that we recorded our new album, "Reservoir Tales."

A recent chat with Cameron Bird, frontman for Australia's Architecture in Helsinki, was delightful, albeit punctuated by occasional lapses in cellphone reception (see his answer to a question about his heroes). Check out Cameron and the rest of the band at the High Noon tomorrow night at 8, with Glass Candy and Panther.

DM: What was your favorite tour moment so far?
CB: Poland; we played this tiny little club in the middle of nowhere... it was like playing on another planet.

DM: What country has been the most fun?
CB: On this last tour we got to play a lot of places we hadn't played before.
Poland, Portugal….
I don't know, it all kind of blurs into one when you do so many in a row…
France, Germany…none really stand out as being a tour highlight.

DM: What was it like touring with Jona Bechtolt/YACHT?
DB: Always amazing. Always exciting. He's one of our best friends.

On October 20 Dianogah and Bottomless Pit will play the Corral Room. That alone should be enough for you to get your Sunday’s best on and sit eagerly at the edge of your couch like its prom night. Don’t wait for me I’m not picking you up but I may try to cop a feel before the night is through.

If you have yet to catch a show at the Corral Room, no time is better than this Saturday night. As Chris Besinger lead singer of the Minneapolis band STNNNG said at their recent show there, “Thanks for coming to my Mom’s rec-room.” No words could describe the Corral Room better. With it’s wood paneling, traffic worn ’70’s carpet and the venue size it is like you are one of few in the know about the amazing show you are witnessing. That feeling is what you can expect when you come to see Dianogah and Bottomless Pit.

If Suzanne Vega were not so busy on tour, her polite and lovely publicist assures me she would have answered these questions herself("so sorry bessie-her time on the road got insane and I don't think we will get in time-pls forgive me and we will def do our best next time,thanks").
But I am a voracious Vega fan, and the thing is, I wrote her these questions because I just really wanted to know! So I did some sleuthing, and present to you a compendium of all things Suzanne Vega. In her own words, and mine. I hope that Google and I did her justice.

Check out the consummate songstress tonight at the Barrymore Theatre at 7:30 pm, with Richard Julian.

1. I noticed you recently played a show in Great Barrington, Massachusetts (my home base of 10 years-- got my start in the music biz working for Marc and Deb and Club Helsinki!) and toured Edith Wharton's home. Your songs are very evocative and literate, you majored in English Lit at Barnard, and your stepfather is a writer. Your recent book collects 30 years worth of writing, and you are now married to a poet. What/who do you read? Have any writers in particular inspired your music?

From 1995, at The Learning Annex: “I have people I love to go back to, and a lot of it's the old fashioned literature, y'know, Emily Bronte, "Wuthering Heights," and Charles Dickens and John Steinbeck and Hemingway and Virginia Woolfe and D.H. Lawrence and Sylvia Plath and e.e. cummings and um... I mean, I just love books, I just have 'em all the time, I read all the time.”

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club might just be the most misunderstood band in music. In a fit of dizzy excitement upon hearing that they planned to swing by Madison on their latest tour (The Annex, Sept. 16), I began to spread the news to anyone who would listen. I was both amused and fascinated by the variety of responses I got among those unfamiliar with the San Francisco-based trio. “Black who?” “Umm…is that a band?” I even got the classic, “They’re Jesus and Mary Chain wannabes” line as well as a puzzling “For some reason I thought they were a metal band” remark.

Even those a bit more familiar with BRMC seemed to hold on to some major misconceptions. The band’s reputation of being gloomy, depressive, us-against-the-world misanthrope rockers isn’t exactly unexpected based on superficial observation, but guitarist and singer Peter Hayes explained how reality paints a very different picture.